Red Beans and Rice

The girl child and I ran a couple of errands today

(do I win the fun day with mom award or what?)

We needed to stop at some drug store or superstore for a couple things for the house.

As we were leaving one place, we noticed a drug store across the way.

We knew it was there, but it's not often we would shop at that end of town as we have the same sort of stores closer to home. This day though, I would have had to pull a U-Turn to get to the one closer to home...or...just pull into this store's parking lot and get what we needed.

We both decided that would be the smarter option. Just for the 2 things we needed.

Yeah.

Have you ever walked into a store and felt dirty?

This is a chain, and they are building new ones everywhere...but apparently they decided this one was not worth renovating.

The shelves were messy, the employees looked like they hated their jobs, and even the clientele seemed a little "odd".

We grabbed what we needed and high-tailed it out of there.

Granted, we got what we needed, but I think that will be our first and last trip to that particular location. We will stick to the newer stores.

Ingredients:

2 Pkg Kielbasa

1 Pkg center cut ham (cubed)

1 Lb red beans (soaked overnight)

1 Lg yellow onion (diced)

1 Green pepper (diced)

1 Tbsp Garlic (minced)

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients into a large pot

2. Cover with water, 1-2 inches above ingredients

3. Bring to a boil

4. Simmer 2 hours or more

5. Serve over rice

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Gah! Forgot the green pepper!

Come party with me HERE!

Parmesan Risotto

As a birthday present every year, my sister in law invites my daughter for the weekend.

The girl child gets spoiled like crazy with Auntie and Uncle, gets to play with Auntie's dogs, and they take neat day trips...where they spoil her rotten then too!

Needless to say darling daughter loves this!

I say they spoil her, but she is an easy to please kid. This past trip she got lots of flavored seltzer water, a trip out for frozen yogurt, and they visited a used book store where they bought her four books.

Yeah, this is "spoiled" in our house!

While she was gone, hubby and I had a quiet (sleep filled) weekend. One night I made dinner and decided we needed some risotto.

I don't remember how long it's been since I made it last, but I had half a bag of Arborio rice that was calling to me.

Mmmm....creamy risotto!

Perfect for our "at home date night"!

Ingredients:

1 ½ Cups Arborio rice

1 Quart chicken stock

3 Tbsp butter
1 Clove Garlic (minced)

¼ Cup Parmesan cheese

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1. Heat stock to a simmer. Lower heat so stock stays warm.

2. In large saucepan, heat butter and garlic over medium heat.

3. Add rice to saucepan, stir briskly.

4. Saute rice for a couple of minutes, until you smell a nutty aroma; do not let rice brown

5. Add a ladle of hot chicken stock to rice and stir until liquid is fully absorbed.

6. Repeat adding chicken stock until finished.

7. Rice will become creamy as it cooks. Typical cooking time is 40 minutes.

8. When rice is cooked, add salt and pepper to taste and then stir in Parmesan cheese.

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This recipe was shared with:
Monday: Flour me with Love, Tumbleweed Contessa, Kitchen Table Art, A Southern Fairytale, A Pinch of Joy, The Modest Mom Blog, Huckleberry Love, I Should be Mopping the Floor, Uncommon Designs, Jambellish, A Mama's Story, All Things Fee, The Chicken Chick, Boogieboard Cottage, Enchanted Homeschooling Mom, Skip to my Lou, Mom Favorites, Sew Can Do, Mom's the Word, 21st Century Housewife
Tuesday: Pint Sized Baker, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Cornerstone Confessions, Lou Lou Girls, My Joy Filled Life, Yesterfood, Mandy's Recipe Box, The New Mrs Adventures, Hope Studios, Kathe with an E, Stone Gable Blog, Hope in Every Season, Timewarp Wife
Wednesday: Dizzy Busy and Hungry, My Girlish Whims, Milk and Cuddles, Raising Homemakers, Recipes for our Daily Bread, White Lights on Wednesday, Buns in my Oven, A Peek into my Paradise, Gingersnap Crafts, Crafty Allie, The Newlywed Pilgrimage, Lemoine Family Kitchen, Ivy and Elephants
Thursday:  Grace and Good Eats, What's Cooking Love, Saving 4 Six, Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Lamberts Lately, Embracing Change, Katherine's Corner, A Delightsome Life, The Pin Junkie
Friday: Play Party Pin, Lady Behind the Curtain, The New Mrs Adventures, The Country Cook, Love Bakes Good Cakes, Craft Dictator, Thirty Handmade Days, The Diary of a Real Housewife, Craft O Maniac, The Girl Creative, Morsels of Life, Coffee with us 3
Saturday: Sweet Haute, Raising Memories, Diary of a Recipe Collector, 
Sunday: A Peek into my Paradise, Denise Designed

Fried Rice

We are big Chinese fans at our house. The owner of the local delivery restaurant calls me "swetheart" when I call.
I think my family bought her a boat this summer.
I am sure the kids went to Ivy League schools on my tab.

Then I realized just how easy it was to make things like fried rice at home.

We make this all the time. Have left over meat? Throw it in!
Just feel like corn this time? Do it!!

Ingredients:

2-3 Cups cooked rice

1-2 eggs, scrambled

1 Cup mixed vegetables

1 Tsp ground ginger

1 Tbsp sesame seeds

3 Green onions, cut thin

Soy Sauce

Rice Vinegar

Directions:

1. In large skillet, saute rice until warmed

2. Mix in egg, onion, and vegetables.

3. Add ginger. Season with soy sauce and rice vinegar to taste

4. Add sesame seeds right before serving

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This recipe was shared with:
Monday: Uncommon Designs, A Bright and Beautiful Life, Flour me with Love, Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms, Pioneer Momma, A Southern Fairytale, Call me PMC, Adventures in Mindful Living, The Chicken Chick, Jam Hands, Northeast Bloggers, New Mama Diaries, Feeding Big, A Pinch of Joy, The Road to 31, My Joy Filled Life
Tuesday: Chef in Training, Mandy's Recipe Box, Our Table for Seven, Yesterfood, A Peek into my Paradise, Cornerstone Confessions, Kathe with an E, Inside Bru Crew Life, Pint Sized Baker, Sweet Silly Sara, This Ole Mom
Wednesday: Dizzy Busy and Hungry, Crafty Allie, Lady Behind the Curtain, From Gate to Plate, Sew Crafty Angel, Moms Test Kitchen, White Lights on Wednesday, Ginger Snap Crafts, Buns in my Oven, Gina's Craft Corner, Wine and Glue, Jam Hands, Lemoine Family Kitchen, Mostly Homemade Mom, The Newlywed Pilgrimage
Thursday: Lambert's Lately, Sweet Haute, What's Cooking Love, Saving 4 Six, Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Sweet Bella Roos, Embracing Change
Friday: Play Party Pin, A Conquered Mess, The Grits Blog, Craft Dictator, Love Bakes Good Cakes, Thirty Handmade Days, The Better Baker, Hungry Harps, A Little Clarification
Saturday: Made from Pinterest, Cheerios and Lattes, The Weary Chef, Sewlicious Home Decor, Simply Gloria, Angel's Homestead, Six Sisters Stuff, Mommy on Demand
Sunday: Denise Designed