Meatballs

Everything you buy at Costco is huge, but you can take out just the number that you want for the meal. Perfect. I decided to put them in the crock pot with 2 cans of Campbell's French Onion soup. I pulled out enough for 3 meals. (about 27-30 for two people)





Ingredients:
meatballs from the frozen food section
2 cans of french onion soup
cornstarch for thickening
Directions:
1. Place all of the meatballs (27-30) in the crock pot
2. Pour over two cans of Campbell's French Onion Soup
3. Put the crock pot on low and cook for 4-6 hours.
4. The first night I served it right out of the crock pot over rice (it was a little thin)
After the meal, I thickened the gravy with cornstarch and water and put it in the refrigerator for the second meal.
The third night I will probably make meatball sandwiches

Bacon and fried green tomato sandwiches

I saw a recipe for these sandwiches and knew I had to have one.  We went to the market and I bought some green tomatoes for this recipe. The secret to getting good grill marks on this sandwich is to add mayonnaise instead of butter to the outside. I know it sounds strange, but I saw this in the newspaper and decided to try it because the butter either gets too brown, or it doesn't get done and is soggy. The mayonnaise is perfect and you really don't taste the mayonnaise.

Ingredients:
2 slices of bread per sandwich
1 1/2 slices of cooked bacon per sandwich (cut the whole pieces in 1/2. They fit perfectly)
2 slices of fried green tomatoes per sandwich
mixture of 1/4 cup corn meal and 1/2 cup flour
pimento cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat grill pan to high
2. Cook the bacon as you like it cooked
3. Dredge the sliced green tomatoes on both sides in the flour/cornmeal mixture
4. Fry the tomato in canola or vegetable oil until golden brown on both sides and set aside
5. I put the pimento cheese in the microwave for about 15 seconds to make it easier to spread.
6. Grill the bread with the mayonnaise side down until golden brown
7. Spread the pimento cheese on the inside of the grilled bread
8. Top the pimento cheese with bacon and then fried green tomatoes
Delicious

Fried Talapia

These were really big filets, but we didn't have any trouble getting it down. O.K. I had a little trouble.








Ingredients for two filets:
2 fish filet (I used talapia)
1 1/2 cups Panco bread crumbs
1/2 cup pecans that have been processed in a food processor
1 beaten egg
Directions:
1. Place the panco bread crumbs and pecans that have been processed in 1 pan -mix together
2. Place the beaten egg in another pan
3. Dredge the filet in egg and then in Panco
4. Put the Canola oil or whatever you use to fry and fry on both sides for about 3 min. on medium heat.

Buttermilk Pie

 I usually use a frozen pie crust from the grocery store, but I forgot to buy one so I made my own. I will print the recipe that I used
Jud and I went to Eastside Cafe for our anniversary meal and we had this pie for dessert. It made me want to try strawberries on my regular buttermilk pie recipe.  Great addition.




Ingredients for 2 pies:
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 eggs
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
1/3 cup flour
3/4 cup melted butter
pinch of salt
1 cup of buttermilk
Directions:
Beat eggs, add sugar mixed with flour and a pinch of salt. Add buttermilk to melted butter and then add this to the egg mixture. Mix well and pour into 2 raw pie shells. Bake 325 degrees 1 hour and 10 minutes.
I cut this recipe in 1/2, but you could certainly make 2 and freeze one of them.

Ingredients for pie crust:
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Cut in 6 tablespoons butter and gradually add 3-4 tablespoons milk.
Directions:
Add flour salt and baking powder to a mixer with the paddle attachment.  Add the 6 tablespoons of butter that has been cut in small pieces. When the butter in mixed well, add the tablespoons of milk to the mixer. Mix until it forms a ball. Remove and place on a floured surface. Roll into a large circle and place in the pie pan. Pour in the buttermilk pie ingredients and bake 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Pesto Tortellini Bake

This recipe comes from Six Sisters and you can find it Here
I made it just like the recipe, but next time I will make two changes that I will add to the recipe I put on my blog. That way, I will remember to make the changes next time.
1. Less tortellini
2. More pesto cream sauce



Printable Version Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups milk
5 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup pesto
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
10 oz. cooked tortellini
1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
1 cup shredded and cooked chicken
1 can artichoke hearts, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped into small pieces
1 cup shredded mozzarella
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Simmer 1 1/2 cups milk, pesto and garlic in a skillet on medium heat. Remove from skillet and stir in grated Parmesan
3. Dump in tortellini, tomatoes, chicken, artichoke hearts, zucchini, and mozzarella. Mix until combined
4. Pour pesto butter sauce over the top of mixture until everything is covered. Add salt and pepper to taste. I added extra mozzarella cheese on top.
5. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

These are the copy cat version of Red Lobster's Cheddar Biscuits. You can find the recipe that I copied Here  Once I found them, I couldn't stop myself from making them.










Printable Version

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup shredded)
• 1 cup buttermilk, cold
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes

For the Topping:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley (or ¼ teaspoon dried)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, garlic powder and cayenne. Stir in the cheddar cheese; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the buttermilk and melted butter until the butter forms small clumps.
4. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix gently with a rubber spatula just until a dough forms and no dry ingredients remain. Use a greased ¼-cup measuring cup to scoop out portions of dough. Place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little more than an inch between biscuits.
5. Bake until the biscuits are golden brown, about 12 minutes. While the biscuits are in the oven, stir together the 2 tablespoons melted butter, garlic powder and parsley. Remove the biscuits from the oven and immediately brush with the topping mixture. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container or zip-top back at room temperature for up to 3 days.

 You can find the Pioneer Woman's recipe Here
I only used two layers, but next time I will cut the layers in 1/2 and I will use a box cake mix.  My store bought cake was lacking in taste.


Ingredients:
1 whole Store-bought Angel Food Cake or Pound Cake
Nutella
Cool Whip, thawed in the refrigerator
Method:
Slice the angel food cake (rectangular) in half lengthwise. Use a found or square cutter to cut out pieces. Cut the pieces in half through the middle so that they are the same shape, but shorter. I did that, but I felt they could even be shorter. Spread Nutella on three thin slices of cake. Stack on top of one another and set on a dish in the freezer for 30 minutes, or until the Nutella is set. Remove from the freezer and ice with soft Cool Whip, then place back into the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Note from Pioneer Woman:  Make the cakes ahead of time, then store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. To serve, just pull them out 5-10 minutes before you need them!  I thought they needed more than 10 minutes. I would probably set them out before dinner and serve for dessert.  I would give it at least 30 minutes. The Nutella was very hard.

Baked Coconut Shrimp

I found this recipe Here I served mine with mango salsa. Love that salsa with pork, chicken, or seafood. I could actually eat it as a side dish with almost anything. You can find the mango salsa recipe here







Ingredients:
1 lb peeled, deveined large shrimp (it's a lot easier if you buy it already peeled and deveined!)
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut
3 egg whites
Directions:Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Rinse and pat dry the peeled and deveined shrimp. In one bowl, mix the cornstarch, salt, and cayenne pepper. In another bowl, beat the 3 egg whites until they are foamy. In a third bowl pour the 2 cups of coconut. One shrimp at a time, coat it first in the cornstarch mixture (covering it completely), then dip it in the egg mixture, and then roll it in the coconut. Place it on the baking sheet and repeat until you run out mixture. (I completely coated about 30 shrimp).
Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until shrimp is pink on the outside and the coconut is lightly browned.

Watermelon Salad

Last year, my daughter took me out to eat for my birthday.  We ordered several things to share. Watermelon salad was one of the items that we ordered. I have thought about that salad several times over the year. This week, we bought an awesome watermelon and I knew it was time to try to find a recipe for that salad in my memory. It may not be quite as good, but it does the memory justice. You can find the recipe Here
I used goat cheese because I prefer that to feta. 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups watermelon, cut into 2×2 inch cubes (approximately 2/3 of a medium watermelon)
• 1 5oz bag organic baby arugula
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup mint, chiffonade
• 1/4 cup Maple Dijon Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Procedure:

1. Make vinaigrette below and set aside.
2. Over a steady cutting board, hold one side of the watermelon with a kitchen towel, using the other hand and a large knife to cut in half, lengthwise. Cut the halves lengthwise again. Being very careful, slide your knife under the pink flesh on each watermelon quarter and separate the flesh from the rind. Cut watermelon into cubes.
3. In a large bowl, combine arugula and pumpkin seeds. Toss with vinaigrette, to taste.
4. Portion arugula and pumpkin seed mixture onto plates. Top each plate with watermelon cubes, feta and a touch of mint.
5. Drizzle each plate with a bit more vinaigrette.

Maple Dijon Vinaigrette:

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoon shallot, minced
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Combine all ingredients through shallot in a small bowl. Stir briefly together.
2. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking constantly to emulsify. Add salt and pepper to taste.

I bought a pound of shrimp for my coconut shrimp and didn't need but 1/2 for us, so I made the watermelon salad today and put shrimp on top.  I placed the raw shrimp on a baking sheet. I added a little olive oil, salt and pepper on top and baked it at 400 degrees F. for about 5-10 minutes. Just until they are pink.

Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

You can find the recipe Here  I took this picture before I put on the icing.  I cut the cake in 1/2 and wrapped it in foil to freeze for a later time.





Printable Version

Ingredients:

1 (15.25 oz) package lemon cake mix

1 (3.4 oz) box instant lemon pudding

1 cup sour cream

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1/2 cup warm water

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F .
In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Stir in the poppy seeds and pour batter into a bundt pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in pan for about 90 minutes before inverting onto a plate. If desired, dust the cake with powdered sugar or top with lemon glaze.

Lemon Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Just whisk to combine.

Salmon with Horseradish Sauce

Found this recipe Here. I think my Salmon was too thick because it did not get ready in the 10 minutes the recipe mentioned. I probably cooked it a total of 15 minutes and it was perfect.  I used the rub that I use for my fish tacos. You can find that rub Here. I really liked the horseradish sauce.





Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 cup of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon horseradish sauce
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
3 (3 oz pieces) of Fresh Salmon
Salmon (or fish) Seasoning
Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat
In a small bowl, combine the mayo, parsley, horseradish sauce, mustard and black pepper and mix well. Set aside.
Once the oil is heated, cover your salmon front and back with fish seasoning and place it in the skillet. Put the lid on and cook for 5 minutes. Flip the salmon and cook another 5 minutes.
Once it is done and easy flakes, take it out of the pan and let it cool for a few minutes. Serve with the Tangy Horseradish Sauce.

Brunch Egg bake

Jud loves to have a breakfast casserole that he can pop in the microwave in the morning. I found this recipe Here







Printable Version
Ingredients:
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded mozorella cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1 (4.5 ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained (I used fresh mushrooms about 4oz. that I cooked with the onions and peppers)
1/3 cup green onions diced
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 cups diced fully cooked ham
8 eggs
1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Combine cheddar and mozzorella cheese in a small bowl. Place 3 cups of cheese mixture into a 9"X13" baking dish. (I sprayed the dish with cooking spray)
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir mushrooms, onions, and red bell pepper until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
Spread vegetables over cheese mixture. Top mushroom mixture with ham; sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese mixture.
Beat eggs in a bowl; mix in milk, flour, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper.
Slowly pour egg mixture into baking dish.
Bake in preheated oven until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.( I cooked mine more like 55 minutes