Category: MISC

OLD FASHIONED MACARONI & CHEESE

1 2/3 cups dry, small elbow or shells macaroni cooked and drained
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
3/4 cup 1% milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 + 1/2  cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease 2-quart casserole dish.
  • Combine evaporated milk, 1% milk and butter in medium saucepan.
  • Stir in flour and pepper.
  • Cook over medium-heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil.
  • Boil for 1 minute.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Stir in 2 cups cheese until melted.
  • Add macaroni and onions, blending well.
  • Pour into prepared casserole dish.
  • Top with remaining cheese.
  • Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until cheese is melted and light brown.

HAMBURGERS

Hubby’s Hamburger Recipe…
3 pounds ground beef or ground turkey
1 1/2 tube of Ritz crackers
1/2 cup of BBQ sauce
1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
garlic salt to taste
garlic powder to taste
pepper to taste

  • Mix all ingredients together by hand in large bowl
  • Form into desired size patties
  • Cook on grill to desired doneness with or without cheese
  • Enjoy with your favorite condiments
  • Happy Eating…




Bizzy Goes Healthy – Quinoa Pasts with Goat Cheese & Vegetables

BBB
As I understand it, Wednesday is supposed to be healthy recipes and I can honestly say, I have been working on eating healthier meals.  I have fallen in love with vegetable and fruit.  From childhood, I rarely volunteered to take a piece of fruit or eat a salad.  Now, salads are better than chocolate.

There is the other half of me.  I still love sweets.  While savory wins out, sweets play a big place in my eating, which is why I say I am working on  healthier meals.  I am not there yet.

I got to this recipe by checking out several blogs and by my new admiration for goat cheese.  I only started eating goat cheese, this year, and in that short time, I found several different ways to use it.  I have loved each one, especially since I discovered herb goat cheese and Pecan Cranberry goat cheese.    I add these to salads with greens and all of a sudden, I am eating something heavenly.

Quinoa Pasta with Goat Cheese & Vegetables 

I don’t really like titles of recipes that go on and on with all the important ingredients but I am not sure, I can distinguish the dish, without some key words.  I played around with the title.  I tried Balsamic Quinoa Pasta but that was not accurate.  Balsamic vinegar is a minor flavor and did not belong in the title.  I wanted to stress the goat cheese and vegetables as main components.  At one point, I removed the vegetables from the title but Quinoa Pasta with Goat Cheese sounded sterile.  The heart of the recipe is a combination of the pasta and veggies but the goat cheese gives it the fullness of the flavor.

I just noticed that the final photo is missing and when I looked for it, it is no longer there.  My apologies. The recipe is really too good to bring in another. 

Ingredients:
12 ounces spaghetti type pasta (fettuccine)
1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon oil from dried tomatoes
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
1 yellow pepper, sliced
1 very small zucchini, cut in half and then half again and then in 8 cubes for each piece
1 yellow zucchini, cut the same way as zucchini
1 red onion, chopped
1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh oregano
a few drops of hot cayenne pepper sauce
2 tablespoons Parmesan, grated
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Method:
In a medium to large saucepan, boil water for pasta.  Let simmer while you cook vegetables. Follow the package directions.

In a large skillet, heat oil.  Add onion and cook for three minutes.  Add remaining vegetables and cook for another three minutes or until onion is translucent.  Mix in Balsamic vinegar.
Add oregano to vegetables and mix in.  Pour vegetables over pasta in bowl.  Sprinkle with Parmesan and then with goat cheese.  Mix pasta, vegetables and goat cheese together.

Serve.

I had no idea how this was going to turn out.  My choices for vegetables and cheese were based on what I had, in the house.  I would think thinly sliced carrots would be another vegetable that would blend in, nicely.  I plan to make this often, each time using up the vegetables in the refrigerator.

Other quinoa dishes…..
Bake With Bizzy
Link up to Bake With Bizzy

STRAWBERRY KIWI BUTTERMILK SHORTCAKE

This is even better when you take the time to make fresh whipped cream or homemade vanilla ice cream to go with it.

GLAZE
2 baskets fresh strawberries, sliced
2 kiwis, chopped
1 cup pureed strawberries*
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons KARO light corn syrup
3 tablespoons cornstarch
½ cup water

BUTTERMILK SHORTCAKE
2 cups flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
dash of salt
4 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup butter, softened, but not melted
¾ cup buttermilk**

  • Mix together 1 cup sugar, corn syrup, cornstarch and water in a 2 quart sauce pan, cover and bring to a slow boil. 
  • When you reach a boil remove the lid. Add the 1 cup pureed strawberries and boil a few minutes more.  Chill 10-15 minutes.  After the sauce is chilled, pour over the fruit and toss gently.  Return to the refrigerator to continue chilling. 
  • Sift the dry ingredients together. Add the milk and butter and mix well into a soft dough. DO NOT over knead – it will become tough. 
  • Grease an 8 inch pie pan really well. Gently arrange dough into an even mound and pre-cut into your serving portions before baking. 
  • Bake at 400° for 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick done and golden brown. 
  • Slice each shortcake open, dot with a thin layer of honey, arrange on plate and top with a scoop of the  strawberry kiwi glaze and vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

*I use the less than pretty berries for the puree.

**As a substitute, Buttermilk can be made by adding 2 tablespoons of vinegar to regular milk.

SNICKERDOODLES with TASTE & CREATE

Taste and Create was started as a food event by Nicole from For the Love of Food.  The whole purpose of Taste and Create was, and has been, and continues to be to create a community of bloggers who test each others’ recipes and share links. The participants of the event are paired together and try a new recipe from one another’s blog.  My partner this month is Carol from NO REASON NEEDED for our 3rd pairing. I spent another lazy afternoon perusing her recipes again and was still intrigued by her unusual recipe titles like elephant ear cookies, zippy slow cooker chili, pizza stuffed pretzels and super easy strawberry and lime ice cream but opted for a comfort favorite of ours snickerdoodles. Carol’s recipe is here.

SNICKERDOODLES
1 1/2 cups sugar + 1/4 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2  eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2  teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • Heat oven to 400ºF.
  • Mix 1 1/2 cups sugar, butter and eggs in large bowl. 
  • Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.
  • Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. 
  • Mix 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture. 
  • Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
  • Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. 
  • Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

While our recipes varied quite a bit, the result was the virtually the same in taste and completely the same in that the plate was empty in no time flat!

GREEK SALAD

I can’t even begin to tell you how good this is.  I could seriously sit down and eat the entire bowl.  If you like feta cheese, you are going to love this.
Greek Salad adapted from A Step Into My Kitchen
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 red bell pepper, large-diced
1 yellow bell pepper, large-diced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, sliced in half-rounds
1/2 pound feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)
1/2 cup calamata olives and green olives, pitted

For the vinaigrette:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup good red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good olive oil

Directions:  Place the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Still whisking, slowly add the olive oil to make an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the feta and olives and toss lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.
 
Modifications:
-I didn’t have a cucumber on hand so I just left it out.

Here is some of what you will need.  I messed up the first picture and didn’t have all of the ingredients out for the vinaigrette.
Dice up the peppers. Dice up the onions.  Cut up the tomatoes into about the same size as the peppers and onion
What you’ll need for the vinaigrette:
Mince up a couple cloves of garlic.  Toss garlic and oregano into a bowl. Add the dijon mustard
Add the red wine vinegar and whisk away.
Slowly whisk in the olive oil and use sea salt to season, as needed
Pour over the veggies

Add olives and feta cheese
Here’s what you’ll end up with:
Our Thoughts:
What else can I say?  It is absolutely fantastic.

5-Want it again tomorrow!

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND! & FARMER’S BREAKFAST

This is another one of those recipes that has floated around for so long that I have no idea what I tore it out of. The paper has yellowed, the edges look like they have been gnawed on, but the flavor is the same and perfect for a long lazy weekend!
FARMER’S BREAKFAST
1/4 cup butter
2 cups small cubed uncooked potatoes
1 large bunch green onion, sliced thin
1 cup cubed ham
6 eggs
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack/Mild Cheddar combo

  • Melt butter in cast iron pan.
  • Add potatoes and onions. Sprinkle with celery salt.
  • Cover and cook over a medium high heat, stirring occasionally until evenly brown and golden, about 20 minutes.
  • Add the ham and cook another 5 minutes.
  • Reduce the heat to low.*
  • Whisk together the eggs, salt, pepper and cream until well blended.
  • Pour egg mixture over ham and potatoes, cover and cook until eggs are almost set, about 10 minutes.
  • Occasionally run a knife of spatula around the edge to allow eggs to run down and not burn.
  • Sprinkle with cheese and cover again until cheese melts.
  • Cut into wedges and serve with toasted Oat Sunflower Bread.

*Using an electric stove, I switch burners and start with a cooler burner at this point since cast iron does not cool down as quickly. I like the cast iron though for the nice crisp edge to the potatoes.

Fire Day Friday: Sparkling Barbecue Chicken

Last year, I won a copy of Steven Raichlen’s Planet Barbecue! and it has become one of my favorite cookbooks… or grill-books I should say 🙂  Either way you say it, I love it.


Now, I have not made as many things out of this book as I would like, but I’ll get there, I just need time and patience.

Of all the recipes I have tried, though, this one is definitely the easiest.  It was a quick way to put together a tasty meal with very little effort.  And, I thought it was an interesting little spin on the standard barbecue chicken.

So what makes it sparkling?  Lemon-lime soda, of course.  The great thing is, this barbecue sauce truly did sparkle.  And the soda brought a bit of a sweet flavor to the barbecue sauce.  It was delicious!

Sparkling Barbecue Chicken

Adapted from Steven Raichlen’s Planet Barbecue!
Ingredients:
1/4 cup lemon-lime soda (like 7up or Sprite)
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce (recipe for homemade bbq sauce)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:
Mix together all the ingredients except for the chicken, in a bowl until well combined.  Reserve 3-4 tablespoons of the sauce.  Put chicken in a resealable bag and pour the remaining sauce of the chicken.  Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours (you can really get away with 2, but the longer it marinates the more flavorful it will be).

Preheat grill to 375 degrees F.  Brush oil on the grill grates.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and place directly over the fire.  Grill for 8-10 minutes per side or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.  You can use the reserved sauce for basting in the last 5 minutes of grill time or you can serve it along side – heck, do both, I dare you 🙂  Enjoy!

YUCATAN CHICKEN ~ ACHIOTE PASTE – YUCATAN STYLE SAUCE

YUCATAN CHICKEN 

1/2 cup achiote paste
2 tablespoons chopped chipotle chile pepper
1 ripe banana
1 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons kosher salt
10 large boneless chicken breasts

  • Blend marinade ingredients in a food processor until the mixture is thick. 
  • Pour into a sealable plastic bag, add the chicken and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. 
  • Barbeque with marinade on chicken, being careful not to burn the chicken as it cooks. 
  • Watch closely. The finished chicken will have nice orange red color. 

RASPBERRY GLAZED ROSEMARY CHICKEN BREASTS

Don’t you just love all the things you can do with chicken?  I love trying new toppings and glazes.  It just seems fun to be able to dress up a chicken in different ways.

The rosemary was the predominant flavor on this. If you love rosemary, you will love these. The raspberry preserves resulted in a very nice sweetness that wasn’t overpoweringly tasting like raspberry. They really were well flavored and sweetened. I would make these again for sure.Raspberry Glazed Rosemary Chicken Breasts1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts (I used 3 – 6 oz. breasts)
1 tablespoon crushed rosemary
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1/2 teaspoon honey mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves (I left this out)

Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl, stir together crushed rosemary, sage and oregano. Rub each side of the breasts with herb mixture. Place chicken in a baking dish and pour broth over chicken. Bake for about 20 minutes. Place raspberry preserves in microwave and heat for 20 – 30 seconds to soften. Stir in honey mustard and fresh rosemary. Spread preserve mixture evenly over each breast. Bake about 10 minutes more or until chicken is done.

Total calories for 18 oz. of chicken = 902
3 servings = 301 calories per chicken breast

Asparagus & Pea Soup

Asparagus and Pea Soup
1 bunch asparagus (about one pound)
2 cups snap peas (fresh or frozen)

1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
4 gloves garlic, skin removed
Sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

  • Clean and snap the ends off the asparagus.  Rinse well.
  • Bring a large pot filled with water to a boil over high heat.
  • Blanch asparagus until tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and with a slotted spoon remove the asparagus.  Do not discard the cooking water.
  • Bring the water back to a boil, toss in the snap peas and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes. 
  • Remove from the heat and remove the peas and garlic with a slotted spoon.
  • Reserve the cooking liquid.
  • Place pea mixture in the blender with the asparagus and puree until smooth.
  • You might need to add some of the cooking liquid to reach the consistency that you like.
  • Season with salt and pepper and serve either hot or room temperatures.
  • Top with green onions and a dollop of sour cream.