Love and Best Dishes

Casa Ole's Chili Con Queso

2011-08-15T16:19:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been almost TWO years since I've posted anything here....of course the other blog doesn't get much action either, but still. I've found tons of awesome recipes since then so I am going to try to share more of them...anyway...

2.5 pounds grated American cheese (get a block from the deli, the sandwich stuff doesn't cut it.)
3/4 cup chopped onion (I use probably a whole cup)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/8 cup chopped jalapeno (I also use just a little more of that)

Combine cheese and 1 1/4 cups of water in a double boiler. (I use the microwave a lot too) Stir every five minutes. While cheese is melting combine onion, celery, bell pepper, and jalapeno in a saucepan and add 1/4 cup water. Saute over medium heat until vegetables come to a light boil. When cheese has melted and is smooth, add vegetables and mix thoroughly then simmer five minutes.

***When I first found this recipe, in 1998 my yellowed paper says, I made it according to what I'd found and mixed the cheese with three cups of water. I remember I had to throw it out. I now have three cups scratched out and the 1 1/4 over it. Now. I usually half this recipe but I haven't made it in so long that I can't remember if the 1 1/4 cups is what I use to half it or what I figured I needed to make after I wasted ten dollars worth of cheese. I'd try cooking it like it's stated and then watch it more than five minutes and see if you need to add more water at some point.

Tall Corn Pork Chili

2009-11-18T11:32:00.000-08:00

From Chili Nation by: Jane and Michael Stern

1/4 cup chopped onions
1 clove minced garlic
2 T corn oil
2 pounds boneless pork, trimmed of fat, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 T salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 T sugar
4 T chili powder
1/2 T green jalapeno powder
one 14-ounce can chicken broth
one 15-ounce can tomato sauce
one 4 1/2 ounce can chopped green chilies, drained
1 T masa harina dissolved in 1/4 cup water.

In a Dutch oven, cook the onions and garlic in the oil until soft. Add the pork. Cook until browned; then remove the pot from the heat. Add the salt, celery salt, oregano, sugar, chili powder, and jalapeno powder; stir well. Add the broth, 1 1/2 cups water, tomato sauce, and chilies. Return to the heat, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a slow simmering boil. Cook, partially covered, for 1 hour. Add the corn and cook 15 more minutes. Add the masa harina mixture, cook 5 minutes more.

**I couldn't find green jalapeno powder so I finely chopped a fresh jalapeno and added that.

Cranberry Pie

2009-11-04T12:45:00.000-08:00

From Cheap, Fast, Good

Two 9-inch unbaked pie crusts
1 cup sugar
1 T flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups fresh cranberries (1 bag)

Preheat oven the 350. Place 1 pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate.

Mix the sugar and flour together in a small bowl. Add the vanilla and stir until it is evenly distributed.

Pour the cranberries into the pie crust and sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over them. Place the second pie crust over the fruit, folding the edges over the edge of the bottom crust. Crimp the edges together with your fingers.

Bake until the top crust is golden, 35-40 minutes.

Oven-Fried Drumsticks

2009-11-04T12:41:00.000-08:00

Cooking spray
4 T butter, melted
1 cup of bread crumbs, cracker crumbs, corn flakes, or 3/4 cup bread crumbs w/1/4 cup Parmesan
8 chicken drumsticks
salt/pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13X9 dish with spray and set aside.

Prepare the coating of choice and place it in a shallow bowl. Set aside.

Rinse the drumsticks and dry them with paper towels. Roll the chicken, one at a time, in the melted butter and then in the coating. Place them in the prepared dish. Liberally season each with salt and pepper.

Bake, uncovered, until the meat is tender and the coating is brown, about 1 hour.

Hot Dog and Baked Bean Soup

2009-11-04T12:37:00.000-08:00

From Cheap, Fast, Good

2 teaspoons oil
3 beef frankfurters
1 large can (28 ounces) baked beans seasoned with onion, bacon, and brown sugar
2 cans chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
1/2 bell pepper, chopped

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over med. heat. Cut the franks into 1/4 inch slices and add them to the pot. Cook until the franks start to brown, 2-3 minutes. Add the beans with their juice, and the broth, chili powder, and mustard. Stir well. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium to maintain a moderate boil about 10 minutes. Add the green pepper to the pot in the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Beef and Barley Soup

2009-11-04T12:34:00.000-08:00

From Cheap, Fast, Good

Beef and Barley Soup

1 can chicken broth
1 can beef broth
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 cup shredded already cooked beef roast
1/2 cup medium pearl barley

Pour the broths into a Dutch oven or soup pot. Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. While the liquid is heating, slice the carrots, adding them to the pot as you slice. Peel and chop the onion, adding it to the pot as you chop. Add the beef and barley. When the soup begins to boil, reduce the heat to med-low. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the veggies and barley are tender, about 45 minutes.

1930s Meat Loaf

2009-02-03T14:05:00.000-08:00

From Hometown Recipes for the Holidays

1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound mild Italian sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup cracker crumbs or cracker meal
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
3 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 bacon slices, halved

Preheat oven to 350. Combine the ground beef, sausage, onion, crackers, tomato paste, eggs, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; mix well.

Place the bacon strips on the bottom of a loaf pan. Place the ground beef mixture on top of the bacon. Pat down with fingertips to spread evenly.

Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Invert on a cutting board and slice.

Retro Cherry Pound Cake

2009-01-28T15:09:00.000-08:00

From Hometown Recipes for the Holidays

Cake
1 1/2 cups shortening or 1 cup shortening plus 1/2 cup margarine, softened
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 3/4 cups sifted flour
3/4 cup milk
One 10-ounce jar maraschino cherries, drained and chopped

Icing
One 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, optional
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Grease and flour a 9 inch tube pan. Do not preheat the oven.

To prepare the cake, combine the shortening and sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and beat until well blended. Add the extracts and beat well. Add the flour alternatively with the milk, starting and ending with the flour. Beat well after each addition. Fold in half of the cherries.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 300 for 90 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes and then invert onto a plate.

To prepare the icing, combine the cream cheese, margarine, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at low speed until smooth. Spread the icing on the top and sides of cake. Sprinkle the remaining cherries and nuts and coconut if using on top.

Blueberry Jello Salad

2009-01-28T15:02:00.001-08:00

From Hometown Recipes for the Holidays by: American Profile

One 6-ounce box black cherry jello
2 cups fresh blueberries
one 16-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup sugar
one 16-ounce container sour cream
one 8-0unce package cream cheese
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Prepare the jello according to the package directions in a large bowl. Add the blueberries and pineapple. Pour into a 13x9 inch glass dish. Refrigerate until set.

Combine the sugar, sour cream, cream cheese, and chopped pecans in a bowl; mix well to spreading consistency. Spread over the set jello and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

2008-11-17T09:52:00.001-08:00

From The Comfort Table by Katie Lee Joel

Cake:
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (18 ounce) jar creamy peanut butter (about 2 cups)

Frosting:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
6 tablespoons buttermilk
1 (16 ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted

For the cake:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13X9X2 pan.

Place the butter, buttermilk, cocoa, and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until just lightly bubbling. Be careful not to let the milk scorch. REmove from heat and set aside.

IN a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and baking soda. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Slowly pour in the chocolate mixture and mix well. Pour the batter into the baking pan and bake for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

While the cake is warm, spoon the peanut butter over the top and gently spread evenly. Let the cake cool until the peanut butter is firm, about 1 hour.

For the frosting:

Place the butter, cocoa, and buttermilk in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Stir constantly until just lightly bubbling. Remove from heat. Add powdered sugar and mix well. Pour the frosting over the peanut butter, spreading as necessary to cover the top. Let cool until the frosting is firm, about 1 hour.

Pumpkin Muffins

2008-11-17T09:42:00.000-08:00

From The Comfort Table by Katie Lee Joel

Pumpkin Muffins

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

In a medium bowl, beat together the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add the pumpkin and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Pour the batter into the muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the muffin tin cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes then remove the muffins.

**She must have a huge muffin tin because I was able to make 20 muffins.

Chilis Chicken Enchilada Soup

2008-09-03T17:41:00.000-07:00

1 T oil
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, pressed
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup masa harina
3 cups water
1 cup enchilada sauce
one 16 ounce box Velveeta, diced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Garnish
shredded cheddar
crumbled blue tortilla chips
salsa or pico de gallo

1. Add 1 T oil to a large pot over med. heat. Add chicken to pot and brown for 4-5 minutes per side. Set chicken aside.
2. Add onion and garlic to the pot and saute over med. heat for about 2 minutes, or until onion begins to become translucent. Add chicken broth.
3. Combine masa harina with 2 cups water in a med. bowl and whisk until blended. Add masa mixture to pot with onion, garlic, and broth.
4. Add remaining water, enchilada sauce, cheese, and spices to pot and bring to a boil.
5. Shred the chicken into small, bitesize pieces and add it to the pot. Reduce heat and simmer soup for 30-40 minutes or until thick.
6. Serve soup and garnish immediately.

PF Changs Orange Peel Chicken

2008-08-05T17:23:00.000-07:00

Top Secret Restaurant Recipes Volume Two

1 T oil
2 T minced garlic
4 green onions, sliced
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 T chili garlic sauce
1 T soy sauce

1/2 cup oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup cornstarch
peel from 1/4 orange, julienned into 1/8 in. strips

Prepare sauce by heating 1 T of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and green onions. Add tomato sauce and water quickly before the garlic burns. Add sugar, chili sauce, and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Simmer 5-6 minutes or until sauce thickens, then turn off the heag.
Prepare the chicken by heating 1/2 cup oil in a wok over medium heat. Slice chicken breast into bite size pieces. Coat each piece with cornstarch. Arrange chicken on a plate until all chicken is coated. When oil in the wok is hot, add half the chicken to the oil and cook for a couple of minutes or until brown on one side, then flip. When chicken is golden brown, remove the pieces to a rack to drain. Repeat with remaining chicken. When all chicken is cooked rinse the oil out of the wok with water and place it back on the stove to heat up.
When wok is hot again add orange peel and chicken. Heat for 20-30 seconds, stirring gently. Add sauce to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Stir the dish a couple times but do it gently so you don't knock the coating off the chicken. Cook until the sauce thickens then serve with rice on the side.

Pizza Soup

2008-05-13T14:32:00.000-07:00

From The Ultimate Soup Cookbook

Pizza Soup

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 can (15 oz) pizza sauce
1 cup chopped pepperoni
1 cup chopped seeded fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup cooked Italian sausage
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium h eat. Add mushrooms and onion and saute until tender, about three minutes. Add 2 cups water, pizza sauce, pepperoni, tomatoes, sausage, and Italian seasoning. Bring to boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes. Before serving, stir in Parmesan and garnish with mozzarella.

*I used a 14 1/2 ounce can of diced tomatoes undrained because I wasn't about to pay what they wanted for the fresh ones.

Mexican Chorizo Noodle Bowl

2008-03-17T11:43:00.000-07:00

1 pound uncooked chorizo sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 cups bottled salsa
1 -2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
10 ounces angel hair pasta
1 cup chopped zucchini
2/3 cup shredded mozzarella or adadero cheese
1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro

Remove casing from chorizo. Crumble chorizo. In a 4-qt dutch oven cook chorizo and garlic until chorizo is brown; drain fat. Stir broth, salsa, chipotle pepper, oregano, and cumin into dutch oven. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir in pasta and zucchini. Simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes more or until pasta is tender but still firm, stirring occasionally. Remove dutch oven from heat; stir in 1/3 cup of the cheese and cilantro. Transfer to a warm serving dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup of cheese and garnish with additional cilantro if desired.

Chicken Georgia

2008-03-10T07:41:00.000-07:00

Easy! And according to my son, awesome.

Chicken Georgia
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
See this recipe on air Friday Mar. 14 at 5:30 PM ET/PT.
Show:
Paula's Home Cooking
Episode:
Say Cheese

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 ounces grated mozzarella cheese

Melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and shallots and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 10 minutes. Add chicken and cook 10 minutes on each side, or until tender. Transfer chicken to platter and sprinkle with grated cheese. Top with mushroom mixture. Cook and let stand 5 minutes or until cheese melts.

Chicken and Olive Pasta Casserole

2008-02-07T15:30:00.000-08:00

From Emeril's Potluck by Emeril Lagasse

2 chickens (about 3 pounds each, quartered)
2 T plus 21/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound pasta, such as angel hair or linguine, cooked and drained
1 T plus 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
6 T unsalted butter
6 T flour
2 cups chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped black olives
1/2 cup chopped green olives
1/2 teaspoon Emeril's Original Essence
2 T chopped pickled jalapenos
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Put the chickens in a large heavy pot with 2 T salt and the cayenne. Add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the chickens are very tender, about 1 hour. Remove the chickens from the pot and reserve 3 cups of the stock. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water with 1 teaspoon salt a 1 tablespoon olive oil to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain, and rinse under cold water. Toss the past with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and set aside.

When the chicken is cool, remove the meat from the bones, discarding the rest.

Preheat the oven to 350.

Combine the butter and flour in a heavy saucepan over medium heat and whisk to blend. Cook, whisking for 2 minutes. Add the onions and celeryand cook, stirring, until just soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add the reserved chicken stock and whisk to blend. Cook stirring, until smooth and slightly thickened. Add the chicken and olives and season with the remaining salt, the Essence, and the jalapenos. Remove from the heat. Add 1 cup Parmesan and stir to blend.

Spread half of the pasta in a 9X13 baking dish. Spoon half of the chicken mixture over the pasta and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Spread the remaining pasta over the Parmesan and top with the remaining chicken mixture. Sprinkle the casserole with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan.

Bake until bubbly and the cheese has melted, about 20 minutes. Remover from the oven and serve warm.

**I used one large can of chicken because I was too lazy to cook the whole ones.
**I also have no Essence so I just sprinkled paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and crushed red pepper until I thought it looked good.
**I didn't have any celery so I used half a bag of frozen chopped green peppers and a teaspoon of celery salt.

Berry Cookie Cobbler

2007-09-25T12:06:00.000-07:00

From Sandra Lee's Semi Homemade Cookbook

This is the best and easiest cobbler I have ever made. My husband prefers it over my mother's now, but don't tell her. We eat this at least once a week.

Berry Cookie Cobbler

2 bags (12 ounces each) frozen mixed berries, thawed
1 container (21-ounce) apple pie filling
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 roll (18-ounce) prepared sugar cookie dough
Vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix berries, apple filling, sugar, and cinnamon. Transfer fruit mixture to an 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish. Crumble cookie dough over fruit, covering thickly and completely. Bake uncovered until cookie crust is golden and crisp, and juices bubble thickly, about 45 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream.

*I use one 16 ounce bag of berries because frozen berries are expensive.
*I used a can of cherry pie filling once because that was all I had and I think I liked it better that way.
*I use pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon and omit the ice cream altogether. We just aren't ice cream people.

Fudge Pie

2007-03-22T12:14:00.000-07:00

I tried this one yesterday. So easy and so good.

Old-Fashioned Fudge Pie
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
See this recipe on air Friday Mar. 23 at 1:00 PM ET/PT.
Show:
Paula's Home Cooking
Episode:
Chocolate Fever

2 squares (2-ounces) semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Remove the pan from the heat and add the sugar, then the eggs; beat well. Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake for 25 minutes or until just set. Serve warm or cold, with ice cream or whipped cream

**I used 2 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips.

Three Chocolate Cookies

2007-03-21T09:23:00.001-07:00

As promised....I just pasted it from the Food Network website.

Three Chocolate Cookies
Recipes courtesy Paula Deen
See this recipe on air Friday Mar. 23 at 1:00 PM ET/PT.
Show:
Paula's Home Cooking
Episode:
Chocolate Fever

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels
1 cup milk chocolate morsels
3 (1-ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup almond brickle chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets.
With an electric mixer, beat butter and shortening at medium speed until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well.
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in chocolate morsels and almond brickle chips. Drop cookies by 1/4 cupfuls about 3-inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Spicy Chicken Cigars

2007-03-12T16:20:00.000-07:00

This came from one of the Rachael Ray books. It was easy and the kids really ate it up. It was meant to be an appetizer, but we had it for a main dish with the grits casserole.

Spicy Chicken Cigars

1 pound ground chicken (I used ground turkey because I couldn't find chicken)
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons grill seasoning, like Montreal steak seasoning
2 tablespoons dried parsley
4 sheets phyllo dough
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 425. In a large bowl, mix chicken with spices. Place a sheet of phyllo dough on a nonstick cookie sheet and brush with butter. Top with a second sheet. Take half of the chicken and form a one inch thick log the length of the long side of the dough. Roll log in phyllo tightly. Repeat with remaining chicken and phyllo. Cut each log into three cigars and brush with remaining butter. Bake 12- 15 minutes until golden.

Grits Casserole with Cheese and Chiles

2007-03-12T16:19:00.000-07:00

I LOVE grits! I try just about every recipe I find that includes them. I got this one from the New American Heart Association Cookbook and was skeptical because I love my grits dripping with butter, but it is just as good as my sister's recipe that calls for tons of butter, cheese, and salt.

Grits Casserole with Cheese and Chiles

2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 cup uncooked grits
1/2 cup fat free milk
1/4 cup reduced fat grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 slices reduced fat Swiss cheese, diced (2 oz)
2 tablespoons canned chopped green chiles, drained
1 tablespoon light margarine
2 medium cloves garlic or 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly spray a 13x9x2 pan with cooking spray. Set aside. In a large saucepan, bring broth and water to a boil over medium high heat. Gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, five minutes, whisking occasionally. Remove pan from heat. Stir in milk, Parmesan, and Swiss cheeses, chiles, margarine, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir some hot grits mixture into beaten eggs and add eggs to pan, stirring well. Pour into baking pan, smooting top with spatula. Sprinkle with chili powder. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes.

**Okay...if you make the recipe with all the fat free stuff, it said the dish contained only 2g of fat. I used 2% percent milk and the real stuff cheeses. I don't know what that made the fat content after that.

Freezer Slaw

2007-03-10T15:07:00.000-08:00

I make this frequently because my husband WILL NOT eat anything white, therefore I no longer make the "other" kinds of cole slaw. I am sure without the mayo it has to be a little bit healthier, right?

Oh, and I half the recipe and it makes plenty for us.

Freezer Slaw

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
3 (10 oz) packages shredded cabbage slaw (like the Dole cole slaw mix)
1 large carrot, shredded
1 small green pepper, diced
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Bring sugar and vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves; cool. Combine cabbage, carrot, and next three ingredients. Pour vinegar mixture over cabbage mixture, tossing to coat. Place in a large heavy duty zip top plastic bag; seal and freeze up to three months. Thaw in refrigerator before serving.

**I use the bagged shredded carrots and the frozen chopped green pepper most of the time.

Black Pepper Beef and Caggage Stir Fry

2007-02-04T09:45:00.000-08:00

This one came from allrecipes.com. We had no leftovers and even the kids ate it.

Black Pepper Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry

2 tablespoons oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 small head cabbage, shredded
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Saute garlic for about 5 seconds, the add ground beef. Stir until beef is evenly brown. Stir in cabbage and pepper, and cook until vegetables are tender and beef is fully cooked. Stir in soy sauce. Mix together cornstarch and water and stir in. Season with black pepper. Cook, stirring, until sauce has thickened.

* I skipped the cornstarch step because I didn't have any and it was still good, probably not as thick as it was supposed to be, but it went well served over rice. I was also pretty heavy handed with the black pepper. I used way more than a teaspoon so ours was extra peppery.

Reuben Spread

2007-01-28T09:38:00.000-08:00

I got this one from Southern Living Slow Cooker Cookbook....I think.
I made it twice, once when my sister was here and she devoured it and has since cooked it almost weekly at her own home and last weekend for Adam's party where everyone seemed to enjoy it. My sister's family doesn't eat sauerkraut, but they love this.

Reuben Spread

1/2 lb. sliced deli corned beef, chopped
1 cup sauerkraut, drained and chopped
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
14/ teaspoon pepper
1 8 oz block of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup thousand island dressing
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Stir together first 7 ingredients and 1 cup Swiss cheese; spoon into lightly greased slow cooker. Top with remaining 1 cup of cheese. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours. Serve with rye Melba rounds.

* Check it after an hour and a half. Mine started to burn the first time after 2 hours.

Rigatoni with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

2007-01-22T09:22:00.000-08:00

I make this a lot, it is one of my favorite recipes. I found it in the Houston Chronicle food section about two years ago.

Rigatoni with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

coarse salt
2 pounds Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
3 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried
3/4 pound rigatoni or other short tubular pasta
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, diced

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions; drain.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine tomatoes, vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set aside.
3. In a small skillet, heat oil over low heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring often, until tender and just beginning to take on color, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in red pepper flakes.
4. Stir garlic mixture into reserved tomato mixture. Add parsley, oregano, mozzarella, and pasta; toss and serve.

*I use the jar garlic, about 2 teaspoons, probably 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (because I love it), and I skip the parsley most of the time because I never have it on hand.

Pasta e Fagioli

2007-01-16T14:50:00.000-08:00

Yes, another soup. I like soup. It's not the OG's version, but it was still really good AND it was quick and easy.
It's from Cheap, Fast, Good! by Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross

Pasta e Fagioli

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 clove fresh garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
3 cans vegetable broth (14 oz)
2 cans Italian style stewed tomatoes or diced tomatoes (14 1/2 oz)
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 cup elbow macaroni
1 can kidney beans (15 oz)
1 can white beans (15 oz)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Heat the oil in a 4 1/2 quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Peel and coarsely chop the onion, adding it to the pot as you chop. Cook, stirring from time to time, while peeling and slicing the carrots into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Add the carrots to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, broth, tomatoes with their juice, and Italian seasoning to the pot. Cover, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil.
3. When the broth comes to a boil, add the macaroni and cook, uncovered, at a rolling boil for 7 minutes. Meanwhile, rinse and drain the beans.
4. Add the beans and bring the soup back to a boil. Continue to cook until the macaroni is tender, about 3 more minutes. Season with pepper and serve, sprinking Parmesan cheese on top.

Spicy Tomato Soup

2007-01-12T09:21:00.000-08:00

I cannot remember for the life of me where I found this one, maybe a Rachael Ray book? My sons love tomato soup and I was tiring of the canned kind and gave this one a shot. I will definitely make it again. It actually tastes better the next day.....and the next day.

Spicy Tomato Soup

1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons buttter
1/2 cup flour
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
3 cups chicken broth
1 29 oz can tomato sauce
1 29 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
2 dashes tabasco
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried basil

In a 4 quart heavy saucepan, melt half of the butter. When melted, whisk the flour and stir until smooth. Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes until very thick and smooth. In a small skillet, melt the remaining butter. Saute the onion and garlic over low heat untilthe onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic to the flour mixtre and combine. Slowly add the broth, about 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition and allowing the soup to thicken slightly before adding more broth. When all the broth is added, begin adding the tomato sauce and the tomatoes, about 1 cup at a time, stirring well and allowing to thicken before adding more. When all the sauce and tomatoes have been added, season the soup with the tabasco, honey, dill week, pepper, chili powder, and basil. Turn off heat and cool slightly. Serve with croutons or crusty bread.

2007-01-12T09:19:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's a reference to Paula Deen. Most of the recipes I find come from her books or her show.

I love to cook and I love to try new recipes. Sometimes I find some that are just too awesome not to pass on and here is where I will share them.

Unless I am baking, I rarely measure ingredients and frequently just eyeball them or add more of the things I like. I'll post the recipes as I find them, but I will let you know if I come up with something a little different.