Tamale Pie

My life has been a little freaking insane busy as of late.
I don't remember the last time I didn't have 500 things to do every day...until today!

I can sleep in!
Those words don't come out of my mouth!! Due to my normal M-F schedule (alarm at 4:30) my internal clock doesn't allow for this sleeping in thing...but due to the amount of stuff going on, I was the poster child for exhaustion last night.

Head hit pillow=Jay was out!

Yeah. 4:30am. I hear this noise.
Mr. Sir, cat master of the house, is having himself a jolly good time playing with the doors on the entertainment center. Seriously? :::sigh:::
Get up, chase him away...convince my body that it's not a work day, that I can go back to bed...and so I do.

Then 5:30am happens.
Mr. Sir...again. Now he has managed to wiggle his FAT bum into this 2 inch opening in hubby's sock drawer...and now he is stuck. He's wiggling all over the place making the dresser creak.
(how am I the only one in the house to hear all this noise?)
I get up...rescue chubby man...and that's it. I'm done.

So much for sleeping in.

Thanks fuzz butt. It's a dang good thing you are a handsome sir...otherwise you might become an outdoor cat.

Ingredients:

Filling:

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Medium onion, chopped

1 Green bell pepper, chopped

2 Jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

1 ½ Lbs ground beef

1 ½ Cup corn kernels (canned, fresh, or frozen)

1 (14.5) oz can diced tomatoes (drained)

3 Tbsp tomato paste

2 Tbsp chili powder

4 Tsp ground cumin

2 Tsp salt

4 oz shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Topping:

1 ½ Cup yellow cornmeal

1 Cup all purpose flour

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 Tsp salt

2 Eggs

1 Cup milk

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Filling: in a large skillet, warm the oil until hot

3. Add onion, green pepper, and jalapenos. Cook until softened. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

4. Add ground beef to pan, breaking up the meat, cook until browned.

5. Add onion mixture to the cooked meat in the skillet

6. Stir in corn, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin and salt. Stir well.

7. Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes.

8. Topping: Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

9. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and melted butter

10. Pour the wet ingredients over the cornmeal mixture. Mix until just moistened.

11. Assemble: Stir cheese into beef mixture

12. Pour beef mixture into a 9 x 13 pan, smoothing top

13. Pour cornbread mixture over the beef mixture, smoothing for an even top.

14. Bake for 30-40 minutes

15. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving

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Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

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Kielbasa Saute

I just came up with this name, aren't I just clever?

My mom always made this as a quick (cheap) weeknight meal. Whenever we asked what was for dinner, we got "you know that kielbasa, cabbage thing!".
I will admit, I still find myself calling it that. Time for something a little more specific.

This is a great one pan meal. Quick cooking for the weeknights, but oh-so-filling.
Sometimes I throw this in the crock pot after it cooked to bring to parties and pot lucks, it always goes over well.

One of the best parts about this (as the one cooking) is that you don't have to take the time to peel the potato! You can if you want, but I find it easier to just wash and cut. The skin is where all the nutrients are and it helps keep the potato chunks intact.

I buy kielbasa whenever it is a great deal, so there is always one in the freezer. It defrosts on the counter (enough to cut) in about 30 minutes, so no "I forgot to take anything out of the freezer" excuse.

We always serve this with baked beans on the side. If we have some crusty bread too, all the better!

Hint: I LOVE it cold the next day for lunch too. No need to heat!

As far as how much of each veggie...it all depends on how many you are feeding. I always count on one baked potato sized potato per person and a handful of baby carrots per person.
Needless to say, the more (or less) you make, you might have to adjust the spices and vinegar.

Ingredients:
Kielbasa
Potato
Carrots
Onion
Cabbage
Italian Seasoning
Oil
Vinegar (white or apple cider)
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
1. Cut potato into bite sized chunks
2. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in large pan
3. Add potato. While potato is cooking, cut carrots
4. Add carrots.
5. Cut onion, cabbage, and kielbasa
6. Season potato and carrots with Italian Seasoning, salt, and pepper
7. Cook for about 5 minutes. Veggies should be starting to soften.
8. Add another 2 Tbsp oil
9. Add onion, cabbage, and kielbasa
10. Stir mixture together and cook another 10 minutes, stirring every so often
11. Add ¼ cup vinegar
12. Cook for another 10 or so, stirring every so often
13. Season to taste with more Italian Seasoning, salt, and pepper

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Just a couple ingredients, nothing intimidating

Oh how I wish this was a scratch and sniff screen!

Sausage and Peppers

This is my go-to when I need to feed a crowd!

It is so incredibly simple, and always is met with rave reviews.

This can be cooked in the oven (350, stirring until everything is tender and brown)
or in the crock pot (low for 6 hours)

Ingredients:
1 Large pack of sweet Italian sausage
2-3 Chopped green peppers
2-3 Large onion (cut into chunks)
1 bottle Sesame Ginger marinade

Cut sausages into bite sized pieces
(Freezing them for a little while helps this)
Cut vegetables
Cover with marinade
Cook.

Serve with rolls.
With the flavor of the marinade, there is no need for mustard with these!

Everyone in the pool!

Tender and ready to eat!

I would have had so much less of a mess if I had not run out of slow cooker liners!

Chicken and Asparagus Bowties

As a loving mother and wife, that means I have to make the necessary sacrifices.
In this case, it's the inclusion of lemon and asparagus. Two very DIRTY words in my vocabulary!
(Have I ever told you I am anti-citrus?)

But, they love them both...so I do the thing.

In this case...I ate without being afraid!
OK...I admit...I pushed the asparagus around to the edge of my plate.
The lemon flavor wasn't too much, much to my pleasant surprise!

Ingredients:
8 oz Bowtie pasta
1 Lb Asparagus (tough ends trimmed, cut into 2 inch long pieces)
1 Lb Boneless chicken breast halves
½ Tsp Lemon pepper seasoning
1 Tbsp + ½ Cup olive oil and vinegar dressing
3 Tbsp Dill weed (or ½ cup chopped fresh)
1 Tbsp Lemon zest
2 Tbsp Lemon juice
½ Cup thinly sliced red onion
4 Cups baby spinach
½ Cup crumbled goat cheese

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Add asparagus during last 3 minutes of cooking time.
2. Drain pasta, rinse under cold water until cool
3. Sprinkle chicken with lemon pepper seasoning
4. In large, non stick skillet, heat 1 Tbsp dressing over medium high heat
5. Add chicken, cook, turning once, until cooked thru
6. Let chicken rest 10 minutes
7. Cut into ½ inch slices
8. In large bowl, mix salad dressing, dill, lemon zest and juice
9. Add chicken, pasta, and asparagus. Mix until coated.
10. Arrange spinach on plate. Top with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with goat cheese.

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Recipe adapted from: Cut out of a Woman's World magazine

Ingredients...don't let it intimidate you

It turns into this...mmmm!

American Chop Suey

My grandmother makes this all the time.
My mother makes it all the time.
I make this all the time.

It's cheap, simple, and a great weeknight meal.
What makes it even better is, it stretches! You can easily feed a TON of people with this meal.
Every time I bite into it, I am 6 again and everything is simple!

I was watching something on TV, some Food Network program and they were talking about this (but made with tomatoes, not tomato soup...sinners!) and apparently this is only a New England food? Being native, it never entered my mind that not everyone was eating this same meal!

American Chop Suey

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) Package uncooked elbow macaroni

1 Lb lean ground beef

1 Onion (chopped)

1 Green pepper (chopped)

2 (10.75 oz) cans condensed tomato soup
Parmesan Cheese

Directions

Cook macaroni according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a separate large skillet over medium high heat, sauté the ground beef, green pepper, and the onion for 5 to 10 minutes, or until meat is browned and crumbly.

Drain thoroughly and leave the meat, peppers, and onion in the skillet. Pour the two cans of tomato soup into the skillet and stir well to combine.

When noodles are done, drain thoroughly and return noodles to the pot.

Add the hamburger mixture from the skillet to the pot.

Mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add Parmesan cheese to taste. (and some to serve on top!)

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Ingredients

Creamy Habanero Chicken Soup

This Creamy Habanero Chicken Soup came from a friend of mine. I made it last night.
She warned me, but did I listen? NO!
I made this just as the recipe states. I have more soup than I will ever eat in a lifetime!
I froze some, pawned some more off on my neighbors, brought some into work for the girl who gave me the recipe to try, and plan on bringing some to my Nana tonight.
I still have 4 containers in the fridge!

I suggest cutting this recipe in half, unless you have a ton of mouths to feed.
This recipe reminds me of my creamy onion soup...I will post that next!

Ingredients:
3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast

2 lbs carrots

1 bunch celery

1 onion

4 red bell peppers

2 bunches broccoli

6 habenaro peppers

2 bags frozen corn

1 lb pasta (your choice of type)

Water

16 oz Velveeta

16 oz sour cream

1 lg can chicken broth

2 (12 oz) cans evaporated milk

1/2 gallon half & half

1 cup flour

1 cup butter

1 jar chicken boullion base

2 bay leaves



Directions: Cook chicken breasts to medium rare, it will finish in the soup.

Cool, cut into chunks

In large soup pot (16 qt) add chicken broth, carrots, celery, onion, peppers, and enough water to fill pot almost half way.

Boil until tender, then add broccoli

In large sauce pan, melt butter then add flour and wisk until smooth. Cook until thick and then add evaporated milk, wisk in sour cream.

Cut cheese into chunks and add along with half & half.

Add corn to soup pot and turn down to low.

Cook pasta seperately, drain and add to soup pot along with chicken, boullion, cream mixture from sauce pan and bay leaves.



Note: 6 habanero peppers malkes for a mildly hot soup with a kick. You can add more if you like it hotter.

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This recipe was shared at The Lady Behind the Curtain