corn and chicken dinner

This was very good and easy. The only thing I would do different with this is to add some potatos to it.

just the books..

alot of things.

okay so between nice swimming weather, kids out for the summer, Ol Home Days and Flamingo parties.. I have not really been good about getting on here.. so I am going to post a few things I made with pictures.. enjoy..

Beginning of June

Where did the time go... I have been cooking but just not updating... I promised myself today I would get better at it. but in the meantime.. here is some of the things I did...

Grilled Caribbean Steak.. way to sweet for us

Corn /chicken chowder... loved it

Hooters Pasta Salad.... it was okay... the men did not know they served salads they told me *l*

Taco Joe dinner



Double Porterhouse with roasted garlic steaks, grilled potato salad with Mexican corn on the cob with mayo, lime and grated cheese

They say pictures are worth a thousand words.. well here they are..Its memorial day weekend Will take the time to post recipes when it's not so busy.. Enjoy!

Spicy-Sweet Glazed Bacon and cheese filled Burgers with baked german potato salad

One word...okay two.. NO LEFTOVERS!!!!!!!!!!! yummy.. next time.. need to double this one.

Quarter pounders coated with a dry spice rub, which forms a tongue-tingling crust on the outside of the burger and provides a delicious contrast to the sharp cheddar cheese filling.

• 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp chipotle powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 4 rolls

Prepare the grill for cooking over med heat. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, spices, salt, and pepper and stir until blended. Set aside. Using your hands, form the beef into 8 patties of equal size. In a small bowl, toss the cheese and crumbled bacon together until well combined. Place an equal amount of the cheese mixture on 4 of the patties. Top each with one of the remaining patties and pinch the edges to seal in filling. Generously pat each burger with the spice mixture. Grill until desired degree of doneness. About 5 minutes per side for medium.

Baked German Potato salad

• 2 lbs peeled, and cubed potatoes
• 2 slices bacon chopped
• 2/3 cup chopped celery
• 2/3 cup chopped onion
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar 1/3 cup chopped dill pickle

Cook the potatoes in just enough water to cover for 12 minutes, or just til tender, drain
Meanwhile in  large skillet cook bacon over med heat until crisp. Drain bacon reserving drippings in skillet. Add celery and onion to drippings, cook and stir for 1 minute.
Stir in  flour, salt and pepper, cook and stir for 1 minute more. Stir in 3/4 cup water and vinegar. cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in sugar. In 2 qt casserole, combine potato and bacon. Add celery mixture, stir gently to combine
Cover and bake in 350 oven for about 30 minutes. Stir in pickle. Serve warm.

Tomato=Basil Pasta Sauce

I loved how this tasted. It was light and not heavy on your stomach in the hot weather like reg sauce is.

•  1 can condensed Broccoli cheese soup
• 3/4 cup half and half or milk
• 3 fresh plum tomato's, coarsely chopped. About 1 cup.  Or 4 canned plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves, or 1 tsp dried basil
• 3 cups hot cooked fettuccine

In 2-quart saucepan, stir soup, half-and-half, chopped tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and Basil.Over medium heat, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour over fettuccine; toss gently to coat. Garnish with sliced fresh plum tomato and fresh basil sprig, if desired. 

Chuck Wagon Salisbury Steak

I love Salisbury steak... and said wow.. lets  try this...  it was nothing like salisbury steak!!! More like a hamburger.. It was good.. just not what I thought it would be.

•  2 cups corn flakes, crushed
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup bbq sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 lb ground beef

In a mixing bowl, combine corn flakes, egg, bbq sauce, salt and pepper. Beat until thoroughly mixed. Add ground beef. Mix and shape into patties and place in a 13 x 9 baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

Baby Bam Burgers with Cheesy fries

Its Emeril and Rachael Ray recipe night *l* There is nothing like biting into a burger and getting a mouthful of flavor and that is what these burgers are. It says you can make 12 2-ounce burgers.. but you could just make them regular size.

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp  ketchup
• 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp Baby Bam * recipe to follow*
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• small dinner rolls

baby bam

1.  3 tablespoons paprika
2. 2 tablespoons salt
3. 2 tablespoons dried parsley
4. 2 tsp onion powder
5. 2 tsp garlic powder
6. 1 tsp ground black pepper
7. 1 tsp dried  basil
8. 1 tsp dried Thyme
9. 1/2 tsp celery salt

Mix all the ingredients in a  mixing bowl. Stir well. Store in a airtight container for up to3 months.

Place meat in a large mixing bowl. Add the onions, garlic, ketchup, relish, mustard,baby bam salt and pepper and mix with your hands until all the ingredients are well incorporated.

Form the meat into patties, using about 1/4 cup for each.  Preheat a large skillet over med-high heat. Cook until done.

VERY VErY GOOD... even my picky grandson ate some!



Cheesy Fries

• frozen French Fries, any brand or shape, prepared to package directions
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 2 1/2 cups shredded yellow cheese 
• 1/4 cup ketchup

Put fries in the oven, while they are cooking place a saucepan on med-high heat on the stove. Add butter and melt it. Add the flour and stir. Cook butter and flour together for 1 min or so. This is called a roux. ( sounds like Roo, Tigger and Pooh Bears friend) and it helps to thicken up sauces.  Use a whisk to stir as you pour the milk into the pot. Keep stirring until the milk gets thicker. Use a wooden spoon or heat safe spatula to stir in the cheese. When all of the cheese melts, take the sauce off the heat and stir in the ketchup. This is the secret ingredient. When everyone asks what you put in your cheese sauce that makes it taste so good, just say milk and cheese, you can NEVER tell what the secret ingredients are that  you add. Pour the cheese sauce over the fries.

Now I added alittle hot sauce to give it some kick.. I think I would leave out the ketchup next time and just do alittle hot sauce.

Spaghetti Pie

I knew it was going to be a busy day so decided to get the crockpot out!

• 8 oz spaghetti
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese
• 1 pound burger,* beef, turkey*
• 1 32 oz bottle of spaghetti sauce
• 3 cups cottage cheese
• 4 oz mozzarella cheese

Boil spaghetti 7 to 10 min, brown the burger.
Drain spaghetti and cut up. Add eggs and Parmesan. Stir well. Pour 1/2 cup sauce on bottom of crockery.
layer 1/2 pasta, 1/2 cottage cheese, 1/2 meat and sauce, 1/2 mozzarella and repeat
 Cover, plug in  and cook on low 6 - 8 hours.

Spicy Three Bean Salad

It was a hot muggy day here and I really didnt want to add more heat to the day with cooking so I found this recipe. It was soo good.. I added corn to add veggie to it and I also had a yellow pepper instead of the green.

• 1 can * 16 oz* kidney beans rinsed and drained
• 1 can * 16 oz* Great northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can * 16 oz* Black Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup diced green pepper
• 1/2 cup diced red pepper
•  1 cup of zesty Italian dressing.

Toss all ingredients in large bowl
Refrigerate, and Serve in bell pepper halves if desired.

Corn Chowder

As it has been rainy and cool the last week I decided to use my leftover chicken and added it to the chowder.

• 1/2 pound salt pork, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 cup diced raw potato
• 2 cups water
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 bay leaf
• salt and pepper
• 3 tbs flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups corn
• 2 tbs chopped parsley

Saute salt pork until crisp and golden. Add onion and celery, cook until tender but not browned. Add green pepper, potatoes,water, turmeric, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Simmer 20 minutes, until potatoes are barely tender.
Mix flour with 1/2 cup milk. Heat remaining milk and add to blended flour. Stir into hot soup and heat, stirring until mixture thickens. Add Corn and Parsley. Cook about 4 minutes. Check Seasoning.

Like I said.. I had leftover chicken so I added that.  very yummy!

I will add pictures later as they will not let me at this time *l*

cranberry-orange pork chops

 This was very good. The tart but sweet berries along with the mandarin orange.. gave it just the little zip you need. I also made it with potatoes but I think rice or orzo pasta would be just the thing.

• 6 boneless pork chops ( 1/2 inch thick)
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tbs canola oil. * I used olive as that is what I had*
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 can ( 11 oz/ ) mandarin oranges, drained
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 tsp all spice
• 1/4 tsp paprika

 Sprinkle the chops with  pepper. In a large skillet, brown the chips in oil on both sides.
add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until meat thermometer reaches 160.