Sweet & Savory Summer Salad

A lovely heat wave has hit the Southwest, so there was no way I was going to heat up my kitchen by cooking tonight.  With all of the delicious fresh fruits available right now, I figured this was an excellent opportunity to make a salad for dinner.  A couple of months ago, I enjoyed a strawberry and chicken salad at a favorite restaurant of mine that was so divine, I had to try and re-create it.  I cooked the chicken on the side burner of my barbeque to avoid heating up the kitchen.  The raspberry vinaigrette was a perfect pairing with the fruit in the salad, but you could use any sweet vinaigrette of your choosing. Even my fourteen year old son who barely tolerates salad enjoyed this one!

Strawberry Chicken Salad
Serves 4

2 Chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" thick strips
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
Garlic salt, to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 lb container of Field greens
1 pint strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
11 oz can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup candied pecans
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Season
chicken breast strips with garlic salt and fresh ground black pepper and place in
the pan. Sauté until chicken is lightly browned and cooked through. Remove
chicken from pan and chill. Rinse the greens and spin dry. Toss in a large bowl
with remaining ingredients. Toss in chilled chicken. Drizzle with your favorite sweet
vinaigrette and serve.

Raspberry Vinaigrette

1/2 cup Grapeseed oil, or other oil of your choice
1/2 cup Raspberry infused vinegar
1/3 cup light Agave syrup
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp Fresh ground black pepper
Mix all ingredients together.  Chill for an hour for the flavors to meld.

Hula Pie

 I have to admit that since I was introduced to this magnificent dessert just last month I am a little obsessed with it. It tastes so rich and nutty and is so easy to make! If you like macadamia nuts you will go crazy for this ice cream pie made famous in Hawaii. Seriously I am supposed to be dieting and I have had it three times this month.

You can make this all from scratch but it's not necessary to get a great tasting dessert that everyone will rave over.

1 Oreo cookie crust (you can make your own crust if you want with Oreos)

1.5 Quarts best quality ice cream. ( I used vanilla bean but if you can find Macadamia nut you are set!)

8 oz macadamia nuts (I liked salted)

1 bottle Mrs Richardson's Hot Fudge Sauce or any other good quality brand

Whipped Cream. (I whipped my own with lots of vanilla but cool-whip would work too)

Soften the ice cream for a few minutes while you rough chop the macadamia nuts. If you don't have an Oreo crust make one with crushed Oreo cookies and melted butter and press it into a pie pan.

Mix in about half of the nuts (you don't need to be precise) 

with the ice cream then scoop it into the crust.

Mound the ice cream up in the center so it looks nicer. I patted some chopped nuts into the top of this then froze the pie at this point in the freezer for at least 30 minutes but I would recommend an hour. This will really help to keep the pie from getting too soft when you put the chocolate layer on and the nuts on top will give the chocolate something to cling to instead of just sliding right off your pie.

After your pie has set up for at least 30+ minutes give the chocolate sauce a good stir to soften it up a bit but don't heat it. You might want to add a tablespoon of Hershey's syrup to help make it a good spreading consistency but no more than that or it will just slide right on off your pie! If you prefer you can make your own chocolate sauce but it needs to be thick so it will cling to the top of the pie. I think it looks nice to have it spread rustic style with a bit of the ice cream peaking through the edges. Makes it easier to spread too. Move quickly with this step because that ice cream melts fast especially if you live in the blazing desert like me. (it was 112 degrees today) After you get the chocolate spread the way you like add the leftover chopped nuts to the top. Rush the pie back to the freezer before you are too tempted to start eating and let it set up for at least an hour or more. I left it over night.

Each pie can be cut into 8 pieces easily because any more than that and you and your family will pass out it is so rich and yummy. I topped each piece with whipped cream but you could get by without it if you wanted. I did myself a favor and did not add up the calorie count for this. Why spoil the fun!

Fancy for the 4th

 

I spruced up my simple fruit salad for my grandkids this weekend. We had a big family barbeque for the Fourth of July with lots of family. I love fruit salad with bbq because it is so refreshing but I thought the little boys would appreciate a little something fun just for them. The oldest is only 5 and he loves when I make them something special because he says Grammy's food is made with love. How could I resist that!It was pretty simple to do. I used my little star cookie cutter for the watermelon. Just make sure when you do this to cut the watermelon in thin strips or the cookie cutter will never get through it! 1/2 inch seems just right for my cutter. Just add blueberries and there you go...July 4th Fruit Salad made with Love.

Perfect Summer Picnic Fare

Breaded chicken strips have always been some of my family's favorite picnic fare.  When my daughter, and then my husband, needed to go gluten free, we tried several of the gf chicken nuggets on the market, but were very unhappy with them.   I had a recipe from the Sunset Italian cookbook that we all loved, so I decided to find a way to modify that recipe.  Turns out it was very simple to do, and the chicken was so delicious that I didn't even miss the bread crumbs.  In fact, I like this better than the original!

I needed something special to go with the chicken, and I have been craving some good potato salad like my mother used to make for a couple of years now. I haven't made any because only my husband and I like potato salad.  This weekend I indulged myself and made some just for the two of us.  My husband kept commenting on how much he liked it all through the meal, and said I could make this any time I wanted.  He even remarked on it again at breakfast the next day!  My son even said that he didn't mind it.  I think I see more potato salad in my future.  My mother used to decorate the salad with a ring of sliced radishes around the edge of the bowl.  I didn't have any radishes so I couldn't do that but the salad was still absolutely delicious even without them.  To make the preparation easier, scrub the potatoes, boil them with the skins on, cool in ice water and then peel.  The skins slip right off!

 

Breaded Chicken Strips

4 Chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" strips
1 cup GF all purpose flour (I used Trader Joe's Gluten Free All Purpose Flour)
1 Egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp water
1 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Olive oil
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Place the flour in a pie pan.  Place the Parmesan cheese and the Italian herbs in a second pie pan and stir to combine. Lightly dust the chicken strips with the flour.  Dip the dusted chicken into the egg mixture and then roll it in the Parmesan cheese mixture.  Place the chicken in the skillet and cook until golden brown on one side, about 2 minutes.  Turn the chicken over and continue cooking until the other side is golden and the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes more.  Remove chicken from pan and place on paper towels to cool.  Be careful not to overcook the chicken or it will be dry and tough.  This will take several batches in the skillet and you may need to wipe out the pan and replenish it with new oil and butter half way through the cooking.  Refrigerate and serve cold, or may serve warm.  These pack up perfectly for a picnic.  Serves 4.

Potato Salad

5 Medium russet potatoes, boiled peeled and diced into 1/2" cubes
2 Hard boiled eggs, chopped
2 Tbsp minced yellow onion
1/4 cup Chopped celery
1 cup Miracle Whip (NOT mayonnaise)
1/2 cup Milk
1/4 tsp Ground celery seed
1/4 tsp Dill weed
1/4 tsp Paprika, plus more for garnish
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp Fresh ground black pepper

Place the diced potatoes, eggs, onion and celery in a medium sized bowl.  Mix all remaining ingredients together in a large cup until smooth, and pour over the potato mixture.  Gently mix together and chill for at least an hour.  Sprinkle lightly with paprika and serve.  Serves 4.

July 4th Trifle

TrifleFor Christmas this past year I purchased two trifle dishes.  We were having a themed Christmas Dinner, which is a new tradition we are starting.  We chose English Christmas as I found prime rib at an awesome price. To go with the theme I made trifles for dessert.  I will have to post more on the Christmas dinner another time.  So, now that I have trifle dishes I love to make them.
I find that you can make any kind of trifle, you just need a basic formula:
Here is my basic trifle formula
some sort of cake: I have used spice cake, white, pound and angel.  They are all yummy
some sort of pudding
a yummy add in like chocolate chunks or fruit
optional items: gelatin, whipped creme, dolce de leche,
Just have fun and layer, layer layer
Here are the details for our Fourth of July trifle.

Ingredients
1 loaf pound cake
1 loaf angel food cake
3 oz blue raspberry gelatin
3oz strawberry gelatin
lg. vanilla pudding
fresh strawberries
fresh blueberries
Instructions
Made up both packages of gelatin separately . I used the quick set method.  I dissolved the gelatin in one cup of boiling water then added 6 ice cubes.  Stirred until ice cubes were dissolved.  The instructions said to wait 15 minutes for a soft set.  I then made up a small package of pudding. I think it needed more pudding and so I put the larger size in the ingredient list.  Then I cut up the cake into pieces.  I made sure each piece had some white showing.  Then I emptied the dishwasher and loaded it again.  Perfect timing, the gelatin was at soft set stage.  You can omit this step and just time the gelatin but really who doesn't need to get some dishes done?
Now, take the cake and layer it in the bottom of your trifle dish.  Make sure to put the white side out so it would show through the glass.  I used pound cake on the bottom.Next put a layer of strawberry gelatin.  Then a layer of fresh strawberries.  Pour half of the pudding on for the next layer.  Put another layer of cake with cut sides out.  I used angel food this time.  Then a layer of blue gelatin topped with blueberries. Followed with some more cake and the remainder of the pudding.  For the top I arranged blueberries and strawberries. Next time I will put the strawberries on the edge with the blueberries all in the middle.
This was as yummy as it looked and was pretty simple too!

Spaghetti & Meatballs

I can never watch the Disney movie  Lady and the Tramp without wanting to eat spaghetti and meatballs.  When my son was 5, there was one evening when just the two of us were home, so together we made homemade spaghetti and meatballs and watched this movie.  He still talks about that night.
I used a recipe from a Cook's cookbook for meatballs and they were so flavorful and tender I felt like I was eating a gourmet pasta dish.  I have tried to make them several times since, using the same recipe, and they have never turned out that good again.  So I gave up on the recipe and started experimenting on my own.  What I have ended up with is a consistently flavor packed, tender, gluten free meatball that our whole family loves.  It does take a little time, so I never make this when I'm in a hurry but what a treat!  These meatballs could be used in any dish that calls for meatballs, not just spaghetti sauce.  This is a great recipe for getting the kids involved too.  Getting your hands in the meat and rolling up the balls can be great fun for them.

I used 2 slices of Rudi's Multi-Grain gluten free bread to make the bread crumbs.  I keep it in the freezer so I toasted it a bit first to soften the slices.  Any type of bread will do for this recipe, so it doesn't have to be gluten free.  The bread crumbs are what keep the meatballs from being dense hard meat pellets.  Too much and they are mushy, not enough and the meatballs are so dense they are really hard to eat.

Meatballs

1 lb ground beef
1 cup fresh bread crumbs (not dried)
1 beaten egg
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp Kosher salt

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly.  Form into balls of whatever size you want.  Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a heavy frying pan over medium high heat.  Cook meatballs, turning often, until browned.  At this point you can put the pan in the oven at 350 degrees and cook the meatballs until they are completely cooked all the way through, or you can put them in your pasta sauce and simmer for half an hour until they are cooked through.  This makes about twenty 1 1/2" diameter meatballs.  I freeze half and put half in the sauce below.

 

I used to make my own spaghetti sauce from scratch in large batches and freeze it, but I have found a Tomato Basil Marinara sauce from Trader Joe's that was just as good, so now I use that.  It is so much more convenient.  As long as you add in onion, garlic, spices and meat and simmer your sauce for at least half an hour (an hour is really optimal simmering time) even a cheaper canned spaghetti sauce like Hunt's comes out tasting gourmet.  I have received many compliments on my spaghetti when I made it this way with just using Hunts.  Especially if you saute some mushrooms in a little butter and add them to the sauce just before serving.

If you are making this sauce with the meatballs, you can skip adding the extra meat and just simmer the meatballs in the sauce, but still add the onion, garlic and seasoning.  It really does make a difference.  Also, the meat flavor from the meatballs infuses the sauce as it simmers and makes the sauce taste much richer.

Spaghetti Sauce

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 lb spicy Italian sausage, removed from casing and crumbled
1/2 lb ground beef
26 oz jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

In a large pot, over medium high heat, saute onion until softened, but not browned. Add garlic, beef and sausage.  Cook, stirring frequently, until meat is cooked through.  Add Italian seasonings and sauce.  Add the red pepper flakes if you like some kick in your sauce.  If you are using meatballs, add them at this point.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 30 minutes and up to one hour.  Serve over pasta noodles of your choice.

A word (or two) about gluten free pasta

We have found that not all gf pastas are created equal.  Some are quite delicious and taste just as good as wheat pasta, while others are downright nasty!  For some reason, a good spaghetti seems to be especially hard to come by. We have found one brand, bionaturae, that is super close to being just like the real deal, but it is very expensive.  I like to boil water in a tea kettle while the pasta is cooking and I use that water to rinse away the extra starch after I drain the pasta and that makes it a lot better.  Tinkyada makes great lasagne noodles that I actually like better than wheat noodles.  They are a little bit lighter and every bit as delicious.  The other varieties of pasta Tinkyada makes are also quite good, although leftovers get tough the next day.  This seems to be true with any brand of gf pasta.  We found this out the hard way with leftover pasta salad.

Gourmet Mac & Cheese

Recently I took dinner in to a family who needed a little help and I had no time to go to the store. Sometimes it is tricky to find something that most everyone will like young or old. So I decided Mac & Cheese was a good place to start. It's also great comfort food and they needed some comfort.
I was lucky enough to have lots of ham left over in the freezer from a family get together so I grabbed that. (If you didn't have ham any chunks of meat would work even hotdogs for little ones or hamburger etc.)
I boiled up some shell pasta because sauce can fill all those holes and it makes it super yummy. While the pasta was cooking I made a roux with butter and flour. I always wisk that together over medium heat for a couple of minutes to make sure the flour taste goes away. Then I added about 2 cups of milk while I kept stirring. Once that was creamy and bubbling I  added shredded cheddar and some monterey jack for good measure. In my family you can never over do the cheese so I used lots. Just keep melting and stirring. After I drained the pasta I added the cheese sauce and pasta together with some salt and pepper to taste. I added the chunks of ham and poured it all in a foil casserole pan. (This way no dishes have to be washed or returned). I added about 1/4 c melted butter to 1 c Panko bread crumbs and spread that over the top. I baked the whole casserole in the oven for about 30 min at 350 or until golden brown.

I just added steamed beans for a veggie and bread and off I went. Dinner in a snap. I made enough for my husband and I also since that is our rule. Make enough for those at home so not every great thing goes out the door for someone else! I really love having a big freezer because the rolls, chocolate chip cookies and ham from my freezer saved the day.

Nanaimo Bars

This is without a doubt an old family favorite. We grew up on these and love to revisit the past as much as possible. They have been added to the list of favorites for the next generation because they have lots of chocolate, nuts and coconut too!

The first order of business is to make sure you have some Custard Powder. It's hard to find but it's worth the hunt. It can be found in Trader Joe's, Cost Plus or any place that does some importing since it's not usually an American ingredient. Don't let that scare you off because I have recently found it in a dollar store of all places. Once you have that you are ready to go.
Base:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp good vanilla
• 1 Tbsp cocoa
• 2 cups graham-cracker crumbs
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Creamy Center:

• 1/4 cup soft butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp milk
• 2 Tbsp Custard Powder

Chocolate Topping:

• 8 oz good semi-sweet chocolate
• 2 Tbsp butter

Base:  Put the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla and cocoa in the top of a double boiler ( I use a metal bowl over a pot) and put the pot on medium. The bottom pot should have water in it. Stir with a wisk until the mixture is slightly thick, at least 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, coconut and nuts into a large bowl. Add the hot chocolate mixture over the crumbs and stir with a wooden spoon. Put this mixture into a pan that has been sprayed with Pam. I use an 8x10 glass casserole dish. Pat this mixture down with your hands into a smooth base layer. Chill for 15 minutes.

Center: Blend the softened butter, powdered sugar, milk and custard powder in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread this carefully over the base when it has chilled. Then put this back in the fridge.

Topping: Melt the chocolate and butter in the top of the double boiler until it is smooth. I let this cool a bit then I carefully pour it evenly on the top of the chilled creamy layer. Spread carefully. Put it back in the fridge to chill for at least 15 minutes before cutting. A warmed knife will cut through the chocolate and all layers beautifully. I store my bars in the since I live in the desert and it's hot here! (This is a great summer time recipe because you never turn on your oven.) They don't last long so long-term storage is never an issue. Enjoy.

Peanut Butter Ginger Beef

This is a flavorful dinner even if you aren't trying to lose weight but at about 350 calories per serving it sure will help out if you are.

• 1 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1-2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 3/4 pound top round steak cut into thin strips
• 2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger root (at least)
• 2 cups baby carrots cut in half or quarters lengthwise
• 2 cups broccoli cut in small florets
• 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves
• 2 scallions sliced

In a small bowl mix together the soya sauce, peanut butter, red pepper flakes and 1/4 cup water. The peanut butter won't mix in well but that's okay.  Cut every single veggie and all the meat etc and have it ready to go because once you get stir frying you won't have time to stop and get the next ingredient ready. This comes together very quickly once things are chopped.

You can use ground ginger for this recipe ( 1/2 tsp) but the flavor is just not the same. I keep a large ginger root in my freezer at all times because it adds so much flavor to dishes. If you keep it in the freezer it will last forever it seems.

I just peel back (with a potato peeler or the back of a spoon) roughly the portion I will be grating for the recipe and after I grate what I want I put it back in the freezer. Honestly I always try to be a little heavy handed with the ginger because I love it so much. So if you don't love it like I do cut back.
One more tip: When slicing meat thin for stir frying etc I think it helps to put the meat the freezer while I am prepping everything else because it really firms it up and it is easier to slice. Don't freeze it for hours or anything because it will be too wet and won't brown when you fry it up. So I slice the meat up last and I don't keep it with my veggies. I just don't like to mix raw meat and anything else but a marinade.
Heat a large nonstick skillet or a wok over high heat until it is very hot then add 2 Tbsp of the oil. Stir-fry the steak about 2 minutes then add the ginger.

 

Cook 2 more minutes stirring constantly. Remove the meat from the wok. Add the leftover 1 Tbsp oil and stir fry carrots for 1 min stirring constantly.

 

Add the broccoli and garlic and continue stirring.for one more minute. Add 2 Tbsp of water and put the lid on the wok or pan.

 

Keep it covered for about another minute to let the veggies steam. Return the meat to the wok and add the peanut butter mixture. Stir fry for another minute. Add the scallions and remove from heat.
Serve immediately. It would be perfect to serve this with rice and brown rice is the best for health and weight loss.
Serves 4

  

Tomato Basil Pasta

This is one of my favorite meals. It is super quick and so fresh and yummy. I am a sucker for pasta and for one dish dinners! The amount of all the ingredients is just a suggestion and can be adjusted to what you like or have on hand.

• 1 cup or more of grape tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp Olive oil
• 2-3 Tbsp pesto
• 8 oz mozzarella cheese - 1/2 inch cubes
• 8 oz linguine noodles
• fresh basil
• 1/2 cup pine nuts

Start by roasting the tomatoes - mix them in a small bowl with about a Tbsp of the olive oil and salt and pepper. Put them on a sheet pan at about 400 degrees until they pop open. Usually about 8 minutes or so. Just watch them so they don't burn. Remove from the oven and set the pan aside for a few minutes. Then I turn off the oven. Put the pine nuts in a pie pan and put them in the oven for a few minutes to toast them. Don't let them burn just toast them a bit to bring out the flavor.
Cook the linguine and the leftover olive oil according to the package directions for al dente. While the pasta is cooking rough cut the basil and cube the mozzarella.
Drain the pasta but reserve about a cup of liquid. Then I put the pasta back into the pot. Add the pesto and mix well. Add the roasted tomatoes by scraping the juices, tomatoes and everything into the pot. Add the cheese cubes and about half the pine nuts. Add the basil. If it seems a little sticky add some of the reserved starchy liquid until it is the consistency you like. I garnish with a little more basil and the rest of the pine nuts. This should serve about 4 people.

Sweet & Sour Pork

This is another great dinner if you are trying not to gain weight! I love these kinds of recipes because they have lots of flavor and fresh ingredients.

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 Tbsp packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp soya sauce
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger or 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 pound of pork, cubed (You could easily use chicken)
• 1 red bell pepper diced large
• 3 green onions sliced diagonally
• 1 c drained pineapple tidbits or chunks but save the juice.

I use a hot wok for this but a large nonstick pan would work fine. Put the hoisin sauce, brown sugar, soya sauce and ginger in a large ziplock bag and mix. Add the pork and let it marinade while you cut the vegetables. Heat the oil in the pan. Stir fry the green onions and peppers until softened (about 5 min). Remove the vegetables and add the pork to the pan. Hang on to the marinade left in the bag. Brown the pork. Add the marinade, the pineapple and 1 Tbsp of the reserved pineapple juice. Stir fry about 5 min more or until the pork is cooked through. Return the green onions and peppers to the pan and stir fry together about 2 more minutes until everything is coated and heated through. Serve with rice ( I love Jasmine with this or Japanese sticky rice)
This is about 175 calories per serving not including the rice/ 4 Servings

Peach Cobbler

 

This peach cobbler is so good and not the crumble topping kind I grew up with, which I also love! Thanks to my friend Shelley who got this recipe from her mother-in-law Joyce years ago and shared it with me. This is a picture of a small individual one but I usually double the recipe and make a 9x13. This particular time I made four little ones to take to friends.

• 5-6 large fresh peaches peeled and cut up
• 1/2 tsp fresh nutmeg grated
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp flour or tapioca

Crust

• 1 c flour
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/3 c butter (well chilled or frozen is best)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg

Cut up the peaches and stir in the nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar and flour. Make adjustments on spices according to your taste. Mix carefully and put in the bottom of a 8x8 baking pan.
Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Grate the butter into the dry ingredients and mix with a pastry blender. Add egg and mix. I use my hands at this point. Form into patties. Put the patties on the top of the peaches. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or longer until browned. Fabulous served with vanilla ice cream of course!

Veggie Fried Rice

I used to make lots of this rice when I was trying to really stretch the food budget. I use what ever vegetables I have on hand. We have a garden every summer so squash and zucchini was always plentiful. Broccoli is almost a must and also carrots but don't stop there. Be creative and use up those vegetables hanging around your fridge. Special thanks to my friend Lori who taught me how to perfect my basic fried rice. A couple of things to start (thanks Lori). Always start with cold rice or leftover rice is even better. Use bacon then you never have to add oil. Don't freak out when you see all the rendered bacon grease because it is going to taste really good. Dice before you get started cooking. Keep stirring once you get started cooking. Make sure each ingredient is cooked how you like it before you add the thing because it won't cook much after. This can just be rice, bacon, eggs and onions if you want. But of course I love to add veggies and make it more of a main dish not just a side. Either way it is yummy!
So start with a hot wok or nonstick pan and stir fry 3 slices of cut up bacon. After it is cooked how you like it move it to the sides of the wok and add the chopped onion and continue stirring.

See it looks like alot of bacon fat but keep going. Stir until the onion is cooked how you like it. Then crack three eggs right into the center and stir, stir, stir.

Cook until the eggs are cooked like you want. This is the time to add your veggies. I used broccoli, carrots, celery and slivered leeks in this batch. Stir fry until the veggies are just a bit crisp if you like a little crunch like me. I add some soya sauce as well as I am stir frying this all together. Finally add the rice (about 3+ cups) and lots more soya sauce. Probably 1/4 cup. This particular batch of rice was half brown and half white. Stir it well to brown it up. I love this with sweet and sour sauce on the side too.

Molasses Oatmeal Bread

I started out by trying to replicate the bread you get at Outback Steakhouse, and we like this even better. This started as a recipe from the fabulous Canadian cookbook series, The Best of Bridge, and morphed into this gem. This is by far the BEST bread I have ever made. My family ate so much we hurt and we still reached for more!
1 package dry yeast (1 tbsp.)
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp. sugar
2 cups boiling water
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup molasses
2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
5 cups flour
1 cup cornmeal
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and stir in the tsp. of sugar. Let stand until bubbles (about 10 minutes). Pour the boiling water over the oatmeal and add molasses, salt, and butter and 1/4 cup of sugar. Let it stand until luke warm then add to the yeast mixture and beat well. Add enough flour to make a stiff mixture without being too sticky. Knead dough for a few minutes - so much easier if done in a stand mixer. Form into a large ball, cover and let rise until twice the original size. I have always found the best place for this is on a heating pad on the kitchen table!
Pour cornmeal onto a plate. Punch down the dough and with wet hands, divide into four equal parts. Shape each part into a log and roll in cornmeal. Put all four logs into a greased jelly roll pan and place in a warm place to rise again. I always just do this part in a warm oven (not hot, just barely warm). Once the bread has doubled in size, place a small loaf pan filled with water on the bottom shelf of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. The water will help the bread maintain its moisture while baking. Bake bread in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes. Test for doneness by tapping the top and hearing a hollow sound.
Try to wait until it's not too hot to slice, but we can never wait that long!!

BBQ Rib Dinner

Country style ribs are an inexpensive way to have delicious barbequed ribs. By using a dry rub and doing most of the cooking in the oven, you can have restaurant quality ribs with minimal effort.
I discovered the joys of cooking meats with dry rubs a couple of years ago when looking through a cooking magazine that devoted a whole article to the art of dry rubs.  The way I cook steaks and ribs has forever changed after reading that article, much to the delight of my family!  Experiment with different rub ingredients to find out what your family likes!
When making baby back ribs, I usually put a bit of brown sugar in my rub, but tonight, I kept it simple.  I used a Kirkland Signature brand mesquite seasoning which gives the meat a nice smoky taste, without having to use wood chips to smoke the meat.
Dry Rub:
1 Tbsp sea salt
1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp dry mustard powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chile powder
1 Tbsp Mesquite seasoning
BBQ Country Style Ribs
Serves 4
6 - 8 Country Style pork ribs
Dry rub (above)
Barbeque sauce of your choice (I used Sweet Baby Rays)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Trim excess fat off the pork ribs. Sprinkle the rub over all sides of the meat, rubbing it in well.  Place the ribs in a 9" X 13" baking pan and cover tightly with foil.  Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until ribs are tender.  Preheat a barbeque grill to medium heat.  Place ribs on the grill, over indirect heat.  Cover the top of the ribs with barbeque sauce. Close the cover on the grill and cook for about 10 minutes.  Turn the ribs over, brush with sauce again and grill for another 10 minutes.  Remove to a serving dish, and enjoy!
Oven Roasted Red Potatoes
Serves 4
8 small to medium red potatoes
2 Tbsp olive oil
Sea Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 425°F.  Scrub potatoes and cut into bite size pieces.  Place in a 9" X 13" baking dish and toss with the olive oil.  Sprinkle with the sea salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, and stir.  Bake for an additional 20 minutes, until tender and golden brown.

Greek Pizza

I have a confession: I'm having an affair. Every time after I work out (side bar: not something I particularly enjoy - I mean, c'mon, who really does?!?), I find myself being drawn to this with reckless abandon. It's the sun dried tomatoes...I'm hopefully drawn to them and just can't get enough. So, yes, I'd say I'm having a rather fantastic affair with these divine little temptations.
This recipe began by emptying out my fridge in search of something satisfying and healthy; after all, I just worked my butt off and didn't want to find that butt again from lovely butter and sugar. I think this fits the bill! And yet another side bar: it's vegetarian!
Flour tortilla
Hummus (I used Sabra with delectable jalapeno bits - great little kick!)
Sun dried tomatoes (yummmm)
Onion
Feta cheese (I used Publix generic with basil and - you guessed it - tomato)
Start by throwing that tortilla right on the rack in a preheated oven - 400 degrees or so should do it. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn - it should be crisp and just starting to brown.
While the tortilla is becoming magically delicious, sauté some sun dried tomatoes with thinly sliced onion. No need to add butter or oil as there is already oil on my tomato buddies. Continue cooking over medium-low heat until the onions begin to caramelize; the secret to a great sautéed onion is low and slow heat. Yeah, I cheat on this sometimes and crank that heat up to medium so I can get to the eatin' part sooner.
Once everything is cooked to your satisfaction, spread the hummus on the warm, crisp tortilla and layer the tomatoes and onions over that. Finish it off with a light sprinkle of Feta, and let your affair with this Greek pizza begin!!

Beet Salad

• 2 large beets or a 2 15oz cans cubed beets
• 1 cup carrots matchstick carrots
• 3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 Tablespoon finely diced red onion
• 2 Tablespoons light mayo
• salt and pepper to taste

If using fresh beets boil them until tender, about 45 min. Peel and chop them into cubes about 1/2 inch. Quickly boil the carrots for about 2 minutes. You still want them to have some crisp. Combine everything and mix well. I save half the cilantro for garnish on top. It's fun for the kids to see the carrots are pink not orange when it is all mixed up! Serve chilled or room temp. This is a great substitute for potato salad.

Pumpkin Choc Chip Cookies

I needed a quick recipe for a treat to take with me one day so I whipped some of these little cookies up. I like to make them small so you don't feel so guilty when you eat a bunch of them. I know, doesn't make sense but that's how I justify it.

Mix together:

1 carrot cake mix (you can substitute any other one you want)

1 - 15oz can of pumpkin puree

1 cup mini chocolate chips.

Just mix it all up together and drop onto cookie sheet with a small scoop. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes. Seriously it doesn't get any easier than that. They are so yummy you will eat them by the handful!

Corn Chowder

Finely chop 1 onion and saute in a large dutch oven in 1/2 c butter for a minute or two until softened. Add 1/2 cup flour. Cook and stir for at least 1 minute so flour taste will be gone. Add 5+ cups milk. Cook on medium heat stirring constantly until it is thick. This takes awhile so be patient it's worth the wait. Add
1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper.
1 Tbsp chicken base
1# bacon (cooked and crumbled)
2 large potatoes (cooked and cubed)
2 cans creamed corn
2 cans corn kernels
1-2 c shredded cheddar cheese
Cook until it is heated through. If it thickens too much just add more milk. You can replace part of the milk with cream or half & half to make it richer and creamier if you prefer. Garnish with corn kernels or cheese.

Turkey Saltimbocca

I tried a new recipe for chicken saltimbocca, and though it looked really cool, I didn't like it at all!  I took it as a challenge to make my own that looked just as good, but tasted good as well.  This recipe passed the taste test and the eye-pleasing test. It was a hit with the whole family.  I think the provolone cheese was what made it sooooo yummy.  I used freeze dried spinach, but frozen spinach that has been thawed with the excess moisture squeezed out would work just as well.  Make sure you use a good quality bacon.  I like applewood smoked.

4 turkey breast cutlets
4 slices of bacon, cut in half
4 tsp basil pesto
1/3 cup chopped spinach
4 slices provolone cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  In an oven proof skillet, fry the bacon over medium heat until cooked through, but not crisp.  Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels.  Remove all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from the pan.

Pat the turkey cutlets dry and salt and pepper each side, if desired.  Spread one teaspoon of pesto on each cutlet.  Place two bacon slice halves on top of the pesto on each cutlet.  Place a slice of provolone cheese over top of the bacon.  Evenly divide the spinach between each cutlet and sprinkle on top of the cheese.  Roll up each turkey cutlet like a jellyroll, beginning at a small end and secure with a toothpick.  Cook the turkey rolls in the skillet over medium high heat, turning to brown each side, about 2 minutes per side.  You may need to add a bit of olive oil to the skillet to keep the turkey from sticking.

Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for an additional 12 - 15 minutes, or until cooked through.  Remove the toothpicks before serving.  This goes really well with Fettucini Alfredo.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

First, credit for this family favorite goes to Carolyn. She gave me this recipe and we love it at my house! Every time I make it people want the recipe so posting this makes it easier to share.

• 4 lg baking potatoes
• 2/3 c butter
• 2/3 c flour
• 6 c milk (whole or less fat works if you prefer)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 4 green onions chopped
• 12 slices bacon
• 1-2 c shredded cheddar
• 1 Tbsp chicken base
• 8oz sour cream

Bake 4 large baking potatoes at 400 degrees for an hour. Cool and cut into 1/2 inch cubes leaving the skins on. While the potatoes are baking cook the bacon and crumble it. Make a roux with the butter and flour. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes to get rid of the flour taste then add milk. Cook stirring with a whisk constantly until it is thick and bubbly. Be patient it takes awhile. Add S & P, chicken base, green onions, bacon potatoes and cheese. Cool until heated through, Stir in the sour cream. Add extra milk if it gets too thick.This soup is great served in a bread bowl since it is nice and thick. The best comfort food going! If I am feeling like something less rich I just use 1% milk and cut down on the bacon and cheese and it is still yummy.

Yields 10 cups.

What's For Dinner??

“Dinner Time!” Those two seemingly innocent little words are enough to either set your mouth watering in anticipation of the glorious culinary treats to come or to fill you with dread and foreboding at the impending disaster that surely awaits. This blog is dedicated to all those who came home from school to the smell of dubious ingredients cooking in the kitchen and had to spend hours in fear and trepidation awaiting what would ultimately be their dinner. Before you get the wrong impression, let us be clear that for the most part, our mother is a fabulous cook and is largely responsible for our culinary abilities today. However, it is hard to erase the memories of those liver and onion dinners.

This blog is created as a collaborative effort by four sisters in four different parts of the country, and in various stages of our lives. We are all busy mothers, working either full or part time and involved in our churches and communities. We love to get together and when we do its all about the food. We decided that we are great cooks with different strengths and when we work together we can do amazing things! So long story short this blog was born. We wanted to put all our recipes in one handy spot that we could use with our parents, children, grandchildren and friends. We will add to each page until it is bulging at the seams and then we hope to print it out for everyone to use with us.These recipes are designed with busy mothers and families in mind. May you find your new family favorite recipes here, and please, leave comments for others with suggestions on how you would or did improve on these delectable meals!