I made the caramel apple pork chops last night. J's comment when he walked in to door? "You'll find a way to add sugar to anything!" It was so good, though! Definitely worth a try! HERE is the link if you want to give it a try. Don't forget to read some of the comments to see what other people recommend doing. For example, a lot of people recommend doubling the sauce. The boys even loved this meal!
Stacy and I tried Zumba today. It was fun! Tomorrow will be the second time I step on the scale at the gym. I don't think I've lost weight yet, but hopefully I haven't gained any! I walk past the scale every time I leave the locker room and it's been very hard not to step on it and take a peek at my progress. I don't think it would be good to weigh myself all the time, though. I will allow it once a week, but not more than that. And I am making myself promise not to be upset if it doesn't show any change for the first month or so. It took more than a week to put it on, it will take more than a week to get it off.
Showing posts with label recipe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipe. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
Menu Monday, Jan 23. and Buckwheat Cookies
I'm kind of slacking off this week. I know I shouldn't, but I'm doing it anyway. I have meals planned, but no sides to go with them. I'll just grab something out of the freezer each day I guess.
Breakfast: waffles, eggs, bananas, cereal on the days we eat eggs, and I'm going to make some gf chocolate chip muffins
Snack: same ol' same ol' Fruit (I have a few apples, clementines and grapes left from last week.)
Lunch: hopefully leftovers most days. I also have some lunch meat and some bread in the freezer.
Snack: raisins, fruit snacks, cookies (which I haven't baked yet but hopefully will)
Dinner: Pizza with Bob's Red Mill's pizza dough mix, Tater tot casserole, Potato Soup, and French Onion Pork chops. J's birthday is this week. His last birthday in his 20's. I think we're planning to go out for it.
For this week's recipe, I'm going to post my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Actually, I'm going to post the link to it, It's from the Gluten Free Goddess. HERE ya go!
Breakfast: waffles, eggs, bananas, cereal on the days we eat eggs, and I'm going to make some gf chocolate chip muffins
Snack: same ol' same ol' Fruit (I have a few apples, clementines and grapes left from last week.)
Lunch: hopefully leftovers most days. I also have some lunch meat and some bread in the freezer.
Snack: raisins, fruit snacks, cookies (which I haven't baked yet but hopefully will)
Dinner: Pizza with Bob's Red Mill's pizza dough mix, Tater tot casserole, Potato Soup, and French Onion Pork chops. J's birthday is this week. His last birthday in his 20's. I think we're planning to go out for it.
For this week's recipe, I'm going to post my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Actually, I'm going to post the link to it, It's from the Gluten Free Goddess. HERE ya go!
Monday, January 16, 2012
Menu Monday + a recipefor Taco Seasoning
I thought it would be nice to include a little recipe for the taco seasoning I've started making, just so I have it written down somewhere easy to get to. But first, this week's menu :)
Breakfast: waffles x 2, eggs and cereal x 3, pancakes x 2. As always, a banana and chocolate milk.
Morning snack: apples, clementines, and grapes.
Lunch: leftovers x 4, lunch meat x 3. I am going to try to make some bread to go with our lunch meat this week. We will either have yogurt or string cheese, and then some type of snack like rice cakes or animal cookies (they are chocolate and my favorite gf cookie from the store. mmm....)
Afternoon snack: raisins, apple sauce, yogurt, or string cheese
Dinner: Tacos (we like cheese and salsa on our tacos, but nothing else. No other sides with this meal), meatloaf and peas, pulled bbq chicken with corn bread and salads, and brown sugar ham with potatoes and green beans.
You may have noticed that I only have four meals planned for dinner. That's because my sister cooks for us once a week, we don't usually eat dinner on Sundays because we eat a big, late lunch after church, and then I leave one day open just in case we end up at my parents house for a meal or we feel like going out to eat. I don't like to eat alone if J is working late, so we eat with my parents on those days.
Ok, now for my pinterest taco seasoning find :) I used parts of two different recipes, this and this. Here's what I did:
Breakfast: waffles x 2, eggs and cereal x 3, pancakes x 2. As always, a banana and chocolate milk.
Morning snack: apples, clementines, and grapes.
Lunch: leftovers x 4, lunch meat x 3. I am going to try to make some bread to go with our lunch meat this week. We will either have yogurt or string cheese, and then some type of snack like rice cakes or animal cookies (they are chocolate and my favorite gf cookie from the store. mmm....)
Afternoon snack: raisins, apple sauce, yogurt, or string cheese
Dinner: Tacos (we like cheese and salsa on our tacos, but nothing else. No other sides with this meal), meatloaf and peas, pulled bbq chicken with corn bread and salads, and brown sugar ham with potatoes and green beans.
You may have noticed that I only have four meals planned for dinner. That's because my sister cooks for us once a week, we don't usually eat dinner on Sundays because we eat a big, late lunch after church, and then I leave one day open just in case we end up at my parents house for a meal or we feel like going out to eat. I don't like to eat alone if J is working late, so we eat with my parents on those days.
Ok, now for my pinterest taco seasoning find :) I used parts of two different recipes, this and this. Here's what I did:
1/2 cup chili powder
1/4 cup onion powder
1/8 cup ground cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/4 cup onion powder
1/8 cup ground cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon sea salt
That is the recipe on the second link above. Then I added in about 1 t of crushed red pepper flakes (from the first link above) because we like things a little more spicy. We use about 2 TBS, but I'm not sure exactly how much since I just sprinkle it on there. It's really not spicy, but has a really yummy taste. Even my picky boys like it!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Tasty Tuesday: Meatloaf
Have I done meatloaf already? I can't remember. It is a favorite at our house, so I might have done this one already. If so, I will try to delete this before any of you see it ;) I used to hate meatloaf. The thought of it was disgusting enough. But when I started cooking more, J asked me to try to find a good meatloaf recipe. I didn't want to, but he missed having it. So, like a kind and loving wife, I found a recipe to try. Surprisingly, I loved it! It's easy too. J loves it. I love it. T refuses to touch it (but that's pretty normal with all things other than chicken nuggets...). L seems to love it too. Three out of four, not too bad! :D
I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com, it's by PTRULL.
I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com, it's by PTRULL.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 tablespoon steak sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons prepared mustard
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine ground meat, soup, chopped onion, rolled oats, eggs, steak sauce, ketchup and mustard. Mix well.
- Shape into a loaf, and pat Into a loaf pan.
- Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 1 hour or until done.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Tasty Tuesday: Lasagna Rolls
My dear friend sent me this recipe recently. It's honestly amazing! Yum yum yum!!! I got my gluten free lasagna noodles from wegmans and they were great too. I copied her recipe word for word, stick to it and you won't be disappointed :)
Serves 6
Ingredients:
12 lasagna noodles
1lb ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (26 oz) jar of favorite spaghetti sauce
1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese
1 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grate Parmesan cheese (instead I used a mix of three cheeses they sell at the store...I think Parmesan, Asigo...and one other)
I also added
1 green pepper, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1- Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 13x9in baking dish with non-stick spray (I forgot to do that and mine were fine)
2- Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain. Lay noodles flat on waxed paper (I found that using tin foil sprayed with non-stick spray worked better).
3- Cook the beef, onion, garlic (and green pepper and zucchini if you use them) in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until meat is browned and crumbly, and veggies aren't hard (you don't want them super soft but not really hard either...they'll cook to soft in the oven). Drain. Add pasta sauce; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Spread 2 cups of sauce mixture in the prepared baking dish.
4 - Mix the ricotta and 1 cup of mozzarella in a large bowl (I also sprinkled some of the Parmesan mixture in here too). Spread about 3 tbs cheese mixture evenly over each noodle (I found it was easier to just pick some up in my hands and roll it into a long piece, then smush that on the noodle lol...this is where Kaleb helped. I put the long roll down and he helped me smush).
5- Roll up the noodles tightly. Place, seam sides down, over the sauce in the baking dish. Spoon the remaining sauce over the rolls. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake the rolls until heated through and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
12 lasagna noodles
1lb ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (26 oz) jar of favorite spaghetti sauce
1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese
1 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grate Parmesan cheese (instead I used a mix of three cheeses they sell at the store...I think Parmesan, Asigo...and one other)
I also added
1 green pepper, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1- Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 13x9in baking dish with non-stick spray (I forgot to do that and mine were fine)
2- Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain. Lay noodles flat on waxed paper (I found that using tin foil sprayed with non-stick spray worked better).
3- Cook the beef, onion, garlic (and green pepper and zucchini if you use them) in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until meat is browned and crumbly, and veggies aren't hard (you don't want them super soft but not really hard either...they'll cook to soft in the oven). Drain. Add pasta sauce; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Spread 2 cups of sauce mixture in the prepared baking dish.
4 - Mix the ricotta and 1 cup of mozzarella in a large bowl (I also sprinkled some of the Parmesan mixture in here too). Spread about 3 tbs cheese mixture evenly over each noodle (I found it was easier to just pick some up in my hands and roll it into a long piece, then smush that on the noodle lol...this is where Kaleb helped. I put the long roll down and he helped me smush).
5- Roll up the noodles tightly. Place, seam sides down, over the sauce in the baking dish. Spoon the remaining sauce over the rolls. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake the rolls until heated through and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Tasty Tuesday: GF Oreos
I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before or not, but I love oreos. They are my favorite type of cookie. And the very best Oreo of all? Fudgees. I think I miss my Fudgees more than any other gluten food! I was so, so excited when my MIL e-mailed me a link to a GF blog with a recipe for oreos. Seriously, words cannot express my joy :) These are no Fudgee, but they're pretty darn good! HERE is the link to the blog with the recipe. Enjoy.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Tasty Tuesday: GF Hamburger buns
This is yet another recipe from my amazing mother-in-law. Have I said how thankful I am that she has been doing this whole gluten free thing for years? She has the best recipes and helps me out more than she will ever know! I made this early last week and planned to save some for our cook outs (we had two... one with neighbors on Saturday and one with my parents on the 4th of July). They were so good, though! L and I ended up eating them all before then ;) So, here are her buns:
3 large eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
1 TBSP xanthan gum
1/3 cup potato starch (NOT flour)
1 cup white rice flour
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup tapioca starch
1/3 c. GF buckwheat flour
1 TBSP active dry yeast
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
Directions
Preheat Oven to 380 degrees.
Beat eggs in heavy duty mixer and then add oil, vinegar, and sugar, combining.
Add dry ingredients.
Warm milk in the microwave (or on the stove) and add to the bowl, gently folding it into the flour. Turn on motor, let ingredients combine thoroughly then turn power to medium and leave for 4 minutes while it stirs.
Spray baking pan (cookie sheet type) with nonstick cooking spray and/or line with parchment paper.
Oil your hands and grab a ball of dough from the mixing bowl. Gently shape it into a roll. Place it on the prepared cookie sheet. Make another roll (or hamburger bun in my case), continuing until all dough has been used for rolls. (This part is fun!)
Brush with whisked egg. Sprinkle with garnish (fresh herbs, salt, onion), poppy seeds or sesame seeds if desired.
Let it rise in a warm place for five minutes. Open oven, put in your rack of rolls and let bake for 20-25 minutes. (Halfway through baking time, you may wish to turn over your rolls for even browning.)
3 large eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
1 TBSP xanthan gum
1/3 cup potato starch (NOT flour)
1 cup white rice flour
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup tapioca starch
1/3 c. GF buckwheat flour
1 TBSP active dry yeast
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
Directions
Preheat Oven to 380 degrees.
Beat eggs in heavy duty mixer and then add oil, vinegar, and sugar, combining.
Add dry ingredients.
Warm milk in the microwave (or on the stove) and add to the bowl, gently folding it into the flour. Turn on motor, let ingredients combine thoroughly then turn power to medium and leave for 4 minutes while it stirs.
Spray baking pan (cookie sheet type) with nonstick cooking spray and/or line with parchment paper.
Oil your hands and grab a ball of dough from the mixing bowl. Gently shape it into a roll. Place it on the prepared cookie sheet. Make another roll (or hamburger bun in my case), continuing until all dough has been used for rolls. (This part is fun!)
Brush with whisked egg. Sprinkle with garnish (fresh herbs, salt, onion), poppy seeds or sesame seeds if desired.
Let it rise in a warm place for five minutes. Open oven, put in your rack of rolls and let bake for 20-25 minutes. (Halfway through baking time, you may wish to turn over your rolls for even browning.)
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
GF cookies!
Today I attempted some gluten free cookies. I decided this would be the best place for my to write down the recipe so that I have it in the future, along with my little side notes. If I write it down on paper, I'll lose it. So, ingredients:
3/4 c butter, softened
1 1/4 c packed brown sugar
1/4 c white sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 c cornstarch
1/2 c brown rice flour
1 1/4 c c white rice flour
2 eggs
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
12 ounces chocolate chips
Cream butter and sugar, add the eggs and vanilla. In a larger bowl, sift the vornstarch, brown rice flour, white rice flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the butter mixture, then add chocolate chips. Bake at 375 for about 8 minutes.
These were very good! Tasted great! BUT, they were as flat as paper (well, almost...) and got hard as they cooled. Next time I will try using a teaspoon of zantham gum, less butter, adding milk, or maybe add more of the flour mixture. Hopefully that will help them to turn out more like normal cookies :)
3/4 c butter, softened
1 1/4 c packed brown sugar
1/4 c white sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 c cornstarch
1/2 c brown rice flour
1 1/4 c c white rice flour
2 eggs
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
12 ounces chocolate chips
Cream butter and sugar, add the eggs and vanilla. In a larger bowl, sift the vornstarch, brown rice flour, white rice flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the butter mixture, then add chocolate chips. Bake at 375 for about 8 minutes.
These were very good! Tasted great! BUT, they were as flat as paper (well, almost...) and got hard as they cooled. Next time I will try using a teaspoon of zantham gum, less butter, adding milk, or maybe add more of the flour mixture. Hopefully that will help them to turn out more like normal cookies :)
Tasty Tuesday: PF Changs Mongolian Beef
To start off my meal post for today (yesterday, technically), I thought I'd share a funny story. I don't share a lot of funny things in this blog, but this one I have to write down somewhere. Those of you who have known me for a while know that I can be quite careless. I have been known to run into things (walls, door frames,guard rails, dumpsters...). I trip, fall, basically, I could at times be described as a red headed blonde ;) I've tried very hard to overcome those characteristics but sometimes they sneak back into my life. Yesterday was one of those days. I was going to cook something in the crock pot and started getting it ready while talking to my mom on the phone. I have two crock pot recipes on the menu this week, the first is French Onion Pork Chops (pork chops, french onion soup, water, and parsley) and the second is Cola Roast (pot roast, onion soup mix, and coke). So I'm talking to my mom, the kids are both fussing about something or another, so I'm trying to get them something to snack on while I get dinner ready, and I just wasn't thinking things through completely. I put the pork chops in, talk some more, clean up a mess or two and then put the onion soup mix in. This is where I first went wrong, I put the onion soup mix in instead of the french onion soup. It's easy to confuse the two, but from there I completely switched recipes. Instead of adding the water and parsley, I added the coke. All day long I kept saying how good is smelled and how excited I was to eat dinner. J came home and I bragged to him that dinner was cooking and would be ready at exactly the right time. At dinner time, I realized my mistake. We had a very sweet Cola Chops dinner ;) It was nasty. Now onto this week's new recipe:
This is my first Gluten Free recipe (well, others might be gluten free too, I just haven't paid attention until now...) and I have to say that it was delish! I was actually very surprised! I thought going gluten free would mean "taste free" but nope, it's not tasteless. J gave this an 8.5, my sister and I agree that it's a 9, and Sweet T ate a few bites without any fuss whatsoever! Yum Yum! I can't wait to make it again! I got this recipe from my mother-in-law and I'm not positive where she got it, but she made a few adjustments to it. Here ya go:
Sauce:
2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp minced ginger
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (changed to 1/2 cup)
1 lb flank steak
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 large green onions
1. Make the sauce by heating 2 tsp of oil in medium saucepan over med/low heat.
Don't get the oil too hot or you'll get spatter hwen adding the other liquids.
Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches.
Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to about medium and boil the sauce for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
Remove it from heat.
2. Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4 inch thick bite-size slices.
Tilt the blade of your knife at about a 45 degree angle to the top of the steak so that you get wider cuts.
3. Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch and apply a thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef.
Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes so that the cornstarch sticks.
4. As the beef sits, heat up one cup of oil in a wok (or skillet).
Heat the oil over medium heat until it's nice and hot, but not smoking.
Add the beef to the oil and saute for 2 minutes or until the beef just begins to darken on the edges.
You don't need a thorough cooking here since the beef will go back on the heat later.
Stir the meat around a little so it cooks evenly.
After a couple of minutes, use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and place it on paper towels.
Then pour the oil out of the wok.
Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back into it and simmer for one minute.
Add the sauce, cook for one minute while stirring, then add all the green onions. cook for one more minute, then remove the beef and onions with tongs or a slotted spoon to a serving plate. (My MIL leaves the meat in the sauce)
Leave the excess sauce behind in the pan.
You can also substitute chicken for the beef, if you prefer it.
This is my first Gluten Free recipe (well, others might be gluten free too, I just haven't paid attention until now...) and I have to say that it was delish! I was actually very surprised! I thought going gluten free would mean "taste free" but nope, it's not tasteless. J gave this an 8.5, my sister and I agree that it's a 9, and Sweet T ate a few bites without any fuss whatsoever! Yum Yum! I can't wait to make it again! I got this recipe from my mother-in-law and I'm not positive where she got it, but she made a few adjustments to it. Here ya go:
Sauce:
2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp minced ginger
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (changed to 1/2 cup)
1 lb flank steak
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 large green onions
1. Make the sauce by heating 2 tsp of oil in medium saucepan over med/low heat.
Don't get the oil too hot or you'll get spatter hwen adding the other liquids.
Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches.
Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to about medium and boil the sauce for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
Remove it from heat.
2. Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4 inch thick bite-size slices.
Tilt the blade of your knife at about a 45 degree angle to the top of the steak so that you get wider cuts.
3. Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch and apply a thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef.
Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes so that the cornstarch sticks.
4. As the beef sits, heat up one cup of oil in a wok (or skillet).
Heat the oil over medium heat until it's nice and hot, but not smoking.
Add the beef to the oil and saute for 2 minutes or until the beef just begins to darken on the edges.
You don't need a thorough cooking here since the beef will go back on the heat later.
Stir the meat around a little so it cooks evenly.
After a couple of minutes, use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and place it on paper towels.
Then pour the oil out of the wok.
Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back into it and simmer for one minute.
Add the sauce, cook for one minute while stirring, then add all the green onions. cook for one more minute, then remove the beef and onions with tongs or a slotted spoon to a serving plate. (My MIL leaves the meat in the sauce)
Leave the excess sauce behind in the pan.
You can also substitute chicken for the beef, if you prefer it.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Bloggin two days in a row! Woo Hoo!
Yesterday, I tried to write about my crock pot disaster, so today I'm going to start with that and see what I come up with. Maybe if I find the time to start blogging again, I'll get back into my daily topics. For now, I'm just happy to blog at all :)
So, yesterday. Yesterday was NRN (new recipe night) and I've been wanting to try a BBQ chicken and cornbread dish in the crock pot. Little L is still struggling with reflux, and after talking with three different moms, we've decided the best thing to do is try a gluten free diet. Thankfully, the place I got this recipe from cooks gluten free! Even lists the brands she uses which made shopping a lot easier! The problem I had was that she used a 4 qt crock pot and I have a 6 qt one. I figured it'd be ok, I could just add more water. Big time fail! I'm sure the chicken part of it would have been delicious, but the corn bread mixture just mixed in with the bbq/water mixture and was a mess. So right away I decided to just start over. Bummed from the meal and money I had just waisted, I prepared the meal again, this time according to directions. I'm not really sure what I was thinking. I was still using the wrong size crock pot. I completely, and I mean COMPLETELY burned the entire meal. It was far from edible. I still really want to try that recipe though. I guess I'll have to buy a small crock pot now ;) (for those interested, here's the blog: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/08/crockpot-barbecued-chicken-and.html)
Wow, both kids still sleeping! I guess I'll keep blogging :) As I mentioned in that last paragraph, J and I decided it's time to try a gluten free diet. J and Sweet T are still eating plenty of gluten, but I'm off it, or at least trying to get off of it, and Little L has never really had much to begin with...other than what's in my milk of course. I started my new diet on May first. Parts of it are easier than I expected and parts are much more difficult. My in-laws have been off gluten for years now, and they are amazing cooks. My mother-in-law loves trying new recipes and is not only willing to send me the recipes, but also sit down and teach me what to do. She even gave me tons of different types of flours and things to try out (and you would not believe all the different types of flours out there!!!). We have an amazing selection of gluten free products at our local Wegmans. It's pretty expensive, but easy to find which is very helpful too. The hardest part for me is giving up my sweets. I LOVE cookies, cakes, brownies, all things sugary. And while I can still eat some candy, some of my favorites are now a "no-no." The cookies and candies that I can't eat are now out of the house. When I get the craving for something sweet, I go for a couple chocolate chips or something. My mother in law sent me a recipe for gluten free oreos that I'm excited to try, and if I can find some cookie recipes, I'll be golden. The one thing that I have not been able to give up yet is my beloved chocolate milk. Yes, it's sad but true. Some of you may be thinking, "Wait, I thought L was lactose intolerant and you can't drink milk?" This is true, but I drink the lactose free stuff :) Every morning, Sweet T and I enjoy a morning glass of chocolate milk. I started craving Carnation Instant Breakfast (Dark Chocolate kind only) when I was pregnant with Little L, and I haven't been able to stop drinking it ever since. Sweet T realized that my morning milk was different than his morning (white) milk when he was around 20 months old, and has had chocolate milk (Ovaltine) ever since then too. What can I say? We're addicted. I'm sure there are other types of chocolate milk out there without gluten in them, but I don't want those! I only want the dark chocolate Carnation Instant Breakfast :( I know I need to give it up. It's for L's health. Your body goes through a bit of withdraw similar to what an alcoholic goes through when you stop eating gluten, so for now I'm using that as an excuse. I should give it up slowly so that I don't go through that. But it's still going to be hard in a week or two when I can't use that as an excuse any more :( STUPID wheat starch :(
On a non-food related note, the diapers I bought yesterday are about to go into the dryer! YAY! Can't wait to get them on the bum! So, that's all for now, friends. Hopefully I can keep this blog up. I know I say that every time I get on here. Oh well...
So, yesterday. Yesterday was NRN (new recipe night) and I've been wanting to try a BBQ chicken and cornbread dish in the crock pot. Little L is still struggling with reflux, and after talking with three different moms, we've decided the best thing to do is try a gluten free diet. Thankfully, the place I got this recipe from cooks gluten free! Even lists the brands she uses which made shopping a lot easier! The problem I had was that she used a 4 qt crock pot and I have a 6 qt one. I figured it'd be ok, I could just add more water. Big time fail! I'm sure the chicken part of it would have been delicious, but the corn bread mixture just mixed in with the bbq/water mixture and was a mess. So right away I decided to just start over. Bummed from the meal and money I had just waisted, I prepared the meal again, this time according to directions. I'm not really sure what I was thinking. I was still using the wrong size crock pot. I completely, and I mean COMPLETELY burned the entire meal. It was far from edible. I still really want to try that recipe though. I guess I'll have to buy a small crock pot now ;) (for those interested, here's the blog: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/08/crockpot-barbecued-chicken-and.html)
Wow, both kids still sleeping! I guess I'll keep blogging :) As I mentioned in that last paragraph, J and I decided it's time to try a gluten free diet. J and Sweet T are still eating plenty of gluten, but I'm off it, or at least trying to get off of it, and Little L has never really had much to begin with...other than what's in my milk of course. I started my new diet on May first. Parts of it are easier than I expected and parts are much more difficult. My in-laws have been off gluten for years now, and they are amazing cooks. My mother-in-law loves trying new recipes and is not only willing to send me the recipes, but also sit down and teach me what to do. She even gave me tons of different types of flours and things to try out (and you would not believe all the different types of flours out there!!!). We have an amazing selection of gluten free products at our local Wegmans. It's pretty expensive, but easy to find which is very helpful too. The hardest part for me is giving up my sweets. I LOVE cookies, cakes, brownies, all things sugary. And while I can still eat some candy, some of my favorites are now a "no-no." The cookies and candies that I can't eat are now out of the house. When I get the craving for something sweet, I go for a couple chocolate chips or something. My mother in law sent me a recipe for gluten free oreos that I'm excited to try, and if I can find some cookie recipes, I'll be golden. The one thing that I have not been able to give up yet is my beloved chocolate milk. Yes, it's sad but true. Some of you may be thinking, "Wait, I thought L was lactose intolerant and you can't drink milk?" This is true, but I drink the lactose free stuff :) Every morning, Sweet T and I enjoy a morning glass of chocolate milk. I started craving Carnation Instant Breakfast (Dark Chocolate kind only) when I was pregnant with Little L, and I haven't been able to stop drinking it ever since. Sweet T realized that my morning milk was different than his morning (white) milk when he was around 20 months old, and has had chocolate milk (Ovaltine) ever since then too. What can I say? We're addicted. I'm sure there are other types of chocolate milk out there without gluten in them, but I don't want those! I only want the dark chocolate Carnation Instant Breakfast :( I know I need to give it up. It's for L's health. Your body goes through a bit of withdraw similar to what an alcoholic goes through when you stop eating gluten, so for now I'm using that as an excuse. I should give it up slowly so that I don't go through that. But it's still going to be hard in a week or two when I can't use that as an excuse any more :( STUPID wheat starch :(
On a non-food related note, the diapers I bought yesterday are about to go into the dryer! YAY! Can't wait to get them on the bum! So, that's all for now, friends. Hopefully I can keep this blog up. I know I say that every time I get on here. Oh well...
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Tasty Tuesday: French Onion Pork Chops
Have you figured out what my favorite recipe book is? If not, I'll tell you :) It's Super-Fast Slow Cooking by Gooseberry Patch. It's full of easy crock pot meals, and you've already read about my love for my crock pot! So this week, it's another recipe from my favorite cook book.
4 pork chops
10 1/2 oz can French onion soup
1/4 c water
1 t dried parsley
cooked egg noodles.
Place pork chops in a slow cooker. Mix soup and water together; pour over pork. Sprinkle with parsley. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours. Serve over hot cooked noodles. Serves 4
This actually wasn't our new recipe from last week. My mom was out of town so my sister and I took turns cooking for my dad, sister, husband, and boys. And my dad also took us out a few times :) I guess my lazy blog postings paid off this time since I can use one from a previous week. J did not rate this one, but I remember he liked it. T ate the pork but doesn't ever eat pasta. I enjoyed it enough that we're having it again tonight. Mmmm, my house already smells goooood....
4 pork chops
10 1/2 oz can French onion soup
1/4 c water
1 t dried parsley
cooked egg noodles.
Place pork chops in a slow cooker. Mix soup and water together; pour over pork. Sprinkle with parsley. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours. Serve over hot cooked noodles. Serves 4
This actually wasn't our new recipe from last week. My mom was out of town so my sister and I took turns cooking for my dad, sister, husband, and boys. And my dad also took us out a few times :) I guess my lazy blog postings paid off this time since I can use one from a previous week. J did not rate this one, but I remember he liked it. T ate the pork but doesn't ever eat pasta. I enjoyed it enough that we're having it again tonight. Mmmm, my house already smells goooood....
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Tasty Tuesday: Down-Home Chicken and Noodles
Oh yeah, another crock pot recipe. What can I say? I love my crock pot :) It's so much easier to just toss things in there and let them cook all day rather than to try to prepare everything right before dinner. This meal was good. I will definitely make it again. I wouldn't say it's my all time favorite, though. J gave it a 7 and I'd probably give it a 7 too. It's from the Super Fast Slow Cooking cook book. Enjoy :)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to tast
2 10-3/4 oz cans cream of chicken soup
14-1/2 oz can chicken broth
16 oz pkg wide egg noodles, cooked
Place chicken in a slow cooker; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with both cans of soup. Cover and cook on low setting for 6 hours, or until chicken falls apart. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred. Return chicken to slower cooker; add broth and cooked noodles. Mix well. Cover and cook on low setting for an additional 30 minutes, or until heated through. Serves 6
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to tast
2 10-3/4 oz cans cream of chicken soup
14-1/2 oz can chicken broth
16 oz pkg wide egg noodles, cooked
Place chicken in a slow cooker; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with both cans of soup. Cover and cook on low setting for 6 hours, or until chicken falls apart. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred. Return chicken to slower cooker; add broth and cooked noodles. Mix well. Cover and cook on low setting for an additional 30 minutes, or until heated through. Serves 6
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Tasty Tuesday: Cola Roast
Another crock pot meal today :) I just love my crock pot! It makes cooking so easy. And this recipe, well, it couldn't get any easier than this!!!
3 lb beef pot roast
1.35 oz pkg onion soup mix
2 12 oz cans cola
Place roast in slow cooker; sprinkle with soup mix. Pour cola over top. Cover and cook on low setting for 7-8 hours. Yep, that's it! Three ingredients. It's delicious too!!! Hubs gave it a 7.5 and I would agree. We both thought that it needed a little more flavor, but it is still a meal that we'd like to have again. I just finished eating the leftovers for lunch, and I think I like it even more the second time around! I usually don't like leftovers very much, but I enjoyed this!
3 lb beef pot roast
1.35 oz pkg onion soup mix
2 12 oz cans cola
Place roast in slow cooker; sprinkle with soup mix. Pour cola over top. Cover and cook on low setting for 7-8 hours. Yep, that's it! Three ingredients. It's delicious too!!! Hubs gave it a 7.5 and I would agree. We both thought that it needed a little more flavor, but it is still a meal that we'd like to have again. I just finished eating the leftovers for lunch, and I think I like it even more the second time around! I usually don't like leftovers very much, but I enjoyed this!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Tasty Tuesday: Lemon Chicken.
You may have noticed by now that I use my crock pot a lot. Probably at least half of my new recipes involve my crock pot because it's a lot easier to just throw a few ingredients in there than to spend lots of time trying to prepare a meal with two little ones at my feet (well, L is usually in his jumperoo, but he gets bored in there pretty quickly). Here is yet another crock pot recipe: Lemon Chicken! It's very good! J said that it tasted like a store bought rotisserie chicken, only better! We love rotisserie chickens, by the way. He gave it a 7.5. I'd give it an 8, or maybe even and 8.5. Yum Yum! Enjoy!
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground black pepper
2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 T butter
1/4 c water (I ended up using a lot more than this, though...)
3 T fresh lemon juice (does the stuff you buy at the store count as fresh? If not, then I didn't use fresh lemon juice, lol)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t chicken bouillon granules
1 t chopped fresh parsley
1. In a bowl, mix the oregano, salt, and pepper. Rub the mixture into chicken. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken in butter for 3-5 minutes on each side. Place chicken in slow cooker.
2. In the same skillet, mix the water, lemon juice, garlic and bouillon. Bring the mixture to boil. Pour over the chicken in the slower cooker.
3. Cover, and cook on High for 3 hours, or Low for 6 hours. Add the parsley to the slower cooker 15 to 30 minutes before the end of the cook time.
Recipe from the allrecipes app on my phone :)
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground black pepper
2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 T butter
1/4 c water (I ended up using a lot more than this, though...)
3 T fresh lemon juice (does the stuff you buy at the store count as fresh? If not, then I didn't use fresh lemon juice, lol)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t chicken bouillon granules
1 t chopped fresh parsley
1. In a bowl, mix the oregano, salt, and pepper. Rub the mixture into chicken. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken in butter for 3-5 minutes on each side. Place chicken in slow cooker.
2. In the same skillet, mix the water, lemon juice, garlic and bouillon. Bring the mixture to boil. Pour over the chicken in the slower cooker.
3. Cover, and cook on High for 3 hours, or Low for 6 hours. Add the parsley to the slower cooker 15 to 30 minutes before the end of the cook time.
Recipe from the allrecipes app on my phone :)
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Tasty Tuesday: A Different Kind of Recipe
As I've mentioned several times (and I'm sure you're tired of hearing...), the hubs was extremely sick last week. I didn't do a lot of cooking, if any at all. I spent most dinners at my parents' house. I definitely did not try any new recipes :) I found a sweet little recipe on-line though. I would love to share this one with you instead.
Recipe for a Happy Marriage:
1 C. of consideration
1 generous dash of cooperation
1 C. of courtesy
3 t. of pure extract "I am sorry"
2 C. of flattery carefully concealed
1 C. of contentment
1 gallon of faith in God
1 C. each of confidence and encouragement and each other
1 large or several small hobbies
2 C. full of praise
2 children at least
1 small pinch of in-laws
1 C. blindness to each other's faults
1 reasonable budget
Flavor with frequent portions of recreation and a dash of happy memories. Stir well and remove any specks of jealously, temper or criticism. Sweeten well with generous portions of love and keep warm with a steady flame of devotion. Never serve with a cold shoulder or hot tongue.
I do believe that love and appreciation for what we receive is a bond that is renewed over the breaking of bread. The joy of cooking, the pleasure of eating, the comfort of a good marriage.
This is more than a dish like spinach (something you eat it because it is good for you). It is soul food.
Recipe for a Happy Marriage:
1 C. of consideration
1 generous dash of cooperation
1 C. of courtesy
3 t. of pure extract "I am sorry"
2 C. of flattery carefully concealed
1 C. of contentment
1 gallon of faith in God
1 C. each of confidence and encouragement and each other
1 large or several small hobbies
2 C. full of praise
2 children at least
1 small pinch of in-laws
1 C. blindness to each other's faults
1 reasonable budget
Flavor with frequent portions of recreation and a dash of happy memories. Stir well and remove any specks of jealously, temper or criticism. Sweeten well with generous portions of love and keep warm with a steady flame of devotion. Never serve with a cold shoulder or hot tongue.
I do believe that love and appreciation for what we receive is a bond that is renewed over the breaking of bread. The joy of cooking, the pleasure of eating, the comfort of a good marriage.
This is more than a dish like spinach (something you eat it because it is good for you). It is soul food.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Tasty Tuesday:Kabobs! Or something like it...
I know it's not really Tuesday, but like I said on Monday, it's been a hard few days. Anyway, Tuesday my sister came over to cook with me. We decided to make Kabobs. So we found a recipe that sounded good on All recipes and decided to give it a try.
Ingredients
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 pinch ground ginger
2 red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 large sweet onion, peeled and cut into wedges
1 1/2 cups whole fresh mushrooms
1 pound beef sirloin, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into cubes
skewers
Directions
1.In a large resealable plastic bag, mix the teriyaki sauce, honey, garlic powder, and ginger. Place red bell peppers, onion wedges, mushrooms, beef, and chicken in the bag with the marinade. Seal, and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.
2.Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
3.Discard marinade, and thread the meat and vegetables onto skewers, leaving a small space between each item.
4.Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 10 minutes, turning as needed, or until meat is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
Without reading the directions, we wrote down the ingredients and headed off to the store. We made a few of our own adjustments because we don't like mushrooms or ginger. We also added a green pepper. Once we got home, we got started. That's when we realized that you're supposed to marinade the food for 4-24 hours! Whoops! We definitely didn't have 4 hours... more like 40 minutes. Oh well, we'll do it anyway. We started up the George Forman, and then realized that we didn't have skewers either. Ha! This is pretty much how a normal cook experience goes when we're together :) We cooked it as it was. So basically, here's OUR recipe:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 large sweet onion, peeled and cut into wedges
1 green pepper
1 pound beef sirloin, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into cubes
Directions:
Mix the teriyaki sauce, honey, and garlic powder in large zip lock bag.
Add peppers, onion, steak and chicken as you cut them into pieces, and mix often.
Heat grill to medium/high
Cook for about 10 minutes, turning as needed.
Enjoy!
Believe it or not, it turned out really good even though we didn't marinate it! Stacy gave it an 8, Jason gave it a 7, and I gave it a 7 1/2, I think it would have been even better if we had done it the correct way :) Enjoy!
Ingredients
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 pinch ground ginger
2 red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 large sweet onion, peeled and cut into wedges
1 1/2 cups whole fresh mushrooms
1 pound beef sirloin, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into cubes
skewers
Directions
1.In a large resealable plastic bag, mix the teriyaki sauce, honey, garlic powder, and ginger. Place red bell peppers, onion wedges, mushrooms, beef, and chicken in the bag with the marinade. Seal, and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.
2.Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
3.Discard marinade, and thread the meat and vegetables onto skewers, leaving a small space between each item.
4.Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 10 minutes, turning as needed, or until meat is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
Without reading the directions, we wrote down the ingredients and headed off to the store. We made a few of our own adjustments because we don't like mushrooms or ginger. We also added a green pepper. Once we got home, we got started. That's when we realized that you're supposed to marinade the food for 4-24 hours! Whoops! We definitely didn't have 4 hours... more like 40 minutes. Oh well, we'll do it anyway. We started up the George Forman, and then realized that we didn't have skewers either. Ha! This is pretty much how a normal cook experience goes when we're together :) We cooked it as it was. So basically, here's OUR recipe:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 large sweet onion, peeled and cut into wedges
1 green pepper
1 pound beef sirloin, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into cubes
Directions:
Mix the teriyaki sauce, honey, and garlic powder in large zip lock bag.
Add peppers, onion, steak and chicken as you cut them into pieces, and mix often.
Heat grill to medium/high
Cook for about 10 minutes, turning as needed.
Enjoy!
Believe it or not, it turned out really good even though we didn't marinate it! Stacy gave it an 8, Jason gave it a 7, and I gave it a 7 1/2, I think it would have been even better if we had done it the correct way :) Enjoy!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Monday and Tuesday, because I am having a hard time finding time...
Monday Madness: Jan 31 (actually written on Tuesday the 1st of Feb)
This past weekend, hubs was sick. He's actually still feeling pretty icky, but that's besides the point. He needed to get as much rest as he could so I took the kids out with my mom. My fabulous neighbor told me about a local gymnastics place that has open gym on Saturdays. My 2 year old was wild and so disobedient for the past week...at least... I decided it would be good for ALL of us to take him somewhere where he could get some of that energy out. Let me tell you, that was one of my best parenting decisions ever! Lol, ok, maybe not quite ever, but still a great decision. Kiddo swung on a rope, jumped on a trampoline, RAN RAN RAN all over the place, and best of all, jumped into a foam pit. I jumped in too. It was fun! When we left, he was back to his normal, sweet, and obedient self. Oh how I had missed that boy! I'm glad he's back :)
Little L has been cranky lately. I feel bad for him. I think he's working on teeth. I'm not a big fan of teething. It breaks my heart to see him so miserable. His infant car seat quit working on us for some reason. It wont latch in properly without a fight. It also makes us fight to unlatch it. Good think BRU is having their trade in sale! We took it in and got 25% off a new big boy car seat. I have been dreading this day. I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to carry both kids, along with our stuff, to and from the car. We have a billion steps out front and I am scared to death of ice. I was really hoping we'd make it through the winter with that carrier. Oh well though. L is just about 20 lbs anyway, so it would have only lasted another month anyway.
Tuesday: Chocolate icings (X2) :) YUM!
Chocolate cream cheese icing:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions
1.Melt chocolate and the butter together. Let cool and blend in the sour cream, vanilla, and salt. Gradually add the confectioner's sugar until the frosting is of spreading consistency, beat well.
I'm not a big fan of cream cheese, but if I were, I think I'd love this recipe! It was really easy to make and looked great! Spread on the cake nicely too. J does not like cream cheese either, but my mom really likes this icing.
Texas Chocolate Frosting:
Ingredients
1/2 cup margarine
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
4 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
1.Melt margarine over a low heat. Gradually beat in cocoa, sugar, milk and vanilla, mix well.
Yum! Yum! Yum! I love this one! It's very sweet...too sweet for some. But I love it. J loved it too. He gave it an 8.5. I need to keep looking for a chocolate icing recipe that my mom and I can agree on (she is not a huge fan of this one), but this will be my go to recipe for my home cakes. Why are we trying all of these chocolate frostings? Because we are doing a cupcake wedding cake and the groom wants chocolate frosting. Yay for having another wedding cake!!!
This past weekend, hubs was sick. He's actually still feeling pretty icky, but that's besides the point. He needed to get as much rest as he could so I took the kids out with my mom. My fabulous neighbor told me about a local gymnastics place that has open gym on Saturdays. My 2 year old was wild and so disobedient for the past week...at least... I decided it would be good for ALL of us to take him somewhere where he could get some of that energy out. Let me tell you, that was one of my best parenting decisions ever! Lol, ok, maybe not quite ever, but still a great decision. Kiddo swung on a rope, jumped on a trampoline, RAN RAN RAN all over the place, and best of all, jumped into a foam pit. I jumped in too. It was fun! When we left, he was back to his normal, sweet, and obedient self. Oh how I had missed that boy! I'm glad he's back :)
Little L has been cranky lately. I feel bad for him. I think he's working on teeth. I'm not a big fan of teething. It breaks my heart to see him so miserable. His infant car seat quit working on us for some reason. It wont latch in properly without a fight. It also makes us fight to unlatch it. Good think BRU is having their trade in sale! We took it in and got 25% off a new big boy car seat. I have been dreading this day. I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to carry both kids, along with our stuff, to and from the car. We have a billion steps out front and I am scared to death of ice. I was really hoping we'd make it through the winter with that carrier. Oh well though. L is just about 20 lbs anyway, so it would have only lasted another month anyway.
Tuesday: Chocolate icings (X2) :) YUM!
Chocolate cream cheese icing:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions
1.Melt chocolate and the butter together. Let cool and blend in the sour cream, vanilla, and salt. Gradually add the confectioner's sugar until the frosting is of spreading consistency, beat well.
I'm not a big fan of cream cheese, but if I were, I think I'd love this recipe! It was really easy to make and looked great! Spread on the cake nicely too. J does not like cream cheese either, but my mom really likes this icing.
Texas Chocolate Frosting:
Ingredients
1/2 cup margarine
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
4 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
1.Melt margarine over a low heat. Gradually beat in cocoa, sugar, milk and vanilla, mix well.
Yum! Yum! Yum! I love this one! It's very sweet...too sweet for some. But I love it. J loved it too. He gave it an 8.5. I need to keep looking for a chocolate icing recipe that my mom and I can agree on (she is not a huge fan of this one), but this will be my go to recipe for my home cakes. Why are we trying all of these chocolate frostings? Because we are doing a cupcake wedding cake and the groom wants chocolate frosting. Yay for having another wedding cake!!!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Tasty Tuesday: Mandarin Beef
My new recipe attempt this week was a complete fail, so hubby gave it a try too. This is one of his all time favorite recipes. His mom makes it and it is DELICIOUS! She gave him the recipe and he made us lunch on Saturday. Why yes, my hubby IS amazing :)
1 lb flank steak, cut into 2-inch-wide strips with the grain, then sliced across the
grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices
6 T soy sauce
1 T dry sherry
2 T low-sodium chicken broth
1 T light brown sugar
1 t toasted sesame oil (MIL uses safflower)
1 t cornstarch
6 medium cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press or minced
1 inch piece fresh ginger, minced
3 T peanut oil or vegetable oil
1 1/4 lbs broccoli, florets cut into bite size pieces, stems trimmed, peeled, and cut on diagonal into 1/8-inch-thick slices
1/3 c water
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1.Combine beef and 3T soy sauce in medium bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour, stirring once. Meanwhile, whisk sherry, chicken broth, 3 T soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch in measuring cup. Combine garlic, ginger, and 1 1/2 t peanut oil in small bowls.
2.Drain beef and discard liquid. Heat 1 1/2 t peanut oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until smoking. Add half of beef to skillet and break up clumps; cook, without stirring, for 1 minute, then stir and cook until beef is browned around edges, about 30 seconds. Transfer beef to medium bowl. Heat 1 1/2 t peanut oil in skillet, and repeat with remaining beef.
3. Add 1 T peanut oil to now empty skillet; heat until just smoking. Add broccoli and cook 30 seconds; add water. cover pan and lower heat to medium. Seam broccoli until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes; transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Add remaining 1 1/2 t peanut oil to skillet; increase heat to high and heat until just smoking. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until spotty brown. about 1 1/2 minutes. Clear center of skillet; add garlic and ginger to clearing and cook, mashing mixture with spoon, until fragrant. 15-20 seconds, then stir mixture into peppers. Return beef and broccoli to skillet and toss to combine. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 30 seconds. Transfer to serving platter and serve.
Yummy! Delicious! TIME CONSUMING!!! Seriously, J worked on this meal for a good 2 hours. We ate it with fried rice.
1 lb flank steak, cut into 2-inch-wide strips with the grain, then sliced across the
grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices
6 T soy sauce
1 T dry sherry
2 T low-sodium chicken broth
1 T light brown sugar
1 t toasted sesame oil (MIL uses safflower)
1 t cornstarch
6 medium cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press or minced
1 inch piece fresh ginger, minced
3 T peanut oil or vegetable oil
1 1/4 lbs broccoli, florets cut into bite size pieces, stems trimmed, peeled, and cut on diagonal into 1/8-inch-thick slices
1/3 c water
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1.Combine beef and 3T soy sauce in medium bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour, stirring once. Meanwhile, whisk sherry, chicken broth, 3 T soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch in measuring cup. Combine garlic, ginger, and 1 1/2 t peanut oil in small bowls.
2.Drain beef and discard liquid. Heat 1 1/2 t peanut oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until smoking. Add half of beef to skillet and break up clumps; cook, without stirring, for 1 minute, then stir and cook until beef is browned around edges, about 30 seconds. Transfer beef to medium bowl. Heat 1 1/2 t peanut oil in skillet, and repeat with remaining beef.
3. Add 1 T peanut oil to now empty skillet; heat until just smoking. Add broccoli and cook 30 seconds; add water. cover pan and lower heat to medium. Seam broccoli until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes; transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Add remaining 1 1/2 t peanut oil to skillet; increase heat to high and heat until just smoking. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until spotty brown. about 1 1/2 minutes. Clear center of skillet; add garlic and ginger to clearing and cook, mashing mixture with spoon, until fragrant. 15-20 seconds, then stir mixture into peppers. Return beef and broccoli to skillet and toss to combine. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 30 seconds. Transfer to serving platter and serve.
Yummy! Delicious! TIME CONSUMING!!! Seriously, J worked on this meal for a good 2 hours. We ate it with fried rice.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Tasty Tuesdays: Mexican Chicken Casserole
Last night was new recipe night (it moves around depending on the week). My grandma gave me a cook book for Christmas that was full of recipes that her "butterflies" group made and everyone loved. (side note: her butterflies group is made up of widows who get together often to encourage each other and keep each other from getting lonely) My grandma assured me that all of these recipes were delicious. Not so much the case for this one. It might be partly my oven which apparently doesn't get very hot, but I think it was just a bad recipe. Hubs gave it a 4, I liked it a little more than he did and gave it a 6. T first said it was "yummy" then changed his mind to "yucky." Disclaimer: I am not a cook and still not confident that I made the chicken the correct way. Maybe it tastes better if you know what you're doing ;)
1 1/4 c Hot water
3/4 c salsa, divided
1 T margarine
1 6 oz pkg Stove Top Stuffing mix, chicken flavored
6 boneless skinless chicken breast, halves (this is one area I got confused...)
1/2 c Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
Heat oven to 350*, stir water, 1/2 c salsa, margarine and contents of vegetable/seasoning packet (from stuffing box) in 2 qt baking pan. Stir in stuffing crumbs to moisten. Arrange chicken over stuffing. Pour remaining salsa over chicken. Loosely cover pan with foil. Bake 35 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, remove to serving plate. Fluff stuffing with fork, serve with chicken. Makes 6 servings. Can add chopped onion and celery if desired.
My side notes. I don't know what it means by "halves" so I cut the chicken in half so I had two fat chunks. Maybe I was supposed to do two thin long pieces? I don't know. Also, after baking for 35 min.s at 350, our chicken was still raw. Very raw. So we turned to oven up to 400 and baked another 25 minutes. This turned out perfect for us, but be careful because as I said, our oven doesn't seem to be working correctly. If you decide to try this recipe, let me know if it turns out better for you! It certainly sounds good...
1 1/4 c Hot water
3/4 c salsa, divided
1 T margarine
1 6 oz pkg Stove Top Stuffing mix, chicken flavored
6 boneless skinless chicken breast, halves (this is one area I got confused...)
1/2 c Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
Heat oven to 350*, stir water, 1/2 c salsa, margarine and contents of vegetable/seasoning packet (from stuffing box) in 2 qt baking pan. Stir in stuffing crumbs to moisten. Arrange chicken over stuffing. Pour remaining salsa over chicken. Loosely cover pan with foil. Bake 35 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, remove to serving plate. Fluff stuffing with fork, serve with chicken. Makes 6 servings. Can add chopped onion and celery if desired.
My side notes. I don't know what it means by "halves" so I cut the chicken in half so I had two fat chunks. Maybe I was supposed to do two thin long pieces? I don't know. Also, after baking for 35 min.s at 350, our chicken was still raw. Very raw. So we turned to oven up to 400 and baked another 25 minutes. This turned out perfect for us, but be careful because as I said, our oven doesn't seem to be working correctly. If you decide to try this recipe, let me know if it turns out better for you! It certainly sounds good...
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Tasty Tuesday: Potato and Ham Soup
This recipe got an 8! Yeah! That means J thought it was DELISH! He rarely rates above a 7 1/2, in fact, I'm not sure he's ever given anything a 10, so I'm really excited about my 8. One thing I could have done to make it better is cut up the ham into smaller pieces. J thought it'd be great to chop it like we did the onion. Besides that, all adults loved it! T liked the ham, but not the potatoes. He's in a picky stage so there isn't much he does like these days. Here's the recipe (from www.allrecipe.com)
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
3 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
Directions
1.Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
2.In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
3.Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
3 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
Directions
1.Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
2.In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
3.Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.
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