Going to give this a try again. Not really for anyone else but me to challenge myself to be more creative with food.
So here goes....
Last night was Poppy Seed Chicken with Rice and Broccoli. Definitely not a super healthy option with all the creamy goodness and butter in the chicken, but it was delish. The kids enjoyed it overall.
It was pretty easy to make and making the rice in the instant pot surely helped a ton. It was some of the best rice I've made.
The recipe was simple.
Cream of Chicken Soup, Sour Cream, Chicken (cubed and cooked), Poppy Seeds, Ground mustard, Garlic, Pepper, and top it with butter soaked Ritz crackers. Bake it for 30 minutes and its ready to go. Didn't get a picture, but it was creamy and wonderful!
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Monday, June 4, 2012
Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joe's
Sorry...I don't have a picture for these. They didn't last long enough to take a picture. They made the whole house smell soooo good. And they were delicious. That said, being from Philly....I can't really classify this as a cheesesteak substitute.
These were pretty simple to make. Nicholas inhaled his (after he picked out the onions).
1lb Ground Beef (the leaner the better)
1 small onion diced
1 small green pepper diced
1 cup beef broth
3 Tbsp Steak sauce
Provolone Cheese
Whole Wheat Buns
Brown the ground beef. Add in the onion and pepper and cook until veggies are softened. Mix in the broth and steak sauce. Bring to a boil (bubbling). Let bubble for about 5 minutes or so (I left mine a little more b/c Jim and Nicholas were still at the park).
Top each bun with about 3/4 cup of the beef mixture and then top with cheese. I put the mixture on the top half of the bun after pushing it down a little bit to hold the mixture a little better. I also highly recommend puttin aluminum foil on the baking sheet (Mine got really messy and that made for easy clean up). Broil on low for about 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted.
Enjoy!!!!!
It made about 5-6 sandwiches.
These were pretty simple to make. Nicholas inhaled his (after he picked out the onions).
1lb Ground Beef (the leaner the better)
1 small onion diced
1 small green pepper diced
1 cup beef broth
3 Tbsp Steak sauce
Provolone Cheese
Whole Wheat Buns
Brown the ground beef. Add in the onion and pepper and cook until veggies are softened. Mix in the broth and steak sauce. Bring to a boil (bubbling). Let bubble for about 5 minutes or so (I left mine a little more b/c Jim and Nicholas were still at the park).
Top each bun with about 3/4 cup of the beef mixture and then top with cheese. I put the mixture on the top half of the bun after pushing it down a little bit to hold the mixture a little better. I also highly recommend puttin aluminum foil on the baking sheet (Mine got really messy and that made for easy clean up). Broil on low for about 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted.
Enjoy!!!!!
It made about 5-6 sandwiches.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Stuffed Peppers
So excited for dinner tonight. I've had stuffed peppers on the menu plan for a while, but each time it comes up, I made something else...though I'm not sure why. I haven't had stuffed peppers in a really long time....probably over 15 years!!! Again, I'm not sure why.
I love peppers. Add some rice, beef, corn, and cheese and wow!!! Now if Nicholas will eat them I'll be impressed and surprised. He loves peppers; he loves beef; he loves cheese; corn is ok by him. Yet when it is combined like this I'm not so sure he'll eat it, but I guess we will find out.
These couldn't be easier to make. We went to PF Chang's for dinner last night so I had them wrap up some brown rice for me which saved a bit of time. Add browned ground beef, frozen corn, and some seasonings such as oregano or italian seasoning (just a bit). Stuff the peppers that have been cleaned out with the mixture. Put in the crock pot for a few hours. Top with some cheese just before serving.
Someone had recommended that you could make these in advance when peppers are on sale and freeze them stuffed. Then just take them out and put them in the crockpot to cook. I just might have to try that when I find peppers on sale or maybe this summer when I'm growing my own peppers. I'm hoping to do a little better this summer with growing peppers.
Well, I can't wait for dinner for tonight....here's hoping Nicholas eats them!!!
I love peppers. Add some rice, beef, corn, and cheese and wow!!! Now if Nicholas will eat them I'll be impressed and surprised. He loves peppers; he loves beef; he loves cheese; corn is ok by him. Yet when it is combined like this I'm not so sure he'll eat it, but I guess we will find out.
These couldn't be easier to make. We went to PF Chang's for dinner last night so I had them wrap up some brown rice for me which saved a bit of time. Add browned ground beef, frozen corn, and some seasonings such as oregano or italian seasoning (just a bit). Stuff the peppers that have been cleaned out with the mixture. Put in the crock pot for a few hours. Top with some cheese just before serving.
Someone had recommended that you could make these in advance when peppers are on sale and freeze them stuffed. Then just take them out and put them in the crockpot to cook. I just might have to try that when I find peppers on sale or maybe this summer when I'm growing my own peppers. I'm hoping to do a little better this summer with growing peppers.
Well, I can't wait for dinner for tonight....here's hoping Nicholas eats them!!!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Homemade Cheez-Its
I've been wanting to try to make homemade cheezits for a while now. Well, today while Nicholas was watching Cars 2 (a special treat) I decided to give it a go.
Oh my goodness...they are so super yummy!!! They aren't as crisp or crunchy as the ones in the box, but they taste so much better. No preservatives or other questionable ingredients. Pretty easy to make as well. Its all done in the food processor so easy clean up. I LOVE them!!! I have to be careful not to eat the whole batch right now. Flaky, cheesy, buttery, melt in your mouth goodness. How wonderful!!!!!!!!!!
Here's the recipe:
6 oz shredded sharp cheddar
4 tbsp unsalted butter softened
3/4 cup flour (I used white this time, but I think might try wheat next time)
1/2 tsp salt (I used a little less)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp Milk
Preheat oven to 350.
Combine everything except milk in food processor. Pulse until course crumbs (about 6x for 5 seconds). Add milk and mix until it starts to form a ball.
Roll out the dough until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into squares about 1 inch. Use the flat end of a skewer to make the hole in the middle.
Bake on cookie sheet with parchment paper about 10-15 minutes. (I did one batch 10 and the other 11, but my oven cooks fast).
Cool and enjoy!!!!!
Oh my goodness...they are so super yummy!!! They aren't as crisp or crunchy as the ones in the box, but they taste so much better. No preservatives or other questionable ingredients. Pretty easy to make as well. Its all done in the food processor so easy clean up. I LOVE them!!! I have to be careful not to eat the whole batch right now. Flaky, cheesy, buttery, melt in your mouth goodness. How wonderful!!!!!!!!!!
Here's the recipe:
6 oz shredded sharp cheddar
4 tbsp unsalted butter softened
3/4 cup flour (I used white this time, but I think might try wheat next time)
1/2 tsp salt (I used a little less)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp Milk
Preheat oven to 350.
Combine everything except milk in food processor. Pulse until course crumbs (about 6x for 5 seconds). Add milk and mix until it starts to form a ball.
Roll out the dough until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into squares about 1 inch. Use the flat end of a skewer to make the hole in the middle.
Bake on cookie sheet with parchment paper about 10-15 minutes. (I did one batch 10 and the other 11, but my oven cooks fast).
Cool and enjoy!!!!!
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Un-dinner...(not breakfast for dinner)
Tonight for a special treat for Nicholas (ok and us) we had an "un-dinner". LOL! We basically had a bunch of appetizers for dinner while we watched a movie. Nicholas had so much fun!! He kept giggling and saying "This is going to be so much fun!" So....you might be asking what did we have....well....glad you asked. We had mozzarella sticks, chicken taquitos, buffalo wings, chicken nuggets (homemade) and nachos. These are things I definitely enjoy, but don't think eating them all together at one meal is really a great idea....but once in a while as a special treat on a snowy day.....Why not!!! Then I saw all that snacky food and decided some veggies were in order. So we had red and green peppers, carrots, cucumbers, and apples. Of course, we had honey mustard, hummus, and blue cheese.
One of the really fun parts for me was allowing Nicholas to completely make his own plate. I didn't tell him anything about what he should put on his plate or how much. He picked 2 nuggets, 2 mozzarella sticks, 2 red peppers, 2 green peppers, 2 cucumbers, 2 carrots, and 1 taquito. I chuckled at how he picked two of most of the things. He ate the veggies with some hummus and then realized he didn't have any apples. So he grabbed a bunch of apple slices. Then he wanted some nachos and more nuggets with honey mustard of course.
We watched the Fox and The Hound. I cried like I do everytime I watch it. Nicholas got really into the movie and was cheering for the various animals. So cute!!!! We talked a bit about friendship and then he happily went off to bed.
Such a fun night!!! Something I think we will definitely do again.....although maybe some different and healthier finger food.
One of the really fun parts for me was allowing Nicholas to completely make his own plate. I didn't tell him anything about what he should put on his plate or how much. He picked 2 nuggets, 2 mozzarella sticks, 2 red peppers, 2 green peppers, 2 cucumbers, 2 carrots, and 1 taquito. I chuckled at how he picked two of most of the things. He ate the veggies with some hummus and then realized he didn't have any apples. So he grabbed a bunch of apple slices. Then he wanted some nachos and more nuggets with honey mustard of course.
We watched the Fox and The Hound. I cried like I do everytime I watch it. Nicholas got really into the movie and was cheering for the various animals. So cute!!!! We talked a bit about friendship and then he happily went off to bed.
Such a fun night!!! Something I think we will definitely do again.....although maybe some different and healthier finger food.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Banana Muffins...Healthy!
Now that the holidays are over (for the most part...we still have one Christmas celebration left and then Vegas!) I'm trying to get back to healthy cooking and eating. But that doesn't mean it has to be boring. So I decided to try out this recipe for Banana Muffins with Flax Seed. They are super delicious. Have good fats due to the Flax Seed. Only about 200 calories for a pretty big muffin and 5 grams of fiber.
I think this will definitely become a regular thing in our house. Easy to make, yummy, and healthy. It doesn't get any better than that!!!
Well....heres the recipe. I didn't use the nuts b/c Nicholas doesn't like them in baked goods.
Banana Flax Muffins
* 1 ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour (works just fine with regular whole wheat)
* ¾ cup ground flaxseed
* ½ cup white sugar
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 whole egg
* ½ cup oil or melted butter
* 1 cup mashed bananas (I used VERY ripe bananas)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 Tbsp. plain yogurt
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional – but adds MORE omega-3s!)
In large mixing bowl, mix together flour, flaxseed, sugar, and baking soda. In separate bowl, mix egg, oil, bananas, vanilla, and yogurt. Mix wet into dry ingredients. Fold in walnuts. Use paper muffin cups or spray the muffin pans with non-stick spray. Bake large muffins 20-25 minutes (or mini muffins for about 15 minutes) at 350 degrees. Makes 12 muffins or 30 mini-muffins.
I think this will definitely become a regular thing in our house. Easy to make, yummy, and healthy. It doesn't get any better than that!!!
Well....heres the recipe. I didn't use the nuts b/c Nicholas doesn't like them in baked goods.
Banana Flax Muffins
* 1 ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour (works just fine with regular whole wheat)
* ¾ cup ground flaxseed
* ½ cup white sugar
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 whole egg
* ½ cup oil or melted butter
* 1 cup mashed bananas (I used VERY ripe bananas)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 Tbsp. plain yogurt
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional – but adds MORE omega-3s!)
In large mixing bowl, mix together flour, flaxseed, sugar, and baking soda. In separate bowl, mix egg, oil, bananas, vanilla, and yogurt. Mix wet into dry ingredients. Fold in walnuts. Use paper muffin cups or spray the muffin pans with non-stick spray. Bake large muffins 20-25 minutes (or mini muffins for about 15 minutes) at 350 degrees. Makes 12 muffins or 30 mini-muffins.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Adventures with baking soda
Baking soda....baking powder. Why do I confuse them? Becuase they both start with baking? Well....let me warn you not to confuse them. LOL!! I did and the results were comical.
Let me paint the picture for you......
Sunday afternoon, church in the morning was great. The sun is shining. Jim and Nicholas are playing monster trucks or race cars. I am in the kitchen making brunch while enjoying the laughter coming from the living room. I decide to surprise Nicholas with his most favorite food....pancakes!!!! I get out my old standard recipe (which I practically have memorized, but consult the recipe just to be sure). I start mixing the ingredients (doubling the batch of course). Well it isn't mixing quite right. Its a bit lumpy and thin, but I'll just keep mixing for a bit to try to get the lumps out. I consult the recipe again and lo and behold....it called for baking powder and not baking soda. Oops....oh well. I'm not going to throw it away so let's try something. I'll just add the baking powder in.
The batter thickens and even rises a bit. A little strange, but the pancakes cook nicely. They look great!!!! And then I taste them. A bit like a salty pretzel...not quite a pancake. The first bite is not so bad. The second is ok...and then I can't stand it anymore. This is NOT the way a pancake should taste. Way too salty and just plain weird. Jim claims he like them. Nicholas eats a few, but not as many as usual. Oh well....pancakes with baking soda = FAIL!!! LOL!
Later in December......
I have 21 loaves of banana bread to make for Jim to take to work for his employees. I buy a TON of bananas and all the other necessary supplies, get out my stand mixer and get ready to bake some banana bread. I double the recipe to try to save some time. Well....on the first batch I totally forget one ingredient. No it wasn't the bananas....it was the baking soda. I realize this right before they go into the oven. So in an attempt to not wate the batter I take a little bit of baking soda and stir it into each of the breads I'm making. Stir it in real good. Pop 'em in the oven. To say they turned out interesting is an understatement. They were all swirled on the top and as heavy as bricks. They were pretty much raw in the middle even though I baked them longer than they should have been baked. So....Banana Bread with no baking soda = FAIL!! LOL!!
I have learned my lesson and am paying more attention to baking soda and baking powder. At least there were no explosions and no one got sick. Just some wasted batter!
Let me paint the picture for you......
Sunday afternoon, church in the morning was great. The sun is shining. Jim and Nicholas are playing monster trucks or race cars. I am in the kitchen making brunch while enjoying the laughter coming from the living room. I decide to surprise Nicholas with his most favorite food....pancakes!!!! I get out my old standard recipe (which I practically have memorized, but consult the recipe just to be sure). I start mixing the ingredients (doubling the batch of course). Well it isn't mixing quite right. Its a bit lumpy and thin, but I'll just keep mixing for a bit to try to get the lumps out. I consult the recipe again and lo and behold....it called for baking powder and not baking soda. Oops....oh well. I'm not going to throw it away so let's try something. I'll just add the baking powder in.
The batter thickens and even rises a bit. A little strange, but the pancakes cook nicely. They look great!!!! And then I taste them. A bit like a salty pretzel...not quite a pancake. The first bite is not so bad. The second is ok...and then I can't stand it anymore. This is NOT the way a pancake should taste. Way too salty and just plain weird. Jim claims he like them. Nicholas eats a few, but not as many as usual. Oh well....pancakes with baking soda = FAIL!!! LOL!
Later in December......
I have 21 loaves of banana bread to make for Jim to take to work for his employees. I buy a TON of bananas and all the other necessary supplies, get out my stand mixer and get ready to bake some banana bread. I double the recipe to try to save some time. Well....on the first batch I totally forget one ingredient. No it wasn't the bananas....it was the baking soda. I realize this right before they go into the oven. So in an attempt to not wate the batter I take a little bit of baking soda and stir it into each of the breads I'm making. Stir it in real good. Pop 'em in the oven. To say they turned out interesting is an understatement. They were all swirled on the top and as heavy as bricks. They were pretty much raw in the middle even though I baked them longer than they should have been baked. So....Banana Bread with no baking soda = FAIL!! LOL!!
I have learned my lesson and am paying more attention to baking soda and baking powder. At least there were no explosions and no one got sick. Just some wasted batter!
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