Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie

I kind of made this one up on my own! Beef, potatoes, cheese, gravy, veggies...yummmm!

Ingredients:
1 lb of ground beef or ground turkey
1 small can of beef gravy
1 cup of frozen mixed veggies like peas, carrots, corn, string beans and lima beans
Worcestershire sauce
3 medium potatoes
Milk
Butter
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Wash, peel, cut and boil the potatoes.  While they are cooking, brown and chop the ground beef in a skillet until it is cooked.  Add a little bit of Worcestershire sauce to the meat.  Pour the gravy over the meat and if it is too thick add a little bit of water.  Add frozen mixed veggies.  Let it simmer a little bit to cook the veggies.  When the potatoes are cooked, drain and mash them. Add a little bit of butter or margarine and milk while mashing.  Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder or whatever you usually put in your mashed taters.  Pour the beef mixture into a casserole dish and then top with the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle cheese on top of the potatoes and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Italian Chicken with Stuffed Shells

Italian Chicken with Stuffed Shells

A few years ago I went to Granny's and asked her to write down the recipe for her stuffed shells that were always one of my favorite meals that she made. She responded "Oh, it's on the box of the shells!" So she cut it out and gave it to me.  I love my Granny!

The shells and chicken!

My Granny rocking Caitlin's sun glasses!

Ingredients for the shells:

1 package (12 oz.) SAN GIORGIO JUMBO SHELLS
4 cups (2 lb.) ricotta cheese
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups (about 26-oz. jar) spaghetti sauce


Heat oven to 375°F. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in large bowl, stir together cheeses, eggs, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. In 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish, spread 1/2 cup sauce. Fill each cooked shell with about 2 tablespoons cheese mixture. Layer one-half filled shells in prepared baking dish; spread one-half remaining sauce over shells. Layer remaining filled shells over sauce; spread remaining sauce over shells. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Cover with foil. Bake 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly. 8 to 10 servings. Make-Ahead Directions: Prepare as directed above. Do not bake. Cover baking dish tightly with plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze up to 2 months. Remove foil and plastic wrap; replace foil. Bake at 350°F. 2 hours or until hot and bubbly. If thawed in refrigerator overnight, bake at 350°F. 1 hour 15 minutes or until hot. To make individual portions, prepare as directed in recipe above except place three filled shells in single serving microwave-safe dishes. Do not bake. Cover tightly. Freeze up to 2 months. Microwave each dish, loosely covered, at MEDIUM (50%) 7 to 9 minutes or until hot and bubbly. If thawed in refrigerator overnight, microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 minutes or until hot.


Chicken:
1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup of fat free Italian dressing
Salt
Pepper
 
Rinse the chicken off and place it in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.  Stab with a fork and pour dressing over so that it is covered. Marinate for two hours. Bake in a pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until done.

BBQ Pulled Pork

Another easy one as long as you have time to use the slow cooker.

BBQ Pork
from allrecipes.com

2 lb pork tenderloin
12 oz root beer (yes, root beer)
BBQ Sauce (I used Jack Daniels Honey Smokehouse or something like that)

Cook the tenderloin in the root beer for six to eight hours on low heat in the slow cooker(the meat should pull apart easily, if not keep cooking it).  Drain off the root beer and shred meat with a fork. Add BBQ sauce (amount based on your taste)

Easiest and Best Cornbread EVER!

Even if you don't like cornbread you have to try this recipe. I think my Granny found it in a cookbook but it came from Granny.  It is moist and yummy and oh so not good for you but what does that matter?

Cornbread
from Granny

1 package of cornbread/muffin mix
2 eggs
1 can of creamed corn
1/2 cup of butter or margarine, melted

Mix ingredients together and pour into a 8x8 or 9x9 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until it is getting brown on the top.

"Spreads" Reverse Chocolate Chip Cookie

"Spreads"
from The Pioneer Woman

These were easy, easy, easy. I added some peanut butter to the topping and it reminded me of Tagalongs (you know, the Girl Scout Cookie!)

Before! (I added peanut butter!)

A little messy but you get the idea!

Ingredients


■1 cup Brown Sugar

■1 cup Margarine

■1 whole Egg

■2 cups Flour

■½ teaspoons Salt

■1 teaspoon Vanilla

■6 ounces, weight ( To 8 Ounces) Chocolate Chips



Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together brown sugar and margarine. Add egg and mix together. Add flour, salt, and vanilla, and mix together well.

Spread dough onto cookie sheet to a thickness of 1/4 to 1/2-inch.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until slightly brown. At this point, pull out of the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top. Return to oven for 1 minute. Remove and spread melted chips over the top. Cut into squares.



The Pioneer Woman is a great website/blog. She does more than cooking and the best part is she has step by step photographs with her recipes! Check it out!

Steak and Veggie Stir Fry

Steak and Veggie Stir Fry
from Taste of Home

Yes, I made this!

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup cold water

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 pound beef top sirloin steak, cut into thin strips

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups broccoli florets

2 cups cauliflowerets

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup sliced carrots

Hot cooked rice

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together the first eight ingredients until smooth; set aside.

In a skillet or wok, stir-fry steak in oil for 3-5 minutes. Add broccoli, cauliflower, onion, carrots and soy sauce mixture; cover and cook for 8 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice. Yield: 4 servings.

5 Minute Mug Cake

Mug Cake
from the New Dress A Day blog

From a New Dress a Day Blog

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)

A small splash of vanilla extract

1 large coffee mug (Microwave Safe)



Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly before pouring in the milk and oil in. Keep mixing. Add the optional chocolate chips next (who makes that an option!) and vanilla extract, and mix again…

Put your mug in the micro wave and cook for three minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don’t be alarmed! Allow it to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

Tip: When the cake rises over the mug and goes back down it is probably done because the entire three minutes dried out the cake.

Oven Roasted Red Potatoes

Oven Roasted Red Potatoes

Red potatoes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Seasoning of Choice like parsley or rosemary

Cut the potatoes in small chunks. In a bowl pour a small amount of extra virgin olive oil on the potatoes (enough to coat them). Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and seasoning of choice to taste.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.

Grilled Pesto Chicken Packets

Grilled Pesto Chicken Packets
from Rachel Ray

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 2-1/4 pounds)

Salt and pepper

1 cup pesto

2 zucchini, thinly sliced

4 plum tomatoes, chopped

8 scallions, trimmed


Directions:

1.Preheat a grill to medium. Cut four 12-inch-long sheets of heavy-duty foil. Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil into the center of each sheet.

2.Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Lay 1 piece of chicken in the center of each sheet and spread 1 tablespoon pesto on top.

3.Mound one-quarter of the zucchini, tomatoes and scallions over each chicken breast. Dollop 3 tablespoons pesto over each mound. Fold the foil over the chicken and vegetables; pinch the edges to seal.

4.Cover and grill the packets over indirect heat for 25 minutes. Remove from the grill and open carefully.

What I changed:
I followed this recipe closer than the last Rachel Ray attempt.  This time I just used onions instead of scallions and broccoli instead of tomatoes.  We had this with oven baked red potatoes. (See separate recipe!)

White Wine Margaritas- Our Signature Wedding Cocktail

White Wine Margaritas

12 oz. chardonnay
12 oz. frozen limeade or margarita mix
6 oz. triple sec
Ice

Mix first three ingredients in a five cup blender. Fill with ice and blend until smooth.  Add more wine if you are a wine-o!

Salmon Delight Burger

Salmon Delight Burger
from Rachel Ray


Here is the original recipe:

1/2 cup plain yogurt


2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Salt

1 cucumber, peeled and sliced

1 pound salmon fillet, skinned

3 large eggs, 2 hard-boiled and sliced

1/4 cup vegetable oil

4 brioche rolls, split and toasted

1 bunch baby spinach (about 2 cups)

Directions:

1.In a small bowl, combine the yogurt and mint; season with salt. In a medium bowl, add the cucumber and sprinkle with salt; let stand for 15 minutes, then transfer to paper towels to drain.

2.Meanwhile, slice the salmon lengthwise into ¼-inch-wide strips, cut in half crosswise, then cut into ¼-inch pieces. In a medium bowl, beat the raw egg with ½ teaspoon salt. Stir in the salmon.

3.In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the salmon mixture in 4 mounds; gently press to form 4 patties. Cook, turning once, for 6 minutes.

4.Place a salmon patty on each roll bottom; top with 2 tablespoons yogurt-mint sauce, some cucumber, sliced hard-boiled egg, spinach and a roll top.

 
This is what I did:
Instead of mint yogurt I took some sour cream, added garlic powder and a few squirts of ranch dressing and mixed that together.  I could not find mint or a small plain yogurt at the commissary nor are those things we would use again. For the salmon I cut it up and added minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce and some soy sauce, plus salt and pepper.  I ate it over a salad and had some rice.  It turned out pretty well but I think next time I will add more Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce to give the salmon more flavor. My suggestion is to flavor the mixture however you would normally fix your salmon. I also dropped some raw salmon down between the counter and stove that Nate had to fish out (hahaha) later!  It wasn't the smoothest attempt at dinner ever but it turned out fairly well. (Note: I would only suggest seasoning the salmon differently than the recipe if you are NOT using the mint yogurt. Otherwise it might taste weird!)