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!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Sourdough Starter & Stuffed Poblanos
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!
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.
*********************************************************************************
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.
*********************************************************************************
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!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
...and we're back!
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!
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.
*********************************************************************************
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!
*********************************************************************************
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!
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Please stand-by...
...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!
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!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Taco Casserole
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!
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:
*****************************************************************************
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!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Corned Beef & Cabbage - Happy St. Patrick's Day!
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!
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 :)
********************************************************************************
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.
************************************************************************************
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!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Egg Salad
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!
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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!
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