St. Patrick's Delight

Guinness Pie!

Made it Saturday night... a bit labor intensive (if there's more than 2 pans it's a big deal to me), but the result is wonderful!

Rice Pilaf

1 c long grain rice
1/4 c vermicelli, broken into small pieces
1/4 c butter
2 1/4 c water
2 t chicken bullion
1 bay leaf
salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in a pan. Add vermicelli and brown on medium heat. Add rice and brown a bit more. Add water, bullion, bay leaf, and a couple of shakes of salt & pepper. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or according to rice package directions or until all the water is absorbed.

This is a great side with any meat, chicken or fish entree. My mom also likes to add diced bell peppers or mushrooms before cooking to add another flavor dimension.

Now you don't have to buy a box with a mystery flavor packet and a piddly amount of rice again! Enjoy!

Chicken Spinach Alfredo

2 chicken breast (from Costco)
1 t minced garlic
olive oil
seasoning for chicken
2-3 c milk
2 t chicken bullion
3-4 large handfuls of fresh spinach (I use the prewashed, bagged kind)
1/4-1/2 c Parmesan cheese (I use the shaky kind)
2 T corn starch mixed in 1/4 c cold water
pasta cooked according to directions

Heat large (12 inch) saute pan to med. high and add oil & garlic & frozen chicken breast (yes, frozen! On the bag there are directions and they really work). Cover with lid. Check after 15 minutes, add generous amount seasoning (I used lemon pepper this time) and turn chicken and cook 15 more minute or until juice runs clear. While chicken is cooking put water on to boil and add pasta when you start your sauce. When chicken is done remove from pan. there should be juices & seasoning in the bottom of the pan (yum), add milk & bullion. Stir well till bullion dissolves and get the good stuff stuck on the bottom mixed in to your sauce. Next grab handfuls of spinach and tear them into small pieces before you stir them in. Add Parmesan, stir to melt. Chop chicken into small bit size pieces and throw it in. When sauce is boiling add water with cornstarch and stir immediately, it will thicken fast! Pasta should be done about this time so drain it and put it in a pretty serving dish, then dump your chicken spinach on top. Serve with veggies, french bread or salad. Ta da! Delicious meal with a lot less calories!
Feeds 2 adults & 2 children plus 2 lunches for the hubby.

Beef. It's what's for dinner

We just purchased a 1/4 a beef (100 lbs) and I hit my mom up for recipes. We receive some cuts of meat that I'm not familar with but my mom is... she even hit Grandma up for an oldie but goodie. These recipes would be more in the "down home comfort food" category (aka we're going to fry it). I'm making the chicken that has no poultry tonight w/ mashed potatoes, gravy & whatever veggie we have in the freezer.





Steak 'n Potato Supper


From Grandma Ardis


1-1/2 lbs. round steak 1/2 in. thick
1/4 c. flour
2 tsp. salt & 1/4 tsp. pepper
1 can beef broth
4 med. potatoes, cut in 1/4 inch slices
2 med. onions, sliced thinly
Cut steak in serving-size pieces. Combine flour, salt and pepper; coat the meat. In skillet, brown the meat slowly in hot fat--this should take 20-30 minutes. Add a little water if needed.Place potato and onion slices over meat. Season vegetables with salt and pepper. Add the beef broth.Cook slowly about 35 minutes longer or until potatoes are done. (Add chopped parsley if desired) I like to use an electric skillet.





Chicken Fried Steak
Carola Shehan ~ Feb. 2008
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon each salt, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder and pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 2/3 cups buttermilk, divided
4 beef cube steaks (1 pound)
Oil for deep-fat frying
1 ½ cups milk

In a shallow bowl, combine 2 cups flour, baking powder and seasonings. In another shallow bowls, combine eggs and 1 cup butter milk.
Dip each cube steak in buttermilk mixture, then roll in flour mixture.
Let stand for 5 minutes.
In a large skillet, heat ½ inch of oil on medium-high. Fry steaks for 5-7 minutes. Turn carefully; cook 5 minutes milk longer or until coating is crisp and meat is no longer pink. Remove steaks and keep warm.
Drain reserving 1/3 cup drippings; stir remaining flour into drippings until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk and remaining buttermilk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with steaks Yield: 4 serving (2 cups gravy). If gravy needs flavor add beef or chicken bouillon.





Pepper Steak
Carola Shehan ~ Feb 2008
1 lb. Round Steak - ½ thick
1 TBLS. paprika
1 TBLS. Butter
2 cloves garlic
1½ cup beef broth
1 cup green onions
2 green bell peppers – cut in strips
2 TBLS. Cornstarch
¼ cup water
¼ cup soy sauce

Pound steak ¼” thickness. Cut in ¼” wide strips.
Sprinkle with paprika and let stand.
In large skillet brown meat in butter.
Add garlic, broth. Cover, simmer 30 minutes.
Stir in onions, green peppers. Cover and cook 5 minutes.
Blend water & cornstarch, soy sauce. Cook until thick. About 2 minutes. Serve over rice.

Ultimate Chicken Fingers

2/3 cup Original Bisquick mix
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt or Garlic salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch strips.
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 tablespoons butter or margaine, melted

1. Heat oven to 450. Line cookie sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray.

2 . Mix Bisquick mix, cheese, salt and paprika in 1 gallon resealable plastic food storage bag. Dip half the chicken strips into the egg; place in bag of Bisquick mixture. Seal bag; shake to coat. Place chicken on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken. Drizzle butter over chicken.

3. Bake 12 to 14 minutes; turning after 6 minutes with pancake turner, until no longer pink in center.

... These are wonderful! They are quick and easy. For me these are good because I had all the ingredients on hand and there is no running to the grocery store. When I make them I usually double the recipe. I like to serve them with Pilaff and a fresh veggie. They are also wonderful as a left over. You can eat them cold....put them in a tortilla......make them into a sandwich.
... They would be a great appetizer. Something great for Sunday's Super bowl party.

Ode to the Pioneer Woman

I've decided that the Pioneer Woman is an A+ cook. I've made her pot roast recipe and her lasagna. They were both AMAZING! So next time you're looking for a sure thing check her out.

Vietnam Fried Rice

Tonight my props go out to Pat Ostetter Martin of Quang Ngai, Vietnam. I used her recipe from More-with-Less and I really enjoyed Fried Rice made by me for the first time! You must know Fried Rice always reminds me of the summer we went to Nepal. I ate a lot of Fried Rice to try and blot dahl out of my memory and I LOVE IT! So here's the recipe with my modifications:

Cook 1 c rice or have ready 3 c leftover rice (I used leftovers).
Heat in a large skillet:
4 T oil
Add:
1/2 lb. any cooked or raw meat cut into thin strips (I used leftover chicken)
1 onion, chopped (I used 1/2)
3 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 large spoonful from the jar)
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1 t sugar
1 T soy sauce
Stirfry until meat is hot, 1-2 minutes. (I sauted the onions first, we're not fans of uncooked onions).
Add:
3 c cooked rice
Stirfry 5 minutes. Add:
1 c leftover or frozen veggies (I used frozen peas and I peeled a carrot into the mix.)
Stir well into rice-meat mixture.
Just before serving make a hole in the middle and add:
2 eggs, beaten
Over medium heat stir carefully until eggs are cooked. Chop in small pieces and mix thoroughly. Serve piping hot.

This week so far

Monday: Roasted Chicken, green beans, & rolls

Tuesday: Pasta w/Marinara, Chicken (leftover from Mon.), & Parmesan

Tonight: Tacos, granted there are about 1,000,000 ways to make tacos, but tonight it was "what's left in the cupboad" tacos. Here's the version I did tonight:

Meat Mixture:
1 lb ground beef, cooked & crumbled. Add 1/2 jar of salsa, 1 can of beans (drained), 1 can of corn (drained), & 1 t salt; simmer 10-15 minutes. Add a smidge of water if all the liquid cooks down, you don't want it to be dry. This eliminates steps and dirty dishes. Plus you get your veggies in w/o having to think about a "side."

Spanish Rice:
3 T Butter
1 c white long grain rice
1 t chili powder
2 t cumin
2 t chicken soup base (0r bullion)
2 c water

Melt the butter, add rice and let it brown a bit. Then add everything else, let it come to a boil. Then cover and turn to simmer for 20 minutes.

Other Ingredients:
Corn tortillas, wrapped in towl and microwaved till hot
Cheedar Cheese, grated
Salsa
Olives
Sour Cream

Black Beans & Rice

I must be my mother's daughter because I also made beans yesterday! I took ham to the church potluck sunday so I had a nice bone w/lots of meat left on it for my pot o'beans. Yum! Normally I just make the black bean and ham soup and corn bread like my mama, but this time I got to thinking about my favorite Brazilian-American Truda. She made black beans and then we would eat them on top of rice. And it was just as good as I remember it! (this picture isn't my dish but that what it would have looked like if I dished it up fancy.) Since it was a cold day and we were home I decided to make my beans on the stove to keep me warm :-)

Here's the Recipe:

Black Bean & Ham Soup

1 lb bag of black beans

Ham bone w/some meat on it

2 t Onion powder (my cheater method b/c I didn't want to cut up an onion)

Salt & pepper to taste

Soak beans as you prefer (back of bag has several options). I threw them in the pot the night before, then drained and rinsed the beans and added enough water to cover the beans & the ham bone. I simmered them for 3 or so hours. Then I removed the ham bone and picked all the ham off of it and put it back in the soup. There was too much liquid so I used my 2 c measuing cup to remove some. Then I added the onion powder, tasted the soup and added 2 t of salt. I wait to add the salt because the ham is salty and I don't want to over salt the soup. But you definitely need to add some to bring out the flavor like Mom said in the post below. I also added some leftover tomato sauce (1/2 c) for flavor. I like to take the potato masher and mash part of the beans so the soup gets thicker. I also cooked 1 1/2 c rice according to the directions. So to plate the meal or bowl it: scoop rice into bowl, ladel beans on top and enjoy!