As I mentioned in a couple previous blogs, I finished a big project.
This was my kitchen before. Ignore the mess. This is the only picture I had of my kitchen before.
That's my kitchen/dining room now. We like color on the walls, so we picked a greyish-blue, and painted the cabinets white. I also rearranged the cupboards, so all of my Fiestaware is looking beautiful in the see through cabinets. Again, ignore the mess in the background...I usually don't even attempt house cleaning until the kids are napping.
Finishing the kitchen got me motivated for more home improvement projects, so I did the bathroom next. No before pictures, sorry, but the cabinets were wood and the walls were a light tan color. Not bad, but it needed a new coat of paint something terrible.
I did learn some very valuable lessons while working on these projects.
Forget diamonds, mini foam rollers are a girl's best friend.
Sometimes it's a lot easier to make a mess and clean it up than it is to not make the mess.
In a large skillet over medium heat, briefly brown the cube steaks.
Arrange meat in a single layer in a 13x9 inch baking dish and pour the soup over the top. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour.
I actually rubbed my minute steaks with garlic powder and seasoning salt before browning. I would also recommend covering with foil for at least half of the baking time. All in all, these were very easy and very yummy...much better than frying!
As you may have guessed, the recipe challenge is over (for now). I really didn't think things through. It's tax season, which means audits, which means I'm a single mom for the next 4 months. I just don't cook big meals when Justin isn't here. I can't find time with how hectic the evenings are, and I have a finicky eater, so food just gets wasted when I cook big meals. Trust me though, it's not for lack of desire. I was having a blast. I love to cook. I love trying new recipes. So, I will start over in April, when my family is complete again. I'll still post lots of yummy recipes, it just won't be new things (well, new to me things).
We've also have had a few major events in our household. First of all, I started and finished a huge project this past week. I'll blog more about that later.
AJ has continued to blossom and grow...this is how I found her after her nap a week or so ago:
She has since pulled up in her playpen, on my arm, on Kendra's table (which incidentally fell over since it's a little kiddie card table) and the TV stand. Needless to say, the crib mattress is as low as it will go, and things are being picked up off of the couch, end tables, bookcases, TV stand, etc. constantly. She can also scoot a little bit while standing, and the other day she walked her truck from one end of the family room to the other. Look out world, she's growing up.
We also celebrated a birthday. Froggy turned 4.
No, it wasn't really his birthday, Froggy actually came into existence in June, but I didn't have the heart to break it to Kendra...she was so excited. She made the cake in her new Easy Bake oven...and as you can tell, she sampled some frosting. Thanks Grandma for the wonderful present...she loves it! We've also had some science experiments, thanks to Aunt Kari, Uncle Jake, and Trent. Colored water is fun to play with...especially when it changes colors when you pour it together. It's also fun to make crystals...or jewels as Kendra calls them. She is definitely all girl...obsessed with anything pretty.
Editor's note: Please ignore Kendra's attire in the above picture. I don't let her go out in public like this, but when she's home, she gets to pick out whatever she wants to wear. The girl can throw together some CRAZY outfits...and no matter what she's wearing, she's usually also adorning a crown and several (meaning 12) necklaces.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Sorry, no new recipe today...I've been extremely busy...in fact, I was up and going by 7:30 and I'm just now calling it quits at 12:20. I'll update when I'm all done!
1 pound dry great Northern beans 1/2 pound cooked ham, diced 1 small onion, diced 1/2 cup brown sugar salt and pepper to taste 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon dried parsley
Directions
Rinse beans in a large pot; discard shriveled beans and any small stones. Add 8 cups of cold water. Let stand overnight or at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse beans.
Return beans to pot and add ham, onion, brown sugar, salt, pepper, cayenne and parsley and water to cover. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until beans are tender. Add more water if necessary during cooking time.
I have never (before today) made ham and beans. Growing up, it wasn't one of my favorite things...and now I don't know WHY! I actually used the ham hock from our Christmas ham to make this. I boiled it for about 3 hours, then de-boned and de-fatted (is that even a word?) the ham. I was busy painting, so I didn't make homemade cornbread, but used the Jiffy mix instead (which, in my opinion, is the best cornbread mix EVER). This meal was absolutely delicious...by far the best ham and beans I've ever had...and really, I'm not just saying that because I made it. While the actual process of making ham and beans is long, there really isn't that much work that goes into it...it's mostly just the cook time! (I started cooking my ham at 11:00)
3 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/8 tablespoons white sugar 3/8 cup shortening 1 cup milk
Directions
Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease two baking sheets.
Beat the egg in a bowl until smooth. Add the ground beef, cayenne pepper, crushed cereal, onion, salt, black pepper, and parsley. Mix until evenly combined; set aside. Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a separate bowl. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until no lumps of shortening remain and the mixture takes on a sandy appearance. Stir in the milk until a dough forms.
Roll the dough out to a 10x15-inch rectangle on a well-floured surface. Spread the meat mixture evenly over the entire surface of the dough. Roll the dough into a cylinder from one of the wide ends to form a 15-inch long log. Cut the log into 3/4-inch slices and place on to the prepared baking sheets.
Bake in the preheated oven until dark golden brown, 30 to 45 minutes. Serve hot.
I added some garlic and cheese to my pinwheels, and they weren't necessarily pinwheels, but kind of like a sandwich I guess. They were very good. Think potluck...or appetizer for a party. Yummy!
1 lb ground chicken 1 egg 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup crushed saltine crackers 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Place ground chicken, egg, Parmesan cheese, crackers, garlic, Italian seasoning and salt in a medium bowl.
Knead mixture until evenly combined.
Form mixture into 1 inch balls and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes.
I knew I wanted to make chicken meatballs, but could not find a recipe that I liked. So, I made my own. I used crackers instead of bread crumbs and used Italian seasoning instead of a lot of other spices that I saw in other recipes. I also baked mine instead of frying them since we try not to eat a lot of fried foods around here. The result...a SCRUMPTIOUS meatball with a slightly crispy edge...think hush puppy. Five stars all around!
*Disclaimer: I rarely measure when cooking, so the measurements above are an estimate, but I'm confident they are fairly accurate!
I would also like to ask a favor...give me some feedback! If you make ANY of these recipes, let me know how it was...and let me know any variations you did!
1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn 2 eggs, beaten 1 tablespoons white sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese 1 cup fresh chopped broccoli
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Mix together the corn, eggs, sugar, flour and salt. Add the cheese and broccoli, mix well and pour into a 2 quart casserole dish.
Bake for 1 hour.
I'm always trying to find ways to get Kendra to eat vegetables that don't come out of a can. I REALLY thought that this would be a good one...sugar, cheese...what kid wouldn't like it? Well, mine wouldn't. It was seriously sweet, tasted like a desert almost. I thought it was good...the 4-year-old, however, did not. I made a huge mistake, though. I let her help me make it. She knew what was in it. She stirred the broccoli in, and immediately stated that she didn't like it. Once she gets it in her head that she doesn't like something, game over. I do think OTHER kids who don't have preconceived notions about what they like and don't like would gobble it up.
BONUS! I have to share the other dish I made tonight. It's not a new recipe, but it's so yummy that I have to share it!
In a large slow cooker, mix together the cream of celery soup, French onion soup, and sour cream. Stir in the meatballs. Cook on high heat for 3-4 hours.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until aldente; drain. In a large bowl, toss the pasta with butter. Serve meatballs and sauce over the cooked pasta.
I ALWAYS halve this recipe. It makes a TON! I have also put this over low heat for 8 hours, and it works just fine, which allows you to put it in the crock in the morning and have a nearly done meal when you get home! Bonapetite!
1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs (I actually used Matzo meal) 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley 1 pound cube steak, cut into 4 portions 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1/4 teaspoon salt 6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Directions
Whisk egg and egg white in a shallow dish. Combine breadcrumbs, grated cheese and parsley (if using) in another shallow dish. Season steak with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Dip each piece into the egg, allowing excess to drip off into the dish, then dip in the breadcrumb mixture and turn to coat.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the steaks and cook until golden brown on the first side, about 3 minutes. Turn the steaks over, add 1 teaspoon oil and cook until the steaks are cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm.
A little side note on this recipe. I have never made cube steak without out coating it with eggs, milk, flour, tons of salt and pepper, and then frying it in vegetable oil. Not healthy, I know...and not real flavorful, either. So, I embarked on a personal mission to find a better way to cook cube steak. Enter this recipe. It was better, but did not have the "wow" factor I was looking for. The original recipe, taken from Eating Well did have a salad with it, and I chose not to make it. Perhaps that would have helped. Here's my modified version for just the meat.
I know I don't have any lurkers, but I know SOME of you read and don't comment! So, please, partake in the festivities and leave me a comment!
*Okay, that crossed out line up there...well, I just realized that reading and not commenting is the DEFINITION of lurking...so, I KNOW I have a few lurkers out there!!!
You never know you're alive until you know what you would die for...
1 medium tart apple, peeled and chopped 1/2 cup applesauce 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided 1 dash ground nutmeg 1 (7.5 ounce) package refrigerated biscuits 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted 2 tablespoons white sugar
Directions
In a bowl, combine the apple, applesauce, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg. Separate biscuits; roll out each into a 6-in. circle. Place on greased baking sheets. Place a heaping tablespoonful of apple mixture in the center of each. Fold in half and pinch edges to seal. Brush with butter. Combine sugar and remaining cinnamon; sprinkle over tops.
Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Serve warm.
Incredibly easy, but next time I think I'll try a more "from scratch" recipe.
I embarked on a bread making adventure today. This is the first time I've made bread from scratch...other than flavored breads, such as pumpkin or banana. This was a lot different...lots of kneading...rising...kneading...and more rising...and I'm ashamed to admit that I had to google "proofing yeast" as I had NO IDEA what that even meant! Well, let me tell you, yeast that is "proofing" stinks. My whole kitchen smelled like a brewery/bread factory. However, it was very neat to watch the yeast "explode" in the bowl and foam up. I definitely broadened my horizons a bit this morning!
Ingredients
2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) 2/3 cup white sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/4 cup vegetable oil 6 cups bread flour
Directions
In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.
Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.
The bread was good. I made half of it into a loaf, and the other half was used to make rolls. It's a little sweeter than normal bread, which is okay by me. I'd probably rate it 4 stars....rating bread is hard since I don't think I've EVER had homemade bread...other than the afore mentioned flavored breads!
12 ounces 93%-lean ground beef 1 cup refried beans 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapenos 1 avocado, peeled and pitted 1/2 cup prepared salsa 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 4 whole-wheat tortillas, warmed 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce 1/2 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
Preparation
Position oven rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler. Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray.
Gently combine ground beef, beans, cilantro and jalapenos in a medium bowl (do not overmix). Shape into four 5-by-2-inch oblong patties and place on the prepared pan.
Broil the patties until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 165°F, 12 to 14 minutes.
Meanwhile, mash together avocado, salsa and garlic powder in a small bowl.
Place tortillas on a clean work surface. Spread each with the guacamole, then sprinkle with lettuce and cheese. Top each with a burger and roll into a wrap. Serve immediately, with lime wedges.
* My family does not like avocado, so I mixed the salsa with fat free sour cream for an alternative dressing. I ate it with the avocado, Justin ate it with the sour cream mix. These were delicious...and healthy. I got this one off of the Eating Well website. Justin actually gave it 5 stars! We both agreed that these would be excellent at the lake.
Some of you may remember when I blogged back in November about challenging myself to try 100 new recipes in 100 days. If not, you can find my original post here. I am happy to announce that I have officially started this challenge! Here's my first recipe!
Beef Nacho Casserole
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef 1 1/2 cups chunky salsa 1 (10 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained 1/4 cup miracle whip 1/2 cup sour cream 1 tsp chili powder 2 cups crushed tortilla chips 2 cups colby cheese
Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring to crumble, until evenly browned. Drain grease. Remove from the heat, and stir the salsa, corn, miracle whip, sour cream and chili powder into the beef. In a 2 quart casserole dish, layer the ground beef mixture, tortilla chips and cheese twice, ending with cheese on top.
3. Bake for 20 minutes uncovered in the preheated oven, until cheese is melted and dish is thoroughly heated.
This recipe has been approved for the dinner rotation.
On a side note, I wanted to implement a rating system, but Justin and I couldn't agree on a system. I gave it four stars, though!
This was my kitchen before. Ignore the mess. This is the only picture I had of my kitchen before.
That's my kitchen/dining room now. We like color on the walls, so we picked a greyish-blue, and painted the cabinets white. I also rearranged the cupboards, so all of my Fiestaware is looking beautiful in the see through cabinets. Again, ignore the mess in the background...I usually don't even attempt house cleaning until the kids are napping.
I did learn some very valuable lessons while working on these projects.
