Monday, May 30, 2016

Week in Review Week 21: May 22- May 28, 2016

Sunday May 22, 2016
Went out for lunch with my in law's for my sister in law's bday.
Dinner: Hubby made steak and rice

Monday May 23, 2016
Leftover Chicken Pie

Tuesday May 24, 2016
Chicken and Potato Salad

Wednesday May 25, 2016
Nachos

Thursday May 26, 2016
Bacon, Lettuce, and Cheese Sandwiches

Friday May 27, 2016
Lobster and Steamers 

Saturday May 28, 2016
Burgers and Salad


For those unfamiliar with a snickerdoodle

Monday, May 23, 2016

Cheesy Spinach Mashed Potato (Crock Pot)

My (not so little anymore) cousin is in college.
He eats a lot.

He is tall, skinny, and all us women folk wish we had his metabolism.
Whatever...that is beside the point of this post.

He was home for a visit, and inhaling every bite of home-cooked food he could get his skinny hands on. We were all over there hanging out the other night and I brought these potatoes over.

We all ate, and then it was time to go home.
Auntie said she had too many leftovers and for us all to bring home whatever was left of what we brought.

Cousin man had tears in his eyes. I convinced her to let him keep the potato. She was all "but you are heading back to school tomorrow". His reply? "That's why they make tupperware MOM".

I love when food makes people happy!

Ingredients:
10 oz frozen chopped spinach
6 Potatoes (peeled and chopped)
½ Cup chicken broth
½ Cup butter
1 Cup sour cream
1 Tbsp chopped onion
1 Tsp salt
¼ Tsp dried dill weed
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese


Directions:
1. In large crock pot, place potatoes and cover them with broth, spinach (undrained), butter, onion, dill, and salt
2. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3 hours
3. Mash potatoes
4. Stir in sour cream
5. Transfer to a large casserole dish, top with cheddar cheese
6. Place under broiler until cheese is bubbly (about 5 minutes)

Print





Recipe adapted from Moms with Crock Pots

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Sunday, May 22, 2016

Week in Review Week 20: May 15- May 21, 2016

Sunday May 15, 2016
Roast Beef and Onions

Monday May 16, 2016
Beef Enchiladas

Tuesday May 17, 2016
Leftover Roast Beef

Wednesday May 18, 2016
Chinese

Thursday May 19, 2016
Nothing.

Friday May 20, 2016
Burgers and Potato Salad

Saturday May 21, 2016
Chicken Pie


Monday, May 16, 2016

S'mores Cups

My mother was up visiting once upon a time. Knowing she was coming, I stocked up on her favorite snack...marshmallows.
I guess I bought too many.
I have been looking at this bag in my cabinet for some time now...trying to decide what I was going to do with them.

While playing online, I noticed this recipe on the Cupcake Crusader site. Score!

BUT...while my marshmallow was cooking, that oh so short period of time...my neighbor knocked on the door.
Yeah, it's amazing what an extra 60 seconds can do to a dessert.

They were good, the marshmallow even tasted sort of caramely (is that a word?). I wanted the pretty marshmallow to stay on the cookie cup though! Not flat like mine!
Guess I will have to make these again soon!

Ingredients:
½ Cup graham cracker crumbs
¼ Cup powdered sugar
6 Tbsp butter (melted)
4 Chocolate bars
12 Large marshmallows


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Mix graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and butter together
3. Smoosh mixture in the bottom of a mini muffin pan
4. Bake crumb mixture for 4-5 minutes
5. Place a block of chocolate in each tin
6. Cut each marshmallow in half.
7. Place a marshmallow (cut side down) in each tin
8. Bake for 2-3 minutes
9. Cool on a wire rack
10. Melt remaining chocolate
11. Dip each marshmallow top in the chocolate
12. Chill in refrigerator for 40 minutes to an hour

Print



Sunday, May 15, 2016

Blogging for Books: Country Cooking from a Redneck Kitchen

NOTE: I was provided with a copy of this book from www.bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for my unbiased review.



This book has a recipe for squirrel. I kid you not!
I guess I should expect something like this when the book itself states "redneck".

Now, before anyone judges me for saying that...I will freely admit I am sorta southern.
I lived almost half my life in the south and feel entitled to judge.

That being said, so many of these recipes make me think of the south! Good 'ole home cookin' at it's finest.
Easy to follow recipes for every course.
I have made a couple of the appetizer dips, a queso dip and a veggie dip, and both were very simple.

The book encompasses everything from basic meatloaf, to a fancier apricot stuffed pork loin.
An award winning apricot stuffed pork loin no less!

Approachable recipes tied with family stories. An enjoyable book to use!

Week in Review Week 19: May 8- May 14, 2016

Sunday May 8, 2016
Hubby cooked for me all day as the girl child had to work
BLT Sandwiches for brunch (odd, but my request!)

Pork Chops
Mashed Potato
Mixed Veggies

Monday May 9, 2016
Spinach, Feta, and Garlic Calzone

Tuesday May 10, 2016
Leftovers

Wednesday May 11, 2016
Dinner out with Friends/Family

Thursday May 12, 2016
Beet Soup

Friday May 13, 2016
Pizza

Saturday May 14, 2016
Popcorn
(we all had really late lunches!)

Monday, May 9, 2016

Steamed Pork Dumplings

We have weekly cravings for Chinese.
Seriously, I could live above a Chinese restaurant, never have to cook again, and be more than OK with that.

One gets tired of paying for all that take out though.
Not to mention, we have yet to find the perfect spot.
We like this and that at place A.
That and this at place B.
:::sigh:::

So, in my quest to try to fulfill our cravings at home, I did some searching online. From Away had posted this recipe for one of my fave dishes.

I will be making this again. We all ate a bunch!

Ingredients:
Dough
2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Cup boiling water
FIlling
½ a small head of napa cabbage (rough chop)
1 Tsp kosher salt
2 Scallions (rough chop)
½ Lb ground pork
2 Tsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp dry sherry
2 Tsp sugar
Dipping Sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tsp sugar
1 Tbsp scallion (thin sliced)
1 Tsp ginger


Directions:
Dough
1. Place flour in food processor, slowly drizzle in water until dough is formed
2. Form into a ball and transfer to a bowl.
3. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes
Filling
1. Place cabbage and salt in food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
2. Transfer to a strainer set over a bowl and allow to rest for 30 minutes
3. Place scallions, pork, soy sauce, sherry, and sugar into food processor.
4. Pulse into a paste
5. Squeeze remaining moisture out of cabbage.
6. Add cabbage to bowl with the pork, fold together with a spatula


1. Divide dough into 4 sections, and then each section into 10 tablespoon sized balls
2. Roll each ball into a round 3 ½-4 inches in diameter
3. Place 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of each wrapper
4. Moisten the edges with a wet finger.
5. Fold in half and pinch closed. Pleat the front edge of the wrapper.
Dipping Sauce
1. Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside


Cook dumplings
1. In large pot of boiling water, cook dumplings a couple at a time for 3 minutes per batch
2. Optional: pan fry each after boiling

Print







Served with some homemade Fried Rice

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Sunday, May 8, 2016

Week in Review Week 18: May 1- May 7, 2016

Sunday May 1, 2016
Leftover steak for hubby
I picked at some cheese and salami

Monday May 2, 2016
Pasta and Sausage

Tuesday May 3, 2016
Appetizer type stuff @ the mother-in-laws

Wednesday May 4, 2016
Leftovers

Thursday May 5, 2016
Dinner @ the mom-in-laws

Friday May 6, 2016
Pizza

Saturday May 7, 2016
Dinner @ the mom-in-laws



Monday, May 2, 2016

Escalloped Cabbage

I took a little bloggy break.

Well, while that was the truth...there is a little more to it.
My computer decided to die. Yup, awesome.
Luckily I have a great friend who was able to recover everything but my bookmarked faves (oh the kajillions of lost recipes! Years of tagging and saving. Sigh)

Then once I got my computer back, I just didn't jump right back in.
I don't know if it was laziness, or if the world just felt overwhelming for a bit...or a good mixture of both.

I have a working computer.
I missed you all terribly.
I am happy to be back!


Ingredients:
1 Large head cabbage
1 (15 oz) Jar Cheez Whiz
1 (10 oz) Can cream of chicken soup
1 Jalapeno (seeded and finely diced)
¼ Cup milk
Paprika to taste


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Slice cabbage into 6-8 wedges, remove hard inner core
3. Parboil until nearly done
4. Drain, arrange in a greased 9 x 13 dish
5. Mix Cheez Whiz, soup, jalapenos, and milk
6. Pour cheese mixture over top of the cabbage
7. Sprinkle with paprika
8. Bake for 30 minutes

Print

Adapted from Tasty Kitchen




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Sunday, May 1, 2016

Week in Review: Week 17 April 24, 2016 - April 30, 2016

Sunday April 24, 2016
Had a late lunch with my aunt and uncle at their house, not hungry for dinner.

Monday April 25, 2016
Busy day, we all just fended for ourselves on leftovers

Tuesday April 26, 2016
Was out with a friend and we hit up the mall food court.

Wednesday April 27, 2016
Pepperoni Stromboli
Salad

Thursday April 28, 2016
Leftover Stromboli

Friday April 29, 2016
Queso Dip and Chips

Saturday April 30, 2016
Steak
Mashed Potato
Peas
(thanks for cooking hubby!)