Crab Risotto Balls

These were also in Paula's freeze ahead appetizers section. I looved these, even more than the buffalo blasts. The risotto inside is so good. This recipe is time consuming, but I think its worth it. This says it makes about 8 dozen, but it didn't make that many for us. But still made probably 50.

What you need:
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, minced
1.5 cups Arborio rice
1 (64 oz) box low sodium chicken broth, warmed (we did not use this much)
1 (8 oz) container lump crabmeat, picked free of shell
1 (5 oz) package shredded parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups italian seasoned Panko bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for frying

What you need to do:
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add shallot, and cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes or until just tender. Add rice, and cook stirring constantly for 3 - 4 minutes or until rice begins to brown. Add warm chicken broth, 3/4 cup at a time, allowing liquid to be absorbed after each addition, stirring constantly. This process takes a long time, and we did not use all 64 ounces of chicken broth, it just didn't seem like it could take all that. We probably threw out 16 oz of the chicken broth bc we didn't think it needed more. After rice looks ready, remove from heat, stir in crabmeat, cheese, lemon zest, and pepper. Spread mixture to about 1.5 inch thickness on a rimmed baking sheet, cover and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 2 days. Looks like rice krispy treats. :)

Form mixture into 1 inch balls. Roll in bread crumbs to coat. In a large dutch oven, pour oil in a depth of 3 inches. heat oil over medium heat to 350. Fry risotto balls in batches for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.

To freeze ahead, place fried risotto balls on a rimmed baking sheet, cover and freeze for up to 1 month. Remove from freezer, preheat oven to 350. Bake risotto balls for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through. serve hot or at room temperature. Garnish with grated Parmesan, if desired.

Buffalo Blasts

My latest Paula magazine had a section of appetizers that you could make ahead and freeze. We tried a couple this weekend and these were sooo good! We haven't tried them out after you freeze and rebake them, but they sure are good fresh. Oh and this recipe makes 80!! We halved it though.

What you need:
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup wing sauce (I think it needed more)
2 cups shredded mozzzarella
1 cup shredded cheddar
80 wonton wrappers (found in fridgerated section by produce)
Vegetable Oil for Frying
Blue Cheese Dressing to dip in

What you need to do:
Sprinkle chicken evenly with s & p. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium high heat, add chicken and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until chicken is browned and cooked through. Remove from heat, stir in wing sauce. Cool completely, then stir in cheeses. Start heating your oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat in a depth of 3 inches. While thats heating, start making your wontons by spooning 1 teaspoon of chicken mixture into center of each wonton wrapper (I think they needed more than 1 teaspoon). Moisten edges of wonton with water. Bring corners together pressing to seal. Fry wontons in batches for 2 minutes each side or until golden brown (ours cooked waaaay faster than this, barely two minutes at all).

To freeze ahead, cool wontons completely and place in resealable plastic bags. Freeze up to one month. Remove from freezer, and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Place on rimmed baking sheets and bake at 350 for 12 to 18 minutes or until heated through and wontons are crispy.

Song of the Day

Let it Loose - The Rolling Stones

French Dip

This is a Rachael recipe she got from Campbells. I haven't tried it yet but it looks amazing!

What you need:
1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed French Onion Soup
1 tablespoon reduced sodium Worcestershire sauce
3/4 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef
4 Pepperidge Farm® Classic Soft Hoagie Rolls with Sesame Seeds
4 slices deli provolone cheese cut in half
1/4 cup drained hot or mild pickled banana pepper rings

What you need to do:
Heat the oven to 400°F. Heat the soup and Worcestershire in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Add the beef and heat through, stirring occasionally. Divide the beef evenly among the rolls. Top the beef with the cheese slices and place the sandwiches onto a baking sheet. Bake for 3 minutes or until the sandwiches are toasted and the cheese is melted. Spoon the soup mixture onto the sandwiches. Top each sandwich with 1 tablespoon pepper rings.

Breakfast Pizza

This is a Rachael recipe. YUMMMY!! This takes some prep work, but when I made it, I did most of the prep the night before so it would be quick and easy in the morning. It was a big hit! You can choose whatever toppings you want. This makes two, so you will probably want to half it.

What you need:
1 pound ground sausage
2 cans of refrigerated pizza dough
12 eggs
3/4 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
1 (3 ounce) can bacon bits
1 small onion, minced
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
(I think we also used diced tomatoes and chopped mushrooms)

What you need to do:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. Place pizza crusts on cookie sheets and bake for 5 to 7 minutes. Do not allow to brown. Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Scramble eggs until firm (yes actually cook them on a skillet). Remove crusts from oven, spread 1/2 can of cream of celery soup on top of each crust. Spread 1/2 of egg mixture on each crust. Sprinkle bacon bits on one pizza and cooked sausage on the other. Cover each with onions and peppers. Top each pizza with 2 cups of cheese. Bake in preheated oven, for 25 to 30 minutes, until cheese is golden brown. (I don't think ours took this long.)

To prepare everything, the night before I cooked the sausage, scrambled the eggs, and chopped my peppers and etc. and just stuck them in the fridge.

Layered Italian Dip

This is a quick and easy dip that is delicious! I stole this recipe from Kellie. Thanks!! The picture I took of hers was terrible, so I stole this from online somewhere.

What you need:
8 ounce block of cream cheese
1/3 ish cup prepared pesto
cherry tomatoes, split
1 cup ish of shredded Parmesan Cheese
Wheat thins for dipping

What you need to do:
Preheat oven to 350. Layer cream cheese, prepared pesto, cherry tomatoes, and parmesan cheese in a small casserole dish. Bake for about 15 minutes at 350. Serve with Wheat Thins.

Told you it was easy!

Gorgonzola Truffles

This is a recipe my aunt Penny made at Easter. I ended up making them for a girls weekend a little while ago and they were gone fast! They are very very rich, so make these for your guests with a sophisticated palate! :) Oh and I made them the night before and they were fine.

What you need:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 (4-oz.) container crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
2 teaspoons finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup cooked and crumbled bacon (I probably used more than this)
Apple and pear slices
Grapes

What you need to do:
Beat first 5 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until well combined. Cover tightly, and chill at least 1 hour or until firm (can chill up to 3 days). Roll cheese mixture into 3/4-inch-round balls. Roll each ball in bacon. Serve immediately, or cover and chill until ready to serve. If chilled, let stand 30 minutes before serving. Serve with apple and pear slices and grapes

Song of the Day

Go to Sleep - The Avett Brothers

Salmon with Creamy Pesto Sauce

Ok this was so freaking good. I am a new seafood eater and am very wary of really fishy tasting stuff but am coming to like salmon. And especially this recipe! We served it with couscous and put some of the sauce on the couscous. The below recipe says to grill, but Tommy just pan fried the fillets with some oil.

What you need:
4 salmon fillets (1 lb.)
1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup milk
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, cubed
2 Tbsp. pesto
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

What you need to do:
Heat grill to medium heat. Brush both sides of fish with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill, skin-sides down, 10 min. or until fish flakes easily with fork.
Meanwhile, cook cream cheese and milk in saucepan on medium heat 2 to 3 min. or until cream cheese is completely melted and sauce is well blended, stirring constantly. Stir in pesto. Serve fish topped with sauce and parsley.

Sausage Stars

These are really cute little appetizers, especially to make at Christmas time because of the red and green peppers in them. (This picture was taken before they were actually baked, just fyi).

What you need:
1 pound hot sausage, cooked, crumbled, and drained
1 cup ranch dressing
1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1.5 cups shredded monty jack cheese
1/2 cup chopped peppers (I used green normally, but the recipe actually calls for red)
1 package wonton wrappers (48 count) - these are in refridgerated section - by produce usually
1 (2.25 oz) can sliced black olives (I don't like olives so i skip this)
Vegetable Oil

What you need to do:
Heat oven to 350. Find your mini muffin tin and press one wonton wrapper into each muffin mold so that the 4 corners stick out to form a cup. Brush with oil (I usually just spray mine with pam instead...). Bake 5 minutes. While thats baking, get out a bowl and combine drained cooked sausage, ranch, cheeses, peppers, and olives. When the wonton wrappers are done cooking, take them out of the oven and fill each cup with the sausage mixture and bake for 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

MMMMM. Anything with cream of anything soup in it is amazing, including this recipe!

What you need:
1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1 cup Picante Sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (sometimes I do 1 pound of chicken breasts, sometimes I do 1 pound of ground chicken)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
10 Fajita Size Flour Tortillas, warmed
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 green onion, sliced

What you need to do:
Mix soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder. Mix 1 cup picante sauce mixture, chicken and cheese. Spread about 1/4 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam-side down in 3-quart shallow baking dish. Pour remaining picante sauce mixture over enchiladas. Cover. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes or until hot. Top with tomato and onion.

Easy Baked Tomato Pasta with Spinach

This is a recipe from Shape magazine. Really easy, pretty good, pretty healthy. I will definitely make this again as a quick and easy week night meal. Serves 5 and takes about 30 minutes.

What you need:
2 cup whole-wheat penne (I used Rotini bc thats what I had on hand)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cup baby spinach
3 cup diced tomato, divided (I used two cans of diced toms, drained)
1 T dried oregano (or any herb)
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup shredded low- fat cheddar cheese, divided

What you need to do:
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente, about 12 minutes. Rinse penne under cold water and drain; set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a skillet over medium. Add garlic and stir until fragrant. Add spinach and 2 cups of tomato; cook for 4 minutes, until spinach wilts. In a medium bowl, combine remaining 1 cup of tomato, herbs, and salt. Transfer the cooked tomato mixture to the bowl and stir well. Add pasta to tomato mixture and combine thoroughly. Stir in 1∕2 cup of the cheese.
5. Grease bottom of baking dish with remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Pour tomato pasta mixture into dish. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining 1∕4 cup cheese. Bake until cheese melts, about 4 more minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition info per serving (2.5 cups): 338 calories, 10g fat, 3g saturated fat, 50g carbs, 15g protein, 8g fiber, 236mg calcium, 4mg iron, 169mg sodium

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Hi there! Long time no blog! I have many recipes to catch up on, but I thought I'd start with these. Brought these to work today and they were gobbled up fast. They are super easy too. Looks like you spent a lot more time than you actually did!

What you need:
1 pkg. (2-layer size) red velvet cake mix (and whatever the cake mix called for - mine called for 3 eggs, water, and vegetable oil)
1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) Jello Chocolate Instant Pudding
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar (about 4 cups) - The reviews online suggest to HALF this amount of sugar...
1 cup thawed cool Whip Whipped Topping
1 square Baker's White Chocolate, shaved into curls (I was lazy and just used white chocolate chips)

What you need to do:
Prepare cake batter and bake as directed on package for 24 cupcakes, blending dry pudding mix into batter before spooning into prepared muffin cups. I never ever let baked goods cook as long as it says to. The box for mine said to cook for 22 and I cooked for 19 and they turned out perfect. But every oven is different. The longer they cook, the drier they turn out. Anyway, after they cook, let them cool for about 15 minutes. Get a wooden spoon and poke a small hole in the center of each cupcake with the handle so you can fill it with icing.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Gradually beat in sugar. Whisk in Cool Whip. Spoon 1-1/2 cups into small freezer-weight resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Cut small corner off bottom of bag. Insert tip of bag into hole you made with spoon in each cupcake to pipe about 1 Tbsp. frosting into center of each cupcake. Frost cupcakes with remaining frosting. Top with chocolate curls (or white chocolate chips). Keep refrigerated.

Ok I have a confession... I actually used store bought cream cheese icing. SHHHHH!!! FYI - if you go the lazy route like me, you'll definitely need two cans of icing, or even more. I ran out of icing (only bought one tub).

Update: Corn Cakes with Chives Picture

I uploaded a picture for the corn cakes with chives. You're sure to try them now that you see how pretty they look. :) Check them out here!

Song of the Day

Fake Plastic Trees - Radiohead

Creamy Gorgonzola & Mushroom Pasta

I'm back! I was making Gorgonzola Truffles for girls night tomorrow night, and didn't want to waste the rest of the gorgonzola, bacon, or onion, so I found this recipe that uses all 3 and it was delicious! I highly recommend it.

What you need:
1 pkg. (16 oz.) penne pasta, uncooked (I used Rigatoni here)
2 tsp. Olive oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 medium Onion
2 cloves Garlic, minced
2 cups Half-and-half
1/2 cup Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese
1/2 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbsp. Sherry (I actually totally forgot about this!! Tasted fine though.)
6 Slices Bacon, cooked and crumbled*
*If you don't already have precooked bacon, I recommend baking it. Line a rimmed cookie sheet (jelly roll pan) with nonstick foil, place bacon on cookie sheet, and bake at 375 for 20 minutes, flipping bacon after ten minutes. It makes cleanup SO much easier! And you have enough time to do this while other things are cooking on the stovetop.

What you need to do:
Cook pasta as directed on package. The recipe recommends slicing the onion, however I recommend only using half an onion and grating the onion with a cheese grater. This is a tip from my MIL. Makes it much finer, and takes less time. Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic; cook and stir until tender. Bring half-and-half just to a boil in nonstick saucepan on medium heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes. Add Gorgonzola cheese, Parmesan cheese and sherry; cook until sauce is thickened, stirring frequently. (Mine never seemed to thicken, so we just served it as it was and it was fine.) Drain pasta; place in large bowl. Add cheese sauce; toss to coat. Top with mushroom mixture and bacon pieces.

100th Song of the Day

Long Way To Go - Railroad Earth

So here we are, 100 days, 100 recipes, and 100 songs later and my initial blogging experiment is over. I'm closing out this chapter with the song that started it all (hope you've started liking bluegrass by now)! Having a full time job, training for a marine corps 4.5 mile mud run, being out of town every weekend, and cooking often enough to have a recipe every day was a lot harder than I originally thought. So now that it's over, I'm rewarding myself with a trip to Riviera Maya, Mexico! Well, the trip has been planned since before the blog, but it comes at just the right time. My 3 best friends and I will be spending 4 nights at an all inclusive resort, so I will be letting someone else do all the cooking!

So anyway, thanks so much to everyone that is reading! I promise to still blog recipes, but maybe just once a week instead of once a day.

Until next time, Cheers!

Chrissys Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Simply put, these are amazing. Chrissy sent me this recipe a while ago and I just got around to making it. I'll admit, anything that involves pounding and butterflying and stuffing just sounds too difficult for me. BUT it wasn't bad at all, and didn't take near as long as I thought. I hope you don't wait to try these like I did, bc they are so so so good!!!

What you need:
Chicken Breasts, trimmed (use your kitchen scissors)
All purpose flour (probably 2 heaping tablespoons)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Breadcrumbs (I used Panko - Japanese breadcrumbs, they are my favorite and I always have them in the pantry)
Thinly Sliced Prosciutto (1 slice per breast)
Goat Cheese Crumbles (1.5 tablespoons per breast)
Oil

What you need to do:
Butterfly chicken breasts and place in large ziplock (folded back together) and pound with a meat mallot . I actually don't own a meat mallot so I got creative and used the handle of my trusty MagLight Flashlight and it worked very well. Anyway, dredge each breast in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. Open up the chicken breast and layer one slice of prosciutto and then 1.5 tablespoons of goat cheese and fold chicken back together. Meanwhile, heat oil (Just a thin layer of oil, probably 1/4 inch or so, definitely not enough to cover the chicken) in a large skillet on heat slightly higher than medium. Once pan gets hot, cook chicken for 5-6 minutes per side. Serve immediately.

Song of the Day

Feelin' Good Again - Robert Earl Keen

Roasted Fingerlings and Green Beans with Creamy Tarragon Dressing

I made this tonight with Chrissy's Goat Cheese and Prosciutto stuffed chicken breasts (coming tomorrow). This is a great meal to cook for company, and the whole meal only took me an hour. NOTE: I don't know if I messed up my salt measuring or what, but the potatoes were pretty salty, so go easy on the salt. Actually this is probably just because I used 1 pound of potatoes instead of 1.5, but just FYI.

What you need:
1.5 pounds fingerling potatoes** (I got these in the frigerated section at Trader Joes. Mine came in a one pound bag, so thats all I cooked.)
1.5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tsp salt, divided
3/4 tsp cracked pepper, divided
1/2 pound tiny green beans (haricots verts) (I got a bag of frozen ones and used them)
Creamy Tarragon Dressing

**1.5 pounds small red potatoes, halved, may be substituted with a bake time of 35 minutes. OR 1.5 pounds russet potatoes, quartered may be substituted with a bake time of 40 minutes.

What you need for Tarragon Dressing:
1/4 buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dijon style mustard
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coarsely ground pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped green onion
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon

What you need to do:
Preheat oven to 425. Cut fingerlings in half, lengthwise, and place in a large bowl. Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Place potato halves, cut sides up, in a jelly roll pan. Toss green beans with remaining 1/2 tbsp oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper, and place in another jelly roll pan. Bake potatoes at 425 for 30-32 minutes or until tender and browned. Remove from oven and let potatoes stand in pan. Bake green beans at 425 for 12 minutes (I just put them in when the potatoes had 12 minutes left so they were done at the same time). Arrange green beans around roasted potatoes on a serving platter. Drizzle with Creamy Tarragon Dressing.

What you need to do for Dressing:
Whisk together first 6 ingredients in a small bowl until combined. Gradually whisk in oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth. Whisk in green onion and tarragon. Pour over potatoes and green beans. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 2 days. Let chilled dressing stand 30 mintues before using. Leftover dressing can be used on a salad.

Song of the Day

We are going to be friends - The White Stripes

Corn Cakes with Chives

I haven't made this in a while, but they sure are yummy! They are on the menu for this week so I hope to have a picture soon.

What you need:
1 fresh ear of corn or 1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling water
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup milk
1 slightly beaten egg
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon snipped fresh chives or cilantro (optional)
1/3 cup dairy sour cream

What you need to do:
Cut corn kernels from cob and measure 1/2 cup. In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Set aside. In a medium bowl stir boiling water into cornmeal to make a stiff mush. Stir in milk until smooth; then stir in fresh or frozen corn, egg, and the 1 tablespoon chives. Add flour mixture and stir just until combined. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Drop batter by rounded tablespoons into hot oil. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Transfer to a serving platter; cover and keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter, adding the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Meanwhile, if desired, stir the 1 teaspoon chives into the sour cream. Serve sour cream with the corn cakes. Makes 6 side-dish servings.

Song of the Day

Comes a Time - Grateful Dead

Rachael's Salsa

What you need:
3-4 tomatoes (depending on the size you want to make)
1 lime
1 garlic clove or a couple teaspoons of garlic powder
fresh cilantro several leaves which probably equivlate to 1-2 tablespoons
1-2 jalapeno
one small onion

What you need to do:
'Put everything in the blender and blend.

You can also add avacado to this. Its so easy and delicious!

Song of the Day

Kiss Me Again - Jessica Lea Mayfield

Sesame Salad Stack

I saw this in my mom's southern living magazine and was intrigued by it. I was scared I wasn't going to like this, but I loved it. I ended up eating two plates of it for dinner, and no main dish. Whoops! This makes 6 servings and takes 15 minutes (seriously, it does). I only had to buy a few ingredients too. I had most of them in my pantry already.

What you need:
1 (8 oz) package mixed salad greens
Sesame Won Ton Crisps (recipe below)
1 (8.25 oz) can mandarin orange segments, drained
2 green onions, sliced
6 Tbsp chopped cashews
Fresh Orange-Soy Vinaigrette (recipe below)
S&P to taste

What you need for Sesame Won Ton Crisps:
12 won ton wrappers (found in produce section, by bagged salad for me)
1 Tbsp melted butter (I actually just used spray butter instead)
1/2 tsp white sesame seeds
1/2 tsp black sesame seeds (I used all white)
1/4 tsp salt

What you need for Orange-Soy Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 tsp freshly grated ginger (I used dried)
1/8 tsp dry mustard
salt to taste

What you need to do:
Preheat oven to 425. Place won ton wrappers on a foil lined cookie sheet. Brush one side of each wrapper with butter (or spray butter on like me). Sprinkle with sesame seeds and salt. Bake at 425 for 5-6 minutes. For dressing, combine dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse 3 - 4 times until smooth. For salad, layer 1/2 cup greens, 1 sesame won ton crisp, 3 tbsp greens, 1 sesame won ton crisp, and 1 tbsp greens on a salad plate. Carefully tuck orange segents into salad greens. Sprinkle with green onions and cashews. Drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with S&P. Repeat for remaining salds.

Song of the Day

Save it for a Rainy Day - The Jayhawks

T's London Broil

Yummy! This marinade can be used on any kind of steak or chicken. We sliced it thinly and served with Risotto.

What you need:
London Broil Steak
Olive Oil
Worchestershire sauce
Montreal Steak Seasoning (made by Mccormick, in the spices section)

What you need to do:
Put meat in a casserole dish. Coat both sides with steak seasoning. Gently press seasoning into meat with a spoon. Pour one tablespoon of Worchestershire Sauce onto each side. Lightly coat meat and bottom of dish with olive oil. Marinate for 1-2 hours. Preheat grill to highest heat setting. Grill for 5 minutes per side. Enjoy!

Song of the Day

Holiday in Spain - Counting Crows

This is one of my all time favorite songs, and I've been putting off posting it hoping a good version of it would come up. Well, the 100 days is almost up, and I have to post it, and this is the best I can do. Crappy version, but great song. :)

Risotto

This is an awesome recipe. And it tastes as good as it looks! The recipe suggests measuring out all the ingredients beforehand and putting them in small bowls so they are ready to add asap, since you have to stir almost constantly.

What you need:
3 cups chicken broth, warmed
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 cups Arborio Rice (short grain Italian rice)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1 cup chopped spinach (You may want more chopped spinach if you want to serve the risotto OVER the spinach like we did in the picture)

What you need to do:
Heat the broth in a small saucepan and keep warm over low heat. Melt butter in a large saucepan and sautee the onion over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the rice and sautee a minute more. Reduce to medium heat and add the wine. Cook while stirring until the liquid is mostly absorbed (3-4 minutes). Add about 1.5 cups of the warm broth to the rice and cook, while stirring, until it is mostly absorbed (7-8 mins). Add spinach and continue cooking and stirring, adding broth in slowly, as the liquid is absorbed. After 7-8 minutes the rice should be al dente or tender but still firm to the bite. At this point, the rice should have a moist creamy consistency (if its too dry, add more broth). Finally stir in Parmesan Cheese and mix well and quickly.

Lasagna

This is another of Tommy's recipes. With all this cheese, you know its good. :)

What you need:
1.5 or 2 pounds ground beef (or ground chuck)
1 large onion, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cans tomato sauce (8 oz cans or 1 15 oz can)
oregano, basil, parsley, S&P
Lasagne Noodles (cooked using a dash of evoo in water)
Worchestershire sauce
2 cloves of garlic, minced
mozzerella cheese
ricotta or cottage cheese
parmesan cheese

What you need to do:
Brown ground beef and onion. Drain fat. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, S&P, Worchestershire, basil, parsley, & oregano. Simmer on medium low for 30 minutes. Layer as follows: noodles to cover bottom of casserole dish, sauce, ricotta, mozzerella cheese, parmesan cheese, and repeat. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Song of the Day

I'm Not Alone - Widespread Panic

Song of the Day

I did another Avett song because they were so amazing at the House of Blues!! I just love them. :)

Salina - The Avett Brothers

Chicken Cacciatore

This is one of Sara's recipe. The attached picture is of when Rachael made it, and she just used the pasta she had on hand, not the one suggested in the recipe. Thanks girls!

What you need:
2 cups cooked and diced chicken
1 ¼ sticks butter or margarine
3 cloves garlic
1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup stock (or chicken broth)
1 large can whole tomatoes
1 large can green peas, drained
½ box spaghetti noodles cooked and drained
1 ½ cups grated cheddar

What you need to do:
Melt margarine and sauté onion and garlic. Put in casserole dish. Add tomatoes with juice and mash. Add mushrooms and peas. Mix in chicken and spaghetti. Top with cheese. Cook in 350 degree oven until hot, 30 minutes to an hour.

Song of the Day

Swept Away - The Avett Brothers

Since I'm on my way to see them, I had to put one of their songs up for today. And simce I'm doing this from my blackberry, I'm not sure if the music portion will work. Sorry!

Tommy's Chili

What you need:
1.5 pounds ground beef
1 diced onion
1 can diced tomatoes w green chilies, undrained
1 can tomato sauce (14.5 oz)
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon each s and p
2 tablesppons Worchestershire
Dash of Chalula Hot Sauce

What you need to do:
Brown meat w diced onion and drain. In stockpot combine drained beef and onion with tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beans. Add all other ingredients and stir well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium and cook for 75 minutes.

Song of the Day

Moonshine Whiskey - Van Morrison

Layered Mexican Casserole

Yummy Yummy Yummy! And super easy.

What you need:
1 pound ground beef
1.5 cups salsa
1 can of corn, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 cup cottage cheese
8 oz sour cream
2 cups cheddar cheese
Tortilla Chips

What you need to do:
Preheat oven to 350. Brown ground beef, drain. Meanwhile, seperately, In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese. When beef is browned, add corn and salsa and kindey beans to beef and mix together. Layer a 3ish quart round casserole dish with chips (just cover the bottom), then layer with half of beef mixture, then layer with half the cheese, then layer with half the sour cream mixture. Then do a layer of chips again, the other half of the meat, the other half of the sour cream mixture and bake for 35 minutes. Add on the remaining shredded cheese and then bake another ten minutes. Voila!

Song of the Day

When the Circus Comes to Town - Phish

Ultimate Twice Baked Potatoes

Rach made these the other day and they look divine. She skipped out on the bacon, but I obviously fully recommend any bacon usage. :) She made these ahead of time and just baked them the next day.

What you need:
4 large baking potatoes
8 slices bacon
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
8 green onions, sliced, divided

What you need to do:
Preheat oven to 350. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour. Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; save skins. To the potato flesh, add sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 the green onions. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon. Bake for another 15 minutes.

Song of the Day

My Own Sinking Ship - Good Old War

Fried Chicken

This is Tommy's family's recipe for fried chicken and Tommy's all time favorite food. He made it Sunday and its delish!

What you need:
Chicken (Tommy likes drumsticks, I like tenderloins so we do both)
1 Quart Buttermilk (or however much is needed to cover chicken in bowl, depending on how many pieces you cook)
4ish cups of all purpose flour
Crisco
S&P

What you need to do:
Remove skin from chicken, put in large bowl and cover with buttermilk. Soak for at least 30 minutes. Add S&P to buttermilk (probably 1 tablespoon each). Melt Crisco on medium to medium high heat so that there is approximately 1/2 inch of melted oil in skillet. Put flour in large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons each of S&P. Place each individual piece of chicken in flour and coat well with flour. Place in hot Crisco and cook on each side until golden brown (approximately 10 - 12 minutes per side).

Song of the Day

Going Down the Road Feeling Bad - Allman Brothers

I can't get the picture uploader or song website to work right now. Hopefully I can get the actual song up soon.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mallow Bars

Welcome to Chocolatey, Peanut Buttery, Marshmellowey Bliss. These are a little rich but very good. If you don't like peanut butter, just skip that part and they are still good chocolate - marshmellow bars.

What you need:
1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil's food cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2/3 cup Milk, divided
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (I got the new whipped kind and it was easier to work with)
1 jar (7 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme
1/2 cup PLANTERS Salted Peanuts
6 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, coarsely chopped (I only used 4)

What you need to do:
Heat oven to 350°F. Mix dry cake mix, butter and 1/3 cup milk until blended; press 2/3 onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan. Bake 12 to 14 min. or until center is almost set; cool 3 min. Meanwhile, mix peanut butter and remaining milk. Spread peanut butter mixture onto crust; top with small spoonfuls of the marshmallow creme and remaining cake mixture. Sprinkle with nuts and chocolate; press gently into cake mixture.
BAKE 18 min. or just until center is set. Cool completely before cutting into bars. (you can freeze this up to one month). Mine didn't cut very smoothly. It actually just all lumped together. But still tastes good!

Song of the Day

Angel - Jack Johnson

Crock Pot Pork Roast

This is a yummy, easy, pork roast recipe. The flavors of the citru
s and pears really come out and give it a suprising twist. It makes 6-8 servings.

What you need:
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon steak seasoning
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 pork roast, any type 4-5 pounds
2 pears, cored, peeled, and sliced thick
1/2 orange with peel, sliced thick

What you need to do:
Combine pomegranate juice and sguar in small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, about two minutes. Pour into crock pot. Blend salt, garlic salt, steak seasoning, and pepper in a small mixing bowl. Rub mixture over roast. Place roast in crock pot. Turn roast to cover with juice mixture. Top roast with pear and orange slices. Cover; cook on low for 6-8 hours or until tender. Serve with juice and fruit slices.

Tip from cookbook: Unless you have a 5, 6, or 7 quart crock pot, cut any roast larger than 2.5 pounds in half so it cooks completely.

Song of the Day

When I Dream of Michaelangelo - Counting Crows

Squash Casserole

This is one of my mother in law's recipes. This is the smaller version that just serves 4.

What you need:
3 sliced and cooked squash
1/2 onion, grated (or diced)
1/2 cup mayo
1 egg, beaten
1/2 sleeve Ritz Crackers
Grated cheddar (probably a cupish)
2 tablespoons melted butter

What you need to do:
Mash squash, add onion, egg, & mayo. Place in small casserole dish (9x9 size). Crush in 1/2 pack Ritz. Add grated cheese & two tablespoons melted butter to Ritz and sprinkle on top of squash. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Song of the Day

While My Guitar Gently Weeps - George Harrison

Velveeta Spicy Chicken Spaghetti

I can't believe I haven't blogged this one yet. It is so good! And so easy. I premade the casserole last night and just got Tommy to bake it for me today.

What you need:
3 Chicken Breasts
12 oz Spaghetti Noodles
1 pound block of Velveeta cheese, chopped up into blocks
1 can of Rotel Tomatoes, UNDRAINED (get the medium or hot kind if you want it spicier)
1 small can of sliced mushrooms, drained (I skipped this)
1 can cream of chicken soup (I used cream of mushroom instead)
1/3 cup milk

What you need to do:
Preheat oven to 350. Start boiling water for spaghetti and cook spaghetti according to package directions. Trim and cut your chicken into pieces (If you have kitchen scissors, use those, they make this part so much easier. If you don't have any, drop what you're doing and go buy some ASAP! You won't regret it.) Spray a skillet with Pam and cook chicken on stove until no longer pink (probably about ten minutes, stirring to make sure all sides are covered.) Combine all ingredients in your pan and then pour into a greased 13 x 9 x 2 casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 35 - 40 minutes.

Song of the Day

The Golden Age - Beck

Pepper Steak

This is one of my mother in law's recipes that Tommy cooked for the first time tonight. It was really good! And didn't seem too hard.

What you need:
1 pound round steak
2 tablespoons margarine
1 tablespoon paprika
2 cloves of garlic crushed
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1.5 cups beef broth
1 bell pepper (Tommy used red pepper, his mom uses green)
1 bunch green onions
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup soy sauce
Cooked Rice

What you need to do:
Cut steak in bite sized pieces. Sprinkle paprika over steak and toss until steak is coated. Melt margarine in dutch oven or large deep skillet. Cook steak in the melted margarine until no longer pink. Add broth and garlic. Cook for 30 minutes on low. Chop pepper and onions. Add to steak and bring to a boil. Reduce heat back to low and cook for 5 minutes. Combine corn starch and water and soy sauce. Add to steak mixture. Cook until it thickens slightly. Serve over rice.

Song of the Day

Boat to Row - Band of Horses

Super Gooey Chocolate Drops

These were featured on Food Network's 12 Days of Cookies and Tommy loves these. I haven't made them since Christmas so I don't have a picture, so I just uploaded their stock picture.

What you need:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup natural cocoa powder, such as Hershey's or Scharffen Berger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
11 ounces (1 bag) semisweet chocolate chunks
1 cup dried cherries. optional (I don't use this)

What you need to do:
Position racks in the lower and upper third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. (If you don't have 3 pans, simply cool the pan between batches.) Put the butter and the unsweetened and semisweet chocolates in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 75 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 2 minutes. Stir and heat again until melted, up to 2 minutes more. (Alternatively, put the chocolates and butter in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.)

Stir the light brown and granulated sugars and vanilla into the chocolate mixture with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs and buttermilk and beat vigorously until thick and glossy. In another bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, cinnamon and salt together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just mixed. Stir in chocolate chunks and dried cherries, if using.

Drop the batter in heaping tablespoons onto baking sheets--a small ice cream scoop is ideal for this. Space the cookies about 2-inches apart. Bake until the cookies set but are soft and fudgy on the inside, 12 to 15 minutes (I always go on the low end of the baking time, I'd check them at 10 minute). Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Serve. Store cookies in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to a week.

Song of the Day

In memory of Jerry (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995).

Brokedown Palace - Grateful Dead

Rotisserie Chicken Sandwiches

What you need:
2 slices bread (we like the Arnold Italian)
Rotisserie chicken pulled off the bone
2 slices bacon
2 slices tomato
1 slice Provologne cheese
Thousand Island or Mayo or Pesto (all 3 of these are good)

What you need:
Preheat oven to 400. Spread Thousand Island, Mayo, or Pesto on top and bottom of bread slices. Layer with bacon, chicken, cheese, and tomato. Bake for a few minutes until cheese melts a little and bread is crispy. Very good!

Song of the Day

Evil Urges - My Morning Jacket

Chile Roasted Pork

This is another Rachael Recipe. The original recipe calls for kabobs, but she adapted it to just chops.

What you need:
6-8 boneless pork chops, each cut into four lengthwise strips about 1/2 inch thick (original recipe said to cut into pieces about 1-2" square)
Marinade:
1/2 cup yellow mustard (not Dijon)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil (original recipe used 1/4 cup Canola oil)
1 T garlic powder (or use minced fresh garlic)
about 6 drops Tobasco or 12 drops green Tobasco
1-2 tsp. Cajun Spice seasoning (I recommend Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning)
1 T Chile Garlic Sauce (optional, sold by Asian foods)
(The original recipe called for a small amount of Liquid Smoke, but I don't add that when I make it now)

What you need to do:
Whisk together mustard, soy sauce, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic powder, Tobasco, Cajun Spice, and Chile Garlic Sauce in a glass measuring cup or bowl with a pour spout. Trim visible fat from edges of pork chops, then cut each into lengthwise strips about 1/2 inch wide. Put pork strips and marinade in a Ziploc bag or plastic container with a lid, seal and marinate in refrigerator 4-8 hours. (Original recipe said 6-12 hours or longer, but I never marinate it that long now.) When you're ready to cook, take the meat out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Spray gas or charcoal barbecue with olive oil or non-stick spray, and heat to medium-high. Thread the pork strips on skewers, weaving back and forth and pushing tightly together. (I like to use flat skewers which keep the meat from spinning on the skewer.) Grill kabobs 20-25 minutes, turning often, until meat is lightly browned and firm to the touch. Serve hot.

Song of the Day

One Rainy Wish - Jimi Hendrix
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Symphony Brownies

This is another recipe I got from my aunt Terry Ann. If toffee isn't your thing, you can switch out the candy bars for something else. Oh and I didn't have a picture of these so I used one I found online.

What you need:
1 box of Betty Crocker Toffee Brownie Mix (and all ingredients it calla for)
2 EXTRA eggs
3 Giant Symphony Candy Bars (can be found for $1 at wal mart).

What you need to do:
Mix brownie mix according to package directions and add in the 2 extra eggs. Line your 9 x 13 pan with foil and spray w pam. Pour in half the brownie mix and then layer that with the 3 candy bars. Then pour the rest of the brownie mix over symphony bars. Bake according to brownie box directions. Let cool completely and then lift brownies out of brownie pan by lifting the ends of the foil for easy cutting. Yummm!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Song of the Day

Sweet Virginia - Rolling Stones

The music player application isn't working tonight, but hopefully by tomorrow this song will play bc its a great song.

Easy Tortellini Pesto Soup

T made dinner tonight and it was ready for me when I got home from the gym. Love that! Anyway, as you can see by the minimal ingredients and steps, this one is really easy. Enjoy!

What you need:
46 oz chicken broth (original recipe calls for 28 oz, but we think it needs more)
1.5 pkg. (9 oz.) refrigerated three cheese tortellini (original recipe calls for just one package but we think it needs more)
2 Plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup Pesto
1/3 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese

What you need to do:
Bring broth to boil in large saucepan. Add pasta; cook 5 min., adding tomatoes to the boiling water for the last minute of the cooking time. Remove from heat. Stir in pesto; sprinkle with cheese.

Song of the Day

Pretty Girl at the Airport - The Avett Brothers

Juicy Loosey Burger

What you need:
1/2 pound hamburger meat
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Shredded Mozzerella Cheese (or cheese of your choice)
Hamburger Bun
Tomato Slice
Jalapenos (or whatever toppings you like)

What you need to do:
Patty 2 (1/4 pound) meat patties. Season patties with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place small lump of cheese in the middle of one patty. Place second patty on top of first one and gently press together making sure the edges mesh, to form one patty. Grill on medium high heat 6-8 minutes per side.

Song of the Day

Fix You - Coldplay

Mexican Chicken Salad

This one was so pretty I almost didn't want to eat it. :) Delicious and refreshing too. This recipe serves 2.

What you need:
1.5 teaspoons ancho chili powder
1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
.5 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tomato, halved (we actually just used fresh pico de gallo instead)
1 onion, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rings (again, we used pico de gallo instead of this too)
1 small head romaine lettuce, shredded
1/2 avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced
3/4 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup canned corn, drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips, optional
Lite Ranch Dressing, Naturally Fresh is the best. Its good to mix this with salsa for an extra kick.

What you need to do:
Preheat grill to medium high heat (350 - 400). In a shallow dish, combine chili powder, cumin, salt & pepper. Coat chicken evenly with chili powder, cumin, S&P. Coat chicken evenly with chili powder mixture. Grill chicken, covered with grill lid for 5-6 minutes per side. Cut into 1/2 inch slices. Place tomato, cut sides down, on grill. Grill 1-2 minutes per side, or until softened. Coarsely chop tomato. Place onion rings in a single layer on grill. Grill 2-3 minutes per side or until lightly browned and softened. On a serving platter, arrange lettuce, chicken, tomato, onion, avocado, black beans, corn, and cheese, as desired. Serve with dressing and tortilla chips, as desired.

Song of the Day

May This Be Love - Jimi Hendrix

Chicken Dijon Pasta

This is a recipe Bayne gave me from emealz. It makes 6 servings and is 6 Weight Watchers points per serving if anyone is counting.

What you need:
3 c uncooked bow-tie pasta
2 c broccoli florets
10 oz can FF cream of chicken soup
1/3 c chicken broth
3 T Dijon mustard
2 c chopped rotisserie chicken (Bayne used regular chicken breasts, cooked and chopped)
1/3 c roasted red bell peppers
1/2 c shredded Parmesan cheese

What you need to do:
Cook pasta as directed, adding broccoli the last 3 min of cooking. Drain; set aside. In a sprayed 9 x 13 baking dish, combine soup, broth, & mustard. Fold in chicken, peppers, pasta & broccoli. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake 30 min @ 375. Divide into 6 portions.

Song of the Day

It's Coming Down - Cake

Mexican Dip

This is one of the best things ever. We also call this one "brief dip," don't ask. :) I've been eating and making this since I was in elementary school and it never gets old. 3 ingredients is all you need. And you probably already have them. Enjoy!

What you need:
1 can of chili with beans
1 block of cream cheese, softened
2 cups cheese (I used the mexican blend, but cheddar is good too)

What you need to do:
Heat oven to 350. Spray a smaller square casserole dish or pie dish with Pam. Layer cream cheese, chili, and then shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with Tortilla chips or corn chips.

I acutally used leftover taco soup instead of chili and a few tablespoons of cream cheese from a tub we had in the fridge and a few sprinkles of cheese and voila! A little personal appetizer for my Friday night dinner. :)

Song of the Day

Long Distance Call - Phoenix

Jerk Chicken Wraps

This is another Rachael recipe she got from Pampered Chef. Thanks!!

What you need:
1 T EVOO (I used a little more)
1 T Jamaican Jerk Rub (I used a little more)
1 lb chicken tenders
1 can cubed pineapple
1 red bell pepper
3 green onions (white and light green parts only)
1 can (15 ounce) black beans, drained
6 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled)
2 heads romaine lettuce (you will be using these as your 'wrap' so the bigger the leaf the better for wrapping)
Optional: I added a spicy banana pepper in here as well, we like heat.

For the Dressing:
2 limes
1/3 cup reduced fat mayo
3 T pineapple juice (I used a little more, add to your tasting)

What you need to do:
Whisk EVOO and jerk rub together, dip chx tenders in the rub mixture. I grilled them on my 'indoor' grilling pan (I don't know the official name for this pan) but if you do not have one of those, you could cook it them in a skillet. Cook for about 3-5 minutes per side, or until done. Remove chicken. Cook the pineapple in the same pan, for about one minute per side. (Note: the pineapple will pick up the leftover seasoning from the chicken and will darken because of that.) Meanwhile, dice your red bell pepper, green onions (and spicy pepper if you so choose). Set aside. Dressing: Zest one lime and juice both limes. Add in the mayo and mix well. Set aside.

Build your wraps:
Lay out your lettuce wraps and stuff them with your chicken, peppers and onions, pineapple, bacon, black beans, and drizzle with dressing.

Song of the Day

Yellow Ledbetter - Pearl Jam

Taco Soup

This is a recipe my aunt Terry Ann gave me. We love it bc its super easy and good, and has a little kick to it. Its a perfect week night meal. Serve this with cheese, sour cream, and fritos. Makes a lot.

What you need:
1.5 pounds ground beef, browned and drained
2 (14 oz) cans of petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can of Ro-Tel tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 can of dark red kidney beans, drained
1 can of pinto beans, drained
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of black beans, drained
1 can of chicken broth (Terry Ann adds 2 cans of broth, but I like thicker soups so left it at one can)
2 packets of taco seasoning
1 packet of dry ranch dressing
1 cup chopped onion

What you need to do:
Mix all ingreients together in large pot, bring to boil for 10 minutes. Turn to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Sevrve with grated cheese, sour cream, and Fritos.

Song of the Day

Laredo - Band of Horses

Tomato Grits

These are absolutely fantastic. You'll want to make them again and again. Great to serve for company. The Ro-Tel gives it a great kick. You'll love these!

What you need:
2 cups water
1 1/4 cup milk
1 tsp salt
1 cup quick cooking grits
1 stick butter (plus one tablespoon)
1/3 cup diced green onions
6 oz kraft garlic cheese roll (I usually can't find this so I use a tub of garlic herb cheese from the fancy cheese section in the deli)
2.5 cups shredded cheddar
1 (10 oz) can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes with green chilies
2 eggs, lightly beaten

What you need to do:
In saucepan, bring water & milk to a boil. Add salt. Slowly add grits & return to boil; stir for one full minute. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 3 minutes. Stir grits & add 1 stick butter, stirring until melted. Cover and cook 3-5 minutes or until grits are thick and creamy. Remove from heat and set aside.

Sautee onion in 1 tbsp butter for one minute. Add garlic cheese, 1.5 cups cheddar, and onions to grits and sitr until cheese has melted. Add tomatoes & mix well, stir in beaten eggs. Pour grits into a greased 11 x 8 x 2 casserole dish. Bake for 40 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top & cook for 5 more minutes.

Song of the Day

Sugaree - Grateful Dead

Bacon & Egg Cheeseburger

O.M.G..... I'm never going to lose weight while I am blogging. Tommy is a huge help and made dinner so I'd have something to blog, and I came home to this cheeseburger and Paula Deen tomato grits (which are also absolutely amazing). I tried my hardest to only eat half of this but it was impossible.

What you need:
Quarter pound of ground beef
1 egg
1 slice of pepper jack cheese (or whatever you like)
2 slices of bacon
1 hamburger bun
1 slice of tomato
1 tablespoon mayo
S&P
Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Worchestershire Sauce


What you need to do:
Heat grill to medium high. Season the beef with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and worchestershire. Mash the beef into a flat patty. Grill until desired doneness, adding cheese at the end so it melts on the burger. While grilling, cut bacon into 4 small strips and pan fry on medium heat. Cook the egg in the same pan so it takes in some of the bacon drippings.

This is probably the most fattening thing you will ever eat, but it is so good. The saltiness of the bacon, and the spice of the pepperjack, and the fried egg just go so well together.

Song of the Day

Oh Sweet Nothin - Velvet Underground

Bacon Tomato Presto Pasta

Fast, easy and delicious! You're supposed to use Penne for this but I used Rotini bc thats what I had in the pantry. Anything is good with this.

What you need:
10 slices Bacon, chopped (original recipe calls for 8, but I think it needs more)
1/2 cup Cherry tomatoes (I always add more)
1 tub (8 oz.) Chive & Onion Cream Cheese Spread
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (I used shredded bc we had some leftover from last week)
6 cups hot cooked penne pasta (one box)

What you need to do:
Cook pasta if you haven't already. Meanwhile, cook bacon in skillet 5 min. or until bacon is crisp, stirring occasionally. Drain skillet, leaving bacon in skillet (try to resist eating all of it out of the pan bc it smells so good). Stir in cherry tomatoes. Add cream cheese spread, milk and Parmesan cheese; mix well. Cook until hot and bubbly, stirring frequently. Stir in pasta.

Song of the Day

High & Dry - Radiohead

Greek Salad

This is a quick salad that I just love.

What you need:
Baby Spring Mix (or any lettuce you like)
Chopped Tomatoes
Chopped Cucumbers (I skip this)
Sliced Olives (I skip this)
Feta Cheese
Oregano
S&P
EVOO

What you need to do:
Just layer lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta, S&P, a little Oregano, and drizzle with EVOO and voila, you have an awesome side salad without too many calories. The Oregano and S&P surprisingly add a lot to this salad.

Song of the Day

Little Lion Man - Mumford & Sons

Sugar and Nut Glazed Brie

If you love Brie, you'll love this recipe. (This is the stock picture since I didn't have one handy.)

What you need:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts or pecans
1 tablespoon brandy
1 (14-ounce) round brie
Apple wedges, for serving
Pear wedges, for serving
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
Crackers, for serving

What you need to do:
In a small bowl stir together the sugar, nuts, and brandy. Cover and chill for at least 24 hours or up to 1 week. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Place the brie on an ovenproof platter or pie plate. Bake for 4 or 5 minutes or until the brie is slightly softened. Spread the sugar mixture in an even layer on top of the warm brie and bake for 2 to 3 minutes longer, or until the sugar melts. Brush the fruit wedges with lemon juice and arrange them around 1 side of the brie. Place crackers around the other side.

Song of the Day

Steady As We Go - Dave Matthews Band

Tommy's Spaghetti

What you need:
1.5 pounds ground beef
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
1 can tomato sauce (14.5 oz)
1 tablespoon Worchestershire
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 onion, diced
1/2 tsp each Basil, Oregano, Parsley
S and P
Cooked spaghetti noodles

What you need to do:
Brown meat and onions, drain. Add all other ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, low - medium heat. Cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve over spaghetti noodles.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Song of the Day

The Only Exception - Paramore

OK I know this is like a punk / emo band, but i really like this song.

Meatballs with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce

This is a great fast recipe that you automatically get 2 meals out of bc we freeze half the meatballs right off the bat so we have a meal ready to go for another time. This sauce is so great too. You'll love it.

What you need:
For meatballs:
2 lb. Ground beef
1 pkg. (6 oz.) Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1.25 cups Water
2 Eggs
For sauce:
14 oz jar spaghetti sauce
2 oz cream cheese
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil (I used dried)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (we had shredded leftover from the Cornmeal Chicken Parm so we used shredded)
Linguini or Fettuccini Noodles, Cooked

What you need to do:
For Meatballs:
Heat oven to 400ºF. Line 2 (15x10x1-inch) pans with foil; spray with cooking spray. Mix ingredients until blended; shape into 32 (1-1/2-inch) balls (ours only comes out to 24), using 1/4 cup for each. Place 16 (or twelve in our case) meatballs in each prepared pan. Bake 16 to 18 min. or until done (160ºF). Combine half the meatballs with Tomato-Basil Cream Sauce. Cool remaining meatballs; freeze for later use.
For Sauce:
Mix spaghetti sauce, Cream Cheese and basil in large skillet; cook on medium-low heat 3 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Add 16 hot meatballs; stir to evenly coat. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese before serving. Makes 4 servings, 4 meatballs (3 meatballs per serving in our case) and 1/3 cup sauce each.

Serve over pasta. There are a lot of instructions, but its not hard.

Song of the Day

The Inlaw Josie Wales - Phish

This is an all instrumental song that reminds me a lot of Little Martha by The Allman Brothers, which I hope I can post at some point.

Cornmeal Chicken Parmesan

This is so freaking good. I was starving and didn't feel like taking a lot of pictures, so this was the best I did, but its so good. I made the chicken part the night before, and put it in a casserole dish, so all we had to do the next day was bake it and cook some noodles. Which Tommy actually did for me so I had a yummy meal waiting for me when I got home from work!

What you need:
2 large eggs
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal mix
1/2 cup panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs)
1 (0.7-ounce) package Italian dry salad dressing and seasoning mix
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used 5 of the thin sliced ones)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce
1 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

What you need to do:
Preheat oven to 350°. In a shallow dish, lightly beat eggs. In a separate shallow dish, combine cornmeal mix, panko, and seasoning mix. Dip chicken in eggs; dredge in cornmeal mixture. In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Cook chicken 2 to 3 minutes per side or until lightly browned. Place in a 13x9-inch casserole dish. (I stopped here and put the casserole dish in the fridge to cook the next day). Bake for 15 minutes. Top with pasta sauce and bake 15 minutes. Top with cheese and bake 15 minutes. Garnish with parsley, if desired.