Cornbread Tomatoes

CORNBREAD TOMATOES


2 pans of cornbread (martha white sweet yellow) Or homemade
4-6 slices toasted bread
2 sticks of butter
1 medium onion
1 28oz can diced tomatoes or 2 15oz cans, drain but reserve juice
Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder to taste
Chicken broth

Melt butter in skillet, add onion and cook til slightly tender(don't overcook). Crumble cornbread and toast together, add butter and onion, mix together. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste. At this time if I feel it isn't moist enough I will add a little chicken broth-you want it moist, but not to wet. Layer half the mixture in a greased casserole dish, drain tomatoes, reserving juice, put tomatoes onto cornbread mixture, use enough reserved juice to even the layer of tomatoes. Top with remaining cornbread mixture. Top with a few slabs of butter, bake @ 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until top is golden brown.

It's Just Sad

I really can't believe that I gave up on this so soon! What badness(not madness, but close) am I. I have not been doing alot of cooking or creating. When I had the time I just wasn't into it and now I don't have the time. I've been training to be a bus driver and it has been taking up alot of my time. Food is just what we or rather I throw together.

This weekend is my annual Halloween bash and it just being thrown together. The last couple of years I really went all out, not as much last year as the year before-every dish I prepared was halloween themed. I had a bleeding heart(brie with cherry preserves), dirt pudding with all sorts of creepy crawlie creatures(snakes, spiders, worms). These are just a few things but you get the idea. Chili and hot dogs were the "main course". I prepared beef chili and venison chili with the vension being the best hands down! This year I'm asking everyone to bring a side or dessert and I of course will do the chili and hot dogs plus a couple of desserts (not sure which ones yet).

Well we shall see how it goes!
Until next time happy eating!

Grilled Provolone Chicken

Grilled Provolone Chicken

7 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, seasoned w/coarse salt and garlic pepper
1 jar pizza sauce
7 slices provolone cheese
Fresh basil and oregano

Grill chicken until done. Place grilled chicken in a casserole dish and pour pizza sauce over chicken, place back on grill and shut the lid so the pizza sauce can warm up. (just a couple of minutes) Then place slices of cheese atop each chicken breast, close lid again and let cheese melt and sauce bubble a bit. Before serving garnish with basil and oregano.

What a simple easy recipe.

Happy Eating!

Cheddar-Stuffed Buffalo Burgers

You won't believe this but this is a Weight Watcher recipe, it's from the New Complete Cookbook!! It's very, very good--4 thumbs up (which means of course everyone in the family ate it and liked it!)-SCORE!!

Cheddar-Stuffed Buffalo Burgers
(makes 4 servings)- I double up the recipe to make more burgers

1 lb ground buffalo meat
1 small sweet onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
4 English muffins, split
4 romaine lettuce leaves, trimmed
4 tomato slices

1. In a medium bowl, combine the buffalo, onion, Worcestshire sauce, salt, and pepper; mix well to combine. Divide and shape the mixture into 4 balls. With your finger make a deep indentation into each ball. Fill each hole with 2 tablespoons of the cheese. Pinch the meat closed to cover the cheese and shape each ball into a 3/4-inch-thick patty.

2. Toast the English muffins. Spray a nonstick skillet with spray and heat over medium-high heat. Cook burgers 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare.

3. Place the muffin bottoms on 4 plates. Top each with 1 lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice, and a burger. Place the top of muffins on each burger.

Instead of skillet cooking the burgers try grilling them thats what I did and I think it gives it better flavor!!

Tip: Because ground buffalo is so lean, cook the burgers no further than medium or you will end up with a dry patty.

Per Serving: (1 burger) 292 Cal, 7 g Fat, 2 g fiber= 6 points

Happy Eating!

Ranch Red Potatoes

Ranch Potatoes

5lb Red Potatoes, scrubbed and quartered with skin on
1 pkg ranch dip mix
16 oz sour cream
1 stick of butter
Dash or two of Ranch dressing

Boil potatoes til fork tender while hot add butter, ranch dip mix, sour cream, and dressing. Mix with spoon until ingredients are well blended. Serve hot or cold!

You can lighten this up but trust me it just isn't as good!

Also good with bacon (I use the real bacon bits)

Can anyone say yummy!!

Happy Eating!!

Mushrooms

Let me just say YUMMY!! I had the most amazing sandwich for lunch yesterday- portobello mushroom sandwich. And for you weight watchers you can't beat the points!! (Just 1 point--for the bun) I know this is not something new, but I had never tried one before--just didn't think anything could take the place of a hamburger, boy was I wrong!! It was very tasty and very filling. The recipe is as follows:

1 portobello mushroom cap brushed with olive oil
2 slices tomatoes, sliced thick so they will stay together on the grill
1 large green onion, white end only sliced slightly thick
3-4 large fresh basil leaves, grilled with the tomatoes and onion
1 Low fat Bun, brushed with olive oil
Small amount of Mayo

I put the mushroom on the grill and then placed the other veggies in my grill pan.
Grill the mushroom until it starts to soften slightly, sprinkle with coarse sea salt and garlic pepper.
Grill bun while preparing filling.
I brush the bun with a very small amount of mayo, then placed the mushroom and other veggies on top. Then just enjoy!!

To complete my meal I had 1 oz. of Light potato chips and a sugar free applesauce.

Very low-fat, satisfying.

Tonight we are having Tilapia with chili cream sauce and rice. I will post this recipe after I test the outcome!!

Until later Happy Eating!!!

Recipes-Help!

Why is it so hard to find easy low-fat recipes? I am struggling to keep on a healthy eating plan! I want some simple, easy meals. I don't want to have to go on a mission to find all the ingredients! Someone please help!!

I need some energy to go with my healthy eating and I know if I'd get to exercising I would have more of it! I can't exercise in this old house and I want to be outside but then the weather don't ever want to cooperate! I'm just full of blah today!

I'm so sleepy right now it isn't even funny!

later

Lazy Me!

Well, I am so bad!!! I haven't been blogging or really even thinking about what's for dinner! I have been consumed by other things and I really need to get back on track! We are still eating healthier meals, but I have fallen into the trap of what I know and whats easy. I want variety!!!

Tonight we had sirloin pork grillers, on the grill of course!! I fixed hash browns and a salad! I never know who's going to be here for dinner, so I really have to make things stretch sometimes! I had two extra tonight besides my troop! (I usually always have 1-2 extra teens in the house!)

Anyways, I am going to work on uploading pictures of the different dishes I have created--this was something I was suppose to already have done but it's a me thing! Putting things off! I took the pics just didn't get around to uploading them!! UGH!

Well, until next time, Happy Healthy Eating!!!!

Book Club

My friend Pam and I started a book club and last night was the first meeting, it was only an organizational meeting. We established ground rules, picked our first book and set the next meeting time. Our first recruited member was there, Shelley, she is a friend of mine. I hosted and we had decided not to serve food this time, but, me being me couldn't not serve something! So, I threw together strawberry shortcakes, very simple and not so unhealthy! Which is what I strive for!

Tonight we are having steak (on the grill)--yummy! Nothing fancy, just simple, which is something else I strive for! I may even grill veggies, not sure yet! Just glad my grill is working again! Yeah!

Last night was easy, roast in the crock pot, nothing simpler! I got the pork roast at Sam's and it was already seasoned with Italian bruschetta seasoning. Very yummy! Popped in some red potatoes and carrots and dinner was ready to eat when everyone came home.

I am still on the search for easy, healthy meals! While school is in and everything is going on I want things that are not time consuming. And, I prefer to have most ingredients in the pantry instead of chasing down the things I need. When I have more time I can concentrate on the more challenging or rather the more elaborate recipes!

Well, gotta go for now! Happy Eating!!!

Just another day

Today has been a rainy Sunday! We just stayed home and did much of nothing. We are all watching what we eat, trying to be healthier. Tonight I made tacoes! And yes they were a healthy version. I used lean ground beef, with only 4 grams of fat per serving and fat-free refried beans and tonight we actually used flour tortillas but they were the smaller ones you could have 2 per serving and they were only 3 weight watcher points so that was good.

The meal was inspired by Ethan, he seen me eating my breakfast of egg whites w/veggies in my low carb tortilla and he was like "man, I could go for a taco" so thats what I did for dinner, went for a taco, actually I went for two!

It's so nice when you can eat the things you love and still be healthy!

Also, wanted to say I love my new knives! They are KAI Pure Komachi 2, my chef's knife is pink and the mini utility knife is blue and they are awesome!! I think they are made by Shun Cutlery (I threw away the packages before I knew how good they were). I am going to do some research and see what I can find out but if you find them in a store let me know. I wish I had every style they made! If I'd known how awesome they were I would have bought another chef's knife especially!!

Anyway till next time-Happy Eating!

Falling Behind

Well I haven't been on here in over a week! Had sick kids and general life yuckiness! So today it really isn't all about food! I do want to say that I made everyone start a healthy eating quest on Monday. Ethan gets a little more flexibility the boy its like a cow, grazing all the time! But, he is much more active than the rest of us! Hopefully soon I will get back on my walking routine, sure is easy to let things slip, but hard to get back into it! Skyler and David are a hit and miss! I have been really good about making healthy eating choices so far this week! Even today I'm having lunch with my friend (just at Wendy's, our choices are limited in the "Grove") but it isn't about the food it's about the conversation! I have already decided what I'm ordering: baked potato and chili, which happens to be a better choice than a salad!

I haven't fixed anything challenging in awhile and I'm not sure when I will. I am looking for healthy recipes right now that I can try. So maybe I'll find something soon! Just not been feeling it lately. Although the nice lady that I met at Sam's a couple of weeks ago sent me a recipe that I need to try, yet again I'm NOT FEELIN' It!!!

Well in the meantime! HAPPY EATING!!
(okay so it was more about food than I intended!)

Inspiration

Still not feeling inspired by anything! Just seem to be slugging along. My creative juices are just not flowing and I'm feeling in a rut. Come on someone send me a recipe to try! HELP!!

My new go to dinner seems to be anything teriyaki! But why not it's so simple: Meat (whatever's on hand), veggies (fresh or frozen or both), rice or noodles (noodles being my fave) and of course the teriyaki sauce!! It takes me approximately 30 minutes to throw it together and ta-da, it's done!!

But I really need something different, guess I need to hit the books and see if I can get inspired by something there. If anyone has any ideas please send me something.

Happy Eating!

Nothing Exciting

Not much happening in the kitchen lately! I took the weekend off. My husband and I went to the maple syrup festival on Saturday in Auburn, Kentucky, well lets just say that was really not much! I did buy some mint jelly so I can fix lamb chops the traditional way. We met a group of friends there but while we were waiting for them to arrive we found a little place called Countryside Bake Shop. I bought a cinnamon roll with apple filling (very yummy!) and still warm from the oven. I also bought chocolate chip cookies and a derby pie. They had tons of spices and noodles and mixes! We ate at a little restaurant in Auburn called Nan's, it wasn't to bad, more of a greasy spoon type place. There was only the lady cooking and her young daughter waiting tables. But we had a good day in all!

I didn't even cook breakfast any this weekend. David cooked last night, we had Mexican food out last night! That's his idea of cooking! (and I don't mind!)

So we shall see where the week takes us. I really need to find another recipe to try, something a little more challenging!

But until then Happy Eating!

Someone Interesting

Today I was at Sam's and I was pondering over lamp chops and an older woman said it was rare to find them in stores, well this was all it took for me to initiate a conversation. I was thinking wow someone to talk food with! I mentioned how I'd seen a variety of lamb at Walmart and also how they had tripe, etc. She ask me if I was from Europe turns out she was, she moved here in 1964. She has four sons, one a chef in Santa Fe, NM, his name is Guy Mazire and another was a pastry chef, he used to own his own bakery! How awesome! Well we exchanged emails and she is going to send me some recipes! I am so excited! I think we would have stood and talked all day!

I haven't really been very creative the last couple of days, Skyler, my daughter was home sick the last three days and today I had to pick up my son Ethan from school. But maybe this weekend I'll come up with something exciting.

Tomorrow if everyone is well we are suppose to go to the maple syrup festival in Auburn, Kentucky. That might inspire something from me. Who knows!

In the meantime, Happy Eating!!

Beef Stew

BEEF STEW

1 1/2 lbs stew meat, brown beef in 2 Tblsp. olive oil
3-4 potatoes, scrubbed and diced into chunks
1/2- 3/4 cup matchstix carrots
3-4 asparagus chopped
1 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1 28 oz can italian chopped tomatoes w/herbs & olive oil
1 can beef broth
1/2 cup chicken broth
3-4 sprigs of thyme
and here's where it might get tricky because I didn't measure
splash of worcestershire sauce
splash of red wine vinegar
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped

Preheat oven to 375. After browning beef use a slotted spoon to transfer to dutch oven (I use a cast iron). Then put in all other ingredients except fresh parsley, stir til mixed then place in oven for 1 1/2 to 1 hr 45 minutes. Check and stir a couple of times. Done when potatoes are tender but not falling apart. After removing from oven stir in parsley. May also garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with cornbread.

Here's The Problem!

Well, this is where I'm gonna have trouble. I'm in the kitchen throwing together dinner and I realize I really need to write down what I'm putting into this recipe!!
So I'm trying to jot down as I'm preparing and this is not easy- for one I never measure anything! Big problem if you want to give someone the recipe and they are a stickler for measurements! Imagine! Someone wanting to know how much of this or that to put in. Of all the nerve! Just kidding! I totally get it just being a bit snarky.

Anyway, dinner is beef stew (for lack of a more creative name) so recipe and results will come later.

Enjoy your dinner!

Happy Eating!

Whats For Dinner?

The answer I don't know. I'm really to tired to even think about it, but if I don't do it noone will! I have thousands of recipes and still no clue! That's a challenge I need to undertake~going through all these recipes and deciding what I want to try and then actually trying them!

Mornings-Blah!

Gonna go have coffee and maybe my brain will wake up a bit......

Later

Honey-Lemon Chicken with Potatoes

This was a very good recipe, except I didn't score with everyone! Let me critique: David and I liked it, Skyler thought the chicken was to lemony and Ethan just really didn't care for it! Well-go figure!!! Actually there was things I will do differently such as decrease the lemon slices and increase the honey slightly, also, when finishing I wouldn't put the lemon zest on top and maybe leave off the balsamic drizzle. David didn't care for the balsamic drizzle but that might have to do with the fact that it didn't exactly turn out, I didn't have enough brown sugar or I just didn't let it boil down enough, truly don't know!

If anyone wants the recipe I will post it, just leave me a comment, you can also find it at rachaelray.com!

But this was not a family friendly recipe. David said it was a little to fancy for us hillbilly's! Oh well. So on to the next thing......Whatever that might be!

Happy Eating!

Here We Go

Let me start out by saying yesterday's mission was not fun! I went to 3 stores looking for my ingredients for today's recipe. Well, 4 if you count Walmart twice. Three ingredients proved to be my biggest challenge: baby potatoes, flat-leaf parsley and pine nuts. Okay pine nuts I can kinda get but potatoes and parsley come on! Well my first mistake came by forgetting to look at the potatoes at Walmart which was the first store I ventured into, but I had it in my mind that Sam's would still have the bag of baby potatoes that they've been carrying for about 2 months-yeah right!! Walmart didn't have parsley (I actually have a plant but I didn't have enough for this recipe) so I figured okay after Sam's I'll run in Kroger. So, as you might have figured no potatoes at Sam's so into Kroger I go looking for all 3 ingredients-still! I did find the parsley, yeah me! Back to Walmart and guess what they actually had baby potatoes, even the exact amount which is 1 1/2 pounds, can you believe it? Well, I was thinking that I'd check the salvage market in Smiths Grove for the pine nuts, I buy alot of odd things there. As luck would have it they didn't have pine nuts either! So I thought maybe since they were just for finishing touches I could skip that! Now listen when I say this: Check your cupboard before shopping it will save you stress! Nut of all nuts I had them in my cupboard!!!! Whew!

If you are wondering about last nights dinner it was a very simple throw together: Pork tenderloin, cut into strips and cooked in 2 Tblsp EVOO
1 bag of frozen sugar snap stir fry veggies (thawed)
and some teriyaki sauce.

Very basic and I heated some leftover rice for David, and also I fixed a spaghetti squash b/c I didn't want rice. Which turned out to be very good with the teriyaki pork stir fry on top of it.

I will let you know how tonight's affair turns out!!

Happy Eating

Dinner and Conversation

Well tonight's dinner was a success! Everyone liked what we had. The menu was
Rock Cornish Game Hens, Whole Green beans and Mystery Mac & Cheese! The mystery was in the cheese, I used some shredded mozzarella and Velveeta and some other Mexican cheese that I had in a bowl but forgot what it was called. It all turned out great! It was all pretty basic, the conversation on the other hand was interesting! We discussed tattoos, if and when you should get one and we all had an opinion. I'm neutral on the subject. I've seen decent ones and some that are just all wrong. I think placement and content are important when choosing a tatt! But to each his own!
We were pretty divided on the subject.

I'm still trying to decide what's for dinner tomorrow night but I think Tuesday I am going to try a Rachael Ray recipe, slow cooker meal: Honey-Lemon Chicken with Potatoes.

Just FYI the following recipe is made from leftover ingredients

Mystery Mac & Cheese Recipe:
6 oz (dry) Ratiatore pasta, boiled according to package, drain
Add to pasta the following:
1 oz shredded mozzeralla cheese
1 oz mystery cheese
5 oz shredded Velveeta cheese
Splash of Milk
1 Tblsp sour cream
1/2 stick of butter

This made enough for the 4 of us to have one serving.
(I like not having leftovers)-sometimes)

Let's See If I Can Blog

I love to cook and I want to get my recipes out there so I figured this was the best way for me to do that. I will use this blog to post my recipes and recipes that I have tried from various other sources! Maybe one day I will even create my own cookbook!

Like I said I love to cook but unless we are a food network chef we don't always have on hand what the recipe calls for, so we learn to improvise. But, in everyday life we need to be able to put together quick, easy, family friendly meals. I mean we can still make gourmet recipes but those always take extra planning and shopping so those I reserve for the weekend.

Yes, my husband will eat anything, the kids not so much. I want something they will all eat.

This morning I wanted something different, not a big breakfast (I fixed that yesterday!) So I looked in the fridge and found a tube of Pillsbury crescent rounds so I began to wonder.......

Here's what I came up with:



1 roll of crescent rounds (use any kind of pre-packed dough), roll out and pinch seams together

Press into pie plate

Bake @ 375 for about 7 minutes put under broiler until top just starts to brown, rest on counter while preparing the filling

Whisk 8 eggs w/a splash of milk

Add 1 Tblsp of fresh parsley, basil and oregano

Dash of salt and pepper

6-8 oz of cubed ham

Cook egg mixture in heated butter

Spoon over baked dough

Pop into oven about 5 minutes

Top with cheese (I used mozzarella but whatever you have on hand is fine)

Pop back into oven until cheese is melted.


Enjoy!

Yes, even the kids ate this one!!