Steak and Things

I got this recipe from my amazing sister-in-law, and it is finger licking good...literally!!  Makes a great freezer meal too!

1 lb of deli roast beef
1/2 package of cream cheese
1/2 onion
1/2 pepper

Sautee the onions and peppers until the onions are transluscent, then tear up the deli meat and toss it in, add the cream cheese and cook until cream cheese has melted all the way through and roast beef is warmed.  Put on some yummy rolls, noodles or rice and eat 'em up!

Apricot Chicken

Mmm....so delicious and SO EASY!!!  Probably the easiest recipe I have ever made IN MY LIFE!!!  Yup, I'm that serious.

Apricot Chicken

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 1/2 (1 ounce) packages dry onion soup mix
1 (10 Fluid Oz) bottle Catalina salad dressing
1 Cup Apricot Preserves
Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Place the chicken pieces in a 4 quart casserole dish. Mix the soup mix, dressing and jam together, and pour over the chicken.
3. Cover dish and bake for 1 hour in preheated oven.
4. Add over rice or noodles and devour!

Chili-Garlic Glazed Salmon

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons thai sweet chili sauce
• 3 tablespoons minced green onions (about 3 green onions)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons orange marmalade
• 3/4 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
• Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl; brush half of chili sauce mixture over fillets. Place fillets, skin sides down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil fish 5 minutes; brush with remaining chili sauce mixture. Broil 2 more minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Jalapeno's

Goat Cheese stuffed Jalapeno's

cook 6-8 jalapenos in a cast iron skillet or on the grill until skin is blistered on all sides.
let cool until you can handle them (10 minutes)
Mix 8 oz goat cheese 4 oz cream cheese and 1 clove of minced garlic (heat in microwave until you soft, 10 seconds at a time)

Cut a T in the jalapeno's and remove all seeds and veins from jalapeno
put enough cheese mixture in jalapeno to stuff

Classy Sloppy Joe's

Tonight's dinner:

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 3 teaspoons brown sugar
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• (OPTIONAL) curry to taste, adds a different flave

Directions

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper; drain off liquids.
2. Stir in the garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar; mix thoroughly. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Plain ol' dinner ideas!

Does anyone else like to make a meal calendar so when you go grocery shopping, you can come home and feel like you know where your money went. However, sometimes making the menu can be a little taxing, so here are a few ideas from my sister and I of classic dinner stand by's....

Lasagna
Meatloaf
Chicken Crescent Rolls
Chicken and Noodle Bake
Breakfast Casserole
Ginger Sesame Chicken
Spicy Thai Beef and Jasmine Rice
Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken
Italian Soup
Taco Soup
Taco Casserole
Hawaiian Haystack
Chicken or Ham/Cheese Bread Braid
Enchiladas
Corn Bread and Chili
Quesadillas
Scrambled Eggs with Seasoned Potatoes
BBQ
Sloppy Joes
Pizza
Prosciutto grilled sandwiches (one of my faves! Haven't tried prosciutto? DO!)
Heavenly Halibut
Strawberry Salad
Pitas
Fajitas
Italian chicken
Chicken fingers with dry ranch dressing
Twice baked potatoes
Steak and things
Hawaiian haystacks


What are some of your classic stand by's?!

Autumn Chowder

Anything with bacon I'll try!!

Autumn Chowder

6 slices of bacon, chopped                                3 cups milk

1 cup onion, chopped                                       2 cans corn, drained and rinsed

1 cup water                                                      ½ t. pepper

2 ½ cups potatoes, diced                                  3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1 carrot, sliced                                                  2 t. instant chicken bouillon

3 T. flour

Fry bacon.  Add onions.  Brown until bacon is crisp.  Stir in water, potatoes, carrots, and bouillon.  Simmer until potatoes are tender about 15-20 minutes.(it goes faster with the lid on)  Stir in milk, corn, and pepper.  Heat until simmering.  Mix cheese and flour and add to soup mixture.  Stir constantly until cheese is melted.

Infamous Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

Be forewarned...this makes one huge delicious pot!

Ingredients

• 1 lb Italian Sausage  (I acutally do half of regular sausage and half hot italian)
• 3 large russet baking potatoes, sliced in half,and then in 1/4 inch slices
• 1/2 large onion, chopped  (I think green onions would taste really good in this)
• 1/2 can bacon bits
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups kale or swiss chard, chopped
• 2 cans chicken broth
• 1 quart water
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. Fry and chop sausage until done.
2. Place onions, potatoes, chicken broth, water, garlic in pot, and cook on medium heat until potatoes are done.  (I actually cook the sausage and bacon with this too, because I think it adds extra flavor)
3. Add sausage and bacon.
4. 
   Salt and pepper to taste.
5. 
   Simmer for another 10 minutes.7
6. Turn to low heat.
7. 
   Add kale and cream.
8. 
   Heat through and serve.

Molten Lava Cake

These are the fancy melt in your mouth cakes that look like they took you hours to prepare!  Just don't tell your guest you whipped them up in 15 minutes...yup, 15 minutes!!

4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

1/2 cup  butter

1 cup powdered sugar

2 whole  eggs

2 egg yolks

6 Tbsp.  flour

1/2 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

Make It

HEAT oven to 425°F.
BUTTER 4 small custard/ramekin cups; place on baking sheet.
MICROWAVE chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until butter is melted; whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar. Add whole eggs and egg yolks; mix well. Stir in flour. Spoon into prepared cups.
BAKE 13 to 14 min. or until sides of desserts are firm but centers are still soft. Let stand 1 min. Carefully run small spatula or knife around cakes to loosen; invert into dessert plates. Serve warm with COOL WHIP.

Kitchen Tips:

How to Bake Cakes in Muffin Cups

Prepare batter as directed; pour into 10 paper-lined muffin cups. Bake at 425ºF for 10 min. or until sides are firm but centers are still soft. Let stand 1 min. Makes 10 servings.

Make Ahead

Prepare batter as directed; pour into prepared custard cups. Refrigerate up to 24 hours. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before baking as directed

Yam and Apple Casserole

Oh my goodness, this was DELECTABLE!!  I was curious to see how the yams and apple combination would turn out, and it is a MUST!  Sweet, tart and all around yummy!  

Ingredients

• 4 large yams
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups apple juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 3 large apples - peeled, cored and sliced

Directions

1. Place yams in a large saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook 30 minutes, or until tender but firm. Drain, peel, and cut into 1/3 inch thick slices.   (So I actually baked my yams, because I think they taste better baked, not boiled!) 
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the cornstarch and brown sugar. Mix in the apple juice, lemon juice, cinnamon, and allspice.
4. Alternate layers of yams and apples in the prepared baking dish. Pour the apple juice mixture over the layers.
5. Cover, and bake 1 hour in the preheated oven. Remove cover, and continue baking 30 minutes. Baste frequently with the juices from the pan to prevent drying.  (Watch your timing on this one, it didn't take that long for me, but I also like my apples with a little bit of a crunch to it)

ENJOY!!!