Thursday, September 29, 2011

Ziplock Omelets

*A big thanks to my sister-in-law, Mary Ann for this one!!*

What You'll Need:
diced ham
shredded cheese
green pepper
hash browns
tomatoes, diced
2 eggs (per person)
quart size ziplock freezer bags (1 for each person)

What You'll Do:
1) Put out a variety of ingredients such as cheeses, ham, onion, green pepper, tomato, hash browns, salsa, etc. Have each person write their name on a quart size ziplock freezer bag with permanent marker
2) Crack 2 eggsnto a bowl; add a shake of salt and whip (not more than 2 eggs). Each person adds prepared ingredients of choice to their bag and shakes. Make sure to get air out of bag and zip it up.
3) Place the bags into rolling boiling water for exactly 13 minutes. You can usually cook 6 to 8 omelets in a large pot at a time. For more, make another pot of boiling water.
4) Open the bags and the omelet will roll out easily. Be prepared for everyone to be amazed! Nice to serve with fresh fruit and breads.

*Add the cheese to omelet after it is cooked. If added to the bag, it will not cook right.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Chicken Cheese Tortellini Soup

Serves 6-8

What You"ll Need:
3 cans chicken broth (10 3/4 oz each)
2 cans cream of chicken soup (10 3/4 oz each)
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and cut
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup water
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
large package three cheese tortellini
1 small crown broccoli, steamed and cut (I use the frozen kind you can steam in the microwave)
Parmesan cheese (optional)

What You'll Do:
1) Combine broth, soup, chicken, onion, carrots, water, garlic, basil and oregano. Bring to boil.
2) Add tortellini and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
3) Add broccoli and simmer 5-10 minutes more. Ladle into soup bowls and top with parmesan cheese.

I serve these with the "Red Lobster" cheesey garlic biscuits, yum yum!
*A big shout out to Nicki Hawes for this soup recipe, THANKS!!*


Grilled Pork Chops w/ Vanilla-Scented Apples

Serves: 4
Ready in 30 minutes

What You'll Need:
4 pork chops
3 large Fuji or other firm, sweet apples, cored, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup apple juice or cider
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (or to taste)
salt and pepper, to taste

What You'll Do:
1) Grill or pan cook pork chops until barely done. Place on a platter in a warm oven.
2) Add butter and brown sugar to pan used to cook pork chops and set over medium heat. Stir butter and sugar to blend well and to allow to caramelize slightly and loosen small pieces of the pork chops.
3) Add apple juice (or cider) and apple slices. Cook apples just until done, then remove with a slotted spoon and set apples aside.
4) Reduce pan juices to 2 or 3 tablespoons. Remove from heat and add vanilla, salt and pepper. Add apple slices and return to heat until the apples are hot. Pour over the pork chops.
Serve with mashed potatoes or rice. (I use mashed potatoes)


Saturday, September 10, 2011

Homemade Chunky Applesauce

ONE OF MY FAVORITES!!
Serves: 6

What You'll Need:
8 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup water
8 tbsp white sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

What You'll Do:
1) Cut your apples in fourths, place in 2-qt saucepan with 1 cup water over medium heat. Heat until boiling, stirring occasionally.
2) Reduce heat to simmer. Let simmer 5-10 minutes, or until all the apples are tender. (You will have to stir a few times here, also)
3) Add the remaining ingredients, stir and mash up apples until they are in small bits.
4) Store in refrigerator until ready to serve....DELICIOUS!!
Next time I'll take pictures as I make it and upload those as well.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Pulled Jerk Pork Sandwiches

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 8-10 hours
8 servings

What You'll Need:
2 1/2 pound pork boneless shoulder
1 tbsp Jamaican Jerk seasoning (dry)
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup cola
2 cups bbq sauce (I don't measure this)
sandwich buns or tortillas (your choice)

What You'll Do:
1) If pork comes in netting or is tied, do not remove. Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Rub jerk seasoning over pork; sprinkle with thyme. Place pork in cooker. Sprinkle with onion. Pour cola over coke.
2) Cover and cook on low heat setting 8-10 hours.
            This is what it looks like in the beginning stage...

3) Remove pork from cooker; place on cutting board. Remove juices from cooker and reserve. Remove netting or strings from pork. Use 2 forks to pull pork into shreds. Return prok to cooker. Stir in bbq sauce and 1/2 cup of the reserved juices. Increase heat setting to high. Cover and cook 30-45 minutes or until heated through.
4) Spoon pork onto buns. Serve with sandwiches with remaining juices for dipping, if desired. (I skip that part)

Oh so delicious! One of my family's fav's! Picture to come in about 7 hours (when finished)  ;)

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Jerk Chicken Nachos

Cook Time: less than 10 minutes
12 Servings

What You'll Need:
6 cups tortilla chips
3 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken
2 cups (8oz) shredded cheddar and monterey jack cheese
2 tbsp Jamaican Jerk rub, divided
1 small yellow or red bell pepper or combination (I use the combo)
1 lime
2 tbsp snipped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup sour cream and 1 tsp additional Jamaican Jerk rub (optional)

What You'll Do:
Preheat to 425 degrees
1) Arrange tortilla chips in a slightly overlapping layer on large round stone or bar pan.
2) In large bowl, combine chicken, cheese and 1 tbsp of the rub; mix gently using soft rubber scraper. Sprinkle chicken mixture evenly over tortilla chips. Bake 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted; remove from oven to cooling rack.
3) Meanwhile, dice bell pepper. Cut lime in half crosswise. Juice half of the lime in small bowl; add remaining rub and bell pepper and mix well.
4) Snip cilantro using kitchen shears. Slice remaining lime into think slices, cut slices in half.
5) Spoon bell pepper mixture over nachos; sprinkle evenly with cilantro. If desired, combine sour cream and additional rub in resealable  plastic bag; trim corner to allow sour cream to flow through. Pipe soour cream mixture over nachos. Garnish with lime slices. (I skip the sour cream part....no thanks! I also don't measure the shredded cheese. In my opinion, the more, the YUMMIER!)

*Pampered Chef recipe!*

Berry Crisp

Serves: 8-10

What You'll Need:
Filling-
6 cups berries (I use an equal combo of strawberries, blackberries & raspberries)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. coarse salt
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Topping-
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. brown sugar
few dashes cinnamon
6 tbsp. un-salted butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt

What You'll Do:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
1) Make filling: Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Transfer to baking dish, either 8x8 or 9x9.
 
2) Make topping: In small bowl, stir together flour, oats, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, and cinnamon. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir dry ingredients into butter. Using your hands, squeeze topping pieces together in clumps.
3) Sprinkle topping evenly over filling. Bake until bubbly and brown, about 1 hour. Cool 30 minutes before serving.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Best Ever Potato Salad!

Normally, I'm not a huge fan of potato salad, but I could eat the entire bowl of this at one time. It is so simple and had no funky ingredients that normally make up a potato salad. I hope you enjoy!

8-10 servings, maybe more

What You'll Need:
5 lbs red potatoes, with skins
1/2 cup onion, chopped
8 hard boiled eggs
2 cups salad dressing (I used Miracle Whip, you can use mayonaisse if you prefer)
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3-4 tbsp sugar
Paprika

What You'll Do:
1) Leaving skins on, boil potatoes. Peel and cut them while warm.
2) In large bowl, mix together all ingredients until well blended. Reserve 2 or 3 eggs (sliced) for garnish.
3) Once mixed together, top potato salad w/ egg slices and sprinkle w/ paprika.

A summer classic, YUM YUM!!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Melt in your Mouth Pancakes

approx 14 servings

What You'll Need:
2 cups Bisquick mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla

What You'll Do:
1) Heat griddle to 350 degrees. Pour desired amount of pancake batter onto griddle.
2) Cook about 2 minutes, then flip and cook about 2 minutes longer. (This particular batter doesn't bubble on top to tell you the pancakes are ready to flip like other pancake batters.)

This recipe may not sound like much, but trust me, you'll think you're eating restaurant pancakes!! So delicious!


Friday, March 25, 2011

Rosemary-Crusted Pork Tenderloin w/ Veggies

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
8 servings

What You'll Need:
Pork: 2 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each)
         1 garlic clove, pressed
         2 tbsp rosemary herb seasoning mix
         1/2 tsp salt
Vegetables: 1 1/2 lbs unpeeled small red potatoes
                   1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
                   1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
                   1 tbsp olive oil
                  2 garlic cloves, pressed
                  1 tsp rosemary herb seasoning mix
                  1/2 tsp salt
                  1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

What You'll Do:

1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place pork tenderloins side by side but not touching on stoneware bar pan. Rub surface of pork with pressed garlic. In small bowl, combine seasoning mix and salt. Rub over entire surface of pork.
** Covince this dude, that the potatoes and peppers are in fact NOT apples. **
2) For veggies, cut potatoes in half or in quarters, depending on the size. Cut bell pepper into 1-inch pieces. Slice onion into 1/4-inch-thick wedges. In large bowl, combine oil, garlic, seasoning mix, salt and black pepper; mix well. Add vegetables; toss to coat.
3) Place vegetables in pan surrounding pork. Bake 25-30 minutes or until thermometer registers 155 degrees for medium doneness; 165 degrees for well done. Remove from oven, let stand 5 minutes.
4) Carve pork into thin slices. Arrange tenderloin slices and vegetables on serving platter.


Serve w/ warm dinner rolls.  (Not pictured, since I burned them. Yes, I made the yummy food above, but burned the dinner rolls that only had to bake for 8-10 minutes. Note to self, don't forget to set the timer when you put the rolls in the oven.)

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Cheesey Garlic Biscuits a/k/a Red Lobster Biscuits

What You'll Need:
2 cups Bisquick mix
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I don't measure this)
1/2 cup butter, melted
garlic powder

What You'll Do:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In medium bowl mix together bisquick, milk and cheese. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet, or stoneware bar pan.
2) Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown on top.
3) Mix melted butter and garlic powder, brush on top of hot biscuits w/ pastry brush.

Enjoy the cheesey, garlicy goodness!!

Picture to come soon...

Caramel-Chocolate Mini-Bars

Prep time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Serves: 48 mini-bars

What You'll Need:
1 cup quick or old-fashioned oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
1 pkg (14oz) caramel candies, unwrapped
2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
1 cup milk chocolate morsels

What You'll Do:

Prepare Crust.
1) Preheat oven to 350. Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt in medium bowl; mix well. Add butter; mix until crumbly. Press crumb mixture onto bottom of ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 20-22 minutes or until golden brown. Remove pan from oven to cooling rack.

Prepare caramel layer.
2) Place caramels and cream in microwave safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on high 1-3 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Pour over hot crust; carefully spread to edges using small spreader. Let stand 10 minutes or until caramel is set. Cut dessert lengthwise into eight rows.

Drizzle w/ chocolate and serve.
3) Place chocolate morsels in small microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high 1-3 minutes or until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Spoon melted chocolate into resealable plastic bag. Twist top of bag; trim corner. Pipe a continual loop of chocolate down each row. Let stand until chocolate is set. Cut rows into sixths to make 48 mini-bars.


*Pampered Chef recipe :)

Apple Cinnamon Fritters

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Start to Finish: 25 minutes
22 Fritters

What You'll Need:
Vegetable oil for deep frying
2 cups original Bisquick mix
1/2 cup cold water
1 egg
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 large unpeeled Granny Smith apple, chopped (about 1 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup powdered sugar

What You'll Do:
1) In deep fryer or 4-quart heavy saucepan, heat oil to 350 degrees
2) In large bowl, stir Bisquick mix, water, egg, granulated sugar and cinnamon. Fold in apple. Working in batches, drop batter by tablespoonfuls into hot oil. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, turnung occasionally, or until golden brown. Use a metal slotted spoon to remove fritters from oil; drain on paper towels.
3) Before serving, sprinkle fritters with powdered sugar.

Lip-Smackin BBQ Chicken Bake

Prep Time: 20 min
Start to Finish: 50 min
6 servings

What You'll Need:
2/3 cup reduced fat Bisquick mix (regular Bisquick worked fine for me)
2 tbsp water
1 egg
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (You choose which kind. I used sharp cheddar, YUM YUM!)
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1lb), cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3/4 cup bbq sauce

What You'll Do:
1) Heat oven to 400. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate or 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
2) In small bowl, stir Bisquick mix, water and egg. Spread in pie plate. Sprinkle with 1 1/4 cups of the cheese.
3) In 10-inch skillet, cook chicken stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in center; drain. Stir in bbq sauce; heat just until hot. Spoon over batter to within 1/2 inch of edge.
4) Bake 22-25 minutes or until edge is drak golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake 1 to 3 minutes longer until cheese is melted; loosen from side of plate.

PS- I don't measure cheese. We like ooey-gooey cheesey situations!