Boy oh boy has life gotten busy since August! Don't think I forgot to blog, it's just gotten pushed to the back burner. I hope to blog more in the near future!
I recently made this recipe and it turned out so good! I even ate it for breakfast a few times because it was a good, warming, comforting dish on a cold fall morning. I served it with brown rice but bread would've been good too.
I was a little worried it'd be too spicy (we don't handle spice well AT ALL in this household!) but the way I made it was just right--flavorful, but not overwhelming. Even the kids ate this (and the leftovers!)
Ingredients:
1 cup dry lentils (I used red)
1 large onion, chopped
garlic powder
ground ginger
1 splash reduced sodium soy sauce
3 cups broth (I used chicken bouillon)
1/2 can coconut milk (use the rest of the can in your coffee or morning oatmeal! It's delicious)
cumin
turmeric
1 can of carrots (I would've used fresh but we got a bunch of cans from Ruby's so I have to use what I have)
red pepper flakes
chili powder
I never measure my seasonings but I seasoned what I believed to be heavily and the flavor just peeked through. I have a habit of underseasoning things but you can taste it and adjust to your needs (or follow the original recipe).
Because I was using the canned carrots, they were already soft. I added them when I added the coconut milk (at the end).
If I were to change anything, I would add more vegetables. The carrots really seemed to stand out but the onion was hidden with the lentils. I think peas or green beans could be good with this.
This meal was really filling and perfect for the fall or winter. I would definitely make it again!
Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts
Friday, October 19, 2018
Thursday, August 9, 2018
Italian Zucchini Beef Skillet
I was going to make something a little more complicated than normal, a layered lasagna with zucchini layers instead of noodles. But it was almost 90 here today and I did not want the oven on that long. So I did what I do best: I improvised.
First cook up a pound of ground beef. Drain and add seasoning (I did onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and Italian seasoning. You could also add onions and peppers while browning the ground beef).
Next, I added chopped tomatoes (fresh from the garden!) with the middles removed.
Then, I added a medium zucchini, shredded. I stirred it all up (over medium high heat) and drained again for the zucchini juices.
Lastly, I added a heap of mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup- 1 1/2 cups). I stirred it in until it melted and then I served!
My kids ate it! They thought the zucchini was cheese so no issue there and they love ground beef. My husband was also pretty impressed and I liked how quick it all came together (while using things from my garden!).
I will definitely make this again. I think it's also pretty versatile. You could add taco seasoning to your beef with salsa and corn and top with shredded cheese for a Mexican version. You could zoodle your zucchini and make the tomatoes into more of a sauce.
First cook up a pound of ground beef. Drain and add seasoning (I did onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and Italian seasoning. You could also add onions and peppers while browning the ground beef).
Next, I added chopped tomatoes (fresh from the garden!) with the middles removed.
Then, I added a medium zucchini, shredded. I stirred it all up (over medium high heat) and drained again for the zucchini juices.
Lastly, I added a heap of mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup- 1 1/2 cups). I stirred it in until it melted and then I served!
My kids ate it! They thought the zucchini was cheese so no issue there and they love ground beef. My husband was also pretty impressed and I liked how quick it all came together (while using things from my garden!).
I will definitely make this again. I think it's also pretty versatile. You could add taco seasoning to your beef with salsa and corn and top with shredded cheese for a Mexican version. You could zoodle your zucchini and make the tomatoes into more of a sauce.
Tuesday, August 7, 2018
Bean "Meat" Balls
I love meatballs. Spaghetti and sauce doesn't have enough protein for me but meatballs can be a lot of work. I try not to buy frozen, pre-made stuff so I don't make them very often.
I found these beanballs! They are totally worth making but they might be even more work than meat ones. I will definitely make them again though!
I made a few changes (nothing major) so I will list what I did here.
Ingredients:
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2-3/4 cup oats
onion powder
Italian seasoning
1 egg
garlic powder
Blend the two cans of beans together, adding just a little water to make a paste. (I think it took just a couple tablespoons). Transfer beans to a bowl and add the other ingredients, saving the oats for last. Use as many oats as you need to make the balls form. Form balls and bake on a greased baking sheet at 450 for 20 minutes. (I followed the recipe for the temp but I think it was too high. Next time, I'll bake at 400 and maybe add a few more minutes on the end. They were a little too dry at 450).
I served them with the tomato sauce (previous post) and pasta but I used the leftover ones to make burritos (tortilla, couple beanballs, cheese, and salsa). They weren't quite enough flavored for me and the dryness made them need a sauce but I think by reducing the oven temp and either serving with pasta sauce or salsa, they're great!
My kids ate these too. My daughter loves meatballs probably more than I do and she never even suspected they weren't meat. With her, I follow a "don't ask, don't tell" policy or she would never try it.
I found these beanballs! They are totally worth making but they might be even more work than meat ones. I will definitely make them again though!
I made a few changes (nothing major) so I will list what I did here.
Ingredients:
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2-3/4 cup oats
onion powder
Italian seasoning
1 egg
garlic powder
Blend the two cans of beans together, adding just a little water to make a paste. (I think it took just a couple tablespoons). Transfer beans to a bowl and add the other ingredients, saving the oats for last. Use as many oats as you need to make the balls form. Form balls and bake on a greased baking sheet at 450 for 20 minutes. (I followed the recipe for the temp but I think it was too high. Next time, I'll bake at 400 and maybe add a few more minutes on the end. They were a little too dry at 450).
I served them with the tomato sauce (previous post) and pasta but I used the leftover ones to make burritos (tortilla, couple beanballs, cheese, and salsa). They weren't quite enough flavored for me and the dryness made them need a sauce but I think by reducing the oven temp and either serving with pasta sauce or salsa, they're great!
My kids ate these too. My daughter loves meatballs probably more than I do and she never even suspected they weren't meat. With her, I follow a "don't ask, don't tell" policy or she would never try it.
Friday, August 3, 2018
Homemade Pasta Sauce
My garden has been SO good to me this year! We only have 3 producing tomato plants but regardless, I still have a lot of cherry tomatoes! Nothing beats a tomato fresh from the garden. They are just superior to any other tomato I've ever had.
I've been eating most of them raw but it was time to catch up. I looked up ways to freeze them for later use but they didn't really appeal to me. So I decided to make spaghetti sauce.
1. Wash and cut the stems off your tomatoes (I think I used about 20 but you can do however many you have). Slice in half.
2. Spray a baking sheet with oil and lay your tomatoes on it, sliced side up (this helps them not stick so much).
3. Add your seasoning. I used garden fresh basil and garlic but you can use dried too.
4. Roast in the oven 20-30 minutes at 400, or until soft.
5. Remove from the oven and let cool for a bit. In a blender or food processor, blend the tomatoes with a splash of balsamic vinegar, a little salt, and other seasoning you desire.
6. You're done!
My kids, who won't even touch a tomato, actually ate this! I served it over noodles and they gobbled it up! I'm so excited I found a way for them to enjoy tomatoes too :)
I've been eating most of them raw but it was time to catch up. I looked up ways to freeze them for later use but they didn't really appeal to me. So I decided to make spaghetti sauce.
1. Wash and cut the stems off your tomatoes (I think I used about 20 but you can do however many you have). Slice in half.
2. Spray a baking sheet with oil and lay your tomatoes on it, sliced side up (this helps them not stick so much).
3. Add your seasoning. I used garden fresh basil and garlic but you can use dried too.
4. Roast in the oven 20-30 minutes at 400, or until soft.
5. Remove from the oven and let cool for a bit. In a blender or food processor, blend the tomatoes with a splash of balsamic vinegar, a little salt, and other seasoning you desire.
6. You're done!
My kids, who won't even touch a tomato, actually ate this! I served it over noodles and they gobbled it up! I'm so excited I found a way for them to enjoy tomatoes too :)
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Sauerkraut Latkes
I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting ways to eat sauerkraut. I don't particularly like it (but I tolerate it) but we always have a lot from Ruby's Pantry. My old favorite way to eat it was cold (to keep the probiotics!) with scrambled eggs. My new favorite way is to make it into latkes!
I drained a 1 pound bag of kraut very, very well. Drain it and squeeze out as much moisture as you can. Then add 1/3 cup flour, 2 eggs, and seasonings (I used onion powder and garlic powder). Mix well.
Now, my recipe called for deep frying (high heat, lots of oil, lots of time) and I did end up doing it that. I took a forkful and smushed it into a patty in the pan. They held together surprisingly well (my husband can tell you, any time we make "patties"they don't stay together after you cook them). But next time, I would cook them in a well greased skillet or in my built-in air fryer (in my toaster oven).
They were pretty good the first time around. A little tangy, but not like usual sauerkraut. One toddler liked them, one didn't. I could've browned them more the first time but it's hard to get high enough heat on a plug in single burner.
I reheated them today in my air fryer, making them much crispier and I thought they were better. My husband liked them both ways.
I've also heard of people doing half sauerkraut, half shredded potato. Or even adding in apples. I think a tart apple, like a Granny Smith could be really good. I will definitely experiment next time but I would totally make these again.
This is what I based my original off of but I didn't do the meat or the applesauce. (I might've done the applesauce had I had any).
I drained a 1 pound bag of kraut very, very well. Drain it and squeeze out as much moisture as you can. Then add 1/3 cup flour, 2 eggs, and seasonings (I used onion powder and garlic powder). Mix well.
Now, my recipe called for deep frying (high heat, lots of oil, lots of time) and I did end up doing it that. I took a forkful and smushed it into a patty in the pan. They held together surprisingly well (my husband can tell you, any time we make "patties"they don't stay together after you cook them). But next time, I would cook them in a well greased skillet or in my built-in air fryer (in my toaster oven).
They were pretty good the first time around. A little tangy, but not like usual sauerkraut. One toddler liked them, one didn't. I could've browned them more the first time but it's hard to get high enough heat on a plug in single burner.
I reheated them today in my air fryer, making them much crispier and I thought they were better. My husband liked them both ways.
I've also heard of people doing half sauerkraut, half shredded potato. Or even adding in apples. I think a tart apple, like a Granny Smith could be really good. I will definitely experiment next time but I would totally make these again.
This is what I based my original off of but I didn't do the meat or the applesauce. (I might've done the applesauce had I had any).
Monday, May 21, 2018
Chocolate Banana Waffles
I woke up this morning and my 4 year old was begging for a "special" breakfast. I don't usually have a lot of time in the morning so sometimes I'll make a breakfast the night before and serve it in the morning. But today, I hadn't prepared anything. We actually weren't having a crazed morning so I agreed when she said she wanted waffles.
I found this recipe but it needed some modifications. This was my first time making it and I followed the ingredients and the instructions (although I did use canola oil instead of coconut oil because my coconut oil wasn't behaving and I used all-purpose flour because I don't buy specialty flours).
Next time, I will combine all the wet ingredients, so I don't have to mash the bananas in a separate bowl and then add the dry to them. I will also add chocolate chips because we could hardly taste the cocoa powder. It came out a little thick too so I might even use less flour, although waffle batter should be a little thicker.
So I would make them again, they weren't bad the original way. They just weren't what we were looking for this morning.
I also HIGHLY recommend doubling the original recipe because I did and I still only got 6 waffles out of it. It all fits in a large mixing bowl just fine (sometimes I double recipes and then find out I have a hard time mixing it all because there's not enough room left in the bowl).
I found this recipe but it needed some modifications. This was my first time making it and I followed the ingredients and the instructions (although I did use canola oil instead of coconut oil because my coconut oil wasn't behaving and I used all-purpose flour because I don't buy specialty flours).
Next time, I will combine all the wet ingredients, so I don't have to mash the bananas in a separate bowl and then add the dry to them. I will also add chocolate chips because we could hardly taste the cocoa powder. It came out a little thick too so I might even use less flour, although waffle batter should be a little thicker.
So I would make them again, they weren't bad the original way. They just weren't what we were looking for this morning.
I also HIGHLY recommend doubling the original recipe because I did and I still only got 6 waffles out of it. It all fits in a large mixing bowl just fine (sometimes I double recipes and then find out I have a hard time mixing it all because there's not enough room left in the bowl).
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
French Toast Casserole
Last night for dinner, I had planned we were going to have French toast to help us use up the remaining hot dog buns and bread crusts. Usually, I ask David to do dinner when it's something breakfast because it's one of the few things he can cook well. But he ended up having to work late so I had to make dinner. I debated switching to something else and leave the French toast for him to do a different night but then I had the idea of doing a French toast casserole (much less tedious than doing French toast on a griddle).
Ingredients:
6 T butter
2/3 cup brown sugar plus extra for sprinkling
stale bread (I used 3 hot dog buns and 5 slices of regular white bread), ripped or cut up
5 eggs
2 cups milk
splash of vanilla
cinnamon
Melt butter (either on stove top or in microwave in 30 second intervals). Stir in the brown sugar until smooth. Pour in the bottom of an 8x11 pan. Add bread. In a bowl, mix together eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour over bread, being sure to saturate the bread. Sprinkle extra brown sugar and cinnamon on top. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes.
This turned out so good. I thought it might've been just a little too egg-y and needed more milk but David and the kids thought it was perfect. The butter and brown sugar on the bottom is amazing too!
Ingredients:
6 T butter
2/3 cup brown sugar plus extra for sprinkling
stale bread (I used 3 hot dog buns and 5 slices of regular white bread), ripped or cut up
5 eggs
2 cups milk
splash of vanilla
cinnamon
Melt butter (either on stove top or in microwave in 30 second intervals). Stir in the brown sugar until smooth. Pour in the bottom of an 8x11 pan. Add bread. In a bowl, mix together eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour over bread, being sure to saturate the bread. Sprinkle extra brown sugar and cinnamon on top. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes.
This turned out so good. I thought it might've been just a little too egg-y and needed more milk but David and the kids thought it was perfect. The butter and brown sugar on the bottom is amazing too!
Monday, May 14, 2018
Enchilada Pie
The other day I had decided we were going to have enchiladas for dinner. I spent longer than I'd like to admit looking for just the perfect recipe. Dinner time rolls around and I start cooking up the filling. I open the fridge to discover I only have 4 tortilla shells. This is not going to cut it. I know you can make your own shells but I was not in the mood to do that. I just wanted to get dinner on the table. So I did what I do best: I improvised.
Ingredients
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can rotel (I didn't drain this but I should've)
dash of cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder
half a can of corn
onion
bell pepper
enchilada sauce
tortilla shells
cheese
First, cook up your onion and bell pepper in a large skillet. Add in black beans and rotel. Cook until heated through and add seasonings and corn.
In a greased 8x8 pan, spoon out a little enchilada sauce (just enough to cover the bottom). Add a tortilla shell (flat). Add a third of the bean mixture and top with a drizzle of enchilada sauce and a sprinkling of cheese. Add the next tortilla shell and repeat the process. End with a tortilla shell with lots of enchilada sauce and cheese. (You will probably have extra enchilada sauce left). Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes.
This turned out really good. It was a tad bit spicy for my family (the combination of the rotel and the enchilada sauce proved to be too much for my kids) but we all agreed that the top layer of tortilla shell with all the extra cheese was the best. I would definitely make it again and the kids will just have to put up with it.
Ingredients
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can rotel (I didn't drain this but I should've)
dash of cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder
half a can of corn
onion
bell pepper
enchilada sauce
tortilla shells
cheese
First, cook up your onion and bell pepper in a large skillet. Add in black beans and rotel. Cook until heated through and add seasonings and corn.
In a greased 8x8 pan, spoon out a little enchilada sauce (just enough to cover the bottom). Add a tortilla shell (flat). Add a third of the bean mixture and top with a drizzle of enchilada sauce and a sprinkling of cheese. Add the next tortilla shell and repeat the process. End with a tortilla shell with lots of enchilada sauce and cheese. (You will probably have extra enchilada sauce left). Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes.
This turned out really good. It was a tad bit spicy for my family (the combination of the rotel and the enchilada sauce proved to be too much for my kids) but we all agreed that the top layer of tortilla shell with all the extra cheese was the best. I would definitely make it again and the kids will just have to put up with it.
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
Wonton Pizza Bites
I had tomatoes and wonton wrappers to use up. I scoured Pinterest for an idea (what else do I do, right?) and I found people who did mini pizzas with wonton wrappers. So I did a take on that. You could easily sub the tomatoes I use for real pizza (or pasta) sauce too.
I doubled up on the wrappers per pizza because of the juicy tomatoes and weight of the ingredients. You could try it with just one but don't be surprised if your filling falls through. These would also make great appetizers for a party!
Ingredients:
24 wonton wrappers (homemade or you can find them at Walmart, near the tofu and organic stuff)
4 roma tomatoes (You actually might want more like 5, since two of my pizzas were tomato-less but the kids liked those ones better. My tomato hating husband though surprisingly liked the ones with tomato better. So your choice)
Italian seasoning (oregano, basil, etc)
garlic powder
onion powder
cheese
pepperoni/other pizza toppings
I also think these could be good with added mushrooms or red peppers but I didn't have any on hand.
So then you line a muffin tin with two wrappers each (no need to spray the tin, the wrappers come pre-floured). Chop up your tomatoes and mix with the seasonings. Add tomato mixture to your cups, sprinkle on cheese, add toppings. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes. Your bake time may be a little longer or shorter (they're done when the wonton wrapper is browned and the cheese is melted). I use a toaster oven that claims you don't have to preheat but I usually have to play with the time something takes to bake. In this case, they took me about 15 minutes and since I only had one 6 cup muffin pan, I had to make two separate batches.
But these were really good! Of course, I don't post bad recipes but I would definitely make these again. They remind me of a healthier version of a thin crust pizza. But don't eat too many! Besides having vegetables and seeming smaller and healthier than a slice of pizza, the calories still add up fast!
I doubled up on the wrappers per pizza because of the juicy tomatoes and weight of the ingredients. You could try it with just one but don't be surprised if your filling falls through. These would also make great appetizers for a party!
Ingredients:
24 wonton wrappers (homemade or you can find them at Walmart, near the tofu and organic stuff)
4 roma tomatoes (You actually might want more like 5, since two of my pizzas were tomato-less but the kids liked those ones better. My tomato hating husband though surprisingly liked the ones with tomato better. So your choice)
Italian seasoning (oregano, basil, etc)
garlic powder
onion powder
cheese
pepperoni/other pizza toppings
I also think these could be good with added mushrooms or red peppers but I didn't have any on hand.
So then you line a muffin tin with two wrappers each (no need to spray the tin, the wrappers come pre-floured). Chop up your tomatoes and mix with the seasonings. Add tomato mixture to your cups, sprinkle on cheese, add toppings. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes. Your bake time may be a little longer or shorter (they're done when the wonton wrapper is browned and the cheese is melted). I use a toaster oven that claims you don't have to preheat but I usually have to play with the time something takes to bake. In this case, they took me about 15 minutes and since I only had one 6 cup muffin pan, I had to make two separate batches.
But these were really good! Of course, I don't post bad recipes but I would definitely make these again. They remind me of a healthier version of a thin crust pizza. But don't eat too many! Besides having vegetables and seeming smaller and healthier than a slice of pizza, the calories still add up fast!
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Pasta Sauce Cheesy Beef One Pot Wonder
First post of the new year! Yay! I have high hopes of blogging more this year, but let's see how that actually goes. :)
Last night, I made this recipe with just a few modifications. It turned out SO good but I'm not sure the cheeseburger flavor was very strong. I think the can of tomatoes and the pasta sauce kind of took away from it. But that's okay! It was still delicious.
My ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1/3 can of Hunt's Traditional pasta sauce
1 large jar of tomatoes from Grandma's garden
1 medium onion
~1/4 cup ketchup (I eye balled it)
~1 tablespoon yellow mustard
8oz block of cheddar cheese
1lb box large elbow macaroni
1 1/2 cups water plus 1 bouillon cube (I thought the two cups was going to make the end result too liquidy and this worked out just fine)
1 roma tomato for garnishing (I rarely do the garnish for a recipe but I thought this was worth it. If you don't have one, that's okay too)
Then I followed her cooking instructions. Despite the elbow noodles needing less time to cook according to the box, they did still take the full time she had said (13 minutes?).
This makes a big batch (about 10-12 servings) so be sure to use a big enough pot! But I do love one pot wonders, especially with my current kitchen cooking conditions.
I will DEFINITELY make this again. David couldn't stop eating it and the kids even ate some of it! (That's a big deal these days. They aren't picky, they just don't eat dinner for some reason, even if it's something they asked for!)
Last night, I made this recipe with just a few modifications. It turned out SO good but I'm not sure the cheeseburger flavor was very strong. I think the can of tomatoes and the pasta sauce kind of took away from it. But that's okay! It was still delicious.
My ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1/3 can of Hunt's Traditional pasta sauce
1 large jar of tomatoes from Grandma's garden
1 medium onion
~1/4 cup ketchup (I eye balled it)
~1 tablespoon yellow mustard
8oz block of cheddar cheese
1lb box large elbow macaroni
1 1/2 cups water plus 1 bouillon cube (I thought the two cups was going to make the end result too liquidy and this worked out just fine)
1 roma tomato for garnishing (I rarely do the garnish for a recipe but I thought this was worth it. If you don't have one, that's okay too)
Then I followed her cooking instructions. Despite the elbow noodles needing less time to cook according to the box, they did still take the full time she had said (13 minutes?).
This makes a big batch (about 10-12 servings) so be sure to use a big enough pot! But I do love one pot wonders, especially with my current kitchen cooking conditions.
I will DEFINITELY make this again. David couldn't stop eating it and the kids even ate some of it! (That's a big deal these days. They aren't picky, they just don't eat dinner for some reason, even if it's something they asked for!)
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Homemade Mushroom Gravy with Salisbury Steak
I found some "ground beef steaks" in my freezer and had no idea what that was. Was it a hamburger patty? Was it a steak with a weird texture? I asked David and he goes "oh! That's for Salisbury steak!"
So tonight I was able to cook them from frozen but then I realized they probably didn't have any seasoning in them because the company expects you to put gravy with it. I've never made gravy (not from inside a turkey) before so I was definitely intimidated. I didn't think it was hard, I understood the basic concept but it was still uncharted territory for me.
I had mushrooms and no beef broth (or stock) so I looked up recipes for "mushroom gravy". I found this recipe and tweaked it just a bit.
First (in my electric skillet), I cooked the steaks. I set them on a plate but left the grease in the pan. Then, I sauteed some mushrooms and onions in the grease, until well cooked (the onions even got this nice almost char on them). I added 2 tablespoons of flour (the original recipe calls for 3 but I didn't want a ton of gravy. I only had 3 steaks).
Next mix it up well and make sure there's no flour bits anywhere. Then, I didn't have any broth but I did have a spare packet of chicken ramen seasoning. I added 1 1/2 cups of water (instead of two) and half of the packet of seasoning. Then I added some garlic powder, onion powder, a splash of liquid smoke, thyme, and sage. I stirred frequently, letting it bubble so it grew thicker.
After a couple minutes, I added the steaks back in the gravy so they could absorb some of the flavor of the gravy too. I let everything heat throughout and let it cook until my desired consistency (just another minute or two). Then I served!
I made this with mac and cheese because that's what my kids requested, French bread to soak up the gravy, and raw snow peas because I ran out of time to make anything else and I happened to find those in the fridge.
I was (am) SO giddy that I was able to make gravy! And it was all absolutely delicious. I honestly rate this a 10/10!
So tonight I was able to cook them from frozen but then I realized they probably didn't have any seasoning in them because the company expects you to put gravy with it. I've never made gravy (not from inside a turkey) before so I was definitely intimidated. I didn't think it was hard, I understood the basic concept but it was still uncharted territory for me.
I had mushrooms and no beef broth (or stock) so I looked up recipes for "mushroom gravy". I found this recipe and tweaked it just a bit.
First (in my electric skillet), I cooked the steaks. I set them on a plate but left the grease in the pan. Then, I sauteed some mushrooms and onions in the grease, until well cooked (the onions even got this nice almost char on them). I added 2 tablespoons of flour (the original recipe calls for 3 but I didn't want a ton of gravy. I only had 3 steaks).
Next mix it up well and make sure there's no flour bits anywhere. Then, I didn't have any broth but I did have a spare packet of chicken ramen seasoning. I added 1 1/2 cups of water (instead of two) and half of the packet of seasoning. Then I added some garlic powder, onion powder, a splash of liquid smoke, thyme, and sage. I stirred frequently, letting it bubble so it grew thicker.
After a couple minutes, I added the steaks back in the gravy so they could absorb some of the flavor of the gravy too. I let everything heat throughout and let it cook until my desired consistency (just another minute or two). Then I served!
I made this with mac and cheese because that's what my kids requested, French bread to soak up the gravy, and raw snow peas because I ran out of time to make anything else and I happened to find those in the fridge.
I was (am) SO giddy that I was able to make gravy! And it was all absolutely delicious. I honestly rate this a 10/10!
Thursday, November 2, 2017
Skillet "Cheeseburger" With Cauliflower
My whole family is sick with a cold so I will have to make this recipe again when we feel better to see if it still tastes good! Ha!
This is my last week of fresh CSA veggies (but I have plenty frozen!). So this recipe was just about using up the fridge. I also had thawed a pound of ground beef for a different recipe, but with being sick I didn't want to go into all the effort of that one.
So here's what I did. I had 2 small heads of cauliflower that I chopped (pretty small, like kid bite size) and put in a bowl with a splash of water. I microwaved them for 10 minutes. While that cooked, I chopped an onion, the other half of a red pepper, and some baby bella mushrooms.
Because I can't use my electric skillet and my microwave at the same time, I had to wait til my microwave was done before I could start browning the beef. I threw in the onions at the same time too. Next, you should drain it. I ALWAYS forget this step and my gut pays for it later.
When the meat is mostly browned, add in your cauliflower. After that seems to be cooked up, add in your peppers and mushrooms. As those start to cook, season with garlic. I also added salt in at this point, not remembering I had planned to add a little salsa later.
So now everything is just about done. Add in a splash of salsa (third of a cup maybe? half a cup?) and stir to combine. I also added in some cheddar cheese (1/3 of a block but more definitely wouldn't be bad!). When the cheese is melted, it's ready!
My kids even ate this! They have been picking things out of my dinners for weeks now and this one was just gobbled up. They didn't even seem to notice the mushrooms or the cauliflower. The one thing my daughter did notice was the peppers, but not the ones I had added in, the ones from the salsa! How funny is that? Ha!
Ingredient list for ease of future use:
ground beef
onion
bell pepper
mushrooms
cauliflower
salsa
garlic powder
cheddar cheese
You could very easily omit the salsa and add in whatever seasoning you want. Even the veggies could probably be swapped out. I would leave the cauliflower though, because it's kind of like rice (although my pieces weren't that fine) but your choice! I love use-up-the-fridge recipes!
This is my last week of fresh CSA veggies (but I have plenty frozen!). So this recipe was just about using up the fridge. I also had thawed a pound of ground beef for a different recipe, but with being sick I didn't want to go into all the effort of that one.
So here's what I did. I had 2 small heads of cauliflower that I chopped (pretty small, like kid bite size) and put in a bowl with a splash of water. I microwaved them for 10 minutes. While that cooked, I chopped an onion, the other half of a red pepper, and some baby bella mushrooms.
Because I can't use my electric skillet and my microwave at the same time, I had to wait til my microwave was done before I could start browning the beef. I threw in the onions at the same time too. Next, you should drain it. I ALWAYS forget this step and my gut pays for it later.
When the meat is mostly browned, add in your cauliflower. After that seems to be cooked up, add in your peppers and mushrooms. As those start to cook, season with garlic. I also added salt in at this point, not remembering I had planned to add a little salsa later.
So now everything is just about done. Add in a splash of salsa (third of a cup maybe? half a cup?) and stir to combine. I also added in some cheddar cheese (1/3 of a block but more definitely wouldn't be bad!). When the cheese is melted, it's ready!
My kids even ate this! They have been picking things out of my dinners for weeks now and this one was just gobbled up. They didn't even seem to notice the mushrooms or the cauliflower. The one thing my daughter did notice was the peppers, but not the ones I had added in, the ones from the salsa! How funny is that? Ha!
Ingredient list for ease of future use:
ground beef
onion
bell pepper
mushrooms
cauliflower
salsa
garlic powder
cheddar cheese
You could very easily omit the salsa and add in whatever seasoning you want. Even the veggies could probably be swapped out. I would leave the cauliflower though, because it's kind of like rice (although my pieces weren't that fine) but your choice! I love use-up-the-fridge recipes!
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Saucy Pork Chops
So I recently had a recipe that only needed a quarter cup of tomato sauce so when I opened up the can, I obviously had a lot left. I knew I could make pasta with it but that seemed so boring. Plus, I did have pork chops to use too. (Does anyone else ever thaw anything and then realize you don't have a recipe picked out to go with it? It can't just be me!)
I did a little looking around online and apparently, pork chops with pasta sauce is really delicious! Some people serve it with noodles but I served mine with Brussels sprouts and mashed cauliflower.
It's a really simple recipe. On high heat, cook your pork chops until browned on each side. Add your pasta sauce (I had four chops and almost a whole can of sauce), turn down the heat, and cover until pork is cooked through. The end! Isn't that easy?? And it's SO good too! I know people do a similar thing with chicken parmesan but I never even thought to do it with pork!
My kids and husband gobbled this up! I will definitely make it again. I think it could be good served with noodles or rice too because I did have a little extra sauce. I suppose it'd also be a similar effect if you cut up your pork chops and just served them on top of your spaghetti.
I did a little looking around online and apparently, pork chops with pasta sauce is really delicious! Some people serve it with noodles but I served mine with Brussels sprouts and mashed cauliflower.
It's a really simple recipe. On high heat, cook your pork chops until browned on each side. Add your pasta sauce (I had four chops and almost a whole can of sauce), turn down the heat, and cover until pork is cooked through. The end! Isn't that easy?? And it's SO good too! I know people do a similar thing with chicken parmesan but I never even thought to do it with pork!
My kids and husband gobbled this up! I will definitely make it again. I think it could be good served with noodles or rice too because I did have a little extra sauce. I suppose it'd also be a similar effect if you cut up your pork chops and just served them on top of your spaghetti.
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Hidden Kraut Spinach Burgers and Roasted Veggies
Tonight I made hidden spinach and kraut burgers that were awesome! The blogger talks about paleo and AIP but I don't follow that. I don't even know what AIP is. So I did change a couple of the ingredients. I also didn't serve them on those butternut squash roll things but they do look good!
This is what I made:
2 pounds ground beef
2 handfuls spinach
~2 cups sauerkraut
3/4 cup milk
~1/3 cup breadcrumbs (I would've used a little more too but I ran out. Next time, I might just do oats)
onion powder
garlic powder
salt
parsley
Then I followed the instructions (blend spinach, sauerkraut, milk in blender til smooth. Dump in bowl, add spices. Mix. Add meat and breadcrumbs. Mix. Make patties and bake at 400 for 25 minutes).
The original poster got 5-6 patties out of this but those must've been HUGE because I made what I thought were huge and I still got 9.
I will also mention that the end result is not green! There are tiny flecks of green (that could be the parsley) and it leaks out a little green but if you don't tell anyone, there is no way they could guess that there is spinach and sauerkraut in there! I was truly amazed!!
I served this with roasted radishes and brussels sprouts. These turned out great too. I tossed with oil, seasoned with a little salt and thyme and then baked at 400 (because the burgers were 400) for 20ish minutes. I don't even normally like radishes but roasting them makes them so much better (and not spicy!).
The meal tonight was fantastic! I will definitely be making both of these dishes again and again!!
This is what I made:
2 pounds ground beef
2 handfuls spinach
~2 cups sauerkraut
3/4 cup milk
~1/3 cup breadcrumbs (I would've used a little more too but I ran out. Next time, I might just do oats)
onion powder
garlic powder
salt
parsley
Then I followed the instructions (blend spinach, sauerkraut, milk in blender til smooth. Dump in bowl, add spices. Mix. Add meat and breadcrumbs. Mix. Make patties and bake at 400 for 25 minutes).
The original poster got 5-6 patties out of this but those must've been HUGE because I made what I thought were huge and I still got 9.
I will also mention that the end result is not green! There are tiny flecks of green (that could be the parsley) and it leaks out a little green but if you don't tell anyone, there is no way they could guess that there is spinach and sauerkraut in there! I was truly amazed!!
I served this with roasted radishes and brussels sprouts. These turned out great too. I tossed with oil, seasoned with a little salt and thyme and then baked at 400 (because the burgers were 400) for 20ish minutes. I don't even normally like radishes but roasting them makes them so much better (and not spicy!).
The meal tonight was fantastic! I will definitely be making both of these dishes again and again!!
Thursday, February 2, 2017
Kielbasa Sauerkraut Noodle Casserole
For dinner tonight, I made this recipe with a few changes. I've actually been making a lot of sauerkraut recipes lately because even though it isn't my favorite, we got 3 94 serving cans of it from Ruby's Pantry. That's a lot of servings! It does last a long long time but we have to eat it eventually. Besides, sauerkraut is actually good for you. Some people even put it on their list of "super foods".
So here are the modifications I made:
1 box of bow tie noodles (although the shape of noodle doesn't seem to matter)
4-5 cups of sauerkraut, drained
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
3 cups of milk
1 1/2 cups cheese (I wanted to use the cheddar but all I had was mozzarella)
2 tablespoons cream cheese
paprika
garlic powder
onion powder
couple squirts of mustard (I actually used this weird mustard relish stuff. The relish is very minimal but the flavor is there)
ring of Kielbasa
Then I followed the directions but since I had so many more noodles and sauerkraut, I used a 5 qt casserole dish. I also added the spices to the cheese sauce, when the cheese was starting to melt. I was very generous in adding the seasonings also, because some of the commentators from the original said it was a little bland.
I thought it still needed something (salt? I never add salt to my cooking it seems) but David rated this a 9 or 10. I also wonder how much of a difference the cheddar cheese would have made. I'll definitely make it again though and this is a very reasonable way to eat sauerkraut, even if you don't like sauerkraut!
So here are the modifications I made:
1 box of bow tie noodles (although the shape of noodle doesn't seem to matter)
4-5 cups of sauerkraut, drained
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
3 cups of milk
1 1/2 cups cheese (I wanted to use the cheddar but all I had was mozzarella)
2 tablespoons cream cheese
paprika
garlic powder
onion powder
couple squirts of mustard (I actually used this weird mustard relish stuff. The relish is very minimal but the flavor is there)
ring of Kielbasa
Then I followed the directions but since I had so many more noodles and sauerkraut, I used a 5 qt casserole dish. I also added the spices to the cheese sauce, when the cheese was starting to melt. I was very generous in adding the seasonings also, because some of the commentators from the original said it was a little bland.
I thought it still needed something (salt? I never add salt to my cooking it seems) but David rated this a 9 or 10. I also wonder how much of a difference the cheddar cheese would have made. I'll definitely make it again though and this is a very reasonable way to eat sauerkraut, even if you don't like sauerkraut!
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Fluffy, Tofu Pancakes
A while back from Ruby's Pantry we were given Nigari tofu. It's a super soft, sweet tofu that is pretty much useless in a stir fry. I don't know about you but when I think tofu, I think stir fries. So I had to do a little more research. I had previously used one package in a chocolate mousse kind of thing and that turned out really good. I froze the rest of the tofu and kind of forgot about it.
Then I found this recipe and it was amazing! Since I had to look up the conversions for all the ingredients, I'll list them here:
1 block of nigari tofu
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup flour
3/4 cup milk (could use soy milk to make these vegan)
1/4 cup sugar
a couple drops of vanilla extract
Mix the tofu, milk, and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet until combined. Then make pancakes as normal (heat up your pan, add pancake batter, cook until bubbles pop, flip).
These turned out really super good. They were easy with a quick prep (cooking pancakes always takes me FOREVER. I got 15 pancakes out of this, made two at a time, and it still took almost 40 minutes to get them all cooked). I will definitely make again if I ever have more tofu to use up!
Then I found this recipe and it was amazing! Since I had to look up the conversions for all the ingredients, I'll list them here:
1 block of nigari tofu
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup flour
3/4 cup milk (could use soy milk to make these vegan)
1/4 cup sugar
a couple drops of vanilla extract
Mix the tofu, milk, and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet until combined. Then make pancakes as normal (heat up your pan, add pancake batter, cook until bubbles pop, flip).
These turned out really super good. They were easy with a quick prep (cooking pancakes always takes me FOREVER. I got 15 pancakes out of this, made two at a time, and it still took almost 40 minutes to get them all cooked). I will definitely make again if I ever have more tofu to use up!
Saturday, December 10, 2016
Carrot Cheese Crackers
Oh my goodness has it been a long time since I blogged! My computer was having some crazy issues and then I just got more and more behind. I am missing so many recipes I have made in the past few months and sadly, I will not be able to blog about them. When I don't blog a recipe shortly after making it, I forget all my specifications and notes to myself. How sad!
Well, today I made some crackers. They're supposed to be comparable to Cheez-Its and I think they are close enough. My husband said they taste like "under-cooked noodles, but that's a good thing! I liked them!" so...who knows.
I found the recipe here but I didn't exactly follow it.
For the carrots, a long time ago I had tried to make a carrot puree for my toddlers to enjoy in a pouch that was much too watery and chunky to be considered a puree. I froze it all in ice cube trays anyway and have been using it up slowly in sauces, burgers, casseroles, etc. I thawed about 15 ice cubes worth for the carrot part of these crackers.
So I put my carrot stuff in a bowl, added 2 eggs, and a big handful of cheese (and then my toddler added a handful of cheese--just for good measure!) and stirred it all up. I didn't use a mixer or food processor at all. I added the flour (I used white, not whole wheat) 1/4 cup at a time. The last 1/4 cup I should've added the whole thing but for some reason I thought my dough was thick enough. It was so sticky though so I had a really hard time getting cracker shapes out of a lot of it. So I made about 40 crackers and then a big pile of mush.
I would definitely make these again. Both of my toddlers loved them (even after knowing there were carrots in there!). Next time, I'll try not to forget to sprinkle on salt before they go in the oven but it actually wasn't as big of a deal as I thought it was going to be. Now I have a better use for my weird carrot ice cubes!
Well, today I made some crackers. They're supposed to be comparable to Cheez-Its and I think they are close enough. My husband said they taste like "under-cooked noodles, but that's a good thing! I liked them!" so...who knows.
I found the recipe here but I didn't exactly follow it.
For the carrots, a long time ago I had tried to make a carrot puree for my toddlers to enjoy in a pouch that was much too watery and chunky to be considered a puree. I froze it all in ice cube trays anyway and have been using it up slowly in sauces, burgers, casseroles, etc. I thawed about 15 ice cubes worth for the carrot part of these crackers.
So I put my carrot stuff in a bowl, added 2 eggs, and a big handful of cheese (and then my toddler added a handful of cheese--just for good measure!) and stirred it all up. I didn't use a mixer or food processor at all. I added the flour (I used white, not whole wheat) 1/4 cup at a time. The last 1/4 cup I should've added the whole thing but for some reason I thought my dough was thick enough. It was so sticky though so I had a really hard time getting cracker shapes out of a lot of it. So I made about 40 crackers and then a big pile of mush.
I would definitely make these again. Both of my toddlers loved them (even after knowing there were carrots in there!). Next time, I'll try not to forget to sprinkle on salt before they go in the oven but it actually wasn't as big of a deal as I thought it was going to be. Now I have a better use for my weird carrot ice cubes!
Friday, July 15, 2016
Kielbasa, Potato, Green Bean Dinner
At Ruby's Pantry this past month, we were given a 24 serving can of green beans. The can is one of those ones you find in the bulk aisle at Walmart. It's crazy big. We were also given a few purple potatoes and beef broth.
Tonight, I decided to combine 1 pound of kielbasa (not from Ruby's), about 1/4 of the can of beans, a couple handfuls of the purple potatoes, and 2 ish cups of beef broth in a slow cooker. I put it on low for 8 hours and it turned out wonderful, if not a little salty. (The beans were even reduced sodium but that is still a lot of sodium for a dinner!)
We were all surprised that the purple potatoes turned yellow-ish brown, like a regular potato!
I love slow cooker dinners, especially on busy nights. Dinner is already ready for you! There is little prep work to this one so it was even do-able with little kids. When I explained to my two and a half year old at breakfast time that I needed to make dinner, she looked at me like I was nuts and called me silly. But she gladly helped anyway. I don't know that she's actively seen me use the slow cooker before though because she thought it was going to be loud (like a blender) and was really confused when it wasn't! Several times throughout the day, she asked me if it was time to eat yet--probably because slow cookers make the house smell so good!
I will definitely be making this again. I would somehow find a way to reduce the salt and maybe I'd add an onion but it really doesn't need much in terms of seasonings without being bland! This dinner was easy and awesome!
Tonight, I decided to combine 1 pound of kielbasa (not from Ruby's), about 1/4 of the can of beans, a couple handfuls of the purple potatoes, and 2 ish cups of beef broth in a slow cooker. I put it on low for 8 hours and it turned out wonderful, if not a little salty. (The beans were even reduced sodium but that is still a lot of sodium for a dinner!)
We were all surprised that the purple potatoes turned yellow-ish brown, like a regular potato!
I love slow cooker dinners, especially on busy nights. Dinner is already ready for you! There is little prep work to this one so it was even do-able with little kids. When I explained to my two and a half year old at breakfast time that I needed to make dinner, she looked at me like I was nuts and called me silly. But she gladly helped anyway. I don't know that she's actively seen me use the slow cooker before though because she thought it was going to be loud (like a blender) and was really confused when it wasn't! Several times throughout the day, she asked me if it was time to eat yet--probably because slow cookers make the house smell so good!
I will definitely be making this again. I would somehow find a way to reduce the salt and maybe I'd add an onion but it really doesn't need much in terms of seasonings without being bland! This dinner was easy and awesome!
Monday, July 4, 2016
Sweet Potato BBQ Chicken Pizza
I'm behind in my blogging (again) so I actually made this pizza a few weeks ago. We were nervous how it would turn out because it sounded healthy (ha!) and nobody but me really likes sweet potatoes.
I did take the crust out of the oven a couple minutes early because it was browning and I didn't want it to burn.
I also cooked the spinach (when I cooked the onions) because it had previously been frozen and I wasn't sure how it would turn out. I don't know that it matters if it's cooked or uncooked, regardless of being frozen. I will also mention that I didn't measure the sauces. I simply each one out separately on the crust until it looked good. This could've been close to a half cup but it did leave a lot of tomato sauce in the jar so be ready to have spaghetti the next night!
This pizza turned out great! Being cheeseless, I'm not sure I would eat it because I was craving pizza and trying to be healthier but I would eat it again. It's just not a good replacement for the real thing. Even David liked it. My toddler hates sweet potatoes too so she wasn't impressed, but she did like the toppings. My mom was in town and thought it was really good also!
I would definitely make it again!
I did take the crust out of the oven a couple minutes early because it was browning and I didn't want it to burn.
I also cooked the spinach (when I cooked the onions) because it had previously been frozen and I wasn't sure how it would turn out. I don't know that it matters if it's cooked or uncooked, regardless of being frozen. I will also mention that I didn't measure the sauces. I simply each one out separately on the crust until it looked good. This could've been close to a half cup but it did leave a lot of tomato sauce in the jar so be ready to have spaghetti the next night!
This pizza turned out great! Being cheeseless, I'm not sure I would eat it because I was craving pizza and trying to be healthier but I would eat it again. It's just not a good replacement for the real thing. Even David liked it. My toddler hates sweet potatoes too so she wasn't impressed, but she did like the toppings. My mom was in town and thought it was really good also!
I would definitely make it again!
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Eggplant Lasagna Roll Ups
In the past, I have made lasagna roll ups with great results. I do a noodle outside with a ricotta cheese/spinach mixture on the inside. I had seen people do something similar with a zucchini outside (instead of the noodle). I have been intrigued to try this but it's not zucchini season yet so I did it with an eggplant!
I had pinterested about it and found a recipe (that for some reason refuses to open so I am unable to give credit) but I had to make some changes.
Ingredients:
I had pinterested about it and found a recipe (that for some reason refuses to open so I am unable to give credit) but I had to make some changes.
Ingredients:
- 1 large eggplant, cut length wise in slices (about 12 slices for 1 eggplant)
- about 1/2 cup sour cream
- about 1 cup ricotta cheese
- basil
- shredded parmesan cheese (I would've used mozzarella if I had it)
- pasta sauce of your choosing
Directions:
They talk about purging the eggplant. This is a process that gets rid of its bitter juices. I will probably not do this next time because I found my sink dry after doing it and even after rinsing, it make the eggplant really salty. If you are interested, you rub salt on your eggplant slices and let sit in a colander in the sink. Then rinse after about an hour. (Maybe I'm missing a step and that's why mine didn't work? I'm not sure).
Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add in as many eggplant slices that fit. Cook a couple minutes on each side, until browned. Repeat until all slices are cooked.
Mix up the sour cream, ricotta cheese, basil, and some of the cheese in a bowl. Spread on each slice of eggplant and roll up. Put in a baking dish and cover with pasta sauce (I used about half a jar) and the remaining cheese. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes (just enough to heat everything through. The original recipe doesn't call for the oven at all. You wrap your eggplant with the cold cheese mixture and serve. Eww!). This also assures that your eggplant is cooked all the way.
This recipe was a HIT! I think David and I both rate this an 8+ out of 10! He says he would still prefer noodles but I almost don't notice a difference. The eggplant flavor is really mild and it cuts easily with your fork. With 3 roll ups a person, this serves about 4 people. Compared with a regular lasagna noodle and a serving of 3 roll ups, the eggplant saves you over 200 calories! Incredible!
I love healthy recipes and substitutions that actually taste good! Now, this recipe is definitely not healthy but by swapping the noodles for eggplant, I believe it helps!
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