Stuffed Mushrooms

I almost never host Thanksgiving since I have a mother-in-law who shines in that department. I do, however, love to cook Thanksgiving dinner which means my husband usually gets to eat the meal twice over the holiday weekend. He doesn't complain...
This year we tried a new method of cooking turkey which was OUTSTANDING and really very simple. Here is the link that explains each and every step. We cooked ours in the oven instead of on the grill, but other than that the process was the same and our turkey turned out beautiful, moist, and delicious. My husband thinks that he needs to consult Meathead for every problem in life (well at least in the kitchen) and I have to admit I'm becoming a big fan myself!

Anyway, as my contribution to Thanksgiving at my mother-in-law's house, I was planning to bring some marinated mushrooms. I bought an entire 10 pound box of fresh mushrooms so I'd have plenty to eat at home as well.
To my surprise when I went to go pick them up I found that I'd ordered them JUMBO size... not exactly fitting for the appetizer I'd had in mind!
All was not lost though and I came up with this delicious alternative. And with these jumbo-sized mushrooms this could easily be turned into a meal by adding just a little ground beef or turkey in with the stuffing. I tried a couple different versions and if you love mushrooms you will love these!

 Stuffed Mushrooms
12-15 whole fresh mushrooms (or 6 giant ones!)
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, diced
1 Tbsp butter
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning or Simon & Garfunkel Rub (I used S&G- another Meathead Favorite)
1/2 cup. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Carefully break off stems. Chop stems extremely fine, discarding tough end of stems.

2. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and chopped mushroom stems to the skillet. Saute about three minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp. Add garlic and seasonings. Cook an additional two minutes.

3. Add bread crumbs and cheese and stir until completely combined. Using a little spoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of stuffing. Arrange the mushroom caps on prepared cookie sheet.

4. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the mushrooms are piping hot and liquid starts to form under caps.

**As made, I thought these mushrooms were fabulous! But I love mushrooms. For my husband who only likes mushrooms he thought these were a bit too mushroomy and needed something extra. The following is a variation I made for him which I actually thought was a tie with the first but they taste quite a bit different. These are not quite so Thanksgiving'ish so would be a good appetizer for any occasion.


6-8 whole fresh mushrooms (or 2 giant ones!)
1/4 cup chives, chopped
1 Tbsp dry sherry
1 Tbsp butter
1 large clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon herbes de Provence or dried thyme
4 oz. cream cheese
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp walnuts


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Carefully break off stems. Chop stems extremely fine, discarding tough end of stems.

2. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushroom stems and sherry to the skillet. Saute about two minutes. Add garlic and seasonings. Cook an additional one minute.


3. Add bread crumbs, cream cheese, chives and walnuts. Stir until completely combined. Using a little spoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of stuffing. Arrange the mushroom caps on prepared cookie sheet.

4. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the mushrooms are piping hot and liquid starts to form under caps.

Sweet Chili Poppers

Did you get some of these yummy sweet chilies in your Bountiful Basket on Saturday? I got mine plus a friend gave me hers as well (two weeks in a row) so by this last Saturday I had a whole bag full in my refrigerator. I chose to turn mine into some delicious appetizers for our Father's day feast.


Sweet Chili Poppers
2 cups soft bread crumbs (I used rye bread for extra flavor. Puree it in your blender, or Vita-mix for fine crumbs.)
1 cup finely chopped sweet apple
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 Tbsp finely diced fresh cilantro
3 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 oz. Monterey or PepperJack cheese, sliced
about 20 sweet chili peppers

Combine bread crumbs, apple, onion, cilantro and bacon. Add egg and milk. Mix until all is incorporated and moist. 

 

Wash peppers and arrange them so they lay flat. On the opposite side of each pepper, cut a 'T' into the side of the pepper for the filling.

Stuff each pepper with stuffing (baby spoons work great for this!) and arrange in a single layer into a lightly greased casserole dish with a lid. Top each pepper with a piece of cheese (cut to fit). 

 Bake covered at 350 degrees F.  for 30 minutes. Serve warm or cold. They're delicious either way!

Daikon Asian Slaw Salad

I could eat this every day! But this is totally "my type of food" as my husband puts it so I won't be offended if you don't love it as much as I do. This slaw doesn't hide the bold flavor of the daikon so if you aren't a huge fan of them, you probably won't love this salad. If so, replace the daikon with more cabbage in the following recipe. 
If you do love daikon and are looking for more ways to eat it, try slicing it and adding it to your next veggie tray along with snap peas and broccoli with your favorite vegetable dip. 
 
Daikon Asian Slaw Salad

2 cups julienne cut daikon radish (1 large daikon)
1 small carrot, julienne cut
1 cup shredded cabbage
2 tablespoons minced sweet onion (optional)
1 tsp sea salt
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 tablespoons unsweetened white grape juice (or pineapple juice)
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 

1 tsp sweet rice wine (mirin)
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
crushed peanuts (optional)


Place the daikon in a colander/mesh strainer over a bowl or the sink and sprinkle with salt. Mix well. Let sit for 30 minutes. Squeeze out excess water and then rinse well with cold water. Drain.
In a small jar, combine the rice vinegar, juice, pepper, oil, yogurt and rice wine. Seal jar and shake well.
Transfer the daikon to an airtight container along with the carrot, cabbage and onion (if using) and pour the rice vinegar mixture over. Shake or stir well to combine. Chill for 20 minutes before serving.
This can store for up to a few days in the fridge, if it lasts that long. If desired, serve topped with crushed peanuts.

Zesty Asparagus

Hard as it is to believe when it's snowing outside, it really is Spring! Here's the proof right here in my garden. Yummy tender asparagus shoots popping out of the ground. I finally had enough to cook with our dinner and I'd been patiently waiting to try this recipe for myself. This comes from a friend of mine (Emily). Thanks!



Zesty Marinated Asparagus

• 2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch asparagus just until tender, about 1 minute. Plunge into a bowl of cold water to cool. Drain asparagus and place in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour in vinaigrette and seal bag. Refrigerate at least 3 hours, turning bag occasionally.
2. Just before serving, drain asparagus, reserving vinaigrette. Arrange on a serving platter and sprinkle with lemon zest, parsley, salt, and pepper. Serve reserved vinaigrette in a small dish on the side. 

Lemon Balsamic Vinaigrette & Tomato Cucumber Salad

Tomato Cucumber Salad

2 large cucumbers, diced
1 yellow crookneck squash, diced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
3 large tomatoes, diced
1 cup chopped black olives
1 red pepper, diced
6 oz mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 cup Lemon Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing

In a large salad bowl, mix together the cucumbers, zucchini, red onion, tomatoes, black olives, basil, and thyme. Drizzle dressing all over vegetables- you may not end up using the entire cup of dressing. Sprinkle cubed mozzarella onto each individual serving of salad.

Lemon Balsamic Vinaigrette
 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
zest from one lemon
1 lemon, juiced
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp white sugar
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, kosher salt, sugar, basil, thyme, and pepper until thoroughly combined. Pour the olive oil slowly into the dressing mixture, whisking to combine. Pour the dressing over the salad, and serve. Makes 1 cup.

Everybody Loves Mike (stuffed Bacon Rolls)

The reason I LOVE this show? Every married couple can relate... even if they won't admit it. Our "suitcase" changes from time to time, but we usually have one. Most recently our "suitcase" was the turkey fryer. Mike loves to fry a turkey for Thanksgiving... I usually resist as much as possible for two reasons:
1. I like traditional roasted turkey. Fried turkey, while delicious, just isn't the traditional taste I crave.
2. EVERY time we fry a turkey... guess who gets to clean the nasty mess... I'll give you a hint. It's not Mike!

I'm sure we both have our reasons for feeling like the other should clean the mess. My reasons? Well, obviously- he's the one who wanted fried turkey, right? His reasons I assume are somewhere along the lines of- he cooked it, I clean it.
Weekends and evenings come and go. We both see it every day. Of course it's hard not to, it's been sitting in our garage for nearly a month! I step over it and around it but I don't clean it... yet. I wait for Mike to yield until he is finally "the one to take care of it."
Of course it's usually me who finally does it, but not silently. The deed is accompanied by grand statements of "look what I did today! See how I'm so amazing?" when what I really mean is "I couldn't take it anymore! You win this year, but game on for next year. mwahaha!"
But really... what finally ended the game this year was this: New Year's Eve! We are planning to have our first ever New Year's Eve family party (nothing big- just our family) and Mike has been stewing over all the junk he wants to eat. He's been bringing up fried foods a LOT.... and hinting that he'd use the oil that's already sitting in the fryer. Why waste it, right? I mean, how often do restaurants actually change the oil. It would probably just add flavor to whatever we cook. Mmmmm... AAAAaa!
So I like to think that he was just bluffing, but that's not a bluff I'm willing to call.
Today I cleaned the turkey fryer. *Sigh* Game on for next year...

For now, enjoy these Bacon Rolls, one of our favorite treats for New Year's Eve parties. And notice... they are NOT fried. :)

Stuffed Bacon Rolls
(from Mike's mom, Annette)

2 c. soft bread crumbs (about 3 slices bread)
1 c. finely chopped baking apple
1 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1 Tbsp snipped parsley
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 c. milk
1 beaten egg
10-12 slices bacon

1. In a mixing bowl, combine bread crumbs, apple, onion, parsley, salt and pepper. Add milk and beaten egg and mix well.
2. Cut each slice of bacon in half crosswise. Shape crumb mixture into balls, using one rounded tablespoon for each. Wrap each ball with half bacon slice; seure with a toothpick. Place on wire rack set on a 15x10 cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 375 degrees F. or until bacon is brown. Serve immediately.

Breaded Zucchini Bites

I actually used gray squash for this because that's what I had on hand; really this works for any Summer squash.

Breaded Zucchini Bites

2 zucchinis, washed and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup milk
1/4 - 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 egg
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
Spray olive oil (I like the spritzer-type bottle)

Spray one large cookie sheet with olive oil. Take out 4 small bowls. To the first bowl, add milk. Combine flour with seasonings in the second bowl. Crack and whip an egg into the third and the last bowl will hold your bread crumbs. Dip each zucchini slice into the milk, then coat thoroughly with flour mixture. Carefully dip into the bowl with egg until flour is covered, then coat with bread crumbs and place onto greased cookie sheet. Repeat until all zucchini is breaded. If you'd like to, spray the tops of the zucchini pieces with the olive oil for a little extra crunch. Bake at 425 F for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. These are great dipped in marinara sauce, ranch or bleu cheese dressing.

Cheesy Potato Casserole

You all know I'm Mormon, right? These are an LDS staple and to be honest, one of the best comfort foods that I've ever had. I guess that's why they're also known as "Funeral Potatoes". These potatoes are amazing. I have to be careful when I cook these to make just enough for dinner... otherwise I end up eating the leftovers all by myself!

Cheesy Potato Casserole

5 large potatoes (should be about 10 cups chopped)
3 Tbsp butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives (or use green onions)
3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese

Bread crumb topping (optional):

3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
2 Tbsp butter, melted
3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

Wash and peel potatoes (if you like the peels leave them on like I do!). Dice potatoes into about 1/2 inch cubes. In large fry pan, saute the potatoes in butter until slightly browned and softened. Add potatoes to a 13x9 in baking dish. Mix together soup, sour cream, milk, cheese and chives. Pour evenly over potatoes without mixing. In a seperate bowl, mix together bread crumbs, butter and parmesan cheese. (I usually omit the butter at this point, there's enough oil from the cheese in my opinion to still get a nice crispy topping.) Sprinkle over the top of the soup mixture. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 F.

**If you're in a hurry, substitute one large package of frozen hashbrowns. If this is the case, grab a bag of Potatoes O'Brian for extra flavor (Potatoes with onions and peppers mixed in).

Cream Cheese Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Everybody who knows my family knows what we're eating on Sunday night. Roast. Potatoes. Gravy... In fact, I think I can count on one hand how many times we've had something other than that since Mike and I have been married! Don't get me wrong, it's good... but for somebody who barely eats meat at all, a roast every Sunday is a bit extreme. So for me, Sunday Dinner is ALL about the sides.  These mashed potatoes are delicious and I do love potatoes. Gravy is totally optional here as the potatoes themselves have plenty of flavor on their own.

Cream Cheese Garlic Mashed Potatoes

2 1/2 pounds red potatoes, washed and UNpeeled

1 tsp sea salt

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup milk

2 cloves minced garlic

1 Tbsp dry parsley

2 Tbsp chopped chives (you can use green onions if you don't have chives)

1 tsp black pepper

Chop potatoes into small chunks and add to a large pot. Fill pot with water just until potatoes are barely covered. Sprinkle salt into pot and cook on high until water is boiling. Reduce heat to maintain a low boil for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove potatoes from water and place in a large mixing bowl. (Save water for gravy if you are planning to make some.)

To potatoes add cream cheese, milk and seasonings. Mash potatoes with a potatoe masher or with an electric beater on low. Add more milk (by the tablespoon) if you like a thinner consistency. You can also add more salt at this point, but taste it first. I find that it usually doesn't need it with all the other yummy flavors!

"Rice-A-Roni"

This is one of those things that I used to make a lot back in my single days. Tasty, simple & satisfying. For me anyway, I love rice... and I love pasta. So what could be better than a combination of the two, right? Here's a simple way to make your own. It ends up being much cheaper than the name-brand box (even when you get it on sale) and only slightly more work.

        Seasoned Rice And Pasta (similar to Rice-a-Roni)

1 cup thin spaghetti, broken into small pieces

(break it up in the bag by whacking it with a meat tenderizer)

1 1/2 cups long grain rice

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup white sauce mix

1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

3 tsp chicken soup base or 3 cubes chicken bouillon

4 1/2 cups water

Heat oil in large heavy skillet over med-high heat. Add rice and broken spaghetti.

Cook and stir until pasta is browned. Add white sauce mix, Italian seasoning, soup base and water. Stir until well combined.

Allow mixture to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until liquid cooks away. Remove from heat. Allow to sit, covered, about 10 minutes.

Fluff with a fork before serving.

Mangoes! Mango Peach Salsa, Mango Smoothie

I don't like Mangoes... well... I used to not like mangoes. Turns out I've just been eating them wrong all these years. For example, I've just recently been using them in salsa... and smoothies! YUM! We had mangoes in our BB for a couple weeks in a row. The first week I made some pineapple mango salsa with one and froze the other. Last week I ended up with 3 mangoes in our basket. I turned two of them (plus the one I put into the freezer) into this delicious smoothie. Wow! yum, etc.. it's really good. Sorry no picture here.. I can never keep it in the glass long enough to snap one ;)

Pineapple Mango Smoothie

1 cup frozen mangoes
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 peach (not necessary to peel)
1 plum
1 banana
1 cup frozen cantaloupe
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
8 oz cold water

Place soft fruit on the bottom of the blender followed by frozen fruit. Add protein powder and water, blend and enjoy!

I like using about half frozen fruit and half fresh. This keeps me from having to add ice making the smoothie less potent (imo). It also makes it so I can use less liquid for it to blend properly. I've added other fruit to this also, like watermelon which was fantastic!

When I made my Pineapple Mango Salsa a little while back my dear husband told me "I think this needs more tomatoes" to which I responded, "That would make sense seeing as I didn't use any tomatoes in this!" So this one is for you Mike!

Peach Mango Salsa

1 mango
2 tomatoes
2 peaches
1/2 bunch cilantro (about 1 cup chopped)
1 red onion
3 cloves garlic
1 large bell pepper
2 jalepenos (or banana peppers if you'd like to keep it mild)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 tsp salt (optional)

Dice all vegetables and fruit. Add vinegar and salt if desired. Combine and enjoy!

Vegas: Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

This last weekend I dragged my family along with me to Las Vegas so I could attend my baby brother's (and his wife's) baby shower. It was so much fun! and my cute sister-in-law-mom-to-be looks adorable with her pregnant belly.
Whenever we go to Vegas we always stay in a timeshare. I love this option because it's like a home away from home. There are bedrooms with doors that close, a full livingroom and even a kitchen! But really... the point of this post?

You'll have to excuse my plating as this meal doesn't look nearly as appetizing as it actually was... You'll just have to take my word for it. But this is the point: this meal was prepared in our room while on vacation! And before you all start cringing and thinking "that's exactly the point of going on vacation.. to not cook!" please just hear me out. Pictured above is Chicken Cordon Bleu casserole with a side of Cheesy mashed potates and steamed Summer squash. But guess what? With the exception of the squash, I cooked these in April! They've been all wrapped up in my freezer waiting for a special occasion to be enjoyed. This was so wonderful! I packed the freezer meal and side right into my ice chest (which saved me from having to buy ice-while the meal was defrosting it also helped keep the rest of the cooler cool). By the time we got to our room and unpacked, I just stuck dinner straight into the oven. It was finished in about an hour at 350. We went swimming at one of the resorts pools while we waited. Perfect! Not only did I not have to worry about finding a place to go out to eat when we got into town, but it also saved us MONEY. Not to mention giving us more time to relax and enjoy being on vacation!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

8 slices ham
8 slices Swiss cheese
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated
1/3 c. parmesan cheese grated
½ pkg Stove Top stuffing (chicken)
    Or
    ¾ c bread crumbs (save the crumbs from slicing home-made bread)
1/4 c. melted butter

Sauce:

1 can cream of mushroom (or celery, chicken (or one of each if tripling)) soup
¼ c. milk
1/4 c. chunky bleu cheese dressing (optional)
1 sm. Can mushrooms (optional)
1 T parsley
½ tsp garlic or lemon pepper
1-2 Tbsp diced green onions (optional)

Place slices of ham separately in a casserole dish. Place Swiss cheese and then chicken on each slice of ham. Mix ingredients in sauce and pour over chicken. Sprinkle grated cheeses over sauce. Top with bread crumbs. Drizzle butter over bread crumbs. Bake covered at 350 for 50 minutes. Remove cover and bake 10 minutes more.

**For the freezer: Assemble as above except do not add bread crumbs and grated cheese: Add these after defrosting, before putting into the oven. I like to make at least three of these at a time especially when ham is on sale during the Holidays (Easter is coming up!) I buy a spiral sliced ham specifically for this recipe. One ham will easily make 3 casseroles plus plenty for other recipes. Also I just triple the sauce recipe instead of making single batches to save time. Keeps 3+ months.

***A cheap freezer container: line your pan with heavy duty foil before assembling casserole. Assemble then put in freezer-allow to freeze solid. Once frozen, remove foil lined casserole from pan and wrap again with heavy duty foil until it's sealed. Then put back into the freezer until you're ready to use. Once you're ready to use your casserole just unwrap the outer foil layer & pop it back into your original casserole dish.

Cheesy Baked Mashed Potatoes
(Makes 2 9x13 pans full)

10 large potatoes
6 Tbsp melted butter
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
2 cups sour cream
2 cups milk
½ cup finely chopped green onions
1 ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tsp garlic powder

Optional topping
1 ½ c dry bread crumbs
¼ cup melted butter
½ cup Parmesan cheese

Wash & peel potatoes and boil until tender. While potatoes are boiling, combine cream soups, milk, cheese, green onions, garlic and sour cream. Divide tender potatoes equally between two 9x13 inch pans. Fork mash the potatoes as you spread them out in the pan. Drizzle melted butter over potatoes and then ½ the cream sauce over each pan. Wrap one pan in heavy duty aluminum foil & freeze up to 3 months. Cook the other uncovered in 400 F oven for 20-30 minutes until potatoes are bubbly & slightly browned on top. To re-heat frozen potatoes, put frozen dish into cold oven (keep covered with foil). Turn oven to 350 and heat at least one hour. (you can leave it in the oven longer- up to 2 hours- the foil will keep it from burning) Remove foil and increase temperature to 400 and cook until browned on top (about 15-20 minutes). If using optional topping, don’t add until you increase temperature. Do not add before freezing or it will not get crispy.

Grilled Veggies

I cooked some of these vegetables on the fire last night, but because we had SO much to cook, I threw several packages of veggies on the grill as well to save time. You can put just about any vegetable (or fruit) into these foil packets before grilling. I'll just tell you what I put into ours. They really turned out great!

Grilled Veggies

1 Tbsp butter
1/2 Tbsp Mrs. Dash type seasoning (I used Bragg)
1-2 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
about 5 asparagus spears
1 large carrot, cut into chunks
1 stalk of celery, cut into chunks
1/4 cup onion, cut into chunks
1/2 small zucchini, cut into large chunks
    (Summer squash cooks quickly so be sure to cut them bigger than the other vegetables)
1 Tbsp Miso

Cut a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil. Arrange vegetables in the center of the foil. Be sure you have enough foil on either side of the vegetables to fold completely over vegetables so you can be sure to get a tight wrap. Sprinkle miso over vegetables followed by Mrs. Dash. Add a pat of butter to the top of the pile and fold foil over, completely enclosing vegetables in a tight package. Heat grill to about 500 F. Arrange foil packets in a single layer on grill and close lid. Grill 10 minutes. Turn packets and grill an additional 8-10 minutes. If wrapped tightly, vegetables will stay hot for up to an hour giving you plenty of time to finish cooking your meal before serving if necessary.

Larb (similar to Chinese chicken wraps)

I LOVE Thai food. It's one of my favorite things. In fact when my hubby and I got out he has to wrestle me to get me to go anywhere other than my favorite Thai Village. Yum! Unfortunately, I can't go there every day so I've been experimenting with my own Larb (pronounced Lob) which is a Thai Salad. I don't know whether to call this recipe Larb yet.. it's not quite there. But it was still a hit at our family barbecue tonight.

Filling

1 large carrot, shredded

1/4 cup diced chives, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

1 hot banana pepper, diced

zest of one lime

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1 lb ground turkey or chicken

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

1 tsp sesame oil

Chop all vegetables. Preheat large skillet to medium high heat. Add oil and meat and cook until no longer pink. (Meanwhile make sauce.) When meat is cooked, add vegetables and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Pour sauce over all and chill. Serve cold over a bed of lettuce. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Sauce

2 tbsp rice vinegar

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

1 1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp (or to taste) green curry paste

2 Tbsp Agave (or honey)

juice from one lime

1 large garlice clove, minced

soy sauce or aminos to taste

In a small pan combine ingredients. Cook on medium heat to incorporate flavors. About 2-3 minutes. Set aside to pour over filling. Can make a double batch and serve some on the side with your salad.

Boiled Eggs

Ok... sometimes I take for granted some of the simplest cooking techniques like boiling an egg. So here it is! A detailed description of "How to boil an egg".

Step 1: Carefully place eggs in a single layer across the bottom of a medium sauce pan.
Step 2: Cover eggs with about 1 inch of water. Cover pan with a tight fitting lid.
Step 3: Heat to boiling.
Step 4: Remove from heat and allow to sit for 20 minutes without removing lid.
Step 5: Drain hot water and rinse eggs with cool water to stop cooking process. Serve cold.

"Happily Ever After" Potato Salad

I call this my "Happily Ever After" Potato Salad because when I was preparing this dish on Saturday, my 5-year-old helped me by tasting it to see if it was good. She loved it so much she asked for more. I told her "this is for dinner tomorrow, so we'll save it until then" to which she replied "If we have that for dinner tomorrow, our family will live happily ever after!"  This coming from my picky eater... lol!

Potato Salad

10 small potatoes, peeled & diced into 1 in. cubes
5 hard boiled eggs, roughly chopped
3/4 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, or to taste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, or to taste
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 teaspoon celery salt
salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill weed

Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover them with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through but still firm, about 15 minutes. Remove from the water, let cool. While potatoes are cooking, chop vegetables (onion, pepper, celery) and dill and add to a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, celery salt, and salt and pepper until well mixed. Place the cooled potatoes and eggs into the large salad bowl, and stir to combine. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and eggs, and mix lightly. Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes. For best taste prepare a day ahead of time to allow flavors to blend. Serve cold.

Lamb Meatballs, Fruit & Spinach Salad, Kabobs

I am getting so wussy in my old age. It's been so HOT in my house and the outside temps are only in the low 90's as of yet. Either way, the thought of turning on my oven is just about unbearable so we've been grilling the past few nights. I've enjoyed coming up with some different things to cook on the grill- afterall, we can't have steak and hamburgers every night that it's too hot to cook indoors.

In the process of cleaning out my freezer I found some lamb meat that I bought late last year on clearance and with a coupon. It came out to $1.50/lb so I figured it was worth a shot at that price. But, in all this time I've never known what to do with it. The other night I decided to turn it into some grilled meatballs.

Lamb Meatballs

2 lbs ground lamb

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 Tbsp. ground cumin

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

olive oil

In a medium bowl, using yuor hands, gently mix the meatball ingredients. Do not overwork the mixture (like I did! I mixed the meat in a plastic bag so I wouldn't have to touch it, but I ended up over-working it that way...) or the meatballs will be tough. Makes about 25 meatballs Thread 5 meatballs onto each skewer. Lightly brush with oil. Pre-heat grill to about 400 F. Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the meatballs with the lid closed as much as possible until they have browned but are still slightly pink in the center, 4-6 minutes, turning occasionally.

I also bought a pineapple and some peppers last Saturday at Costco that needed to be used. So, to go along with our meatballs, I made some pineapple/veggie kabobs and some Fruit & Spinach salad.

Fruit & Vegetable Kabobs

1/2 large onion

3-4 cups fresh pineapple chunks (1/2 pineapple)

1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks

1 orange bell pepper, cut into chunks

8 oz button mushrooms

2 cups tomatoes, cut into large chunks

or 18 plum tomatoes 

 If using bamboo instead of metal skewers be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes. Thread vegetables onto skewers. Keep the vegetables close enough to just touch, without crowding. Brush with olive oil. Preheat grill to 400 F. Brush cooking grates clean. Grill with the lid closed as much as possible until skins of the vegetables begin to brown and blister - about 8 minutes- turning occasionally.

My last edition to our meal was an afterthought. I just wanted to use the extra pineapple and onions that didn't fit onto the kabobs, but it turned out really great! I made a Fruit and Spinach salad with Sesame Vinaigrette

 

Fruit & Spinach Salad

1/2 lb baby spinach
4 oz sliced strawberries
1 cup pineapple, cut into bite-sized pieces (if using canned, reserve the juice)
1/2 cup onion, cut into small chunks
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup Sesame Vinaigrette

Combine salad ingredients. Toss with Sesame Vinaigrette. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to combine flavors.

Sesame Vinaigrette

4 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted*

2 tablespoon rice vinegar
6 tablespoons unsweetened white grape juice (or use the reserved pineapple juice)
4 teaspoons sesame oil
 
Combine ingredients in a small jar. Shake to combine. Allow to sit for several hours if possible to combine flavors. Shake again before serving.
*I didn't have any sesame seeds, so I made my dressing without them and it still tasted great.
 
Overall, my opinion about lamb? I think I'll stick with ground beef and turkey. The guys seemed to like them (we only ended up with 4 leftover meatballs) but, while they were good, they don't top my list of favorites. Maybe it's because I kept conjuring images of a cute little fuzzy creature bleating and crying or maybe just because I overworked the meat and the meatballs turned out a bit tough. But at least now I can say I've tried cooking it, right?

Fried Rice, Eggs Fu-Yung, More Smoothies

The boys are back in town! I had grand plans of preparing amazing rice and vegetable dinners while they were gone but turns out we went super simple instead. I did do some cooking (like homestyle MacNcheese, Veggie burgers, gnocci, fried rice and eggs fu-yung) but for the most part we ate leftovers (like stir-fry from the freezer that I cooked earlier this month) and LOTS of smoothies. In fact, it seemed like every other meal last week was in smoothie form. And I did serve granola for dinner... but just once and it was on the last day of my week without the boys.
Here are a few of the smoothies that we had:

Orange Cream Smoothie
1 orange, peeled and segmented
1 cup orange juice

1 cup crushed ice

1 cup water

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp dry milk powder

Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie
1/2 cup fresh strawberries (one of my neighbors shared her harvest with me!)
3 Tbsp dry milk powder
1 cup crushed ice
1 Tbsp flaxseeds
1/2 cup plain yogurt

Spinach Berry Smoothie
1/2 cup fresh strawberries
1 cup frozen blueberries
2 cups orange juice
2 cups spinach greens
2 Tbsp. honey

Add ingredients to blender putting softest ingredients (like fresh berries) in first. Pour liquid in last. Blend until smooth.

Last week we also had Eggs Fu-yung using some of the stir-fried vegetables I had in the freezer. There's no picture on this one as I used up my camera battery on one of our fun outings! Eggs Fu-Yung is another meal my dad used to make when I was a kid. It's an awesome way to make a meal out of leftover Chinese food.

Eggs Fu-Yung
Sauce
1 cup Chicken Broth
2 Tbsp Soy sauce
1 Tbsp Cornstarch
1/4 cup water
Egg Mixture
6 eggs
4 cups cooked stir fried vegetables
   like onions, sliced, bean sprouts, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower
2 Tbsp olive oil

Mix broth and soy sauce. Heat to boiling. Mix cornstarch and water. Stir slowly into the broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Keep warm while cooking egg mixture. Beat eggs until very thick and light. Fold in vegetables. Heat oil in frypan over moderate heat. Pour egg mixture by 1/2 cupfuls uinto the pan. cook until lightly browned on one side; turn and brown the other side. Serve sauce over the patties.

Egg Fried Rice
2 cups cooked brown rice
3 eggs
1 cup chopped vegetables (I used snap peas from the garden and diced zucchini from the freezer- you can also use carrots, onions, etc)
1/4 cup light soy sauce or Miso
1 tsp Mrs. Dash type seasoning
1 Tbsp olive oil

Heat oil over moderate heat in a large fry-pan. Add rice and vegetables. Stir-fry until vegetables are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Push rice to the side leaving center of pan open.

Crack eggs into center of pan and allow to cook until set.

Scramble the eggs in the center of the pan. When eggs are cooked, mix with the rice and add seasoning and soy sauce, adding soy sauce 1 Tbsp at a time (up to 4 Tbsp) to taste.

Barbecue Pork Sandwiches, Baked Garlic Fries, Fajitas, Barbecue Sauce, Garlic Toast

As promised, I made meals from Monday's leftovers and gave them to some neighbors. I'm lacking pictures of the cooked fries and the fajitas. I was hurrying out the door with them to be sure the neighbors didn't have to wait for their dinner and forgot to snap some pictures! Here's what I made:

Barbecue Pulled Pork

3 leftover pork chops (about 1 lb)

2 cups barbecue sauce

1 roasted chili pepper, chopped

Cut pork chops into 2 inch cubes. Combine all ingredients in a slow-cooker. Cook on LOW 4 hours. Shred pork with a fork and return to slow-cooker. Cook an additional 1 hour. Serve on warm rolls with sliced cheese.  If you are using uncooked pork, cook for 7 hours on LOW, shred and cook an additional 1-2 hours. You can also use chicken or beef.

Barbecue Sauce*

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp dry lemonade mix (unsweetened Kool-aid works)

2 tsp lemon pepper

2 tsp dry mustard

2 tsp dried minced onion

3/4 tsp garlic powder

30 oz tomato sauce

Pour tomato sauce into a medium pan. Add seasonings. Bring to a simmer and then to a slow boikl. Cover partially leaving an opening for steam to escape. Boil 10 minutes to thicken sauce. Use as a sauce for baking chicken or pork or as a sauce to add to grilled foods during the last 10 minutes of grilling.

*This is a base recipe. You can add to your sauce depending on the flavor/spiciness that you like: 2 Tbsp honey, 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp cayenne pepper..  Get creative- it's your sauce!

Baked Garlic Fries

6 medium potatoes, washed, peeled (if desired) and sliced into fries

2 large cloves garlic

1 Tbsp dried parsley

2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup water

1 gallon-sized zip-top bag

Peel and slice potatoes into a large bowl of warm water. While the potatoes soak (at least 10 minutes), Mince garlic into zip-top bag. Add parsley, salt, oil and water and then add potatoes. Shake to thoroughly coat potatoes with seasoning. Spread potatoes over 2 large cookie sheets being sure not to overlap. Bake 20 minutes at 425 turning potatoes halfway through baking. Serve warm.

Fajitas

1 1/2 large bell pepper sliced thin

1 large onion sliced thin

1 can chili-ready diced tomatoes, undrained

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 Tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp oregano

1 minced garlic clove

1 lb sliced beef or chicken (I used 2 leftover steaks)

1 Tbsp olive oil

If you are using uncooked meat, add that to the pan along with olive oil and cook fully. (If meat is already cooked, you can add it after the vegetables are soft.) Add pepper and onion. You can add 1/4 cup water if needed to keep vegetables from sticking to the pan. When onions are tender add tomatoes and seasonings. Allow mixture to boil about 5 minutes for sauce to thicken. Serve over warm tortillas. Garnish with chopped lettuce, cilantro, fresh tomato, cheese, salsa and sour cream if desired.

And what did we have for dinner? I warmed up a bag of the spaghetti sauce I made the first week and served that over spaghetti noodles. I also made some super easy garlic toast with the bread I made a few days ago.

Garlic Toast

1/4 cup soft butter

1 clove minced garlic

1/2 tsp basil

1/4 tsp salt

6 slices thick bread

Combine butter and seasonings. Spread over bread. Put under broiler on HIGH for about 5 minutes until bread is crispy. Serve warm.

Baked Potato Chips, Onion Soup Mix, Onion Dip, Pasta Salad, Salad dressing

Yesterday we had a barbeque at the In-laws house. Lucky for us, our food assignment was to bring salad and chips. My budget can handle that! I made pasta salad with home-made dressing, Baked potato chips and onion dip.

Baked Potato Chips

6-8 medium Russet Potatoes

1 Tbsp salt

Pam cooking spray (or vegetable oil)

water

Slice potatoes paper thin into a large bowl of cold water. Once potatoes are all sliced, drain water- refill with fresh water and add salt. Allow potatoes to sit for 30 minutes (This helps to remove excess starch from the potatoes). Drain water and arrange potato slices on a greased baking sheet in a single layer. I like to cover mine with foil for easier cleanup. Bake potatoes at 425 for 20 minutes, turning halfway through if desired. Depending on how thin you sliced your potatoes, you'll want to check them halfway through anyway to be sure they don't burn. Remove 'chips' as they become crisp. Some chips will take longer to crisp than others.

Onion Dip

8 oz sour cream (or plain yogurt)

8 oz cottage cheese

1/4 cup onion soup mix*

Combine and stir. Serve with homestyle potato chips.

*Easy Onion Soup Mix

3/4 cup dried minced onion

1/3 cup brown gravy mix

Combine & store in an airtight container.

For the pasta salad, I actually made some spinache pasta. Again, I'm sneaking some greens from the garden on this one, but I can't just let it go to waste! I won't get into the whole noodle making process again on this post- I'll save it for when we eat the Raviolis that I made along with the pasta salad noodles. (The recipe that I used made a LOT of pasta.)

Pasta Salad

1 lb cooked and cooled pasta

1 cucumber, diced

1 zucchini, diced

5 asparagus spears

2 roma tomatoes, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 1/2 cup Italian Vinaigrette

1 cup shredded or chopped Mozzarella cheese (optional)

Combine ingredients and toss with salad dressing. Refrigerate overnight if able to combine flavors. Really you can use just about any vegetable that you'd like or have on hand. I like to make sure that I have at least as many vegetables as noodles.

Italian Vinaigrette

1/2 cup red wine vinegar (I used apple cider- it's what I had on hand)

3/4 cup olive or vegetable oil, or a combination

2 Tbsp finely chopped chives (or onion, or green onion. I use chives because I have so many!)

2 large cloves of garlic, minced

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp dried parsley

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp dried basil

Combine ingredients in a large jar with a tight lid. Shake well. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

This is what was sent home with us from the barbeque: 2 steaks, 3 pork chops, 4 baked potatoes and 4 rolls. While I would love to eat this all up instead of our own food, I've decided that I'm not going to "cheat" so I will turn it into a few meals for some neighbors.