Tonight we will be eating up some leftovers in the fridge. I know we have italian beef, a hot dog and hamburger from the grill, cheesy potato casserole, coleslaw, potato salad, macaroni salad, and tuna salad in there.
Sorry there is no recipe, but how about if I share my meal plan with you for the next week instead? Here goes: Red Baron frozen pizza, Pizza On The Grill, Tacos, Veggie Gyros, Baked Potato Soup, Spaghetti, and Fancy Grilled Cheese. I will also be making Cold Pasta Salad and Taco Dip.
Happy eating!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Tuna Salad & Meat On The Grill
I went out to my dad's house in the suburbs today for a visit. I haven't seen him since Father's Day, so it was good to catch up with him. While I was there we made my mom's delicious tuna salad. My dad bought a HUGE can of tuna from Sam's Club (seriously, it's as big as your head) and our end product weighed 9 lbs.! He kept a little less than half and I got to take home a little more than half. Here's the normal size recipe:
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COLD TUNA SALAD
1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
1/2 diced green pepper
2 diced celery stalks, plus some chopped leaves
1/2 white onion, diced
6 cans tuna in water, drained well
2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1 dollop mayo
1 dollop sour cream
mustard to taste
pepper to taste
celery salt to taste
Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain well.
First mix together the tuna, pepper, and celery salt. Taste to see if it is to your liking. Then mix in the green pepper, onion, celery, mustard and egg. Next add the mayo and sour cream, in equal amounts, until mixture reaches desired creaminess. Taste again and add any extra seasonings. Finally, stir in the macaroni. Refrigerate.
**************************************************************************************
This is so good, and it's nice to have in the fridge for a quick lunch or dinner. Too bad my husband won't eat tuna; more for me and my kid!
When we got home, I immediately lit the grill because my FiL was coming over for dinner. I threw on some hot dogs and hamburgers left over from the BBQ, as well as some skinless smoked sausage. Normally I use skinless smoked sausage in a casserole with sauerkraut and potatoes in the winter or in Zatarain's Jambalaya mix, but it was excellent on the grill. I served it all with buns and potato salad and coleslaw. I also sent my FiL home with a container of the tuna salad.
Happy eating!
***************************************************************************************
COLD TUNA SALAD
1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
1/2 diced green pepper
2 diced celery stalks, plus some chopped leaves
1/2 white onion, diced
6 cans tuna in water, drained well
2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1 dollop mayo
1 dollop sour cream
mustard to taste
pepper to taste
celery salt to taste
Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain well.
First mix together the tuna, pepper, and celery salt. Taste to see if it is to your liking. Then mix in the green pepper, onion, celery, mustard and egg. Next add the mayo and sour cream, in equal amounts, until mixture reaches desired creaminess. Taste again and add any extra seasonings. Finally, stir in the macaroni. Refrigerate.
**************************************************************************************
This is so good, and it's nice to have in the fridge for a quick lunch or dinner. Too bad my husband won't eat tuna; more for me and my kid!
When we got home, I immediately lit the grill because my FiL was coming over for dinner. I threw on some hot dogs and hamburgers left over from the BBQ, as well as some skinless smoked sausage. Normally I use skinless smoked sausage in a casserole with sauerkraut and potatoes in the winter or in Zatarain's Jambalaya mix, but it was excellent on the grill. I served it all with buns and potato salad and coleslaw. I also sent my FiL home with a container of the tuna salad.
Happy eating!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Chicken Kievs
Tonight we had chicken kievs (the frozen, just pop in the oven kind), instant mashed potatoes with powdered packet gravy, and a sad looking salad that has been in the fridge too long. I really do love to cook, but sometimes you gotta take the easy route. My disclaimer is right up there at the top of the blog! LOL And the kievs were definitely edible, tasty even. The potatoes were okay, and any salad is good if you drown it in enough ranch dressing. :)
Happy eating!
Happy eating!
Monday, July 6, 2009
An Award & Italian Beef Sandwiches
I would like to start by thanking This Stop Willoughby and Krista's Kitchen for sending me the Kreativ Blogger award! I have not been blogging for very long, so I am honored you gals thought of me. Thanks again!
The 'rules' for this award are as follows:
1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Place a link to the person who nominated you for this award on your blog.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated.
Seven interesting things about me? Here goes:
1. I have two metal rods in my back from scoliosis surgery when I was 16 years old. The scar runs from my neck down to my hips on my back. (No, I don't set off metal detectors.)
2. At 5'9" I am the shortest person in my immediate family. My mom was 6'1", my dad and my brother are 6'2". I would be taller if it weren't for the scoliosis.
3. I met my husband when I was 16 years old (he was 18) at a teen dance club. We dated on and off for 10 years before we got our act together and got engaged. Our wedding video is titled "A Decade Of Progress".
4. I have no fear of public speaking, which scares the bejesus out of most people.
5. But I am terrified of spiders.
6. The reason I learned how to cook in high school was because my mom went back to work as an accountant and it was either learn to cook dinner or starve during tax season.
7. I think I have a slight case of OCD and I am a neat-freak, but I am also very optimistic and friendly.
Now for the 7 bloggers I would like to nominate. They are:
1. girl, outnumbered
2. Tried & True Cooking With Heidi
3. A Dash Of Life
4. Crumbs In The Minivan
5. Marvelously Mundane
6. Buried With Children
7.
There is no #7 because I don't follow enough blogs to send it to, sorry. Can I still keep my award? LOL
For dinner tonight I made Italian Beef sandwiches. Well, I didn't really make anything, I just heated up a container of Papa Charlie's Italian Beef with Gravy and served it with french bread from the grocery store bakery. We have tons of leftover sides from the BBQ and we both ended up having coleslaw. I am still tired from all the activity over the weekend, so this was easy and tasty.
Happy eating!
The 'rules' for this award are as follows:
1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Place a link to the person who nominated you for this award on your blog.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated.
Seven interesting things about me? Here goes:
1. I have two metal rods in my back from scoliosis surgery when I was 16 years old. The scar runs from my neck down to my hips on my back. (No, I don't set off metal detectors.)
2. At 5'9" I am the shortest person in my immediate family. My mom was 6'1", my dad and my brother are 6'2". I would be taller if it weren't for the scoliosis.
3. I met my husband when I was 16 years old (he was 18) at a teen dance club. We dated on and off for 10 years before we got our act together and got engaged. Our wedding video is titled "A Decade Of Progress".
4. I have no fear of public speaking, which scares the bejesus out of most people.
5. But I am terrified of spiders.
6. The reason I learned how to cook in high school was because my mom went back to work as an accountant and it was either learn to cook dinner or starve during tax season.
7. I think I have a slight case of OCD and I am a neat-freak, but I am also very optimistic and friendly.
Now for the 7 bloggers I would like to nominate. They are:
1. girl, outnumbered
2. Tried & True Cooking With Heidi
3. A Dash Of Life
4. Crumbs In The Minivan
5. Marvelously Mundane
6. Buried With Children
7.
There is no #7 because I don't follow enough blogs to send it to, sorry. Can I still keep my award? LOL
For dinner tonight I made Italian Beef sandwiches. Well, I didn't really make anything, I just heated up a container of Papa Charlie's Italian Beef with Gravy and served it with french bread from the grocery store bakery. We have tons of leftover sides from the BBQ and we both ended up having coleslaw. I am still tired from all the activity over the weekend, so this was easy and tasty.
Happy eating!
4th of July Weekend: Fried Ravioli & Cheesy Potato Casserole
I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th, we sure did! My husband had Friday off so I got to go grocery shopping alone which was nice, although I did miss my little helper while picking out garlic and limes and such. We were having a backyard barbecue on Sunday afternoon, so we did a lot of cleaning the house and prepping the yard for the party on Friday and Saturday.
On Friday night for dinner I threw a frozen pepperoni pizza in the oven, it was the Market Pantry brand from Target and it was good. On Saturday night we made Fried Ravioli which is one of my hubbies favorite meals. I had my daughter and husband both helping me; the little sous chef dipped the ravioli in the egg wash and the big sous chef dipped them in the breadcrumbs. I was in charge of frying them up in the oil and simmering the pasta sauce. Here's what you do:
*************************************************************************************
FRIED RAVIOLI
1 package frozen cheese ravioli, thawed
2 cups breadcrumbs
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup water or milk
1 jar pasta sauce, seasoned to taste
4 cups olive oil
Mix the eggs and water in a pie plate. Put the breadcrumbs in another pie plate. Heat the oil over medium heat in a saucepan; it is ready when you sprinkle a pinch of breadcrumbs in the oil and it sizzles. Dip the ravioli in the egg wash first, then in the breadcrumbs, pressing gently so they adhere. Then place the breaded ravioli, 4 at a time, into the hot oil. Remove when they get golden brown and transfer to a paper towel covered plate. Serve with pasta sauce for dipping.
************************************************************************************
Saturday was cool and rainy, but cleared up enough by night-time for us to go see the fireworks in Morton Grove, IL. They were fantastic! Every year their show is just amazing and I think that the next year cannot be any better, but somehow they always out-do themselves. Chicago always has their fireworks on the 3rd, but going down to the lakefront is a traffic nightmare because of the Taste Of Chicago. The last few years they have had a problem with gangs showing up, and I read in the Sunday Suntimes newspaper that someone was caught with a sawed-off shotgun in their backpack trying to get into the Taste - unbelievable! And scary.
Sunday was a beautiful day, mostly sunny and 80 degrees. The BBQ started at 4pm and most of the backyard was in the shade of the house, so we weren't baking in the sun out there. Everyone brought a side dish and some beer and we had a great turn-out, about 25 people. We provided hot dogs, hamburgers, guacamole and pico de gallo with tortilla chips, toppings and condiments for the meat, cheesy potato casserole, brownies, lemon bars, soda, and some more beer. The food was great and everyone had a good time! I got a bunch of requests for my Cheesy Potato Casserole recipe, so here it is:
************************************************************************************
CHEESY POTATO CASSEROLE
1/4 cup butter
1 large white onion, diced
1 - 32oz. bag frozen diced potatoes, thawed
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 - 16 oz. sour cream
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium skillet, melt the butter. Cook the onion until soft.
Meanwhile, in a very large bowl, combine the potatoes, sour cream, both soups, 2 cups of cheese and pepper. Stir in the onions, blend well. Transfer to a 13x9 baking dish.
Bake for 50 minutes, stirring halfway through baking time. Top with remaining cheese and bake 10 minutes more. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
*************************************************************************************
I don't remember where I got it, but every time I make this I get lots of requests for the recipe. It is so cheesy and creamy and yummy!
Happy eating!
On Friday night for dinner I threw a frozen pepperoni pizza in the oven, it was the Market Pantry brand from Target and it was good. On Saturday night we made Fried Ravioli which is one of my hubbies favorite meals. I had my daughter and husband both helping me; the little sous chef dipped the ravioli in the egg wash and the big sous chef dipped them in the breadcrumbs. I was in charge of frying them up in the oil and simmering the pasta sauce. Here's what you do:
*************************************************************************************
FRIED RAVIOLI
1 package frozen cheese ravioli, thawed
2 cups breadcrumbs
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup water or milk
1 jar pasta sauce, seasoned to taste
4 cups olive oil
Mix the eggs and water in a pie plate. Put the breadcrumbs in another pie plate. Heat the oil over medium heat in a saucepan; it is ready when you sprinkle a pinch of breadcrumbs in the oil and it sizzles. Dip the ravioli in the egg wash first, then in the breadcrumbs, pressing gently so they adhere. Then place the breaded ravioli, 4 at a time, into the hot oil. Remove when they get golden brown and transfer to a paper towel covered plate. Serve with pasta sauce for dipping.
************************************************************************************
Saturday was cool and rainy, but cleared up enough by night-time for us to go see the fireworks in Morton Grove, IL. They were fantastic! Every year their show is just amazing and I think that the next year cannot be any better, but somehow they always out-do themselves. Chicago always has their fireworks on the 3rd, but going down to the lakefront is a traffic nightmare because of the Taste Of Chicago. The last few years they have had a problem with gangs showing up, and I read in the Sunday Suntimes newspaper that someone was caught with a sawed-off shotgun in their backpack trying to get into the Taste - unbelievable! And scary.
Sunday was a beautiful day, mostly sunny and 80 degrees. The BBQ started at 4pm and most of the backyard was in the shade of the house, so we weren't baking in the sun out there. Everyone brought a side dish and some beer and we had a great turn-out, about 25 people. We provided hot dogs, hamburgers, guacamole and pico de gallo with tortilla chips, toppings and condiments for the meat, cheesy potato casserole, brownies, lemon bars, soda, and some more beer. The food was great and everyone had a good time! I got a bunch of requests for my Cheesy Potato Casserole recipe, so here it is:
************************************************************************************
CHEESY POTATO CASSEROLE
1/4 cup butter
1 large white onion, diced
1 - 32oz. bag frozen diced potatoes, thawed
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 - 16 oz. sour cream
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium skillet, melt the butter. Cook the onion until soft.
Meanwhile, in a very large bowl, combine the potatoes, sour cream, both soups, 2 cups of cheese and pepper. Stir in the onions, blend well. Transfer to a 13x9 baking dish.
Bake for 50 minutes, stirring halfway through baking time. Top with remaining cheese and bake 10 minutes more. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
*************************************************************************************
I don't remember where I got it, but every time I make this I get lots of requests for the recipe. It is so cheesy and creamy and yummy!
Happy eating!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Chicken & Bowtie Pasta
This is one of my favorite recipes to make because I love ALL the ingredients a lot. Plus, I got the best compliment ever from my neighbor on this dish; she said it was restaurant quality! I know you aren't supposed to toot your own horn, but I think so too. haha!
The original recipe only called for chicken, bowtie pasta, and broccoli and half the sauce. I added in the roasted red pepper and doubled the sauce. Sometimes I make my own roasted red peppers, but today I am using jarred. I am pretty sure I got the original recipe from the Food Network site, but I recently searched their site for it using the term "chicken and broccoli" and I could not find it. Oh well.
***************************************************************************************
CHICKEN AND BOWTIES
3 broccoli heads, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 lb. bowtie pasta
6 tbsp. butter
6 tbsp. olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 lemons: juice from both and 1 tbsp. zest
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 jar roasted red peppers, cut into thin strips OR 2 freshly roasted red peppers, cut into thin strips
3 chicken breasts, seasoned, cooked and diced
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the broccoli for 3 minutes. Remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon (do NOT dump out the water!) and place in a colander set in a large bowl; cover with tin foil and set aside.
In the same water used for the broccoli, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain well.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the butter and oil. Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook for one minute. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, and lemon juice; stir well. Then add the red pepper and chicken, stir well to coat. (You may need to heat it all up over low heat if your chicken or peppers are cold.)
Return pasta and broccoli to the large pot used to cook them, then add the chicken mixture and stir well.
*************************************************************************************
ROASTED RED PEPPERS
red bell peppers (however many you wish to make)
olive oil
salt
pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place whole peppers in a 2" deep pan. Coat with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Use your hands to move them around so they are really coated.
Roast the peppers for 30-40 minutes, turning twice during the roasting time. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately cover with foil. Set aside for 30 minutes, or until peppers are cool enough to handle.
Discard the stem, seeds and peel. Save as much juice as possible to store peppers in until ready for use.
*************************************************************************************
SEASONED CHICKEN BREASTS
boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt
pepper
paprika
olive oil
Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper and paprika. Coat a large skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cover; cook for 8 minutes. Lower heat to medium, turn breasts over, cover again and cook an additional 8 minutes. Let cool, and cut into bite-size pieces.
*************************************************************************************
My mouth is watering just thinking about it! I always have seasoned, cooked, diced chicken in the fridge; it is one of my kids favorite snacks. I love the taste of fresh roasted peppers, but when they are on sale for $1 a jar and you are short on time, jarred wins.
My FiL never came over for dinner yesterday, my husband had to work really late so he called his dad and re-scheduled for today. It actually works out better for my FiL because after dinner tonight I will send him home with the leftover scampi from yesterday.
Happy eating!
The original recipe only called for chicken, bowtie pasta, and broccoli and half the sauce. I added in the roasted red pepper and doubled the sauce. Sometimes I make my own roasted red peppers, but today I am using jarred. I am pretty sure I got the original recipe from the Food Network site, but I recently searched their site for it using the term "chicken and broccoli" and I could not find it. Oh well.
***************************************************************************************
CHICKEN AND BOWTIES
3 broccoli heads, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 lb. bowtie pasta
6 tbsp. butter
6 tbsp. olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 lemons: juice from both and 1 tbsp. zest
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 jar roasted red peppers, cut into thin strips OR 2 freshly roasted red peppers, cut into thin strips
3 chicken breasts, seasoned, cooked and diced
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the broccoli for 3 minutes. Remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon (do NOT dump out the water!) and place in a colander set in a large bowl; cover with tin foil and set aside.
In the same water used for the broccoli, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain well.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the butter and oil. Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook for one minute. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, and lemon juice; stir well. Then add the red pepper and chicken, stir well to coat. (You may need to heat it all up over low heat if your chicken or peppers are cold.)
Return pasta and broccoli to the large pot used to cook them, then add the chicken mixture and stir well.
*************************************************************************************
ROASTED RED PEPPERS
red bell peppers (however many you wish to make)
olive oil
salt
pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place whole peppers in a 2" deep pan. Coat with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Use your hands to move them around so they are really coated.
Roast the peppers for 30-40 minutes, turning twice during the roasting time. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately cover with foil. Set aside for 30 minutes, or until peppers are cool enough to handle.
Discard the stem, seeds and peel. Save as much juice as possible to store peppers in until ready for use.
*************************************************************************************
SEASONED CHICKEN BREASTS
boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt
pepper
paprika
olive oil
Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper and paprika. Coat a large skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cover; cook for 8 minutes. Lower heat to medium, turn breasts over, cover again and cook an additional 8 minutes. Let cool, and cut into bite-size pieces.
*************************************************************************************
My mouth is watering just thinking about it! I always have seasoned, cooked, diced chicken in the fridge; it is one of my kids favorite snacks. I love the taste of fresh roasted peppers, but when they are on sale for $1 a jar and you are short on time, jarred wins.
My FiL never came over for dinner yesterday, my husband had to work really late so he called his dad and re-scheduled for today. It actually works out better for my FiL because after dinner tonight I will send him home with the leftover scampi from yesterday.
Happy eating!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Shrimp Scampi Pasta
Tonight my FiL is coming to dinner again, it's become a regular Wednesday night thing, and I am making Shrimp Scampi Pasta. I made this recipe once before (way before my blog), but I used chicken ILO shrimp; it was really good, so if you are not a seafood fan use chicken. I know I got this recipe from a magazine a few years ago, but I have no idea which one. My guess is Woman's Day or Good Housekeeping. Anyway, here is the recipe:
**************************************************************************************
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14oz.) chicken broth, divided
3 tbsp. flour
1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
12 oz. linguine
red pepper flakes (optional)
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, cover, and cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook one minute more.
Pour 1 cup of broth and the flour into a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to blend. Pour remaining broth and broth-flour mixture into saucepan; bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in shrimp and cook 3 minutes more. Stir in lemon juice, butter and parsley. Pour over cooked pasta.
*************************************************************************************
If you are using chicken you would obviously have to cook it way more than the 3 minutes the shrimp need to be done; I think I cut up chicken tenders into bite size pieces and cooked them in a separate skillet with some EVOO and S&P. When I make this later I will add a little S&P when I add in the lemon juice, butter and parsley. Also I will not shake the broth and flour in a container, but whisk it in a bowl instead. I will serve it with a green salad and cheesy garlic bread - yum!
Shrimp scampi always reminds me of our honeymoon because we ate the BEST shrimp scampi appetizer one night at dinner - it was SO good! That was almost 8 years ago so you know it was good if I still remember it. LOL I also remember the first time I referred to him as "my husband" on that trip and it was weird and exciting and the memory still makes me smile. :)
Happy eating!
**************************************************************************************
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14oz.) chicken broth, divided
3 tbsp. flour
1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
12 oz. linguine
red pepper flakes (optional)
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, cover, and cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook one minute more.
Pour 1 cup of broth and the flour into a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to blend. Pour remaining broth and broth-flour mixture into saucepan; bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in shrimp and cook 3 minutes more. Stir in lemon juice, butter and parsley. Pour over cooked pasta.
*************************************************************************************
If you are using chicken you would obviously have to cook it way more than the 3 minutes the shrimp need to be done; I think I cut up chicken tenders into bite size pieces and cooked them in a separate skillet with some EVOO and S&P. When I make this later I will add a little S&P when I add in the lemon juice, butter and parsley. Also I will not shake the broth and flour in a container, but whisk it in a bowl instead. I will serve it with a green salad and cheesy garlic bread - yum!
Shrimp scampi always reminds me of our honeymoon because we ate the BEST shrimp scampi appetizer one night at dinner - it was SO good! That was almost 8 years ago so you know it was good if I still remember it. LOL I also remember the first time I referred to him as "my husband" on that trip and it was weird and exciting and the memory still makes me smile. :)
Happy eating!
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