Birthday Dinner

Well, tonight really didn't go as planned, but the food was good.  Today is my daughter's birthday.  Allie turned 18 and she asked me to make her steak, cheesy mashed potatoes with bacon and green beans for supper and a strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting for dessert.  I had to work today so I mixed up the cake and threw it in the oven when I got home.  I went upstairs to change my clothes and relax a bit before having to go back down and take the cake out.  Well, I took one look at my computer, remembered I had food to serve in cafe world and promptly forgot about the cake!!!!  Luckily it didn't burn when Allie took it out of the oven but it may turn out a little dry.  We haven't eaten it yet.  I wish the feeling at dinner would have been nicer, but that's how the cookie crumbles sometimes.  Dinner, itself, did taste very good though.  I hope the rest of the evening mellows out and we can enjoy the start of what's supposed to be a beautiful weekend.  Thanks for dishin with Di.  blessings and good eating!

nothing much!

hey gang!  Well, this morning I forgot to take something out for supper, so it was a YOYO night.  (You're On Your Own).  I actually had a bowl of corn pops until Jonathan came home with a pizza from Marios.  I fought it for a while, but then decided that I needed to eat a piece.  I really wish I hadn't though cuz now I don't feel so good.  I am looking forward to that cup of coffee I'm going to get in about 5 minutes though!  Sorry I didn't have any recipes to give you tonight, but every now and then you've gotta have a YOYO kind of night.  Thanks for dishin with di!  Blessings and good eating!

YeeHaw!!!

Evening friends!  I just got back from a very nice awards ceremony for the high school student council where Jonathan received a few awards!  I am so proud of him!  What a wonderful example he is setting for his peers and those younger students.  Anyway, we had to rush supper a bit but it was still quite delicious.  As a matter of fact, I'm looking forward to leftovers for lunch so I can really savor the flavors.  The menu tonight included Cowboy Kabobs and Crowd-Pleasing Scalloped Potatoes.  The kabobs were done on the grill after being marinated for close to an hour in a flavorful sauce.  The scalloped potatoes were cooked in a sauce using Philadelphia Cream cheese and chives spread.  It was amazing!  Todd is not a potato guy and he said these were his favorite.  That must be some recipe!  Anyway, here are the recipes for tonight's menu.  I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

COWBOY KABOBS

What You Need

1/3 cup A.1. Original Steak Sauce

1/3 cup  KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce

2 tsp. KRAFT Prepared Horseradish

1   beef top round steak (1-1/2 lb.), cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips

9 pearl onions

1 large  red pepper, cut into 9 strips

Make It

MIX first 3 ingredients until well blended.
THREAD meat onto 18 skewers; place onion or pepper strip at end of each skewer. Place kabobs in shallow glass dish. Pour steak sauce mixture over kabobs. Refrigerate 1 hour to marinate, turning occasionally.
HEAT grill to medium heat. Remove kabobs from marinade; discard marinade. Grill kabobs 4 to 6 min. or until meat is done, turning occasionally.

CROWD-PLEASING SCALLOPED POTATOES

What You Need

1 tub (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Chive & Onion Cream Cheese Spread

2 cups  fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 cup milk

10 slices  OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, crumbled and divided

4-1/2 lb. Yukon gold potatoes (about 12), cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1   onion, thinly sliced

1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Colby & Monterey Jack Cheeses

Make It

HEAT oven to 400ºF.
COOK cream cheese spread, broth and milk in saucepan on medium heat until cream cheese is melted and mixture comes to boil, stirring constantly with whisk.
RESERVE 2 Tbsp. bacon. Layer half each of the potatoes, onions and remaining bacon in 13x9-inch baking dish; repeat layers. Add cream cheese sauce; cover.
BAKE 1-1/2 hours or until potatoes are tender and top is golden brown, uncovering and topping with shredded cheese and reserved bacon the last 10 min.

Thanks for dishin with Di.  Blessings and good eating!

Delicious sandwich!

Good evening friends!  What an absolutely beautiful evening here in NC.  I was so ready for supper by the time the race was done and hustled down to the kitchen to make these wonderfully delicious sandwiches-Cheddar Bacon BBQ Chicken Breast sandwiches. Extremely tender breasts of chicken basted in bbq sauce with grilled onions and Kraft's Deluxe cheddar bacon cheese on toasted Italian Bread.  Mama Mia!!  Todd gave this sandwich 5 stars!  I would definitely make it again and think you should too!  We sided it with some leftover corn on the cob and some potato chips.  Perfect lovely sunday evening supper.  Here's the recipe:

CHEDDAR BACON BBQ CHICKEN BREAST SANDWICHES

What You Need

4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 lb.)

1 small  onion, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

1/3 cup KRAFT THICK 'N SPICY Original Barbecue Sauce

8 slices  Italian bread, toasted

4 KRAFT DELI DELUXE Process Bacon Cheddar Cheese Slices

Make It

HEAT grill to medium-high heat.
GRILL chicken and onions 8 min., turning onions frequently. Transfer onions to bowl. Turn chicken; grill 7 to 9 min. or until done (165ºF), turning occasionally.
CUT chicken into strips. Add barbecue sauce to onions; toss to coat.
FILL toast slices with chicken, cheese and onions to make 4 sandwiches.

Thanks for Dishin with Di.  Blessings and good eating!

corn fest!

hello friends!  I know it's been awhile since I last posted.  I guess I was discouraged because my pictures weren't coming out real good.  Well, I realized that I didn't always have to have a picture to go with my recipe.  I don't have any wonderful recipes for you tonight because my chicken hadn't thawed all the way by the time I wanted to use it and maybe you're like me and hate to use the microwave to defrost.  I always end up cooking it a little bit and then the chicken comes out rubbery.  YUCK!!!!  So, I put the chicken in a bag and put it in the fridge and will use it tomorrow.  Todd and I decided to do something we only do a couple times a year.  We had a corn fest!!!!  What's a corn fest you may ask?  Well, I put a big pot of water on to boil and throw in as much corn on the cob as will fit in the pot and that's all we eat for supper.  I know it's weird, but boy that corn tasted good and no one complained.  I will make the Cheddar Bacon BBQ Chicken Breast Sandwiches tomorrow night.  Sounds good doesn't it?  I can hardly wait!  Until then....good eating and many blessings!  Thanks for dishin with Di!

I'M BAAAAAAAACK!

Well hello out there if anyone is left!!!  Sorry about my long absence; not really sure what happened except that life seemed to get in the way of my good intentions.  I'm back now though and hope to be fairly consistent from here on out.  I came back with a fairly simple but delicious dish!  I know at this time of the year we are not thinking soup and sandwiches for supper.  Usually for me, anyway, that's a fall supper and sometimes even winter, but hardly ever once the weather warms up, but I must say I am glad I chose this recipe.  It' is Bacon and Potato Soup and it was wonderful! I made grilled cheese and bacon sandwiches to go with it for the kids.  I especially loved this recipe because there is no gluten in it at all, so I don't get sick when I eat it.  Yippee!!! That's always a plus for me though I usually eat whatever I want whether it's good for me or not.  I am a thorn in my doctor's side to say the least.  hehehe  Ok so let me get down to business and post the pic and recipe so you, too, can enjoy this simple and delicous meal!  Enjoy!

BACON POTATO SOUP

Ingredients

• 6 thick slices bacon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 4 cups low fat, low sodium chicken broth
• 4 cups cubed potatoes
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

1. Cook bacon until crisp in 3-quart saucepan, remove and drain well on paper towels. Discard bacon grease and wipe pan thoroughly with paper towel.
2. Meanwhile, prepare vegetables. Add olive oil to saucepan and add onion, carrot, and celery as they are cut up. Saute until onion is soft but not brown, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Stir in chicken broth, potatoes, and pepper; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
4. Stir in cheese, heating just until melted--do not boil. Chop bacon and add to soup. Adjust seasoning to taste by adding salt, if desired. Serve at once

Well there it is foodies!  Thanks for hanging in there with me and continue to dish with Di!!  Blessings and good eating!

I have not disappeared!

hey there gang!  Sorry I haven't posted anything in a while.  I do have some delicious recipes to post and I will do that as soon as I get back from the Olive Garden.  hehehe  I am taking a little break in my cooking as I've had a long day and would really enjoy a nice meal out.  Hopefully you all will hang in there with me.  I promise to get right back to it in no time!  Blessings and good eating!

saturday supper

Hey foodies! It's Saturday night!!!  Well, the day started off at the gym and then some cleaning of the bathrooms and laundry.  I did some sewing and relaxed a little bit.  Oops!  Drat it all!  I forgot to take the Salmon out of the freezer.  Now what???  Well, I guess I'll just open my recipe book and see what sounds good.  I got it!  It's a little chilly outside so how about some Three Bean Taco Chili and Mexican Corn bread?  That sounded delicious so off to the store I went to pick up the few ingredients I didn't have on hand.  Cheap and delicious!  You cannot beat that!  I am actually glad I forgot about the Salmon.  This meal certainly hit the spot!  The chili was very easy to put together.  It's a one pot deal.  I did forget to add the salsa, but when I tasted it, I found that I really didn't need it, so I left it out.  This recipe makes a ton of chili so I was glad when a couple of Dylan's friends stopped by to see him.  I just invited them in for chili and now I don't have much leftover.  Perfect!!!  The teenage boys loved it!  There is no corn bread left at all!  That's a good thing since I really shouldn't eat it with my celiac disease.  The cornbread had a nice spice to it with the cumin.  Loved it!

THREE BEAN TACO CHILI

Directions

• In a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the water, beans, corn, tomatoes, tomato sauce, salsa, taco seasoning and olives.
• Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Garnish with cheese. Yield: 9 servings.

MEXICAN CORN BREAD

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the muffin mix, onion and cumin. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and 1 tablespoon butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in 1/2 cup cheese.
• Transfer to a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Brush with remaining butter and sprinkle with remaining cheese, bake 2-4 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm. Yield: 9 servings.

Well that's it friends.  I hope you try this one out because it is a winner!!  Blessings and good eating!

Ingredients

• 1 package (8-1/2 ounces) corn bread/muffin mix
• 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup 2% milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted, divided
• 3/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 2 cups water
• 1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
• 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (16 ounces) chili beans, undrained
• 1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 1 envelope taco seasoning
• 1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Are you sure?

Hey foodies!!!  Some days I feel like there is nothing better than a good steak on the grill and last night was one of those nights.  The recipe called for beef tenderloin, but since that wasn't quite in my budget, I got some NY Strip steak instead.  This is my very favorite cut of beef anyway, so I wasn't upset at all.  The marinade for this steak called for beer, green onions, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce and Wsauce (worchestershire).  I'd never marinated in beer before and I was worried that I'd taste it too much on the steak.  Beer is not my favorite drink.  Now, if we had marinated it in a little rum, well, there I wouldn't be too concerned!  LOL  Fortunately the beery taste did not come through too much and the steak tasted delicious!  Now the title for this blog actually stemmed from the side salad.  I took a look at the ingredients and wasn't so sure I was going to do this recipe.  It just didn't sound like those ingredients would work, but I stayed true to my adventure and decided to put it together anyway.  Listen to the ingredients; cucumber, red grapes, pineapple chunks, toasted pecans and................bacon ranch dressing!  ??????????  What the heck?  Okie dokie.  Guess what??  The flavors worked!!!!  I was totally shocked and ate two helpings of this salad.  Of course no one else dared to put it on their plate.  Todd wasn't home for this meal or I'm sure he would have tried it despite his dislike of pineapple.  I think he'd enjoy it so I saved the leftovers just in case.  So, now for the picture and recipes:

MARINATED BEEF TENDERLOINS

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Set aside 3/4 cup for basting. Pour remaining marinade into a large resealable plastic bag; add the steaks. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
• Drain and discard marinade. Grill steaks, covered, over medium heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145°; medium, 160°; well-done, 170°), basting with reserved marinade. Yield: 4 servings.

ANYTIME CUCUMBER SALAD

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, grapes, pineapple and pecans. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat. Yield: 4 servings.

There you have it my friends!!!  Thanks for Dishin with Di!  Blessings and good eating!

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups chopped peeled cucumbers
• 1 cup seedless red grapes
• 1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1/2 cup bacon ranch salad dressing

Ingredients

• 1 can (12 ounces) beer or nonalcoholic beer
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 4 beef tenderloin steaks (8 ounces each)

Pork chops

Hello foodies!  Well last night's supper I have to admit was not one of our favorites though it looked beautiful!  I think it was my fault though since I was a little heavy-handed with the fresh rosemary.  The coating was deliciously crisp and I loved that, but the flavor was a little overwhelming.  That was just my opinion though.  Pork is not one of Todd's favorites either, so let's just say he wasn't doing cartwheels.  I'll still post the recipe and the pic because someone out there may like it!!!

PARMESAN PORK CHOPS

Directions

• Place biscuit mix and egg in separate shallow bowls. In another shallow bowl, combine the cheese, bread crumbs and rosemary. Coat pork chops with biscuit mix, dip in egg, then coat with cheese mixture.
• In a large skillet, brown pork chops on both sides in oil. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear, turning once. Yield: 4 servings.

As always, thank you for dishin with Di!!!  Blessings and Good eating!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup biscuit/baking mix
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
• 4 boneless pork loin chops (1/2 inch thick and 6 ounces each)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil

A Different Kind of Pizza

I saw the picture of this pizza and my mouth started watering.  I glanced through the ingredients and got a little nervous.  How would my Italian husband feel about Bbq sauce on his pizza????  Well, I'd just have to wait and see.  I enjoyed preparing the toppings as they were just so colorful and made me feel happy.  I don't know about y'all but beautiful food makes me smile.  As I said before in a previous post, we eat with our eyes first and my eyes were definitely hungry!  Unfortunately by the time the pizza was done, I wasn't feeling so well.  I had been nauseous on and off all day and darnit if it didn't kick in again just as I was serving up the slices.  (sigh)  I did manage to get half a slice down just so I knew what it tasted like and it was very, very good.  I would have enjoyed it much  more had I been hungry at the time.  Now, are you wondering if Todd liked it?  I wasn't so sure because the first thing he said when he sat down and took a look at the pizza was, "Is that barbeque sauce on my pizza?"  GULP.  I shrugged my shoulders and said, "You like Bbq chicken....."  He took a bite and looked up at me.  Thank God I had made a pepperoni pizza too for the kids cuz I had a feeling he was headed back into the kitchen to the garbage can, but I was wrong.  He smiled at me and said, "mmmmm. not bad."  I guess not since he ate the rest of the pizza for snack later that night.  LOL

I made some Peanut Butter Jumbos earlier in the day for dessert.  I was so excited because here was a cookie I could eat without getting sick.  There isn't any gluten in them at all!!  Peanut Butter, oatmeal and a whole lot of sugary goodness in these cookies.  The whole family loves these tasty bites.  I just had one with my coffee.  There is a lot of sugar in these babies though.  Don't eat too many!  This was another successful meal in my journey through this cookbook.  Try these recipes out and please let me know if you enjoyed them or not.  Thank you for dishin with Di!  Blessings and good eating!

COLORFUL CHICKEN PIZZA

Ingredients

• 1 prebaked 12-inch pizza crust
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 package (6 ounces) ready-to-use grilled chicken breast strips
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded pizza cheese blend
• 1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 2 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil

Directions

• Place the crust on an ungreased 12-in. pizza pan. Brush with oil. Combine the chicken, barbecue sauce, onion and garlic; spoon half over crust.
• Sprinkle with pizza cheese. Top with remaining chicken mixture. Sprinkle with peppers, Gouda cheese and basil. Bake at 450° for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted. Yield: 6 slices.

PEANUT BUTTER JUMBOS

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups peanut butter
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup M&M's miniature baking bits

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream peanut butter, butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine oats and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and baking bits.
• Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes or until edges are browned. Remove to wire racks. Yield: 9 dozen.

Editor's Note: Reduced-fat or generic brands of peanut butter are not recommended for this recipe.

What? Don't turn on the oven???

Hey there foodie friends!  Another long and busy day at the middle school, but I wasn't so tired today.  I was able to lie out in the sun for a little bit while Todd power-washed the trailer.  I knew I didn't have to rush to dinner as this meal takes only.............(wait for it.......)............5 minutes to make!!!!!  Whoo hoooo!!!!  And that's not even the best part; I didn't have to turn the oven on!!!  Now that's awesome!  So, are you wondering yet what I made tonight?  I'll give you a couple of minutes to guess....(do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, DO, dododododo) Ok that was a bad version of the Jeopardy theme.  lol  We had Cheese and Chicken Enchiladas and Confetti Corn salad.  I only need the microwave to make this delicious meal.  You've got to check out the recipe below because this is a keeper!  The confetti corn salad was a nice refreshing bite with the enchiladas. Here are the recipes:

CHEESE AND CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 package (9 ounces) frozen diced cooked chicken breast, thawed and chopped
• 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 6 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
• 4 ounces process cheese (Velveeta), cubed
• 1/2 cup diced fresh tomato, divided
• 2 tablespoons milk

Directions

• In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine onion and garlic. Cover and microwave on high for 30-60 seconds or until onion is tender, stirring twice. Stir in the chicken, cream cheese, green chilies, broth, chili powder and cumin. Cover and microwave on high for 45-90 seconds or until cream cheese is melted, stirring twice.
• Spoon about 1/3 cup down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in an ungreased microwave-safe 8-in. square dish.
• In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the process cheese, 1/4 cup tomato and milk. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 30-60 seconds or until cheese is melted, stirring twice; drizzle over enchiladas. Top with remaining tomato. Microwave enchiladas, uncovered, on high for 45-90 seconds or until heated through. Yield: 3 servings.

CONFETTI CORN SALAD

Ingredients

• 1 can (7 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
• 2 radishes, sliced
• 1/4 cup prepared Italian salad dressing

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the corn, olives, peppers and radishes. Add salad dressing; toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 3 servings.

Ok, there it is folks!  Try these out and thanks for dishin with Di!!  Blessings and good eating!

change in plans

Howdy foodies!!  I had a long day today at the middle school and now it's even longer because I just had this whole blog written out and it disappeared on me!!!!  Well, I'll start from scratch.  After work today I had to go to the dentist which is always so much fun (can you hear the sarcasm?).  I did enjoy visiting with Angie my hygienist who is leaving her job tomorrow.  I think we are going to be good friends as she has invited me to her women's group and I believe I will attend.  Anyway, I was very tired by the time I got home and took a short nap.  I got about 20 minutes before I had to get up and get supper cooking.  Well, I go downstairs and open up my cookbook.  I always like to prep the veges before I get the meat going, so I prepped the stir-fried asparagus and mashed potatoes.  Next I turned to the chicken recipe.  I scanned the recipe and my heart dropped.  I opened the fridge and confirmed my suspicions-no apple juice!!!! Those darned kids!  I have to mark everything I buy that I need for a recipe or they would eat/drink it all!  Well, now I had to have a change in plans.  I flipped through the recipes that I had for this week and found one that would work.  So instead of maple glazed chicken we ate spicy bronzed chicken.  It was absolutely delicious! This recipe is packed full of spice so if you don't like it spicy cut back a little bit on the cayenne, chili powder and pepper.  Todd really loved it and has packed up the leftovers for tomorrow's lunch.  The stir-fried asparagus was delicious as well.  This was a successful meal despite the chaos in the beginning.  I will just have to make the maple glazed chicken some other time (after a trip to the grocery store that is).  Here are the recipes:

SPICY BRONZED CHICKEN

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (5 ounces each)
• 1 teaspoon each garlic powder, salt and paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon each onion powder, ground cumin, chili powder and pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

• Flatten chicken to 1/2-in. thickness. In a small bowl, combine seasonings. Dip chicken in butter; sprinkle with seasonings.
• In a large skillet, cook chicken over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until chicken juices run clear. Yield: 4 servings.

STIR-FRIED ASPARAGUS

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 3 tablespoons chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted

Directions

• In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry asparagus in butter and oil for 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, lemon juice, soy sauce and pepper. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes or until asparagus is tender. Sprinkle with almonds. Yield: 4 servings.

Pasta, pasta, pasta!

Well, by the number of comments I've gotten on my last few recipes I'm wondering if there is anyone out there anymore?  Good thing I'm doing this because I think it's fun!!!  lol  Well, for those of you who are still following me, let me tell you a little bit about tonight's supper.  First, it was quick.  Second it was easy, and Third, it was delcious!!!!  The smell in the house was simply mouth-watering but i love the smell of garlic and veges cooking.  Everyone was very anxious to taste this meal tonight.  When it came right down to it though, Jonathan wouldn't try it because there were "green things" in the bowl.  His loss!  The rest of the family ate it and really enjoyed it, too.  Ok, so here's the menu:  Chicken Pasta Toss and Carrot Coins with thyme.  Yummy, yummy, yummy. 

CHICKEN PASTA TOSS

Ingredients

• 10 ounces uncooked spaghetti
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon each onion powder, rubbed sage, white pepper and black pepper
• Dash cayenne pepper
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions

• Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the chicken, onions and seasonings, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
• Stir in cream. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 4-5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Drain spaghetti; add to chicken mixture; toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley. Yield: 4 servings.

CARROT COINS WITH THYME

Ingredients

• 4 cups frozen sliced carrots, thawed
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

• In a large skillet, saute the carrots, celery and onion in butter until tender. Stir in the lemon juice, salt, thyme and pepper; heat through. Yield: 4 servings.

These recipes are keepers and fantastic if you just want to throw something together after a long day or even entertain a few friends.  Enjoy a nice glass of wine with this meal or an ice cold glass of milk!  Thank you for dishin with Di!  Blessings and good eating!

burgers on the grill!!

Hey foodies!  Today was so beautiful we decided to grill these burgers instead of pan frying them like the recipe called for.  We had some friends over to join us for supper so I made a cocktail as well.  We had a good time though we got started later than we had expected to.  Nothing better than a couple cool drinks and some delicious food from the grill.  Love  it!!!  I only hope our cold weather has passed and we can do some more of this.  Ok.  Menu for tonight:  Change of pace burgers with loaded waffle fries.  I did leave out the mushrooms since I wasn't sure if the other couple liked them or not.  I will put mushrooms in mine the next time though.  I was worried that the burgers would be more like meat loaf on buns, but it wasn't!!  The burgers were so moist and delicious packed with green peppers and onions with chili sauce.  oh yeah!  The waffle fries were just the right touch for this burger.  You've got to try them!!!  Here are the recipes:

CHANGE OF PACE BURGERS

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons chili sauce
• 1 pound ground beef
• 4 hamburger buns, split
• Ketchup and mustard, optional

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the onion, green pepper, mushrooms and chili sauce. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into four patties.
• In a large skillet, cook patties over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side or until meat is no longer pink. Serve on buns with ketchup and mustard if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

LOADED WAFFLE FRIES:

Ingredients

• 4 cups frozen waffle-cut fries
• 1/2 to 1-1/2 teaspoons steak seasoning
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
• 2 tablespoons real bacon bits

Directions

• Arrange waffle fries in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 450° for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Sprinkle with steak seasoning; toss to coat. Top with cheese, onions and bacon. Bake 2-3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Yield: 4 servings.

Enjoy these recipes; we sure did!  Blessings and good eating!

Wish we had smell-a-puter!!

Hello again foodies!!!  Boy, tonight I sure wish we had smell-a-puter!!!  The house smelled wonderful as tonight's supper was cooking.  Everyone was very hungry tonight so we were all anxious for supper to be done.  Thank goodness it only took a half hour!  Tonight's menu was Pork Chops with Onion Gravy, Lemon Rice and green beans.  The pork chops I used were the thicker ones you buy in packs of three, but this would definitely work with bone-in chops as well or even the thinner boneless chops.  The chops are browned in oil with the onions and then simmered in chicken broth for 16 minutes.  Pour on the gravy and heat until thickened.  Yum!!!!  The rice was different for sure.  I'd never had lemon peel in my rice, so I was excited to try it.  Todd and I enjoyed it and I think Jon was o.k. with it, but Dylan didn't like the lemon in the rice at all.  It's only a teaspoon of grated peel, but it goes a long way so you can cut back if you're not a lemon lover.  I added diced pimientos to Todd's and my rice like the recipe called for but left it out of the boys' dish as I knew I'd never get them to eat it if I added it to theirs.  Green beans came straight out of a can, but i cooked them in butter instead of the water they're packed in.  Todd is not a big pork eater but he really enjoyed these.  Yay!!!!  I love pork, so that's good.  Anyhoo, here is the pic and the recipes:

PORK CHOPS WITH ONION GRAVY

Ingredients

• 4 boneless pork loin chops (1/2 inch thick and 4 ounces each)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 small onion, sliced and separated into rings
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 envelope pork gravy mix
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 cup water

Directions

• Sprinkle pork chops with pepper and salt. In a large skillet, cook chops and onion in oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side or until chops are lightly browned; drain.
• Add broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 7-8 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160°.
• In a small bowl, whisk the gravy mix, garlic powder and water. Pour over pork. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3-4 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Yield: 4 servings.

LEMON RICE

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1-1/2 cups uncooked instant rice
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• Dash salt
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons diced pimientos
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

• In a small saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Stir in the rice, butter, lemon peel, garlic and salt; cover and remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley, pimientos and pepper. Fluff with a fork. Yield: 4 servings.

Well there you have it!  Enjoy these recipes and let me know what you think!!! Thanks for dishin with di!  Blessings and good eating!

Salmon anyone?

Good evening foodies!  Tonight I am a little down-hearted but I didn't want y'all to miss out on the delicious meal I made tonight.  I wasn't sure how this one was going to go since it's fish and you know how I feel about fish.  Both Todd and Dylan joined in with the fish, but Jon had to have steak instead.  I was pleasantly surprised by the fish and of course the corn confetti was fantastic!  Well, anyway, here's the menu:

SALMON WITH CURRY CHUTNEY SAUCE:

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 salmon fillets (6 ounces each)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/3 cup mango chutney
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Directions

• In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, curry and salt. Add salmon; seal bag and shake to coat.
• In a large skillet, cook salmon in butter for 5-6 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the broth, chutney and hot pepper sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes or until heated through. Serve with salmon. Yield: 4 servings.

CONFETTI CORN:

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup chopped carrot
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2-3/4 cups fresh or frozen corn, thawed
• 1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts
• 1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

Directions

• In a large skillet, saute carrot in oil until crisp-tender. Stir in the corn, water chestnuts, red pepper and parsley; heat through. Yield: 4 servings.

Well that's it gang!  Hope you try it out.  Thanks for dishin with di!  Blessings and good eating!

Breakfast for Supper

howdy foodies!!! I know, I know, I've been gone again for a few days.  Today was a horrific day; I won't go into details, but breakfast was just what I needed.  It's so comforting to me.  The boys needed a little loving too, so we were all happy.  Allie sat this one out. So, what's for breakfast/supper you ask??? Well, it was apple spice waffles with pork sausage patties.  Jon had asked me to chop up the apples real fine since he's not a fan of chunky stuff in his food, so I pulled out my pampered chef chopper and went to town on that granny smith apple.  There were still a few chunks, but they didn't bother him much.  We all had two waffles and one sausage patty.  The patties were really well done, 'cause I will not eat undercooked pork!  Well, Jon goes, "Mom get that hamburger patty off my plate!!!"  It looked just like a pan fried burger.  He hates hamburgers!  It was hilarious.  He wasn't a fan of the sausage either because it was so well done, but hey, Dylan and I liked it.  Oh!  If you're wondering why I'm not mentioning Todd in this meal, it's because he had to stay at work tonight so he missed supper.  :(  Oh well!  Here are the recipes:

APPLE SPICE WAFFLES:

Ingredients

• 2 cups biscuit/baking mix
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup chopped peeled apple

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the biscuit mix, cinnamon and nutmeg. In another bowl, combine the eggs, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in apple.
• Bake in a preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer’s directions until golden brown. Yield: 12 waffles.

PORK SAUSAGE PATTIES:

Ingredients

• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Dash pepper
• 1 pound sage bulk pork sausage

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Crumble sausage over mixture and mix well. Shape into six patties.
• In a large skillet, cook patties over medium heat for 6 minutes on each side or until meat is no longer pink, turning occasionally. Yield: 6 servings.

Oh I forgot to mention that I substituted onion powder for the chopped onion for the boys in the sausage patty.  Otherwise, they wouldn't have touched them.  Anyway, that was supper tonight and now I'm going to put my feet up and do some cross-stitch!  Thanks for dishin' with Di!  Blessings and good eating!

One fine supper!!!

Hey foodies!!!  Unfortunately Todd was not able to join me for supper tonight.  He had to stay down in J'ville again to get some work done.  Dylan did eat supper with me though, so that was nice and it must have been really good, because he ate two chicken breasts!!!  He also had two large slices of the bread.  Here's the menu for tonight: Lemon Teriyaki Chicken, Broccoli with Smoked Almonds and Three Cheese Garlic Bread.  Let's talk chicken......I had never had teriyaki sauce on anything because I have a sensitivity to soy, but fortunately, I've been ok. with it since I started this adventure.  I get a small headache, but it's sooooo worth it.  The color on the chicken was gorgeous!!!  You know we eat with our eyes first, right?  I was very excited to taste this chicken.  Boy what a nice surprise.  It was so moist and tasty!!!  Like I said, dylan went back for seconds.  I have to say that the real star of this meal for me was the broccoli.  Frozen florets were sauteed with minced garlic in olive oil.  Then water and salt were added to the pan until boiling.  After reducing the heat in went diced pimientos and chopped smoked almonds.  googly moogly!!!!!  Fantastic!!!!  I know what's for lunch tomorrow!!!  I could eat that every day.  It was delicious with the crunch from the almonds and the zip from the pimientos I can never eat broccoli plain again.  NEVER!!! The bread was a hit with the boys, but I didn't care for it which I guess is good since I'm not supposed to eat it.  Maybe that's God's way of saying, "Lay off!"

I was sad that Todd couldn't be here, but I know that this meal will taste just as good as leftovers and I cannot wait for him to try it.  He will be very pleased with this meal.  The picture is a little blurry, but you get the idea.  I really need to get a new camera!!!  hang in there with me until I do.  I hope you try these recipes for yourself and let me know what you think.  Blessings and good eating!

Here are the recipes:

LEMON TERIYAKI CHICKEN

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Directions

• Flatten chicken to 1/2-in. thickness; coat with flour. In a large skillet, cook chicken in butter over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.
• Add the teriyaki sauce, lemon juice, garlic and sugar to the skillet; stir to loosen browned bits. Return chicken to the pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 4 servings.

BROCCOLI WITH SMOKED ALMONDS

Ingredients

• 5 cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup smoked or roasted salted almonds, coarsely chopped
• 1 jar (2 ounces) sliced pimientos, drained

Directions

• In a large skillet, saute broccoli and garlic in oil for 2 minutes or until garlic is golden brown. Add water and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 2-3 minutes or until broccoli is tender.
• Add almonds and pimientos. Cook, uncovered, for 1 minute or until water is evaporated. Yield: 4 servings.

THREE CHEESE GARLIC BREAD

Ingredients

• 1 loaf (1 pound) unsliced Italian bread
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Dash paprika and pepper

Directions

• Cut bread in half widthwise; cut one portion in half lengthwise. Save remaining bread for another use. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Spread evenly over cut sides of bread.
• Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted. Slice and serve warm. Yield: 4 servings.

Thanks for dishin with Di

I'm still here

Hey foodies!  don't worry, I'm still here!  Last night Todd stayed down in J'ville so I made BBQ chicken with mashed potatoes and corn for the boys and I.  Allie went out for supper.  Tonight Todd and I went to El Cerro Grill for supper so I didn't make the Lemon Teriyaki chicken.  Look for it tomorrow night!  I am excited to make this.  It is accompanied by Broccoli with smoked Almonds and Three Cheese garlic bread.  Hope you had good eating tonight!!  Blessings,
Di

Back on Track

Hey there foodies!  I'm back on track and still enjoying the heck out of it!!!  I can't believe how delicious these meals can be in the short amount of time it takes to cook them!!!  Dinner tonight was done in less than 30 minutes!!!  Today was a busy day with the gym, dropping Allie at school, breakfast with some friends, running errands and doing the laundry.  I was very glad to see that supper wasn't going to be a long process.  We had Kielbasa Bow tie Skillet.  This is a delicious concoction of smoked sausage, farfalle pasta, snap peas and cheese in a white garlic sauce.  The recipe called for mushrooms, but I left them out because Todd really does not like them.  I guess we can get over that, though I will be adding them to my half next time.  I think they would have been great.  Dessert was Raisin Sauce over golden pound cake.  Yummy!  Both these recipes are keepers for sure!!!  Kids had farfalle pasta for supper instead of what we had.  That worked out perfectly for them!  Recipes are as follows:

KIELBASA BOW TIE SKILLET

Ingredients

• 8 ounces uncooked bow tie pasta
• 1 pound smoked kielbasa or smoked Polish sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 jar (4-1/2 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen snow peas
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the sausage, mushrooms and garlic in butter.
• Combine cornstarch and milk until smooth; gradually add to the skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Drain pasta; add to sausage mixture. Stir in the peas and cheese; cook until cheese is melted. Yield: 4 servings.

RAISIN SAUCE FOR POUND CAKE

Ingredients

• 1 loaf (10-3/4 ounces) frozen pound cake
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Dash ground cinnamon and nutmeg
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon maple flavoring
• Vanilla ice cream

Directions

• With a serrated knife, cut pound cake in half widthwise; cut one half into four slices and set aside to thaw. Freeze remaining cake for another use.
• In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; stir in water until smooth. Add raisins. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened.
• Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and maple flavoring. Top each slice of cake with a scoop of ice cream; drizzle with raisin sauce. Yield: 4 servings.

Blessings and Good Eating!

What are these things????

Ok folks tonight was a big risk for me.  I had a plan B just in case we didn't like this dish at all.  The picture on the website looked really good, but we all know that those  pictures aren't real half the time.  All you need to do to see that is compare my pic with the one on the website.  Two totally different pictures for sure!  I even followed the recipe to the T.  Anyway, here's the dish-Sweet and Sour Scallops and Almond Rice.  Scallops you say???  Yep, scallops.  I had to try to explain to Todd what scallops were even though I have a very limited knowledge being that I've only had them once and they were wrapped in bacon.  Anything wrapped in bacon is delicious, so I'm thinking, "Hey, these are gonna be great," since that was my only experience with scallops.  Well..........they were delicious!  The sweet and sour sauce was soooo yummy.  The only thing is, half way through, I was thinking that the dish was too sweet.  If I were to prepare this again, I'd use very little of the pineapple chunks, but keep the pineapple juice in the sauce. That should do it.  The texture of the scallops was perfect for me.  Todd gave me a thumbs up on this dish so I'm assuming he enjoyed it.  Now let's talk about the rice.  May I say that I would add toasted almonds to my rice anytime!!!  OH MY GOODNESS!!!!  What genius thought of this???????  It was soooo yummy!  What a nice flavor and crunch.  I will double this recipe next time so we have leftovers of this. 

I am so glad we are trying new things or I never would have made these two delicious recipes.  I would have looked at it in the book and said, "No way, Jose!!"  I am really enjoying this cooking through the book thing.  I know that my children wish I had never seen that movie, but maybe when they are older they will appreciate it.  I would love to expand their pallette, but we have to do it in baby-steps.  In case you're wondering, and you're probably not, but the two children who were at home for supper passed on this one.  Dylan settled for a triple decker peanut butter sandwich and Allie ate a cheese and mushroom pizza.  Works for me!  Here's the recipe.....

SWEET AND SOUR SCALLOPS

Ingredients

• 2 cans (8 ounces each) pineapple chunks
• 1 pound sea scallops (about 16)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup julienned green pepper
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2/3 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions

• Drain pineapple, reserving juice; set pineapple and juice aside. In a large skillet, saute scallops in oil until firm and opaque; drain. Remove from pan and keep warm.
• In the same pan, saute onion and green pepper in butter for 3-4 minutes or until crisp-tender.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, ground mustard and salt. Whisk in the vinegar, soy sauce and reserved pineapple juice until smooth.
• Gradually stir into pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the tomatoes, scallops and reserved pineapple; heat through. Yield: 4 servings.

ALMOND RICE

• Ingredients
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1-1/2 cups uncooked instant rice
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Directions

• In a large saucepan, bring the water, rice and butter to a boil. Remove from the heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes or until water is absorbed. Stir in the almonds, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley. Yield: 4 servings.

Thanks for dishing with Di!  Blessings and good eating!

Greek!!!!!

I finally got around to making this Greek Style Supper and Sesame Pita Chips for dinner.  It was absolutely delicious!!!  The supper was like a goulash with a little twist and the pita chips were a nice tasty healthy crunch.  I must say I was very pleased with this supper.  Todd seemed to enjoy it as well since he went back for seconds.  Chance even enjoyed it, but i guess that doesn't say much since dogs usually will eat anything.  The kids passed on this meal again, no surprise!  I wish they would try new things, but I can't really push them since I did the same thing to my mom.  If it had tomato chunks in it, I found a friend's house to eat at that night.  No lying!  Of course, that didn't work out so well when my friend's mom made liver and onions.  Ouch!  I regretted that decision.  :)  Anyway, I believe you all would love this meal as it only took 30 minutes to throw together and it is very filling not to mention delicious!!!!!! 

Tomorrow there will be no blog for supper as we are attending a retirement dinner for one of Todd's marines.  I think our meal is being catered but not sure by who.  Anyway, it should be delicious.  I will be making up my new menu tonight for the next two weeks.  I know we'll be eating lots of seafood and chicken.  Stay tuned to see what I'm dishing up next!  Blessings and good eating!


Here's the recipe for tonight's supper if anyone is interested!

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef broth
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Hunt’s® Original Diced Tomatoes, undrained
• 1-1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta
• 1-1/2 cups frozen cut green beans, thawed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

• In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring broth and tomatoes to a boil; add pasta. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.
• Drain beef mixture; add to pasta. Stir in the beans, tomato paste, oregano, garlic powder and cinnamon; heat through. Sprinkle with feta cheese. Yield: 4 servings.

Cranberry Pork Chops with Rice

Howdy foodies!!!!  It's good to be back!  After a busy day in the 4th grade, which was a marvelous class, I was ready to dig into some good food.  I was able to relax for about an hour before hitting the kitchen.  In that hour's time I sat outside and played with Chance and checked on my facebook. It was so beautiful outside!!!  Anyway, I got started on the cranberry pork chops around 5:00pm.  They smelled so good cooking in the pan on the stove.  They were coated with flour seasoned with salt, pepper and seasoned salt and then thrown in a hot pan with olive oil.  After browning the chops on both sides, you cover them with a whole cranberry sauce/balsamic vinegar mixture and cover with a lid.  Cook for about 10 minutes and you've got delicous pork chops!  The rice was a brown rice with dried cranberries.  Instead of boiling water you use chicken broth.  I wasn't really crazy about this dish so I didn't eat much of it.  I enjoyed the pork chops though I'd cut back on some of the balsamic vinegar next time.  Anyway, it was ok.  I'm glad I made some canned corn to go with it, because that got eaten up.  LOL  I guess this is one of those recipes that was great to try but we wouldn't make it again.  :(  Oh well!  You know we're going to get some of those.  If you like cranberries and balsamic vinegar you will love this recipe.  I suggest you try it. 

As you know by now, my children did not eat this meal.  Well, actually, Allie ate a pork chop and some rice.  The boys wouldn't even look at it much less eat it.  They are not the adventurous type that's for sure.  Jon made himself a pizza and Dylan is too busy recording his music to eat supper.  I imagine he'll crawl out of his room at some point and wolf down a bowl of cereal or some oatmeal.  Either way he'll live.  Tomorrow will be a new type of food for us as it is Greek.  Can't wait to try it!  Blessings and good eating!

MIA

Sorry peeps!!!  I have been Missing In Action since Thursday night because my hubby had knee surgery on Friday and kind of threw us all off our schedule.  Don't worry though, we've managed to toss down some grub in the meantime, but nothing too wonderful to post about.  We had bacon and eggs one night, sandwiches another night and tonight we had stuffed shells.  I will be back in full swing again tomorrow night with a wonderful meal of Cranberry Pork Chops with rice.  Stay tuned and thanks for not giving up on me!!!  I would love if you all would post about your meals.  I love to hear the variety of foods we all eat.  Blessings and good eating!  And by the way, in case you all were wondering my husband is doing fantastic!

Now that's a Sandwich!

Hello all you hungry peeps out there!!  Tonight's supper is not for the faint of stomach!  It is definitely a man-sized sandwich with a very tasty dressing.  The menu called for another spinach salad, but I just couldn't bring myself to make another one seeing as we haven't finished the last one!!  I opted for chips on the side of this mega-hero.  The name of this sandwich is the Italian Mufaletta.  I had the bread freshly made this morning at our commissary.  Thank you Miss Penny!  You carve the bread out like a bread bowl and layer it with the dressing made from chopped green olives, chopped black olives, minced garlic, shredded parmesan and Italian dressing.  Next comes the meat and cheese!!!  Oh yeah!!  Start with oven roasted turkey breast, provolone cheese, hard salami, swiss cheese and deli-fresh bologna. Spread more dressing on top and put the lid back on the bread.  Wow!!  It was almost too pretty to eat!!

I made a very light dessert to snack on after supper.  They are called Star Pastry Snacks.  They are star shaped cutouts of pie crust brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar and mini chocolate chips.  Light and yummy!  This was a very quick meal and satisfied our hunger and then some!  Make sure you are hungry before you sit down to this meal.  Of course this would be a  nice lunch or even a picnic meal.

Until I can get a new camera, please bear with the pictures.  I can't quite figure out what is wrong with the settings on my camera.  Hopefully you get the idea, but if you really want to know what it looks like......make it yourself!  And enjoy!  Have a wonderfully blessed day and keep on trying new things. Come back to dish up more tasty meals with me! Good eating!

My favorite meal

Hey there foodies!!!  I just finished eating my favorite meal in the whole wide world.  Well, ok, maybe not since I haven't finished tasting all the foods in the world, but for now this will do.  Tonight I'm dishin' up Monterey Barbecued Chicken and In-a-Flash beans.  I've had this kind of chicken at Chili's restaurant, but this one is better!  I used to call it smothered chicken, but now I know better.  In case you haven't heard of this delectable little dish, it is chicken breasts covered in bacon, green onions, tomoatoes, bbq sauce and topped with cheese.  Oh my!!!!!!  It is absolutely magnificent!!!!  Of course I had to make modifications for the kids.  Allie had bacon, bbq sauce and cheese on hers.  Jon just had the Bbq sauce and Dylan had a plain chicken breast.  Sad to say that Todd was not able to join me tonight for dinner.  He had to have an MRI done on his knee that took a while and then was supposed to go to a mess night at work, but didn't quite make it there either.  I'm sure he is noshing on the leftovers of the last two meals and enjoying himself just as much.  The beans were just canned pork and beans with bbq sauce, onion and green pepper stirred in and heated.  I added a little bit of bacon too since I had some leftover.  We are a bacon loving family as some of you already know!!! 

Again if this meal sounds good to you, you can find the recipes at tasteofhome.com.  This is a wonderfully down home bbq recipe that is just finger licking good!  I will save this recipe and make it many times in the years to come.  I hope you all have enjoyed your meal tonight or maybe I've given you an idea for supper.  Either way I wish you good cheer and many blessings!  Good eating!

Pizza anyone?

Happy Valentine's Day faithful followers!  In case you're wondering, I did not make a heart shaped pizza or any special Valentine's day treats.  I meant to, but I was just too busy today.  Here's what I did make though.  Tonight I was dishin' up Family Pleasing Pizza, Tangy Spinach Salad and Cake with Pineapple Pudding.  I'm not so sure how family pleasing the pizza was because only three of us ate it.  Jon bowed out again tonight opting to make a Hoagie instead.  Dylan only ate one piece, so again not sure what that means.  Todd had two slices and I only ate half of mine, but that was more because of my stomach than my taste buds.  I have to go easy on the gluten for the next couple days as I've been a bad girl here lately.  I did eat a slice of the angel food cake with the pineapple pudding though because it looked amazing!!  It tasted just as good as it looked too.  Unfortunately I didn't get a good picture of the dessert.  The lighting was bad and then my batteries died in the camera.  Go figure!!!

Anyway, if you plan on making this pizza (the recipe is on the taste of home website), I would recommend baking the pizza about 5 minutes longer than the directions call for or making it on a pizza sheet instead of a 13x9" baking pan.  I like my crust crispy and this was not crispy.  It was more like a deep dish pan pizza.  I would also lighten up on the Italian seasoning sprinkled on top.  It was a little much.  Those would be my changes.  The salad though was awesome!!!  I will be eating more of that for lunch tomorrow!  Don't change a thing in that recipe!  It has chow mein noodles in it which was a nice little crunch of a surprise!  The tangy dressing was superb.  A real hit with me and I will be making that again in the near future.  So that's the dish for the night.  I hope you all enjoyed your special or not so special Valentine's dinners.  Sending love out to you!  Good eating!

My catfish adventure

Well, here I am and I'm alive!!!  Let me tell you first off that I DO NOT like fish or coleslaw and tonight I ate them both in the same meal.  All of my teens passed on this meal and fended for themselves.  I guess I can't blame them as I was a little hesitant to eat anything but the potatoes as well.  This afternoon I started with the coleslaw since it needed time to chill before suppertime.  I first tasted the raw cabbage and thought it wasn't too bad.  When I looked through the recipe and saw that it used white vinegar, my insides shook.  I detest vinegar and especially white vinegar!!!!!  I am committed to this adventure though and plunged ahead.  I tasted my dressing when I was finished it and was greatly surprised at how wonderful it was!!!  I quickly threw it into the cabbage and tossed it around.  I had to try this together!!!  One forkful, hmmmmmm not bad, led to three forkfuls and a quick run outside to share some with Todd.  He loved it too!!!  I almost got tears in my eyes!!!  I was eating coleslaw.........UNBELIEVABLE.

By the time I had to cook supper I was ready for this adventure.  I threw the potatoes in the microwave to steam and set about preparing my catfish fillets.  They had to be spread with mustard first (that was weird) and then coated with a cornmeal, flour mixture before throwing in the pan to fry.  What a beautiful crust was created!!!! It looked fantastic, but how would it taste to this non-seafood eater???  Well, of course, I made Todd eat some first.  I actually held my breath!  He looked up at me and smiled.  He liked it!!!!  Yippee!  Now it was my turn.  I took a very small bite and held it in my mouth for a minute.  I was so nervous!  I chewed and swallowed.  My verdict.... it was ok.  I ate half of my fillet without getting sick, so that's good.  I think I'll like fish more each time I eat it.  I was just thrilled that I didn't hate it and have to spit it out.  So I guess you could say the dinner was a success!  I topped off my meal with a square of Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate and a Bailey's and cream on the rocks.

The best part of the evening though was when my husband surprised me with an ensemble of freshwater pearls for Valentines day!!!!  A beautiful necklace, bracelet and two sets of earrings handcrafted from pearls found in Hawaii.  Simply amazing!!!  What a wonderful and surprising gift!!!  Not the usual chocolates and flowers and that makes me smile.  I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog tonight.  Tomorrow's supper is family pleasing pizza.  Stop back in tomorrow night to read about the next big adventure in my kitchen.  Good eating!