parties

Are you having a party and need appetizer ideas? I will put a few on here and maybe it will be something you can use.

Sausage balls - very simple. ground sausage mixed with a little ground beef or ground turkey. throw in a little bread crumbs, roll into balls. Heat slowly over med low heat until browned. Add some grape jelly and let simmer. Easy, inexpensive, and good.

Shrimp/crab or seafood dip - 1 jar salsa, 1 pkg. cream cheese softened, cooked shrimp or crabmeat chopped, handful of shredded cheddar. Mix all ingredients well. Put in a bowl surrounded by your favorite crackers for dipping. Easy!

Bruschetta - Diced tomatoes, diced onions or onion powder, minced garlic or garlic powder, chopped basil, mozzarella cheese, loaf bread. Mix the tomatoes, onion, garlic and basil. Set aside. Slice bread into 1/2" slices and toast in oven lightly. Spoon small amount of tomato mixture on each slice and top with cheese, put under broiler just long enough to melt cheese. Simple and delicious!

These are just a few of the really easy items you can serve.
Wishing everyone a safe and Happy New Year!

Happy cooking and good eating!

No requests

Ok, Since there were no requests made for anything specific and I am busy trying to make a bunch of Christmas gifts then anyone who might be following along will just have to take whatever I post. ha ha
This is a good recipe that doesn't take a lot of time so it would be good to make during the busy holiday times when you are in a bind.

SPINACH PESTO PASTA

INGREDIENTS

WHOLE WHEAT PENNE NOODLES – 1 BOX COOKED TO AL DENTE

CHERRY TOMATOES – APPROX. 10 CUT IN HALF

FROZEN SPINACH (OR FRESH) – THAWED IF FROZEN

WALNUTS – A GOOD HANDFUL

PARMESAN CHEESE – 1 ½ CUPS

GARLIC CLOVE – 1

OLIVE OIL – ½ - 1 CUP

LEMON – PEEL AND JUICE – GRATED LEMON PEEL , THEN JUICE

SALT & PEPPER – TO TASTE

FRESH BASIL – ABOUT 5-7 LARGE LEAVES CUT IN CHIFFANADE

DIRECTIONS

COOK PASTA, DRAIN AND COOL. PUT SPINACH, NUTS, GARLIC, OLIVE OIL, AND 1 CUP PARMESAN, INTO FOOD PROCESSOR. BLEND UNTIL YOU GET A NICE CONSISTENCY. GRATE THE LEMON PEEL AND TOSS HALF WITH THE PASTA AND PUT THE OTHER HALF IN WITH THE PESTO. SQUEEZE HALF THE LEMON JUICE INTO PESTO AND GIVE IT ANOTHER SPIN. THE OTHER HALF OF THE LEMON JUICE INTO THE PASTA AND GIVE IT A STIR. CUT THE TOMATOES IN HALF AND TOSS THEM IN THE PASTA. ADD THE PESTO MIX, SALT & PEPPER. TOP WITH ½ CUP GRATED PARMESAN AND FRESH BASIL.

SERVE AND ENJOY!

• ADD IN A LITTLE KEN’S NORTHERN ITALIAN TOMATO BASIL SALAD DRESSING FOR A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT TASTE.

Happy Cooking and good eating!

Tell me what...

Ok for my few followers on here. Tell me what you would like to see a posting on. Would you like some tips, some special recipe, or maybe you would like some info on spices/herbs?

When I get a few replies on here I will post something about what you have asked for.  If nobody is paying attention to what I post, then you will just have to put up with whatever strikes me at the moment.

So, I am asking you, please, tell me what is on your mind? What is it about cooking that you want to know more about? What can I help the average Joe/sephine out there with?

Thanks for following me and remember...

Happy cooking and good eating!

Inexpensive and easy

Here is a meal that is very cost effective and very easy to prepare.
1 box of pasta roni shells and white cheddar
handful of frozen broccoli
1 can of chicken (like tuna can)
salt
pepper
onion powder
garlic powder
parsley


Cook the pasta according to the package directions. I added a little more water because of putting in the broccoli and the chicken. Put your salt and pepper in the water. Let it boil for about 8 - 10 minutes instead of the 12- 15 on the box. Remove from heat, drain, add your milk, butter, and seasoning from the pasta box. Add 1 tsp each of the onion powder and garlic powder. When all is mixed well, then sprinkle with parsley. You can also add a little sprinkle of sweet paprika for a pretty and "Christmasy" look.

This can be made with tuna, crab meat, shrimp, ham. Another one that you can just change up slightly according to your particular tastes. Try different veggies in it too.  Serve with your favorite cracker or a nice hunk of fresh bread.

Happy cooking and good eating!

make it stretch

Make it stretch seems like an odd title for a food blog. Today I want to talk to you about how to make your food, and ultimately your dollar, go farther. There are so many ways to take one meal and turn it into another. All you really need is your imagination (and possibly a strong stomach).

Let's start with your basic pinto beans. You make a pot of beans.. after a meal store your beans. The reason will come shortly. Save your cornbread too.

You make some spaghetti. Don't mix your sauce and your pasta. Reason to come shortly.

You can combine your spaghetti sauce and your beans, add some bell pepper, onions, chili powder, and cumin and turn those two meals into a pot of chili.

You can also take the beans and some chili and turn that into a mexican dish.
Sloppy Joe's can turn into spaghetti, then turn the spaghetti into chili.

Take some mashed potatoes leftover. Start a pot of potato soup (using less potatoes than normal) add the mashed potatoes and it becomes a creamier potato soup!  Mashed potatoes can also be used to make potato pancakes. Or... mix with cheese and herbs, roll into balls dipped in flour and deep fry for a crispy potato ball.

The cornbread. I save my cornbread in the freezer throughout the year. It is great to thaw out and re-use for another pot of beans. It is even better to save up and use for stuffing.

This is a start for how to stretch your food. Think about some of the main ingredients in different dishes and which have the same flavor type. Adding one or two simple ingredients can change the dish to make something new. Doing this will help keep your family from getting bored with the same ol leftovers and really helps to stretch that ever shrinking dollar.

The Stuffing

My daughter called me today and wanted the family stuffing recipe so I thought I would put it on here with the side dishes for Thanksgiving. Stuffing is another one of those dishes that you can change up in varying ways. Go with your taste and experiment a little at a time.

Sausage Stuffing

1 bag bread crumbs or leftover cornbread crumbled

1 pkg. Sausage cooked, crumbled, drained

3 stalks celery, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 box chicken stock in a box + ½ of another OR 1 ½ qt turkey stock made from giblets & neck

sage about 2 tsp.
thyme 2 tsp.

poultry seasoning 2 tsp.

salt & pepper to taste

water chestnuts, diced

• cranberries, raisins, nuts, apples can all be added also

Brown the sausage and remove from grease. Cook the onion and celery in the sausage grease just until soft. (If not much grease you can add a little butter to the pan before sauteeing)

Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix together until wet. You will want your mix to be wet without swimming in it and just enough to keep it from drying out in the oven. Put into an oven safe dish and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.

As always...

Happy cooking and good eating!

another side

Broccoli Rice Casserole

1 10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, cooked and drained

1 can cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery, cheddar cheese, cream of broccoli... I prefer the cheese soup for more cheesy flavor.

1 egg, beaten

1/2 c. mayonnaise

2 tbsp. minced onion

1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese

1 cup cooked white rice

Salt and pepper, to taste

Topping:

1 1/2 to 2 c. Ritz crackers, crumbled

2 tbsp. Butter

Mix broccoli, soup, and other casserole ingredients together. Pour into buttered dish. Mix crackers and butter together. Sprinkle on top.

Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.