To Submit Recipes

If you are interested in submitting recipes to this blog, email Jaidi and she will send you an invitation!

Submission Guidelines

You can post any recipes you want. Please be sure to follow these two simple guideline.

Please include the title of the recipe in the subject line, and only the recipe itself in the post.

Also, we would like to be able to divide the recipes up by the type. So please include labels on your recipes. Labels are put on your post at the bottom of the edit post window. Labels can be as simple as main dish or dessert to Chicken or beef or however you want to label it. Just make it easy for someone to find.


Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Leftover Stroganoff

Leftover pot roast, thinly sliced or cut into bite size pieces
Onion, diced
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Butter
Tarragon
Nutmeg
Salt & Pepper
Milk
Sour Cream, Chives, Bacon, frozen peas (optional)

Saute onions in 1-2 Tbsp butter until they just begin to brown. Add pot roast and stir around a bit to warm up the meat. Add the cream of mushroom soup, add in a dash of milk to thin if you want. I like it on the creamy side, so I just used a splash of milk. Add 1/2 tsp Tarragon and 1/8 tsp of Nutmeg, season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir and heat through. If adding peas, add them at the end just before serving, allowing just enough time to warm up.

Serve over buttered egg noodles, potatoes, rice, a thick/crusty bread or anything else that hits your fancy.

Throw a dollop of sour cream on top and chives and bacon if you are so inclined.

This is one of those throw together meals with what you have on hand, so amounts will vary. I had a half of a roast, and used one family size and one regular size cans of cream of mushroom soup. After making it I decided that chives, bacon and peas would really be excellent with this as well. I could have eaten the buttered egg noodles all by themselves. You will want to use a more substantial noodle, etc. because the sauce is heavier and meaty. This ain't delicate, it's filling and yummy and warm on a cold night.

P.S. The 3 year olds loved it!

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Changs Style Lettuce Wraps

At the request of many on Facebook today, I am posting the recipe for my Lettuce Wraps. They taste just like PF Changs and are so yummy!!!

Special Sauce:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp. Rice Vinegar
2 Tbsp. Ketchup
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
1/8 teas. sesame seed oil

Chinese Hot Mustard
Chili Garlic Sauce

Mix sugar, water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Refrigerate until you're ready to serve the lettuce wraps. You will add desired amount of Hot Mustard and Chili sauce then. Add a little at a time so you don't get it too spicy.

Stir Fry Sauce:
2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 teas. rice vinegar

Mix together in small bowl then set aside for chicken mixture.

Chicken Mixture:
4 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
4 Tbsp. Chopped green onion
1 cup water chestnuts (chopped)
1/2 cup peanuts (chopped)
1 teas. minced garlic

1 cup fried Maifun Rice sticks (follow package directions for frying)
4-5 iceberg lettuce cups
1/2 carrot shredded

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in wok or skillet. Cook chicken breasts until done, remove from pan to cool. When you can handle the chicken, cut it into small pieces. Add remaining oil to pan and heat then add chicken, water chestnuts, green onion, peanuts, stir fry sauce (previously set aside)and garlic. Saute for a couple of minutes then spoon into a bed of rice noodles and shredded carrots.

To serve:
Remove special sauce from fridge. I use small sauce bowls and let people mix up their own sauce. I pour about 1/8 cup of special sauce in to the bowl and let others add their own hot mustard and chili sauce according to their own taste.

Spoon a bit of chicken mixture including rice noodles and carrots onto your lettuce leaf, sprinkle with sauce and roll up in the lettuce like a burrito.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo

This is a great Olive Garden Knock Off recipe. I no longer need to go spend a fortune on dinner at Olive Garden. It really tastes like the real thing!

So here is the recipe!

Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo

FOR THE MARINATED STEAK:
1 1/2 cups Italian dressing (I used Newman's Own Up Italian) 
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional) 
1 (2 1/2 lb) boneless beef top sirloin steaks, cut in 1/2-inch cubes

FOR THE PASTA AND SPINACH GORGONZOLA SAUCE: 
ALFREDO SAUCE:
1 1/2 cup(s) White Milk
1 1/2 cup(s) Heavy Cream
1/2 cup(s) Imported Parmesan Cheese, grated
1/2 cup(s) Imported Romano Cheese, grated
6 Egg yolks, fresh jumbo eggs
Salt and black pepper

4 cups chopped fresh spinach 
1/2 cup chopped green onions 
5 tablespoons gorgonzola, crumbled, divided use
1 lb uncooked pasta (fettuccine)

TO SERVE:
1 8 oz. bottle balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup sugar 

2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes 
chopped fresh parsley leaves, for sprinkling 

TO PREPARE THE MARINATED STEAK: 
Mix the Italian dressing, rosemary and lemon juice, if using, together. Add the marinade to the beef toss and let marinate for at least 1 hour. 

WHEN READY TO COOK:
Cook pasta according to package directions.

For Alfredo Sauce:
Heat the milk and cream in a heavy bottom saucepan until it comes to a simmer.
Slowly whip in all the cheese, then remove from heat.

In a separate bowl, place the egg yolks and slowly whip in a portion of the hot milk and cream mixture.

Slowly add the egg yolk mixture back into the remaining cream mixture.
(This will increase the temperature of the egg yolks which is called tempering).

Season to taste with the salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

Add spinach, onion, and 3 tablespoons of the gorgonzola cheese. 

Grill steak to desired doneness (about Medium is good). 

Place drained pasta in saute pan with heated alfredo sauce. Toss pasta with sauce. 

For Balsamic Glaze:
Take the bottle of balsamic vinegar (it doesn't have to be the most expensive either) and pour it into a saucepan with about 1/2 cup of sugar. Heat, stirring constantly for about 20-25 minutes until the sauce reduces to about half and coats the spoon. Don't allow to boil as the sugar will burn. You'll know when it's the right consistency when you take a little dab (about the size of a pearl) and put it on a chilled plate, and it holds it's shape pretty well. Cool and store in a covered container.

TO SERVE:

Place pasta on a large platter(I used a casserole dish). Place grilled beef on pasta and sauce. Drizzle with balsamic glaze. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons gorgonzola cheese, sun dried tomatoes and parsley leaves. 

*I actually left out the parsley leaves, I didn't care to pull them out of the fridge and bother with them. It turned out great!
Thanks to Recipe Link for the great recipe

Friday, August 7, 2009

Shepherd's Pie Ann style

6-8 potatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter
1 lb. hamburger
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
2 cans green beans
Worcestershire Sauce
Ketchup
Mustard
Salt and Pepper

Chop the onion and garlic, cook until tender in a bit of olive oil. Add hamburger and brown. Add Worcestershire sauce (to taste, aprox. 1 Tbsp.), ketchup (I squirt enough out to cover the hamburger, aprox. 1/4 cup), mustard (to taste, aprox. 2 Tbsp.), salt and pepper to taste. Mix and let simmer on low while you do the potatoes and green beans.
Peel and cut up potatoes; boil until tender; mash with sour cream and butter, season with salt and pepper.
Heat up green beans.
To serve: Put a mound of mashed potatoes, then the hamburger mixture, then the green beans.
Using potato pearls, or any instant potato mix you like, makes this an even faster dinner.

Friday, July 31, 2009

Question...

What's your cheapest dinner recipe? Well really any recipe, looking for new and fresh cheap meals....
Some of mine are:
Potato Bar
Breakfast for dinner, i.e. scrambled eggs and pancakes or french toast
Spagetti
So let's hear it....

Monday, May 25, 2009

Kielbasa Sausage with Carmalized Onions and Skillet Potatoes

1 Kielbasa Sausage, thinly sliced
3 large onions, thinly sliced
3 large bell peppers, thinly sliced
2 cups beef broth
2 tsp. garlic
2 Tablespoons honey
1 cup dry sherry, or cooking sherry
Salt and Pepper
Butter
Olive Oil
4 potatoes, washed and cut into 1 inch pieces

Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Add onions and peppers, cover, and cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove cover, add garlic and honey, and continue to cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are caramelized, about 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and a generous amount of pepper. Remove pot from heat and add sherry. Return to heat and stir to remove browned bits from bottom of pan. Reduce sherry by half, then add beef stock and cook until almost all liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat.
Place potatoes in a microwave safe container, drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper, cover the container tightly with either the lid or plastic wrap. Microwave for 3 minutes, take out and shake around, then microwave again for 3 minutes. Careful the container will be very hot.
Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter and olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pan (cast iron works best). Put potatoes in skillet and press down to make an even layer. Let them cook, and don’t move them, for 10-15 minutes, check to see if getting a crust on the bottom, if not keep cooking.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Potato Cheese Soup

6 medium potatoes – peeled and diced
1 medium onion
2 chicken bullion cubes
2 cups sour cream
2 cups cheddar cheese
Garlic Salt
Salt and Pepper to taste

Put the potatoes, onion and bullion in a pan and cover with just enough water to cover the potatoes. Boil until tender. Do not drain.
Take a potato masher and mash, but leave some of the potatoes chunky. Add the sour cream and cheese. Stir until blended. Top with grated cheese and chives.