Author: QuiltLady

BUFFALO MEATBALL SLIDERS

These are the perfect game or race day tailgating “GUY” food. No bones, no mess, but ALL the flavor of the PERFECT wings.

BUFFALO MEATBALL SLIDERS
1 1/2 pounds frozen meatballs, thawed (chicken if you can find them, but turkey works too)
1/4 cup PACKED brown sugar
1/4 cup FRANK’S original hot sauce (or MORE, to taste)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup pineapple pepper jelly (as mild or strong as you like) 😀
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
12 King’s Hawaiian rolls
torn lettuce leaves
Crumbled Bleu Cheese
Ranch dressing

  • In a 3-4 quart slow cooker whisk together the brown sugar, hot sauce, hone, preserves, corn starch and liquid aminos until well blended.
  • Stir in meatballs, coating well.
  • Cover and cook on low 2-3 hours.
  • Slather ranch dressing on both sides of bun.
  • Add desired lettuce leaves.
  • Add 2 meatballs.
  • Top with crumbled bleu cheese.
  • Replace top and enjoy!!!

HAWAIIAN STIR FRY PINEAPPLE BOATS

I’m really missing my favorite grocery store from Texas, but have found my new local grocer is having some beautiful produce. BTW My favorite grocery store and my neighbor are ALL that I’m missing from Texas 😀  The pineapple in particular has been PERFECT and perpetually on sale.

HAWAIIAN STIR FRY PINEAPPLE BOATS – serves 2
1/2 pound pork tenderloin and center cut boneless pork chops, cut into bite sized pieces
1+ cup snap peas, cleaned and halved
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon FRESH grated ginger
1/3 cup diced red pepper
1 small bunch green onions, thinly sliced keeping whites and greens separate
1 FRESH pineapple, halved and prepared for boats
1/2 cup rice, prepared to package directions
6 ounce can of pineapple juice (I often use pineapple orange)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons PACKED brown sugar
1 tablespoon dry sherry
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 teaspoons sweet and spicy chili sauce (I use MAGGI’s)
FRESH ground sea salt, to taste
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon butter

  • Halve pineapples and cut meat out leaving 1/2 inch all the way around. Cut pineapple into bite sized pieces.
  • Whisk together the pineapple juice, vinegar and cornstarch until smooth.
  • Add the brown sugar, sherry, chili sauce and FRESH ground salt.
  • In a large skillet heat avocado oil over medium-high heat.
  • Sear pork until browned and nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes.
  • Remove pork and allow to rest.
  • Wipe out pan and return to heat.
  • Add water and peas, cover and steam 2-3 minutes. DRAIN.
  • Return pan to heat and add butter.
  • Add ginger, garlic, onion whites and bell pepper, stirring until fragrant.
  • Add pineapple pieces and sauce, simmering a few minutes until thickened.
  • Fold in pork pieces.
  • Put a thin layer of rice into each pineapple boat.
  • Portion pork mixture into boats and top with scallion greens.
  • ENJOY!

PINEAPPLE PEPPER LIME CHICKEN

PINEAPPLE PEPPER LIME CHICKEN
3 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks (or any combo you like)
2 limes, juiced (about 1/4 cup)
3/4 cup pineapple pepper preserves
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste

  • In a small saucepan combine preserves and lime juice and heat until melted and well blended.
  • Sprinkle chicken pieces with FRESH ground salt and pepper.
  • Heat grill to medium.
  • GENEROUSLY spray grill grates with non-stick spray.
  • Grill chicken 15-20 minutes or about 175° internal temperatures. Turn Occasionally and baste generously during the last 5 minutes with the sauce.
  • Serve with remaining sauce.

BLT SALAD with CREAMY CHIVE DRESSING

Looking for the perfect summer meal without turning on the oven or grill? Well, here it is, the PERFECT summer salad full of flavor and satisfying to everyone. I make the dressing in a double batch so there is always extra and preparing the bacon the night before after the sun sets keeps you cool too.

BLT SALAD with CREAMY CHIVE DRESSING
12 ounce package center cut bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
FRESH ground sea salt, to taste
FRESH ground black pepper, to taste
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup finely minced FRESH chives
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1-2 tablespoons buttermilk (yep, that reads milk :D)
1 head green leaf or Bibb lettuce, torn into pieces
1 package grape tomatoes, halved
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced OR 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
8 ounces of sourdough bread, WELL toasted, lightly buttered and cut into cubes

  • Whisk together the vinegar, garlic and salt. Let stand 10 minutes. This will help mellow the flavor a bit.
  • Whisk in sour cream and avocado oil until well blended.
  • Fold in chives.
  • Thin with milk to desired consistency.

 

  • In a large salad bowl toss together the lettuce, tomatoes, onions and bacon pieces.
  • Fold in toasted bread pieces.
  • Season to taste with FRESH ground salt and pepper.
  • Drizzle with dressing.
  • Garnish with additional chives and ENJOY!

HAPPY HOMEMAKER, MENU PLAN & UPDATE MONDAY week 27 of 2018

GOOD MORNING sweet ladies.  I CANNOT believe we are in JULY already!!!  We had a warm and uneventful weekend here where we watched some NASCAR races between the gym, pool and biking we’ve been doing for my recuperation.  I did make a few new recipes that were yummy and have gotten quite a bit of reading done also.

Be sure to link up with
Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy homemaker Monday
and with Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE & WHAT I’M WEARING – hot, hot and more hot, but the humidity is only about 15% and I grew up in this kind of dry heat so it’s much more tolerable than Texas was with its HIGH humidity 😀 Highs this week are supposed to be around 110° and the lows around 80° and continued LOW humidity.

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE – a banana, green tea and a protein bar

CRAFTS / PROJECTS – nothing at the moment

ON MY MIND / THINGS THAT ARE MAKING ME HAPPY – Life in general makes me happy these days.  I recently read somewhere that the happiest places in the world are those where enlightened leaders shifted their focus from economic development to promoting quality of life. THIS!! THIS is the place we are looking for to live!  Anybody know where it is?

 

HEALTH UPDATE – We are finally following a “recovery” routine.  An hour at the gym in the mornings using the machines specific to building up the muscle I’ve lost and then 2 miles on the stationery bike plus 2 more on the treadmill.  Then it’s home for the pool time where I am using a “volleyball” as a flotation device that I sit on and my arms to tread water back forth for several laps using my arms especially and water aerobic weights before I finish with several regular swimming laps and then just some plain old sun time 😀 After dinner when the sun sets and the temps have dropped below 100 we do several miles on the “regular” bike before showering and calling it a night.

I do seem to be getting more calories and eating better as well as building back the muscle, but am still losing weight so am keeping a close eye on the “BIG” picture.

The goal is to keep up this very specific daily routine between now and our nephew’s wedding in late September in hopes that I can look decent in a dress! as well as get my stamina and strength back so I can lead a good daily routine in life.

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA – I’m still editing through pictures from the trip west as well as my SIL’s house and ran across these. The first was one of my favorites from Cadillac Ranch. I love the face on the wheel.

My late BIL loved crows and had this fountain installed at their house.  The fountain never worked right and they converted it to a cactus garden, but I’ve always loved it and her view beyond it 😀 And her wild flowers that pop up here and there are so gorgeous

INSPIRATION

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE / WEEKLY TO DO LIST & HOUSE PROJECTS /  APPOINTMENTS

  • LAUNDRY… just a couple loads, after all how much can you dirty living in shorts and swim suits? 😀
  • LIVING AREAS… pretty clean since we are in a smaller space for the summer and I keep the clutter picked up and the dishes done regularly
  • YARD… trying to keep the flowers extra watered and added some extra sun shades
  • BLOG… some recipe updating, future post planning for when I get back into a “normal” routine and even some holiday post planning

CURRENTLY READING AND ON MY WAIT PILE

I’M READING Debra Clopton’s Windswept Bay series and am almost finished – Book #10 With this Forever

WHAT IS ON THE DVR OR LIST TO WATCH – last week was so blasted hot that we did some netflix and redbox movies so we could stay in during the heat of the day.

  • 🙂 12 STRONG – enjoyed it a lot
  • 😀 GAME NIGHT – FUNNY
  • 🙂 HURRICANE HEIST – thought it might be bad as it didn’t have too many well known people in it, but we really enjoyed it
  • 🙂 TOMB RAIDER – really enjoyed it
  • 🙁 THE ESCAPE OF PRISONER 614 – we didn’t even finish this as it was really trite
  • 🙂 HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA – really cute
  • 🙂 HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 – just a cute as the original
  • ??? RED SPARROW – still not sure what I think about this one
  • ??? ANNIHILATION – VERY weird
  • 😀 A WRINKLE IN TIME – good, but so un-Disney
  • 😀 ESCAPE PLAN 1 – REALLY enjoyed this one was looking forward to 2
  • 🙁 ESCAPE PLAN 2 – the audio is horrible with all the techno music and it jumped all over the world leaving a less than cohesive story – we actually turned it off and did not finish it.
  • 🙂 15:17 TO PARIS – this film hit a little close to home since one of the guys was from the town we were living in when the Thalys train attack (August 21, 2015) happened.  That was the same town that just 2 months later had the UCC college shooting (October 1, 2015) needless to say a very emotional time for our little community.
  • 😀 THE WORLDS FASTEST INDIAN – what a neat movie! I can’t imagine anyone but Anthony Hopkins playing this role!

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS

HOMEMAKING/COOKING TIP

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK

BREAKFAST

SNACK

LUNCH

DINNER

SNACK/DESSERT

MONDAY

CHEERIOS, SMALL BANANA & GREEN TEA

PROTEIN DRINK

GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST, TUNA SALAD OR ??

CHEESY CHICKEN PANCAKES

PROTEIN SHAKE

TUESDAY

PEACH YOGURT & GREEN TEA

PROTEIN DRINK

GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST, TUNA SALAD OR ??

PINEAPPLE PEPPER CHICKEN & SALAD

PROTEIN SHAKE

WEDNESDAY

CHEERIOS, SMALL BANANA & GREEN TEA

PROTEIN DRINK

GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST, TUNA SALAD OR ??

??

PROTEIN SHAKE

THURSDAY

CHERRY YOGURT & GREEN TEA

PROTEIN DRINK

GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST, TUNA SALAD OR ??

HONEY SOY PORK & PEANUT NOODLES

PROTEIN SHAKE

FRIDAY

BERRY YOGURT & GREEN TEA

PROTEIN DRINK

GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST, TUNA SALAD OR ??

JALAPENO HONEY STICKY WINGS & SALAD

PROTEIN SHAKE

SATURDAY

??

PROTEIN DRINK

GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST, TUNA SALAD OR ??

C.O.R.N. clean out refrigerator night

CARAMEL APPLE HAND PIES

SUNDAY

BRUNCH at a Friend’s house

PROTEIN DRINK

GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST, TUNA SALAD OR ??

TEQUILA CHICKEN SALAD

PROTEIN SHAKE

SUCCESSFUL RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

TWISTED DOGS with TORNADO SAUCE

TWISTED DOGS
4 hot dogs
1/2 cup Bisquick or other pancake mix (DO NOT USE GLUTEN FREE)
2 tablespoons water
Oil for frying (enough to MOSTLY cover hot dogs)

  • Poke a 1/2 skewer through half a hot dog. Spiral cut by diagonally placing your knife against the hot dog while rotating. CUT ALL THE WAY THROUGH WHILE CONSTANTLY TURNING SKEWER TO GET A SPIRAL CUT.
  • 
Spread open to create a space between the slits.
  • 
Combine Bisquick with water.
  • Divide mix into 8 portions.
  • Roll the dough out into a 4 inch strip.
Roll the dough around the hot dog between the meat edges.
  • In a large pan (preferably cast iron) heat oil to 325°.
Fry for 2-3 minutes, turning as necessary.
  • Serve with your favorite condiments or some tornado sauce.

TORNADO SAUCE
1/4 cup jalapeño ketchup
2 tablespoons cup mustard

  • Whisk together and enjoy!

JALAPENO HONEY STICKY WINGS

JALAPENO HONEY STICKY WINGS

3 pounds chicken wings and drumettes
1 1/2 cups Heinz Jalapeño ketchup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup champagne or rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons mild honey
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 jalapeno seeded and sliced thin
1/3 cup minced red onion
sesame seeds, to garnish

  • In a LARGE bowl whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, liquid smoke, honey, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and garlic.
  • Fold in the red onion.
  • Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Add chicken pieces and toss to coat.
  • Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Add chicken pieces to slow cooker.
  • Cook on low 3 hours or until chicken is tender and cooked through.
  • Garnish with jalapeño slices and sesame seeds.

NOTE: For a spicier wing add the jalapeno slices with the red onion so they cook the entire time together.

HONEY SOY PORK with PEANUT NOODLES

HONEY SOY PORK with PEANUT NOODLES

2 boneless pork chops
3 green onions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
1/4 + 1/4 cup Bragg’s liquid aminos
1/8 + 1/8 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 pound bok choy, halved, washed and cut into 1 inch pieces, keeping bulbs and greens separate
6 pieces spaghetti
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 cup shredded red cabbage1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
Sriracha, to taste
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
2 tablespoons avocado oil
FRESH ground salt and pepper, to taste

  • In a large Ziploc bag or baking dish combine 1/4 cup liquid aminos, 1/8 cup rice wine vinegar and 2 tablespoons honey.
  • Pat dry pork chops and add to marinade, turning to coat.

 

  • Cook noodles per package directions, about 8 minutes to al dente’.
  • Drain and rinse in cold water.
  • Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

 

  • Whisk together the peanut butter, 1/4 cup liquid aminos, 1/8 cup rice wine vinegar and 1 tablespoon water until smooth. Set aside.

 

  • In a large pan over medium high heat add sesame oil until shimmering.
  • Add bok choy bulb pieces and green onion whites, sautéing 3-4 minutes until soft.
  • Add cabbage and bok choy leaves, cooking a couple minutes more until leaves wilt.
  • Season to taste and transfer to bowl with noodles.

 

  • Remove pork from marinade. and reserve 2 tablespoons.
  • Return pan to heat and add 2 tablespoons of avocado oil.
  • When shimmering add pork chops and sear on both sides until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
  • Transfer to plate and let rest 5 minutes.
  • Add reserved marinade to peanut sauce and whisk well.

 

  • Add peanuts and peanut sauce to noodle bowl, tossing to coat.
  • Thinly slice pork chops.
  • Plate noodles and vegetables.
  • Top with pork slices.
  • Garnish with green onion tops.

MAPLE ROSEMARY GLAZED PORK CHOPS

MAPLE ROSEMARY GLAZED PORK CHOPS – serves 2

2 bone-in pork chops
1-2 sprigs rosemary, stems removed and chopped fine
2 large green onions, sliced thin
1/2 pound fingerling potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
1 GALA apple, peeled, cored and diced small
FRESH ground salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons PURE maple syrup
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
1 tablespoon butter

  • Pat pork chops dry.
  • Generously season chops to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Melt butter in skillet over medium high heat.
  • Add potatoes, sauteing several minutes until starting to soften and turn golden.
  • Add scallion, sautéing slightly.
  • Add chops and cook until browned and cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side.
  • Remove from pan and keep warm.
  • Reduce heat to medium.
  • Stir in rosemary, 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, maple syrup and bouillon, stirring to blend well. Let simmer until thickened, 1-2 minutes.
  • Add butter, blending well.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning.
  • Add apple pieces and cook a minute or two until beginning to soften.
  • Return chops to pan, turning to coat well.
  • Remove from heat and plate.
  • Garnish with scallion greens.
  • Serve.

CARAMELIZED GRILLED PINEAPPLE & CARNE ASADA ala CITRUS

These pineapple spears are coated in a buttery brown sugar apple cinnamon glaze that caramelizes on the grill! It also pairs perfectly with a citrus carne asada!

CARAMELIZED GRILLED PINEAPPLE Serves: 4-6
Adapted from the Recipe Critic, Alyssa

One large ripe pineapple cut into spears
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon apple pie spice

  • In a shallow baking dish lay the pineapple spears in a single layer pan.
  • Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.
  • Whisk together the butter, brown sugar and apple pie spice. It needs to be thin enough to easily pour over the pineapple – microwave a few seconds if necessary.
  • Pour over top of the pineapple spears.
  • Grill for about 7-10 minutes or until it is starting to turn golden brown and has gorgeous grill marks.
  • Brush with excess sauce from the dish before serving.

According to Wikipedia Carne asada is a roasted beef dish, literally meaning “roasted meat”[1][2]. The dish mainly consists of pieces or thin cuts of beef (e.g. flank steak, skirt steak), sometimes marinated, sometimes lightly salted or rubbed with salt, pepper and/or spices, and then grilled. It can be eaten alone, with side dishes, chopped and eaten as tacos, or chopped and used as filler for tortas, burritos, etc. It is commonly accompanied with guacamole, salsa, beans, and grilled scallions and tortillas.

The dish is commonly prepared in the northern parts of Mexico (in the states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Coahuila, Sonora, Sinaloa, Chihuahua, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas) as well as in the American Southwest (especially Texas and New Mexico). It can be found as the main ingredient in tacos, tortas, burritos and fajitas, or is simply served as a stand-alone. It is sold at Mexican meat markets called “carnicerias” in the American Southwest; especially those states with Mexican/Mexican-American enclaves.
When purchasing carne asada from meat markets, consumers have two options available to them regarding the amount of preparation the steak has undergone pre-purchase: preparada, marinated meat as described above, serving as a time-saver for the home cook but typically at higher cost; and no preparada, unprepared meat, allowing for a home cook to create one’s own marinade. I buy unprepared meat and doctor my own.
All my pictures are before as we’re having it for dinner tonight. I’ll add an after picture later.


CARNE ASADA
2-3 pounds flank or skirt steak, sliced THIN
1 medium Vidalia onion, sliced thin
2 lemons, 1 sliced thin, 1 wedged for squeezing
1 lime, sliced thin
1 orange, sliced thin
1/3 cup champagne vinegar
2 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
1 teaspoon FRESH ground sea salt
1 teaspoon FRESH ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
  • Soak the meat in the vinegar for an hour or so.
  • Remove meat from vinegar and dry on paper towels.
  • Sift together all the seasonings and rub into the meat on both sides.
  • Layer the meat into a container alternating with the slices of lemon, limes, oranges and onions squeezing lemon juice on each layer as you go.
  • Let marinate for overnight or a day or so.
  • Grill on a VERY hot grill to desired doneness, 2-3 minutes per side.
  • Serve with warm tortillas, Fresh Guacamole and Fresh Garden Salsa.

BEAN SALAD ala 21ST CENTURY

I love 3 bean salad, but I hate kidney beans. So, I developed this recipe to cater to my own likes. If you like kidney beans, just add them back in. I’ve been making this salad for years, BUT, all of a sudden I CANNOT find wax beans ANYWHERE. So, after 3 stores I decided to substitute sliced carrots and you know what? this recipe just got better! The beauty of this recipe is that it just gets more and more flavorful as time goes on.
BEAN SALAD ala 21ST CENTURY
2 – 15 ounce cans green beans
15 ounce can sliced carrots
4 ounce jar pimientos
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups sugar
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
  • Drain beans, carrots and pimentos REALLY WELL and place into a jar with enough room for the liquid.
  • In a sauce pan dissolve the sugar and salt into the vinegar and bring it to a boil.
  • Let it cool.
  • Pour it over the beans.
  • Marinate at least 24-48 hours for the best flavor.