Two Sisters and Friends

Tradtional Bread and Butter Pickles

2011-07-06T14:33:00.001-07:00

I love my summer time activities. One of the things I enjoy doing is canning. That may sound a bit strange, but I find it relaxing and it makes a great gift come Christmas time. Here is the recipe that I use that I like. You can do the same thing with squash, which I love!

For the basics of home canning you can go to
http://www.canningbasics.com/

10 cups of pickling cucumbers
4 medium white onions
1/2 cup canning salt
Cold water
3 cups vinegar
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoons celery seed
1 teaspoons turmeric
2 Tbsp mustard seeds

Slice unpeeled cucumbers 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Slice peeled white onions 1/8 inch thick.
In a large stockpot, arrange cucumbers in layers, sprinkling each layer with canning salt. Let stand for 2 hours; rinse in cold water and drain in colander.

Bring vinegar and remaining ingredients to a boil. Add vegetables; bring to a boil again and boil for 5 minutes.

Pack into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust caps. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.

Roast Beef Sandwiches Au Jus

2011-06-20T18:19:00.000-07:00

This is the first of the freezer meals that I made. It was really tasty and VERY easy!!!!! Well worth the few minutes it takes to make it.

1.5 pound London broil
1 oz package of au jus gravy mix
1 oz package of brown gravy mix
3 cups water
4-6 sandwich rolls

Trim fat off meat. Sprinkle gravy mixes on London broil in 1-gallon Ziploc bag. Label and freeze. Thaw, add 3 cups water to back and shake. Pour into Crock-Pot and cook (low) for 3-4 hours. Slice mean and return to sauce. Serve on toasted buns.

Once a Month Cooking

2011-06-20T17:55:00.001-07:00

Okay, I have been a bad cook and blogger the last couple of months. I have not been planning my meals as I know I need to. I know myself well enough to know that if I don't have plan, we end up eating out more. The girls had swim lessons the last couple of weeks from 5:30 to 7:00 each night. Between that and the end of school, we have been out of kilter. It has also been 95 degrees (or higher) each day, and it is only June! I hate to be in the kitchen when it is 100 degrees. So, I pulled out a cookbook that I purchased not too long ago. It is a Once-a-Month Cooking by Wilson and Lagerborg. It has menus, supply lists and recipes for two-weeks of cooking, or even a month of cooking. I decided to try one of the two week menus. I now have 14 meals in the freezer for summer use. The cookbook is set up to be used as a guide and was pretty easy to use. I ended up splitting up the cooking into two days, so I was not as efficient as I could have been. I was very pleased with the results so far. I think that I could use the 14 meals over a three week time period very easily by inserting a couple of vegetarian meals into the mix. I couldn't do this once a month, it was very intense, but once every few months I could make it work. The other thing to consider is the cost of the meals. I think the author's did a great job on this. I spent about $135.00 for the 14 meals. I thought that was pretty good!

Here are the meals that I have in the freezer:

Hearty Hamburger Tomato Stew

Chinese Chicken Morsels

Roast Beef sandwiches with Au Jus

Grilled Fish

Chicken Spaghetti

Mandarin Orange Chicken

Grilled Chile Pepper Cheeseburgers

Rainy day Chicken with Rice

Polynesian Pork Loin

Blackened Chicken Breast

Chicken Cacciatore

Meal-on-the-Run Pork Loin

Chile Verde

Savory Beef

Sonic Cherry Limeade

2011-06-06T17:54:00.000-07:00

Here is a summer favorite! Easy and cheaper than a run to the drive through.

Ingredients:
1 (12 ounce) can Sprite
3 lime wedges
1/4 cup cherry juice (Libby's Juicy Juice best)

Directions:
1 Fill a 16 oz glass 2/3 full with ice Pour sprite over the ice.
2 add the juice of 3 lime wedges and drop them into the drink.
3 add the cherry juice and serve with straw.

Makes one 16 oz. drink.

Pulled Pork BBQ Pizza

2011-05-11T16:35:00.000-07:00

Wow it's been a while since I've posted a recipe. To be honest I haven't been very creative lately so I haven't had anything exciting to post. Last night I did find a really good recipe that helped me use up some leftover pulled pork that I made in the crock pot. It was a hit in this household. I found it on the food network website. It is an Emeril recipe:

Dough:

Make or buy your dough. I use the recipe that came with my breadmaker.

Cheese:

12 oz Shredded Mozzerella

BBQ Sauce (instead of tomato sauce):

1 c apple cider vinegar

1 c ketchup

1/4 c light brown sugar

1 T molasses

1 T yellow mustard

2 t worchestershire sauce

1/2 t minced garlic

1/4 t cayenne pepper

1/4 t freshly ground pepper

In a medium saucepan, combine ingredients (mixing to dissolve sugar). Allow sauce to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Roll out dough. Spoon 1 cup of the cooled bbq sauce over the pizza dough, leaving about 3/4" of dough uncovered around the edge. Spread the pulled pork over the sauce. Top with onion and/or bell pepper if desired. Spread cheese evenly over pizza. Bake at 425F for 10 to 15 minutes or until cooked through.

Broccoli Salad

2011-05-09T19:51:00.000-07:00

Great summer time salad!

Ingredients:
1 large head broccoli, broken into small flowerettes
1 medium onion or about 1/2 cup chopped onion
8 to 10 slices bacon
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
2 to 3 Tablespoons vinegar
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Directions:
1. Cut bacon into bits and fry crisp.
2. Mix together mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, bacon, raisins and nuts (if using).
3. Pour over broccoli and onions. Mix well.
4. Let stand at least 1 hour or more before serving.

My new favorite things....

2011-05-09T19:29:00.001-07:00

I have a few items that I want to share that I a loving in the kitchen...

1. The garden is filling in, and the lettuce is growing daily by the yard... I needed a way to keep the lettuce fresh, so I made a SMALL investment in a salad spinner. I LOVE IT! I week later the lettuce is still fresh. It takes up a little space in the fridge, but well worth it! I found one for about 10 dollars

2. The Wolfgang Puck Rice Cooker/ Steamer/ and Slow Cooker is my new FAVORITE KITCHEN APPLIANCE! A few months ago my rice cooker died. it was a hard pill to swallow, but I did not rush out to get one. I did have my eye open. My slow cooker was getting too hot, and I was starting to burn dishes that should be fine cooking all day. I was flipping channels and I saw an add for this new appliance. I ordered it on a whim- and I TOTALLY LOVE IT!!!!! It acts as a slow cooker, rice cooker, and a steamer. I am using it two or three times a week. the shape also helps with counter shape. If you cook a lot in the slow cooker, I would totally check it out! I was also able to get it for the price of $39.00.

http://kitchen-dining.hsn.com/wolfgang-puck-bistro-elite-10-cup-digital-multicooker_p-6269401_xp.aspx?o=RvItems-P&sz=5&ocm=seis&attr=&subcat=&cat=QC0097&dept=QC0010&sf=QC&gs=&prev=&cm_sp=Recommended*PD*bottom&ccm=QCQC0010QC0097

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

2011-05-09T19:11:00.000-07:00

When you have to use the crock pot one or two nights a week, you can get TIRED of using it. It all seems the same. So when I found this recipe, I thought it sounded like something different. It is also really easy! I think I will add some veggies in with it, too. I am all about getting it all in together! I am glad the school year is almost to an end... we need a break!

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 Tablespoons butter
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 onion, finely chopped
2 (10 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces

Directions:
1. Place the chicken, butter, soup, and onion into the slow cooker. Fill with enough water to cover.
2. Cover, and cook for 5 to 6 hours on High.
3. About 30 minutes before serving, place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker.
4. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center.

Yakisoba from Mark Bittman

2011-05-09T19:04:00.000-07:00

I love Mark Bittman. He is my favorite chef. He cooks with simple ingredients, and a variety of cultures represented in his cooking. This is one of the recipes from his new show The Minalmist on the Cooking Channel. I also liked this recipe because it is a basic recipe that can use different meats and veggies. I did not like the smell of the sauce, but once it was cooked it was great.

Ingredients
Salt
6 ounces dried or 10 to 12 ounces fresh Chinese egg noodles
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 pork chops, thinly sliced
1 small head Napa or savoy cabbage, shredded (about 4 cups)
2 carrots, shredded
2 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons mirin or a bit of sugar
Few drops hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
1 bunch scallions, chopped, white parts only

Recipe

Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it, and add noodles. Cook until just done, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and run under cold water. Toss noodles with sesame oil to keep them from sticking together, and set aside.

Put peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add ginger and cook, stirring, until just fragrant, about 1 minute. Add pork and cook for about 5 minutes or until the pork is no longer pink and is starting to brown around the edges.

Add cabbage and carrots to skillet and stir; sprinkle with salt. Continue to cook until vegetables soften, adding a bit of water, as needed to keep them from sticking.

Meanwhile, stir together in a small bowl ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mirin, and hot sauce. When vegetables are soft and any liquid has evaporated, add noodles and sauce to skillet. Toss to coat everything well and cook until noodles are warmed through. Serve, topped with chopped scallions

Ramen Noodle Salad

2011-04-17T18:27:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 cups of shredded cabbage

1 cup of shreeded carrots or broccoli/ carrot mix

4 green onions, chopped

1 package ramen noodles (Oriental flavor)

2 Tablespoons slivered almonds, sunflower seeds, or sesame seeds

Dressing (whisk or shake together):

1/2 cup salad oil 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar 3 Tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper Flavor packet from ramen noodles

Directions: 1. Toast the nuts or seeds in a warm oven for 6-8 minutes, watching carefully to prevent over-toasting. Cool. 2. Combine cabbage, carrots and onions. 3. Break up noodles and add to vegetables. 4. Shortly before serving, add nuts or seeds and the mixed dressing; toss well.

Exploding Chicken Taquitos

2011-04-17T18:17:00.000-07:00

Quick, easy, and very tasty. This was a great end of the week recipe when I was tired and not wanting to cook. The girls also enjoyed. Courtesy of Hungry Girl on Cooking Channel Ingredients:

One 9.75-oz. (or 10-oz.) can 98% fat-free chunk white chicken breast in water, drained and flaked

1/2 cup salsa

8 small (6-inch) yellow corn tortillas

1/3 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese

1/4 tsp. dry taco seasoning mix

Optional dips: additional salsa, fat-free sour cream

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and salsa, and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Dampen two paper towels, and place tortillas between them. Microwave for about 1 minute, until tortillas are warm and pliable. Set aside. Remove chicken mixture from the fridge, and drain any excess liquid. Add cheese and taco seasoning, and mix to combine. This is your filling. Set aside. Prepare a baking sheet by spraying it with nonstick spray. Set aside. Place one tortilla flat on a clean dry surface (keep the rest between the paper towels), and spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons of filling onto the tortilla. Spread it evenly across the entire surface, and roll tortilla up tightly, so that you have a cigar-shaped tube. Secure with toothpicks, if needed, and place seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Bake in the oven until crispy, 14 - 16 minutes. (Don't worry if they crack and "explode" a little!) Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Remove toothpicks, if using. If you like, serve with additional salsa and sour cream for dipping. Enjoy! MAKES 4 SERVINGS

CROCK POT NO PEEK STEW

2011-04-11T18:13:00.000-07:00

New Crock-Pot recipe. It was easy, and it was ready when we got home. Both girls liked it, so I would say it is a keeper!

1 lb. chuck or stew meat, cubed
2 c. potatoes, cut up
2 c. carrots, cut up
2 c. celery, cut up
1 lg. onion
1 c. each frozen green beans, peas, corn or whatever vegetables you wish
1 can Campbell's tomato soup
1 can water
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. parsley flakes
1 tsp. salt and salt substitute
1 tsp. Lawry's seasoned salt

Mix all ingredients together in crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours. Don't peek!

Rachel Ray Brisket Supper

2011-04-10T19:02:00.000-07:00

This was FABULOUS! I ended up using a pot roast since the grocery store was out of brisket. I also think I could do this in a slowcooker. Well worth the time!

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Ingredients • 1 (5 to 5 1/2 pounds) lean beef brisket • Sea or kosher salt and coarse black pepper • 4 tablespoons olive oil • 4 medium onions, halved and sliced • 4 cloves garlic, sliced • 4 fresh bay leaves • A couple pinches ground cloves or allspice • 2 tablespoons tomato paste • 1 cup dry white wine • 2 cup chicken or beef stock • 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes

Directions • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. • Season the meat liberally with salt and pepper. Add a couple of tablespoons olive oil to a large Dutch oven, a couple of turns of the pan, and heat over medium-high heat. Add the meat and brown all over, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan and drain off meat fat if any accumulates. Add another turn or 2 of the pan with extra-virgin olive oil. Add onions, garlic, bay and season with salt and pepper, cook to tender 8 to 10 minutes, add in a few pinches cloves and stir in the tomato paste 1 minute. Next stir in the wine and deglaze the pan, then add the stock and canned diced tomatoes and stir to combine. Settle the meat back into the pot and cover. Bake 1 1/2 hours, then uncover and bake 1 hour to reduce the liquids, then place the cover back on and cook until very tender, 1 1/2 hours more. • Remove the brisket to the carving board and cover with foil to keep warm. • Reduce the sauce a few minutes, simmering gently, uncovered to thicken a bit.

Easy Baked Ziti

2011-04-03T17:57:00.000-07:00

I love the baked ziti recipe that I got from my mom, but it can truly feed a crowd of 8 to 10. I am not up for that kind of recipe on a Sunday night for the four of us. I found this easy recipe that the girls really enjoyed. They liked it so much that they are taking it to school for lunch tomorrow.

If you are interested in feeding a crowd, see this recipe: http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/12/baked-ziti.html

Ingredients:
• 1 box Ziti or Rigatoni noodles
• 1 Can Del Monte Traditional Sauce (or your own recipe)
• 1 Ricotta Cheese (16 oz)
• 2 tablespoons. Lawry's Seasoned Salt (or more for your taste)
• 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
• Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
Cook ziti according to directions. Put in 9" X 13" pan. Mix in Ricotta cheese and seasoned salt. Mix in Mozzarella cheese. Pour sauce over top. Bake in 350° oven for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, serve. Delicious!

April Meal Planning

2011-04-03T17:40:00.000-07:00

I can't believe we are to the fourth month of 2o11! We have 9 weeks of school left, and we are starting to plan the summer. The sun is starting to come out, and just like the plants, I feel like I am coming out of hibernation. I have been reading cookbooks, blogs, and watching cooking shows. I am ready to experiment in the kitchen again. You will see that many of my recipes this time are new. I am also trying to get back to one vegetarian meal a week. I strayed a bit in the fall, I find it so much easier to go vegetarian when the food veggies are fresher. I will be posting the recipes through the week, as I try the new things.

Gordon Meals April 2011 -

Dinner Tool

2011-03-24T19:04:00.000-07:00

I was introduced to a cool website this week called

www.dinnertool.com

It is a website that helps meal planning and assists in making the lists for grocery store. It is very cool! I can see using it to get started with your own meal planning. The folks at Dinner Tool approached us about linking to their website. They had found ours, liked it, and wanted to use it as a link from theirs. It looks like a great deal for both of us. :) Take some time to check it out!

You can see Two Sisters and Friends with this link:

http://www.dinnertool.co m/page/friends

Camp-Out Chicken

2011-03-24T18:17:00.000-07:00

We are on spring break this week. I have enjoyed cooking meals in a more laid back manner; there have been no dance classes or choirs or meetings to run to. I have still had to plan the meals, but not based on what is going on in the evenings. Needless to say- it has been quite refreshing. One of the things that I wanted to do with the girls this week is teach them how to cook a dinner in aluminum foil. This is the kind of meal we grew up making when we went camping. However, tonight we cheated and used the grill. They are very simple to make, and they are very quick to cook on the grill. The girls did all parts of it except for lay the chicken in! For some reason- if they pick it out and help make it; they eat better! It also makes for easy clean-up!

Ingredients (per packet)
5 baby carrots, diced
1/2 potato, sliced thin
1/4 onion, sliced thin
1 chicken breast
Cavenders seasoning
salt
pepper
olive oil

Directions

Tear off a big enough piece of aluminum foil for all of the ingredients to be folded into and covered. Pour a bit of olive oil onto the bottom of a sheet of aluminum foil.

Place a thin layer of potato on the bottom.

Place a thin layer of onions next.

Place a chicken breast on top.

Top with carrots and another thin layer of potatoes.

Season generously with salt, pepper, and Cavender's seasoning.

Top with a smidge of olive oil (that means very little :))

Fold the middle together, folding over at least once.

Fold the ends on top of the packet, to prevent the oil from leaking out.

Grill or cook over an open fire until the chicken juice is clear. (Took about 20 minutes on the grill.)

Crock Pot Cabbage and Beef Casserole

2011-03-13T18:54:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
•1 1/2 pounds ground beef
•1 medium onion, chopped
•1 small head cabbage
•2 cans diced tomatoes (15 oz each)
•1 can tomato sauce (8 oz) or 1 can condensed tomato soup
•1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon
•salt and pepper to taste
•About 2 cups hot cooked rice

Preparation:
Brown ground beef with onion; transfer to slow cooker/Crock Pot. Slice cabbage into small wedges; place on ground beef. Mix tomatoes, sauce, and seasonings; pour over all. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours. Serve over the rice or mix together.
Serves 6.

March Meal Planning

2011-03-13T18:48:00.000-07:00

Better late than never....

this month as been a week by week survival! I have finally finished the planning for this month. Enjoy!

March Meal Planning -

Chicken and Rice Casserole

2011-03-09T18:50:00.000-08:00

I have been a little behind this month, but I am still cooking and trying to keep us healthy and at home. This is a recipe I found that has become a household favorite. It is also a great one for company.

Ingredients:
4 cups diced, cooked chicken*
4 cups cooked rice
½ c. celery
½ c. diced onions
2 cans cream of chicken soup**
¼ c. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Lemon juice

Topping:
2 c. crushed cornflakes
3-6 Tbsp. Butter

Assembly:
Sauté onions and celery.
Combine chicken, soup, mayo, and lemon juice. Mix in rice. Add sautéed onion and celery.
Place in 9x13 baking dish.
Top with crushed cornflakes and crumbled butter.

Serving Day:
Thaw completely. Bake at 400 until heated through (about 45 minutes). If cornflakes start to turn too brown, lay a piece of foil over dish until done.

Veggie and Barley Soup

2011-02-04T18:44:00.000-08:00

This was a great crockpot meal from this week. It is a hearty vegetarian soup. If you want a sweeter soup, try sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes. It makes a big pot of soup, but makes great leftovers!

Ingredients:
• 1 cup medium pearl barley
• 1 bay leaf
• 9-oz. pkg. baby carrots
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 2 cups frozen green beans
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 3 (14 oz). cans vegetable broth
• 4 cups water
• 14-oz. can diced tomatoes with herbs, undrained

Preparation:
Place all ingredients except tomatoes in a 5-6 quart crockpot in the order given. Do not stir. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir soup and add tomatoes. Cover crockpot and cook for 10-15 minutes longer until soup is hot. Remove bay leaf before serving. 10 servings

February Meal Planning

2011-02-04T18:30:00.000-08:00

I can't believe another month has passed. I am hoping to blog a little better this month. I changed things just a bit in this month's planning. I have reduced it to five meals a week instead of six. We still eat in six nights a week, but I have a couple of things put back for quick fixes or leftovers for a night. We have enjoyed the meals together this month. After the busy month of December, it has been nice to have things getting back to normal. The test will be continuing it another month.

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/70948616/Gordon-Meal-Planning-February-2011

Texas Oven-Roasted Beef Brisket

2011-01-09T17:35:00.001-08:00

I bought some brisket for the first time. I found this recipe from Paula Dean which was pretty easy and very tasty. I served it with some mashed potatoes and it was very good! This does cook a long time, so it is a good Saturday or Sunday meal.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/texas-oven-roasted-beef-brisket-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon salt **The reviews said this is too much salt. I just used 1 teaspoon. You could probably use 2 teaspoons and be okay.
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 bay leaf, crushed
4 pounds beef brisket, trimmed
1 1/2 cups beef stock

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Make a dry rub by combining chili powder, salt, garlic and onion powders, black pepper, sugar, dry mustard, and bay leaf. Season the raw brisket on both sides with the rub. Place in a roasting pan and roast, uncovered, for 1 hour.

Add beef stock and enough water to yield about 1/2 inch of liquid in the roasting pan. Lower oven to 300 degrees F, cover pan tightly and continue cooking for 3 hours, or until fork-tender.

Trim the fat and slice meat thinly across the grain. Top with juice from the pan.

** I used baked this in my dutch oven.

Butter Chicken

2011-01-06T18:29:00.000-08:00

As I did the meal planning for the month, I asked Clay if there were anything he could think of that would be good to try. He told me that there was a yogurt based Indian chicken that he really likes, so this was the recipe I found for butter chicken. This is a great introduction to Indian spices. It has a milder taste than most curry based dishes. The girls enjoyed this, too. It took a little balancing as far as getting everything going, but I think it will easier next time. I would suggest having all the ingredients laid out before you begin.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/4 white onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup tomato puree
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 pinch salt
1 pinch black pepper
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water

Directions
1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Saute shallot and onion until soft and translucent. Stir in butter, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon garam masala, chili powder, cumin and bay leaf. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in half-and-half and yogurt. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat, and season with 1 teaspoon garam masala and cayenne. Stir in a few spoonfuls of sauce, and simmer until liquid has reduced, and chicken is no longer pink. Stir cooked chicken into sauce.

3. Mix together cornstarch and water, then stir into the sauce. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.

Server over rice.

Meal Planning, January 2011

2011-01-01T18:59:00.000-08:00

Here is plan for the Gordon Family's Meals for January 2011

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/68192763/Gordon-Meal-Planning-January-2011

Meal Planning- A How to Guide for Busy Families

2011-01-01T17:44:00.000-08:00

Welcome to 2011. I am welcoming in new year with open arms. I sat down the other day with a new calendar with the hopes of planning out a couple of weeks of January. I know that once school starts back, the family will be off and running. I also found out toward the end of last year, that I don't plan my meals, we don't eat as well during the week. I sat down with the calendar, and I was able to easily sketch out a month's worth of meals. I surprised myself. Now, I will see how much things change during the month. Right now I am planning on the family eating in at 6 nights a week. That will be a challenge. However, after the holiday, we need to eat in. If you start meal planning this year, try to keep some things in mind as you plan.

1. Start with planning a week at a time. Don't try a month to begin with. A week is plenty.

2. Make a grocery list on the weekend, shop and get all you need for the week, and then group your ingredients together in the pantry and fridge. It helps me stay organized.

3. Use the weekend (or evenings if you would rather) to pre-prep what you can for the week. My Thursday meal will almost always be made on Sunday.

4. After dinner each night, pull out what you need for the next night. I don't know how many times I have forgotten to pull meat out for the next day, because I forgot to plan ahead a bit.

5. Look at your schedule:

Gordon Schedule

Sunday: Homecooked Meal Night: I love trying new recipes and cooking a big dinner. This is a tradition that Clay brought from his house growing up. I have grown to love it. I try a lot of new recipes on Sunday afternoons.

Monday: Dance until 6:30 (Crockpot works best- girls are HUNGRY with they get home)

Tuesday: Home around 4:15- I enjoy cooking, but nothing to intricate

Wednesday: All home around 6. We are coming from two different places and activities with the kids.

Thursday: I'm a tired. . . so this is a night were I want something prepared and ready to go in the oven.

Friday/ Saturday: I will cook one of the two nights. Meal is planned for one or the other, but the other night will be to eat out.

So, knowing that - here is what I have figured out for us:

Sunday- cooking a big meal

Monday- Crockpot Night

Tuesday- Cook, but low maintenance

Wednesday- Crockpot, or Sandwiches

Thursday- Make-Ahead Meal (made on the weekend)

Friday/ Saturday- Family Favorites

5. Post your schedule on the fridge. I use a calendar. I try to make notes as the week goes on so I can see what works and what doesn't.

Here is a template for the year:

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/68192762/January-2011

Black-Eyed Pea Soup- New Year's Tradition

2011-01-01T17:18:00.000-08:00

I am not a superstious person. However, I don't see anything wrong with starting the new year off right. So, on New Year's day, we have a pot of black-eyed peas going. THis is an EASY recipe that is hard to mess up, but has a great deal of taste. It would be a great recipe on any cold winter day.

1 lb of Black-eyed Peas
2 cups of diced ham
1 medium onions, chopped
1 Can of diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon of Salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

Soak peas overnight.

Place peas in crockpot, and cover peas with water. Add ham, chopped onions, and can of diced tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper halfway through cooking. Place crockpot on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours. If needed, add more water, salt, or black pepper to taste.

Serve with cornbread muffins.

Browning Mix- Gift Idea

2011-01-01T17:03:00.000-08:00

This was the other mix that Mary gave to us. I made the brownies for a New Year's Eve Party. It made 2 dozen brownies. They were really good, and they were from scratch. Something I am a big fan of. :) I could see these making great gifts for families in the future.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup mini chocolate chip

Directions:Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins

Preparation

Wash and dry jars and lids in the dishwasher. Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt in a quart jar, pack firmly and brush residue off the insides of the jar with a pastry brush. Add cocoa, pack firmly and brush sides. Add sugar, pack and brush. Add chocolate chips and seal.

Attach the following recipe

1 jar brownie mix
1 cup butter melted
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9x13 inch baking pan by greasing and flouring.Place brownie mix in a bowl and stir to mix. Add butter, eggs and vanilla and mix until well blended. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.

Bake 25-30 minutes. Cool completely before cutting.

Chicken Noodle and Lentil Soup Mix-Gift Idea

2011-01-01T16:59:00.000-08:00

This was gift that we received for Christmas from Clay's cousin this year. The jar of soup mix was perfect this week as we returned home and had energy to cook. The girls and I really enjoyed the soup, but Clay LOVED it. I will be making this again for sure.

¼ cup of red lentils
2 tbsp. dried onion flakes
1 ½ tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
½ tsp. dried dill weed or dill seed
1/8 tsp each celery seed and garlic powder
approximately 1 cup medium egg noodles
1 bay leaf.

Directions:In a two-cup jar, layer from bottom in the order listed above, then seal the jar.

Write these instructions on your gift tag:Bring 8 cups of water to boil in large saucepan. Stir in jar of soup mix. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Discard bay leaf and stir in 1½ cups of frozen corn or mixed vegetables and 2 cups of cooked, diced chicken or turkey. Simmer for five minutes until vegetables are tender and chicken is heated through.

Baked Ziti

2010-12-22T13:16:00.001-08:00

This is a family favorite during the holidays. Mom also likes it because it feeds a crowd!

1 lbs of dry ziti
1 onion chopped
1 lbs of lean ground beef
2 jars (26 oz each) of spaghetti sauce
6 oz of Provolone Cheese, sliced
1 1/2 cups Sour cream
6-8 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 T of grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Boil pasta according to package directions. Drain.
2. In a skillet, brown onion, and ground beef over medium heat. Drain grease
3. Add spaghetti sauce and summer 15 to 20 minutes
4. Layer in a greased 9x 13 dish; half the ziti, provolone, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese, and remaining sauce.
5. Top with Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake at 350 degrees uncovered 30 to 40 minutes.

Let set 5 minutes before serving.

Make 8 to 12 servings

Birthday Bash 2011

2010-12-20T18:26:00.000-08:00

Well, today the girls will have their 6th and 8th Birthdays. It is hard to believe that they are getting that big. As we do every year, we will have a birthday party with the family for them. I thought this was the year I was going to order pizza and be done with it, but the other night Clay asked them what they wanted for their birthday dinner. When they made their request, it seemed reasonable. So, here is this year's menu. I'll have to post a picture of the cake later.

Grilled Chicken Breast (marinated in Italian Dressing) and BBQ Chicken Legs

Crock-pot Mac and Cheese
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/04/crock-pot-mac-and-cheese.html

Green Beans
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2008/11/gordon-greenbeans.html

Rudolph Cake

Lazy Lasagna

2010-12-20T18:10:00.000-08:00

This recipe is one we tried at the last cooking class. The girls loved it! It was super easy, and meatless. It will be put into the rotation at the Gordon house. It would also be a great freezer meal.

INGREDIENTS:
1 package of frozen spinach
1 small onion, chopped
1 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
3 lbs of cheese ravioli
4 cups of mozzarella

Ready In: 1 Hour 20 Minutes Servings: 8
DIRECTIONS: 1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2.Brown the onion in a skillet. Pour in spaghetti sauce and simmer 5 minutes.

3.In a 9x13 inch baking dish, spread enough sauce to cover bottom and put a layer of ravioli down end to end.

4.Spread a layer of sauce, spinach, and cheese just like you would with regular lasagna. Keep layering and finish with sauce on top.

5.Bake uncovered in a preheated oven for 1 hour. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Gift Ideas- Cookies

2010-12-08T19:26:00.000-08:00

Snickerdoodle Mix in a Jar

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups sugar

Layer all ingredients in Jar Or vacuum seal bag.

Attach Tag:

Snickerdoodles
Makes about 5 dozen cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
1 package Snickerdoodle Mix
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Cream butter/sugar, adding eggs. Add mix and blend till well mixed. Shape dough into 1" balls & roll in cinnamon & sugar. Bake 2" apart on ungreased baking sheets in 350F oven for 15-18 minutes.

-------------------------------------------------------------

M&M's Cookie Mix

1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup M&Ms® plain chocolate candies
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Combine all ingredients in Jar (in Layers) Or vacuum seal bag.

Attach Tag

1 Jar Mix
3/4 cup softened butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla;

Combine all in good size bowl & mix well. Drop by big spoonfuls on greased baking sheets & Bake in 350 F oven for 12-14 minutes.

Gift Ideas- Muffins

2010-12-08T19:12:00.000-08:00

Apple Muffin Mix

2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chopped dried apples

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Place the mix into an
airtight container. Makes 1 package.

To Use:

Apple Muffins
1 package Apple Muffin Mix
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 400 F and grease 12 muffin tins. Stir all ingredients
until they are just blended. Do not overmix. Spoon the batter into greased
muffin pans, filling 3/4 full. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden
brown.

------------------------------------------------------

3 Grain Muffin Mix

5 cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 cups Oat Bran or Quick Oats
5 cups Unbleached Flour
3 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Nutmeg
6 tsp. Baking Powder
2 tsp. Baking Soda

Blend Together and divide evenly into 4 pkgs.

Attach Tag:

3 cups Basic Muffin Mix
1/2 cup Oil
1/2 to 1 cup Sweetener (Honey, Maple Syrup, etc)
1 cup Fruit or Vegetable Puree (Pineapple, Apple, Carrot, Zucchini, Sweet Potato, Banana, Berries or Apple Sauce)
1/2 to 1 cup Milk
1 to 2 Egg(s)
1/2 to 1 cup Nuts, Raisins, Seeds or other Dried Fruit

Combine all ingredients. Do not overmix. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Gift Ideas- Drinks

2010-12-01T17:52:00.000-08:00

Here are some more gift ideas for the holiday season. Here are two drink recipes that look great in a small container or mason jar. I remember my parents receiving the Friendship Tea mix as gifts growing up. I personally LOVED it!

Rich Cocoa Mix
1 cup milk powder
1 cup powdered coffee creamer
1 cup sugar
½ cup cocoa powder

Mix well and store in a labeled container.

To make cocoa, use about 1 tablespoon mix per 1/4 cup steaming hot water added, or up to 5 tablespoons per regular mug

Friendship Tea Mix
1 (18 ounce) jar Tang breakfast drink (orange flavor)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup presweetened lemonade mix (such as Countrytime )
1/2 cup instant tea
1 (3 ounce box ) apricot Jell-O
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves

Combine all ingredients in zip-lock or vacuum seal bag (or jar!), whatever container you prefer.

To Use: add 2-3 Heaping Teaspoons per cup of mug of Hot Water

Gift Ideas

2010-11-28T19:19:00.000-08:00

This year I am working in more of my gifts reflecting us and our values. One way I have found to do that is by making homemade foods/ mixes for friends and family. I work hard to make sure we eat most of our meals around the table together. I try to use whole ingredients, etc. Here are some recipes that I have tried and will be giving. One way you can prepare them is in a quart mason jar, but they way I have decided to prepare them is in a quart Ziploc bag. Then, I am putting each bag in a Christmas lunch sack with the recipe inside. Tie it off with a tag and you have a cute presentation. I will post a picture later.

Alphabet Country Soup Mix in a Jar
(one bag of beans will make 4 batches)

1/2 cup split green peas
1/2 cup barley
1/2 cup lentils
1/2 cup raw rice
2 tbsp. parsley
2 tbsp. onion flakes
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
2 tbsp. beef bouillon
1/4 cup alphabet noodles
Twist macaroni noodles

Layer peas, barley, lentils, and rice in 1 quart jar, pressing down after each layer. Then layer parsley, onion flakes, salt, lemon pepper and beef bouillon just around the edges, then also putting the alphabet noodles just around the edges of the jar (so the alphabet noodles can be seen by the gift receiver. Then fill the rest of the jar with macaroni, being sure to press down as much as possible.

Instructions for tag:
Empty contents of jar into a large pot, then add:
3 quarts water
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
1 cup shredded cabbage
2 cups of tomatoes
Simmer until vegetables are tender.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Potato Soup Mix in a Jar

Ingredients for Jar:
1 3/4 cups instant mashed potatoes
1 1/2 cups dry milk
2 tbsp instant chicken boullion
2 tsp dried minced onion
1 1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp tumeric

Combine in bowl and add to quart jar, sealing tightly.

Instructions:
For Potato Soup place 1/2 cup of Potato soup mix in bowl, then add 1 cup of boiling water. Stir or whisk until smooth. Serve immediately.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hearty Bean Soup Mix in a Jar
(each batch makes 8 bags of soup mix)
1 pound dried navy beans
1 pound dried pinto beans
1 pound dried Great Northern beans
1 pound split peas
1 pound yellow split peas
1 pound dried black-eyed peas
1 pound lentils
1 pound pearl barley
1 pound dried red beans

In a very large container, combine navy beans, pinto beans, great Northern beans, split peas, yellow split peas, black-eyed peas, lentils, barley and red beans; mix well.

Directions
Divide evenly into 8 jars, pressing down on mix and secure lid.

Attach recipe to jars for gift giving.

Hearty Bean Soup Mix:
2 quarts water
1 ham hock
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

Soak 2 cups Hearty Bean Soup Mix in enough water to cover, for 8 hours or overnight.
In a large soup or stock pot, bring 2 quarts water and ham hock to a boil. Reduce heat then simmer for 20 minutes. Remove ham hock. Add soaked beans, salt, pepper, diced tomatoes and green chiles, onion and garlic. Bring to a boil again, skimming foam off the top. Reduce heat, cover and simmer hearty bean soup for about 1 hour, until beans are tender.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Red Beans and Rice Mix

Seasoning
1 T. dried bell pepper flakes
1 T. dried minced onion
1/2 t. dried minced garlic
2 t. seasoned salt
1 bay leaf
1 t. sugar
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. celery seed
1 t. ground cumin
1/4 t. crushed red pepper

Red Beans and Rice Mix
2 C. dried red beans
1 C. uncooked long grain white rice

In a small bowl, combine seasoning ingredients. Place in a small, sealable plastic bag or container. Fill a pint canning jar with red beans. Fill a sealable plastic bag with rice.

Recipe to attach:
Red Beans and Rice Mix
2 C. red beans (included)
1 ham bone
Seasoning mixture (included)
1 C. uncooked rice (included)
2 C. water
1 t. salt
1 pound spicy smoked sausage, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

Wash beans. Place in a Dutch oven; cover with water and soak overnight. The following day, add ham bone and seasoning mixture. If necessary, add additional water to cover the beans. Cook, partially covered, over medium-low heat 3 to 4 hours.

Barefoot Contessa's Roasted Turkey Roulade

2010-11-28T19:01:00.000-08:00

Every year we fry a turkey for Thanksgiving, and then we bake a turkey breast. A couple of weeks ago, I was watching the Barefoot Contessa's show and I saw her make this recipe. It was a recipe that I knew I had to try as as soon as I saw it! It was heavenly. It was also very easy. You could easily make the dressing without stuffing the turkey breast. This is a recipe that I will be doing again.

Ingredients
3/4 cup large-diced dried figs, stems removed
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup Calvados or brandy
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups diced onions (2 onions)
1 cup (1/2-inch-diced) celery (3 stalks)
3/4 pound pork sausage, casings removed (sweet and hot mixed)
1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
3 cups Pepperidge Farm herb-seasoned stuffing mix
1-1/2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 extra-large egg, beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 whole (2 halves) turkey breast, boned and butterflied (5 pounds)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions
Place the dried figs and cranberries in a small saucepan and pour in the Calvados and 1/2 cup water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage, crumbling it into small bits with a fork, and sauté, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, until cooked and browned. Add the figs and cranberries with the liquid, the chopped rosemary, and pine nuts, and cook for 2 more minutes. Scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon.

Place the stuffing mix in a large bowl. Add the sausage mixture, chicken stock, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir well. (The stuffing may be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator overnight.)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place a baking rack on a sheet pan.

Lay the butterflied turkey breast skin side down on a cutting board. Sprinkle the meat with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Spread the stuffing in a 1/2-inch-thick layer over the meat, leaving a half-inch border on all sides. Don’t mound the stuffing or the turkey will be difficult to roll. (Place the leftover stuffing in a buttered gratin dish and bake for the last 45 minutes of roasting alongside the turkey.) Starting at one end, roll the turkey like a jelly roll and tuck in any stuffing that tries to escape on the sides. Tie the roast firmly with kitchen twine every 2 inches to make a compact cylinder.

Place the stuffed turkey breast seam side down on the rack on the sheet pan. Brush with the melted butter, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and roast for 1-3/4 to 2 hours, until a thermometer reads 150 degrees in the center. (I test in a few places.) Cover the turkey with aluminum foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Carve 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve warm with the extra stuffing.

Roasted Parsnips and Sweet Potatoes

2010-11-28T18:56:00.000-08:00

This was my Thanksgiving sweet potato side this year. The taste of the roasted potatoes gave a nice contrast to the other sides more traditional to Thanksgiving. It would be a great side dish to pork tenderloin or grilled chicken.

Ingredients
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pounds parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup orange juice
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, toss together sweet potatoes, parsnips, bay leaf, oil and salt and pepper and then transfer to a large roasting pan. Roast, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden brown, about 1 hour; discard bay leaf. Meanwhile, whisk together juice, honey and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced and thickened, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in pecans and set aside.

Transfer vegetables to a platter, drizzle honey-pecan mixture over the top, garnish with parsley and serve. Add salt as needed.

Spicy Chicken Tomato Soup

2010-11-28T15:15:00.001-08:00

At work a couple weeks ago, the operators asked me to eat some soup that they had made. It.was.so.good. In fact I tried to come home and duplicate it. It's not quite the same, but it's a good start. Here's the basis that I used, but this is one you can very creative with.

Serves 8.

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Chicken Broth
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 cups (or more) assorted vegetables (I used frozen green beans, frozen corn, fresh carrots, fresh potatoes)
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) tomato puree
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1 to 2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions

In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the first 13 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. (I had to cook longer to get the carrots and potatoes soft enough)

Sliced Barbecue Pork Tenderloin

2010-11-28T15:06:00.000-08:00

I also made BBQ Pork Tenderloin for the Ark/LSU football game. This was very easy and the flavor was good. I had buns out so that people could make sandwiches, but everyone just ate the meat alone. You could do either.

This is a recipe to serve 4, I doubled it.

BBQ Sauce--

3/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons light-brown sugar

1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons paprika

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, (optional)

Whisk together all ingredients.

Pork Tenderloin--

BBQ Sauce (recipe above)

2 pork tenderloins, 12 to 16 ounces each

Coarse salt and ground pepper

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Divide Quick BBQ Sauce between two bowls. Use one for basting the raw meat; reserve the other for serving with sandwiches.

Place pork on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Brush generously with sauce. Roast, basting occasionally with sauce, until an instant-read thermometer registers 150 degrees, 18 to 25 minutes.

Thinly slice pork; serve on rolls, accompanied reserved sauce.

Oven Baked Beans

2010-11-28T15:01:00.000-08:00

I made these for a get together we had over the weekend for the Arkansas vs LSU football game. I got lots of compliments on the flavor of these. I will definitely be making these again!

Serves 8

8 bacon strips, diced
1/2 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
4 (15 ounce) cans pork and beans (I used Bush's Original)

In a skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels to drain. Saute onion in drippings until tender; drain. Stir in the brown sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and mustard until blended. Stir in pork and beans; heat through.
Transfer to a greased 3-cup baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly and mixture reaches desired thickness.

THANKSGIVING !?!?!?!

2010-11-11T19:19:00.001-08:00

Well, I can't believe it! Two weeks from today we celebrate Thanksgiving. We will celebrate twice this year. Once with Clay's family, and then with my family on Saturday. I haven't decided what to serve at the meal for my family, or what to make for Clay's family's Thanksgiving. so, I have a question for everyone? What must you have at the thanksgiving table. For me, turkey and dressing are a must! However, after that I am okay with switching things up. What will you be serving this year?

Mexican Pizzas

2010-11-02T18:42:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
8 (6 inch) Flour Tortillas, cooked into crispy tortillas
1 cup refried beans, prepared
1 pound ground beef, chuck, raw
1 package of Taco Seasoning
salt to taste
pepper to taste
4 tablespoons salsa
1 cup Mexican Cheese Blend, grated, prepared
1/2 cup Roma tomato, fresh, small chop
4 teaspoons cilantro, fresh, rough chopped

Directions
1.To make Crispy Tortillas: Place all 8 tortillas directly on the oven rack of a 350 degrees F oven and bake for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the oven and reserve on your work surface.
2.Heat the 1 cup of refried beans for 1 minute in the microwave to get hot and reserve for the recipe build.
3.Season the ground beef with salt and pepper and saute for 8 minutes in a non-stick pan, drain, mix in taco seasoning, and reserve hot for the recipe build.
4.To build 1 Mexican Pizza: Place 1 crisp tortilla on work surface.
5.Evenly spread tortilla with 1/4 cup hot refried beans.
6.Evenly top refried beans with 1/4 of the cooked ground beef.
7.Top ground beef with second crisp tortilla and evenly spread 1 heaping tablespoon of salsa over the tortilla.
8.Evenly top the pizza sauce with 1/4 cup grated Mexican cheese blend and 2 tablespoons chopped tomatoes.
9.Repeat steps 1 through 5 for remaining 3 servings.
10.Place all 4 pizzas, at one time, in 350 degrees F oven on a cookie pan/flat pan, and bake for 2 minutes to melt the cheese. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro evenly over the top of each pizza. Serve each pizza whole.

All Day Vegetable Soup

2010-10-29T13:53:00.000-07:00

I got a call at work this morning that Hannah was running fever. So after hastily making sub plans, I picked her up at school. I found I had the whole day at home. I decided to make my mom's all day vegetable soup. This is one of the recipes that reminds me of childhood. It is total comfort food. This is the first time I have attempted the soup, because it is one I have been too scared to try myself. I still don't know if it will taste the same, but I am glad to report it is looking the same. When mom gave the me recipe, I learned that she got it from her mom, who learned it from her mom. So it is a four generation soup, from as much as I can gather. This is a soup that you start in the morning and let cook all day. I will tell you- it is worth it!

Ingredients
1 big stew pot
2 lbs of stew meat
1 onion
2 28 oz cans of diced tomatoes
5 small cans of tomato sauce
4-5 potatoes, bite-size
1 bag of frozen vegetables
1 cup of uncooked noodles

Directions

1. Fill a stew pot about 3/4 full of water. Put in onion, meat, and lightly salt. Cook uncovered on medium to low 1/2 a day, or until the pot has only 1/3 of the water left.

2. Once meat, onion and water are cooked down, add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, potatoes, and frozen vegetables. Cover and simmer 2-3 hours.

3. One hour before serving add 1 to 2 cups of macaroni. Soup will thicken as it simmers.

Serve with warm bread.

Foil Wrapped Veggies

2010-10-21T18:16:00.000-07:00

• 1 large sweet potato, thinly sliced
• 1 Vidalia onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1/2 pound fresh green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon of Mrs. Dash seasoning
• Dash of salt
• Dash of olive oil

Directions
1. Preheat grill for high heat.
2. In a large bowl, combine the sweet potato, Vidalia onions, green beans, and seasoning. Stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper to coat.
3. Using 2 to 3 layers of foil, create desired number of foil packets. Brush inside surfaces of packets liberally with remaining olive oil. Distribute vegetable mixture evenly among the packets. Seal tightly.
4. Place packets on the preheated grill. Cook 30 minutes, turning once, or until potatoes are tender.
OR
Place in the oven at 425 degrees for 45 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

Cooking Class 2

2010-10-21T18:03:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I had the second cooking class at church. There were ten ladies, and one brave gentleman. We had a great time! The theme last week was homemade comfort food. So, here are recipes for this time:

Homemade Meatloaf
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/01/easy-meat-loaf.html

Homemade Chicken Nuggets
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/03/homemade-chicken-tenders-via-jamie.html

Teryaki Meatballs with Pineapple
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/06/teriyaki-turkey-meatballs.html

Twice Baked Potato
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/04/nanas-twice-baked-potatoes.html

Foil Wrapped Veggies
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/10/foil-wrapped-veggies.html

Season of Soups

2010-10-04T19:27:00.000-07:00

Fall is here! I am trilled that we are coming on a cold season. It is the season of soups. To jump start the season, here are some our favorites to try this year.

Potato Leek Soup
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2008/12/potato-leek-soup.html

Taco Soup
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/04/taco-soup.html

Cream of Tomato Soup
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/12/cream-of-tomato-soup.html

Meatball Dump Soup
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/07/meatball-dump-soup.html

Short Rib Stew
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/02/short-rib-stew.html

Home Made Soup Mix

2010-10-04T19:08:00.000-07:00

I love soups in the winter time. I find comfort and ease in cooking and eating them. This recipe I found this summer. I really like it. I really like the idea of the homemade soup mixes because I know what is going in to the mix. If you look at store bought soup mixes, they are filled with sodium and preservatives. This- you mix, you store, you serve. The other reason I like it is because it is ready to go at a moment's notice.

For this recipe you can purchase 1 bag of split peas, 1 bag of barley, 1 bag of lentils, and 1 bag of rice. One bag of ech can be purchased for less than $1.50 each. One bag can make four mixes. You make the mix listed below, and then you have four to pull out as needed.

1/2 cup split green peas
1/2 cup barley
1/2 cup lentils
1/2 cup raw rice
2 tbsp. parsley
2 tbsp. onion flakes
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
2 tbsp. beef bouillon
1/4 cup noodles

Mix all of the ingredients into a quart size bag. Keep dry until ready to use.

Day of cooking:

Empty contents of bag into a large pot, then add:
3 quarts water
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
1 cup shredded cabbage
2 cups of tomatoes

Simmer until vegetables are tender, 30 to 45 minutes.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

2010-10-04T19:00:00.000-07:00

Comfort food. . . we all have the foods that bring comfort or remind us of childhood. This recipe reminds me of my grandmother, Liz Stauffer. I don't remember her making it often, but the smells (pungent as they are) remind me of her. The girls and I had a good laugh when we came in the door and house smelled of cabbage. They also really enjoyed the meal. I am so impressed with what they will try now. Anyway, here's to comfort food. :)

Ingredients
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into matchstick pieces
10 baby red potatoes, quartered
1 onion, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
4 cups water
1 (4 pound) corned beef brisket with spice packet
1/2 head cabbage, coarsely chopped

Directions
Place the carrots, potatoes, cabbage, and onion into the bottom of a slow cooker, pour in the water, and place the brisket on top of the vegetables. Pour the beer over the brisket. Sprinkle on the spices from the packet, cover, and set the cooker on low.

Cook the brisket for about 8 hours.

Vegetarian Korma

2010-09-26T17:29:00.000-07:00

We love Indian food, and I love trying new vegetarian meals. This one fit the bill for both. The whole family really enjoyed it. Using the curry powder is cheating a bit, but it made it a quick meal. I left out the cashews for our house, but I would recommend adding them for the crunch. This will be added to our Indian and vegetarian recipes.

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 potatoes, cubed
4 carrots, cubed
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced
3 tablespoons ground unsalted cashews
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 can of Lite Coconut Milk
1 bunch fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions
1. Boil potatoes and carrots in water until tender.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until tender. Mix in ginger and garlic, and continue cooking 1 minute. Mix potatoes, carrots, jalapeno, cashews, and tomato sauce. Season with salt and curry powder. Cook and stir 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
3. Stir peas, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and cream into the skillet. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro to serve.
Serve over rice and a side of bread.

Dinner Party Serving 14

2010-09-25T18:20:00.000-07:00

This weekend Mom was kind enough to serve a Birthday dinner in my honor. She served 14 people a lot of delicious food while being budget conscious. Here is the menu:

Grilled Chicken Breast

Asparagus Casserole (my fav)

Mashed Potatoes

Cooked Carrots

Three Bean Salad

Fruit Salad

Chocolate Pie

Banana Cream Pie

Grilled Chicken Breast:

-10 lbs Frozen Chicken Breast

-Bottled Marinade of your choice

Divide the frozen chicken breast, and put into 2 large Ziplock bags. Pour your favorite bottled marinade over the frozen chicken in each bag the day before cooking. Store in the refrigerator for about 1.5 days so the chicken has time to thaw. During that time turn the bags a couple times to keep the marinade over the chicken.

Asparagus Casserole:

This is a family favorite that we have at holidays, but it is good anytime.

-2 cans all green asparagus (pieces are good)

-6T butter

-3T flour

-1/2 cup bread crumbs

-1 cup grated cheese

-1 1/2 cup milk

-Salt and pepper to taste

-Hard boiled eggs (about 5)

Brown butter in a skillet, do not burn, add flour and brown a little more. Add milk and half of the cheese - let boil until thick. Add the the liquid from the asparagus one can to the skillet mixture then bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Chop the asparagus (into 2-3 inch pieces) and mix well. Pour in a well buttered baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, sprinkle the rest of cheese on top and serve at once. Add hard boiled eggs prior to baking. This was made the day before the dinner and kept in the refrigerator until time to bake.

Mashed Potatoes:

-5-6 lbs Yukon Potatoes

-1 stick butter

-8-10 oz of sour cream

-Salt and pepper to taste

Cook potatoes in the microwave or on stove and drain the water. Add ingredients and use mixer (hand or stand mixer) and mix until smooth. These were made 3-4 hours before the party. They were then put into a buttered crock pot on warm. Cover with the lid and they will be ready to serve when you need them.

Cooked Carrots:

-2 lbs carrots

-Butter

-Sugar

Peel carrots and cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces. Put into salted water and cook on stove until tender. When tender, drain off water. Add butter to taste (about 4 tablespoons). Add a small amount of sugar (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup). This can be made ahead of time and kept in refrigerator to be heated up before dinner.

Three Bean Salad:

Bought a large jar of three bean salad at the supermarket. Poured in serving dish.

Fruit Salad:

Recipe Here

French Bread:

-2 loaves French Bread

-Butter

-Garlic Powder

Cut in 1/2 length wise. Open and put melted butter onto entire length of both pieces. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Put pieces back together. Wrap in foil. Bake in 400 degree oven for 10-15 pieces. Cut loaf into pieces after it has been heated. (From Rachael Ray Show). The bread was prepared the day before and heated right before serving.

We will add the dessert recipes another time.

Thanks Mom! It was delicious!!

Meal Planning September 19- 25

2010-09-19T18:17:00.000-07:00

Well, I am back to to planning. In fact, after a month off of my meticulous planning, I was able to sit down today and plan out the next month. I planned five nights a week for the next four weeks. There was a feeling of relief as I did it. I also plan to do one new recipe a week this month. It doesn't seem so daunting to do one a week.

Sunday Night:
Shredded chicken and black bean burritos with homemade salsa, topped with green onions, diced tomatoes, and black olives.

Monday Night:
Crockpot Roast Beef with new potatoes and carrots
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/01/crock-pot-roast.html

Tuesday Night: (Meatless)
Egg and Cheese Frittata
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/07/easy-frittata.html

Wednesday Night:
Chicken Pot Pie
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/09/chicken-pot-pie-sandra-lee-version.html

Thursday Night:
Mexican Casserole
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/06/ground-beef-enchilada-casserole.html

Chicken Pot Pie- Sandra Lee Version

2010-09-19T18:06:00.000-07:00

Hannah was watching Money Saving Meals last weekend and saw this recipe. She then recorded the episode, so I could later watch and make her this meal. I was thrilled that she wants to help with the meal planning. It definitely helps to have them involved. They try more, too.

I liked this recipe because it uses thyme, which has the same flavoring as my mom's recipe. I doubled it this week. It was very easy, and the house smelled wonderfully! I substituted the peas with green beans since that was what was in the freezer.

Ingredients
• 1 box pie crust
• 1 whole (4-pound) chicken , cut into parts
• 5 cups water
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 2 carrots , sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon milk

Directions
Prepare the pie crust according to the package directions. Divide it into 4 equal portions, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Put the chicken breast in a medium pot and cover with 5 cups of water.
Bring to a boil over medium heat and add salt, to taste. (Reserve the legs and thighs for the Round 2 Recipe Chicken Cacciatore.)

Simmer until the chicken is completely cooked through, skimming any fat that rises to the surface, about 20 minutes. Remove chicken, to a cutting board and when cool enough to handle remove the meat and dice into 1/2-inch cubes. Reserve the broth the chicken was cooked in. (Set aside 1/2 cup for Round 2 Recipe Chicken Cacciatore.)

In a medium pot heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots, salt and pepper, to taste, and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, poultry seasoning, and thyme and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly pour in the reserved 4 1/2 cups of chicken broth, whisking to remove any lumps. Add the chicken and peas, bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. (Reserve 2 cups for Round 2 Recipe Chicken Noodle Casserole.)

Divide the remaining mixture between 4 (14-ounce) ramekins. (Alternately, the pot pie can be made in 1 (9-inch) pie pan.)

Roll out the 4 pieces of pie dough to 1/4-inch thick rounds. Brush the edges of the ramekins with milk. Cover each ramekin with a piece of dough and press around the edges to seal. Cut a steam vent in the top of each piece of dough and brush with milk. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 40 to 45 minutes.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/sandras-money-saving-meals/index.html

Cooking Class

2010-09-12T19:12:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone-

I took a hiatus with the start of school. I have not gotten into the swing of things again with the start of school. I am patiently waiting for things to settle in, and it just hasn't happened yet. I started a new project today at church, too. I volunteered to teach a cooking class once a month. We ended up with 13 ladies, and one brave man. We made 7 different recipes tonight in a 2 1/2 hour time frame. It was chaotic and a hell of a lot of fun. Our theme tonight was "Take -Out Recipes" They were things we eat out, but are easy to make at home. Below are all the things we made tonight.

Chinese Take-Out

Chicken Fried Rice (1 serving)
• 1 cup of fresh frozen peas, defrosted
• 3 T of peanut oil
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 1 T of minced garlic
• 3 to 4 cups of cooked rice
• 1 cup of cooked chicken, diced
• 1/4 cup of cooking sherry or white wine
• 2 T of soy sauce
• 1 T of sesame oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup of mince scallion (optional)
1. Put 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. A minute later, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften and begin to brown, five to ten minutes later. Lower the heat if needed. Using a slotted spoon, take the onions out and transfer them into a bowl.
2. Add the peas to the skillet for a minute or two, or until hot. Add them to the bowl.
3. Put the remaining oil in the skillet, followed by the garlic. About 15 seconds later, begin to add the rice, a bit at at time, breaking up any clumps and tossing it with the oil.
4. Return the onion and the peas to the rice. Add the wine and cook, stirring for about a minute. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil, and chicken, then taste and add salt and pepper.
5. Turn off the heat, stir in the scallion, and serve.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Baked Vegetarian Egg Rolls (3 servings)
2 T of vegetable oil
1 T of sugar
3 T of Soy sauce
2 T of white wine or cooking Sherry
1 14 oz. block of firm tofu
1/2 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup shredded carrots
1 bunch of green onions chopped
16 oz of shredded cabbage
1 package of egg roll wraps

Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add tofu and carrots; cook 5 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons soy sauce, cooking sherry and sugar, and pepper to taste. Then, stir in cabbage mixture and let reduce for 2 minutes. Cover and chill 15 minutes.

Place 1 egg roll wrapper at a time onto work surface with 1 corner pointing toward you (wrapper should look like a diamond). Fold lower corner of egg roll wrapper over filling. Fold in corners.

Moisten top corner of wrapper with water; roll up jelly-roll fashion. Repeat procedure with remaining wrappers, tofu filling, and water.

Lightly coat egg rolls with cooking spray, and place, seam side down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Turn egg rolls over half way through cooking process.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pizza Take- Out

Basic Pizza Dough Recipe (2 servings)

• 1 package active dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
• 1 cup warm water (105° to 115°, no more)
• 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little for coating

How to make pizza dough from scratch:
1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Set aside and follow the instructions below for the method you choose.

By hand: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the olive oil and yeast mixture into it. Stir until it begins to form a ball, then turn it out onto a clean, floured surface and knead for about 4 or 5 minutes.

In a mixer: Using a dough hook, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add the liquid ingredients and mix on low until the dough begins to clump around the dough hook. Remove and knead as above.
Whichever method and pizza dough recipe you've chosen, your pizza dough should be a smooth, elastic ball.

2. Lightly oil the ball and the inside of a large glass bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour. For better crust, punch down the dough, reshape into a ball and let it rise again. You can refrigerate or freeze the dough at this point.

3. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions, about 12 ounces each. Roll each portion into a ball, then, working on a lightly floured surface, stretch the dough and work it with your fingers or a rolling pin to form an 12- to 16-inch circle. (Let your guests prepare their own.) The outer edge of the circle should be a little thicker than the body, forming a rim. Add toppings.

4. Transfer to a pizza pan or pizza stone. Bake in a 500° pre-heated oven until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted, 10 to 13 minutes, or perhaps a little longer if your oven does not reach 500°.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pizza Sauce (3)

• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
• 1 can of tomato paste
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Up to 1 cup of water, depending on desired thickness

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, saute garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until sauce reaches desired thickness. Sauce may be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen, once cooled.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mexican Take-Out

Salsa (2 servings)

Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 cans canned tomatoes with juice
• 3 fresh jalapeno peppers, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 lime, juice of
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions
1. Mix ingredients together for a chunky salsa or blender for just a few seconds for chunky salsa or a bit longer for a smoother texture
Tortilla Chips
Ingredients
• Twelve 6-inch corn tortillas (preferably white)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Fine salt

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Brush both sides of the tortillas with the oil. Stack the tortillas and cut the pile into sixths to make chips. Spread the chips out in a single layer on two large baking sheets and season with salt. Bake until golden brown and crisp, rotating the baking sheets once, about 12 to 15 minutes. Serve.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Top It Off with Dessert
http://www.creativehomemaking.com/cooking/apple-turnovers.shtml

Mini Apple Turnovers
If you are looking for a smaller alternative of a great apple pastry either for a small snack, for finger food or to make for your children one snack that won't disappoint are Mini Apple Turnovers. Mini Apple Turnovers are made similar to traditional turnovers, except they are about half the size. Great for almost any time of the day, these mini treats are easy to make.

Ingredients:
1 large pastry sheet
2 large apples, Red Delicious, Granny Smith, etc
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Optional toppings, limited only by your imagination: powdered sugar, walnuts, chocolate syrup

Directions:
Lay out large pastry sheet and slice into 8 equal sized sections. Slice the two apples into thin slices in a bowl. Mix with sugar and cinnamon. Next spread the apples, cinnamon and sugar at the center of each pastry sheet. With a brush, wet the edges of the pastry dough and press them closed, leaving small pockets for the filling.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the turnovers in the oven; cook for about 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and decorate with powdered sugar, walnuts or chocolate syrup if you wish. This recipe yields eight servings.
Apple Turnovers are very versatile. They can be served as a breakfast pastry, an afternoon snack, or a dinner dessert. You can add an unlimited amount of ingredients to them to vary the taste ever so slightly. Some options include honey, cinnamon and nutmeg, black and blue berries, sliced strawberries, serve ala mode (with a scoop of your favorite ice cream), served with fresh whipped cream, granola, etc. There are numerous ways to serve up this dish; you will find that your family will appreciate this simple recipe almost every week of the year.

Bridesmaid Luncheon

2010-08-06T19:38:00.000-07:00

Hi. Let me re-introduce myself. I'm the other sister. :) I've been absent from the blogger world for a little while and there are a few things I want to post. So I'll start with posting about the Bridesmaid Luncheon that my mother and I hosted for one of my long-time and dear friends Janet Phan Rehberg. The wedding was in Fort Smith, so my mom was kind enough to open up her house to us. When I was planning the menu for the shower I really wanted to have a meal that was fresh, girly and fresh.

Here are all the girls and the table--

Menu:

Quiche - From Creative Kitchen (this qualifies as girly...it's hard to serve a quiche when males are invited)
Nana Rolls (these don't qualify as fresh, maybe a little girly, but mostly just delicious!) I will have to post this recipe at another time.
Fresh Fruit Salad (this is fresh and girly)- nothing fancy here. Just lots of different fresh fruits chopped up and mixed together...great for summer. It included peaches, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, pineapple, kiwi, and grapes.
Fresh Green Salad (fresh and girly) - I used a recipe from Tyler Florence that is below:

This recipe says it serves 6. When I made it I put it on salad plates and for 10 ladies I used 2 bags of fresh mixed greens...it was just enough.

Ingredients

8 to 10 cups (about 1 pound) mixed greens (mesclun, mache, watercress, baby arugula, dandelion; include hydroponic lettuces, sprouts and shoots - pea shoots)
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions

Wash and dry greens, place in a large bowl. Add chives and season with salt and pepper; drizzle over about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss well to coat. Squeeze lemon juice over the greens and toss again. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately.

I also served a "Signature Drink" as some of the shows call it. I modified a recipe that I found on the Martha Stewart Website. It was really really good...If I had these ingredients at my house right now I would probably make one. Oh..I also topped the drink with fresh mint from Mom's garden. It was a good "fresh" touch.

I could not find Pear Nectar, but I did find ApricotNectar and it was great!

Drink Up: Pear and Cranberry Bellini

Serves: 8

1 cup pear nectar

1 cup cranberry juice

1 bottle Prosecco

In a small pitcher or large measuring cup, combine juices. Pour 1/4 cup of juice mixture into eight champagne glasses.

Top with Prosecco or other dry sparkling white wine.

And here's another picture of the wonderful ladies! Janet is in the blue top in the middle. I'm so proud of her for all her accomplishments...she is a super smart electrical engineer with an MBA...but most of all she's a great friend!!! I'm so happy that she found such a great guy to enhance her already great life!

Yard Salad

2010-07-25T18:48:00.000-07:00

This recipe came from a friend. It looks delicious. I am going to try it with grilled chicken. It looks like a great summer treat!

Yard Salad from Netta Schultheis

1/2 English cucumber
1 cup of grape or cherry tomatoes
1 red or yellow bell pepper (I actually used 1/2 red and 1/2 yellow for more COLOR!)
1/2 red onion, peeled
6 ribs of celery (especially the leafy tops)
1 1/2 cups frozen white corn kernels, defrosted and drained
1 1/2 cups black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
1 small lemon, juiced
1 tsp. Hot Sauce (I used Tapatio) If you want more spice, you can always add it to your dressing after you taste it.
1/2 cup V-8 juice
1 sprinkle garlic salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 cup Olive oil
1 avocado sliced

1. Cut the cucumber, tomatoes, pepper, red onion and celery into bite sized chunks and toss into a big mixing bowl. Add your drained corn and black beans to the bowl.
2. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, hot sauce, V-8, garlic salt and paprika. Whisk around and slowly add the olive oil.
3. Pour the dressing over your salad and toss.
4. Serve with a few slices of avocado on top (You don’t want to toss your avo with the salad b/c then it will get all mooshy and you know how I feel about mooshy!)

Turkey Noodle Casserole

2010-07-25T18:41:00.000-07:00

1 pkg broad egg noodles
1 lb ground turkey
1 14-oz can corn
1 can cream of mushroom condensed soup

Cook egg noodles according to instructions, drain. Meanwhile, brown turkey in a skillet until brown and fully cooked. Drain any grease. In a bowl, combine all ingredients, then turn into a freezer container. Freeze (may want to allow it to come down to room temperature before placing in freezer.

On cooking day, thaw completely in fridge (take it out the night before or morning of). In a preheated 350F oven, cook for 30-45 minutes, or until bubbly and completely hot throughout. Serve!

*add a chicken stock if dry when reheating

LO MEIN NOODLES

2010-07-25T18:33:00.000-07:00

1/2 lb. flat noodles
2 tbsp. butter
1 c. scallion, chopped
1 tbsp. oil (sesame preferred)
Soy sauce
Pepper
Garlic powder
Cook and drain noodles. Saute scallion for a few minutes. Add noodles and seasonings to skillet. Toss. Add soy sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Add vegetables: carrots, cabbage, water chestnuts, bean sprouts or a can of Asian vegetables from the store in a pinch

Add tofu, chicken, pork, or beef

Easy Frittata

2010-07-25T16:26:00.000-07:00

I have had some eggs in the fridge for a while. We haven't been using them for breakfast, so I wanted to have a breakfast for dinner meal. I found this recipe on http://www.kraft.com/. It isn't a site I use often, but this one is a basic recipe with tons of taste. Clay and the girls really liked it, too. Clay told me he likes it better than quiche, and he likes quiche. I went to the grocery store today and forgot to buy the bacon. Luckily, I had some smoked turkey sausage in the fridge so I added that as an option for cooking. It gave it a great taste, but the biggest taste factor was the basil. It added great smell and taste!

Ingredients
5 whole Eggs
4 Egg whites
2 Tbsp. Water
1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1/2 cup chopped seeded tomatoes
4 slices cooked, crumbled bacon or smoked turkey sausage
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions
HEAT oven to 350°F.

Beat whole eggs, egg whites and water with whisk in medium bowl until blended.

STIR in 1/2 cup cheese, tomatoes, bacon and basil. Pour into greased 9-inch pie plate.

BAKE 25 min. or until puffed and golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake 5 min. or until melted. (Took longer than the 30 minutes)

Kraft Kitchens Tips
How to Make Mini-Frittatas
Prepare egg mixture as directed; pour into 12 (2-1/2-inch) muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 20 min.; sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake 3 to 5 min. or until melted. Makes 6 servings, 2 frittatas each.

Meal Planning Week of July 24- July 30

2010-07-25T15:07:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone has had a great couple of weeks. We spent last week on vacation. We had a great time on what I am calling our "Gulf Tour 2010." I will write about that later this week. The one sad note for when we returned however, was we lost everything in our deep freeze this week. Sometime during the week the electricity went off, and for some reason the freezer outlet did not reset. BOOOOOO! It was the one thing I didn't ask our house sitter to check- I will from now on! I will be emptying it out tomorrow- right before the garbage truck comes. I refroze everything, because I didn't want to deal with the mess. I will throw it out frozen. Back to meal planning. However, I actually enjoyed my meal planning this week. It was nice to have had a break. I went to the store shopped and shopped for week. I came home and cooked a couple of the meals, and put one in the freezer. So, time to start again.

Saturday Night Rotisserie Chicken with rice, sauteed green beans, and salad.

Nice comforting meal to come home to. The chicken was already cooked, everything else was on hand. Took a few minutes to prepare.

Sunday Night Breakfast for Dinner Frittata with biscuits, and fruit cocktail
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/07/easy-frittata.html

Monday Night Meatless Monday Vegetable Lo Mein and Egg Rolls
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/04/baked-egg-rolls.html
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/07/lo-mein-noodles.html

Tuesday Night Meatloaf with mac and cheese and fresh steamed broccoli
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/01/easy-meat-loaf.html

Wednesday Night Turkey Noodle Casserole* with sauteed onion, squash and zucchini
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/07/turkey-noodle-casserole.html

Thursday Night Apricot Chicken* on rice with green beans
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2008/12/jason-pineapple-chicken.html

Friday Night Grilled Chicken with Yard Salad
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/07/yard-salad.html

*put one in the freezer

Farmer's Casserole

2010-07-16T14:36:00.001-07:00

This is a great breakfast casserole that will feed six. It is also a recipe to increase by a dollop to feed more. This recipe needs to be chilled overnight, or for several hours before serving. It can also be frozen.

3 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (24 oz. bag)
1 1/2 cups of cheese (cheddar or Monterey jack or combination)
1 cup of diced meat (Canadian bacon or sausage)
1/4 cup green onions
4 beaten eggs (1 cup frozen egg product)
1 12 oz. can of evaporated milk
1/4 t pepper
1.8 t of salt

Grease a 2 quart square baking dish. Arrange potatoes evening in bottom of dish. Sprinkle with cheeses, ham or sausage, or green onions. In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, pepper, and salt. Pour egg mixture over potato mixture in dish. Cover and chill, or freeze.

Thaw completely. Bake uncovered in a 350-degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until center appears set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Cheese can be sprinkled on top during the last 15 minutes of baking.

Crispy Baked Fish

2010-07-13T08:32:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
4 fish planks (usually Tilapia or Orange Roughy)
1/2 Cup Milk
2 TBS Parmesan Cheese
4 TBS Bread Crumbs
1/4 tsp Paprika

Directions
Preheat Oven 450 degrees

On plate mix cheese, breadcrumbs and paprika.
Dip fish in milk, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture.
Arrange fish on baking sheet that has been lined with foil and sprayed with Pam.

Bake 10 minutes at 450 degrees

Meal Planning July 11-15

2010-07-13T08:17:00.000-07:00

Well, our trip to Houston is over. I don't know about you, but after a vacation it is almost comforting to me to get back into the normal routine of things. That being said, as of this morning there was no milk, or meat, or much of anything in the house. So, after a bit of meal planning the girls and I headed off to Kroger. That in itself is stressful. There is only so many times I can handle saying. . . "No, we are not getting that." But, it is done now, and I can sit down to look at the week of meals.

Sunday Night Pasta and Red Sauce
We got into Fort Smith about 7:30 from Houston, and mom pulled out a box of pasta and sauce. It was a great way end to the day. She used the new line from Giada that you can find at Target. It was really tasty.

Monday Night Pizza- cheese and hamburger
I would call it comfort food after a long trip. :)

Tuesday Night Pork Tenderloin, fresh green beans, sauteed okra and tomatoes, rice, and bread (frozen bread dough from Kroger)
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/04/pork-tenderloin-marinade.html

http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/03/sauted-okra-and-tomatoes.html

Wednesday Night Enchilada Casserole (straight from the freezer) with refried beans and corn on the cob
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/06/ground-beef-enchilada-casserole.html

Thrusday Night Grown-ups Out (both girls are going to a sleepover- Bless you, Tricia)

Friday Night Panko Breaded Tilapia, squash, and Couscous
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/07/ingredients-4-fish-planks-usually.html

Saturday Night Crockpot Chicken with carrots and onions - Left overs: chicken salad
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/12/crockpot-chicken-1000-meal.html

Vacation Meals by Tracie

2010-07-13T08:07:00.000-07:00

We went to Houston this last weekend to visit my sister Tracie. There is nothing better, to me, than to be on vacation and still get home cooked meals. That is exactly what Tracie provided. Tracie, however, did not like the pressure of my post from last week, when I said I would post meals this week. :) So here is a rundown of what we had while in Houston. If you end up entertaining for a long weekend, this would be a perfect menu.

Thursday Night- sandwiches on the road

Friday Night Grilled Chicken, Fresh Bread, Grilled Corn on the Cob, and Fresh Green beans. (Great, huh?)
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/05/joes-grilled-corn-on-cob.html

Saturday Night Chicken and Beef Enchiladas
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/01/beef-enchiladas.html

Stromboli

2010-07-06T08:18:00.001-07:00

Stromboli is basically a pizza pocket. This easy recipe can serve 4 to 6. It can also be modified very easily. You can do cheese only, or add vegetables, or sausage, or pepperoni. The possibilities are endless. Next time I am going to try and use bread dough instead of pizza crust. I let you know how it goes.

Ingredients
1 can prepared pizza crust
1/3 cup pizza sauce
1/2 lb thinly sliced cooked ham
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1/4 teaspoon oregano

Directions
1Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2Unroll the dough and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3Press with your fingertips into a 12x8-inch rectangle.
4Spread the sauce on the dough, leaving a 2-inch margin lengthwise, and a 1/2-inch margin on the sides.
5Place toppings in center third, fold sides over to meet in the middle and pinch to form a seal.
6Bake in the preheated 400F oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
7Slice and serve with a side of warmed marinara.

Meal Planning for July 4-8

2010-07-06T08:04:00.001-07:00

Well, I am behind again. :) I hope everyone enjoyed the weekend of the 4th with their families. I know we did, and we ate too much too! So, this week we are a looking at the basics of cooking. Healthy, without a lot of extra. I ordered from the Conway Locally Grown this week. I have new potatoes, squash, cucumbers, banana peppers, corn, cheese, and eggs. I want to use the ingredients in the meals this week to get the most out of the order. Enjoy a great week!

Sunday Night
Hamburgers, Baked Beans and Potato Salad (with the in-laws)

Monday Night
Veggie and Cheese Stromboli with sauteed vegetables and blueberry cobbler
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/07/stromboli.html

Tuesday Night
Grilled Chicken with Couscous and Sauteed Vegetables (left overs from Sunday night)

Wednesday Night
Curry Chicken with New Potatoes and Boiled Egg (left over chicken from Tuesday)
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/04/daag-curry-base.html

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday My parents, girls, and I are headed to Houston to visit Tracie and Joe. Cooking will fall to the other sister. Ha ha ha. But really, I will add what we cook down there later. We will have mom and daughters together to cook for a non-holiday. It should be fun!

Chipolte Burgers

2010-06-27T18:57:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
2 tablespoons canned chipotle chiles in adobo, including sauce
1 lb ground beef chuck
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
4 English muffins or hamburger buns, halved horizontally

Preparation
Prepare grill for cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas); see "Grilling Procedure," below.

Meanwhile, open any whole chipotles and discard seeds, then mince chipotles.

Mix chipotles (with sauce), beef, onion, and salt with your hands, then form mixture into 4 (3/4-inch-thick) patties.

Grill burgers on lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using gas grill, turning over once, 4 minutes total for medium-rare. Grill English muffins, cut sides down, until grill marks appear, about 30 seconds. Serve burgers in English muffins.

CHICKEN CREOLE

2010-06-27T18:54:00.000-07:00

1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tbsp. chili powder
3 lbs. chicken pieces, skinned
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1 lg. clove garlic, crushed
1 (16 oz.) can tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 c. chicken broth
3/4 c. uncooked long-grain rice
1 (10 oz.) pkg. sliced or whole okra

Combine first 4 ingredients in a shallow dish, mixing well. Dredge chicken in flour mixture, shaking off excess flour; set chicken aside. Cook chicken in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat about 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove chicken.

Add onion, green pepper, and garlic to Dutch oven; saute 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add chicken, tomatoes, chicken broth, and rice, stirring well. Cover and simmer 40 minutes or until most of liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Add okra; cover and simmer an additional 10 minutes. Yield: 4 servings.

Meal Planning June 27- July 2

2010-06-27T18:34:00.000-07:00

Well, hopefully this week is going to cool down a bit. The heat is ridiculous this summer- and it does not help in the kitchen either. I am also working on eating more lunches here at home during the week. I am not a big fan of sandwiches, so making lunches is not one of my favorite things to do. I am trying to have fresh fruit and other items to make the meals not as predictable. So I am hoping to do better this week. I am also packing lunches for Hannah this week as she goes to a day camp, so I might even pack Elizabeth and I a lunch at the start of the day with hers. I'll let you know how it goes.

Sunday Night: Enchilada Casserole * Freezer Casserole
Served with fresh peaches and refried beans (or Mexican Mashed Potatoes as Hannah called them)
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/06/ground-beef-enchilada-casserole.html

Monday Night: Turkey Kabobs served overrice with fresh corn
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/06/teriyaki-turkey-meatballs.html

Tuesday Night: Creole Casserole
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/06/chicken-creole.html

Wednesday Night: Chipolte Burgers with squash
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/06/chipolte-burgers.html

Thursday Night: Chicken with couscous and fresh beans

Friday Night: Out. . . after cooking all week. . . we are going out!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

2010-06-27T09:16:00.000-07:00

Summer is a time with fresh vegetables available everywhere. However, sometimes I find it hard to figure out the best ways to use each of the ingredients. This is a great way to use bell peppers. This particular recipe reminds me of my mom's cooking. We didn't have it often, but it is one that makes me think of growing up. Enjoy another week of cooking!

Ingredients
6 green peppers (bell)
1 lb. ground beef
3 c. of cooked rice
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 T of Italian Seasoning/ or seasoning of choice
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Remove tops and seeds from 6 green peppers. Simmer cleaned peppers (upright) for 5 minutes in 1/2" salted water. Drain and cool slightly before stuffing. (This step will eliminate the slightly bitter taste stuffed peppers often have.)

2. Combine 1 pound ground beef, rice, tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Fill the peppers with mixture.

3. Pour 15 ounce can of tomato sauce around peppers. Cover; bake at 400 degrees about 1 hour, basting occasionally with tomato sauce. Makes 6 servings.

Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs

2010-06-20T17:41:00.000-07:00

This is recipe number two of meal sharing for today. Andrea found this recipe on AllRecipe.com. Again, one I really enjoy. The taste is unbelievable. I can not wait to have this as a meal.

Ingredients
6 slices Roman Meal Bread, toasted
1 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons red chile sauce (optional)
6 (4 inch) skewers
32 pieces pineapple, fresh or canned

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Foil-line one baking sheet.

2.Break bread slices into pieces; place in blender or food processor. Process until finely ground into crumbs. Remove 3/4 cup, reserve remaining bread crumbs.

3.Combine turkey, 3/4 cup bread crumbs, green onions, egg, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, pepper and chili sauce in medium bowl. Divide turkey mixture into 36, 1-inch balls; roll in remaining bread crumbs. Place on baking sheet.

4.Bake 20 to 25 minutes until cooked through. Remove from oven.

5.Assemble meatballs and pineapple chunks on skewers.

Serve over a bed of rice

IF FREEZING: Prepare the meatballs and freeze in an air tight aluminum pan. Thaw, assemble skewers adding pineapple, and serve with rice. Heat and serve.

Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole

2010-06-20T17:30:00.000-07:00

This was one of the recipes Andrea made for us today. It looks absolutely delicious. I have a feeling this will be a recipe that comes into our normal rotation. She found the recipe on Recipe Zaar online. I have found many recipes there myself. Definitely one to check out. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 teaspoons dried chili pepper flakes (optional)
1 tablespoon seasoning salt (or to taste or use white salt)
black pepper
1 (4 ounce) can green chilies, diced
12 (6 inch) corn tortillas (cut into about 1-1/2-inch pieces)
1 (10 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 1/2 cups canned sliced black olives
1 1/4 cups red enchilada sauce (I use my own recipe for this)
1/2 cup sour cream
3 1/2 cups cheddar cheese (or use a Mexi-blend cheese)
2 firm tomatoes, coarsely chopped

TOPPINGS
shredded lettuce
diced tomato
chopped sweet onion

Directions
1 Set oven to 400 degrees.

2 Grease an 11 x 7-inch casserole dish. (or two 8x8 pans)

3 In a large skillet cook the ground beef with the green chiles, onions, garlic, bell pepper, dried chili flakes (if using) and chili powder; cook over medium heat until beef is no longer pink; drain fat completely (you can prepare this mixture up to a day in advance and refrigerate).

4 Season with seasoned salt and black pepper to taste then transfer to a large bowl.

5 Stir in the tortilla pieces with cream of mushroom soup, black olives, enchilada sauce, sour cream and 1-1/2 cups shredded cheese; mix to combine.

6 Transfer to prepared baking dish.

7 Cover and bake for about 30 minutes or FREEZE until ready to use.

8 Uncover and sprinkle with about 2 cups (or more of shredded cheese then chopped tomatoes.

9 Return to oven and bake uncovered until casserole is bubbly and the cheese has melted (about 8-10 minutes).

10 Serve with toppings.

Cooking with Friends

2010-06-20T17:05:00.000-07:00

I have found with talking with friends that cooking for us during the week is stressful (go figure). There are certain nights that we have to be out, or have very little prep time. One thing I have been doing the last month is cooking with friends. . . or casserole trading. The idea is simple: you cook one recipe two times and trade it with a friend. This is a great way to have those meals ready to go on those busy nights. You each have dinner for the family with half of the work. If you have three friends- you make it three times- and trade.

Some things I have learned so far:
1. If a casserole is meant to go in a 9x13 pan, it is about double what a family of four will eat. So, I would suggest making the same recipe, but dividing it in to 2 8x8 pans (standard cake pan). Two meals for the price of one.

2. Look at cost of the recipe before you begin. If it involves a lot of cheese or meat, it can add up quickly.

3. If you are cooking with a larger group, like a group of five or more, try to find a large kitchen to cook in. I had a group of friends cook together at our church. It was wonderful to spread out!

4. Find out allergies- peanuts and seafood are not uncommon in our little groups We have one family friend who is allergic to bananas. Same with spicy foods. . . discuss with your friend before.

5. Go for a test run first. When I am trying new recipes, I am now thinking about- would it freeze well, will kids like it, what is going to be the best way to store it, etc.

Here is the recipe trade I did today (recipes will follow):

Andrea
Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
Beef Enchilada Casserole

Kelli
Old World Manicotti with Spinich
Chicken Spaghetti

Meal Planning for June 20- June 26

2010-06-20T16:42:00.000-07:00

Okay- well, I totally fell apart with my meal planning the last three weeks. First of all, I had the last week of school. Then, the week of training after school. Finally, the first week of vacation. Each week I was burnt out of planning, and I found some new way to wing it. The meals were not as good, the freezer is empty (almost), and I felt like I was piecing things together the whole time. All in all. . . I did nothing to help me. :) So, today I am back in the grind. I feel better going in to the week with a plan. Yes, I am a a bit OCD. So, I am back on track. I have so many things to post; events, meals, parties, darn good recipes. Right now I will start with this week's planning and build from there.

Sunday Night: Grilled Steak with baked sweet potatoes, and grilled eggplant.

Monday Night: Chicken Spaghetti (freezer meal)*
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2008/12/chicken-spaghetti.html

Tuesday Night: Stuffed Bell Peppers
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/06/stuffed-bell-peppers.html

Wednesday Night: Old World Manicotti with Spinach*
While making the recipe I added 2 cups of frozen spinach to the cheese mixture.
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/01/old-world-manicotti.html

Thursday Night: Church

Friday Night: Dinner out

Saturday Night: Anniversary Dinner Out (almost a month late)
*meal trade with a friend

Meal Planning May 23 to May 29

2010-05-23T17:38:00.000-07:00

Here I am getting ready for another week, and I have nine days of school left for this school year. As exciting as that is, it means the next two weeks will be hectic and tiring. As much as I don’t want to plan tonight, I know it is necessary to keep us from the drive-through lane. I also have no dinners provided on Wednesday, since that has ended for the summer. This is the time of year that I want to relax, but I know I can make it another 9 days. Today I got together with some girls from my Sunday school class for a “casserole shower” for one of our members who is counting the days down to twins. We all came home with 6 meals for the freezer. I will write more about it later, but I can’t stress how excited I am to have some new things in the freezer.

Sunday Night: Tricia’s Famous Lasagna (One of my children’s favorites)
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2008/12/tricia-lasagna.html

Meatless Monday Night: Fried Rice with Tofu Egg Rolls (from the freezer)
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/04/baked-egg-rolls.html
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/02/fried-rice-with-egg-meatless-monday.html

Tuesday Night: Pork Tenderloin in the crockpot with potatoes and fresh vegetables
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/04/pork-tenderloin-marinade.html

Wednesday Night: Cranberry Chicken Casserole (from the freezer) with peas from the freezer (Casserole Recipe Coming Soon)

Thursday Night: Pork Tenderloin Rice Bowls (rice, black beans, pico de gallo or salsa, cheese, topped with leftover pork tenderloin

Friday Night: Out

Saturday Night: Cooking Out for the Holiday Weekend

Summer Stir-fry

2010-05-19T16:03:00.000-07:00

This morning, as I was leaving for school, I stopped by the freezer to grab some meat for dinner tonight. I grabbed an Elk Fillet that I had purchased from the local market. I wasn't sure what to do with it and it was only a half a pound of meat. Well, I cut it, marinaded it, and stir-fried it, and it was a great light summer meal. Here is an easy stir-fry recipe that can use whatever is in the fridge.

1/2 to 1 lb of meat cubed (chicken, beef, elk, etc.)
3 T of soy sauce
1 T of sugar

3 to 4 veggies chopped into bite-size pieces (I used all locally grown food)
* 1 onion
* 2 carrots
* 1 head of broccoli
* 1 squash
* 1 head of Chinese Cabbage chopped

1 package of Udon Noodles cooked (or 1/2 bag of linguine)

Marinate meat in soy sauce and sugar mixture for 15 minutes to an hour. Pour a dollop of oil in to the stir-fry pan. Once heated, add meat and chopped onion. Cook over medium heat. Then, add the carrots and squash to mixture. About 5 minutes before serving add cabbage and broccoli. Add in cooked noodles. Serve and enjoy!

Meals for the Week May 15- May 22

2010-05-19T15:48:00.000-07:00

Sorry to be so late, but this has been one of those weeks. I haven't even had a schedule for the week and we have been having what is in the freezer, fridge, and pantry. So, here is what we have had this week:

Sunday Night: Left-overs from the weekend (easy- everyone had something different)

Meatless Monday: Potato Leek Soup with fresh bread (yes, repeat from last week, but the girls love it and there was just me and the girls to eat that night)

http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/04/chicken-and-barley-with-lemon-marinade.html

Tuesday: Rotisserie Chicken with Amy's Mac and Cheese and Green Beans

Wednesday: Locally Grown Stir-fry- with an Elk Fillet (recipe coming)

Thursday: Lemon Chicken with Barley
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/04/chicken-and-barley-with-lemon-marinade.html

Friday: Pizza Party for E's school! Last two weeks of preschool- excited and sad.

Saturday: Spaghetti (easy family favorite)

2010-05-09T18:18:00.000-07:00

One Week’s Meals – May 9 to 14

Well, it is Sunday again and I am working on keeping us going another week. We hosted my cousin’s college graduation party this weekend, so the weekend was spent working on that meal. So, today I looked at what would be easy to cook and the best use of our leftovers. I also posted the sides again this week. All of my vegetables came from the farmers market this weekend and will make for great sides this week. This week at the local market I purchased: zucchini, squash, cucumber, and leeks. I have had to watch buying too many items at one time- it all looks so good that I want too much for one week.

Sunday Night- Out to eat- My family took me out for mother’s day. It was a great day with the family.

Meatless Monday Bean and Cheese Burritos with stir-fried veggies (squash, zucchini, and onions)
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/05/bean-and-cheese-burritos-meatless.html

Tuesday Left-overs from the Graduation Party (Grilled chicken, baked beans, and coleslaw)

Wednesday Church Picnic (end of choir for the year- one activity down- YIPPEE!)

Thursday Spaghetti and Meat Sauce with fresh cucumber salad (take sauce our of the freezer)
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2008/12/potato-leek-soup.html

Friday Potato and Leek Soup
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2008/12/potato-leek-soup.html

Bean and Cheese Burritos- Meatless Monday Meal

2010-05-09T18:08:00.000-07:00

A quick meal that can be a life saver on those busy nights. Ingredients are simple and easy to keep on hand. Kids love these burritos.

Ingredients
◦7 flour tortillas, 10-inch (25cm) diameter
◦Filling:
3 1/2 cups fat-free refried beans, (two 16-ounce cans)
◦1/2 cup green chiles, canned, chopped (one 4-ounce can)
◦1/2 tsp cumin
◦1/2 tsp garlic powder
◦8 oz reduced fat cheddar cheese*, shredded

Directions
◦Preheat over to 400°F (205°C).
◦Prepare filling by mixing refried beans, chilies, cumin and garlic together in a bowl.
◦Grate cheese.
◦Assemble burrito by spooning approximately 1/2 cup (130g) bean filling into the center of each tortilla and top with about one Tbsp of cheddar cheese. Fold in ends and then sides. Place burritos seam side down on baking sheets that have been sprayed with vegetable oil spray.
◦Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden brown.
◦Serve with a dab of light sour cream and salsa.

Chicken kabobs

2010-05-07T11:36:00.001-07:00

We made some chicken kabobs on the grill and they turned out pretty good. I used the following recipe to marinade the chicken. It was pretty darn spicy and since I'm a whimp I will only use 1/2 of the crushed red pepper next time. Although spicy, I really liked the flavor of this marinade! Besides chicken I used onion, green, red, yellow and orange bell pepper, an pineapple on our kabobs. You could add whatever you like!!

1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

In a small bowl, combine oil, lemon juice, garlic, honey, thyme, red pepper flakes, pepper and salt if desired. Reserve half of marinade for basting; cover. Cut chicken into 1-in. wide strips; weave on skewers. Place in an 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. glass baking dish. Pour remaining marinade over chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Drain, discarding marinade. Place skewers on grill over medium-low coals. Grill, turning and basting with reserved marinade, for 12 minutes or until juices run clear.

Strawberry pie

2010-05-07T11:12:00.000-07:00

My parents came to visit last weekend and we picked lots of strawberries at a local strawberry farm. Mom wanted to make a fresh strawberry pie. This was a delicious recipe!! It was one of the only ones we could find without jello. Adding jello to a pie just didn't seem right.

Here's proof of the freshness!!

1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
1 quart fresh strawberries
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Arrange half of strawberries in baked pastry shell. Mash remaining berries and combine with sugar in a medium saucepan. Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Gradually stir cornstarch mixture into boiling strawberry mixture. Reduce heat and simmer mixture until thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour mixture over berries in pastry shell. Chill for several hours before serving. In a small bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Serve each slice of pie with a dollop of whipped cream.

Note: we filled the entire bottom of the pie with whole strawberrries, not just 2 cups. The pie was delicious but a little runny. Next time we will try less water.

Cinco de Mayo Slaw

2010-05-05T17:52:00.000-07:00

Happy 5th of May, everyone. This is from my friend Kaye. I have to say this slaw recipe looks good for any time of year. Have a great one!

2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 cup shredded green cabbage
1 tsp. sea salt
2 Tbsp. or more fresh squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. honey
2 green onions, chopped with tops
3 Tbsp. or more chopped cilantro
pinch of cayenne
* add more sea salt and white pepper if desired.

Combine all ingredients well. Serve immediately

Teriyaki Chicken Freezer Recipe- Recipe #4

2010-05-05T17:51:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
1 lb of chicken, cooked and diced
½ box of spaghetti, cooked
1 28oz can of stir-fry vegetables (I found in the Asian food section, or equivalent in the freezer section)

Marinade
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tsp garlic salt
2 T brown sugar
2 T white wine or apple juice

Day you make it: Mix ingredients together. Place in an aluminum pan, or freezer bag. Freeze
On cooking day:
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake in a preheated 350F oven for 30 to 45 minutes.

Vegetarian Lentil Soup- Meatless Monday

2010-05-03T18:57:00.000-07:00

From: http://vegetarian.about.com/od/soupsstewsandchili/r/lentilsoup.htm

Lentil soup is one of those recipes that should be in every cook's repertoire. Lentils are available in most grocery stores and are high in protein, healthy and very cheap. This vegetarian lentil soup recipe uses plenty of spices to perk up the soup. Enjoy this traditional and warming dish! You may also want to try this crockpot lentil soup recipe.

Ingredients:
•1 tsp vegetable oil
•1 onion, diced
•1 carrot sliced
•4 cups vegetable broth
•1 cup dry lentils
•1/4 tsp pepper
•1/4 tsp dried thyme
•2 bay leaves
•dash salt
•1 tbsp lemon juice

Preparation:
In a large pot, sautee the onions and carrot in the vegetable oil for 3-5 minutes until onions turn clear.
Add the vegetable broth, lentils, pepper, thyme, bay leaves and salt.

Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until lentils are soft, about 45 minutes. Remove bay leaves and stir in lemon juice before serving. Makes 4 servings of lentil soup.

Meal Planning, Week of May 2- May 8, 2010

2010-05-02T18:58:00.000-07:00

We have another busy week ahead. I can see the end in sight at school, which is nice. This week there are a couple new recipes to be posted, but ones I have cooked before. The other items I have added this week are the side items we are having. All of the vegetable items I have added are locally grown veggies. It is early in season, but great things are available. I purchased mine through the locally grown cooperative for Conway. I made Chinese cabbage for the first time tonight, and it was very tasty. Not as pungent in smell as the regular head of cabbage. I also made cabbage rolls with the other head. (I got two from the market.)

Make Ahead for the week: Teriyaki Chicken (2) and Cabbage Rolls (2), and Lentil Soup (or can be made in crockpot)

Sunday Night: Teriyaki Chicken with fresh steamed Chinese cabbage (recipe posted this week)

Meatless Monday Night: Lentil Soup with Texas Toast (from the freezer) (recipe posted this week)

Tuesday Night: Cabbage Rolls (or as my family knows them: Mini-Meatloaves) with fresh broccoli
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/09/cabbage-rolls.html

Wednesday Night: Church Meal

Thursday Night: Crockpot Chicken with fresh squash and broccoli rabe
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/12/crockpot-chicken-1000-meal.html

Friday Night: Leftover Chicken in Pita Pockets with fresh strawberries and salad

Saturday: Graduation Cookout for my Cousin Whitney!!! (menu and recipes to follow)

Chicken Divan Freezer Recipe – Recipe #3

2010-05-02T18:30:00.000-07:00

With all of the new recipes I have tried lately, I think this is my favorite. Who doesn't love creamy cheese sauce! Now, that being said, it will not be one that will make a regular rotation. This would be a great dish for company, too. It would be easily doubled, so you could make two at a time for the freezer. Have a great week!

Basic Ingredients
1 pkg frozen broccoli (cooked according to pkg instructions)
1 lbs of cooked chicken, sliced
3 cup of rice, cooked

Sauce
¼ cup butter/margarine
¼ cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp minced onion
1 oz sherry
salt & pepper (to taste)

In one aluminum casserole pan, place cooked rice on the bottom. Place broccoli and top with chicken. In a saucepan melt butter then gradually add flour. Once thickened, add milk, stirring until combined. Once smooth, add remaining ingredients, stirring until heated through and cheese is melted. Pour over rice, chicken, and broccoli, cool then freeze.

Southwest Chicken Casserole- Recipe #2

2010-04-29T17:55:00.000-07:00

This is a fun recipe that the family really enjoyed. It is easy to put together and tasty one dish meal.

2 cups of black beans (canned or cooked bagged beans)
2 cups of cooked corn (I use frozen)
3 cups of cooked rice
2 T of butter, melted
1 can of Rotel (drained)
1 lb of chicken, cooked and cubed
1 cup of shredded cheese

Preparation:
Mix beans, corn, rice, salsa, and butter in a bowl until blended. Place in a casserole dish aluminum casserole pan. Cool and freeze.

On Cooking Day:
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake in a preheated 350F oven for 30 minutes covered, 15 minutes uncovered. Sprinkle with cheese the last few minutes.

Meal Planning

2010-04-25T16:51:00.000-07:00

One Week’s Meals - April 25 to May 30

Make Ahead for the week: Curry Base (makes 4 bags), Southwest Casserole (2), Chicken Divan Casserole (2), Optional: Taco Soup into to freezer bag

Sunday Night- Indian Theme A base of curried potatoes and carrots topped with shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken from Kroger) with a boiled egg and a side of Naan

http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/07/naan.html

http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/04/daag-curry-base.html

Meatless Monday Red Beans and Rice (nothing special- packaged)

Tuesday Southwest Casserole (recipe coming this week)

Wednesday Church Meal / Bruschetta for Book Club
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/06/bruschetta.html

Thursday Taco Soup
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/04/taco-soup.html

Friday Chicken Divan Casserole (recipe coming this week)

Chicken and Barley with Lemon Marinade- Recipe #1

2010-04-25T16:45:00.000-07:00

Barley is a new grain for me to cook with. However, I have enjoyed the texture and the flavor. I find that I can replace rice with barley in recipes. In this dish it is used as a side to chicken. The flavor pops and makes for a tangy light chicken dish. Enjoy.

1 lb of chicken
1 cup of barley, uncooked

Marinade
1 lemon juiced (1/4 of a cup)
¼ cup of olive oil
1 tsp of Italian Seasoning

On Preparation Day:
Cook barley on the stove. Combine 1 cup of barley to four cups of water. Season barley with salt and pepper for flavor. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to simmer. Cook for 45 minutes or until water is absorbed.

Layer cooked barley on the bottom of the casserole dish. Lay the chicken on top of the barley. Pour marinade on top of the dish. Cool and freeze.

On Cooking Day:
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake in a preheated 350F oven for 30 minutes covered, 15 minutes uncovered.

Roasted Chicken- One bag of Chicken- 4 recipes

2010-04-25T10:12:00.000-07:00

I enjoy cooking on the weekends. I can try new things, and take my time with it. This weekend, I roasted a three pound bag of chicken tenders. I have found that my family eats about ¾ of a pound of chicken, or 3 chicken breast, not the typical 1 pound per recipe. I am writing the recipe for 1 pound of chicken, but I divided the bag of chicken into four each servings. You can do what is comfortable for your family. Normally, I would make two servings of two recipes, one for the week, one for the freezer. This week I had some new things to try, so I tried four different recipes. Not ideal as far as the mess in the kitchen, but again, I enjoyed it. So, first- the roasted chicken:

1 - 3 lb bag of chicken tenders, thawed
Butter or olive oil to drizzle on chicken
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oven to 350. Spray the bottom of a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Lay the chicken on the pan. Do not let the pieces touch. Drizzle with olive oil, or melted butter. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until pieces are no longer pink in the middle. (Keep a close eye on chicken, because it can become tough if left too long)

The four recipes I made with the bag of chicken are as follows:

Chicken and Barley with Lemon Marinade
Southwest Chicken Casserole
Chicken Divan Casserole
Teriyaki Chicken Casserole

I will be working on the recipes this week to post.

Easy Hummus

2010-04-19T18:26:00.000-07:00

This easy, yet delicious recipe is one of my new favorites. It is a low calorie dip that is great with veggies and pita chips. My sister-in-law makes this regularly- and I am starting to make it more- now that I am addicted. Also, if you like olives, you can add in a few to the mix. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
a bit of lemon juice

Directions
1.In a blender or food processor combine garbanzo beans, garlic, cumin, salt and olive oil. Blend on low speed, gradually adding reserved bean liquid, until desired consistency is achieved.

Meal Planning

2010-04-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

Well, we seem to have another one of those weeks that I find overwhelming by just looking at the calendar. I am thankful that I have implemented weekly meal planning for 2010. Last week, I didn't do so well, but I feel better about it this week. Most of my cooking this week will consist of thawing and cooking or reheating. This week is a little different in that we have two sitters this week due to meetings, so I am using the freezer more this week than usual. Each Saturday or Sunday I sit down and look at what we have each night, and what I can cook. Most weekends I cook one or two meals ahead of time. This really helps me keep my weekly sanity, and allows me to enjoy the process. My meals are not complicated, if they were too fussy the girls wouldn't eat them. I vowed long ago not to cook separately for the girls. So, here is what on the menu for the week in the Gordon house.

Make Ahead for the week: (Sunday cooking this week) Quiche (2), spaghetti sauce (3), Granola for breakfasts and snacks (should last two weeks)

Saturday night: Cranberry Chicken (from freezer)
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/02/cranberry-chicken.html

Sunday night: Quiche (made two- one for freezer)
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/02/cranberry-chicken.html

Meatless Monday night: Cabbage Soup (from freezer)- reheated in Crockpot
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/02/cabbage-soup.html

Tuesday night: Spaghetti (made three- put two in freezer)
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/02/homemade-spagetti.html

Wednesday night: Church dinner (healthy meal that I don't have to cook :) )

Thursday night: Meatloaf (from freezer)- in Crockpot
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/01/easy-meat-loaf.html

Friday night: Lemon Chicken with Barley (recipe coming soon)

2010-04-18T17:32:00.000-07:00

Bulgur Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

2010-04-12T18:35:00.001-07:00

I have made this for my lunches. I really enjoy the taste and the texture... Bulgur has a great texture. It also freezes well.

Bulgur Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Serving Size : 8

1 Small cabbage
1 Cup parsley -- finely chopped
2 onions -- chopped
4 Stalks celery -- chopped
1/4 Tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 Tsp garlic -- minced
30 Oz tomato sauce
4 Cups water
2 Cups bulgur
8 Oz tomato sauce
1/2 Cup water

Remove core from cabbage, place cabbage head in steamer and steam until all leaves are soft and separate easily.

Sauté parsley, onions, celery, seasoning, and garlic in oil substitute until onions are soft. Add 2 15-oz. cans of tomato sauce, 4 cups water and bulgur. Cook about 1/2 hr. over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bulgur is tender. Remove from heat.

To stuff cabbage leaves, place a spoonful of mixture in center of each leaf. Starting at one side, roll leaf up and fold ends under. Place in a deep baking pan. Mix the 8 oz can of tomato sauce with 1/2 cup water and pour over stuffed cabbage leaves so they remain moist during baking. Bake at 375 for about 30 min. until cabbage is hot.

Sources: Jewish Food Recipe Archives

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Baked Egg Rolls

2010-04-12T18:31:00.001-07:00

Meatless Monday once again... So I adding this to the fried rice recipe... You can have a feast

2 T of vegetable oil
1 T of sugar
3 T of Soy sauce
2 T of white wine or cooking Sherry
1 14 oz. block of firm tofu
1/2 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup shredded carrots
1 bunch of green onions chopped
16 oz of shredded cabbage
1 package of egg roll wraps

Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add tofu and carrots; cook 5 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons soy sauce, cooking sherry and sugar, and pepper to taste. Then, stir in cabbage mixture and let reduce for 2 minutes. Cover and chill 15 minutes.
Place 1 egg roll wrapper at a time onto work surface with 1 corner pointing toward you (wrapper should look like a diamond). Fold lower corner of egg roll wrapper over filling. Fold in corners. Moisten top corner of wrapper with water; roll up jelly-roll fashion. Repeat procedure with remaining wrappers, tofu filling, and water.
Lightly coat egg rolls with cooking spray, and place, seam side down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Turn egg rolls over half way through cooking process.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Slow Cooker Corn Chowder

2010-04-09T16:52:00.001-07:00

INGREDIENTS

5 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 onions, chopped
2 cups diced ham
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, undrained
2 tablespoons margarine
salt and pepper to taste
2 cubes chicken bouillon
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

DIRECTIONS

In a slow cooker, place the potatoes, onions, ham, celery, corn, butter or margarine and salt and pepper to taste. Add water to cover and two bouillon cubes.
Cook on low setting for 8 to 9 hours and then stir in the evaporated milk. Cook for 30 more minutes.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Goldenrod Eggs with White Sauce

2010-04-07T18:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, it is another boiled egg recipe. I remember my mom making this as a kid- but we called it "Stuff." I remember not knowing what to call it- so it was "Stuff." I made it last night, but could work on my white sauce. I know that is a practiced skill. So, if you have any hard boiled eggs left- enjoy this tasty, easy recipe.

Goldenrod Eggs

6 hard-boiled eggs
4 pieces of toast
1 1/2 cups of white sauce

Chop egg whites into the white sauce. Serve over toast. Sprinkle yolks on top.

White Sauce

2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
1 cup of milk
dash of pepper
salt to taste

Melt butter in to pan. Add pepper and flour; blend together. Slowly add in milk, whisking in as you add. Cook until thick and smooth. Salt to taste.

Deviled Eggs

2010-04-04T18:18:00.000-07:00

Right now we have eggs in the fridge. . . hard-boiled of course. So, I will be looking at ways to use them, without eating just plain eggs. Tonight we had a few deviled eggs with our dinner. My mom also shared with me that this was one of her favorite dishes to take to potlucks when they first got married. People love deviled eggs, and they are cheap to make!

12 hard boiled eggs, peeled and halved, yolks in a separate bowl
1/4 cup light mayo
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Mix the yolks and mayo in a bowl. Mix until creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Put mixture in a sandwich bag. Cut the corner off of the bag and use the bag to pipe the mixture into the egg white halves. Sprinkle with paprika if desired.

Pork Tenderloin Marinade

2010-04-03T15:28:00.000-07:00

You know how sometimes you can read a recipe and know that it is going to be good? Well, this recipe is one of those- and it looked so good I fed it to 15 people the first time I made it. We had an Easter get-together today in Fort Smith for the young and old. Now, as we head back to our home, I am reflecting on the yuminess. It is one to try!

2 lb pork tenderloin
1 onion mix
1 cup of water
3/4 cup red wine
3 tbs garlic
3 tbs soy sauce
Black pepper.

Cook for 4 hours on low in crockpot, or for about 30 to 45 minutes on the grill in an aluminum tray.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Easter Meal

2010-04-02T06:57:00.001-07:00

More than any other meal, I like to keep Easter traditional. It is the only time of year I bake a ham. It is the one of the only times I make homemade mac-and-cheese. It is the only time of year I boil eggs. I love that there are fresh greens in the stores. I love the colors on the table, the flowers in bloom, and the general mood of happiness that abounds with Easter. So, today there will not be any new recipes, but links to some of my standard holiday fares. This weekend always sweeps in and sweeps by, so take some time to enjoy your family. ksg

Boiled Eggs
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/04/hard-boiled-eggs.html

Ham Glaze
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/01/ham-glaze.html

Crockpot Mac-and-Cheese
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2009/04/crock-pot-mac-and-cheese.html

Gordon Green Beans
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2008/11/gordon-greenbeans.html

Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
http://twosistersandfriends.blogspot.com/2010/02/brown-sugar-glazed-carrots.html