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!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Friday Night Pizza
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!
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!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Venetian Paninis & Latvian Meatsauce
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!
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!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Breakfast
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!
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!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
New Fancy Grilled Cheese
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!
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!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Salisbury Steaks
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!
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.
***********************************************************************************
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!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Do I Know You?!
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!
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!
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