Second chances... Pork chops and apples with rice

When I was in elementary school, I had to make a dish for dinner in order to complete the AWANA book that I was doing.  I picked pork chops, apples and rice.  I'd love to say I made it and it was great, but apparently I was not the cook then that I am now. 


It was nasty.

Really nasty.  Crunchy rice, burned pork chops.  Lots of fun.  We still laugh about it (although I'm pretty sure I cried then).

But this week I gave it a second chance.  I made pork chops, apples and rice.  And this time it was...



AMAZING!!

I love a second chance.  I love the way God gives us those each time we screw up.  I hope that I remember to give them to our kids.  And I'm pretty sure that I am glad I gave it to this dish too.

Ingredients:
4 Thin sliced pork chops
3 cloves garlic
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cups apple juice
1/4 c stone ground mustard
3 apples, cored, peeled and sliced
2 TBSP cornstartch
1/4 c water

Instructions:
In 2 tbsp olive oil, cook the garlic and onion.  Brown the pork chops 2 minutes per side.

Mix the apple juice and mustard.  Add it to the pan.

Cook on low for 45 minutes.

Add the apples.  cook 10 minutes.

Remove the apples and porkchops.

Mix the cornstartch and water.  Add to the pan and stir over medium heat until it reaches the thickness you desire.

Add the pork and apples back to the pan.

Serve over rice.

Enjoy!!

Another post without pictures... Italian wedding soup

About 10 years ago, I was pretty full into wedding planning.  Husband and I were engaged for 10 months, but really had our wedding basically planned before we even got engaged.  It worked for us.  And it went pretty well...   We had a wedding that was beautiful and a reception that was full of yummy desserts.  So it wasn't even a problem when the wedding cake didn't show up. 

But now, I'm grateful that all of that planning is over.  I don't think I'd go back and do it any different.  But there's something good about life the way it is.  I love my family, I love being married and being mommy.  I love the way I can't really remember my life before it all.

So let's celebrate with some wedding soup, shall we?

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c chopped red and/or yellow pepper
1 red onion, chopped
2 tsp garlic, chopped
6 c chicken broth
1 can tomato sauce
1 tsp italian seasoning
1 pkg frozen meatballs
1/2 pkg small pasta (I used alphabets because it was fun.)

Instructions:
In 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat, saute the peppers, onion and garlic until soft (about 3 minutes).

Add chicken broth.  Mix tomato sauce and seasoning, add to the broth.

Bring to a boil.

Add meatballs and pasta.  Bring back to a boil.

Simmer on medium heat, 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy!  We liked it so much a certain someone (who I've been married to for almost 10 years) basically licked the bowl clean.

Now what? Skillet enchiladas

So, this post is without pictures.... I'm having some issues.  I am out of room in my online picasa and am not sure if I want to store them all on my computer.  So until I figure something out I'm not sure what to do with the pics for my blog.   If you have any ideas, let me know!

But this recipe was one I have to share.  It's called skillet chicken enchiladas, but honestly, it was more like mexican chicken and dumplings.  And I love my mexican food.  So here we are. 

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1 bell pepper, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
2 c chicken or turkey breast
2 c chicken broth
2 tbsp flour
4 tbsp ranch dressing
5 tortillas, sliced
1/2 c cheddar cheese
salsa and sour cream for topping

Instructions:
in a large pan, warm the olive oil.  Saute peppers and onion. 
Add turkey.
Mix the broth, flour and dressing.  Add to the pan.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low.  Simmer 10 minutes.
Add the tortillas, simmer another 5 minutes.
Add cheese to the top.

Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Enjoy!!

Stopping in quickly.... apple coffee cake

So, I've been in the middle of apple heaven here.  We've been through almost 2 bushels of them so far this year.  One of the best things I've made has been this coffee cake/dessert.   So I have to share the recipe.  Try it, because it's amazing.

Ingredients:
1 c white sugar
1 c margarine (or butter), soft
2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
apples
cinnamon
sugar

Mix the first three ingredients until they are crumby, yes, because crumby is good in this case. 

Pat 3/4 of themlightly into a 9x13 pan. 

Mix apples, cinnamon and sugar.  Spoon over top of the crumby mixture.

Add the rest of the crumbs to the top.

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Birthdays... My boys favorite lasagna

My boys are getting too big, too quick.  Isn't that how it goes?  They turned 7 and 4 this summer.  Which makes the Little Man no longer a baby.  It's undeniable, I guess. 

And birthdays in our house mean that you get to pick the dinner. I was pretty happy when Big Man asked for lasagna.  I don't make it often, because it's quite a bit of work and it makes so much... but a birthday party is the perfect place to get rid of  eat the whole pan.

My lasagna is pretty easy, a combination of the things others have recommended to us, tweaked until it's perfect for my family. 

Ingredients:
8 oz cottage cheese (you can use ricotta if you want, but aldi's doesn't always have it, and since we shop there, we use cottage cheese)
parmesean cheese
1 egg
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

1 lb hamburger
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 c spaghetti sauce (We used homemade, since we had an abundance of tomatoes!)

3 cups mozzerella cheese

lasagna noodles, I prefer the no cook, barilla square ones.  I will go out in search of them, because I love them!

Instructions:
In a small pan, brown the burger with the onion and garlic powder.  Add the spaghetti sauce.

In a blender, blend the cottage cheese, nutmeg, egg and 1/4 c parmesean cheese.

In a deep 9x13 pan, spread the meat sauce on the bottom of the pan.

On top of that, layer the noodles, the ricotta mixture, mozzerella cheese and then more meat sauce.

Do this until your pan is full.  I usually get three or four layers in.

Cover with alumninum foil and bake at 350 for 1 hour. 

Remove the foil and then broil on low until it is browned.

Serve to your family and CELEBRATE!

Enjoy!

Here's what we've been doing... or how to freeze tomatoes

My husband called today.  I missed the phone call.  I called him back and told him I was up to my elbows in tomatoes.

It's been a common occurance here.  I think we've frozen 25 quarts of tomatoes this year.  I don't can, I freeze,   I have a big freezer and honestly, canning scares me.

It's simple really.

  Boil a big pot of water, throw the tomatoes in for just a minute. 

Peel and dice and put them in freezer bags. 

Until your freezer is full.  Because mine is.  I can hardly shut it if everything isn't perfectly in there.  But it makes me happy.

I love the idea of using all of the corn, tomatoes, green beans and green peppers that we've frozen this summer. 

Green peppers are simple too.... just cut them, take out the seeds and ribs, dice them and freeze them.

But don't comfuse them with these!!!

Believe it or not... Monday menu planning

I know!  It's been forever... but I'm here.  It's been a crazy last month, with camping, music festivals, more camping, more music, a mountain of tomatoes and back to school madness.  We've eaten, but it's been alot of the same dinners... something on the grill, fresh corn and potatoes and cucumbers.

So I'm back, with a freezer full of beef, tomatoes, corn, green peppers, green beans and spaghetti sauce.

And this week, we're working with apples around here.  But dinners... well, we're back to menu planning.  Here we go.

Monday- BLATs (throwing a little avacado on the blts... cheese for the little guys)
Tuesday- chicken parmesean
Wednesday- Work
Thursday- chicken pot pie
Friday- Taco salad bowls
Saturday- Thanksgiing on the grill
Sunday- Sausage and perogies

So hang on... recipes are coming. 

So what's new with you?  what was the best thing you've cooked while I was away?

Our tiny garden... Pea pods

We have the tiniest of gardens.  Seriously, a few pea plants, one tomato plant and some herbs.  It's small because my moms house has the biggest garden ever.  It's expanded as my brothers and I have moved out.  I think it's my step dads way of continuing to provide for us.  And I am grateful.

I did pea plants this year basically as a cover for our dogs "undesireable" part of the yard to be covered.  And it's worked well.  Plus.  We have peas!

This is what I've done with the pea pods.  It's simple, it's yummy and the boys eat them.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
pea pods
salt and pepper

Instructions:
In a small pan, saute the peas in olive oil.

Salt and pepper when they are begining to get a little color on them.

serve.

Enjoy!

I coffee... Caramel coffee cooler

I LOVE a good cup of coffee.  It's who I am. 

This summer, I've discovered the joys of iced coffee.

There's a couple of ways to do basic iced coffee, neither is better than the other.  They both work, so pick whichever works best for you.

1. Make your coffee in the morning, and make enough for an extra cup.  Before you're wash out the coffee pot, put the extra in a cup in the fridge for later.

2. Make your coffee double strength.  So if you usually use one TBSP of coffee for 2 cups of water, use 2 TBSP for 2 cups.   And then pour it directly over ice.  The ice will melt, cooling the coffee and giving your regular strength cold coffee.

And then you can really jazz it up and make a caramel coffee cooler.  Because it's the cool thing to do.

Ingredients:
1 c cold coffee
12/-1 oz caramel syrup (I use davinci, but torani is good too.  You can find different brands at Target, walmart, meijer and sams)
1/2-1 oz half and half
ice

Instructions:
Fill glass with ice.

Pour caramel syrup in glass.

Add coffee.  Stir.

Add half and half. Marvel at how pretty it looks.  Then stir.

Enjoy!

Something to drink... Raspberry Lemonade/Tea

In the summer, we drink alot of tea.  We drink alot of countrytime lemonade.

But once in a while, we want something else.

Something refreshing.

And this fits the bill!

Raspberry lemonade/tea something or another.  Because it's kinda tea, kinda lemonade and all kinds of good!

Ingredients:
4 tea bags Red Zinger Tea
1 can lemonade concentrate
4 cups boiling water
2 TBSP sugar

Instructions:
Seep the tea bags in the boiling water.  Let sit for 5 minutes.

Stir in the sugar.

Add the lemonade.

Put it in a 2 qt pitcher and add water to the top.

Chill.

Serve over ice.

Enjoy!

High school memories... Tacos in a bowl

I got an email the other day from a friend from high school.  He and I were good friends, hung out together alot during school.  And I don't think I'd heard from him in almost 10 years.  It was good to hear he was doing well.  I wonder about people from time to time, and he's one of them.

Anyway, all that to say he mentioned that we used to do hot lunches to earn money for our senior trip.  And I'd forgotten how good they were.  We always did tacos in a bag.  A bag of fritos with all of the fixins for tacos.

So we had them for dinner, but in a bowl, with a little healthier twist.

Ingredients:
1 lb hamburger
1 tsp taco seasoning
1/2 tsp cinnamon
cheddar cheese
lettuce
corn chips
onion

Instructions:
Brown the burger with the spices.

Put the corn chips in a bowl, or if you're going a little healther start on a bed of lettuce.

Add the burger, chips, cheese and onion.

Top with the lettuce, or a few chips (if you're doing the healthy thing).

A little sour cream and salsa on top, and you're good to go!

Enjoy!

Veggies and chocolate... Chocolate/zucchini/coconut muffins

Sometimes they really do go together.  Who would have thought?

But these muffins have it all: veggies, fruit, and even chocolate.

Check it out, we might even be able to say they are kind of healthy.  But I'll take my chocolate any way I can, thank you.

Ingredients:
1 C sugar
1 TBSP molassas
4 TBSP butter
1/4 c yogurt
1/2 c applesauce
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c buttermilk
2 1/2 c flour
1/3 c cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 c zucchini
1/2 c coconut

Instructions:
Cream butter, sugar and molassas.  Beat in yogurt, applesauce, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk.

In a bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, and spice.

Mix wet and dry ingredients.  Stir in zucchini and coconut.

Pour in muffin tins and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Menu planning Monday, er, uh Wednesday

So, it's Wednesday already.  It's been a crazy, weird week.  And we leave for vacation next week... so it's weird all around.  But here's our menu.  


Wednesday and Thursday are work nights.
Friday- Tacos in a bowl
Saturday- Lemon sage crepes
Sunday- Steak
Monday- Philly pizza
Tuesday- Shrimp/avacado salad
Wednesday- Chicken salad lettuce wraps

Southern girl at heart.... BBQ chicken pizza

My grandparents are from Tennessee.  So I'm going to go out on a limb and say, I've got some southern in me.  I like sweet tea (although not too sweet), I can make a mean banana pudding and I love barbeque. 

And I'm picky.  I like a good sauce.

I especially like the barbeque sauce from Corky's.  In fact, going to Corky's and getting some more sauce is the part of our vacation I might be looking forward to the most.

So it's what makes this pizza special, at least for us.  But find a good sauce and make up some pizza.  And pretend you, too, are from the south.

Ingredients:
Pizza crust
Dry rub spice
1 cup GOOD bbq sauce
2 c cooked chicken
4 oz shredded mozzerella cheese
2 TBSP chopped chives

Instructions:
Mix the chicken and 3/4 c bbq sauce and refrigerate for 2-4 hours, or more.

Mix dough for pizza crust.  Roll out onto a cookie sheet.

Sprinkle with the dry rub spice.

 Bake 10 minutes at 425.

Spread last 1/4 cup of bbq sauce on the baked crust.

Add the chicken and sauce to the top.  Sprinkle mozzerella cheese over top.  Sprinkle with half the chives.

Bake at 425 for 10 more minutes or until chicken is warm and cheese is melted.  Top with the rest of the chives.

Enjoy!!

A taste of summer at our house...Lemonade pie

We love the beach.  We head out there often in the summer... because we do live close to the beach.  This year our state decided to offer a pass for the state parks for a year for just $10 when you renew your license plate.  So we did it.  And it's already paid for itself.  

Summer means the beach here.  But it also means lemonade pie.  I love it.  Cool, refreshing, sweet, tart... all rolled into one easy pie.

Ingredients:
1 sleeve graham crackers
1/2 stick butter
2 TBSP sugar
1 3/4 c milk
2 (4 serving) pkgs instant vanilla pudding
1 can frozen lemonade
1 8 oz tub whipped topping

Instructions:
Melt the butter. 
Crush the graham crackers.
Add the sugar to the graham crackers.
Add the butter and mix well.
Put it into an 8x8 pan and press well.

Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

Mix the pudding mix with the milk.

Add lemonade.

Fold in whipped topping.

Spread over the crust and freeze.

Enjoy!!

Breakfast... Banana coconut muffins

I have never been a big breakfast person.  Most days I just skip it.  I know, it's bad for me.  But I just can't get into a routine.

But my kids like it.

They basically get out of bed and ask for breakfast.

And yesterday, I decided to make them muffins.  But as I got out my old stand by banana muffin recipe, I decided I wanted something different.

Randomly, Avon has a new banana coconut body wash out, and the combination sounded good.

So... Banana coconut muffins.

I could get used to this breakfast thing.

Ingredients:
1/2 c plain yogurt
1/2 c sugar
1 egg
2 bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla extract (although coconut extract would be lovely!)

1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger

1/4 c shredded coconut

Instructions:
Combine the first five ingredients in a bowl.  Mix well.

Combine the next six ingredients in another bowl.  Mix well.

Add the first bowl to the second one.  Stir until just combined.  To much mixing will make tough muffins.

Scoop into greased muffin tin and add shredded coconut to the top of each.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Thankful today... And a link

Usually it's thankful Thursday.  But today is Friday, and I'm still thankful.

Today I'm thankful for my grandma.  She went home to be with her Lord this morning.  And we will miss her greatly.

She was amazing.  She took care of us.  She loved us.  She cooked for us.

She made the best grilled cheese, chocolate chip cookies and banana pudding.  That was her specialty.  From scratch, with homemade pudding and merangue.  None of that cool whip stuff.

So I'm cooking today in her honor.  I'm not making any of her specialties today, it would be too hard.  I'm making pork chops tonight and we'll celebrate her life with some family. 

here's the pork chop recipe I'm using.  Hopefully it's as good as all the reviews say.

Enjoy!

Oops, I can't count... (Almost) Seven Layer Dip

There's been talk about seven layer dip this week on a certain e-community that I belong to.   And it made me hungry.

So I thought I'd make some seven layer dip.

Easy enough.

Beans... check
Salsa...check
Cheese...check
Onions...check
Peppers...check
Sour cream...check
Lettuce....Wait.  How did I walk through the store, where I went to get lettuce, and get home without it?

Oh well... six layer dip it is.

Still tastes pretty good.

And I didn't even miss the lettuce.  We will just call this Erin's bean dip, since she hates lettuce and call it good.  Yeah, that's it... I did it on purpose.

Or you can just add lettuce to the top of yours and you will have a seven layer dip.  That works too.

Ingredients:
1 can refried beans
1/4 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 tsp green chilis (because they are still in the fridge)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 oz cream cheese
1/2 tsp cumin
6 oz montery jack cheese, shredded
1/2 c salsa
1/2 red pepper, diced
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 c sour cream
Lettuce (completely optional)

Instructions:
Combine beans, spices and cream cheese.  Mix well.

Spread bean mixture in the bottom of a pie plate.

Top wtih salsa, then cheese, then pepper and onion.

Add sour cream, and lettuce if you feel it's necessary.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Enjoy!!

Beans... Indian spiced chicken

I'm not a fan of beans... well, not all of them.  I would tell you I only really like black beans.  But I'll eat pinto beans.  I like refried beans.  And in the summer I eat green beans.

So when I started making this recipe I looked at the can of garbanzo beans in my pantry and thought... "I don't really want to eat those."  But for some reason I picked them up and brought them upstairs.

And opened them.

and put them in this recipe.

and liked them.

Come on!  Seriously, I don't like beans.

But these I eat.  I guess if you put peanut butter on anything it's not that bad. 

Try it.  I did, now you have to too.

Ingredients:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, sliced
1 can tomatoes
1 can garbanzo beans
2 TBSP peanut butter
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of red pepper flakes

Instructions:
As we do nearly every time...
Saute the onions in olive oil over medium heat. 

Add the chicken until browned..

Add the tomatoes and let cook 5 minutes.

Add the peanut butter, beans and spices.

Let cook 5 minutes.

Serve over rice.  (And for a special treat, throw a cinnamon stick into the rice as it cooks...voila, cinnamon scented rice.  Amazing!)

Enjoy!!

Living in a neighborhood... Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

I love our neighborhood... because I was here so much growing up it's always felt like home.  When Husband and I looked for a house, we wanted a neighborhood like the ones we grew up in.  This is it. 

My boys have friends in the houses next to ours. 

I know my neighbors by name and face.  We say hi when we pass. 

I love it here. 

There used to be block parties here.  The whole road would be shut down and everyone would make something to eat and share with each other.  There were games and kids ran down the middle of the street.  It is one of my favorite memories. 

I imagine if we had one of these again, I'd make these potatoes.  Mostly because they are so good.  Partly because they can make a ton.  And just a little because the rosemary grows in the backyard.  So it's in full supply.

Have I mentioned I love my herb garden?  This is why.

Smells so good!



The next time you have burgers you should try these... if it's you, your family or the whole neighborhood!!

Ingredients:
Red potatoes
Olive oil to coat
Montreal Steak Seasoning (or something like it... I use a roasted garlic and onion seasoning)
Rosemary, chopped

Instructions:
Cut the potatoes into one inch chunks.

Coat them with olive oil.

Season them liberally.

Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes.

Enjoy!!!

Menu planning Monday

Yay, Monday!!

But, of course, we're still on vacation.  So that works for us!

And we're still planning our meals.... here's what's cookin this week.

Monday- Pina colada jello, chicken bbqs
Tuesday- Thai chicken with pineapple and basil
Wednesday- Work
Thursday- Baseball Awards (Yum, crunchy.. HAHA!_
Friday- BBQ pork chops
Saturday- Pickle chicken
Sunday- Tacos in a bowl

What's on your menu this week?

Picnic time!... Pina colada jello

It's picnic season.  And we all get invited to them and have to bring a dish.  Something easy, not too heavy, something everyone likes.  Well, how about jello?  My aunt is really the queen of jello, but I beat her to this recipe.  (Although, I'm sure she'll have to try it at some point.)

I'm headed to a picnic tomorrow and don't have time to really make a whole lot tomorrow.  So I'm bringing pina colada jello.  Try it... maybe you'll bring it to your next picnic.  If you do, will you invite me too?

Ingredients:
Pina colada flavored jello (it's a seasonal one I'm sure), prepared
1 can pineapple, drained really well
1 tub whipped cream
1/2 c toasted coconut

Instructions:
Make the jello according to package directions. Put it in a 10x7 pan or medium serving bowl.  Let sit in the fridge for 1 hour.

Add the drained pineapple and let sit in the fridge until set.

Top with coolwhip and toasted pineapple.

enjoy!!!

Summertime... oh it's summertime (or is that suppertime?)... steak marinade

There are some days that the suppertime from You're a Good Man Charlie Brown runs through my head... but more like, "Summertime, oh it's summertime...."

There are days that are just gorgeous.


Last week was not one of those days.  It was cold, we were in sweatshirts and jeans at the park.  It was rainy.  It was anything but gorgeous.

But I still wanted to grill some dinner.  And my brother in law wanted steak. 

So that's what we had.  Steak marinated in, what else, coffee.  One of my favorites.
Just try it.  You might like it.

Ingredients:
1/2 c brewed (cooled) coffee
1/2 c teryaki sauce
Juice of one medium orange
1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp garlic
1 TBSP molassas


Instructions:
Mix the ingredients well. 

Add some nice steaks.

Let sit for 4-6 hours.

Grill up the steak.

Enjoy!!

A little treat... Banana peach smoothie

I'm trying hard to get away from eating dessert every night, but it's hard.  My boys love it.  I like it.

But really, it's not the best option.

Unless...

Dessert is this.  Because it's good, and good for you.

It's fruit, yogurt and ice.  Really, I can get behind that for dessert.

Ingredients:
1 ripe peach
1 ripe banana
1/4 c plain yogurt
1/2 tsp vanilla
6 ice cubes

Instructions:
Throw it in the blender and blend until smooth.

Call it dessert and Enjoy!!

Need more peach ideas? Check out Eatathomecooks.com

Thankful Thursday... and a link.

Today did not start off well.  Things didn't go the way I really wanted them to.


But I will be thankful, because I've been given so much.


I'm thankful today for two very healthy boys. 


For a family, and a weekend full of family. 


For my way too soon to be 4 year old... Trouble since the day he was born, yet the light of my life.  


For friends.  I know what it is to have true friends.  And for that I'm grateful.


For a God who cares about me and my little world. 


For inspiration.  I love what I see here every day and it inspires me to cook.  

Two is better than one... Grilled chicken burritos

Things are better in pairs.
Peanut butter and jelly.
Chips and dip.
Bread and butter.

My husband and I.

Oh yeah, we go in that category too.  He comes up with some ideas sometimes that are good, but when you put them together with mine... they're excellent.

Tonight was like that.  I told him we were having grilled chicken burritos... would he mind grilling the chicken? 
He said he'd do that... but what if we grilled the burritos too?

And then after dinner, he said he'd like his burritos grilled from now on thankyouverymuch. 

If you haven't done this... you need to.
And if you have done this... why did you not tell me!?!?!

Ingredients:
Spice rub for chicken (I used pampered chef chipolte rub)
1 tsp lime juice
1 tbsp olive oil
3 chicken breasts

1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp green chilis (I had some in the fridge from spicing up some hummus this week.)
1 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 c corn

Flour tortillas
1 cup montery jack cheese, shredded

Instructions:
Marinate the chicken in the olive oil, lime juice and spice rub.

Grill the chicken.

Dice the chicken and put it in a large nonstick pan over medium heat.  Add the beans, tomatos, chilis, garlic and cumin.

Add corn.

When warmed through, put a scoop (Drain it well!) into a tortilla.  Add cheese and wrap it up.  Spray the burrito with oil, or cooking spray.  Place it on a grill pan.

Place the burritos in the grill pan on the grill over medium low heat.

Grill for 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

My little garden.... Lemon sage chicken pot pie

I am blessed to live in the house that my mom grew up in.  My grandparents lived here until just a couple of years ago.  I played here most summers as I grew up.

My grandpa was always proud of his yard.  He kept it in beautiful shape.  My grandma always had a fuscia hanging basket on the porch.   We try to do the same.  If you drive by you'll see there is a fuscia hanging in the place it's always been.  The yard will be well kept.  And if you walk in back you'll see that we've kept it pretty true to what he'd do.

In the raised beds that my Gang (as we lovingly called him) made, I have a little herb garden.  I have parsley, sage, rosemary, chives and cilantro.  And I love having those out there, because I love to cook with fresh herbs, and they aren't cheap.  So I just grow them.

I have a couple of favorite combinations of flavors.  One is cilantro and lime.  Another is lemon and sage.

So I was going to make this really yummy looking recipe for lemon sage chicken.  Until someone on facebook got me thinking about chicken pot pie.  Well, why not, I though, combine the two?  And so I did.  And the result was amazing.   A little lighter since we only used one pie crust.  But it was perfect.

And here you are... the recipe.

Ingredients:
One pie crust (I buy mine.  it's just easier)
3 Chicken breasts, cut in small pieces
1 c carrots
1 onion, sliced
1 can potatoes, diced
1 c green beans
1 c corn
Juice of one lemon
3 TBSP flour
3/4 c chicken broth
2 tsp fresh sage, divided
salt and pepper


Instructions:
In a cast iron (or other oven safe pan) brown the chicken and onions in 1 tbsp of olive oil.

Add potatoes, green beans, and corn.  Cook 3 minutes.

Add lemon juice and 1 1/2 tsp sage.
Sprinkle flour into pan, stir and let cook for just a minute. Add salt and pepper
Whisk in the chicken broth.

Cover with the pie crust.  Sprinkle the crust with a little salt and the rest of the sage.
Cut small slits in the top of the crust.

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until the crust is browned and done through.

Enjoy!!

Menu planning Monday....

I know you're all dying to know what we're eating for dinner this week.

I've added it here, as well.

Here it is!

Monday- Lemon sage chicken pot pie

Tuesday- Chicken and bean tacos

Wednesday- work

Thursday- Work

Friday- Burgers

Saturday- Pizza (Little guys bday)

feel free to add yours!



Fathers day...crockpot potato salad

My husband is a good guy.  He's nice, he's smart and he's a wonderful husband. 

But best of all, he's an incredible daddy.

I love watching him sitting in the chair with the Big Man watching baseball and explaining the game to him.

I love watching him with little guy, snuggled up in his lap.

He teaches them to play catch and run around with water guns. 

Everything that a daddy should be.

And for Fathers day he wanted me to make him some crockpot potato salad.

So I did.

Here's the recipe for you to make it for that special dad in your life.

Ingredients:
6 cans potatoes, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 lb bacon, cooked and drained
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c flour
1/2 c hot water

Instructions:
Put the potatoes  and onion in the crock pot.

Mix the bacon, vinegar, sugar, flour and water. 

Pour over the potatoes.

Cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 5.

Enjoy!

My boys are famous!! And a lemon muffin recipe.

I think my boys are pretty stinking cute.  And apparently other people do too!

My favorite photographer (check her out here!) just printed new business cards and my boys are on the back of some of them.  They are awesome... and so are her cards. 

Anyway... so I made muffins this morning.  Lemon ones.  I forgot how much I like them, especially the glaze on top.


Ingredients:
1/2 c butter
1 c sugar
2 eggs
2 TBSP lemon juice
1 TBSP grated lemon peel
1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 c milk

Glaze:
1/2 c powdered sugar
2 TBSP lemon juice
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel

Instructions:
Cream butter and sugar together.

Add eggs.

Add lemon juice and peel.

Blend flour, baking powder and salt.

Add to the egg/sugar mixture, alternating with the milk.

Pour into muffin tins and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until done.

Mix the powdered sugar and the juice and peel for the glaze.

When the muffins have dried, dip them in the glaze.

ENJOY!

High points for creativity... pizza ROLLS!

Did you ever forget to pull out the meat for dinner?  And not realize it until dinner time? 

That's when creativity is born.

I forgot the chicken.  It's frozen solid, in the deep freeze.  No way of thawing in the 20 minutes before the guys get hungry.

What do I have?

Pepperoni.
provolone cheese
tomato sauce
stuff to make pizza crust (always!)

hmm..

I know how to make cinnamon rolls... why can't we have pizza rolls?

And a new idea was born.  At least new to this house.

Think I know what will be on the lunch menu around here once in a while.

Ingredients:
Pizza crust
Tomato sauce
1/2 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
Shredded mozzerella
Provolone cheese slices (or mozzerella)
Pepperoni

Instructions:
Roll the pizza dough out in a  jelly roll pan.

Spread the tomato sauce on the whole thing.

Sprinkle the seasonings on the tomato sauce.

On the long end of the pan, line the cheese and pepperoni.

In the middle of the pan, add a line of pepperoni.

Sprinkle mozzerella over the whole pizza crust.  (add a little parmesean if you have it)

Start on the side with the provolone and roll the crust like you would cinnamon rolls.

Cut the log into 8 pieces.

Arrange the rolls into a pie plate.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Serve.

Enjoy!