Portabello Caps my way

4 large portabello mushroom caps, no stem and clean
1 small zuchinni, diced
2 medium hatch peppers (roasted), optional
1/2 C grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 tin anchovies, minced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 small onion minced
1 small red bell pepper diced
1 ball of smoked mozzarella cheese, grated
Olive oil
Basil, minced
salt and pepper to taste
red pepper flake to taste

Heat oilve oil in skillet, add red pepper flake, garlic, onions, bell pepper, hatch pepper, and zuchini. Cook until slightly tender. Add tomatoes and anchovies. Cook until onions are translucent.  Add fresh basil. Place portabello caps top side down. Season and spoon on mix. Top with grated cheese and broil on Low for 10 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly. Serves 2-4 people. Serve warm.

*hatch peppers are a seasonal pepper, and can be replaced with jalapeno, ancho or any other spicy pepper that can be roasted.

Crock pot baby back ribs...

1 rack of pork baby back ribs, cleaned of silver skin on back.
Salt and pepper
1 TBLSP olive oil
1 bottle of favorite BBQ sauce or homemade. *


Heat skillet on medium High, add oil. Season ribs, place ribs meat side down and sear. Turn ribs and sear on all sides. Add to crock pot, along with BBQ sauce. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until ribs are falling off the bone.

*I added 1/2 can of beer to my sauce and then reduced drippings in a sauce pan. I then placed ribs on a square baking sheet, and sauced/mopped them. Baked at 350 for 3 ten minute intervals, thus brushing/mopping again in between.

Serves 1-2 people depending on how much ribs they can consume. Serve warm with favorite side dishes.

Casseroles Casseroles Casseroles

So, Eric (my fiance) has been coming home lately after working nights and peeking into the ice box to see what I cooked the night before. Well, it just being me most nights and me being tired from work, I usually eat a bowl of cereal or cook a quick egg and bacon breakfast and that is all. However, me seeing him in want of some foodie action, besides him mentioning that he misses having just a simple casserole got me to thinking. Casseroles are really not that difficult, if we use the short cut methods of the cooks before us (ummm....canned soups) and even those methods have been improved by cutting the fat and salt and just breaking it down to the bare essentials that make a casserole so good and most of all comforting. With the right planning and a good mixture of ingredients, anyone can make several casseroles (or even dishes that just require a reheat and eat approach) so that no one goes hungry in your household. It is with great excitement that I make this entry about prepping casseroles for consumption...

So, I cooked two pounds of ground turkey meat, (adding diced onions, minced garlic and bell peppers) while I boiled a whole box of Penne pasta. I also had rotel tomatoes, corn chips and a few cans of mushroom soup as well as cream of chicken and tomato. Also cheese...Cheddar, mozzerella, and pepper jack.

I made three distinct casseroles.

I took my easy pasta bake and added  1/2 the ground turkey and half the pasta (easy pasta bake can be found in another entry on this blog) But instead of sauce I threw in a can of tomato soup and seasoned it Italian style (garlic, basil and oregano) . I topped with mozzerealla cheese and baked until bubbly and brown in my iron skillet.

I took the other half of the turkey, added it to 2 C crushed corn chips, rotel tomatoes, cream of chicken soup, mixed together, topped with pepper jack, again baked at 400 until bubbly and golden.

Finally, I took the last half of the pasta, added 1 C frozen peas, 2 Cans tuna, 1 Can Mushroom soup, a bit of tarragon, dill, and dried chives. Mixed it, poured into a glass dish, topped with Cheddar baked at 400 until again, the cheese was bublly, gooey and delicious.

I put all of these into the fridge after they had cooled and Eric and I enjoyed lunch and dinner for 4 days...pretty easy and I think I am going to try thinking ahead like this and cooking ahead atleast through the wedding!

Have any casseroles recipes you wanna share? Lemme know on my facebook link located on my profile page and you could be my next guest blogger!

Carrot Salad

In the summer time, I love salads. Green leafy, potato, cucmber and tomato or even Carrot salad. I get it at buffet stops when the have it, and I just love how the taste of pineapple, raisin and carrots send back home to when I was 8 or 9 and Mom made it. Yum. I have tweaked the recipe some for this version, thus making it my own. Hope you enjoy!

What you need:

4-5 Large carrots, washed and peeled
1/2 C dried cranberries
1/2 C diced pineapple
1/4 TBLSP tarragon
1/4 TBSLP celery seed
1/4 C mayo
1/4 C the other sammie spread known as "salad dressing"

Shred carrots (I have a grater that slips over a bowl I got from IKEA)into a bowl. Add cranberries, pineapple and herbs. Spoon mayo and dressing ontop, stir until just wet. Set in refridgerator and stir every so often. Serve cold, when completely chilled. Serves 4 people. A great side dish with hamburgers, hotdogs, any summer time type food....

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

1-2 Large Sweet Potatoes, Diced
Salt
Pepper
1/4 C sour cream
2 TBLSP butter

Put Potatoes in sauce pan. Cover with water, boil on medium-high for 15 to 20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain, put back in pan. Add butter, salt and pepper. Let butter melt slightly. Add sour cream. Mash and blend until the desired texture/lumpiness. Serves 4-6 people 1/4 Cup each.

Stacked Chicken Enchiladas...

2 Chicken breasts, bone in, skin on.
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pickled jalapenos, chopped
Salt
Pepper
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1 small can pinto, chili, or black beans
10 corn tortillas
2 C. Jack cheese mix
1/4 C sour cream
1/8 C milk
1 Avocado, sliced
Sour ceam for topping
a sprinkle of minced black olives

Grease small square pan. Heat 1 tsp oil in skillet. Add chicken. Turn and Cook Chicken until done, let cool. Pull apart with a fork, and chop fine, put back into pan. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line bottom of square dish with 4 corn tortillas. Reheat chicken, adding onions, garlic, spices, olives, and jalapenos. Stir in sour cream and milk, turn off heat. Spoon 1/2 chicken onto tortillas. Top with 1/2 of the beans, and 1/3 of the cheese. Top with tortillas, and repeat. Top with tortillas (cut into strips) and remaining cheese. bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with a couple slices avocado and sour cream.  Feeds 4 people. 

Easy Pasta bake

1 Box whole wheat pasta, cooked for half the cooking time, drained
2 Zuchinni Squash diced
1/2 C mushrooms, sliced
1/4 C black olives, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Can diced tomatoes
1 Can crushed tomatoes
1 C shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/4 C shredded romano cheese
1 Small onion sliced
1 TBLSP basil, fresh
1 TBLSP oregano, fresh
1/4 tsp red pepper flake
Salt and pepper to taste.

Cook veggies in 1/2 TBLSP oil. Add diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes and herbs. Season and let cook for 5-10 minutes. Add pasta and mix, being careful not to destroy the noodles. The noodles will absorb the liquid in the sauce making them perfect. Pour into oblong, greased pan. Top with cheese. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden. Serve with bread and salad. Leftovers can be easily stored and re-heated. Serves 4-6 people.

*this recipe can easily have meat added to it. Just brown the beef, pork or turkey before adding the veggies.

*photo could not be taken as we ate the WHOLE thing already. sorry guys...maybe you can submit a pic when YOU make it! :)

Spaghetti Squash And Shrimp Dinner

MAIN DISH:

1 Large spaghetti squash
1/2 Pound cleaned, medium shrimp
1/4 C romano cheese grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut squash lengthwise being careful as this squash has a hard outter flesh. Scoop out seeds. Place cut side down in a pan big enough to hold both halves. Pour in enough water to come half way up squash. Bring to a gentle boil. Cook for 25 minutes or until fork inserted into flesh goes in easily. Meanwhile, heat up 1 tsp oil (I used bacon grease as I had cooked bacon for some Brussel sprouts). Dump in srhimp and cook until pink (try not to do this until squash is almost done as the shrimp will be tough).

Drain squash, shred flesh with fork and scoop out back into pan. Add butter, garlic salt and pepper. Toss in shrimp and cheese. Eat warm, serves 2-4 people.

SIDE:

Fried Brussel Sprouts and Mushrooms

1 package fresh Brussel Sprouts, cleaned and cut in half.
2 slices thick cut bacon, match sticked
1 lg clove garlic, minced
1 tsp olive oil (set aside)
1 C mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, halved and sliced thin

Heat up pan, add bacon. Cook until almost crisp and then add garlic and onions. Cook until almost translucent. Add brussel sprouts. Salt  and cook until almost tender (some sprouts will caramelize) add mushrooms. Add oil if extra moisture is needed to prevent sticking. Finish cooking until mushrooms are done. Serve warm.

DESSERT

Quick Eay Ice Cream Dessert

2-4 Mounds Ice Cream Treats, Frozen
2 C berries
1 tsp corn starch
1/4 C water
1/2 TBSP aguave nectar

Clean and slice berries (strawberries), place in a sauce pan. Add water and nectar. Cook on medium until berries are breaking down and put out their juice. Add cornstarch that has been mixed with 1/8 C water. Stir in and let sauce get thick. Set aside to cool.

Place ice cream treat in bowl, top with berry sauce. Eat and enjoy!

*Whipped cream would be great as well as toasted nuts on this dish. My fiance toasted a waffle and used it as a base and as extra texture. YUM!!!