Turkey Lettuce Wraps

I must do this!

http://marthaandme.wordpress.com/2010/01/06/turkey-lettuce-wraps/

and will let you know what I think of it.

Mexi Beef Casserole Dish

If you love freezer cooking then you will love this recipe.....

1 pound ground beef
1 15-oz can sweet corn, drained
1 cup mild, chunky salsa
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1 pkg cooked egg noodles
1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup taco sauce
1 package taco seasoning mix
1/2 cup tomato sauce


Cook egg noodles according to instructions, drain. Meanwhile, brown beef in a skillet until brown and fully cooked. Drain any grease. In a bowl, combine all ingredients, then pour into a freezer container or a 9x13 baking dish. Freeze (may want to allow it to come down to room temperature before placing in freezer)


On cooking day, thaw completely in fridge (take it out the night before or morning of). In a preheated 325F oven, cook for 30-45 minutes, or until bubbly and completely hot throughout. Serve!

Freeze Corn On The Cob

Did you know that you can cook corn ahead of time, freeze it, and then have it taste fresh on eating day?

For the prep work, buy the corn on the cobs remove the husks and wipe down the corn. Blanche them in boiling water based on the following:

Small ears - boil for 7 minutes
Medium ears - boil for 9 minutes
Large ears - boil for 11 minutes.

Immediately remove from the boiling water and submerge them in cold water to stop the cooking proccess. Once completely cooled, drain the corn and immediately freeze in freezer ziplocs or containers.

On cooking day remove corn early in the morning or the night before, so it has time to completely thaw. Boil corn in boiling water (just enough water for the corn to be submerged) for a few minutes until heated through, drain, butter and salt if desired, and serve.

How easy is that?

Another Meatloaf Recipe

Finding more recipes for meatloaf which just happens to be my husband's favorite dish.....

Easy Meatloaf Recipe Ingredients
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup ketchup or barbecue sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients except ketchup in a large bowl, and mix well.

Place mixture into an ungreased loaf pan or shape into a loaf in an ungreased baking pan. Spread ketchup or sauce over the top of the meatloaf.

Bake uncovered for 1 to 1 1/4 hours until no pink remains at the center of the meatloaf. If using a meat thermometer, the internal temperature of the meatloaf should be 160 degrees.

After baking, let sit for 5 minutes before removing from pan and slicing to serve.

Yummy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I love banana bread and have found a great recipe that is easy and delicious. I just had to share it with you. If you make it please leave me a comment and let me know how it turns out. So yummy and chocolately.

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (depending on how chocolately you like it)
1 cup chopped nuts (if desired)

Directions

Place oven rack in lowest position. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of a loaf pan (9x5x3). Mix sugar and margarine in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Add bananas, milk, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients (except nuts and chips) until moistened. Stir in nuts and chips. Pour into pan. Bake for an hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely before slicing.

Chinese Honey Ginger Chicken Freezer Cooking

Here is another easy freezer cooking recipe that you can make way ahead of time. Simply follow the directions and freeze. On the day you want to make the dish simply take out the baggie to thaw and follow the cooking directions. It couldn't be any easier.

6 chicken breasts
4 tsp chopped yellow onion
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fresh minced ginger
1/4 c chives

Combine all ingredients in a freezer container or Ziploc bag. Freeze.


Instructions from Freezer:
Allow to thaw. Pour Chinese style honey ginger chicken into a casserole dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and bake for 20-30 minutes. Serve. Great with rice!

The Easiest and Best Spaghetti Sauce Ever

Being from an Italian background I believe I started eating spaghetti and sauce while still in the high chair. As I grew up past the high chair I remember standing on a chair to watch my grandmother make it every Sunday.

So as a busy mom with kids I have taken the sauce recipe and made it into a recipe that you can make in 30 minutes so that my kids can also enjoy the same spaghetti staple that I grew up with.

So here is my best and easiest spaghetti sauce recipe.

Ingredients

Olive oil, one turn of the pan
1 - 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes (puree in a blender)
1 - medium onion diced
2-3 finely chopped garlic cloves (you can substitute garlic with a few tablespoons of garlic powder to save time)
1 cup chicken broth or stock
1 - teaspoon oregano
1 - teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper

Method

Heat olive oil in large pan over a medium heat.
Add onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes until onions are translucent.
Add chicken stock and cook for about 5 minutes. The stock will reduce in the onion and garlic mixture.
Stir in the tomato puree and turn heat down to low.
Add sugar, oregano, garlic powder (if you did not add garlic cloves).
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Let the sauce simmer on low for approximately 20-30 minutes.
Add the sauce to cooked spaghetti.
Sauce is enough for 2 lbs of cooked spaghetti.

Have fun!

Easy Hamburger Garlic Rolls

If you are like me your pantry always has leftover hamburger rolls from dinner the other night. To top that off, my husband does not like to eat day old hamburger rolls. I hated to throw away the leftover bread because it still seems useable.

So last night I decided to turn the rolls into garlic rolls with our spaghetti dinner. Here is how I did it....

Hamburger Garlic Rolls

Preheat oven on the highest setting or on broil.
Place halves of the rolls face up on a cookie sheet.
Spread the rolls with butter. Sprinkle garlic powder and oregano on top of the butter.
Cook the rolls on the middle rack of the oven for approximately 5 minutes until golden brown. ***
Serve immediately.

P.S. If you want to go crazy, top the buns with onion or mushrooms or cheese to create more variety.

*** All ovens are different so please monitor the browning process carefully. It is very easy to burn the rolls so keep a watchful eye on them.

How To Make a Rue for Gravy or Sauce

Do you want to make the perfect gravy or cheese sauce? You have come to the right place. Follow this recipe and video for making a rue and once you get the rue completed you can turn it into any flavorful gravy that you want. If you add cheese to it and macaroni you have a great macaroni and cheese dish. If you add chicken stock and mushrooms you have a wonderful mushroom gravy. The possibilities are endless.

The quality of the video is pretty good but keep in mind that I am video taping and making the rue at the same time so if the camera is a bit shaky please understand this. If you have any questions regarding rue please leave a comment and I will get back to you.

Here it is:

olive oil, one turn of the pan
3 pats of butter
3 tsp flour
1 - 1.5 cups of stock or milk (see HINT below)
salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the butter and stir in with a whisk. When butter is melted, add the flour and whisk the flour in with the butter until the flour cooks fully and no longer looks white. The flour might clump up but that is ok. Add the liquid and whisk to incorporate until all the lumps are gone and the sauce starts to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once the sauce is at the desired thickness remove from heat and add to the dish you are making.

***HINT*** If you want to make a milk based rue (for mac n cheese for example) then use milk as the liquid. If you want to make a stock based rue or gravy (like for chicken or turkey gravy) then use chicken stock as the liquid. Enjoy.

Easy Italian Meatloaf

I made meatloaf the other day and it came out terrible. It was dry and tasteless. I didn't want to put a lot of stuff in it because my kids are really picky about herbs and onions and all that. Surely I can come up with something they would like. I searched all over and found my next meatloaf recipe. I am looking forward to testing it out but from the ingredients it sounds delicious.

Do you have a meatloaf recipe that you love? If so please share!

Easy Italian Meatloaf

1 pound ground beef (leaner is better)
1 4 ounce can mushrooms (reserve juice)
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 center cut bacon strips
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add water to mushroom juice to make 1 cup. Fry bacon until crispy, drain and crumble. Set aside.

Combine beef, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, egg, mushroom juice, garlic powder and salt in a large bowl. Mix well. On wax paper, form meat mixture into a 8x12 inch rectangle.

Sprinkle meat with parsley, oregano, basil, thyme and 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs. Spread bacon, onion, mushrooms and cheese evenly over meat.

Roll meat into an 8 inch wide loaf. Place meatloaf into an 8 inch glass bread pan or glass baking dish.

Bake for 60 minutes. Pour tomato sauce over meatloaf, and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Let meatloaf sit for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Enjoy!

Easy Freezer Chicken Tacos

I found this great recipe on a blog in my reader. I am a big fan of make ahead cooking and crock pots. This recipe does both.

In a ziploc baggie, add the following ingredients:

3-1/2 cups diced tomatoes
1/4 cup diced green chiles (small can)
3 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
1 teaspoon cumin

Rinse two pounds of boneless/skinless chicken thighs or breasts and add to bag. Massage bag to combine ingredients well. Seal and freeze.

To Cook: Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Place contents of bag into crockpot. Cook on low for 4-6 hours/high for 3-4 hours, or until meat shreds easily.

SO EASY

Great Lentil Recipe

I grew up on lentils mainly because my mom always told me that they are good for you (they are..loaded with protein and fiber) and cheap (they are...$1 per bag). But I strayed away from them for awhile because I didn't know how to cook them with any kind of variety. But I stumbled upon a cookbook that had a really neat lentil recipe in it and decided to give it a try. Keep in mind that this recipe is very flexible...where it says sausage substitute ground turkey or chicken thighs or legs.

And if you have any questions about the recipe post a comment and I will be sure to help you out.

Sausage and Lentil Stew

1 2/3 cups lentils
3 cups water
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lb Italian sausage (removed from the casings or sliced) or substitute 4 chicken thighs
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced small
2/3 cup chicken broth


1. Heat up a frying pan with a couple of turns of olive oil. If you are making this with chicken thighs, salt and pepper the thighs and brown in the pan on both sides (about 6 minutes on each side). If you are making with sausage or other chopped meat, add the meat to the heated oil and brown throughout.
2. Place meat to the side when it is all cooked.
3. In a separate saucepan or pot coat just the bottom with olive oil and heat the pan.
4. On medium heat, add the onion, garlic, and carrots and saute for a few minutes until the onion becomes clear and soft.
5. Add the lentils to the mixture and stir for a few minutes to incorporate the lentils with the vegetables.
6. Add the water and stir well.
7. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the lentils become tender. Approximately 25 minutes.
8. When the lentils are done, add the chicken or meat mixture and the chicken broth to the lentils.
9. Cover and simmer until the meat is cooked throughout. Approximately 15 minutes.
10. If you want to add more variety, cook some pasta or elbow macaroni and serve the lentils over the pasta.

This makes a great meal and great leftovers. You can add whatever meat you want or you can make it completely vegetarian. It's your choice. Have fun with it.

Bon Appetite

Moroccan Chicken and Couscous Soup

I don't usually buy cookbooks and the only books I own are baking cookbooks. This is mainly due to the fact that I cook by method not by recipe unless it is something rare and exotic and needs a recipe to follow. Baking is a different story because the ingredient amounts are pretty important. But the other day I found a cookbook on how to make all sorts of dishes with chicken and I was intrigued. I love chicken and am always looking for different dishes. So I splurged and want to share this new recipe with you. Originally I made it with chicken but this week I splurged and made it with Italian sausage instead. It came out just as delicious. Also, remember to use this as a method. Quantities will vary depending on the number of people you are feeding. You may substitute any veggie or meat you want.

Moroccan Sausage and Couscous Soup

2 tbsp cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
1 lb boneless skinless chicken cut into strips
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp ground cumin
1 3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 sweet potato peeled and cut into small cubes
1 zucchini, cut into cubes
3/4 cup tomato puree
1 quart water
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup couscous
1/3 cup chopped parsley

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. About 5 minutes.

2. Increase the heat to moderately high. Add the chicken, cayenne, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes.

3. Stir in the sweet potato, zucchini, tomato puree, water, and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender. About 10 minutes.

4. Add the couscous to the soup. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand covered for 2 minutes. Add the parsley and serve.

Very Delicious Non-Mayo Cole Slaw

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law last month when we were visiting in South Carolina. It is so delicious and adaptable. The original recipe is as a side dish but the other day I added some boiled shrimp and it made a delicious meal. You can add any meat item like chicken or pork and it will be just as delicious.

Ingredients

2 pk crushed ramen noodles
1/2 Cup slivered almonds
4 T sesame seeds
3 T butter


Brown the above ingredients in butter and cool.

1 - 16 oz package of prepackaged cole slaw
2/3 cup salad oil
2 T rice vinegar (white is fine too)
4 T sugar
1 T black pepper
2 T soy sauce
1 pk of chicken flavoring from the ramen noodles mix

Whisk together all of the wet ingredients and pour over the slaw. Add the butter mixture. Toss it all together. Add any kind of meat you like for a main course.

You can refrigerate this or serve immediately.

Bon Appetite

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I put this dish on my Menu Monday but neglected to give the recipe. So here goes...let me know how it turns out.

Chicken Tortilla Soup with Chipotle and Fire Roasted Tomato

Ingredients
3 cups chicken stock
1 pound chicken tenders
1 bay leaf, fresh if available
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
4 slices thick, smoky center cut bacon, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 chipotles in adobo, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons sauce
1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
Salt
4 cups lightly crushed corn tortilla chips
2 cups shredded fresh smoked mozzarella or smoked sharp white Cheddar, 3/4 pound
1 lime, cut into wedges
1/2 red onion, chopped
Freshly chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions
Bring broth to a simmer and add chicken tenders, poach 6 to 7 minutes with a bay leaf.

While chicken poaches, heat extra-virgin olive oil in a medium soup pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp then remove with slotted spoon. Drain off excess fat, leaving 2 to 3 tablespoons in the pan. Add onions and garlic to the skillet and cook 5 minutes then stir in chipotles and tomatoes.

Remove chicken from stock, dice and then add to soup. Pass stock through a strainer then add to the soup.

Place a pile of crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of each soup bowl. Cover liberally with smoked cheese then ladle the hot soup down over the top. Serve with lime, raw onions and cilantro at table to finish the soup.

Bon Appetit

Easiest Birthday Cake Ever

I have made plenty of birthday cakes in my lifetime and it seems that the more easy the cake the better it tastes. I am not sure why that is..I think part of the reason is because in order to make cakes look beautiful it takes a lot of sugary and sometimes not very tasty ingredients like fondant and marzipan and crisco. But here is a birthday cake that I have made for the past few birthdays and it is always a hit and super easy.

1. Take any flavor store bought cake mix and follow instructions on the box. In this recipe I use chocolate. I put mine in a bundt pan because it turns out even all over and it is really easy to frost. There is no fuss with a bunch of pans and trying to make the cake straight.



2. While the cake is cooling, start on the ganache frosting. I take 1/2 cup of semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of heavy cream and put it under medium heat over the stove stirring constantly until the chips are melted. Once they are melted, add 1 tablespoon of butter to the mixture and stir until melted. Place the chocolate in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to let it firm up. (Stir it every few minutes while it is in the refrigerator to keep it smooth). The best part about this frosting is the cleanup. There are no messy beaters, no large bowls, and you get to lick the pot!



3. After 20 minutes you should see the frosting a bit firmer. Take it out of the refrigerator and pour the ganache over the cake.



4. Decorate the top of the cake however you like.


5. This cake is a real crowd pleaser but look out because there will be no leftovers after you make this one.