Category: KITCHEN & COOKING TIPS

Super Bowl Hot Wings & Nacho Buffalo Bleu Cheese Dip

It doesn’t matter who you were rooting for, you CAN’T, I repeat CAN’T watch the SUPER BOWL unless you have hot wings and buffalo cheese dip!


Personally I’m so glad the Giants won. What more could you ask for but to have back to back years with boy next door American quarterbacks (brothers no less). These two give the whole sports image icon a super boost. I’d rather have my kids looking up to either Eli or Payton Manning over say Michael Vick. It just oozes, American flag, fireworks, Chevy, hot dogs and apple pie. Oh and mom was there too!

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup bleu cheese dressing **
1/2 cup Frank’s hot sauce
1 can Rotel Original tomatoes & chiles (drained)
1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat cream cheese in mixing bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds to soften it. Whisk in the bleu cheese dressing, hot sauce, tomatoes and bleu cheese crumbles until smooth. Pour into a 9 inch stoneware casserole. Bake 20-30 minutes or until cooked through. Serve immediately with Hot wings. **

**See recipes on side bar

~*~Menu Plan Monday & 5 Night Dinner Challenge~*~

hosted by I’m an Organizing Junkie

Done in conjunction with Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Overwhelmed with Joy and 5 night dinner challenge hosted by Sommer designs.
  • Monday ~ Stuffed Spinach Manicotti Shells & Salad
  • Tuesday ~ Grilled Mahi Mahi & Salad
  • Wednesday ~ Hamburger steaks & green beans & twice baked potatoes
  • Thursday ~ Saucy baked Chicken & Glazed carrots
  • Friday ~ Beef Stew & Salad
  • Saturday ~ Pork Chops & Potatoes Au Gratin
  • Sunday ~ BBQ Beef & baked beans

~*~Favorite Ingredient Friday – Individual Oven Omelettes~*~


Ingredients are per person:
2 eggs
1 ounce heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
PURE
1/3 cup finely diced ham, sausage or crumbled bacon
1 slice cheddar cheese, the size of a single layer over the meat
1/4 cup shredded cheddar or jack cheese


Using oven proof Pyrex dishes generously spray them with PURE. In the bottom of each one, layer the meat, slice of cheese and salt & pepper.

Whisk together the eggs and cream and then add the baking powder and whisk until smooth. You can whisk all the portions together and then proportion them out after. It just makes it less of a mess and hassle ~ especially if you’re preparing for a large number of people.

Pour equal amounts into each dish and top with shredded cheese. Place them all on a cookie sheet and bake for a total of 25 minutes or more as needed until centers don’t jiggle and edges are golden brown. Check after 10 minutes and adjust oven temp if necessary. You want the centers to quit jiggling about the same time the edges turn brown. The pictures above in the oven were taken at 10 minutes, 20 minutes and 25 minutes. As you can see, they become like little souffle’s.

THURSDAY 13 edition my #2 (130) Spices & their uses


hosted by Thursday Thirteen edition 130

  • 1) Cinnamon is derived from a Malaysian word which means ‘sweet wood’ and its flavor is due to an aromatic essential oil which is really only a small component of its whole. It is largely used in the preparation of desserts here in the USA and in the middle east it is often used with chicken and lamb. Cinnamon is also sometimes used in pickling. Cinnamon bark is one of the few spices that can be consumed directly. It once had a reputation as a cure for colds. It has also been used to treat digestive problems as well as food preservation. It has been used to treat toothaches and bad breath.
  • 2) Thyme is a member of the mint family, with over 100 varieties. Common varieties include: garden, lemon. Thyme is a welcome flavor in salads, soups, sauces, meats, vegetable as well as many breads and desserts. Lemon thyme works well with fish. Repels most insects. You can make a cup of tea from the thyme leaves and spray it around doors and windows to repel insects.
  • 3) Oregano is derived from Greek and means mountain delight. The dried herb is more potent than the fresh. It is usually paired with basil for Italian recipes.
  • 4) Basil was originally native to India. Basil is considered the King of herbs and its name is from the Greek meaning ‘rich’. It is believed it was used in medicinal baths for royalty. It is recommended that basil be used fresh and is usually paired with tomato. When soaked in water, the seeds become gelatinous and some cultures use them to thicken soups.
  • 5) Paprika is made from grinding the dried seeds of red peppers. It is often used to give color as well as flavor.
  • 6 & 7) Nutmeg & Mace are derived from the same plant. Nutmeg is from the actually seed while mace is the red covering over the seed. It is used primarily in desserts.
  • 8) White Pepper is actually from the black pepper. White pepper is from the seed only whereas black pepper is the whole fruit. Flavors do differ slightly and white pepper is preferred in recipes where black pepper would stand out.
  • 9) Rosemary means dew of the sea and is also from the mint family. Its taste can be quite bitter, but it works well with oily foods such as lamb or fish.
  • 10) Cream of Tartar is an acidic powder that is used in baking. It is the ingredient added to baking soda to create baking powder. Tartaric acid is a brownish-red acid powder that is used on the walls of casks to help age wine. Cream of tartar is also used to give a creamier texture to sugary things like candy and frosting and to stabilize and increase the volume of beaten egg whites. When used in meringue it gives a more stable and longer lasting height. Cream of tartar can be used to clean brass and copper cookware too.
  • 11) Mustard means burning wine. It was first used as a medicinal herb and later used as a culinary one. It was used as a cure for everything from a toothache to scorpion stings. Mustard by itself as a powder is bland, but when mixed with water and it grows into something quite potent.
  • 12) Cardamon‘s primary use is a flavoring for coffee but is also used to flavor sweet baking recipes.
  • 13) Vanilla is a flavoring developed from orchids. Though there are many differing types of vanilla, the most common is the Mexican version while Madagascar is the largest producer. You can easily make your own by adding two vanilla beans to 8 ounces of your favorite liquor. Let it set for a month before using. Commonly used are vodka, bourbon but I prefer a golden rum.

~*~MENU PLAN MONDAY & my 5 NIGHT DINNER CHALLENGE~*~

I also do Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Overwhelmed with Joy, so this is making a great addition to help keeping me on track and finding so new recipes!

This week’s menu:

Monday: Saucy Baked Chicken & Maple Glazed Carrots ~ appointments ran late so used the same chicken to make a quick soup and grilled cheese
Tuesday: Manicotti & Big Salad – thank goodness this is already in the freezer from the last time I made it, that way it will wait until next week since hubby just came home and told me we’re going to the VFW for a taco night fundraiser. So this got changed twice since we never made it to taco night in the blizzard so we settled for Progresso Pot Roast soup and grilled cheese – I guess that changes tomorrow night too!
Wednesday: Creamy Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese ~ now meatloaf and broccoli
Thursday: Ham Steak & Cabbage Salad ~ Could this week get any screwier? I got caught in a blizzard Tuesday and came straight home instead of going to the grocery store as planned and now have to change tonight’s menu too ~ Now it’s spaghetti and meatballs so I can use what’s on hand
Friday: Shrimp Pasta and Salad
Saturday:BBQ Beef and 3 Bean Salad
Sunday: Hot Wings w/ home made Bleu Cheese (it’s Super bowl after all ~ what else would you have?

I’m also doing 5 NIGHT DINNER CHALLENGE hosted by Sommer Designs. Doing more than one helps keep me on track, though you’d never know this week!!

My mom has always said it amazes her that I plan the calender out and actually keep to it. We were actually better about keeping to it before this past move and the forced remodel of this house, but we’re getting back on track!

5 Night Dinner Challenge Update & Recipe

So we were supposed to have Shrimp Pasta and Salad, but hubby drank the last of the white wine I ‘d been saving for the recipe so I had to do a last minute substitution for the shrimp pasta or go to the store and it was just too cold here today ~ I didn’t want to leave the house! So we had spicy tuna casserole instead.


SPICY TUNA CASSEROLE
1 large can white meat chicken
1 small can albacore tuna
3 green onions, chopped fine
1 can cream of celery soup
4 tablespoons Frank’s hot sauce
salt & pepper
1 cup milk
2 cups al dente egg noodles
1 can Leseur baby peas
3 slices provolone cheese
1 1/2 cup crumbled potato chips

Drain chicken and tuna thoroughly. Chop the green onions fine. Mix soup and milk together thoroughly. Add salt and pepper and then hot sauce. Add the green onions and meat mix to the soup fix. Fold in noodles.

Pour 1/2 into baking dishes, layer cheese and pour remaining 1/2 on top of cheese. Top with crumbled potato chips and bake at 350 degrees fr 45 minutes.

5 night dinner challenge Update & recipes

Today was a super easy! Lunch was Kraft ~ yes, even I use the box stuff now and then, but I ‘doctor’ it up good. I add 1 tablespoon of Frank’s hot sauce, 1/2 cup real shredded cheddar cheese and I had some left over grilled sausages that I sliced up. We loved a hearty comfort meal on such a cold day ~ it actually reached 8 degrees today.

Here’s my update for the 5 night dinner challenge hosted by Sommer Designs.

Dinner was Baked Crunchy Chicken and I made a surprise for hubby, grams old decadent brownies ~ I forgot how rich those are and now we have those leftover for tomorrow night. We ate the salad while everything was in the oven baking.

BAKED CRUNCHY CHICKEN
1 boneless chicken per person
1 slice thinly sliced provolone cheese
1 green onion per person, chopped
1/2 cup stove top stuffing per person
1 can cream of mushroom, celery or chicken soup (your choice)
1 Tablespoon butter per person

Spray baking dish lightly with PURE. Arrange chicken breasts in bottom, sprinkle green onions (I was out of onions so I used tomatoes tonight) over top of chicken breasts and then lay a piece of cheese over each chicken breast. Spoon soup over and around the chicken breasts. Melt butter and toss with stuffing mix. Layer stuffing mix on and around chicken. Bake at 35 degrees for 45 minutes.

After I get this in the oven, I start the brownies and then they’re finished just in time for dessert.

DECADENT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES (make 4 ramekins)
2 Tablespoons butter + 1 Tablespoon butter
1 ounce Baker’s Bittersweet Chocolate
1 ounce Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1 1/4 ounce Baker’s sweet German chocolate
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon flour
1/8 scant teaspoon baking powder
1/8 scant teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in microwave safe ramekin for 30 seconds, add the bittersweet & semi-sweet chocolate and microwave in 30 second increments until you can stir it smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. Mix together the egg and sugar and beat on high with a hand mixer until slightly thick and turns a dull yellow. Lower speed and add chocolate mixture to egg mixture. By hand stir in the flour mixture until consistent in color. Spoon into ramekins and bake on cookie sheet for 25 minutes or until centers are set. Just after you put these in, prepare the topping. Melt the other tablespoon of butter and then add the German sweet chocolate and melt until you can stir smooth. Just after the brownies come out of the oven, pour the topping over.

WARNING: THESE ARE RICH & DECADENT!

Super Bowl Staples ~*~ HOT WINGS & home made 'BLEU' CHEESE dressing

What’s the SUPER BOWL without HOT WINGS and home made BLEU CHEESE dressing for dipping along with a good beer and few dozen other appetizers? Now I try to watch our fats and prepare balanced meals on a day to day basis, but let’s get real here people, this is the SUPER BOWL ~ it’s like Christmas or Thanksgiving. Do you even think twice on those days before you pop, well let’s be honest you’ll pop ANYTHING that looks good into your mouth on those days? Of course not, so why think about it today? Plus here’s the bonus, they’re technically baked so there good for you, right?

HOT WINGS

  • 2-3 dozen+ chicken wings ~ We prefer drumettes (with a little meat on them) to actual wings, but it’s your choice. Today I used what was in the freezer for picture sake, but next week it’ll be drumettes for sure!
  • 2 cups Flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • hidden valley ranch dressing mix (DRY) OR Good Seasons Italian dressing mix (DRY)
  • 2 sticks butter+
  • Frank’s Hot Sauce
  • PURE
I also prefer to use an old cast iron frying pan (our is at least 3rd generation, dating back to hubby’s grandfather that we know for sure). I still believe this gives you the most even browning.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Wash and dry the chicken pieces.
  • Mix together the flour and seasonings in a plastic ziploc bag. Using a ziploc bag makes it easy to throw away the whole mess after dredging all the chicken pieces and it helps you coat every possible spot of the chicken pieces.
  • Add chicken a few pieces at a time and coat them well. Set chicken pieces aside.
  • While you’re doing this, have the butter melting in the pan. Start with 1 stick and add as necessary, but make sure you don’t run out dry.
  • Once all the chicken has been dredged start frying. After you have the pan full pepper the pieces again. Don’t turn the chicken until you can see blood. You only need to turn the chicken one time. Brown evenly and then set aside on paper towels until all pieces have been fried.
  • As the last batch is frying melt the other stick of butter in a 4 cup measure cup. To that add 1 cup of Frank’s hot sauce per stick of butter. Whisk them together well.
  • Spray a cookie sheet with PURE.
  • Dip each piece of chicken into the hot sauce mixture and put on cookie sheet.
  • After you’re all done and if you have hot sauce & butter mixture left, pour a little over the top of each wing.
  • Bake for 30 minutes.
  • Serve hot with my homemade Bleu cheese dressing and celery sticks if you’d like.

Home made “BLEU” CHEESE DRESSING

  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup large curd cottage cheese
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 4 ounces bleu cheese crumbles (sometimes I use Gorgonzola for a bit of change or when I accidentally pick up the wrong container at the grocery store and we like it just as well)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • I put it all in my food processor and pulse until it’s well mixed. Chill for 24-48 hours before serving.

CLICK ON PICTURE TO ENLARGE FOR MOUTH WATERING VIEW.

~*~Kitchen Gadgets~*~

Okay, I admit it, I got sucked in like the rest the world with Pampered Chef and their cooking parties. I’ll also admit much of it has long since found its way onto Ebay or into the rummage sale pile. Now there are a few pieces I can’t live without:
  • Mini Whip ~this is probably my most favorite ~ it helps get a smoother and creamier whip
  • Batter Bowls ~ there just awesome sizes and perfect for everything
  • Chopper ~ onions take no time at all ~ I did try my sis-in-laws OXO brand when I was there at Thanksgiving and have to admit they improved the design and my next one will be an OXO
  • Stoneware ~ baked dips, cinnamon rolls, meat loafs never tasted so good and once they’re properly seasoned, the clean-up is a snap.
  • Scrapers ~ they made these for their stoneware pieces and easy clean-up, but since I don’t need them for those (mine are really well seasoned) I use them on my cast iron pans. Both the stoneware and cast iron should not have soap used on them to prevent changing your flavor base.
  • Prep bowls ~ they’re good for everything from getting all the ingredients ready for a meal (which is their actual purpose) to individual Jell-O servings and beyond.

Favorite Ingredient Friday~Super Savory Pot Roast & Veggies

Favorite Ingredient Friday, hosted by Overwhelmed with Joy.
Super Savory Pot Roast & Veggies
I love Pot Roast. I adapted grams old recipe to my family and their likes.

Ingredients:
2-3 pound Pot Roast
2 medium Onions
1 bag baby carrots
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 large Yukon potatoes~scrubbed clean, but not peeled
Kosher Salt
White & Black Pepper
3 t. minced garlic
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon Pampered Chef Rosemary mix
Beef bullion
Red Wine (2 cups) OR White Wine (2 cups)

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. The meat you use is important. And like Ree over at The Pioneer Woman Cooks, my favorite roast is the chuck roast because it has wonderful marbling throughout the meat, and when cooked right (prep, cover, cook ~ don’t fiddle with it while it’s in the oven) any chuck roast winds up being tender and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Be aware that the tougher the piece of meat is, the longer it needs to cook so that the connective tissue will soften and break down. You truly can’t rush a pot roast, you’ll be disappointed if you try as it will be dry or lack flavor. BE PATIENT. You want the meat to basically fall apart. You SHOULD NOT need a knife to cut it.

Bring the piece of meat to room temperature. GENEROUSLY sprinkle the first side of meat with the Kosher Salt and Pepper mix. Heat enough olive oil in the bottom of a fry pan to make a thick coating. Heat to a medium-high heat. Cut the onions tip to root, cut off root and stem, peel and lay flat into hot oil. Brown both sides well. Remove to side. Add the baby carrots and do the same. I normally cut each carrot just in half. Brown carrots and like Ree said you’re trying more for color here than cooking. They will have plenty of time to cook in the oven. I also like to add my garlic (I use the bottled minced garlic from the produce section) and spices at this point. By this time I have put them all into a mortar and pestle to revive their scents and aromas. When carrots are finished, remove them to the same plate as the onions. If necessary add more olive oil to the pan and add the roast seasoned side down. While it’s browning season the other side really well Brown both sides and all edges really well.

Now, for the oven I like to use my grandma’s old Magnalite dutch oven which cooks really even! And see those little hobnail bumps in on the bottom side of the lid? Those are better known as drip catchers. They collect the steam from the juices and redistributes it all right back down on the roast as it cooks. These help keep the meat moist and juicy. After the roast is browned, place it in the dutch oven and spread vegetables all around it.

While fry pan is still hot, add white or red wine and the beef bullion to deglaze the pan ~ make sure you scrape up all the stuck little bits from the bottom. Cook long enough to mix well and then pour over the roast. The liquid should come up at least half way on the sides of the roast and vegetable mixture. For this recipe we added the white wine to the recipe and drank the red. The red wine, Harrod wine, is from our nephew’s vineyard so we don’t waste it cooking, but enjoy every last drop.

Put the lid on the dutch oven, put it in the oven, don’t open the door for AT LEAST 3 hours! Today’s roast was 2.39 pounds and I roasted it for 3 1/2 hours. Go relax or at least get the dishes you’ve dirtied so far done up. At 3 hours, I prep the potatoes for boiling. I too, prefer not to cook mine with the roast ~ I prefer a bit of substance instead of the mush they become with the roast. I do a basic mashed with heavy cream, salt, pepper, and butter (hey you gotta splurge a little sometimes!)

We get 2 meals out of these proportions. Now to us eating starts with the eyes ~ so make it pretty. I love my polish pottery, all of it is unique one-of-a-kind creations and decorates a table and your meal so easily!

~*~Sweet & Sour Carmelized Chicken~*~

I couldn’t decide which one, so I did 2 this week.
Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Overwhelmed with Joy.


This is such an easy and quick meal to make, but it looks & tastes like you worked all afternoon.


Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
3 Tablespoons of flour
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (bottle works if that’s what you have)
2 tablespoons rice wine balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
olive oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Between 2 sheets of wax paper flatten chicken breasts if they are too thick. If they are too thick they will take longer to cook. If you prefer scallopini style you’ll need to decrease cooking time slightly.

Whisk together the egg and cornstarch. Soak chicken breasts in mixture for an hour before cooking. This mixture seals in the moistness and keeps the chicken juicy throughout.


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a oven proof fry pan (or you will need to transfer to a baking dish) coat he bottom of the pan with olive oil. When the oil is hot, brown both sides of the chicken breasts including all the sides. Add onions about midway and brown them too. You want all the little browned bits on the bottom of the pan.

When breasts are browned, put the pan in the oven for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees. In the mean time, whisk together the hot water, bullion, flour, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour liquid mixture over the chicken and cover tightly with foil.

Return it to the oven for additional 10 minutes (5 minutes if doing a scallopini thickness, 15 if they are really thick. Sauce will be thick. During this last ten minutes I steamed the broccoli and turned the left over mashed potatoes from the pot roast into twice baked potato bowls.

I have used breast tenders in a pinch and they work well, but they cook faster so keep an eye on them.

~*~My little Cookbook Corner of the World~*~

Let’s face it, there is no one cookbook for anyone. If you’re like me, you have at least 6 or maybe 60, oh let’s be honest I quit counting a long time ago. I can’t resist browsing through the old books at antique stores. I especially love old church or organization cook books. Some of my favorite recipes originally came from one of those. Many of the pages are dogeared and lots of notes are written in the margins, mostly by me, but the used books sometimes have 2 or 3 people’s writings.

Now the other thing we all do is MODIFY those recipes to our family and their personal preferences. Did you know that all you have to do is make 2 major changes and you can call the recipe your own? or so I’m told.