BLOG 365 – Page 4 – Chasing MY Life WHEREVER it Leads ME

BEEF & SWEET ONIONS ~ BLOG 365.73

BEEF & SWEET ONIONS yields 6 servings

2 pounds beef sirloin, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces
2 large Vidalia onions, quartered and sliced
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons WONDRA flour
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon FRESH chopped thyme
2 cups homemade beef stock
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon QUALITY tomato paste
Mashed potatoes

In a large skillet, melt the oil and butter over medium heat.
Add sliced onions, sautéing and stirring constantly until tender and slightly browned.
Add beef to onions in skillet and increase heat, sautéing until beef is browned on all sides.
Reduce heat to medium.
Sprinkle flour and seasonings over meat, stirring to incorporate well. If necessary add a bit more butter to moisten and incorporate the flour into the mixture.
Add the beef stock, vinegar and tomato paste, blending well.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes or so until meat is tender and flavors are well blended.
Serve over mashed potatoes or rice.

BUFFALO CRUSTED BAKED FISH & CHIPS ~ BLOG 365.72

BUFFALO CRUSTED BAKED FISH & CHIPS

1 1/2 pounds FRESH cod fillets, cut into 4 fillets
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper

Arrange oven shelf to 2nd from top.
Preheat oven to 400°.
Spray casserole with non-stick spray.
Pat fish fillets dry with toweling.
Season fish fillets with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
Add fish fillets to prepared baking dish 1 to 2 inches apart.

SPREAD
2 tablespoons Duke’s mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Frank’s original hot sauce

In a small bowl whisk mayonnaise and hot sauce together until smooth.
Coat the top and sides of the fish fillets with the mayonnaise mixture.

CRUST
2 cups frozen shredded hash browns
3/4-1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Panko crumbs
4 tablespoons butter, melted

In a large bowl toss together the hash browns, cheese and Panko crumbs until well distributed.
Pour melted butter over top and blend again.
Press the crust mixture onto and around fillets covering the top and sides 1/2 inch thick.
Bake 20-25 minutes until fish is cooked through.
For crispier crust, broil the last 1-3 minutes – WATCH CAREFULLY!
Let rest 3-5 minutes before serving.

NOTE: Change out the Frank’s original for the HOT HONEY or the CHILI LIME flavor for a nice change.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY ~ BLOG 365.71

LOADED SEAFOOD CHOWDER ~ BLOG 365.70

It’s been super cold here and we’ve been craving stews and soups. So, I combined a couple of my favorite recipes to make this scrumptious thick and creamy chowder loaded with flavorful clams, crab, shrimp, veggies and potatoes and served with crusty sourdough bread ~ perfect for a cold winter’s night.

LOADED SEAFOOD CHOWDER
6.5 ounce minced clams
5 ounce whole baby clams
6 ounces white crab meat
6.5 ounce baby shrimp (FRESH works well also)
1 can Green Giant Shoepeg corn
1 cup homemade chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 3 medium potatoes)
1/2 teaspoon ground bay leaves
2 tablespoons FRESH minced Italian Leaf Parsley
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 shallots, diced
4 green onions, FINELY sliced
3 ribs celery, FINELY diced
2 carrots, FINELY diced
1 SMALL red bell pepper, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, FINELY minced
1/2 cup AP flour
1 cup milk
1 cup half and half
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Drain the clams, crab and shrimp, adding the juice from the cans to a large stock pot. Set the clams aside. 
Add chicken broth, diced potatoes and bay leaves to the pot. The liquid should JUST cover the potatoes. Bring pot to a simmer 5-6 minutes until the potatoes are barely fork tender. 
Remove 1 cup of broth and set aside.

In a second pot, heat the butter and avocado oil over medium heat until the butter is melted.
Add the onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic, cooking 4-5 minutes until tender. 
Whisk flour into reserved broth until smooth.
Gradually whisk the milk and half and half into the flour and broth mixture.
Whisk milk mixture back into the pot. Bring mixture to a simmer, cooking 5-7 minutes until thickened. 
Gently stir the creamy mixture into the potato pot.
Season to taste with the FRESH ground sea salt, pepper, vinegar, and reserved clams and shrimp. Simmer 5 more minutes. 
Serve with crusty bread.

NOTE: I often use champagne vinegar for a bit of a flavor change.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY, MENU & RECIPES week 10 of 2025 ~ BLOG 365.69

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

GOOD MORNING LADIES! Did you remember to adjust your clocks? Personally I wish they’d pick a time and just stay with it!! That first Sunday after the time change is ALWAYS the hardest for me and this year was no different because it was dark, cloudy and foggy! To make matters worse, I’m not even sure how it’s Monday again. I feel like I lost an entire week! I’m pretty good about getting around to visit everyone, but I sadly fell short last week. I will be better this week! 😀

LAST WEEK RECAPPED

The week was full of “fires” to put out so I won’t bore you with too many details, but I ended up spending a lot of unplanned time at the Eagles including working the fundraiser dinner Friday night. Monday through Friday were jam packed with “STUFF”. Saturday I took a paint class and then hubby and I went out for dinner at a favorite haunt. Sunday was doing normal chores to catch up on laundry and cleaning and helping an elderly friend with some house maintenance.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

Welcome to the Pacific North West where your spring flowers prematurely bloom at the first sign of sunshine only to be beaten back down by pouring rain and snow and you are always only a layer or two from shivering.

While the EAST is supposed to have a warm-up this week, we’re just the opposite with thunderstorms and snow!

MONDAY Cloudy 65/41
TUESDAY Cloudy 47/40
WEDNESDAY Rain 49/37
THURSDAY Thunderstorms/Snow 47/34
FRIDAY Snow/Rain 46/34
SATURDAY Rain 45/ 39
SUNDAY Rain 45/34

ON MY MIND

I lost last week! I really do NOT know where it went and mainly because of other people and having to pivot to pick up the slack. I know I’ve said it before, but I’m getting super close to throwing in the towel on the Eagles and the continually growing issues at hand. :SIGH: 😔 See my funny for today. I picked it long before today, but boy does it fit!!!!!

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING As caught up as possible.
GROCERIES & ERRANDS I’m headed to town today to get everything done before the next storm begins.
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I have a couple weeks planned, but am taking it as it comes so I’m not disappointed with all the pivots I’ve been having to make.

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

STREAMING We’ve been binge watching CROSSING JORDAN and a new season of STEEL MAGNOLIAS is on for me during the day when I can.
CABLE Tournament of Champions, Spring Baking Championship starts tomorrow, Guy’s Grocery Games, Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage, Ghosts, Matlock, Ellsbeth, Tracker, The Way Home, When Calls the Heart…

READING TIME

I’m between books, but hope to start a new one tonight.

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀

	3/10 MONDAY	3/11 TUESDAY	3/12 WEDNESDAY	3/13 THURSDAY	3/14 FRIDAY	3/15 SATURDAY	3/16 SUNDAY
DINNER	MEETING NIGHT CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT or YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN	MEATBALL SALAD	STUBBY CHICKEN	SHORT CUT CHICKEN CORDON BLEU	OUT with FRIENDS	PIZZA EGG ROLLS	CHICKEN SALTIMBOCCA
DESSERT				SALTED CARAMEL PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

I am not entirely happy with my picture “A Walk in the Wilderness”, but I’ll keep working on it, the bushes in particular 😀

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPES COMING UP THIS WEEK

LOADED SEAFOOD CHOWDER
BUFFALO CRUSTED BAKED FISH & CHIPS

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

SILENT SUNDAY ~ BLOG 365.68

SATURDAY COFFEE ~ BLOG 365.67

TGIF ~ BLOG 365.66

BAKED MANICOTTI with MEAT SAUCE aka ITALIAN ENCHILADAS Ala BOLEGNESE ~ BLOG 365.65

This recipe has been adapted from a Cook’s Country recipe. I think it may have also been featured in Cook’s Illustrated or America’s Test Kitchen at one point. For me, it was a cook out scrap in a pile that I adapted to fit my family.

The original recipe called for ground beef with pepperoni in the meat sauce. I changed the pepperoni to be in my filling and it really works for us and I use sirloin beef tips instead of ground beef. I also added twice the crushed tomatoes they called for. And then I added more herbs to the cheese filling and I use my homemade sauce recipe.

The prep time to make it completely from scratch makes it a weekend meal, BUT it adapts to pre-prepared ingredients including jarred or canned sauce 🙂 It tastes even better the next day for lunch!

BAKED MANICOTTI with MEAT SAUCE aka ITALIAN ENCHILADAS Ala BOLEGNESE
MEAT SAUCE
1 tablespoon butter or avocado oil
1 LARGE Vidalia onion, small chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 LARGE carrot, small diced
1 pound sirloin beef tips, cut into small pieces
4 ounces tomato paste
1 cup homemade chicken stock
1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
56 ounces (2 LARGE cans) crushed tomatoes, undrained
FRESH ground salt and black pepper

In a large stock pot melt butter or heat oil.
Saute onions, carrots and garlic until golden.
Add beef tips, season with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, sautéing 5 minutes.
Add chicken stock, tomato paste, tomatoes and red pepper flakes, stirring to blend.
Reduce heat to LOW and simmer 30-45 minutes until meat is falling apart, sauce has thickened and is fragrant.
Adjust seasonings to taste.

FILLING
3 cups Ricotta cheese
1 LARGE egg, lightly beaten
2 cups Mozzarella cheese
1 LARGE egg, lightly beaten
FRESH ground salt and black pepper, to taste
4-6 ounces pepperoni, diced small
2 tablespoons freeze dried basil
1 teaspoon Italian herbs

In a large bowl combine ricotta, Mozzarella cheese, egg, basil, herbs, pepperoni pieces and FRESH ground salt and black pepper, to taste.
Heat oven to 375°.

NOODLES
16 Barilla OVEN READY no-boil lasagna noodles

Place lasagna noodles in a baking dish.
Pour boiling water over noodles and let sit 5 minutes until pliable.
Drain noodles on kitchen towel.
Discard water.

ASSEMBLY
1 cup Mozzarella cheese

Spread 1/2 of the meat sauce on the bottom of your baking dish.
Spread about 1/4 cup filling onto each noodle and gently roll up.
Place seam side into sauced pan.
Spread remaining sauce over noodles.
Cover with foil and bake 40-45 minutes on middle rack until bubbling at edges.
Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake another 5 minutes until cheese is melted.
Turn off oven and let set 5-10 minutes before serving.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY ~ BLOG 365.64

CHICKEN PARMESAN LASAGNA ~ BLOG 365.63

CHICKEN PARMESAN LASAGNA 10 servings

You can have Chicken Parmesan with a side of pasta or you can do the fun things and and make it all together!

3 chicken breasts
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 cup AP flour
5 LARGE eggs
2 cups Italian bread crumbs
oil, for frying
2 cups ricotta cheese (FULL fat)
3 cups marinara sauce
8 lasagna noodles
1 ½ cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 ½ cups shredded Parmesan cheese
FRESH chopped basil, to garnish

Cut chicken breasts in half so you have 6 pieces, pounding thin if necessary.
Generously season with salt and pepper.

Make a dredging station:
1) flour
2) 4 of the eggs beaten together
3) bread crumbs
Coat the chicken in the flour, then the eggs, and finally in the bread crumbs.

Heat the vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
Fry the chicken 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Let drain on paper towels.
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese and the remaining egg.
Preheat the oven to 350°.
Spread ⅓ of the marinara sauce over the bottom of baking dish.
Top with 4 lasagna noodles, ½ of the ricotta mixture, and 3 chicken cutlets.
Sprinkle with ½ cup of mozzarella and ½ cup of Parmesan cheese.
Repeat to make another layer.
Finish with the remaining sauce and mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
Cover with foil and bake for 45-60 minutes. Uncover the lasagna during the last 10 minutes of baking.
Serve with a sprinkle of fresh basil.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY, MENU & RECIPE LINKS week 9 of 2025 ~ BLOG 365.62

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

LAST WEEK RECAPPED

Last week was one of those weeks that did NOT go as planned. Every day was rearranged to accommodate the last minute appointments and changes not to mention the weird weather ups and downs. I did get a few things done, but not nearly what I had planned. Yesterday was hubby’s birthday so I literally didn’t get anything done yesterday.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

We’re returning to the previously scheduled winter 😀 with high temperatures in the 40’s and lows in the 30’s with and LOTS of rain this week.

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING Laundry is all up to date and I deep cleaned the kitchen, but need to do some vacuuming.
GROCERIES & ERRANDS I’m going shopping in a bit for this week’s menu.
PAPERWORK & PHONE CALLS I have a ton of paperwork and texting to do to get the April meals planned for the Eagles
RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I have the menu planned through this next weekend and am working on the rest of March and April.

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

STREAMING We’re finally getting around to watching 1923 and for fun Resident Alien and Gilmore Girls (AGAIN).
CABLE Tournament of Champions, Kid’s Baking Championship, Mary Makes it Easy, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, Ghosts, Ellsbeth, Matlock

READING TIME

Book club met Saturday and my friend and I were able to convince them to go to monthly meetings so everyone had a chance to read the book so that our get togethers revolve around the actual book instead of devolving into mini conversations of nothingness. We are beginning THAT’S NOT MY NAME by Megan Lally.

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀

	3/3 MONDAY	3/4 TUESDAY	3/5 WEDNESDAY	3/6 THURSDAY	3/7 FRIDAY	3/8 SATURDAY	3/9 SUNDAY
DINNER	CORNED BEEF & VEGGIES	CHICKEN IN COCONUT PEANUT SAUCE	ROTINI AL FORNO	BOURBON HAM BALLS & CRANBERRY CORN BREAD	PIGEON RIVER CHICKEN	SHORT RIBS with GARLIC MASHED POTATOES	GERMAN SHORT RIBS
DESSERT		HAWAIIAN BANANA BREAD