What's For Dinner?

Mexican Lasagna

2010-08-11T15:13:00.003-05:00

We love tex-mex food around here and this recipe was awesome! I got it from the cookbook my daughter's preschool put together in 2008. The only things I changed were the amounts of sour cream and salsa - I used WAY more than the recipe calls for! Oh, and I omitted the cilantro (cilantro and I do not get along).

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MEXICAN LASAGNA

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasonings
3/4 cup water
2 green onions, finely chopped, divided
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped, divided
juice from 1 lime
12-15 corn tortillas, taco size
1 cup salsa
3 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 roma tomatoes, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large saucepan brown the ground beef, drain off fat. Stir in taco seasoning, water, half green onion, half cilantro and lime juice. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Line the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with some of the tortillas (4-5 should do). Spread some of the sour cream over the tortillas and sprinkle with a generous amount of cheese. Add half the ground beef, layer with some salsa and then sprinkle with more cheese.

Add some more tortillas over the first layer. Spread some more sour cream over the tortillas and sprinkle with cheese. Add the remaining beef, then more salsa, then sprinkle with more cheese.

Add a final layer of tortillas. Spread some sour cream over the tortillas, layer with salsa, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with tin foil and bake for 25-30 minutes. Let stand, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Top with remaining green onion, cilantro and tomatoes.
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I tore some of the tortillas to fit in the holes and I think they were flour, not corn, tortillas. Reading the recipe you can see where I had to use more than just a measly cup of sour cream and salsa, right? Anyway, it was delicious and is definitely being put into heavy rotation around here!

Happy eating!

Al's Veggie-Cheese Subs with Olive Relish

2010-07-26T12:22:00.003-05:00

Al's Beefs is almost as popular as Portillo's Beefs here in Chicago, and I have to say I prefer Portillo's beef sandwiches. However, Al's has a veggie-cheese sub sandwich that is SO good that I had to find a way to re-create them at home. I started by going to their website which lists the ingredients to the sub including olive relish. But of course they don't list the ingredients for the relish so I had to come up with it on my own. My husband and I have eaten many veggie-cheese subs at Al's, so I was pretty confidant that I could "taste" my way through the building of the recipe for it.

I started by Google-ing olive relish and found one that sounded good and started there. The following is the Al's veggie-cheese sub recipe and following is my version of the olive relish that goes on it.

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AL'S VEGGIE-CHEESE SUB SANDWICH a la CHICAGO MOM

1 - 6" cut of french bread
2 slices American cheese
1 slice Provolone cheese
mayonnaise
olive relish
lettuce
tomato slices
thin sliced red onion
roasted red peppers (from a jar)

Spread a thin layer of mayo on the entire inside of the roll. Spoon a generous amount of the olive relish on one side of the roll. Cover the inside of the roll with the 2 American cheese slices, put the Provolone in the middle. Then pile in your lettuce, tomato, red onion and roasted red pepper; choose how much of each according to your taste.
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OLIVE RELISH

8 black olives
6 kalamata olives
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
1/2 tsp. each salt & pepper
1 shallot, minced
1 roasted red pepper (from a jar), diced
splash of red pepper juice from jar
3 large fresh basil leaves, chopped

In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, splash of red pepper juice, salt & pepper; set aside. Chop the olives into small pieces. Add to the vinegar mixture along with the red pepper, shallot and basil. Mix well and let sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours to let flavors blend before using.
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You can use your own homemade roasted red peppers if you wish; I used to make my own, but the jarred variety aren't bad and are much easier. Plus I use the juice in this recipe, as well as others. (Keep it in the fridge or keep it even longer in the freezer for your next batch of potato salad or pasta sauce.) I am also lucky enough to have an olive bar at the local grocery store where I can pick up exactly 6 kalamata olives, I hope you are too.

I would also like to send out a WELCOME HOME to my neighbor's daughter K. who just came home from the hospital this past week. She was born at 26 weeks back in April and has beaten all the odds and has come home a very healthy little 6 lb. bundle of joy just before her actual due date! Congrats to my neighbors, J. & J.; little K. is just beautiful!

School starts in a month! Ack!

Happy eating!

Mexican Beef & Bean Casserole with Tomato Corn Salad

2010-07-12T10:21:00.002-05:00

Last week when I was looking at recipes for the stuffed peppers I checked out the one in my Betty Crocker cookbook. On the adjoining page this recipe, which sounded easy and yummy, caught my eye. Of course, I had to to have some veggies to go with it and I remembered recently cutting out a veggie salad recipe from Gourmet magazine. It was great with the casserole and I would also consider bringing it as a side dish to a barbeque.

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MEXICAN BEEF & BEAN CASSEROLE

1 lb. lean ground beef
2 cans pinto or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 - 8oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 cup thick and chunky salsa
1 tsp. chili powder
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cook beef in a medium saucepan over medium heat 8-10 minutes, breaking up meat into small pieces, until brown; drain off fat. Mix in beans, tomato sauce, salsa and chili powder in ungreased 2 qt. casserole dish. Cover and bake 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through baking. Sprinkle with cheese and put back in oven, uncovered, until cheese is melted.
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I only used one can of red beans, I think two cans might be too much. Also, I used Cheddar cheese ILO Mont. Jack, and I used 4 tsp. of chili powder for extra flavor. I think this would also be delicious in a tortilla with lettuce and tomato or as a dip with tortilla chips.

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CORN AND TOMATO SALAD

salt & pepper
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. cider vinegar
1 1/4 lbs. tomatoes, cut into bite size pieces
1 bunch scallions, finely chopped, keeping the white and green parts separate
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
4 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 8 ears)

Whisk together oil, vinegar, 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Toss tomatoes with dressing. While tomatoes marinate, cook white parts of scallions in butter with 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 4 minutes. Add corn and saute until just tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool. When corn is room temp, add to tomatoes and toss with green scallions.
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I used frozen corn that I had thawed, but I'm sure fresh would be awesome, just more work than I wanted to do. Also, I used rice vinegar because I was out of cider vinegar, and I used a whole tablespoon, not just a teaspoon. This was delicious eaten right after I made it, but it did not do well in the fridge. The next day the tomatoes were mealy and mushy and unpleasant to eat.

Happy eating!

My Mother's Day Gift / Stuffed Peppers

2010-07-06T18:57:00.004-05:00

No, I didn't get stuffed peppers for Mother's Day! LOL

I received, among other things, the The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook - Every recipe from 10 years of the hit TV show with product ratings and a look behind the scenes. Not to be sacrilegious but this is my new bible. Before each recipe is a little story of what they were trying to achieve as far as taste, ingredients, authenticity and ease of preparation. There are also notes throughout the book on techniques such as brining, use of fond, how to flambe, and more. And at the end are all their favorite products, both food and utensil, from mustard to bread to cheese to vinegar, from skillets to spatulas to food processors to ice cream makers. I LOVE THIS BOOK!

Plus, it has recipes on everything from pastas to steaks to cookies to diner food and everything else in between. But the main reason I love it is because these people have tried everything over and over and are handing me the results so I don't have to do all the guess work myself. That is the gift of time and time is priceless.

So, tonight I made their stuffed peppers recipe, with a few small changes that I will tell you about at the end.

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STUFFED PEPPERS from America's Test Kitchen

table salt
4 medium bell peppers, 1/2 inch trimmed off tops, cores and seeds discarded
1/2 cup long grain rice
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
12 oz. ground beef (80/20)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 - 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained, 1/4 cup juice reserved
1 1/4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 tbsp. parsley leaves, chopped
ground black pepper
1/4 cup ketchup

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large stockpot over high heat. Add 1 tbsp. salt and the bell peppers. Cook until just soft, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the peppers from the pot, drain off the excess water, and place the peppers cut side up on paper towels. Return the water to a boil; add the rice and boil until tender, about 13 minutes. Drain the rice and transfer to a large bowl; set aside.

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking the beef into small pieces with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to the bowl with the rice; stir in the tomatoes, 1 cup of the cheese, parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

Stir together the ketchup and the reserved tomato juice in a small bowl.

Place the peppers, cut side up, in a 9-inch square baking dish. Using a soup spoon, divide the filling evenly among the peppers. Spoon 2 tbsp. of the ketchup mixture over each filled pepper and sprinkle with 1 tbsp. of the remaining cheese. Bake until the cheese is browned and the filling is heated through, 25-30 minutes. Serve immediately.
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I did not have the diced tomatoes on hand, so I poured an 8 oz. can of tomato sauce into the mix. Also, I had shredded Cheddar instead of Mont.Jack and I omitted the parsley. Also, I used my rice cooker to cook the rice, and I did not make the ketchup sauce, I used a can of Hunt's Spaghetti Sauce (which is basically seasoned tomato sauce) and poured it all over the peppers and around them. We like a lot of sauce and it is terrific over the mashed potatoes I made to go with the peppers. I peeled a 3 pound bag of Yukon Gold potatoes, cut them into small pieces and simmered them for 20 minutes. Then I mashed them with a stick of butter and 3/4 cup half-n-half and salt to taste. YUM! I probably could have just spread them on my thighs, but they taste SO good.

Happy eating!

Starting Over

2010-06-28T08:56:00.006-05:00

The end of the school year/start of summer really threw me for a loop. There was so much going on and a new schedule to get used to and the fact that I have had my nose in a book and I "lost" the laptop - let's just say it's taken me awhile to adjust.

Plus I have not been in the mood to sit and type, and I have also been making the same old things for dinner lately which gives me nothing new to type about. But I miss blogging and I miss reading everybody's blogs (although I am unapologetic about shortening my reading list and I am not going to be as obsessive about leaving a comment on everything as I have in the past).

Many of you know my love of reading and I have been trying to read one classic novel in between reading the chick-lit/mommy-lit in which I love to indulge. I have read Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt, A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith, and I am currently reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. My next classic book will be To Kill A Mockingbird by Nelle Harper Lee. I know that most of us were forced to read at least one or two classic novels in high school or college, but I am really able to appreciate them now and I am really enjoying them. Do you have a favorite to recommend?

I will be trying a few new recipes next week, but this week is all old fare. The rest of this week's menu is: Porcupine Meatballs, Burritos, Caprese Sandwiches, and Veggie Pitas. Next week's menu is: Popcorn Chicken with Mashed Potatoes, Pizza Margherita on the grill, Little Italy Sausage Burgers (new), Homemade Stuffed Peppers (new), Mexican Beef & Bean Casserole with Tomato/Corn Salad (new), Spaghetti & Garlic Toast, and Chicken Fajitas with Rice (new). If you are interested in any of the old recipes you can find them by typing in the key words in Search This Blog which is located at the very bottom of my blog page.

I hope you are all having a lovely summer and I look forward to catching up with you all.

Happy eating!

Sourdough Starter & Stuffed Poblanos

2010-05-05T09:44:00.004-05:00

About a month ago I made a sourdough starter, has anyone else ever done this? I have been feeding it a little sugar once a week and it smells pleasantly sour, but it keeps separating and I don't know if that is normal. The top part is a liquid and the bottom part is dough-like. Is it supposed to be this way? When I feed it I mix it back together with a wood spoon, but it always separates again.

We installed a patio in our backyard! Boy, was it a LOT of work, but it looks great and I can't wait to get a table and chairs for it so we can eat out there. It's in the back left corner of our yard, raised up slightly, 16x16 red patio stones with a plant border along one side. There used to be a big pine tree there, but we didn't like the mess the pine needles made or how shady it made our garden which made it hard to grow anything.

I would like to ask for your prayers for my neighbor J. and her new little baby girl K. who was born very early at 26 weeks. Little K. is now 29 weeks old and is doing great for someone so small, but she still needs all our prayers for continued growth and healthiness. Go baby K! In other baby news, my cousin Z. and his fiance E. had a baby girl too, and I would like to offer my congrats to the new parents and to the new grandma who is also my wonderful Aunt K. Sugar and spice, and everything nice indeed!

Last night we had leftovers for dinner and tonight I will be making Stuffed Shells. But for now I would like to share my Stuffed Poblanos recipe with you, it was so good! I had never had them before and I really liked them. I copied this recipe out of a book, but I can't remember which one. Also, I only made half this recipe since I knew only my husband and I would be eating them.

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STUFFED POBLANOS

1 - 28oz. can whole peeled tomatoes in juice
1 jalapeno chile, minced (ribs and seeds removed for less heat if desired)
2 small onions, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves; 2 crushed and 1 minced
salt & pepper
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup shredded pepper-jack cheese
1 tsp. cumin
3/4 cup water
4 large poblano chiles, halved lengthwise (stems left intact), ribs and seeds removed

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a blender, puree tomatoes along with their juice, jalapeno, half the onions, and the crushed garlic until smooth; season with salt. Pour sauce into a 9x13 baking dish and spread to cover evenly.
In a bowl, combine beans, cornmeal, 1/2 cup cheese, remaining onion, minced garlic, cumin, and the water; season with salt and pepper.
Dividing evenly, stuff poblano halves with bean mixture; place on top of sauce in baking dish. Sprinkle poblanos evenly with remaining cheese; cover dish tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake for about 45 minutes. Uncover, and continue baking until sauce thickens slightly and cheese is browned, 10-15 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
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I served them with a big green salad on the side. Oh, and I also did not use a blender (I hate washing my blender!); I just bought petite diced tomatoes instead of whole, put it in a bowl, and used my potato masher to combine it all. My sauce was not a smooth as the recipe calls for, but it was still great.

Happy eating!

...and we're back!

2010-04-29T13:49:00.003-05:00

Hello all! Did ya miss me? I have missed you all! It has taken me much longer than I thought it would to visit all of your blogs and go back and read all the older posts, but it was worth it. And I have even gained a few new followers to whom I would like to say "hello and welcome" to Kayla, Holly, and Heide. Also, Mrs. Crumb was sad that my email address does not appear when I post a comment to her blog, so here it is: mrsgriggs5113@gmail.com. Please feel free to send me a note, if you are so inclined (and please be nice).

A lot has happened since I last posted here almost a month ago, but nothing earth-shattering, so I am just going to continue along as though I wasn't gone. I will, however, share the new recipes I tried while I was "away" and the first one is Warm Black Bean Salad. Over spring break my wonderful Aunt K. took us to Rainforest Cafe, my daughters favorite restaurant. I got the chicken chimmichanga (or something like that) and it came with a delicious warm black bean side dish that I just had to re-create at home... and here is what I came up with.

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WARM BLACK BEAN SALAD

1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1 can petite diced tomatoes with chiles, NOT drained (I use Red Gold Zesty)
1 small red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced (I use my garlic press)
salt to taste

Place all ingredients in a saucepan. Heat over medium-high until warmed through. Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top if you feeling sassy!
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This is so easy and so yummy and pretty good for you too!

Tonight I am making Meatball Burgers. The meal plan for the following week is: leftovers, Dirty Rice, frozen pizza, Stuffed Shells, Steakhouse Cheeseburgers (new!), and Hot Dogs with Baked Beans. Some recipes I tried while I was gone and will post here soon are: Apple Dumpling Casserole and Stuffed Poblanos.

Many more recipes to come, glad to be back.

Happy eating!

Please stand-by...

2010-04-04T21:00:00.002-05:00

...we are experiencing technical difficulties.

We are having problems with wi-fi on the laptop and I am using DIAL-UP to post this. Do any of you remember how s.....l.....o.....w dial-up is? Ugh. Sorry all, but I won't be posting again until we are back up and running. I will try to read your blogs and maybe even post a comment or two. Just wanted to let you all know I am okay (if you were wondering). :)

Happy eating!

Taco Casserole

2010-03-22T17:37:00.005-05:00

Today I made the Creamy Chicken Soup that I made a few weeks ago - so good! I just had to make it again before the cold weather is completely gone and we don't want soup anymore. Once again I paired it with cornbread on the side.

On Saturday I made Taco Casserole and last night I made Cheesy Hamburger Hash. Also planned for this week are Toasted Ravioli, frozen pizza, Fish Sticks & Curly Fries, and leftovers.

I was searching my posts, looking for the Taco Casserole recipe so I could add a link to this post, and then I realized that I have not ever posted it! So here ya go:

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TACO CASSEROLE

1 lb. ground beef
1 - 15oz. can spicy chili beans, undrained
1 cup salsa
1 pkg. taco seasonings
2 cups coarsely broken tortilla chips
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 large tomato, diced
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan, brown ground beef, drain fat. Stir in beans, salsa and taco seasonings. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. In a 2 quart casserole dish, place chips. Top with beef. Spread on the sour cream. Sprinkle with the onions and tomato. Cover with cheese. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes.
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Yum! I still can't believe I never posted this recipe before. We love tex-mex food and this a nice alternative. Have a great week!

Happy eating!

Corned Beef & Cabbage - Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T09:38:00.011-05:00

Here in Chicago most people are Irish by blood, but on St. Patrick's Day ALL of us are Irish! I am not Irish by blood, but my husband is - his great-grandfather's last name was Harrington. Around here the name Harrington is synonymous with corned beef because of Harrington's Deli, but we are not related to them. We live pretty close to the deli and have been there for sandwiches, but today you can't get near the place! There was an article in the Chicago Suntimes last week that said corned beef and cabbage is NOT a traditional Irish meal, yet it is what pretty much everyone (including us) will be eating today.

I got this recipe from the Chicago Suntimes Food Section years ago. My mom always made corned beef on St. Patrick's day, but she would boil everything on the stovetop which requires lots of really big pots and constant supervision - this way is much easier. So while my slow cooker works I'll be listening to my favorite Irish music; U2 and The Cranberries! LOL :)

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CORNED BEEF & CABBAGE

1 onion, peeled and quartered
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 - 3 lb. flat cut corned beef brisket, with seasoning packet
2 cups baby carrots
1 head green cabbage, cored and quartered
1/4 tsp. black pepper
water

Place onion and garlic in bottom of 6 quart (or bigger) slow cooker, then put in cabbage. Place corned beef on top of cabbage then add the carrots. Sprinkle with the seasoning packet and pepper. Pour in enough water to just cover the meat. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 8 hours. Remove meat from slow cooker and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with the cabbage and carrots, discard the onion.
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I will also be boiling some red potatoes to serve with this meal; potatoes are a very Irish food. I will also have spicy mustard and rye bread on the table, as my husband prefers to make a sandwich out of his corned beef. Oh, and don't forget the Guinness beer!

Yesterday my daughter was very excited when I picked her up from school - leprechauns had been in the kindergarten classroom! The class had gone outside for a short recess with their teacher, and when they returned to the classroom there were green streamers and gold doubloons everywhere and chairs were knocked over and books on the floor - chaos! Then they made leprechaun finders, which are cardboard toilet paper rolls decorated with shamrocks and covered at one end with green cellophane. When you peer through this device you can see them if you have a quick eye (and a good imagination). :)

Slainte!
Happy eating!

Egg Salad

2010-03-12T14:54:00.004-06:00

Can you believe that I have never had egg salad? Today I made it for the first time and I will eat it tomorrow for the first time. The recipe says to let it sit in the fridge overnight before eating it, but I did lick the spoon after mixing it and it tastes wonderful! I got the recipe from Allrecipes.com and you can get it here or just keep reading. I read some of the reviews and changed it a little based on the comments and based on what I know I like, so this my version.

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EGG SALAD

8 hard boiled eggs, chopped
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. mustard powder
3 tbsp. onion, finely minced
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dill weed
1/3 cup celery stalks (& some leaves), finely diced
1/4 tsp. paprika

In a bowl, gently mix all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
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I have heard that celery leaves have good flavor and my mom always threw some in her dishes, so I do it too. Has anyone actually eaten the leaves to see what they taste like? I will have to try it next time I cut up celery! :)

Today I was doing some shopping at Target and needed mayo. I usually buy Kraft in the squeeze bottle unless something else is on sale. At Jewel (our big chain grocery store) the mayo prices are unbelievably high, even for the store brand. Anyway, I found the aisle and scanned the shelves prices and reached for the 24 oz. bottle which was priced at $2.54. I looked up slightly at the 18 oz. bottle and noticed that the price for that one was $2.89! Can you believe that? The smaller bottle cost MORE than the big bottle! Very strange. But it just goes to show that we should all pay attention to what we are buying.

Happy eating!

(Un)Stuffed Peppers Casserole

2010-03-10T13:38:00.008-06:00

I'd like to start by saying that (sadly) the cube steak sandwiches were not a big hit. I thought they were pretty good, but not great. The flavor was good and it was worth the effort to butter and toast the rolls, but the meat was too chewy for my liking. My husband didn't even finish his sandwich. As one reader commented, it seemed like an alarming amount of Worcestershire sauce, but I think the butter mellowed it out. Like I said, I liked the flavor, but maybe I will try a more tender cut of meat for this recipe. Another reader commented that they liked cube steak for breakfast; is this a chewy meat or did I do something wrong? I've never used cube steak in a recipe before this.

Tonight's dinner recipe came from Tasty Kitchen by SmilingCountryRanch. We love stuffed peppers, especially the frozen ones from Stouffer's. I have never actually made homemade stuffed peppers, but it's on my list of things to try. In the meantime though this will have to do. :)

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UNSTUFFED GREEN PEPPERS

1 lb. ground beef
1/3 cup diced onion
1 cup crushed tomatoes (undrained)
1/3 cup white rice, uncooked
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 cup water
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On the stovetop in an oven safe skillet, brown meat with onion; drain grease. Stir in tomatoes, rice, Worcestershire, basil, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes until rice is tender. Stir in peppers and half the cheese, then top with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
NOTE: If not using an oven-safe skillet, prepare rice mixture in a saucepan and then pour into a casserole dish before baking in the oven.
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I forgot to buy crushed tomatoes, but I had diced, so I used those instead and 'crushed' them with my immersion blender. I also do not have a cast iron skillet, so I used my oval cast iron dutch oven. This was really good! But I missed the tomato sauce that comes on the side of stuffed peppers, so maybe I will make some on the side the next time I make this dish.

The meal plan for next week has nothing new except for my recipe for making Corned Beef & Cabbage for St. Patrick's Day, which is really easy and is done in the slow cooker. I still have to make the fish sticks, chicken picatta and breakfast from last weeks meal plan, and the other ideas for next week are frozen pizza, spaghetti, tacos, and veggie pitas. We are on a tight budget and these are cheap meals! I love that line from the car insurance commercial "there is no budge in my budget". :)

Happy eating!

Cube Steak Sandwiches

2010-03-08T13:09:00.009-06:00

Two of my favorite new blogs are The Pioneer Woman, and the recipe sharing blog she started, Tasty Kitchen. I discovered Ree after checking her cookbook out from my library and I really love her writing style and photography, as well as her recipes. This recipe sounds really good to me, but I am not sure what my husband (who has to be the only man alive who doesn't love steak) will think of it. Just to clarify, he doesn't hate steak, he would just prefer a ground meat instead. I, on the other hand, could eat filet mignon everyday. Anyway, here is Ree's recipe or you can click here for her printable version.

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THE MARLBORO MAN SANDWICH

1 large (or 2 small) onions
2 sticks butter (lots and lots of butter)
2-3 lbs. cube steak (tenderized round steak that's been extra tenderized)
Lawry's seasoned salt
1/2 cup worcestershire sauce
tabasco sauce, to taste
4 whole French/deli rolls (earthgrains are best)

Slice onions and cook in 1/4 stick butter until soft and light brown. Remove and set aside. Slice cube steak against the grain. Season with Lawry's. Heat 2 tbsp. butter over high heat (in same skillet) until melted and beginning to brown. Add meat in a single layer. Cook one side until brown, then flip and cook until brown, about a minute on both sides. Add 1/2 cup (at least) worcestershire sauce, 5-6 shakes of tabasco, and 2 tbsp. butter. Add cooked onions. Stir to combine. Butter halved French rolls and brown in skillet. To assemble, lay bottom half of French roll on plate. Place meat mixture on roll, followed by a spoonful of juice from the pan. Top with other half of roll , cut in half, and devour!
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Doesn't that sound good? Not very good for you (all that butter brings Paula Deen to mind), but delicious, no? :)

By the way, those Meatball Burgers I made last week were GREAT! I highly recommend them and will be adding them to our regular rotation!

Happy eating!

The Best (Sour Cream) Cheesecake Ever

2010-03-03T12:37:00.009-06:00

On Sunday I made Alton Brown's Good Eats Sour Cream Cheesecake recipe and it was SO VERY DELICIOUS!!! My dad, who is 72 and has eaten a lot of cheesecake, said it was the best he has ever tasted. Wow! This cheesecake is moist and rich and creamy; it is the complete opposite of New York style cheesecake which is dryer and tighter (and which I really don't like). In fact the very first cheesecake I ever tasted eons ago was a New York style, and being young and dumb I didn't know that cheesecake could be different, so I thought I hated cheesecake for a long time. Silly girl! You can click on the link to Mr. Brown's original recipe, or you can just keep reading for his wonderful recipe which I changed only slightly so I could use my springform pan.

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SOUR CREAM CHEESECAKE

Crust:
4 tbsp. butter, melted
1 sleeve graham crackers
1 tbsp. sugar

Filling:
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 - 8oz. pkgs. cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 1/3 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Crush the graham crackers in a ziploc bag until very fine. Add sugar to bag, seal, and shake well. Pour crumbs into a small bowl, add butter, and mix well with a fork. Pour crumb mixture into a 9" springform pan and press crust into bottom. (Press with the bottom of a glass tumbler for smooth results.) Bake crust for 15 minutes, then let cool for 10 minutes before filling.

Reduce oven tempurature to 250 degrees.
Bring 2 quarts of water to boil in a kettle.

Combine the vanilla, eggs, egg yolks, and cream in a small bowl; set aside.
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese with the sugar for 1 minute on low speed. Scrape down the bowl, add the sour cream and mix on low speed for another 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl again, boost the speed to medium, and beat until lump free, 2-3 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the egg mixture, stopping every now and then to scrape down the bowl. When the mixture is homogenous, pour the filling into the cooled crust.

Using extra-wide tin foil, tear off a square piece and place the springform pan in the middle. Wrap the tin foil up the sides of the pan so no water can get in it. Place a kitchen towel inside a roasting pan, then place the springform pan in the middle and place the whole thing in the oven. Pour the boiling water carefully into the roasting pan until it is 1 1/2 inches up the side of the springform pan.

Bake for 2 hours, then kill the heat. Open the oven door for 1 minute, then close it and keep it closed for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and refrigerate it for at least 6 hours before serving. (Let the water bath cool completely before removing it from the oven.) To serve, release springform side and gently run a butter knife around the edges before lifting side off. Cut slices with the longest, thinnest knife you have, wiping it with a hot, wet paper towel between slices.
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The only difference is the crust. I honestly don't why you wouldn't use a springform pan if you have one, it is so much easier.

Last night for dinner I made cheese enchiladas and the night before that I made baked potato soup. Tonight we are having leftovers. The meal plan for the coming week is: frozen pizza (always), Breakfast, Hot Dogs with Tater Tots and Baked Beans, Chicken Picatta with Pasta Salad, Un-Stuffed Peppers (NEW), and Cube Steak Sandwiches (NEW).

My dad came over the other day and brought us 7 boxes of Girl Scout cookies. My mom was my troop leader, along with my best friend D's mom, from the first grade all the way until our senior year of high school. My dad likes to honor her by buying two of every type of cookie they sell each spring, of which he gives us one of each. I have eaten an entire box of Samoas in 3 days! Yikes! I hope I fit into my outfit for the baby shower I have to go to on Sunday. When we were in high school in G.S. we sold cookies at O'hare airport (can't do that now!) and we raised enough money to take a 4 day cruise to the Bahamas on the Carnival cruise-line the summer after we graduated. What great memories!

One of my favorite blogs This Stop Willoughby has opened and Etsy store The Cabbage Rose. Please check out her blog for a great giveaway, and her store for some awesome merchandise!

Happy eating!

Preacher's Delight

2010-02-28T14:32:00.002-06:00

This casserole is from the book Cook's Country Best Lost Suppers and it is delicious! I cut this recipe in half, but I will post it here in all it's full ingredient glory. It says it serves 6-8, but I think it would be more like 8-10. Like I said, I only made half and my husband and I each had 2 helpings and we had half the casserole left! Maybe we eat little portions?

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PREACHER'S DELIGHT
1 - 12oz. pkg. egg noodles
salt
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
2 - 15oz. cans tomato sauce
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 - 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9 baking dish; set aside. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven. Add noodles and 1 tbsp. salt; cook, stirring often, until just shy of al dente. Drain noodles; set aside.
Wipe pot dry. Add oil to pot; return to medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (5-7 minutes). Add beef; increase heat to medium high and cook, breaking up any large clumps with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink (about 5 minutes). Stir in tomato sauce, sugar, 1 tsp. salt, and pepper. Bring to simmer; set aside off heat.
Mix cream cheese and sour cream together in a bowl. Spread half of meat sauce over bottom of prepared baking dish. Scatter noodles over sauce in an even layer. Drop dollops of cream cheese mixture on top of noodles; spread mixture into even thickness. Spoon remaining meat sauce over cream cheese mixture, sprinkle evenly with cheese.
Place baking dish on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet; bake until sauce is bubbling and top starts to brown, 25-30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
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I used two separate pots for the meat and noodles (to cook simultaneously) so the meal was ready faster, and I also used more shredded cheese on top. We really liked this and the leftovers were fantastic - I will definitely make this again!

Awhile ago, my husband and I started a list of people we want to kick off the island. You know, people to who we would like to say "just go away, already" and it includes Paris Hilton, Heidi & Spencer Pratt, Rod Blagojevich, Drew Peterson, Kelly Ripa, Madonna, John Mayer, the entire cast of The Hills, Puff Daddy or P.Diddy or whatever he is calling himself these days, The Olsen twins, Miley Cyrus, The Kardashians, and Justin Timberlake. Today I would like to add Russell Brand and the entire cast of Jersey Shore. Who would you add to the list?

Happy eating!

Meatball Burgers

2010-02-24T09:48:00.006-06:00

I got this recipe from Everyday With Rachel Ray magazine. I'll type it as it is in the mag, but of course I will make some changes to it and I'll list those at the end. We love meatballs and meatball subs, but those can be time consuming to make, rounding all the balls, sauteing them, cooking them - ugh. I like that I just form these into four patties and cook 'em. Yea!

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MEATBALL MELTIES

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef, pork, veal mix
2/3 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup grated percorino-romano cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tbsp. grated onion
a splash of whole milk
1/2 tbsp. rubbed or ground sage
fresh nutmeg
salt & pepper
extra virgin olive oil
8 deli slices provolone cheese
1 - 15oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes
a few leaves fresh basil, torn
a pinch dried oregano or marjoram
4 ciabatta rolls or 1/4 large ciabatta loaf, split and warmed or toasted

Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle pan over medium-high heat. In a large bowl, combine the meat, breadcrumbs, parsley, pecorino-romano, egg, garlic, onion, milk and sage; season with nutmeg, salt and lots of pepper; mix well. Form into 4 patties (thinner at the center and thicker at the edges for even cooking).
Drizzle the burgers all over with a liberal amount of EVOO. Place in the hot skillet and cook, turning once, for 10 minutes. Top each burger with 2 slices of provolone and tent with foil to melt.
While the burgers are working, in a medium saucepan, heat the tomatoes. Stir in the basil and oregano; season with salt & pepper.
Place the burgers on the roll bottoms, them top with the sauce and roll tops.
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Okay, first I could only find meatloaf mix with beef & pork (no veal), and I only bought 1 lb., so I'll use a little less of the breadcrumbs, etc. Also, I (sadly) do not own a cast-iron skillet (I am asking for one for Mother's Day), so I will use my regular skillet. I will also use dried basil instead of fresh for the sauce. I guess I am not making that many changes after all. :) Anyway, I am making these tonight and I am sure they will be awesome!

Happy eating!

Taco Pasta

2010-02-20T18:24:00.003-06:00

Tonight my husband chose for us to have Taco Pasta for dinner (last night I chose Chicken Kievs). I got this recipe from Everyday With Rachel Ray magazine. I have learned from experience that I do not always like the seasonings she uses in her dishes, so I will list my changes at the end.

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TACO PASTA
1 lb. penne rigata
1 tbsp. EVOO
1 lb. ground beef sirloin
1 large onion, chopped
1 large jalapeno, halved, seeded if desired, and thinly sliced crosswise
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 12oz. bottle of beer or 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 cups shredded cheddar or any mexican style blend cheese
2 small plum tomatoes, chopped
1/4 head iceburg lettuce, chopped

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat EVOO over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 of the onion, the jalapeno, garlic, chili powder, coriander, and cumin; season with salt & pepper. Cook until the onion is soft, 6-7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then stir in the beer.
Add the meat mixture to the pasta and stir well. Spoon into serving dish, top with cheese and tent with foil to melt the cheese. Top with remaining onion, tomatoes and lettuce.
*********************************************************************************

Here are my changes: I did not use any of the spices listed in the recipe and instead used a taco seasoning packet. I did not use ground sirloin and therefore did not need the olive oil. I used half beer and half chicken stock. I stirred the cheese into the meat mixture, and kept the lettuce and tomato on the side for each person to add themselves.

We really liked this! We love tex-mex dishes and this was something different but with the flavors we love. You could also serve it with sour cream and taco sauce on the side for people to customize their dinner.

My daughter went to a birthday party today which started at a nail salon for the girls to get manicures and then moved to the birthday girls house for pizza and cake and games. She had a really great time and her nails are adorable; light pink with tiny white daisies painted on alternate fingers. Cute, huh?

Happy eating!

Meal Plans - Something New (Finally)

2010-02-18T13:28:00.003-06:00

Boy, I sure have been a slacker about posting here lately. The problem is that I have already shared most of my recipes with you all. I am going to try to post at least one new recipe a week, but I think my days of posting every day are over.

Last week was pretty uninspired (nothing new), meal-wise. We had Italian Beef Sandwiches, Egg & Cheese Sandwiches, Black Bean Chili, Pepperoni Pan Pizza, Chicken Quesadillas, and Spaghetti. You can find any of these recipes (if you are interested) by using the search box at the very bottom of this blog.

This coming week I have a few new recipes planned - hooray! My meal plan is: Fish Sticks with Curly Fries, Chicken Kievs with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Preacher's Delight Casserole (NEW), Meatball Burgers (NEW), Taco Pasta (NEW), frozen pizza (always), and Breakfast: Eggs, Home Fries, and Sausage.

I don't know about you, but we are ready for spring around here! I am tired of scarves and mittens and snow and colds. I want spring thunderstorms and rain boots and that fresh air smell wafting through my open windows! Is it April yet?

Happy eating!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

2010-02-13T16:30:00.003-06:00

My husband loves chocolate and peanut butter, separate or together, so my daughter and I made these for him as a Valentines Day gift. We celebrate the "holiday", but we do it in a low-key way, so these are perfect.

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CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE BARS

2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs*
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 - 10oz. pkg. Nestle Toll House Swirled Milk Chocolate & Peanut Butter Morsels, divided
2 - 8oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup flour
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine crumbs, butter, and 1/4 cup sugar in medium bowl with a fork. Remove 1 cup of this mixture and reserve for topping. Press remaining mixture into ungreased 13x9 baking pan. Sprinkle 3/4 cup morsels over crust.
Beat cream cheese, remaining sugar, flour, and vanilla in a large mixer bowl until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Pour evenly over crust and morsels in pan. Sprinkle with remaining morsels and remaining crumb mixture.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into bars.

*You can make your own like we did by putting two sleeves of graham crackers in a gallon ziploc bag and taking your frustrations out on it with a meat mallet. My daughter was extremely happy to help with this task. :)
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We made them this afternoon and they will spend the night in the fridge; they will be ready for having with our morning coffee! Tomorrow I will also make a brunch of cheese omelets and home fries and sausage, and for dinner I am making my Pepperoni Pan Pizzas. I don't know if the way to my husbands heart is through his stomach, but that is how I intend to get there! haha! I got my daughter a princess painting kit and some glittery headbands from us, and I helped her make some valentines for her daddy a few days ago. I have no idea what my husband got me. Hope your Valentines Day is sweet!

Happy eating!

The Spaghetti Incident

2010-02-02T18:23:00.003-06:00

Last night I decided to make spaghetti for dinner. I had a taste for it and was looking forward to the leftovers for lunches this week. The water was boiling, the sauce was bubbling and the breadsticks were in the oven. Then I opened the spaghetti box and slid it out into my hand and it looked... weird. Like it was marbled or something. It smelled okay, so I threw it in the water. But after about 5 minutes the spaghetti wasn't cooking normally. First of all, the noodles got soft unusually fast and they tended to break easily. Plus the water looked slick, almost oily, and the pasta wasn't absorbing the water. I have no idea what was wrong with it - have any of you experienced this? I dumped it all in the colander and then threw the pasta out and started fresh water to boil on the stove. As my husband was walking in the front door from work, I was yelling that we had a pasta emergency as I walked out the back door to go to the store for another box of spaghetti. By the time I got back my fresh water was boiling and we were eating 10 minutes later. Of course he thought I was crazy, but he knows not to mess with me when it comes to my food. (Especially THIS week.) :)

Tonight I made Chicago Style hot dogs, which are hot dogs on poppy seed buns with mustard, onion, tomato, pickle, relish, celery salt, and sport peppers. I don't use the sport peppers though, and my buns were seedless. I served the Aldi brand curly fries with an extra sprinkle of seasoned salt as a side and it was a great meal. You don't need a side salad because it's already on your hot dog! LOL

We got a few inches of snow this morning and it was the heavier kind that is a bitch to shovel, but great for snowballs and snowmen. I was Playground Mom today and I swear I had half the kids in time-out on the fence for throwing snowballs, which they are not allowed to do - school rule, not mine. They are generally good kids and I hate to punish them, but I can't be a push-over either.

Happy eating!

Sour Cream Apple Pie

2010-02-01T10:36:00.008-06:00

This is a recipe from the Christian Family Co-op Cookbook that I got last year when my daughter went to their pre-school. I will not give the lady's name here who submitted the recipe; I don't know if she would want her name listed publicly on a blog. I can say that she is a really great lady who has a very sweet daughter and it was a pleasure to get to know her through the co-op.

I made this yesterday with LOTS of help from my sous-chef/daughter. I made a few slight changes from the original; I added the lemon juice and used pecans instead of walnuts and I made my own crust.

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SOUR CREAM APPLE PIE

Crust:
Pillsbury Ready-Made Deep Dish Pie Crust (there are 2 in a box, you'll only need 1)
(Or make your own homemade crust)

Put pie crust in glass pie dish; this pie is very heavy, foil may be too weak. Do not pre-bake crust. (Unless you are making your own crust; then follow your crust recipe.)

Filling:
5-6 Granny Smith apples
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients, except apples, in a large bowl; set aside. Peel, core and thinly slice apples. Add apples to sour cream mixture and stir well to coat. Pour gently into pie crust. Put dish on a baking sheet to catch drips, then bake for 30 minutes. Make the topping now.

Topping:
1 cup minus 2 tbsp. flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
3/4 cup butter, chilled and cubed

Mix all ingredients together, adding butter last. Spread over partially baked pie. (This makes A LOT of topping, but trust me, you want to get it all on there!) Place strips of aluminum foil around the edges of the pie crust to prevent burning. Bake pie another 30-40 minutes. Let sit one hour before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
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This was SOOO good despite my tough homemade crust. It was my first attempt at making my own crust (because I forgot to buy one at the store), but it was still edible and actually tastes better today. The recipe looks a little complicated, but it was actually really easy - especially if you have an Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer from The Pampered Chef. I have no idea how much I paid for it many years ago, and I have only used it a handful of times, but it is indispensable for making any apple dessert! :)

Let's see, what have I been making for dinner lately? Wednesday was Nachos, Thursday was Pork Roast in which I used what was labeled as "boneless pork roast supreme" instead of a tenderloin and it was still great. On Friday we had Salisbury Steak and I added 1 fresh chopped onion, half to the patties and half to the sauce - yum! On Saturday and Sunday we had leftovers because after a week like that the fridge was full!

Tonight I am going to make Spaghetti. The meal plan for the rest of the week is: Chicago Style Hot Dogs, frozen pizza, Breakfast (eggs, potatoes, bacon), and Shepherds Pie. (I really will make the Shepherds Pie someday soon - really).

Happy eating!

Creamy Chicken Soup

2010-01-26T10:24:00.012-06:00

And now, the recipe you've all been waiting for!!! Or not. But it's really yummy, so check it out anyway, won't ya? :)

This recipe is from Sandra Lee on the Food Network and I am typing it in verbatim. I will list the changes I made at the end.

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CREAMY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

1 store-bought roasted chicken
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrot
4 - 14oz. cans low-sodium chicken broth
2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup with roasted garlic
2 tsp. fines herbs*
salt & pepper
2 cups egg noodles, cooked

Remove the skin from the chicken and shred the meat from the bone. Put the chicken into a slow cooker along with the onions, celery, and carrots. Stir in broth, mushroom soup, and fines herbs and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 8-9 hours.

When soup is finished, stir in egg noodles. Adjust seasonings and serve.

*Fines herbs are a classic blend of herbs that usually consists of chervil, parsley, chives, and tarragon. Fines herbs can be found pre-blended in the spice section of the grocery store.
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I made 2 cups of rice in my rice cooker and added it in about half-way through the cooking time, instead of using egg noodles. I did not have Fines herbs so I used a 1/2 tsp. of tarragon and 1/2 tsp. of parsley (which I had in my cabinet), plus 2 tsp. of salt and 1 tsp. of pepper. I did not use roasted garlic mushroom soup so I added 1 tsp. of garlic powder as well. Also, I did not use 4 cans of chicken broth, I added 1 tsp. of chicken bouillon per cup of water to equal the amount of broth. At the end of the cooking time it tasted great, but I wanted it to be creamier so I made a roux with butter and flour (3 tbsp. each) and that thickened it right up! I served it with warm cornbread - yummmmmm!!!

On a completely different note, I got The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook from my library today and I can't put it down! I love this cookbook! I know that some of you follow her blog, but for some reason I never checked it out. I will become a follower now though! Her style of writing is clear and funny and makes you instantly want to be her friend. Also, her photographs are just awesome. I also recently read Confections Of A Closet Master Baker which is by Gesine Bullock-Prado , the sister of one of my favorite actresses Sandra Bullock (While You Were Sleeping, Speed, The Blind Side). Her book was more of a biography on how she became a baker, but also full of yummy sounding recipes that I photo-copied and can't wait to try. And now I can go to bed happy because I got to share two of my favorite things with all of you - food and books!

Happy eating!

Cajun Chicken Sandwiches

2010-01-25T15:06:00.002-06:00

Tonight I will be making cajun chicken sandwiches for dinner. I'll be sprinkling some chicken breasts that I have pounded thin with cajun seasonings and cook them in olive oil in a skillet. I will serve them on kaiser rolls with mayo, lettuce, and tomato with a side of macaroni and cheese. Easy and yummy! If I pound a thick breast very thin then I can get two sandwiches out of one breast and that means leftovers! I could slice some cold chicken into strips to top a salad for lunch, or dice it up and freeze it and use it in quesadillas in the future. I make my own cajun seasoning using a recipe from All Recipes (click on the link above) because it is so easy.

Tomorrow I will be making the Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup *NEW RECIPE* so be sure to check back for the recipe. I just KNOW this one will be delicious!

Happy eating!

Beef & Rice Fiesta Casserole

2010-01-20T13:22:00.004-06:00

Coconuts are available at my local grocery store, year-round, for only $2. Good to know! The one I bought said that it was E-Z Open and had a scored line around it where, after draining out the milk inside by poking holes in the "eyes", you just tap it with a hammer and it breaks open. Wrong! I had to whack a screwdriver with a hammer really hard against that score to get the thing to open! Then you have to pry out the meat inside which was no picnic either. I am never volunteering to do anything with coconuts again. :)

Boy, I am really behind on posting meals, but I have not done anything new lately so I haven't felt inspired to post. Tonight we are having Beef & Rice Fiesta casserole, which is a recipe I got from my brother. Last night we had Dirty Rice and the night before that we had Chicken Kievs and the night before that we had Spaghetti. See? Nothing exciting. The meal plan for next week is Creamy Chicken Rice Soup (NEW), Pork Roast, Nachos, Salisbury Steak, and Cajun Chicken Sandwiches.

Kathy from Two Hands Full Of Daisies asked if there was another way to cook the Sausage, Sauerkraut and Potatoes from my last post instead of using a pressure cooker and I would suggest a slow cooker. If you try it, please let me know how it works out for you! Also, Cynthia from Crumbs In The Minivan asked if I had a substitute for the sauerkraut in the same meal and I have been thinking about it, but nothing really comes to me. Does anyone else out there have any ideas for her?

Happy eating!

Sausage, Sauerkraut & Potatoes

2010-01-13T14:58:00.009-06:00

Hello everyone! I can't believe it has been almost a week since I last posted. Whoops!

Today I took my daughter sledding after lunch and we had a blast! The sun is shining and it is just over 32 degrees, so the weather was perfect. The hill is in the park down the block (not too far to walk) and is steep enough and high enough to be fun, but not to steep or high to make climbing back up difficult. We were the only ones there and stayed for an hour. I thought I would be bored or freezing, but she was so cute about it all that she made me laugh and I even went down a couple of times with her, which she thought was hysterical. And seeing us both on the sled probably was pretty funny for anyone driving by who saw us. :)

Tonight for dinner I am going to make smoked sausage, sauerkraut and potatoes in my pressure cooker. This is only one of two meals (beef stew is the other) that I use the pressure cooker to make - I really should find more uses for the thing. It is a newer model that has a crappy knob on top for adjusting the steam. My mom had a really old one with a weight on top that would jiggle, but my dad won't give it to me because he uses it to make this meal himself. You can find my recipe here.

Last night I made cheeseburger meatloaf and tater tots; the night before that I made pepperoni pan pizzas. Tomorrow I will be making pork chops and spanish rice. I have been working on my grocery list already because I am going to be volunteering in my daughter's classroom tomorrow, so the meal plan for the next week is this: Porcupine Meatballs with Egg Noodles, Beef & Rice Fiesta Casserole, Chicken Kievs and Mashed Potatoes, Dirty Rice, Spaghetti with Garlic Toast, and a frozen pizza (always). Nothing fancy, but good warm meals for these cold January days.

If any of you are looking for something to do while you are trapped indoors by the cold weather, please go check out the book club I am in by clicking the link at the top right of this page. For the month of January we are reading Bittersweet Country by Elaine Long. I am on chapter 7 and it is a really good book! Next month we will be reading Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult; sure to be a great read too.

My daughter's class is having a Luau party next week and I (stupidly) volunteered to bring anything that was needed and the teacher asked me to bring a fresh, cut coconut. Where the heck am I gonna find a fresh coconut in Chicago in January?! And how the heck am I gonna cut one open?! Yikes. I was mumbling about my stupidity and my daughter overheard me and said "One of the boys brought a coconut to class for Secret Sack last week" (don't ask), but she can't remember his name. I am all set to call this kids mother and ask where she got it - as soon as I find out who he is. Again, wish me luck!

Happy eating!

It's A Snow Day! Potato Corn Chowder & Chili Casserole

2010-01-07T08:23:00.007-06:00

Okay, it isn't an official snow day; school IS open today (God only knows why), but I called my daughter in absent. I am NOT driving anywhere today. If she was taking her SAT's I'd take her, but this is half-day kindergarten. We have about 2 inches of snow on the ground now and it is supposed to keep snowing continuously until tomorrow morning and leave us with 10-13 inches! I am sure the streets are okay now, but what will they be like later when I would go to pick her up? I'll do some reading work with her here at home, thank you very much.

The last few dinner nights have not been exciting. On Sunday we ordered a capricciosa pizza, which is like bruschetta topping on a pizza crust covered with mozzarella cheese - it is SO good! On Monday night I made a frozen Tombstone Supreme pizza (yeah, we love pizza), and on Tuesday I made egg & cheese sandwiches.

Last night I made potato corn chowder and it was great! I think I got the recipe from Rachel Ray magazine, but I am not sure. The use of butter and heavy cream makes me think of Paula Deen, so maybe it's her recipe. Anyway, here it is:

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POTATO CORN CHOWDER

1/4 cup butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 3lb. bag red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 - 14.5oz. cans chicken broth
1 - 10oz. bag frozen corn, thawed
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp. minced fresh thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 - 5oz. package shredded Swiss cheese
bread bowls, optional
garnish: fresh thyme sprig

In a large dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic; cook for 6-8 minutes or until veggies are tender. Add potatoes, broth, and corn; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Add cream, thyme, salt, and pepper; simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Add cheese, stirring until melted. Serve soup in bread bowls, and garnish with thyme sprig if desired.
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Yum, yum, yum! It was delicious and perfect on a cold day, I only wish I'd thought to make some rolls to go with it. Oh well.

Tonight we are going to have Chili Casserole, I got this recipe from Tried & True Cooking With Heidi. She always has lots of quick and easy (and delicious) recipes on her blog. Go check it out if you haven't already! Here is her recipe:

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CHILI CASSEROLE

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 pkt. chili seasoning
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 cans pinto beans, drained
1 can sliced olives, drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup Frito corn chips

Brown ground beef and drain off fat. Add onion, chili seasoning, tomato sauce, and water. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. In a 2 quart casserole dish layer half the meat, beans, olives, and cheese. Repeat the layers ending with the corn chips and cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 5 minutes more or until crispy on top.
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I will be using black beans instead of pinto, and a tablespoon or two of chili powder instead of the packet (because I forgot to buy one). I will also make some cornbread to go along with this tonight.

Well, I am going to go get some housework done and then bundle us up and shovel some snow! Have a great day!

Happy eating!

Lots Of Good Things

2010-01-03T09:02:00.004-06:00

The meatballs were good! Not as good as homemade, but good for only $5, plus I still have half the bag left. On Thursday we had Tombstone Garlic Bread Cheese frozen pizza, my daughter's favorite. On New Year's Day we had BLT's for dinner. I also made a Taco Dip and Lemon Chiffon Pie from Taste The Joy that day. My taco dip recipe is very basic: mix 8oz. cream cheese and 1 cup of sour cream with 1/2 packet of taco seasonings; spread in bottom of 9x9 dish. Top with 1 can chili, then with 1 package shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 until cheese is melted. When it is done you can top it with chopped tomato, olives and green onion if you want to be fancy. :)

Yesterday morning I was in the mood to make cookies and I couldn't decide which to make so I made 3 kinds: Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Oatmeal, and Sugar Cookies. My daughter was a great little helper, she is getting so much better at listening and had a lot of fun putting sprinkles on the Sugar Cookies. After standing in the kitchen for so long I was tired so we went out to dinner. We used a gift card we got for Christmas to Outback Steakhouse - yum! I had the BBQ ribs and they were falling off the bone - so good!

The menu plan for this week is Shepherds Pie, Egg & Cheese Sandwiches, Potato Corn Chowder, Chili Casserole, Grilled Cheese & Soup, and (another) frozen pizza. I don't know what I'll be making tonight yet. I want to get the tree down today, it is bugging me. I took all the other Christmas decorations down 2 days after Christmas. I am not good with clutter. The outdoor lights can stay up until the next warm day I am available to take them down, but the indoor stuff has got to go. Anyone else anxious to get their house back to normal or am I the only one with OCD? :)

Happy eating!

Meatball Subs

2009-12-30T09:16:00.005-06:00

Hello all! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that Santa was good to you! We had a wonderful time here. My pork tenderloin on Christmas Eve was SO delicious, my father-in-law could not stop raving about it. My daughter ate more of it than I thought her little belly could hold! Then we opened presents and she got really spoiled by her grandpas, it was fun to watch her jump up and give them a hug and say thank you after she opened each and every one. Too funny!

On Christmas Day we weren't awakened too early by our excited kid and actually got some coffee before the craziness began. It amazes me how patient she can be when it comes to opening gifts. Anyway, she got the acoustic guitar she wanted from Santa along with a bunch of other stuff and was very happy. My husband spoiled me with lots of things I wanted too. He also got me a Cuisinart Sandwich Maker, which I did not ask for - it was an impulse buy on his part. It is a nice machine, but I can do what it does with little extra effort. I have been trying to think of a nice way to say "take it back" when I thought of what I really do want instead - an ice cream maker! Now I can tell him that although it was a lovely thought what I really want to do is make ice cream. I have been saving recipes from magazines for a year now and I was going to ask for the ice cream maker for Mother's Day.

On Christmas Day I made stuffed shells for dinner - yum! I make mine by cooking the jumbo shells according to package directions. While that is going, I mix a 16 oz. container of ricotta cheese with 1 egg, 2 tsp. of garlic powder and 1 tbsp. of parsley. Then I mix in 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and a healthy sprinkle of parmesan cheese. I rinse the cooked shells with cool water so I can handle them and shake off as much water as I can. I stuff the shells with the ricotta mixture and place them in a greased 9x13 pan. Then I pour a jar of pasta sauce over the top and sprinkle with 1 more cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. They are so good and not to hard to make once you get the hang of stuffing the shells - they can be slippery!

Last night I made veggie pitas for dinner - so good! I love the tang of the sauce and feta with the crunch of the veggies. Tonight I am making meatball subs, but I am not making my own meatballs. We found Farm Rich frozen meatballs on sale at Target so I decided to give them a try. I'll put them in a large pot with a jar of pasta sauce and cook according to package directions - I'll let you know how they taste tomorrow. I always serve my meatball subs on hot dog buns. We have tried french bread in the past, but it always seems like too much bun.

Happy eating!

Pork Tenderloin In The Slow Cooker

2009-12-22T08:35:00.003-06:00

Okay, I know I said I wasn't going to post again until next week, but a few of you commented on my having pork tenderloin for Christmas Eve dinner and I thought "duh, I should have posted the recipe!", so here it is! :)

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PORK TENDERLOIN IN THE SLOW COOKER (serves 2-3)

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 lbs. pork tenderloin
caraway seeds
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 small yellow onions, quartered
6 small/medium size red or yellow potatoes, cut in half
8 grinds of black pepper
1/2 cup beef stock
1 - 27oz. can sauerkraut, drained

In a large skillet over medium high heat warm the oil until hot. Add the pork and cook on all sides until browned, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to slow cooker.
Tuck the onions around pork, then sprinkle with the caraway seeds and garlic. Top with potato halves. Sprinkle with pepper. Pour in beef stock. Cover with sauerkraut.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. (Discard onions; serve only pork, potatoes, and sauerkraut.)
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This recipe is easily doubled, which is what I do since there will be 4 adults (3 of them big men) and 1 kid eating from this, and I will use my 6 quart slow cooker. Make sure that you use the proper size slow cooker; it must be at least halfway full to properly cook the food. Once again, Merry Christmas and...

Happy eating!

It's Almost Christmas!

2009-12-21T10:35:00.003-06:00

Hello everyone! Things sure have been busy around here and I just haven't had the time to post as much as I would like. However I have tried to keep up with reading and commenting on the blogs I follow! I did get a chance to play around with the colors and fonts on my blog, and as you can see I gave it a fresh new look.

I would like to take a moment to give a shout out to our snow-covered friends in the Northeast - Crumbs In the Minivan and Marvelously Mundane - I hope you are all digging out slowly but surely, and that you are all okay!

Yesterday my daughter grabbed a paint brush and a couple ketchup packets that came with her Happy Meal. Then she started to squirt the ketchup into a small bowl and I finally asked what she was doing. She said she was going to paint with ketchup and of course I put an end to that and told her we have perfectly good paint in the art box. The other alarming thing was that she had no paper; what was she going to paint on? My husband, who was sitting there watching us, was disapointed that I had stopped her. Apparently he was impressed with her creativity. This is why although I have entertained the idea of going back to work and letting him stay home I will never actually do it.

Do you have a traditional Christmas meal? Mine is turning out to be pork tenderloin with sauerkraut and potatoes in the slow cooker on Christmas Eve, which is when we have company. This year it is just my dad and FiL. I am not ready for more turkey yet and my husband despises ham. (We have turkey on Easter.) It is nice to have the slow cooker do all the work so I can actually enjoy the appetizers with my family. I do make a different fancy dessert every year, which is something my family has come to look forward to. This year it will be the white chocolate cheesecake I made on Thanksgiving, which isn't really new, but we all love it. On Christmas Day I either make lasagna or stuffed shells with garlic toast and salad, and we eat more of the appetizers from the day before since I always make too much.

This week is going to be very busy and I won't be posting again until next week so I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!!!

Happy eating!

Easiest Homemade Fudge

2009-12-12T14:48:00.003-06:00

Well, I didn't get my picture. Once again my daughter refused to go anywhere near Santa. We tried being stern, we tried talking nicely, we even tried to bribe her. >sigh< Oh well, there's always next year.

Tonight we are going out to eat. So in order to leave you with a recipe, I am going to share this one. I got it from a wonderful woman I worked with, and it is so easy you will be surprised. It also makes some of the best fudge I have ever had. The best part is that you can customize it to please anybody's tastes. Throw in some marshmallows or dried fruit or nuts. Experiment with all those different chocolate chip flavors that are available these days. Add in crushed peppermint or toffee. The possibilities are endless!

This is my favorite way to make it, simple and clean. I am making this fudge this year for neighbors and teachers and family instead of cookies.

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FUDGE

1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 dash salt
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Line an 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan with tinfoil; set aside. In a medium saucepan, over medium-low heat, warm up the milk. Add chips, stir until melted and smooth. Add vanilla and salt, stir well. If adding extra ingredients, do so now. Pour fudge into prepared pan, use a spatula to spread evenly. Refrigerate overnight. Lift tinfoil out of pan and peel gently off of fudge. Cut into bite size pieces.
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Happy eating!

Leftovers

2009-12-11T13:38:00.004-06:00

Last night I made Dirty Rice with the Zatarain's mix and ground beef for dinner. It is a really easy and yummy meal with a little bit of heat. Tonight we will be having leftovers because 1) there are a lot of them in the fridge and 2) I have to be at my daughter's school today at 4:30pm to help set up for the Breakfast With Santa, which is tomorrow morning.

I am really looking forward to the B.W.S. because I do not have a picture of my daughter with Santa since she was 2 years old (and she was screaming and crying in it). It is $5 per person which includes pancakes, sausage, orange juice, and a picture with Santa on a CD so you can share with friends and family. I think that is an awesome deal! Plus I am hoping to meet some of the parents of my daughters friends. I will not let my kid go to someone's house for a playdate until I have met them, and I am sure the other parents feel the same way. One little girl that my kid is friends with asks me everyday when she can come to our house, so I am hoping she and her folks are there tomorrow.

On Sunday morning we have to be back at the school/church by 7:45am for the Christmas program. Ugh, I am not looking forward to getting my kid up at 6:45am. Hopefully she will be excited about the program and will not be too crabby. Plus we have promised her McDonald's breakfast afterward, so we can always bribe her with that! LOL

I have finally started the Christmas shopping, but it is just the tip of the iceberg. At least I know what I am getting everyone - I just have to go get it! We still have two weeks, and I have always been a last minute shopper. Have you finished your shopping yet?

Happy eating!

Pomodoro Pasta

2009-12-09T14:08:00.006-06:00

The tomatoes I bought last Friday are starting to not look very healthy, so I am going to make the Pomodoro Pasta tonight. It is a really great dish with fresh ingredients, even better in the summer when you can use things directly from your garden.

Last night we had Cheese Enchiladas; warm and gooey from the oven with spanish rice on the side. Yum!

Yesterday I was the playground mom again and the kids were so busy playing with the snow that they forgot to be rotten to each other - it was great! I only had to scold a couple boys for throwing snow, but thankfully they were just throwing it in the air, not at each other. :)

Tonight the temps are supposed to drop considerably and tomorrows high is 12 degrees. YIKES! I hope where ever you are, you are happy and warm!

Happy eating!

Indian Corn Stew

2009-12-07T16:20:00.005-06:00

Hi all! Hope you had a good weekend. Ours was kind of low key, but nice. Friday night I made a frozen pizza and on Saturday we ordered one - we love pizza! Yesterday we had a late lunch and weren't feeling too hungry so we had leftovers for dinner. Tonight I am going to make Indian Corn Stew which is the perfect warm and yummy dinner for this cold, snowy day.

I got our indoor Christmas decorations and tree up today after running some errands. Yesterday we went to Target and bought snowpants for our daughter (among other things), and they forgot to give us the bag with them in it! Ugh. So I had to go back today; thankfully they didn't give me any hassle about it. I also picked up a bag of rock salt for the sidewalks and stamps for the Christmas cards. Then I got the tree up and put the lights on before picking up my daughter from school. She was very strict with her instructions that I was NOT to decorate the tree without her. :) We had a great time putting the ornaments on the tree and putting the other decorations around the house while White Christmas blared from the TV.

Then when we were done she scampered into her room to play and I sat down on the couch - and burst into tears. This is our first Christmas without my husbands mom and our fifth without my mom, and it just kinda hit me that there are no grandmas to celebrate Christmas with this year. I always thought my daughter would have the same experiences with her grandmas that I had with mine, who both lived well into my twenties, and I cannot imagine her growing up without either of them. My grandpas were nice guys, but kinda distant from me. My dad and FiL are much more hands-on with my kid, but they are no grandmas. >sigh<

Sorry, I didn't mean to be such a bummer. On a happier note, we got our first snowfall last night, about 1", and everything looks prettier covered in white. We are supposed to get another 3-6" late Tuesday night. I like when the snow falls overnight because the city of Chicago does an awesome job of making sure the streets are clean for the morning rush.

Happy eating!

Chicken Quesadillas and Some Funny Quotes

2009-12-03T09:33:00.007-06:00

My good friend D. forwarded me this email and I just had to share it with all of you. She did not come up with these, it doesn't say who did, but they are brilliant. It really made me laugh, especially #29 and 40.

Random Thoughts of the Day:
1. More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves me.
2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
3. I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don't need to drink to have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and sticks when they've invented the lighter?
4. Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.
5. That's enough, Nickelback.
6. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
7. The letters T and G are very close to each other on a keyboard. This recently became all too apparent to me and consequently I will never be ending a work email with the phrase "Regards" again.
8. Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.
9. There is a great need for sarcasm font.
10. Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the f&*% was going on when I first saw it.
11. I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it.
12. The other night I hit a new low at an open bar. I had already hopped on highway blackout when, inevitably I had to find a bathroom. Eventually I decided it was probably on the other side of the bar so I tried to walk over there, but ran into a guy coming the other way. We played that, Both go left, Both go right game to no avail, so I finally put out my hand to guide myself past and that's is when I realized, yup, that's a mirror I just tried to walk through. And the guy on the other side is me. Even cats can re cognize their own image.
13. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
14. I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
15. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
16. The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying to finish a text.
17. A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.
18. Was learning cursive really necessary?
19. Lol has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".
20. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
21. Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.
22. My brother's Municipal League baseball team is named the Stepdads. Seeing as none of the guys on the team are actual stepdads, I inquired about the name. He explained, "Cuz we beat you, and you hate us." Classy, bro.
23. Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".
24. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?
25. I love the sense of camaraderie when a n entire line of cars teams up to prevent a dick from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!
26. Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in' examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"
27. What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?
28. While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.
29. MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
30. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
31. I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.
32. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
33. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
34. Bad decisions make good stories
35. Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!
36. Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year?
37. If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible..
38. Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem....
39. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.
40. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.
41. There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
42. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
43. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.
44. I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room.. Will we still be friends after this?'
45. While watching the Olympics, I find myself cheering equally for China and USA. No, I am not of Chinese descent, but I am fairly certain that when Chinese athletes don't win, they are executed.
46. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Damnit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
47. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
48. When I meet a new girl, I'm terrified of mentioning something she hasn't already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking.
49. I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.
50. Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...
51. As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.
52. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
53. It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.
54. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
55. I think that if, years down the road when I'm trying to have a kid, I find out that I'm sterile, most of my disappointment will stem from the fact that I was not aware of my condition in college.
56. Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.
57. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, hitting the G-spot, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet my ass everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...
58. My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the hell do I respond to that?
59. It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text.
60. I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.
61. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
62. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.
63. The other night I ordered takeout, and when I looked in the bag, saw they had included four sets of plastic silverware. In other words, someone at the restaurant packed my order, took a second to think about it, and then estimate d that there must be at least four people eating to require such a large amount of food. Too bad I was eating by myself. There's nothing like being made to feel like a fat bastard before dinner.

Did you like them? I hope they made you laugh out loud or at least put a smile on your face!

Tonight for dinner we are having Chicken Quesadillas. If you click the link for the recipe you will also get to read about my magazine obsession. Yep, I'm crazy. :)

Happy eating!

Baked Potato Soup

2009-12-02T15:52:00.006-06:00

I really love this soup! It is so easy to make and so delicious! It is creamy and flavorful and warms you right to the bones! Sorry, I am done using exclamation points now. :)

This Baked Potato Soup is a recipe from the magazine Everyday With Rachel Ray, although I have altered it a bit (added more milk), and I use Bacn'Bits instead of real bacon. Also, there is a cute story of messiness in the kitchen if you click the link.

Today I went Christmas shopping at Target with my dad for my daughter's gifts while she was in school, and I picked out a few things for myself too. Then we picked her up and went to lunch and did a little more shopping at Barnes & Noble for my husband's gifts. It was really nice to spend some time with my dad.

Happy eating!

A Week's Worth of Food

2009-11-30T14:03:00.012-06:00

Sorry for not posting for a whole week, but things have been busy and I have been a little lazy with my free time. :) (And to be completely honest, I just needed a little blogging break.)

Our Thanksgiving was very nice; we went out to my aunt's house around 4pm and enjoyed a wonderful traditional turkey dinner with my extended family. The desserts I made got rave reviews and so I have earned the job of bringing dessert every year now, which is fine with me - I love to bake! I brought Lemon Bars, White Chocolate Cheesecake and Kolacky Cookies. Here is the cookie recipe:

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KOLACKY COOKIES

1 - 8oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 cup salted butter, softened
2 cups flour
1 cup powdered sugar, plus 1/2 cup
2 tsp. baking powder
2 - 12oz. cans Solo Fruit Filling

In a stand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed until soft and fluffy, about 1 minute. In another bowl, combine flour, sugar and baking powder. Slowly beat flour mixture into cream cheese mixture, beating until dough is smooth. Shape about 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball with your hands and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Press your thumb into each ball to make a small well and spoon in about 1 teaspoon of fruit filling. Bake in a 350 degree oven until the bottoms are lightly browned, about 10-12 minutes. Remove cookies to a wire rack and cool completely. Dust tops of cookies with remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar using a sifter. Store in an airtight container.
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These cookies are soft and not too sweet, perfect for after dinner (or with breakfast) with coffee.

Last Tuesday I made Hot Dogs with Mac'n'Cheese, on Wednesday I made Pepperoni Pan Pizzas, Thursday was Thanksgiving, Friday was dinner out, Saturday I made Black Bean Chili, and last night we had Tacos.

Tonight we are having Spicy Marinara Pasta with Garlic Toast. I have been using Hunt's Zesty & Spicy pasta sauce and we really like it. Also on the meal plan for this week are: Baked Potato Soup, Chicken Quesadillas, Breakfast and Shepherds Pie.

Here's a cute story for you: On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving as I dropped my daughter off at her classroom door, the kindergarten classroom bulletin board caught my eye. On it were little hand-print turkeys with each child's name and the words "I am thankful for..." Most of the kids had written "my family" or "my mom" or "my dog", but one little boy had written "corndogs". Too funny! It put a smile on my face that whole day.

Tomorrow is December 1st - are you ready for the Christmas craziness to begin? Have you started your shopping? Do you know what you are getting for each person on your list? Do you have your Christmas Eve/Day meal plan ready? My biggest goal this year is to get a picture of my daughter with Santa. I have a sweet one from when she was 3 months old and sleeping in his arms, and then the next year she was a screaming, crying blur. The last few years have been amusing; we go to the mall and walk back and forth in front of the big Santa area a few times while she gives him sideways glances before announcing that there is no way in heck she is going anywhere near Santa. >sigh< This year I have hope because there is a Breakfast With Santa event at her school. Maybe she will see her friends sitting on Santa's lap and feel more comfortable doing it herself. I've got my fingers crossed!

Happy eating!

Ground Beef Stroganoff

2009-11-23T13:45:00.002-06:00

I would like to start by thanking all of you who left sweet get-well messages for me! I am feeling much better today.

The meal plan for the week is: Breakfast, Pan Pizzas, Hot Dogs with Mac'n'Cheese, Pasta with Garlic Toast, and Ground Beef Stroganoff. On Turkey Day we'll be at my aunt's house and I am bringing dessert: Kolacky Cookies, White Chocolate Cheesecake, and Lemon Bars. YUM!

So, dinner tonight is Ground Beef Stroganoff. I love Beef Stroganoff, but my beef usually came out tough. I got this recipe from my mother-in-law and we love it!

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GROUND BEEF STROGANOFF

1 lb. ground beef
1 cup sour cream
Stroganoff seasoning packet
1 small onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 can beef broth
egg noodles

Brown meat with celery and onion. Drain off fat. Add 1/2 to 3/4 of the can of beef broth, bring to a boil. Add the sour cream and seasoning packet, mix well. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over egg noodles (cooked according to package directions).
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This is hearty and warm and yummy and makes great leftovers (if there is any left).

Happy eating!

An Award

2009-11-22T16:27:00.002-06:00

I got the True Authentic Mom award from Lissaloo over at One Step At A Time sometime last week, she is so sweet to pass this to me! The rules are that I have to post 5 things that make me a true authentic mom and then pass it on to 5 other blogs. Here goes:

1. I try very hard to be a great mom, but I am human and I make mistakes. Instead of trying to hide this fact from my daughter I use it as a teaching moment so that she learns that grown-ups make mistakes too and I apologize if I need to.
2. Her father and I are in a loving, caring, terrific marriage which I believe contributes to our daughter's happiness and sense of well-being.
3. I will make sacrifices with my spending so we can afford to send her to a private parochial school where she will get a top-notch education in a safe environment.
4. I have no problem saying "no" to her and setting boundaries.
5. I love my daughter more than words can say and I never let her forget that!

So, I would like to pass this on to all the wonderful great moms whose blogs I follow because you all deserve this award!

Still Sick

2009-11-20T14:48:00.003-06:00

Hello all - I am still sick and will not be posting again until next week. Just a bad cold, not swine flu (thank God), but it's kicking my butt. Thank you all SO much for the wonderful birthday wishes! Have a great weekend and take care! And as always...

Happy eating!

Nachos

2009-11-17T14:34:00.004-06:00

I really did not know that Italian beef sandwiches were regional, so sorry for the confusion yesterday! They are basically a sandwich of roast beef seasoned with Italian seasonings, sliced very thin, which is then soaked in juice/gravy. If you check out Allrecipes (or your favorite recipe website) you can easily find a recipe (or Google it). I do not make my own (too much work), so we use Papa Charlie's Italian Beef which can be found in the frozen foods section of your grocery store. A true Chicago beef sandwich is served plain or with sweet peppers (which is roasted green peppers) or hot peppers (giardinera or sport peppers), also dry or juicy on french bread (juicy is when they put the meat in the bread and then dip the whole thing in the juices). Do not start adding cheese or onions because then you are getting into Philly Cheesesteak territory. Around here Portillo's and Al's Beef are considered to have the best Italian beef sandwiches. (My fave is Portillo's.)

Today is my birthday! I am 37 - ugh, I feel it. I am still not feeling well and considered calling in sick to playground duty today, but I went anyway. It was very cold and very windy. The other mom called in sick so I was the only one there (good thing I didn't call in). The kids seemed crazier than usual, which could have been my perception, but by the end of the half hour I was frozen and my throat hurt from yelling "Stand up! You cannot lay on the ground!", "Are you bleeding? No? Then you are fine, go back to playing", "Stop touching each other!", "Drop the wood chips!", and "We only go down the slides on our bottoms!". On top of all that one of the second graders kept following me around, trying to tell me all about how she went to the museum and saw the movie about Amelia Erhart and blah, blah, blah-blah. I'm sure she is a very sweet girl, but I wanted to put duct tape on her mouth. Do you think it's possible that she was sent by the other kids to distract me so they could get into mischief? Are second graders that conniving? I seriously considered having a glass of wine before lunch.

For dinner tonight we are having nachos. I love this meal! I'd like to thank Krista's Kitchen again for the original recipe. I know I would never have attempted to make these without her recipe. If you haven't checked out her blog, please go now! You won't be sorry, she has great meals.

Happy eating!

Italian Beef Sandwiches

2009-11-16T13:30:00.002-06:00

I am not feeling too good; I have that 'sick' feeling and I am very tired, so this will be short. Last night I made hot dogs in the microwave, tater tots in the oven, and baked beans on the stove-top for another of those comfort foods dinners that my mom used to make us. Tonight I making Italian beef sandwiches - well, technically just heating up the beef and juice on the stove. I have sliced french bread for serving it on and there is cottage cheese and salad in the fridge for sides.

Happy eating!

Birthdays Galore

2009-11-15T14:42:00.002-06:00

We know 8 people who have birthdays in November, and my husband and I are 2 of them. His birthday was Friday and per his request I made this goulash for dinner served with garlic toast and a salad. I also made him brownies for dessert.

Yesterday we went to our neighbor's daughter's 4th birthday party at the Kohl's Childrens Museum - it was really nice! They had a party room where we ate pizza and cake and the birthday girl opened presents, and then we were free to play in the museum as long as we wanted. We have been there once before, but it was a long time ago and my daughter had a blast re-discovering everything. I watched very carefully to make sure she didn't touch her face and we weren't out the door 3 seconds when I was squirting Purell into her hands (and mine).

Today my husband took our daughter on a "date" to lunch and a movie, so I am enjoying the peace and catching up on my blog reading and posting. I asked if this R&R time was my early birthday present - LOL. I have no idea what I am going to make for dinner tonight, but I'll tell you about it tomorrow.

Happy eating!

No More Roasts

2009-11-12T10:19:00.004-06:00

I am done. Yesterday I made a roast for dinner, but it will be the last one. I just can't get it right. Click here to hear about how the last one went, and click here for the recipe. If you don't feel like clicking, here's the condensed story: I have made 3 roasts in the past and they all came out awful. I swore never to make one again. Then my FiL gave me a roast and when I made it for him it came out wonderful! So I thought I would try again, and I did yesterday, but it was awful again, so I am done. No more roasts for me.

I am going to take it easy on myself tonight and make spaghetti. I am really loving the Hunt's Zesty & Spicy Spaghetti Sauce, it's got a nice kick to it. I have a salad in the fridge and some texas toast I'll throw in the oven. Easy-peasy. Plus I love to have the spaghetti leftovers for lunch.

Happy eating!

Fork Tender Pork Chops

2009-11-10T14:38:00.003-06:00

Tonight I am going to make pork chops, spanish rice and corn. This is one of those meals that my mom used to make - it's comfort food for me. My husband, unknown to me, did not like pork chops and was not happy to hear that (7 years ago) I was making them for dinner. But then he tasted mine and he loved them! Turns out his mom did not know how to make them tender. You can cut mine with a fork.

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PORK CHOPS

4 bone-in center cut pork chops
black pepper
caraway seeds
olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp. beef bouillon dissolved in 3/4 cup warm water
(OR 3/4 cup beef broth with 1 tsp. salt added)

Trim excess fat off chops. Season chops on both sides with pepper and caraway. Sear chops in olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until golden. Transfer chops to 9x13 pan. Pour broth in skillet to de-glaze pan; pour juices over chops. Cover tightly with foil. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour.
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Like I said, my mom always served her chops with spanish rice and corn. I will use Rice-A-Roni spanish rice mix because I like the ones where you add your own can of tomatoes. The Jewel brand was the best (it is discontinued), but R-A-R is a close second. I also have a can of corn I will heat in the microwave (in a bowl, not the can), then drain off the water and stir in a tablespoon of butter - yum!

It's Tuesday so I was Playground Mom again. I had to take 2 preschoolers to the bathroom and threaten 2 others with time-outs for not going down the slide on their bottoms. I am quickly learning the names of the trouble-makers and feeling more confident to scold the kids as needed. When the first graders came out, one of them ran up to me with a sticky note stuck to her forehead with the names of 6 kids who had to have time-out for 5 minutes right off the bat (glad I'm not their teacher).

Happy eating!

Chicken Pattie Sandwiches

2009-11-08T14:56:00.003-06:00

The weather has been gorgeous this weekend! Sunny and 70 - I love Indian summer! And what did I spend it doing? Making cookies. Cleaning the house. Doing laundry. But I had the windows open the whole time! lol

I used the Nestle Tollhouse cookie recipe that can be found on the chips packaging. I made a double batch and used one bag of milk chocolate chips and one bag of white chocolate chips. They came out great!

I am glad the weather will getting cooler again soon because I have a few "warm weather" meals to cook. This weeks meal plan is: Kathy's Roast with Veggies, Pork Chops with Spanish Rice, Italian Beef Sandwiches, Spaghetti with Garlic Toast, Breakfast, and Shepherds Pie (still).

Tonight I will be making Chicken Pattie Sandwiches, which are just what they sound like: chicken patties cooked in the oven, served on hamburger buns with lettuce, mayo, and tomato. I will make a Lipton Butter & Herb Pasta Sides to go with, along with some salad.

Happy eating!

Pepperoni Pan Pizza

2009-11-06T14:46:00.003-06:00

It is Friday night which is pizza night in our house! I am going to make Pepperoni Pan Pizzas which are my favorite pizzas ever. Seriously, I got this recipe from Cook's Country in August and have made this pizza about 8 times. We are addicted. lol

This is also going to be a very short post because my back is killing me. My daughter wanted to rake leaves yesterday and I thought I could use some fresh air and exercise so I went out to help her. The garbage can was full of leaves so I lifted her up and let her jump on the leaves to pack them down. When I was lifting her out I felt a *pop* and then pain. When am I going to remember that she isn't 2 anymore and now weighs 50 lbs? When am I going to remember that I am not 26 anymore, but am now 36? Ugh. I'm going to get some Advil and a heating pad. (Of course, this will NOT stop me from making my favorite pizza. You know I love to cook and love this pizza if I will work through pain for it! haha!)

Happy eating!

Hamburgers

2009-11-04T12:43:00.005-06:00

My new "job" as Playground Mom is really opening my eyes up to what it is like for a mother of boys. Yesterday during my time as P.M. at least 6 of the 1st grade boys came up to me saying that someone had slapped or hit them. There were some tears, but no one was really injured and of course there were no witnesses. I had to break up a few tug-of-wars over knit hats and send one boy to time-out for pushing. I know that girls are not angels, but those boys give you a run for your money! When I was babysitting our neighbors daughter the biggest problem between her and my daughter was sharing or taking turns, nothing physical. I have new found respect for mothers of boys!

Last night dinner was a frozen pizza. My husband wasn't very hungry and I wasn't feeling much like cooking. Tonight we are having hamburgers. I make mine by first taking the chill off the 1.5 lbs. ground beef by putting it in the microwave on the defrost setting for 3 minutes. Then I mix in, by hand, 1 tbsp. each steak seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and A1 steak sauce. Mmmm, good! Then I form it into 4 or 5 patties and cook them on George. (My George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling Machine, we call it George. It's also great for making paninis.) I will make a deluxe box of mac'n'cheese and have salad on the side too.

Happy eating!

Chicken Kievs & Mashed Potatoes

2009-11-02T13:27:00.002-06:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween, we sure did! Friday morning I got out early and did my grocery shopping and came home and put them all away (whew!) before going to my first parent/teacher conference. I am happy to report my daughter is doing great in kindergarten! Then we went to Target for odds and ends and the new Tinkerbell movie. Next up was cleaning out and carving the 4 pumpkins I got at Aldi, except one of them was rotten on the inside - yuck. Oh well, we had fun with the other 3. My kid loves scooping out the goopy insides and helping me pick out the seeds!

Saturday morning was spent cleaning the entire 1st floor of the house. My husband said I didn't need to clean every room because "we aren't having an open house", but I did need to clean every room! The living and dining rooms and kitchen are obviously where we would be most of the time, but the bathroom needs to be clean too - duh. Then because we would put all the coats and purses on our bed in our bedroom that had to be clean, and the kids would be in my daughter's room and playroom which means the parents would be in there too, so that had to be clean as well! Men just don't get this. Then I got around to baking the pumpkin seeds. This is the way my mom taught me to make them.

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PUMPKIN SEEDS

Remove as much pulp as possible. Soak the seeds overnight in salt water. Drain water - do not rinse. Dry seeds on paper towels. Spread seeds on ungreased cookie sheet and sprinkle generously with salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Flip seeds with spatula. Bake again for 5 minutes, flip seeds. Repeat as needed. Seeds are done when slightly golden and crispy.
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I had 3 large pumpkins worth of seeds and they took about 25 minutes to bake. YUM!

Around 3:15pm my neighbor J. and her daughter and J.'s boyfriend and his daughter came over and we all walked down to the park district for the Halloween festivities, but BIG OOPS, the party was the day before! I felt like such an idiot! I know when I checked the website I looked for 'Halloween Party' and definitely checked the time, but I guess I didn't check the date and assumed the party would be on Saturday. And we all know what happens when you assume something, right? LOL Thank goodness my neighbor is such a sweet lady and her guy is a cool dude, they took it in stride and we did some trick-or-treating on the way back to my house. The girls played while we had hot apple cider with rum and I ordered pizza. Around 5:30pm our friends T. and R. and their 2 kids from the suburbs got here and then it was really crazy! 6 adults and 5 kids in my little house, plus the doorbell ringing every other minute with trick-or-treaters made for a chaotic but really fun time.

Seriously, the doorbell rang every other minute. I had bought 10 bags of candy and had about 15 pieces left when we stopped answering the door. I only give 1 piece per kid because I only buy the fun-size candy bars. That's a LOT of kids in 2 hours.

We left around 6:30pm to do our own trick-or-treating and the streets were a sea of people. There are tons of kids in our neighborhood, plus we have seen carloads of people park and jump out to do their trick-or-treating here. Our city blocks are very long with about 15 houses per side and really good street lights. Plus 99% of the homes are bungalows with garden basements, so almost every house has front stairs to climb up and down. It's a great way to get lots of candy in a short distance, yet the kids get tired from all those stairs! We got home around 8pm and our neighbors went home right away, but our friends stayed awhile longer and it was nice to visit with them.

On Sunday it was all I could do to get out of bed - I was exhausted! All the running around from the previous 2 days had done me in, and I considered it a victory that I showered and did the dishes. Today it was back to the routine, and there are no extra activities this week, thank you God!

For dinner tonight we are having frozen chicken kievs from Aldi, the brand is Kirkwood and for $1 a piece they are really good. Plus I will make instant mashed potatoes, and gravy from a seasoning packet. It's more like "preparing" than "cooking", haha! Oh, and there will be a salad too (I always have torn lettuce with cucumbers and green peppers in my fridge).

Now I get to go read all the blogs I follow that I have not read since Thursday!

Happy eating!

Popcorn Shrimp & Rice

2009-10-29T10:21:00.006-05:00

Today was the Fall party in my daughter's kindergarten classroom and I got to come and help out. What fun! The kids are so great, very well behaved and so polite. Well, most of them - there are a couple trouble-makers, but they try. The teacher, Mrs. J, is simply awesome. She has been a kindergarten teacher for 30 years and she is terrific with the kids.

Dinner tonight will be Popcorn Shrimp and Rice. Aldi has great popcorn shrimp for $2 a box and their cocktail sauce is good too. The rice is a Knorr Fiesta Sides Mexican Rice packet, and I will also have a salad on the side.

Tomorrow and Saturday will be very busy so I won't be back here until Sunday. Tomorrow I will grocery shop in the morning, then I have my daughter's parent/teacher conference (my husband is staying home with her), then we will go to Target together, and then clean out the pumpkins to bake the seeds and carve them. On Saturday I will be cleaning the house and getting ready for our neighbors and some close friends to come over around 3pm. We will walk to the park district for the festivities there, come back to the house for pizza, and then go trick-or-treating.

The meal plan for the coming week is: Shepherd's Pie, Chicken Kievs & Mashed Potatoes, Pepperoni Pan Pizza, Tacos, Chicken Pattie Sandwiches, Hamburgers, and frozen pizza (always).

I hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween!
Happy eating!

Pastitsio Casserole

2009-10-28T16:11:00.003-05:00

I won! I won! One of my favorite blogs Crumbs In The Minivan had a book giveaway and I won! Woo-hoo! Please go check out the Crumbs, Mama Crumb is a great writer and her stories are funny and if you are a mom you can totally relate to her.

My first time as Playground Mom on Tuesday was fun, and the kids wasted no time breaking me in - someone poked someone else in the eye with a wood chip. The word the kids used was stabbed, but I think it was more of a poke. Anyway, I immediately summoned the other, more experienced P.M. and she had me bring the boy to the nurse while she tried to figure out who did it and punish them. The kid was fine and returned with me to the playground to fight, I mean play, again.

Today my daughter's kindergarten class led the chapel time and it was so cute! They did an audience participation story about Martin Luther that was hysterical and then they sang a song. I also got to meet another mom whose daughter is friends with my kid - I see a playdate in our future.

Tonight's dinner is an old favorite of ours called Pastitsio. It is supposed to be an Italian version of Shepherd's Pie. I have no idea where I got the recipe, but I have been making this since I was married. It is a great dish to bring to potlucks.

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PASTITSIO

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
4 tbsp. butter
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 lb. ground beef
1 small can tomato paste
1 cup beef stock
2 tbsp. parsley
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Part 1: In a large pot, brown ground beef. Drain off fat. Mix in onion powder, garlic powder, tomato paste, beef stock and parsley. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Part 2: Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain well, return to pot. Stir in butter, eggs, and parmesan; mix well.
Part 3: Lightly grease a 2 quart serving dish. Spoon half the macaroni mixture in the bottom. Top with all the meat mixture. Spoon remaining noodles over the meat. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with garlic bread and a salad.
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Happy eating!

Leftovers We Love

2009-10-27T10:51:00.003-05:00

Hello all! I would like to comment on a few comments I received on my last post. First, L.B. - don't be afraid of the yeast! Just make sure it is 1) fresh, 2) does not come in direct contact with salt, and 3) that your liquid is not over 110 degrees. I use a candy thermometer to check my temps - easy and cheap. Second, I am feeling better today, thank you for all the well wishes - they worked! haha! Third, I pound the chicken for the chicken parm because then you get a bigger top surface for more sauce and cheese! The easiest, least messy method I have found is to put the chicken in a gallon size ziploc bag and pound away!

Tonights dinner is going to be leftovers because I have too many in the fridge. There is Indian Corn Stew, Lasagna, Salisbury Steak, and Latvian Meatsauce that need to be eaten. All of these items re-heat very well, thank goodness. I try to make a dent in the leftovers by having them for lunch, but sometimes I just want a turkey sandwich instead. :)

I was asked to be the Playground Mom on Tuesdays at my daughter's school because the mom that did it is moving away. My kid is thrilled because she gets to stay and play with her friends and I am happy to do it for her. I am sure I will not be so happy when it is February and it is freezing cold outside! Ah, the sacrifices we make for our kids.

Happy eating!

Chicken Parmesan & Pasta

2009-10-26T10:09:00.005-05:00

I would like to start by saying Welcome to all my new followers, I'm so happy to have you here! I am really enjoying being a follower on your blogs too. Next I would like to say that I am going to miss your blog Betty, along with that cute little corgi of yours!

I realized that I forgot (again) to give you guys my meal plan for the week. What is wrong with me lately? haha! So here it is: Shepherd's Pie, frozen pizza (always), Pastitsio, Popcorn Shrimp & Rice, Chicken Kievs & Mashed Potatoes.

Tonight I will make Chicken Parmesan on a bed of Spaghetti. I like to pound my chicken breasts thin, then dredge them in flour, then dip them in an egg-milk mixture, then dredge them in seasoned breadcrumbs. I cook them until golden in a skillet with a little olive oil, then put them in the oven topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese until the cheese melts, about 8 minutes. So easy and yummy. I don't think they re-heat well so I only make two, but I make extra spaghetti because I love that for leftovers!

Well, I am not feeling 100% so I am going to go rest. My daughter and husband have both have colds, so I knew it was only a matter of time before I caught it!

Happy eating!

Lasagna & Guest Blogger

2009-10-25T14:33:00.005-05:00

Today I am the guest blogger over on This Stop Willoughby! I love Willoughby's blog, she always has great topics and challenges and some of the best drink recipes you'll ever taste. Recently she has been having a Cocktail Party of guest bloggers to promote friendship and help us all find some new blogs to enjoy - please go over and check it out! I got that fancy new picture to the right for participating - cool, huh? :) I have also found a bunch of great new blogs to follow, so thanks again Willoughby!

Tonight I will be making lasagna for dinner. I know there a million recipes for it, some with meat, some with cottage cheese, some with white sauce, the list could go on indefinitely. I make mine by layering no-boil noodles with pasta sauce from a jar, and ricotta cheese mixed with an egg and shredded mozzarella. Easy-peasy. If you haven't tried no-boil noodles, you should. They make making lasagna so much easier!

Happy eating!

Friday Night Pizza

2009-10-23T17:17:00.002-05:00

Hi all! It is Friday night and we are ordering a pizza - half cheese, half pepperoni. Yum! Last night we had leftovers for dinner; I had Indian Corn Stew and the hubbie had Salisbury Steak.

Today my daughter's school had a Bowl-A-Thon and I was a volunteer. This is the second time I have ridden a bus in one week in over 20 years! They still smell gross, by the way. LOL It was a good time! The kids were very well behaved (again) and bowled with their chapel families. The chapel family consists of 1-2 kids from each grade in the school, and they work together in chapel time on Wednesdays. I got a sore throat from yelling over all the noise and loud music, but I loved it. I caught myself shouting encouragement just like I did when I was a cheerleader in high school - it's scary how it comes back to you like it was yesterday. My daughter bowled a 112 the first game and a 62 the second game and then got a STRIKE in the first frame of the third game! Of course this was done with bumpers, but it was her first time bowling ever, so I was one proud mama! Plus I got to work with the school's first grade teacher, so I have an "in" with her for next year - haha!

It was also the first time my daughter showed that she was slightly embarrassed of me >GASP!< in public. She told me to "tone it down, mom" when I was clapping for her. I was so shocked that I just said "okay". I knew this day was coming, but I didn't think it would be so soon. I have received some negative criticism for having her in 1/2 day kindergarten (instead of full day), and I do it precisely for this reason - the day will come (way too soon) where she will want little-to-nothing to do with me, so I am relishing all the mommy-time I can get now. Is that so wrong? I think that some of these parents who are shoving their kids into pre-school as soon as possible are going to regret it someday and I don't want to have that regret. Every family had to do what works for them, right? What do you think?

Happy eating!

Venetian Paninis & Latvian Meatsauce

2009-10-21T10:19:00.007-05:00

The other night I made fancy grilled cheese on sourdough bread and since I had some bread left I made Venetian Panini sandwiches for lunch today. I LOVE these sandwiches. I have made them for a few friends and they all LOVE these sandwiches too. I got the original recipe from Giada DeLaurentis over at the Food Network, but I have changed a few things. First, I use spicy mustard instead of dijon, and second, I use swiss cheese instead of Gruyere. Anyway, you can find the recipe here.

For dinner tonight I will be making Latvian Meatsauce. This is NOT a traditional Latvian meal; my mom called it Latvian Meatsauce because the recipe came from her mother-in-law who was from Latvia. My dad said he thinks that his mother and her second husband, who was Hungarian, came up with this recipe based on other recipes. He does not remember eating it as a child in Latvia before his mom remarried. Just wanted to clarify that! :)

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LATVIAN MEATSAUCE

8 oz. mushrooms, fresh or canned
3 stalks celery, diced
2 medium onions, diced
1/2 large green pepper, diced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped OR 4 tsp. dried parsley
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
2 lbs. ground beef
2/3 cup water
1 - 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. celery salt
3 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 3 tsp. cold water
3/4 cup sour cream

In a large pot, saute all veggies in butter and oil until partially cooked. In a separate pot, brown the ground beef; drain off fat. Add beef to veggies. Add tomato sauce, water, and spices; stir well. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture and cook until sauce thickens. When ready to serve, turn off heat and let sauce stop simmering. Then add the sour cream, stirring well to mix.

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This is really good served over boiled potatoes with a side of pickles. Well, that's how my mom always served it and we loved it. I will only make half the amount of this recipe since only my husband and I will be eating it. I will make my daughter try it, but I'm pretty sure she'll want a hot dog instead.

Happy eating!

Breakfast

2009-10-19T14:29:00.001-05:00

Today was the field trip to the pumpkin patch with my daughter's school and it was wonderful! The weather was really great and the kids were well behaved. Whew! Now I am exhausted and my throat is slightly sore from shouting to be heard above the crowds, but we all had a great time.

I wish I could just throw a frozen pizza in the oven for dinner, but I did that last night. And the night before that we went to Steak 'N' Shake for dinner where kids eat free! We did not know that until our waitress told us - it was a nice surprise. Plus we had coupons for our dinners so the bill was pretty cheap.

So, tonight we are having scrambled eggs, sausage patties, and diced potatoes. I will saute some onion to add to the potatoes and throw in some steak seasoning too. The eggs might get some fresh chopped green onion from my garden and maybe a dollop of sour cream for extra creaminess. Mmmmm, I'm getting hungry thinking about it now!

Happy eating!

New Fancy Grilled Cheese

2009-10-17T11:28:00.006-05:00

I love comfort foods and very high on that list is the simple grilled cheese sandwich. I also have a "fancy" grilled cheese recipe that I love and I just found a new one! In the November issue of Everyday With Rachel Ray magazine they reviewed four restaurants across the U.S. with off-beat grilled cheese sandwiches and we are trying one of them tonight. It is from The Cheese Factory Restaurant in Wisconsin Dells, WI and The Specs are "a double-decker sourdough sandwich layered with four-year-aged Wisconsin sharp cheddar and baby Swiss, a pinch of grated romano, tomatoes and Italian herbs." YUM! I don't think I will make mine double-decker, but otherwise I'm sticking to the ingredients.

Last night we had leftovers for dinner and on Thursday I made my favorite Pepperoni Pan Pizzas.

I bought my pumpkins yesterday. I got them at Aldi for $2 each and they are pretty good sized, about 15 lbs. each. I can't wait to clean them out and roast the seeds and carve them! Fun! I also have been buying a bag or two of candy each week for the last few weeks. We get tons of trick-or-treaters here. I must admit I am worried about the weather for this year's trick-or-treating. Last year we had PERFECT weather, temps in the 70's with clear skies, truly perfect. So of course this year is gonna suck, right? There is no way we will get great weather again. I guess I will just pray that it doesn't rain; cold I can deal with, but rain would ruin it. Anyway, my daughter is going to be Corrine from Barbie and the Three Musketeers. We have the dress and sword and boots and we are going to make the mask this week. What are your little ones going to be? Have you started buying candy yet?

The meal plan for the week is: Chicken Parmesan (STILL), New Fancy Grilled Cheese (above), Lativan Meatsauce, frozen pizza (always), Breakfast, and Shepherd's Pie.

Happy eating!

Salisbury Steaks

2009-10-14T12:22:00.003-05:00

I would like to start by saying that I hope those of you who are in California (Betty & Joanna) are safe from the remnants of that typhoon that is currently dumping tons of rain up and down the west coast causing flooding and landslides. You are in my prayers!

Dinner tonight will be one of my husbands favorites: Salisbury steaks. I don't remember where I got this recipe, but it's fairly easy and really good. I serve it with mashed potatoes, it makes the most wonderful gravy for them, and a salad or veggie.

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SALISBURY STEAKS

2 cans Campbells condensed French Onion Soup
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (at least 85% lean)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 tbsp. flour
3/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup water
3 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp. mustard

In a big bowl, combine half a can of onion soup, bread crumbs, egg, salt and pepper with the ground beef. Shape into 6 patties. In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown the patties a few minutes on each side; pour off any fat. While patties are browning: in a large bowl combine the rest of the onion soup with the flour, whisking until smooth. Add the ketchup, mustard, water, and Worcestershire; mix well. Pour soup mixture over browned patties. Cover and cook over medium low heat for 10 minutes. Flip patties over, cover, and cook another 10 minutes.
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I had my dad over for dinner once and served these. He loved them so much that he made me come over to his house to make a double batch (he supplied the ingredients). Then he put them into Gladware and put them in the freezer so he could have one whenever he wanted!

Happy eating!

Do I Know You?!

2009-10-13T10:09:00.006-05:00

Last night I was watching Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations show on The Food Channel. I don't usually watch that show, but this one was about him in Chicago so how could I not watch it? :) They were talking about a restaurant called Moto and then they showed the head chef and I suddenly sat straight up thinking "I KNOW that guy! Where do I know him from?!" Then they said his name was Homaro Cantu and it clicked. My daughter went to preschool last year with his daughter and I saw him repeatedly at drop-off/pick-up! This man has been on Iron Chef! Wow. I can't believe I didn't know he was a big fancy chef.

Actually, I can believe I didn't know; I just can't believe no one at the school told me. I didn't make any best friends there, but I did become friendly with a few of the moms. I have never been to Moto and probably will never go. I know there are people out there (you may be one of them) who are true "foodies" and really get into exotic cuisine, but I am not one of them. Sure I like to try new things, but a 10 course dinner that costs over $100 per person and includes a "cuban cigar" that you can eat is definitely not for me. I have no desire to try foie gras or even caviar. How do you feel about the fancy stuff?

I am not trying to prove a point here, but dinner is (another) frozen pizza. LOL My daughter picked this one, it is her favorite: Tombstone Garlic Bread Cheese Pizza. I am feeling lazy and I don't feel like cooking. My daughter is finally back in school after a 5 day weekend; last Thursday and Friday were teacher meetings and yesterday was Columbus Day - ugh! I am SO happy to be back to my routine.

Happy eating!

Indian Corn Stew

2009-10-12T08:15:00.005-05:00

My mom made this stew a few times every winter for as long as I can remember. I have no idea where she got the recipe, but my dad thinks it was an old Girl Scout recipe, which sounds right. For those of you who saw Indian and thought "curry", you are wrong. And I really don't think the Native American Indians made anything remotely like this, so I don't know why it is called Indian Corn Stew. Anyway, I serve this with buttered rye bread.

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INDIAN CORN STEW

1/2 onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 lb. ground beef
1 can corn, undrained
1 can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can condensed cream of tomato or tomato bisque soup
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp. cold water

Brown the ground beef with the onion and green pepper. Drain off fat. Add the corn, tomatoes, soup, sugar, salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch/water and simmer for 3 more minutes.
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This is so yummy and easy, and would be very easy to make at a campsite. :) It is also easy to double for large families or potlucks, and like chili, always tastes great warmed up.

I got my daughter's school pictures - ugh! She is doing that robot smile that all mothers know and hate. You would think that a professional photographer who works with children all day would have a few jokes up their sleeves to make kids really smile. Oh well, I have learned my lesson. Next year I will order the class photo for $9 and then take her Target and get the same photo package with an $8 coupon AND be able to pick the picture AND make sure she is actually smiling.

I would also like to invite you all to check out the AWESOME giveaway over at Krista's Kitchen. She is one of my favorite blog friends because she has the best recipes and pictures.

Happy eating!

Beef & Rice Fiesta Casserole

2009-10-10T16:53:00.003-05:00

I got this recipe ages ago from my brother, but I don't know where he got it from. Doesn't really matter, we love it! I serve this with warm cornbread and a mixed green salad.

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BEEF & RICE FIESTA CASSEROLE

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 cup instant rice
1 - 2 cup bag shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 - 14oz. can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 - 8oz. can tomato sauce
1 can sliced olives, drained
1 pkt. taco seasoning
1 tsp. vinegar
1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp. beef bouillon
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. EACH pepper, basil, onion powder, garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground beef with onion and green pepper, drain off fat. Stir in all ingredients, EXCEPT 8oz. tomato sauce AND half the cheese, bring to a boil. Pour mixture into a 3 quart baking dish and cover. Bake for half an hour. Now stir in the tomato sauce, re-cover and bake for 25 minutes. Top with other half of cheese and bake 5 minutes more, or until cheese is melted.
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If you want some kick in it you could add a small can of chopped jalapenos. I'm sure a Mexican blend cheese would work great too. One time I tried leaving out the extra spices and only used the taco seasoning packet and it just wasn't the same, so it's worth the extra effort.

The meal plan for the following week is: Chicken Parmesan (still), frozen pizza (again), leftovers, Potato & Sausage Bake, Pepperoni Pan Pizza, Indian Corn Stew, and Salisbury Steaks. Oh yeah! Gotta love those hearty cold weather meals!

Happy eating!

Three Awards (& Tacos)

2009-10-07T13:04:00.015-05:00

I sincerely hope that Lissaloo and Willoughby are not mad at me for taking so long to post about the wonderful awards they have passed on to me. I am truly grateful for having such great blog friends! So without further ado, here we go:

The first two awards are from Lissaloo over at One Step At A Time. If you haven't checked out her blog, please go now! She is always posting the most delicious recipes and fun crafts on her blog. The first one is the B.I.N.G.O. award, she gave me the O for Outstanding, and here are the five blogs I would like to pass it to:

B - Beautiful: Marvelously Mundane always has beautiful pictures and stories and recipes on her blog. I have been reading hers the longest and she keeps me coming back for more!

I - Informative: Krista's Kitchen has taught me a lot of things about cooking. She always has such great information along with her recipes - I love her blog!

N - Neighborly: A Corgi In Southern California is always leaving such sweet comments for me, and her own blog makes you feel like grabbing a warm cup of tea and settling in for a lovely chat with an old friend.

G - Gorgeous: Crumbs In The Minivan shares wonderful stories of her gorgeous family and reminds me that I am not alone, as mothers we are all going through pretty much the same ups and downs!

O - Outstanding: Airing My Dirty Laundry is so funny and real and honest - her blog is simply outstanding!

The second award from Lissaloo is the Honest Scrap award and I have to list 10 honest things about myself:

1. I think Twitter is dumb.
2. I can't stand it when people chew with their mouths open.
3. I think people who abuse animals should go to jail.
4. I wear fake nails because my own are thin and weak.
5. I cut my own hair; my daughter's and husband's too.
6. I can parallel park on either side like a pro.
7. I still remember the words to songs I sang 20 years ago in high school choir.
8. I love doing the laundry.
9. I am a chocolate snob and will only eat the good stuff (just like Lissaloo!).
10. I don't like Macy's and miss Marshall Fields more than I should.

The third award is from This Stop Willoughby. (She is an amazing blogger I found from Marvelously Mundane, and she is throwing a really cool cocktail party over on her blog. Please go and check it out, you won't be sorry!) It is the Over The Top award and I have to give one word answers for the following:

Where is your cell phone? kitchen
Your hair: long
Your mother: heaven
Your father: good
Your favorite food? pizza
Your dream last night? scuba
Your favorite drink? wine
Your dream/goal? travel
What room are you in? dining
Your hobby: reading
Your fear: fire
Where do you want to be in 6 years? here
Where were you last night? home
Something you aren't: short
Muffins? no
Wish list item: health
Where did you grow up? suburbs
Last thing you did: stretch
What are you wearing? jeans
Your TV: off
Your pets: none
Your friends: forever
Your life: good
Your mood: happy
Missing someone? mom
Vehicle: Honda
Something you are not wearing: jewelry
Favorite store? Target
Favorite color? green
When was the last time you laughed? today
When was the last time you cried? yesterday
Your best friend: husband
One place I go over & over: bathroom (ha!)
One person who emails me regularly: aunt
Favorite place to eat? steakhouse

I am supposed to pass these last two awards on to a bunch of other people, but I don't follow that many blogs and most of you have received these already. So if you are reading this and do not already have these awards, consider yourself awarded!

For dinner tonight I am making tacos. I have a kit from Old El Paso that includes 6 soft shells, 6 hard shells, taco sauce, and seasoning mix that we got on sale at Target for under $2! I love tacos, but only the American kind. We sometimes order take-out from a very authentic Mexican restaurant and I really don't like their tacos - I'd rather have Taco Bell! Isn't that terrible? haha!

Happy eating!

Pizza (& Pain)

2009-10-06T10:04:00.003-05:00

Hello folks, thing have been crazy around here lately! I have not had the time to be on the computer writing my blog, and reading and commenting on all your fabulous blogs, and I miss it! I know that a couple of you have awards for me and I am SO sorry I have not posted about them yet - I promise to do it tomorrow!

Let's see, on Sunday night I made spaghetti for dinner and last night I made egg & cheese sandwiches - nothing exciting. Tonight I will be making a frozen pizza, mainly because I am in pain.

Why am I in pain? Because I am old! This morning while cuddling in bed with my daughter, I went to move and couldn't because I was lying on my hair (it's very long). So I turned my head while bringing my arm up to move the hair and simultaneously lifting my shoulders up and I pulled a muscle in my back. I felt a pop and then major pain and I just laid there moaning while my daughter is asking "What's wrong mommy?". I laid there assessing the damage and slowly moving each body part and the pain subsided a little and I was finally able to get out of the bed. This totally sucks! How old AM I that I pull a muscle moving my hair?! Ugh. Anyway, now I have a dull ache in the middle of my back and it hurts to move in certain ways, but I will live. I hope you are all having a better day than me!

Happy eating!

White Chocolate Cheesecake with Raspberry Swirl

2009-10-03T14:46:00.004-05:00

My dear friend and neighbor J. invited us over for dinner Saturday night. My husband was immediately asking why she invited us, which honestly hadn't crossed my mind. I highly doubted she was going to ask us to sell Amway, but you never know... LOL Just kidding!

I asked what I could bring and she said dessert, and I just recently found this recipe for White Chocolate Cheesecake with Strawberry Swirl from Cuisine At Home, so I had to make it. Plus I had most of the ingredients already. I did make a few changes though; first, I had graham cracker crumbs so I used those instead of the chocolate wafer cookies, and second, raspberries were on sale and I already had raspberry jam so I used those instead of strawberries.

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WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE WITH STRAWBERRY SWIRL

Sauce:
10 oz. fresh strawberries, hulled, quartered
3 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. strawberry preserves
juice of 1/2 lemon (or 1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice)
2 tbsp. water
2 tsp. cornstarch

Crust:
7 chocolate wafer cookies, crumbled
3 whole graham crackers, crumbled
2 tbsp. sugar
pinch salt
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted (I used salted butter and omitted the pinch of salt)

For The Cheesecake:
8 oz. white chocolate, chopped
3 - 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, room temp
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup cold strawberry sauce

Process berries, sugar, preserves, and lemon juice for the sauce in a food processor until smooth. (I used a small bowl and my immersion blender.) Transfer to a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth; whisk into berry mixture. Simmer to thicken slightly, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill until cold.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees with rack in the center. Coat a 9 inch springform pan with cooking spray. (I forgot to and it was fine.) Process the cookies, crackers, sugar and salt for crust in a food processor until fine. Add butter as machine is running. (I mixed about 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs with 3 tbsp. melted butter and 2 tbsp. sugar with a fork.) Pat crumbs onto bottom of pan.
Melt white chocolate for the cheesecake over a double boiler and set aside. (I used the microwave) Blend cream cheese and sugar until smooth, using a mixer and scraping the sides of the bowl periodically. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Blend in melted chocolate, vanilla, and lemon juice. Pour batter over crust, then drizzle with 1/4 cup of sauce. Swirl sauce into batter to create a marbled pattern with a toothpick. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake until edges are set and puffed but center is still jiggly, 60-80 minutes. DO NOT over bake. Turn off oven, crack door open with a wooden spoon, an cool cake in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool completely. Cover cake with a towel and chill overnight. Serve with remaining sauce.
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This cake was SO delicious. There are a lot of ingredients and directions, but it wasn't hard to make.

Happy eating!

Burritos

2009-10-02T15:27:00.004-05:00

I love burritos, especially from Chipotle, where you get to tell them what you want inside of it. Mine are very good too, but I don't offer as many choices! Ha!

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BURRITOS

1/2 lb. ground beef
1 can refried beans
1 can petite diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 packet burrito seasonings
1 package burrito-size tortillas
1 package shredded Mexican-blend cheese
2-3 cups shredded lettuce
sour cream

Brown the ground beef and drain off the fat. Add the beans, tomatoes, and seasoning packet; stir well. Heat until bubbly, then reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spread desired amount of meat mixture on tortillas, top with lettuce, cheese, and sour cream. Roll up and eat!
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If you heat the tortillas in a damp paper towel in the microwave for 20 seconds they will be less likely to tear. I know that one you gave me that tip and I can't remember who, but thanks again!

Well, Chicago did not win the Olympic bid. Whew! Thank goodness that is over. Unfortunately it is still the ONLY thing the newspeople can talk about it. Good to know there isn't ANYTHING else newsworthy going on in this big city.

I also want to say that although I can make and love pumpkin seeds, I have no idea how to actually cook the pumpkin meat itself. I don't like pumpkin, sorry Lissaloo! But I have heard that you can buy small-ish pumpkins, clean out the goo, take the meat out and turn it into soup, and then serve the soup inside the little pumpkins! How cool would that be?!

The meal plan for the coming week is: Chicken Parmesan, Tacos, Beef & Rice Fiesta, frozen pizza, Spaghetti & Breadsticks, Egg & Cheese Sandwiches, and (to bring as dessert to a dinner we were invited to) White Chocolate Cheesecake with Raspberry Swirl.

Happy eating!

Fancy Grilled Cheese

2009-10-01T10:42:00.002-05:00

I love a good old-fashioned grilled cheese sandwich, but sometimes you need a little extra oomphf. So tonight I will make grilled cheese, but on rye bread, with tomato slices, and one slice each of american, cheddar, and swiss cheese. These are SO good you could serve them to company with a big pot of homemade soup. Everyone loves comfort food, after all. Unfortunately, I will not be making homemade soup tonight, Campbell's will have to do.

After cleaning the house today, I decorated it will all my Halloween decorations. It looks very festive in here - I love it! I can't wait to buy pumpkins and make pumpkin seeds, all my family and friends love my crispy, salty pumpkin seeds. I also love to carve the pumpkins and put them on the front porch. I try to buy at least 4-6 pumpkins - my husband thinks I'm crazy, but I only get to do it once a year! On Nov. 1st this will all come down and the Thanksgiving decorations will go up. Then on Nov. 28th the turkeys will come down and I give myself one week without ANY decorations before "decking the halls" for Christmas. By New Year's Day I am usually itching to take down all the decorations and get my house back to normal.

The news reports here are filled with talk about the Olympic bid that Chicago has in the ring for the 2016 games. A lot of people think this would be a good thing for Chicago, bringing jobs and a boost to our economy with all the tourists. However, our city is just as cash-strapped as every other city out there and most people are worried that Joe Taxpayer is going to end up footing the bill. Plus, it is no secret that crime, mostly from gangs, is a major problem here - especially on the south side where they want to hold most of the events. I personally hope we don't get them. Is there anyone out there who lived in or near a host city for any other Olympic games? Atlanta, perhaps? I would love to hear how it affected your daily life (and tax bill).

Happy eating!

Potato Pancakes & A New Book Club

2009-09-30T13:31:00.005-05:00

Tonight I will be making potato pancakes from a Hungry Jack box mix, you just add water and eggs. It is a simple and cheap meal - the box costs under $2. I will serve them with applesauce and sausage patties. Yum! Someday I will attempt to make potato pancakes from scratch, but I just know I'll cut my knuckles grating all those potatoes! I have heard of using frozen shredded potatoes - maybe I'll try that instead. :)

My newest friend Lissaloo from the blog One Step At A Time suggested that we start an online blog book club, so we did! We also have a third co-author, Jen, who is new to blogging. It is called One Book At A Time and I really hope you will all go and check it out. I really like this idea because I love to read and I am excited to be exposed to new authors.

Happy eating!

Black Bean Chili & Cornbread

2009-09-29T13:20:00.003-05:00

It is a cold, grey, windy day here in the Windy City! haha! I have been waiting awhile now for the perfect day to make chili and this is it. I am pretty sure I got this recipe from Rachel Ray, but I cut WAY back on the chipotle powder. I vaguely remember the first time I made this chili - I couldn't eat it because it was SO hot (but my husband loved it).

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BLACK BEAN CHILI

1.5 lbs. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can petite diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 - 8oz. can tomato sauce
1 can of beer
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. steak seasoning
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. chipotle powder

In a large pot, brown the ground beef with the onion. Drain off fat. Add black beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and all seasonings. Pour in only half the can of beer, add more as needed until chili reaches desired consistency. Heat to boiling over high heat. Then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Sometimes we have beer in the fridge, but most of the time we don't. Instead of buying a whole 6-pack I will just buy one of those large cans, and I never end up using the whole thing in the chili. Also, I always make elbow macaroni on the side, then I mix some together with my own bowl of chili. Some people call this chili-mac, which is fitting. My mom always served her chili with elbow mac and it is weird for me to eat chili without it.

I am also making cornbread from a box mix; just add an egg and milk. I like the Jiffy brand, but today I am using the Aldi brand (Baker's Corner) which is really good too. I think it is a great side dish for many fall/winter meals because it is yummy of course, but also because it is so cheap! The box of mix costs about .35 cents and I always have some milk and eggs in my fridge. Can't beat that!

Happy eating!

Chicken Patties

2009-09-28T17:21:00.002-05:00

I was going to make chicken patties tonight and serve them on hamburger buns with lettuce and tomato. Then I realized that my husband had WAY more sloppy joes than I thought he would the other night and we only have one hamburger bun left. Time to improvise! I grabbed a gravy packet and instant mashed potatoes from the cabinet and voila! Problem solved. I have salad in the fridge to serve on the side.

On Friday night I made frozen chicken kievs with rice. On Saturday night we had Subway subs. Last night I threw a frozen pizza in the oven. My meal plan for the week is: Black Bean Chili, Burritos, Potato Pancakes with Sausage Patties, and Chicken Parmesan.

My daughter's school takes the kids on various field trips through the year and, of course, every parent signed up to be a chaperon. The teacher said that since so many of us volunteered we would only get to go on one trip per parent, which is fine by me, sounds fair. I am happy to report that I was chosen to go on the trip to the pumpkin farm in October! I haven't been to a pumpkin farm since I was a little girl and I am so happy I get to do this with my daughter! I am also looking forward to getting to know her classmates, since she'll be in class with them for the next 8 years. :)

Happy eating!

Smoked Sausage, Sauerkraut, & Potatoes

2009-09-24T13:12:00.002-05:00

This meal is an old favorite that my mom made for years. I mistakenly thought it was something only she made, silly girl! I made it for my husband shortly after we were married and he said his mom made (pretty much) the same recipe. There must be a 1960's cookbook out there with the original recipe, but I haven't found it yet.

Anyway, my mom would rinse the sauerkraut to get rid of the sourness and she would add way more brown sugar than I use, but we like it a bit on the sour side - it is sauerkraut after all! Also, she used regular smoked sausage, but I use skinless - we just prefer it that way.

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SMOKED SAUSAGE, SAUERKRAUT, POTATOES

1 package skinless smoked sausage (Eckrich or Hillshire Farms are good)
1 - 27 oz. can sauerkraut, drained well
8 small red or white potatoes
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup brown sugar

Pour the oil into a pressure cooker to coat the bottom. Add the sauerkraut, brown sugar, and water; stir well. Scrub the potatoes, then cut them into quarters and place on top of sauerkraut. Cut the sausage into 6 equal pieces and place on top of potatoes. Put the lid on the pressure cooker and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Release steam before opening.
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I have a new pressure cooker that has a dial on top which I set to 1 when cooking this meal. My mom had an old school pressure cooker with a weight on top; when it would start jiggling she would then start timing the meal to cook for 20 minutes (it took about 10 minutes to get there). I can't wait to inherit my mom's old pressure cooker! But my dad loves this meal and makes it for himself, so I won't be getting it until he joins my mom in heaven.

The other great thing about this recipe is that you can easily double the recipe for a large family or party and it is pretty cheap, especially if you get the sausage in a 'buy one, get one free' sale. (If you do this you will have to add to the cooking time and add water.) If you prefer a sweeter meal, then you can rinse the sauerkraut or add more brown sugar or both (like my mom). I serve this meal with mustard, regular or spicy brown, to dip your sausage in for an added kick.

This is one of only two meals I make in my pressure cooker; the other is beef stew. I really should find more recipes for this wonderful contraption. If you have any that you love PLEASE share them! Thanks!

Happy eating!

Italian Sausages

2009-09-23T15:04:00.003-05:00

I am dragging George out of the cabinet tonight and using it to cook italian sausages. (George would be my George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling Machine.) I will serve them on hot dog buns with a cucumber-red onion salad dressed with salt, pepper, rice vinegar, and olive oil. I wish I had some sweet & spicy sauce, but I don't. :(

Across the street from my husband's company is a cheese distributor where we buy sliced american cheese in bulk for a great price. Their company has been there as long as my husbands company, and the families have become friends over the years as the businesses passed from generation to generation. Anyway, sometimes the owner will give us samples of things like different cheeses or Vegeta, and one time we got a jar of oriental sweet & spicy sauce. I didn't think I would like it (and only tried it after much coaxing from my husband), but I loved it. What have you tried lately? Did you love it or hate it?

Funny story: Many, many years ago, I was out to dinner with my parents and brother and I ordered calamari for an appetizer. My brother asked if he could try it and I said yes. He really like it and I was happy to share. As the plates were cleared away, he asked "so, what is calamari anyway?". When I replied that it was squid he turned the palest shade of green. hahahaha!

Happy eating!

Sloppy Joes & Mac 'n' Cheese

2009-09-22T16:59:00.002-05:00

When my husband called at 3:30pm to let me know he would be home around 4:15pm I asked if he was hungry and he said he was ravenous! So I rattled off the dinner plan and he chose sloppy joes with mac'n'cheese.

We prefer to make the sloppy joes with ground beef (brown it and drain off the fat), a can of tomato paste, water, and a McCormick's Sloppy Joe seasoning packet. For some reason we don't like the canned sauce, and honestly we haven't had it in so long I can't remember why. :) The mac'n'cheese was the deluxe variety from Aldi for $1.30; techinically it was shells'n'cheese - whatever, it was yummy! For extra cheesy shells'n'cheese I don't use all the noodles in the box. I always take out about 1/4 cup of the noodles and throw them in a noodle box I have in my cabinet.

The noodle box is where I throw macaroni, shells, rotini, etc. when I am not using all the noodles that come in a box. When I have enough I use them in my cold tuna salad or serve them with chili. My daughter thinks it is so silly to have different kinds of noodles together!

Happy eating!

Soup & Grilled Cheese

2009-09-21T13:22:00.004-05:00

It is a fairly cool day here, cloudy and breezy and we'll be lucky if we reach 72 degrees. For dinner I am going to make Campbells soup, minestrone for me and tomato rice for my husband, along with grilled cheese made on thick sliced Vienna bread with American and Cheddar cheeses. Yum!

Saturday I made a fresh double batch of the lemon cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and did some house cleaning. That night we went to LaVilla Restaurant and used the gift card we got from my FiL for our anniversary. We also had a coupon for a free appetizer, so we got the bruschetta which was delicious. They also bring you olive oil with roasted garlic in it and warm fresh bread for dipping. I ordered the angel hair pasta with garlic and oil sauce and it was SO good, and my husband got the fettucini alfredo. He was able to finish his, but I had to get a doggie bag. We also got dinner salads with our meals, so I was practically stuffed before our food even came!

On Sunday was my daughter's birthday party. The morning was spent cleaning the house and cleaning up and decorating the yard. Our good friend T. loaned us her big bouncy house, which took up most of the yard. :) Then I made homemade pizzas and the guests started arriving. The girls had a BLAST bouncing around! We sang happy birthday and opened presents and about a half hour before the party was to end it started raining! So we ran inside and boy was I glad the house was clean! The girls had fun playing (destroying) our daughter's playroom until their moms arrived. All in all, it was a great success. Hooray! But I'm glad I only have to do that once a year. :)

Happy eating!

Omelets, Sausage, Biscuits

2009-09-18T13:17:00.003-05:00

Hello all! So, what excuse do I have for not posting since Tuesday? None! Dinners have not been all that exciting around here, so I got lazy and didn't post them.

On Wednesday morning I worked at my daughter's school which fulfilled a few of the service hours we are required to perform. Her teacher had me cutting and correlating and gluing and stapling. Then I took my kid to lunch at McDonalds and then we went to the library and checked out 20 new books for her. That night I made a frozen Palermo's Six Cheese Thick Crust pizza in the oven. It was really good!

Last night we both ate leftover Veggie Pitas; my husband had a veteran's committee meeting from 5:30-6:30 and I had a school open house/PTL meeting from 6:30-7:30, plus we were babysitting our neighbors kid.

Tonight I am making breakfast for dinner. I will make cheese omelets, sausage gravy and biscuits from a can. Easy and yummy! Have a great weekend!

Happy eating!

Veggie Pitas

2009-09-15T14:49:00.004-05:00

Tonight we are having Veggie Pitas for dinner. Last time I posted this recipe I called them Veggie Gyros, which I found out was incorrect; really it was the fault of the magazine from which I got the recipe. You see, to be called a gyros they must have gyros meat in them, and seeing as these have veggies only they must be called pitas. Are we all clear on this now? :) The recipe can be found by clicking here. It also contains the story of how my husband annoyed me and led to my vow never to shop with him again.

Today after I dropped off my daughter at school, I came home and did the dishes before running out to Target. I figured I would let the morning rush hour die down before heading to the closest Target, which is a little further into the city. BIG mistake. I should have jumped on the expressway OUT of the city to the next closest Target in the northern suburbs. But no, I got about halfway to the city one when I ran into serious traffic and it took me almost twice as long to get there. Ugh. But I got there and it would not have been a big deal, except they didn't have the dress size I needed at that location and I had to go to the suburban one anyway. Sheesh! Thank goodness the outbound expressway was open, I made it in record time.

The dress is a dress-up ballet dress for my daughter, and I was buying it for my father-in-law to give to her. He had asked for my help in the shopping department for birthdays and Christmas, so I called and told him I would be going to Target and would he like me to pick something up for him, to which he of course said yes. I knew she really wanted that dress because we saw it at the store on Sunday, but I told her it was too expensive. I should have just gone back to that suburban store, but no, I had to try to save time by going to the closer one. What is that saying? If you want to make God laugh, make a plan. Or would this be more of a Murphy's Law moment? Ugh. The things we do for our kids!

Happy eating!

Tacos & A Winner

2009-09-14T16:41:00.007-05:00

I have not posted since Friday, hoping for lots of comments for the giveaway, but there were only five. You all must have had very busy weekends! Good, you should be out having fun, not inside on the computer. :)

So, without further ado, the winner is.... Heidi from Tried & True Cooking With Heidi! She will receive the September issue of Chicago Magazine, featuring The 30 Greatest Burgers. Congrats!

On Saturday night I made 4 of the Pepperoni Pan Pizzas because it was my dad's birthday and that is what he wanted for dinner. We only ate two of them so he took one home and left one for us (and it is already gone). Then we ate the lemon cupcakes I made Thursday for dessert.

On Sunday it was my daughter's birthday so I let her eat doughnuts for breakfast, then we went shopping. She had received cash from her aunt in FL and a gift card for a bookstore from my dad and she couldn't wait to spend them. We got Subway for dinner and I split a 12" tuna on wheat with lettuce and tomato with my daughter.

Tonight we are having tacos for dinner, nothing fancy. Store bought shells, ground beef seasoned with a taco seasoning packet, and the usual toppings of cheese, sour cream, tomato, lettuce and taco sauce.

Happy eating!

100th Post! Giveaway

2009-09-11T13:20:00.006-05:00

Wow, I cannot believe this is my 100th post! I knew it was coming, but now it is here! I do not have a big, fancy giveaway, but I do have a little, plain one for you. :) I am giving away a copy of Chicago Magazine, so please leave a comment before Monday and you will be entered to win! It will be very scientific, we'll be putting your names in a hat and my daughter will draw one. Good luck! And be sure to check back here to see if you won!

It is Friday so we are having pizza. Tonight we ordered a party-size pizza, half extra cheese and half pepperoni from LaVilla. As I (think) I have said before, LaVilla is a restaurant/pizzeria and also has a lovely banquet hall, which is where we had our wedding reception. My FiL got us a gift card to the restaurant for our anniversary, which I thought was very sweet of him (and apt!).

The goulash last night was really good, but a little overwhelming with the 3 bay leaves. Maybe I'll only use one next time. While I was eating it my daughter looked in my bowl and asked if it was chili. I told her "No, it's goulash". She wrinkled her nose with a confused look on her cute little face and said "I thought you wore those on your feet?". LOL

Happy eating!

Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting & Bobby's Goulash

2009-09-10T10:34:00.008-05:00

Tomorrow my daughter is Star Of The Day at school and we have to bring the snack. We are supposed to bring healthy snacks, but because her birthday is on Sunday the teacher said I could bring homemade cupcakes! I had to check about the homemade part because at the public schools here you have to bring store-bought only. The only warning I got was that they could not contain any peanut product, so I thoroughly checked the boxes and I am safe. I am using Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Lemon Supreme cake mix for the cupcakes and making the frosting myself. Here is the recipe I use:

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CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
2 sticks butter, softened
1 - 8oz. package cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

With hand mixer on medium speed, beat together the butter, cream cheese and vanilla. SIFT the powdered sugar into the mixture about 1/2 cup at a time, beating well in between each addition.
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Sifting the powdered sugar will give you a nice smooth frosting. I also use food coloring to tint the frosting, usually pink since that is my daughters favorite color. I also have colorful flower shaped sprinkles and the cupcake liners have Disney Princesses on them. She is definitely a girly-girl! I make these every year for her birthday. I have a cool, chrome 3-tiered tray from the 1950's that I got from my great aunt's estate that I serve them on every year, but I won't be bringing that to school.

Dinner last night was leftovers. My husband didn't get home from work until 6:45pm and I was not in the mood to cook. Tonight I am going to make Bobby Deen's Goulash. My husband is going to have another long day at work, but this recipe can sit for awhile and still be good. I am only making half this recipe; it says it makes 8 servings and that is way too much for us.

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BOBBY DEEN'S GOULASH

2 lbs. lean ground beef
2 lg. yellow onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups water
2 - 15oz. cans tomato sauce
2 - 14.5oz. cans diced tomatoes
3 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. Italian seasonings
3 bay leaves
1 tbsp. Paula Deen House Seasoning (or 1/2 tsp. each garlic powder & pepper)
1 tbsp. Paula Deen Seasoned Salt (or your favorite brand)
2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked (or your favorite small noodle)

In a 6-quart Dutch oven, cook ground beef on medium-high heat until no pink remains, stirring occasionally and breaking up meat with a spoon. Drain off fat. Add onions and garlic to beef, and cook until onions are tender, about 10 minutes.
Stir in water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, soy sauce, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, House Seasoning, and Seasoned Salt; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir elbow mac into beef mixture and simmer on low, covered, for 25 minutes longer or until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally to prevent macaroni from sticking.
Remove Dutch oven from heat. Discard bay leaves and allow beef mixture to sit about 30 minutes before serving.
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They suggest serving this with garlic bread and a tossed salad, which I will do, except I have garlic breadsticks. I will also be using little shells ILO the elbow mac. It's a bit warm here to be making such a hearty dish, but I have to use the ground beef. Last week, when I planned this meal, it was much cooler here. Oh well! I'll just crank up the AC - haha!

Happy eating!

Dirty Rice

2009-09-08T12:58:00.002-05:00

Tonight's meal is going to be Dirty Rice. I do not make it from scratch, I use Zatarain's Dirty Rice mix and a pound of ground beef. First you brown the beef and drain off the fat, then add 2 1/2 cups of water and the rice/seasoning mix and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 25 minutes. It is not a super-fast meal, but you can walk away from it while it is simmering to do other things. It is on the spicy side, but not too spicy. I am not a big fan of spicy - my mouth has a tolerable burn after eating a bowl of this stuff and it's perfect with a cold glass of milk.

Today was picture day at school and I hope the picture is nice. Sometimes my daughter does that 'robot smile', all kids have their own version of it, you know what I mean. It's more like they are trying to show you their teeth rather than a true smile. Anyway, she didn't have to wear her uniform for the picture, so I tried to pick a shirt that was not to 'busy' with stripes or a pattern, but that also went with a bottom that worked for the weather and the dress code. It was no small feat, but I found an acceptable yet cute ensemble and of course my daughter did not want to wear it. After cajoling then yelling then threatening, she finally put it on. >sigh< Thank goodness she has to wear a uniform 99% of the time!

Happy eating!

Happy Labor Day Weekend

2009-09-07T09:25:00.004-05:00

We have been enjoying a lovely long weekend and I hope that you have been doing the same! In fact, you are all having so much fun that you haven't noticed I haven't been posting, right? You are all too busy doing fun things outside that you haven't even turned on your computers! Ha ha!

Friday night we had pizza as usual. We had another Tombstone Garlic Bread cheese pizza; I really love those. I threw on some extra shredded cheddar and it was delicious. Even my picky daughter who will usually only eat pizzeria pizza will eat this one.

Saturday we got up and out early and went down to Lincoln Park and just strolled around. We went to a toy store and picked out some things for our daughters birthday. They won't be a 'surprise', but she doesn't care. Then we stopped in Starbucks for coffee and croissants. We wandered around a little more and admired the architecture, and then hopped in the car and drove over to Wicker Park where we let our daughter run around and play. Then it was back in the car for a trip up to the northern suburbs where we had lunch at Al's Beef. I found out that they are discontinuing their subs, but will still do the veggie sub since they still have all those ingredients - yea!. Then we went to Menard's for home project supplies and checked out all the fun Halloween decor that they have set up (already). We also got a new swing and a set of rings to hang from the backyard tree for our daughter.

On Sunday I got some work done around the house upstairs, while my husband got some projects done in the basement. Then we went to dinner at Ruby Tuesdays; I had the top sirloin with broccoli and mashed potatoes and salad bar - yum! I also had the strawberry lemonade, but it was very tart - I won't order it again. My daughter ordered the grilled cheese and it was made with hamburger buns - very disappointing. Can't they even use real bread for cryin' out loud? It just seemed very cheap to me. My husband had a burger and salad bar and was very happy with it. When we got home our daughter played outside on her new swing and rings until it was dark.

This morning I let my husband sleep late and I kept our kid occupied with coloring, breakfast, and a new TV show on PBS called Dinosaur Train. Then our neighbor J. called and asked if our kid could come over and play with her kid for an hour or so. Woo-hoo! The husband and I spent some quality time together! The rest of the day was spent being lazy. For dinner I made Cajun Chicken Sandwiches, which are just chicken breasts sprinkled with Cajun seasoning and cooked in a skillet. I served them with sliced onion, tomato, lettuce and mayo on french bread. I meant to make a cold pasta salad to go with it, but I forgot. My daughter, who loves spicy things, even ate the chicken - cut up in pieces, not in a sandwich. Her top two front teeth are loose and can be painful when she bites into things, like sandwiches.

Now I am finally posting and plan to check all the blogs I read and check some other websites while enjoying a glass of wine! It was a great weekend, but I look forward to getting back to our routine. I hope you all had wonderful long holiday weekends too!

Happy eating!

Thank You

2009-09-03T13:20:00.002-05:00

Thank you all so much for the anniversary wishes - you are too sweet! My wonderful husband brought me chocolate and roses and a silly sweet card. Smart man! He also got me a book full of Mom-isms like "No means no!" and "This hurts me more than it hurts you" with little explanations of each -ism and it is pretty funny, I laughed out loud more than once.

He also said "let's order a pizza, you shouldn't have to cook", so needless to say the meatloaf didn't get made. However it will be made tonight.

Happy eating!

Cheeseburger Meatloaf

2009-09-02T09:12:00.005-05:00

Since Lissaloo voted for Cheeseburger Meatloaf and I actually remembered to defrost the meat and it is another of my husbands favorite meals and it is our 8th wedding anniversary... I will make Cheeseburger Meatloaf tonight! I would also like to send a big Happy Birthday to my wonderful neighbor J.!

This meatloaf recipe comes from Paula Deen over at the Food Network and comes with a sauce, but I never make the sauce. I just spread about 1/4 cup ketchup over the meatloaf before baking and call it done.

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CHEESEBURGER MEATLOAF

1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. garlic pepper salt seasoning
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup crushed crackers (recommended: Ritz)
1 tsp. seasoned salt
2 slices bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients together, except bread slices. Shape into a loaf. Line a 1 1/2 quart loaf pan with the bread slices, place the meatloaf on top. Bake for 45 minutes. The bread absorbs the grease and should be discarded after loaf is removed from oven.

SAUCE
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
chopped onions, optional
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

Heat the soup and milk over medium heat; add the cheese. Add the chopped onion and parsley to the sauce, if desired. Pour sauce over the meatloaf or pass at the table.
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I really like this recipe better than the Lipton Onion Soup one, which I used to make. First of all, it is smaller using only 1 lb. of meat, second it doesn't have the overpowering onion flavor, and third it has a nice crunch from the onion and green pepper. I will serve this with mashed potatoes and a salad.

Happy eating!

Cheesy Hamburger Hash

2009-09-01T12:34:00.008-05:00

This is one of my husband's favorite meals; I really like it too. I posted this recipe once before and you can find it here. I am looking forward to the fall weather and trying new recipes for casseroles and stews and cookies and pies. Lately I have been doing the same old thing and simply adding links to the originally posted recipe. It feels like cheating! Tomorrow's recipe will be new, I promise. Either Cheeseburger Meatloaf or Blackened Chicken Sandwiches.

My daughter was feeling better today and went to school, but she has come home very grouchy! She said she wasn't hungry, but I am forcing her to eat lunch now and hopefully that will help. I have to get her birthday party invites into the mail tomorrow - she will be 6 soon! Our dear friend T. is loaning us her bouncy castle for the party so I am praying for nice weather. I don't care if it's chilly as long as it doesn't rain.

My computer was acting up earlier; it kept crashing while I was trying to download First Day Of School photos to my Facebook page. Thank goodness it is behaving now - gotta get my blogging done! haha! I was thinking of doing my own 5 year Timeline at the suggestion of This Stop Willoughby; a few others have done theirs and it is a great idea. But as I was writing out a rough draft on paper I realized that a lot of sad things have happened in my life exactly 5 years apart and I really don't want to depress you all, so maybe I'll wait until next year to start it. :)

Happy eating!

Cheese Enchiladas & Rice

2009-08-31T17:14:00.004-05:00

I am so far behind on my blog reading it isn't funny. I tried just now to read everything I want to read and got through most of it, but I want to leave comments too and I can't now because I need to start dinner (my husband just called and said he'd be home in about 35 minutes). My daughter stayed home from school today due to a cold, so hopefully I can catch up on my reading/commenting tomorrow while she is at school and the house is quiet.

So, dinner tonight is going to be Enchiladas and Knorr Fiesta Sides Mexican Rice. The recipe is my husbands and these are yummy and easy to make. Please click on the name to get the recipe that includes a cute husband quirk. :)

Happy eating!

Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars

2009-08-30T13:30:00.007-05:00

I did not post yesterday, but I made these absolutely delicious bars! Yum yum yum! I found the recipe over on One Step At A Time, who got it from My Tasty Treasures. Thanks gals for sharing this awesome recipe!

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APPLE STREUSEL CHEESECAKE BARS

1 pkg. Betty Crocker oatmeal cookie mix
1/2 cup butter, cold, cut in cubes
2 - 8oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 can apple pie filling
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Place cookie mix in a large bowl, cut in butter. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of mixture in the fridge; press remaining crumbs into bottom of baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla and egg on medium speed until smooth. Spread over partially cooked crust.
In a medium bowl, mix apple pie filling and cinnamon. Spoon pie filling over cream cheese. Sprinkle pie filling with reserved cookie mixture, then sprinkle with walnuts.
Bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes on wire rack. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Cut into bars. Store in fridge.
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I didn't want to get another bowl dirty so I did not mix the pie filling with the cinnamon. I spread the pie filling over the cream cheese mixture and then just sprinkled it with cinnamon. Also, I had pecan chips in the cabinet so I used those instead of walnuts.

Last night we got Subway subs for dinner. I had tuna with lettuce and tomato on wheat, and my daughter ate almost half of it - good thing I got the 12". :)

For tonight's dinner my husband has asked me to make Baked Potato Soup. It is bright and sunny here, but cold! The high today is only 66 degrees. Click on the soup name to get the recipe, as well as the humorous story of the first time I made it. Other people's kitchen mishaps are always good for a laugh!

Happy eating!

Frozen Pizza

2009-08-28T18:17:00.002-05:00

It is Friday so we had pizza - a frozen Tombstone with extra cheese and I put pepperoni on half. We also had some mozzarella sticks for an app. Yum!

Today I got to go grocery shopping alone while my daughter was in school, which will be the norm from now on. I love my kid, but it was great! I was zipping around and got done much faster than when she is with me. Plus it was much earlier in the morning than when we would normally go so the stores were practically empty. JOY!

I am trying something new: to shop for two weeks worth of dinners instead of one. I don't know if this will work because my fridge is at maximum capacity, as is my small deep freeze in the basement. Anyway, here is the meal plan: Potato Pancakes & Sausage, Homemade Pepperoni Pan Pizzas, Cheesy Hamburger Hash, Enchiladas & Mexican Rice, Bobby Deen's Goulash, Cheeseburger Meatloaf, Omelets/Biscuits/Sausage, Dirty Rice, Baked Potato Soup, Soup & Grilled Cheese, Blackened Chicken Sandwiches, and Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars.

Happy eating!

Creamy Spaghetti

2009-08-27T10:26:00.003-05:00

The crock pot is already bubbling away with tonight's dinner which is Creamy Spaghetti. I posted this recipe once before and you can find it here. Today is a cold, rainy day so this warm meal will be perfect with some garlic bread and a garden salad. We really loved this dish last time and I am very much looking forward to dinner tonight!

Thanks to those of you who chimed in with comments on my last post. I agree with all of you and I will not be saying anything. I think the reason I didn't say anything right away is because it felt wrong - we all need to follow our gut instincts more, right?

My daughter was so cranky this morning, I think it was the weather. Plus she is not used to getting up early yet, and then she dilly-dallys and then I am rushing her to get out the door on time. It is not pleasant to say the least. I think we need to move her bedtime up a little and get her up a little earlier so she doesn't have to be rushed, and so she is still getting enough sleep. Any hints or tips any of you more experienced moms can send my way? I'd appreciate it!

Happy eating!

Hot Dogs, Burgers, Grape Tomatoes On The Grill, & Fingerling Potatoes

2009-08-26T12:28:00.004-05:00

Hi all! I am hoping that the rain is gone for today because I am going to grill tonight. I am doing hot dogs and burgers, plus grape tomatoes on skewers; my normal grilling meal. (I make my burgers with steak seasoning, steak sauce and Worcestershire sauce in them, the grape tomatoes get a coat of olive oil and are sprinkled with salt and pepper.)

I am also going to make fingerling potatoes, I got two recipes from the Food Network. One is from Ina Garten and calls for butter and dill, the other is from the Neelys and calls for olive oil and garlic - which should I choose? Maybe I'll let my hubbie decide. I have never had them before, have you? They were kinda pricey at $4.50 for 1.5 lbs. at Jewel, but I have to try them. "You can eat the thin, delicate skins and they have a more complex flavor than a regular potato" or so I read on the internet somewhere. I'll let you know! Anyway, here are the two recipes:

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DILL FINGERLING POTATOES Ina Garten
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/4 lbs. fingerling potatoes, rinsed but not peeled
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill

Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot. Add the whole potatoes, salt and pepper, toss well. Cover the pot tightly and cook over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender when tested with a small knife. From time to time, shake the pot without removing the lid to prevent the bottom potatoes from burning. Turn off the heat and allow the potatoes to steam for another 5 minutes. Don't overcook. Toss with dill, serve hot.
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ROASTED GARLIC FINGERLING POTATOES The Neelys
1 1/2 lbs. fingerling potatoes
4 tbsp. olive oil
8 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a casserole dish, mix together all ingredients. Roast for 20 minutes.
************************************************************************************

Okay, now I have a moral dilemma that I would like your opinion on please. When we first toured our daughter's school with the principal he told us that due to state law the child must be 5 years old before Sept. 1st to enroll in kindergarten. Yesterday, while I was chatting with the other moms waiting to pick up our kids, one mom told me that her son was having a birthday and she was going to invite the whole class to go bowling and I said "Oh, he's going to be 6? My daughter is going to be 6 too!" And she said "No, he's going to be 5 on the 11th" and immediately I remembered what the principal told us.

So, what do I do? Do I call the principal and tell him? I don't want to be a tattletale, but because I know of the law do I have any obligation to tell? What difference would it make? Some kids do well in kindergarten at a young age; I was only 4 when I started. What I really want to know is why the school didn't ask the parents how old their kid was; I was required to bring in a copy of my kid's birth certificate to prove her age. Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!

Happy eating!

Popcorn Chicken & Mashed Potatoes

2009-08-25T13:32:00.002-05:00

I am feeling very unmotivated to make dinner tonight, very blah. Nothing on the list is jumping out at me as exciting. It is another warm day, so I don't want to turn on my oven. Sigh... I guess I will make the popcorn chicken in the toaster oven and instant mashed potatoes on the stove and serve it with the garden salad that is already in the fridge.

I think I am having emotional letdown from the excitement of this morning. It was the first 'real' day of school! Hooray! My little darling did not want to get out of bed, then she took forever to eat her breakfast, and then we had a last minute request for a ponytail. Finally we made it out the door only to run into more traffic than I had expected. The reason for the traffic was due to the police shutting down a main street - the street that runs in front of the school - due to a possible gas leak caused by the construction workers that are resurfacing this street. Are you kidding me?! Thankfully I am familiar with the side street that runs behind the school so once I s-l-o-w-l-y got through the worst of the traffic I zipped to the parking lot. Unfortunately we missed the playground time and so I walked her into the school to the classroom. She was so excited she ran in without giving me a hug or kiss goodbye! I called her back and got the briefest of hugs from her before she scurried back in. At least she wasn't crying and clinging to my legs, right?

Happy eating!

Egg & Cheese Sandwiches

2009-08-24T13:03:00.004-05:00

I was reading the blogs I follow and realized that I never wrote on Friday what my meal plan for the week is, so here ya go: Nachos (we had last night), Egg & Cheese Sandwiches, Hot Dogs & Burgers on the grill, Creamy Spaghetti, Potato Pancakes & Sausage, frozen pizza, and Popcorn Chicken & Mashed Potatoes (still on the list from last week).

Tonight I will make the Egg & Cheese Sandwiches (recipe is here) and serve them with cottage cheese. Tonight I am using a loaf of Italian bread I got in the bakery instead of country white. It is pretty warm today, about 80 degrees, so I don't want to stand in front of the stove too long.

I am always writing about how I hate to stand in front of the stove/oven in the summer and maybe I should explain why. Our house was built in 1920 and has baseboard radiators for heat, so we have to use window unit air conditioners in the summer and the cool air just does not flow into the kitchen very well. So if I turn on the oven on an already hot day I will be cooking myself along with the food. LOL

Happy eating!

Lemon Bars, Tuna Salad, Spaghetti, & Nachos

2009-08-23T11:09:00.011-05:00

Today I made lemon bars for dessert/snacking through the week, tuna salad and spaghetti for lunches, and nachos for dinner. Whew! That's a lot of dishes in my sink - heehee! The lemon bar recipe is from Bakerella and you can get the recipe here. The tuna salad is just canned tuna (drained) with mayo, sour cream, mustard, onion powder and celery salt. The spaghetti was a repeat of one I made the other night and the recipe is here. Last but not least, the nacho recipe can be found here.

Tomorrow is the first day of school! But it's not really because it is Get Acquainted Day and I get to go with my daughter. The day will start in the chapel and then we'll go to her classroom and put away all her supplies and do a little project. Then there is a PTL luncheon and that is it. She doesn't even have to wear her uniform. Tuesday is the real first day.

We went to Rocket Park today, which is not it's real name, but that is what we call it because of the HUGE rocket shaped climbing equipment. It has tons of different ways to climb all over it and lots of slides too. Our daughter loves it and wore herself out, and we had fun watching her have so much fun. I hope you enjoyed your Sunday too!

Happy eating!

Sally's Family Restaurant

2009-08-22T21:51:00.003-05:00

This morning we were scrambling to get out the door on time for our daughter's eye doctor appointment. She and daddy had toast with butter and strawberry jam for breakfast and I just had coffee with half'n'half. Of course the doctor was running about 1/2 hour behind schedule, at 10:30am no less. I wonder how the rest of her day went... But good news, my little ones eyes are in tip-top shape. I have worn glasses since 5th grade, but my husband has had better than 20/20 vision all his life. Needless to say, I am hoping she takes after him. She already has his blue eyes, so I am keeping my fingers crossed!

Then we did some shopping and came home for lunch. The kid had pepperoni, cheddar cheese, 1/2 a Pink Lady apple, and some Cheez-Its. I had gravy bread (french bread dipped in Italian beef juice) and some grape tomatoes. I don't think my husband ate anything. Then we were lazy, but motivated ourselves to get some yard work done. By the time we realized it it was dinnertime and I was feeling dizzy from lack of food, so we went to Sally's for dinner.

Sally's is a great family place that serves everything all the time and has wonderful service and food. I had a Reuben deluxe that came with the BEST cream of broccoli soup, and since my kid ate most of it I ordered a bowl to take home. The kid had a scrambled egg and sausage and the husband had a patty melt. We thought about dessert, but we were too full. Plus I have cookies'n'cream ice cream in the freezer!

Happy eating!

Kluski Soup and Grilled Cheese

2009-08-21T15:04:00.002-05:00

My good friend A., who recently became a nurse, mentioned Kluski noodles in an email a long time ago and I asked what they were. She said they were a lot like egg noodles but skinnier. Huh? I questioned my husband about it and he raved about eating Kluski chicken noodle soup as a kid and so we got some the next time we were at the store.

Now that I have had them, I would describe them simply as a thicker noodle, almost pasta like. We buy Mrs. Weiss' Chicken Flavor Kluski Noodle Soup Mix, although I am sure you could just buy Kluski noodles and use them however you like. I will also be making grilled cheese sandwiches using American cheese and wheat bread.

It has been another unusually cool day here in Chicago, cloudy with a cool breeze and high of 70. The perfect day for a bowl of soup and a sandwich.

Happy eating!

Cheese Omelet & Sausage

2009-08-19T19:12:00.004-05:00

I love breakfast for dinner, it is easy and delicious - and cheap! Tonight we had American cheese omelets and Farmland pork sausage with which I made into patties. I had english muffins too, but we weren't that hungry. I have read many different recipes for omelets, but my favorite is this one.

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OMELETS (makes 1)

3 eggs
3 tbsp. water
salt & pepper to taste
2 tsp. butter.
2-3 slices American cheese, cut in half

In a medium skillet melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk the eggs, water, salt and pepper together, pour into skillet. Let the eggs cook for about a minute then swirl the pan slightly. With a rubber scraper, gently push the egg down around the egdes, then swirl again. Repeat until the egg is almost set. Then gently lift the edge of the set egg and let any runny egg run underneath. Repeat on other side of egg if needed. Place your cheese over half the egg. Using a spatula, gently fold over the egg to form the omelet. Continue to cook about 30 seconds, then flip and cook another 30 seconds. Voila!
*************************************************************************************

Some people have trouble flipping over the half of the egg onto the toppings, so you can also place your cheese down the center of the egg and flip over 1/3 of the egg to the center and repeat on the other side. It is more burrito looking than that of a half moon, but who cares?

Happy eating!

Italian Beef Sandwiches

2009-08-18T19:29:00.003-05:00

My favorite Italian beef sandwiches are from Portillo's. If you are ever in Chicago you MUST get one for yourself, preferably dipped, peppers are optional. (Dipped means they dip the whole sandwich in the beef juices until the bread is sopping; also called juicy. Peppers can be sweet green bell peppers or hot sport peppers.) Al's Beef is a close second and there are tons of small "beef stands" all around the city that are good, but Portillo's is the BEST.

However, the nearest one to our house is at least 15 minutes away in normal traffic; dinnertime is also rush hour, so Portillo's for dinner during the week is out. I have tried a few frozen Italian beef tubs and Papa Charlies is the best one (so far). Tonight we tried the Aldi brand which is Cattleman's Ranch. It was okay; the meat was good, not chewy, and there was a lot of gravy, but it just didn't have that zip of flavor. Not bad, just not great. Oh well, it was definitely edible. I served it with french bread to make the sandwiches and cold pasta salad on the side.

My daughter is watching the movie Bolt right now, and stuffing her face with popcorn. It is an adorable movie, great for kids as well as adults (the cat steals the show, very funny) - I highly recommend it if you haven't seen it. Borrow a kid to watch it with if you don't have one!

Happy eating!

Chicken Kiev & Rice Pilaf

2009-08-17T18:09:00.001-05:00

Tonight's dinner is frozen chicken kievs, Zatarain's rice pilaf, and garden salad. Someday I am going to have to get brave and try to make my own kievs. Anyone got a good recipe they can recommend?

I wanted to go to the library today, but it was closed. All the city offices in Chicago were closed due to a mandatory furlough day, except for 911, police and fire departments. It is one of King Daley's many crazy ideas to save the city money. You may have heard about it on the news, apparently it created quite a stir.

Happy eating!

Pepperoni Pan Pizza (again)

2009-08-16T17:07:00.007-05:00

Okay, I know I just made this pizza last Tuesday, but it is SO good I had to make it again! I already had the sauce because the recipe makes double what you need, and I already had all the dough ingredients, and we always have pepperoni in the fridge, so I all had to buy was the mozzarella ball for $4. Plus today I had the time, and the taste, for the pizza. It is in the oven now and the house smells heavenly! Click here for the recipe.

Seriously, I would never make this or other things that require real dough before I got the Kitchenaid stand mixer. For instance, peragi. No, not perogi, the icky boiled Polish things with sauerkraut in them. (Sorry, I am half Polish and I love sauerkraut, but I hate perogis.) Peragis are from Latvia and I am half Latvian. They are delicious little baked buns filled with pre-cooked bacon and onion.

I tried to make them ages ago without the stand mixer, but my dough was thick and tough. I will definitely be trying them again now that I have the mixer. Plus my dad, who came to America in 1950(ish), told me that he remembered making them with his grandmother and they would roll out the dough real thin and then cut out circles with a biscuit cutter. I had been tearing off little pieces of dough and rolling them flat, which of course made the dough even tougher from all that handling. When I first looked up the recipe on the internet the measurements were all metric, which was fun to convert (not).

On a completely different topic: I know that you should NEVER wake a sleeping baby, but what about a sleeping husband? He is napping on the couch; do I wake him to share the delicious pizza? He had a long morning working in the heat and it sucked the life out of him, poor baby. Hmmm... decisions, decisions...

Happy eating!

Spaghetti & Garlic Bread

2009-08-15T18:25:00.004-05:00

I wanted to make something quick and easy for dinner because after watching my daughter play on her Slip 'n' Slide and then having to throw her in the shower because she got all muddy, I was hungry!

So spaghetti and garlic bread won. I tried a new sauce: Hunt's Zesty & Spicy which was on sale for $1.30. It was pretty good, it didn't even really need extra spices like most of the jarred sauces do (hence the Zesty part), but I couldn't help myself and had to add some salt, pepper, garlic and oregano. As for the Spicy part, after eating a plateful my mouth felt a nice gentle burn, but nothing serious. I do NOT have a high tolerance for spicy foods; my husband, on the other hand, puts hot giardinera on everything.

I also made some cheesy texas toast and while taking it out of the oven I learned the hard way that there is a hole in one of my oven mitts. OUCH! I burned my thumb and now have a nice blister. My daughter is graciously letting me borrow one of her kitty ice packs to hold on it. Thanks hon! I am typing this one-handed, which is not fun, so I'll stop here.

Happy eating! (And be careful!)

Friday Night Pizza

2009-08-14T12:12:00.002-05:00

Last night my hubbie got home late and I just did not have an appetite for anything so we ate some leftovers. Plus I was babysitting and my daughter was being Miss Cranky Pants and then I fell asleep with her while putting her to bed. Oops.

Tonight I will be throwing a Palermo's Hearth Italia 'The Siena' frozen pizza in the oven. This is what it says on the box: Natural Artisan Crust, Italian Tomato Sauce, Whole Milk Mozzarella, Crumbled Spicy Italian Sausage, Sliced Italian Sausage, Asiago and Oregano. We have had one of these before and it is VERY good for a frozen pizza. Plus it was on sale for $4. I will serve it with a garden salad with cucumbers from my garden and grape tomatoes from the neighbors garden - yum! - and lettuce and green pepper from the store.

Happy eating!