I don't know about everyone else, but I'm ready to eat from the GRILL!! In fact I sent Daniel out yesterday to do his husbandly duty and grill! :O)
A good way to stretch that steak flavor is with skirt steak.
Marinate skirt steak overnight in:
2Tbs of olive oil
beef broth
minced garlic
cumin
onion powder
salt & pepper
Meat tenderizer if you would like.
Grill steak until it's done how you like it. Let it rest for at least 10 mins. Slice. Put unused steak in a sealed container in the fridge to use for sandwiches, fajitas, quesadillas, tacos (for quesadillas and tacos chop the steak), omletes...
You'll get that great grilled steak flavor without breaking the bank to feed the family.
Noah and I had a steak and cheese quesadilla for lunch today. Tasty!!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Loaded Mashed Potatoes
Loaded Mashed Potatoes
5 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
3⁄4 cup sour cream
1⁄2 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese blend, divided
1⁄2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 green onions, sliced
Place potatoes in a Dutch oven and cover with water; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until tender. Drain and place in a mixing bowl. Add sour cream, milk, butter, salt and pepper. Beat on medium – low speed until light and fluffy. Stir in 2 cups cheese, bacon and onions.Transfer to a greased 3-quart baking dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.
Yield: 14 servings.
Absolute chow.
5 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
3⁄4 cup sour cream
1⁄2 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese blend, divided
1⁄2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 green onions, sliced
Place potatoes in a Dutch oven and cover with water; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until tender. Drain and place in a mixing bowl. Add sour cream, milk, butter, salt and pepper. Beat on medium – low speed until light and fluffy. Stir in 2 cups cheese, bacon and onions.Transfer to a greased 3-quart baking dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.
Yield: 14 servings.
Absolute chow.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Making Friends With Your Crockpot
Some of you have already made friends with your crockpot and know what kind of time saving lifesaver it can be. For those of you who have not or just don't have any recipe ideas "to make it work for you" I highly recommend "Fix-It and Forget-It Recipes for Entertaining, Slow Cooker Favorites for All the Year Round," by Phyllis Pellman Good & Dawn J. Ranck. Even if you are an old pro at the crockpot I think you'll enjoy this cookbook, that's not just for entertaining. I think you'll find this cookbook useful for those everyday meals, as well as, for when company is coming.
Thoughts
First let me say that I don't have a recipe to publish because I seldom use recipes. I start with the basics, toss in what sounds good and taste, taste, taste, until I get it right. So I will share some of the little gems that I have discovered along the way that make my life easier in the kitchen.
1) Aldi - shop there and save more $$ than you will anywhere else.
a. Clancy's chips are let salty than leading brands and very good.
b. Get your milk there...you won't get it for less.
c. Try the Appleton Turkey Ham that you slice yourself for healthy sandwiches and get the center cut ham steak to warm in a pan and serve with a starch and veggie. My kids love it.
d. Get your shrimp there and your salmon. It comes in individually wrapped fillets. I broil them with lemon pepper and stir sour cream, lemon juice, and more lemon pepper for the top.
e. Look for Sesame Orange Chicken in the freezer section. It's a microwavable Chinese dish that is perfect for two or three people. Everyone fights over it here.
f. The Kirkwood frozen fried chicken is the closest I've found to KFC.
g. Also, you'll never make another pie once you try their deep dish and Chocolate Pecan Silk.
2) Walmart
a. Tyson Honey Breast Tenders are great for the kids. I just put a little canola oil in a pan and fry these little goodies. They get a nice crispy, sweet shell and are very moist inside. Preston likes to dip them in Ranch and Grant just nibbles on them. Also great movie munchies!
b. If you are trying to get more raw veggies and like a kick, look for Salsa Ranch salad dressing. I buy two at a time and use it with my carrots, celery, and cucumbers as a snack. I would be making many more unhealthy choices if it weren't for this stuff!
Okie Dokie! I'll share more gems as I find them.
1) Aldi - shop there and save more $$ than you will anywhere else.
a. Clancy's chips are let salty than leading brands and very good.
b. Get your milk there...you won't get it for less.
c. Try the Appleton Turkey Ham that you slice yourself for healthy sandwiches and get the center cut ham steak to warm in a pan and serve with a starch and veggie. My kids love it.
d. Get your shrimp there and your salmon. It comes in individually wrapped fillets. I broil them with lemon pepper and stir sour cream, lemon juice, and more lemon pepper for the top.
e. Look for Sesame Orange Chicken in the freezer section. It's a microwavable Chinese dish that is perfect for two or three people. Everyone fights over it here.
f. The Kirkwood frozen fried chicken is the closest I've found to KFC.
g. Also, you'll never make another pie once you try their deep dish and Chocolate Pecan Silk.
2) Walmart
a. Tyson Honey Breast Tenders are great for the kids. I just put a little canola oil in a pan and fry these little goodies. They get a nice crispy, sweet shell and are very moist inside. Preston likes to dip them in Ranch and Grant just nibbles on them. Also great movie munchies!
b. If you are trying to get more raw veggies and like a kick, look for Salsa Ranch salad dressing. I buy two at a time and use it with my carrots, celery, and cucumbers as a snack. I would be making many more unhealthy choices if it weren't for this stuff!
Okie Dokie! I'll share more gems as I find them.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Pulled Pork Barbeque - Making Good use of Cheap Cuts
This is a good way to use a cheap cut of meat and come out with a delicious meal.
Use your crockpot or roaster for this recipe. We have a 6qt roaster if you don't have one, I highly recommend them. You can cook up to a 9lb Turkey, chickens, beef, pork,... it browns the meat unlike a crockpot without heating up your house like your oven does. It's great for the summer.
1 pork roast (picnic or butt roasts work well.)
2-3 onions large slices (cutting the onions bigger makes it so when the cooking is over there are still onions around)
4-8 cloves of garlic crushed or minced
favorite barbeque sauce (I like to use Maulls original for this, it just seems to go well with the pork.)
1 TBS black pepper
Place the pork roast in your crockpot/roaster fat side up. Surround/cover with onions, garlic and black pepper. Cover entire roast with water. By placing the roast fat side up and covering with water the fat will float on top which makes it easy to skim off allowing the use of a cheaper cut of meat. Cook on low at least 8 hours. Skim fat off of top, drain, shredd meat with fork and add barbeque sauce. Cook on low until sauce is heated, the longer it cooks the more flavorful.
The amounts are ranges due to roasts varying so much in weight and the amount of people need to be served.
A tip for easier "skimming", cool and the fat will solidify on top making it easier to remove.
Use your crockpot or roaster for this recipe. We have a 6qt roaster if you don't have one, I highly recommend them. You can cook up to a 9lb Turkey, chickens, beef, pork,... it browns the meat unlike a crockpot without heating up your house like your oven does. It's great for the summer.
1 pork roast (picnic or butt roasts work well.)
2-3 onions large slices (cutting the onions bigger makes it so when the cooking is over there are still onions around)
4-8 cloves of garlic crushed or minced
favorite barbeque sauce (I like to use Maulls original for this, it just seems to go well with the pork.)
1 TBS black pepper
Place the pork roast in your crockpot/roaster fat side up. Surround/cover with onions, garlic and black pepper. Cover entire roast with water. By placing the roast fat side up and covering with water the fat will float on top which makes it easy to skim off allowing the use of a cheaper cut of meat. Cook on low at least 8 hours. Skim fat off of top, drain, shredd meat with fork and add barbeque sauce. Cook on low until sauce is heated, the longer it cooks the more flavorful.
The amounts are ranges due to roasts varying so much in weight and the amount of people need to be served.
A tip for easier "skimming", cool and the fat will solidify on top making it easier to remove.
Chicken Provencal Recipe
I found this recipe in a Diabetic Cookbook and will make it after I can eat everything! It's diabetic and diet friendly. You can make it with a side of pasta but I enjoy it by itself.
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried basil
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved
1 medium garlic clove, minced
¼ c minced onion
¼ c minced green bell pepper
½ c dry white wine
1 8oz can chopped tomatoes
¼ c pitted black olives
Fresh ground pepper
1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in basil, add chicken, and brown about 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and cook uncovered over medium heat for 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Transfer to serving platter and season with additional pepper before serving.
Exchanges:
1 Vegetable
4 Lean Meat
Calories 240
Fat 11 g
Carbs 5 g
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried basil
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved
1 medium garlic clove, minced
¼ c minced onion
¼ c minced green bell pepper
½ c dry white wine
1 8oz can chopped tomatoes
¼ c pitted black olives
Fresh ground pepper
1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in basil, add chicken, and brown about 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and cook uncovered over medium heat for 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Transfer to serving platter and season with additional pepper before serving.
Exchanges:
1 Vegetable
4 Lean Meat
Calories 240
Fat 11 g
Carbs 5 g
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Pork Chop Crockpot Dinner
4-6 pork chops, trim excess fat
1 medium onion
3 or 4 potatoes, sliced
1 or 2 pkg frozen green beans
1 (10 1/2 oz) can cream of mushroom soup (or soup of your choice)
1/3 cup catsup
3tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
garlic to taste
Brown chops well. Layer in slow cooker the sliced potatoes, green beans, onions and chops. Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over all. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours or until vegetables are done. This recipe holds up well sitting on the warm setting if you have an electronic crockpot like mine that goes to warm after the cooking time has elapsed.
1 medium onion
3 or 4 potatoes, sliced
1 or 2 pkg frozen green beans
1 (10 1/2 oz) can cream of mushroom soup (or soup of your choice)
1/3 cup catsup
3tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
garlic to taste
Brown chops well. Layer in slow cooker the sliced potatoes, green beans, onions and chops. Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over all. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours or until vegetables are done. This recipe holds up well sitting on the warm setting if you have an electronic crockpot like mine that goes to warm after the cooking time has elapsed.
Have you ever had the Weight Watchers Sante Fe Rice and Beans?
That is one of my favorite quick fix "tv dinners". I tried to make up my own home version and it wasn't bad, but it could use something else. Give me your thoughts.
I mixed together the following ingredients in a bowl:
4 cups of long cooking rice
1 can of corn
1 can of black beans
a little garlic
1 can of mexican style tomotoes (with green chilis)
1 - 1 1/2 cups of green onions
I spread it in a 9x13 and topped with mexican cheese and baked until heated through and the cheese was melted.
It was good but it needs a little something more. I would like to had flavor with out necessarily adding heat (though how I love spice), because I would like to be able to serve this to my toddler too. Please give my your ideas.
I mixed together the following ingredients in a bowl:
4 cups of long cooking rice
1 can of corn
1 can of black beans
a little garlic
1 can of mexican style tomotoes (with green chilis)
1 - 1 1/2 cups of green onions
I spread it in a 9x13 and topped with mexican cheese and baked until heated through and the cheese was melted.
It was good but it needs a little something more. I would like to had flavor with out necessarily adding heat (though how I love spice), because I would like to be able to serve this to my toddler too. Please give my your ideas.
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