NOMNOMNOM

Chili

2011-03-01T14:43:00.000-08:00

As winter comes to a close, I like to bring out my favorite cold-weather dishes for their last meal of the season. Chili was the dinner choice last week, and although it seems like a tedious task, it's really quite simple. All you need is the following:

Chili Cheese Frito's, Hunt's Diced Tomatos for Chili, Bush's Chili Beans, and Hunt's Tomato Sauce

You will also need:
aprox. 1lb. of ground meat (I use turkey)
1/2 a chopped onion
2T chili powder
1/2T cumin
1t salt
1/2t pepper (I used white pepper, but black is fine.)
1/4t garlic
Red Pepper to taste
1 can of cheap beer

I like this recipe b/c I get to use my beautiful Dutch Oven.

On Med/Low heat, brown meat in Dutch Oven (or stock pot). While cooking, season with a dash (or several) of your spices. When meat is fully cooked, add your onion, beans, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. The cans do not have to be drained, but I get most of the juice out of them as I can. (I like my chili really thick. If you like yours a little soupier, just open the can and pour everything in.) Stir, then add your measured spices. Stir again. At this time, you should add 1/2 to 3/4 of your beer, depending on the consistency you want your chili. Turn heat to low, cover, and cook 4 to 6 hours, stirring occasionally. If the chili gets too thick for your liking, just add more beer. I serve this over Chili Cheese Frito's and top it with cheese, chopped onion, bell pepper (not pictured, as they were $2.49/ea), and sour cream.

Lemon Chicken

2011-02-07T11:00:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Valentine's Day and the Chinese New Year this weekend with one of the best dishes I've ever made!! I found this recipe on one of the many cooking blogs I read (not sure which one, otherwise I would credit it), and I had to try it right away... especially since Lemon Chicken is one of Boyfriend's all time favorites. It was time consuming, and a true labor of love, but the end result was definitely worth it!!

Main Ingredients: 2 pounds of chicken, cut into small pieces & vegetable oil for frying.

Marinade
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Batter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Lemon Sauce
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup honey - this came to a whole small jar.
9 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice - about 5 lemons.
6 tablespoons light corn syrup
6 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons ketchup
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped (Mine turned blue. Not sure why?)
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
Dash of white pepper
Peel of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons corn starch
3 tablespoon cold water

1. Marinating Chicken: Place cut up chicken in glass baking pan. In separate bowl, put together the ingredients for the marinade. Turn chicken to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until you're done with the sauce.

2. Lemon Sauce: While chicken is in the refrigerator, mix the lemon sauce ingredients (except the cornstarch and the water) in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil. At this point, in a small prep bowl, add the cornstarch and water together and mix very well. (Remember that old science experiment with the cornstarch and water where it ended up being not a solid, but not a really a liquid? Yeah. That's what you're making.) Then add the cornstarch mixture to sauce. Cook and stir until sauce is thickened; about 10-20 seconds. Remove from heat and discard lemon peel.

3. Deep Frying: Heat vegetable oil (about 2-3 inches) in a Wok to 350 degrees. (I found this on Med/Low end. If you get it too hot you will burn you little chicken nuggets. Trust me. I set off the fire alarm. Twice.) Dip the chicken, one piece at a time, in the batter. Fry 8-10 pieces at a time, until lightly brown -- about 2-3 minutes, then flip. When cooked, place on a paper toweled plate to help with the grease.

4. Plate and top with fresh lemon, and either pour or dip the lemon sauce. Serve with sticky rice that can be found in the ethnic section of your local grocer.

5. Enjoy!!

ps I'm pretty sure that this sauce can be used on grilled chicken as well to avoid the whole frying mess, but then you loose the batter that is oh-so-good!!

Sweet Potato Casserole

2011-01-04T12:53:00.000-08:00

Sweet potato casserole is a new-found-old-love of mine. I've made it a couple times sans any recipes. I'm sure you've seen it with a variety of toppings, bur I make it with my two favorites--pecans and marshmallows. This way seems to keep everyone happy!!

You will need:

Aprox. 4 large sweet potatoes
1/2 cup of butter (1 stick)
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
A pinch (or 2) of salt
Marshmallows (about 3 cups will cover a 9x13 pan)
OR
Chopped pecans - it's best if you salt and toast these ahead of time b/c it keeps them crunchy!
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon light brown sugar

Bring water to a boil in a dutch oven over high heat. While you're waiting on that, remove the skin on your potatoes with a vegetable peeler, and cube potatoes so that they're all somewhat the same size--in order for them to cook the same. Boil potatoes in water until tender, then drain them and return to pot. Mash with a potato masher. (Tip: If you cook them long enough, the less mashing you'll have to do!!) Add stick of butter, brown sugar, and salt. Stir until mixed well and butter is melted. Pour mixture into 9x13" pan.

Now for the toppings: for marshallows, just spread the 3 cups evenly over the top. For pecans, mix toaster chopped pecans, melted butter and tablespoon of brown sugar in small bowl, and then spread evenly over potatoes.

Cook at 350F for about 20-30 minutes, or until marshmallows (if that's what you went with) are golden and potatoes are bubbly.

Chicken Pie

2011-01-04T12:42:00.000-08:00

Chicken Pie is a yummy, quick fix for a weeknight meal! Pair it with a salad or some mashed potatoes and green beans, and you've provided a full-out meal!

You'll need:

About 1 lb of chicken, cooked and cubed
8 oz sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Ritz crackers, about 1/2 tube
2 tablespoons butter, melted

You'll:

Preheat oven to 350F.
Mix soup and sour cream together in bowl.
Add chicken, salt and pepper to cream mixture.
Pour mixture into oven-safe 9" pie dish
Crumble ritz crackers in small bowl. Add melted butter, and mix to coat.
Spread cracker mixture over the top of the prepared chicken mixture.
Bake at 350 until the cracker topping is golden brown, probably about 20 minutes.

Nom! Nom!

Key Lime Pie

2010-11-17T21:27:00.000-08:00

Key Lime Pie

With a little help from Emeril (ok, fine…more than just a little), I made this delicious key lime pie! It’s great—and soooo easy! I know it sounds a little funny, but the topping is what really makes this dish special. But, you can always omit it if you like.

You need:
1. 9” pre-made pie crust
2. 2-14 oz cans sweetened condensed milk
3. 2 eggs
4. 1 cup lime juice (I used a combination of fresh and bottled)
5. 8 oz plain Greek yogurt
6. 4 tbsp powdered sugar

You will:
1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Whisk together milk, eggs, and lime juice.
3. Pour it into the piecrust. Note: I could find the pre-made 9” crust, so I bought the 8”. That’s fine, but just beware the pie crust will be VERY full. You can hold a little back, or just fill it that full—completely up to you. I used all the mix because I really like the thickness of the pie.
4. Place pie crust pan on a cookie sheet. Cook in oven for 20 minutes.
5. Allow pie to cool to room temperature.
6. Mix yogurt and sugar in small bowl. Emeril uses sour cream here instead of yogurt. I prefer the yogurt, and Greek yogurt is thicker than regular yogurt, so it’s a good substitution.
7. Spread yogurt mixture over the top of cooled pie.
8. Cover with pie pan top (comes with the crust) and chill for at least 1 hour. Or, up to a week—I made this over a week ago and I just had the last piece!

Nom! Nom!

Stuffed Shells with Spicy Sausage Marinara

2010-11-17T21:24:00.001-08:00

Stuffed Shells with Spicy Sausage Marinara

You need:
1. ½ lb spicy Italian sausage (I used turkey sausage)
2. 2 cloves minced garlic
3. ½ medium white or yellow onion, chopped
4. 1 packet spaghetti seasoning
5. 6 oz can of tomato paste
6. 15 oz stewed tomatoes
7. 1 tspn parsley
8. ¼ tspn red pepper flakes
9. 1 package cheese stuffed shells (I used Rosetto)
10. ½ cup grated Mozzarella cheese (optional)

You do:
1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Remove sausage from casings and brown in medium saucepan. Add garlic and onion while browning.
3. Once meat is browned, add seasoning and stir to coat meat.
4. Add tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, parsley and red pepper flakes to meat. Stir well.
5. Spread shells, open side down, in an oven-safe dish like Pyrex or Corning. At a minimum, you’ll need an 8”x8” dish with deep sides—this makes more than I thought it would!
6. Pour tomato mixture over shells. Do not stir.
7. Cover dish with lid or aluminum foil.
8. Cook 45 minutes at 400F.
9. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top if desired.
10. Serve alongside a salad and bread for an easy, yummy Italian meal!

Nom! Nom!

Roasted Lemon Chicken

2010-11-17T21:04:00.000-08:00

Roasted Lemon Chicken

This is one of those dishes that takes a long time to cook, but with only about a 5 minute prep time, you can put it in the oven and then get busy doing something else. Works great for busy weekends! But, it’s a nice dish that’s a great centerpiece to any meal. So, if you have 4-6 people over for dinner, it would also be ideal because while it’s in the oven, you can be doing other things, like last minute cleaning! Haha.

You need:
1. 1 whole chicken (about 5-6 lbs)
2. 2 lemons
3. 1 medium yellow onion
4. 1 tspn salt
5. 1 tspn black pepper
6. 2 tspn lemon pepper

You do:
1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Empty cavity of chicken. Rinse chicken inside and out, and pat dry.
3. Place chicken in baking dish.
4. Cut lemons into 8 pieces each—cut into 4 wedges, and then cut each wedge in half.
5. Squeeze lemon pieces so that juice runs over chicken.
6. Cut onion into wedges as well.
7. Stuff chicken with lemon and onion—any pieces that won’t fit, you can place around the chicken.
8. Mix salt, pepper and lemon pepper together in small ramekin.
9. Sprinkle seasoning over chicken. Rub the seasoning with your hands to get under the drumsticks and wings.
10. Cover with aluminum foil and cook at 400F for 75-90 min (this time varies based on the size of your chicken, so make sure it’s done all the way to the bone).

Nom! Nom!

Meatcakes

2010-08-25T14:17:00.000-07:00

Meatcakes—as in meatloaf cupcakes! Sound gross? Get over it! It’s deeeelicious! And, cute to boot. If you cook meatloaf, chances are you serve it with potatoes anyway, so why not combine the two into a really nice looking, creative entrée. Talk about bringing something new to the table…

You’ll need:
1. 1 lb ground chuck
2. 3 tbsp ketchup
3. 2 tbsp marinade (such as Dale’s or Moore’s)
4. 1 tspn Worcestershire sauce
5. ½ tspn salt
6. ½ tspn black pepper
7. ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
8. 1 egg, lightly beaten
9. ¼ cup baking mix (such as Bisquick)
10. 2 baking potatoes
11. 3 tbsp butter
12. 3 tbsp sour cream
13. 2 tbsp milk
14. ½ tspn onion powder
15. Salt and pepper to taste
16. Parsley (optional)

You’ll do:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Bring water to boil in large pot.
3. Peel potatoes and cut into cubes. Drop in boiling water
4. Mix ground chuck with ingredients 2-9 above, until well blended.
5. Line 8 cups in a cupcake pan with foil liners. You can use paper, but the little grease these produce will make that kind of a mess. Either way, though, they’re prettier if you remove the liner at the end.
6. Separate meat mixture into 8 equal segments and roll each into a ball. Place one ball in each cupcake liner, and press down lightly to flatten on the bottom.
7. Place meatcakes in the oven on 350F and cook for 15-18 minutes.
8. Once potatoes are soft to the touch, drain the water off and put potatoes into a large bowl. Add milk and sour cream to potatoes and mix with a hand mixer.
9. Add salt, pepper, butter, and onion powder to potatoes and blend until mostly smooth. You don’t want any large chunks, but small ones are fine.
10. When meatcakes are done, remove from oven and allow to rest about 10 minutes.
11. Transfer creamed potatoes to sandwich-size Ziploc bag and cut the corner off.
12. Remove liners from meatcakes (if you want, but this step isn’t necessary). Place meatcakes on serving dish.
13. Pipe creamed potatoes onto the top of each meatcake in circles, beginning on the edge and working towards the middle.
14. Pair with a salad, some extra creamed potatoes, or a green vegetable and you’ve got a fun, creative twist on a traditional meal!

Nom! Nom!

Sausage Manicotti

2010-08-07T14:09:00.000-07:00

Sausage Manicotti--this recipe isn't expensive and it makes enough to feed a small army! Serve it to company alongside a tossed salad. Add some powdered doughnuts for dessert and you've got a yummy, filling meal!

You’ll need:
1. 2 cans Italian stewed tomatoes
2. 1 can tomato paste
3. 1 medium onion diced, divided
4. 1 tspn garlic, divided
5. ¼ cup sugar
6. 1 tspn basil
7. 2 tspn parsley, divided
8. 1 tspn salt
9. ½ tspn black pepper
10. ¼ tspn red pepper flakes
11. 14 manicotti shells
12. ½ lb Italian sausage
13. 15 oz ricotta cheese
14. 2 cups mozzarella
15. 1 egg, lightly beaten

You’ll do:
1. In medium boiler, mix stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, ½ diced onion, and ½ tspn diced garlic. Bring tomato mixture to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Add sugar, basil, 1 tspn parsley, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a large stockpot. Once water is boiling, add manicotti shells and cook until done, approximately 12 minutes.
3. Begin to brown sausage in medium saucepan. Add ½ tspn diced garlic and other ½ of the diced onion to meat. Continue to cook until meat is browned through.
4. Once meat is brown, place meat mixture on paper towel to drain grease.
5. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 9x13 pan.
6. In a medium bowl, mix ricotta, 1 ½ cups mozzarella, 1 tspn parsley, and egg. Add meat.
7. When done, drain pasta and rinse with cold water.
8. Fill Ziploc bag with ricotta/meat mixture. Snip corner off of Ziploc bag.
9. Fill manicotti shells with ricotta/meat mixture.
10. Place filled manicotti shells in greased pan. Pour tomato sauce over shells.
11. Cook in 350F oven for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup of mozzarella and cook another 10 minutes.

Nam! Nam!

Pancakes with Warm Berry Compote

2010-08-07T14:06:00.000-07:00

Pancakes with Warm Berry Compote
You’ll need:
1. 2 cup pancake mix (such as Bisquick)
2. 2 egg
3. 1 cup milk
4. 1 pint strawberries
5. ½ pint blueberries
6. ½ cup orange juice
7. 4 tbsp granulated sugar
8. 2 tspn powdered sugar

You’ll do:
1. Cut the strawberries into quarters and place them in a bowl that has a lid
2. Add blueberries, orange juice, and sugar to the bowl with strawberries. Shake to mix and set aside.
3. Mix pancake mix, egg, and milk in medium size bowl.
4. Heat large skillet or griddle over medium heat.
5. Pour batter onto skillet, 2 at a time. Cook each side until golden brown, about 2 minutes. You can keep cooked pancakes warm on a cookie sheet in a 200F oven.
6. Meanwhile, pour berry mixture into a medium saucepan on medium heat. Heat berry mixture until liquid is reduced to half, about 10 minutes.
7. Serve compote on top of pancakes and then sprinkle with powdered sugar.

You can serve this with bacon for a yummy breakfast (or dinner) for 2!
Nam! Nam!

Sicilian Spaghetti

2010-06-06T08:20:00.000-07:00

Delicioso! Or, something like that! This is a yummy recipe for mostly made-from-scratch spaghetti that will have your house smelling like Sicily! Just grab your honey and go for a gondola ride when you're finished eating! :)

You'll need:

1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 15oz. cans tomato sauce
5 oz. can Italian (or regular) tomato paste
1/4 cup sugar
1 tspn basil
1 tspn dried parsley
1/2 tspn crushed red pepper flakes
1 box thin spaghetti or vermicelli

You'll do:

Heat medium pan over med-hi heat.
Add ground beef, onion.
Cook, using a wooden spoon to break up beef, until beef is browned completely and onion is tender.
Drain meat and wipe out pan with paper towel.
Place meat/onion mixture in medium-sized pot on medium-hi heat.
Add garlic to pot.
Add tomato sauce and tomato paste.
Fill 1 empty tomato sauce can with water, and add to pot.
Add basil, parsley, sugar, and red pepper flakes to tomato sauce in pot.
Bring sauce to a boil and then decrease heat to low.
Allow sauce to simmer for 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente.
Serve sauce over pasta, with bread and salad.

Nam! Nam!

Turkey-Apple Sandwiches

2010-06-06T07:55:00.001-07:00

These were a last-minute concoction that turned out quite yummy! They're very simple, with no cooking (duh--it's a sandwich!), but they have some tart granny smith apple slices for an added crunch.

You'll need (for 4 sandwiches):

8 slices Wheat bread (I used 9-gram Sara Lee because they are large slices)
1/2 lb. thick sliced turkey (again, Sara Lee, sliced fresh in the grocery store deli)
1 Granny Smith apple, sliced
Spicy or Dijon Mustard

You'll make them by:

Preheat your oven broiler on high.
Place all the bread slices on a large cookie sheet and brown them for about 2 minutes, or until lightly toasted. I like the soft, freshness of wheat bread, so I only toast one side of it. But, if you want both sides toasted, just flip the slices over and toast another 2 minutes. It's helpful to toast at least one side to keep the bread from getting soggy if not eating the sandwiches immediately.
Spread mustard lightly on the toasted side of each bread slice.
Place apple slice(s) on 4 of the pieces of toast atop the mustard.
Top the apple with 2 oz. of turkey for each sandwich.
Place the other bread slice, mustard side down on top of the turkey.
Cut diagonally and serve with veggies and dip, fruit salad, or chips!

Nam! Nam!

Deviled Eggs

2010-04-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

Cheap. Easy. And, makes a lot. What else can you possibly want?

You need:

1. Dozen large eggs
2. 1/2 cup diced dill pickles
3. 2 heaping tbsp mayonnaise
4. 1 tspn worcestershire sauce
5. 1/2 tspn salt
6. 1/2 tspn black pepper
7. 1/4 tspn smoked tarragon

You will:

Boil the eggs in a large pot for 15 minutes, or until hard boiled.
Allow eggs to cool.
Carefully peel eggs and discard shell.
Cut eggs in half lengthwise
Remove yolks from all eggs and place the yolks into a medium bowl.
Add pickles and mayonnaise to yolks and mix with a fork to break up all yolk pieces.
Add mayonnaise to yolk mixture and mix with spoon until you have one big blob.
Add worcestershire, salt, pepper and tarragon and mix well.
Taste, and add any more of the ingredients that suits your taste.
Using a teaspoon, fill each egg with the yolk mixture.
Serve with dill pickles for a great appetizer, side dish, or snack!

Nam! Nam!

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

2010-04-25T18:54:00.001-07:00

This is a super healthy dip, with protein and fiber, and it's a way of forcing myself to eat veggies like celery!

You need:

8 oz. roasted red peppers
16 oz can garbanza or cannellini beans
1 tspn dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
2 tspn minced garlic
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper

You will:

Add red peppers and beans to food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
Add basil, garlic and vinegar. Blend about 30 seconds.
Add olive oil and blend about a minute.
Transfer dip to bowl and stir in salt and pepper.
Serve with veggies and/or pita chips.

Nam! Nam!

Mushroom-Swiss Turkey Burgers

2010-04-05T18:36:00.001-07:00

Craving a burger, but don't want to down that many calories in a meal? Well, here's a tasty alternative to a beefy cheeseburger. It's full of flavor, and can be served alongside a tossed salad or sliced, fresh veggies.

You need:

1 lb. ground turkey
2 tspn dijon mustard
1 tspn cajun seasoning
1 tspn garlic powder
1/2 tspn dried parsley
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 pint sliced mushrooms
3 tspn teriyaki sauce
1 tbsp water
2 tspn dry red wine
1 tspn olive oil
4 hamburger buns
4 slices Swiss cheese

You will:

Turn oven broiler on high.
Combine turkey, mustard, cajun seasoning, garlic powder, and parsley in a large bowl. Form into 4 patties and set aside.
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and mushrooms to pan, and cook for about 6 minutes.
Combine teriyaki sauce, red wine and water in a small bowl.
Add about 3 tspn of teriyaki mixture to pan with onions and mushrooms. Stir constantly, until sauce is reduced, about 1 minute.
Place vegetables in a bowl off to the side and replace pan on stove eye.
Add olive oil to pan and rotate the pan so that the oil covers all of the bottom.
Place the patties in the pan and cook for about 5 minutes.
Spoon about a tspn of the teriyaki mixture onto each patty and turn them. Cook on the second side about 3 minutes, or until cooked through.
Open 4 hamburger buns on a cookie sheet. Place one piece of Swiss cheese on each of the bottom buns, and place under the broiler for about 1-2 minutes, until cheese is melted.
Spread dijon mustard on the top buns. Place a patty on each of the bottom buns. Top with 1/4 of the onion-mushroom mixture. Add the top bun, and serve.

Nam! Nam!

Ham and Mushroom Quiche

2010-04-05T18:08:00.000-07:00

This is a great main dish to any breakfast or brunch. Full of protein plus some veggies, for an extra nutritious punch!

You need:

6-8 oz turkey sausage, diced
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
3/4 cup diced mushrooms
tspn butter
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
5 oz evaporated milk
8 oz light sour cream
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tspn baking powder
1 tspn parsley
1 tspn salt
1/2 tspn black pepper

You will:

Preheat oven to 350F.
Grease an 8-inch round baking dish with the butter.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup parmesan cheese in the bottom of the baking dish.
Heat mushrooms and onions over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Saute about 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add diced sausage to pan with onions and mushrooms. Allow to cook about 5 minutes, or until onion is brown and mushrooms are tender.
In a large bowl, combine eggs, egg whites, sour cream and evaporated milk.
In a smaller bowl, combine flour and baking powder.
Using a fork or whisk, add flour mixture to egg mixture while stirring constantly.
Add parmesan and cheddar cheeses, salt, black pepper, and parsley to egg mixture.
Add meat and veggies into baking dish. Spread mixture so that it is in an even layer.
Pour egg mixture over the meat and veggies.
Place baking dish on a cookie sheet (in case the quiche runs over) in the oven for 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow quiche to sit on counter for 10 minutes.
Slice and serve alongside grits, biscuits, and fruit salad for a scrumptio-deli-uptious brunch!

Nam! Nam!

Chicken Fajitas

2010-03-25T16:00:00.000-07:00

These are easy, quick, and relatively cheap--the three things I look for most in weeknight dinners!! And, you can top them with any number of condiments and veggies. Serve them with black beans and corn for a dinner party.

You'll need:

1 lb chicken breasts (or chicken breast tenders)
1 tspn oil
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 small red onion
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 cup water

Toppings:

lettuce, shredded
tomatoes, diced
cheddar cheese, shredded
salsa
guacamole
sour cream

You'll do:

Preheat oven to 350F.
Line a cookie sheet (with sides) with aluminum foil.
Place chicken tenders on the foil and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until done (but don't overcook).
While chicken is cooking, heat 1 tspn oil over medium heat in large skillet.
Slice peppers and onions thinly and place in preheated skillet. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When done, remove chicken from oven and let rest on pan for about 5 minutes.
After resting period, slice chicken vertically to make thin strips.
Add chicken, water and taco seasoning packet to pan. Stir thoroughly to coat chicken with seasoning.
Reduce heat to low and cover pan.
Allow meat and veggies to simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve fajita mix with tortillas and toppings. For sides, try grilled corn on the cob or seasoned black beans.

Nam! Nam!

Rosemary Marmalade Chicken

2010-02-25T18:14:00.000-08:00

This is an excellent one-dish dinner...and it's great for leftovers if you're only feeding one or two people. The best part: it only has a few ingredients, and those aren't very expensive!

You'll need:

5 lb. whole chicken
4 medium russet potatoes
1 large purple onion
2 cups orange marmalade (I used sugar-free to save the calories)
1/4 cup olive oil
4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
salt and pepper

You'll:

Preheat oven to 400F.
First, remove the inner bag from the chicken and discard (don't look--it's pretty gross to me!). Then, wash the chicken with tap water inside and out. Set aside.
Wash and cut potatoes into cubes, bite-size or slightly larger. Place potatoes in the bottom of a large roasting pan, or 9x13 deep baking dish.
Cut onion into wedges. Spread onion over potatoes, and gently toss with your hands to mix them together.
Sprinkle potatoes and onions with about 1 tspn of salt and 1 tspn of pepper, or until your little heart is content.
Strip the leaves from 2 sprigs of rosemary and sprinkle them over the potatoes and onion.
Place the chicken, with wings tucked under, on top of the potato/onion mixture in the dish.
In a bowl, mix orange marmalade, leaves from 2 sprigs of rosemary, oil, 1/4 tspn salt, and 1/4 tspn pepper.
Spoon marmalade mixture on top of chicken, and put about a tablespoonful inside the chicken (just for good measure).
Cover dish with lid, if available, or securely with aluminum foil.
Place in a 400F oven, and cook for 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until completely done. Cooking time is altered depending on the size of your chicken. For a shorter cooking time, about 1 hour, you can use 2 2-lb chickens. To check for done-ness, cut all the way to the bone after resting period.
After removing pan from oven, uncover and let rest for 5-10 minutes.
With a large serving spoon, spoon some of the juices onto the chicken. Transfer to a serving dish, or serve it in the same one you cooked it in (I certainly did!). Face it--there is nothing prettier than a centerpiece of a whole bird! HaHa! Enjoy. You can serve it with another side dish if you would like. I recommend something green, perhaps a salad.

Nam! Nam!

Ranch House Burgers

2010-02-03T17:51:00.000-08:00

These are simple to make, but have a very unique and complex flavor profile. The awesome part is that you don't have to add a hundred different spices to get the flavor--instead, just a packet of mix! I just serve these with a dill spear and some canned baked beans for a complete meal that takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish!

You need:

1 lb. ground hamburger meat
4 tbsp barbecue sauce
1 packet of Hidden Valley ranch dip mix
16 dill hamburger chips
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp corn meal mix
Dash of black pepper
1/8 cup vegetable oil
4 tbsp sour cream
4 slices cheddar cheese
8 rings of purple onion
4 hamburger buns

You do:

Heat vegetable oil in a small saucepan over med-hi heat.
In a medium bowl, mix hamburger meat, 2 tbsp barbecue sauce, and ranch packet.
Divide the hamburger meat into 4 sections, and pat each section into a patty.
There are several ways to cook these burgers: grill, George Foreman grill, oven, or stovetop. I use a small George Foreman on high. So, the patties each cook for 4 minutes. On a regular grill, you'll probably want to cook them about 5 minutes per side. In a 400F oven, cook them for about 15 minutes, and on the stovetop, cook them over medium heat for about 6-8 minutes per side.
While the first round of burgers are cooking, add pickles, flour, corn meal, and black pepper to a ziploc bag and shake to thoroughly coat each pickle.
Don't forget to check the burger patties if you are having to cook 1 or 2 at a time.
Add coated pickles, in batches, to hot oil in the saucepan. Cook each pickle so that it is brown on both sides (about 1.5 minutes per side).
Once browned, place the pickles on a paper towel to drain off any oil.
In a small bowl, mix sour cream and 2 tbsp barbecue sauce.
Heat the buns for 15 seconds in a microwave.
Spread the sour cream/barbecue mixture on all of the top and bottom buns.
Place a slice of cheddar cheese on the bottom bun.
Atop the cheese, place a hamburger patty.
Stack 2 onion slices and 4 fried pickles on top of each patty.
Top with bun top. Serve with baked beans for a delicious, comforting meal!

Nam! Nam!

Chicken Stir-fry

2010-02-03T16:56:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty sure it doesn't get any easier than this homemade dish that easily serves 4! Serve it with an eggroll (found in your grocer's freezer case) and you have a complete Asian-inspired meal. And, hey--there are so many good-for-you ingredients in this one, too! The vegetable mix I used includes broccoli and pea pods, and something else that I'm not sure about!

You need:

1 tbsp vegetable oil
12 oz. package fresh stir-fry veggies (produce section)
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 cup sliced purple onion
1 lb. chicken, cut into small pieces
4 cups cooked whole-grain or white rice
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
1 tspn soy sauce
2 squirts of ketchup
1 tspn corn starch

You do:

Heat oil in large skillet or saucepan over medium heat.
Add vegetables to pan (bell pepper, onion, and stir-fry mix). Cook for 5 minutes, or until veggies are slightly tender. (If you so desire, you can add a can of mini corn, or carrot matchsticks at this point as well.)
Add chicken to pan with veggies. Stir frequently and cook about 8 minutes, or until all chicken is cooked.
Meanwhile, whisk together orange juice, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, and cornstarch.
Once chicken is cooked, add juice mixture to pan.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low.
Allow mixture to simmer, tossing from time to time, for about 5 minutes.
Serve over rice and enjoy!

Nam! Nam!

Balsamic Steak Sandwiches

2010-01-25T18:12:00.000-08:00

I got this awesome recipe out of a magazine called Real Simple. It is the greatest magazine that I've ever read for sure! The only thing I changed about this recipe is the bread and the cheese. They suggested blue cheese, which I'm sure is great, but I'm not a fan, so I went for another white cheese--Provolone!

You need:

1. 2 lbs strip steak
2. 1/2 large purple onion, sliced
3. 5 roma tomatoes, sliced
4. 1 tspn salt
5. 1 tspn black pepper
6. 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
7. 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8. 6 slices provolone cheese
9. 6 sandwich rolls (I use Pepperidge Farm Sesame Seed Buns)

You do:

Preheat oven to 425F.
Line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Be sure the cookie sheet have four sides to keep any liquid from dripping off.
Sprinkle the strip steak with 1/2 tspn salt and 1/2 tspn black pepper. Place on one side of the cookie sheet.
In a small bowl, mix tomato slices, onion slices, 1/2 tspn salt, 1/2 tspn pepper, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Be sure to toss the tomatoes lightly, but coat all the vegetables thoroughly with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Pour the vegetables out on the opposite side of the cookie sheet. Separate the vegetables so that all of them will get exposure to the heat.
Cook the steak and vegetables in the oven for 6 minutes. When removing it from the oven, allow the steak to sit for 5 minutes before cutting.
Meanwhile, open sandwich rolls and place them on a clean cookie sheet. Lay a piece of cheese on each roll. Heat in oven about 3 minutes, or until cheese is slightly melted to roll.
Slice strip steak into small strips, about 1/2-inch (think fajitas), or thicker if desired.
Divide cut steak, and marinated veggies on each roll. Serve with chips, or fries, or a mixed greens salad.

Nam! Nam!

Cran-Orange Chicken

2010-01-25T17:34:00.001-08:00

I'm not sure what to say about this...I was surprised at how good it turned out! It has a sweet fruit, an acidic fruit, and aromatic onion. It's just good!

You need:

4 chicken breasts (or 8 tenders)
4 green onion stalks
15 oz can whole cranberry sauce
10 oz can mandarin oranges, drained
1 tspn garlic salt
1/4 tspn salt
1/2 tspn black pepper

You do:

Preheat to 350F.
If using chicken breasts, cut them as if forming a butterfly, but continue the cut. If using tenders, no cutting is necessary since there are already 8 pieces.
Place the chicken between two pieces of saran wrap and beat with a mallet until each piece is about 1/4 inch thick and the thickness is even throughout.
Once thinned, sprinkle each piece of chicken with the garlic salt and pepper on both sides.
Cut 2 of the green onion stalks into 2 to 3 inch sections so that you get at least sections from each stalk.
Place a 2-inch section of the onion on the edge of a chicken piece and roll the chicken up (mush like a crescent roll) around the onion. Place the chicken roll on a lined cookie sheet or glass dish. Repeat this for all 8 pieces of chicken.
Place dish with chicken in oven for 15-18 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
While chicken is cooking, put oranges in medium bowl. Using a fork, break up the oranges into small pieces.
Add the cranberry sauce to the bowl with oranges. And, break up the cranberry sauce with the fork, mixing the oranges in.
Add about 1/8 cup of diced green onions to the cranberry-orange sauce if desired.
Mix in 1/4 tspn of salt with cran-orange sauce. Cover bowl and refrigerate until serving.
Cut the last green onion stalk into 1-2 inch pieces.
For the last 3 minutes of cooking the chicken, place the green onion pieces on the dish also so that they can get crispy.
When finished cooking, place chicken rolls side by side on a dish (preferrably rectangle). Remove cran-orange sauce from refrigerator and spoon onto the top of chicken. Serve immediately.

Nam! Nam!

Mixed Berry Cobbler

2010-01-25T17:20:00.000-08:00

This is the simplest dessert that I've ever made...and, there are so many more great things about it! It makes my house smell wonderful. The ingredients don't spoil, so you can keep the items in the kitchen for the time you can't figure out what to cook, or for the company that just "drops by".

What you need:

16 oz package frozen mixed berries (usually includes blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries)
1/2 cup of water
1 box of butter cake mix
1 1/2 sticks of butter or margarine
chopped pecans (optional)
ice cream (optional)

What you do:

Preheat oven to 350F.
Empty the berries into a 9x13 dish.
Add the water to the dish.
Add the cake mix on top of the berries, making sure to get it somewhat even throughout the dish. I use the back of a spoon to even it out.
Thinly slice the sticks of butter and place them on top of the cake mix.
Place in oven for 60 minutes or until cake mix is brown and fruit is bubbly. If you choose to use the pecans, sprinkle them on the top for the last 10 minutes of cook time.
Serve hot with ice cream on top. If I use pecans on the cobbler, I serve it with Vanilla Bean ice cream. If I omit the pecans, I serve it with Buttered Pecan ice cream (this is my favorite).

This is great, even leftover!

Nam! Nam!

Appetizer

2010-01-19T19:55:00.001-08:00

This was dubbed simply "appetizer" by my younger sister, who loves it anytime!

You need:

8 oz. bar 1/3 less fat cream cheese
tube of 4 crescent rolls
~3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1 egg yolk, beaten
crackers

You do:

Preheat oven to 350F.
Unroll the crescent rolls and lay them flat on a clean counter.
Pinch all of the seams together so that the roll dough is one piece.
Place the block of cream cheese in the center of the roll dough.
Generously cover the top of the cream cheese with dill. I would estimate that I use about 2 tbsp.
Pull the dough up over the cream cheese block and pinch the seams together so that there are no holes.
Lightly brush the top of the bread with some of the egg yolk.
Sprinkle some dill on the top for color.
Place appetizer on cookie sheet or glass dish and cook for 12-14 minutes (or until golden brown).
Serve warm with crackers.

Nam! Nam!

Caribbean Chicken with Pineapple Salsa

2010-01-19T19:02:00.000-08:00

This dish is yummy and full of flavor. And, well...it's colorful to boot!

You'll need:

1/4 cup Caribbean Jerk sauce or marinade
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1-1/2 cups orange juice
10-12 chicken tenders or 4 chicken breasts
1 package saffron rice
15 oz. can of black beans
small can of pineapple tidbits (I think it's 8 or 10 oz)
1/4 cup scallions, chopped

You'll do:

Coat a large teflon coated pan with cooking spray.
Heat pan to medium heat.
Place chicken in pan and cook on each side for 6-8 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
Meanwhile, bring 2-1/4 cups of water to a boil in a boiler and add rice. Cover and cook for 20 minutues.
In a small bowl, mix jerk sauce, vinegar, and orange juice.
Once chicken is cooked through, reduce heat to low-simmer. Add juice mixture to the pan with chicken. Cover pan and allow to simmer 20 minutes, turning once.
Meanwhile, drain juice from pineapples.
Mix pineapples with scallions in a small bowl and refrigerate until serving.
Drain black beans and rinse with cold water.
Once rice is cooked, mix rice with beans in a large bowl.
Serve chicken on top of rice and beans. Spoon a couple tablespoons of juice from pan on top of chicken. Add pineapple salsa to the top and serve.

MaMaw's Chicken Salad Sandwiches

2010-01-19T18:36:00.000-08:00

This recipe can be adapted for simplicity and health!

What you'll need:

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
1/4 cup dill pickles, chopped
2 boiled eggs, diced
2 tbsp mayonnaise
8 slices wheat toast

What you'll do:

Mix the chicken, pickles, eggs, and mayonnaise in a medium-sized bowl.
Spread the mixture equally on 4 pieces of toast. Top with remaining pieces of toast.

For speed/simplicity: Use boiled chicken, rotisserie chicken, or canned shredded chicken. Instead of diced pickles, use dill relish, and buy the eggs already boiled in the produce department of upscale grocery stores. These pre-made ingredients make this a very quick meal!

For lower fat: Omit the egg yolks, and use light mayonnaise or miracle whip.

Serve with chips and fruit.

Nam! Nam!

S'mores Cups

2010-01-09T17:45:00.001-08:00

Alright...I dreamed these up after having a S'mores milkshake and loving it. Knowing that milkshakes are impossible to transport to BCS championship parties (or any other party, for that matter), I came up with a non-frozen variety. And, well...it's darn good! I made these in single serving cups, but this can also be made as one dish in a trifle bowl. This recipe makes 10 servings, but easy to scale up or down as you wish. If you want to make this in a trifle bowl, you will need to double the recipe, to make a total of 20 servings.

You'll need:

5.9 oz box of chocolate instant pudding mix
3 cups milk
10 tbsp graham cracker crumbs, plus some for sprinkling
Dark chocolate bar, just regular size
miniature marshmallows
2.5 sheets of graham crackers (broken into 10 rectangle pieces)
10 9oz clear cups, or your preference for serving dishes

You'll do:

Preheat oven to broil Hi.
Make pudding according to package directions (most brands use 3 cups of milk, whisking for 2 minutes) and then refrigerate.
Line the bottom of each cup with a tbsp of graham cracker crumbs.
With a large knife, cut chocolate bar into very small pieces.
Remove pudding from refrigerator. Mix chocolate pieces into pudding.
Add about 3 tbsp of pudding to each cup, atop the graham cracker crumbs.
Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.
Place marshmallows on wax paper in clusters of 5-6.
Put pan in preheated oven for 30 seconds to brown tops of marshmallows.
Let marshmallows cool about 10 minutes before trying to remove them.
Lightly dust each pudding cup with graham cracker crumbs.
Break each graham cracker rectangle into 2 equal pieces and place on opposite sides of the pudding cup so that they are mostly sticking out of the pudding.
With a clean, non-stick spatula, remove each cluster of marshmallows from the wax paper and place on the top of pudding.
Serve immediately, or chill for up to 4 hours. If you want to make this ahead of time, just wait until the last minute to add the graham cracker pieces to the top--everything else can be done 1-2 days in advance.

Nam! Nam!

Pigs in a Blanket

2010-01-09T17:09:00.000-08:00

I realize these are traditional pigs in blankets--nothing special. But, I figure there might be someone out there who doesn't know exactly what to make them with. And, well, they are one of my fave tailgate foods...

You'll need:

1 package lil' smokies
3 large packages refrigerated crescent rolls

You'll do:

Preheat oven to 350.
Open first package of crescent rolls and separate dough at perforations. Lay 1 dough triangle on cutting board and cut into 3 pieces with a pizza cutter. I cut them into 3 smaller triangles, but experiment and use what works best for you!
Once cut into pieces, lay a lil' smoky on one end of a cut dough piece, and roll so that the dough wraps completely around the sausage.
Place each pig in a blanket on a cookie sheet with the exposed end on the bottom.
Cook on 350F for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. (Consult the crescent roll package cooking instructions for exact cooking time)
Serve immediately.

Nam! Nam!

Pinwheels

2010-01-09T16:50:00.000-08:00

This appetizer recipe takes a few ingredients, most you would keep in your kitchen on a normal basis. And, it makes a huge tray of pinwheels--great for a low cost, yummy filler.

You'll need:

10-12 10" tortillas (10 is usually plenty, but you may want a couple extras just in case)
8 oz bar of 1/3 less fat cream cheese
8 oz reduced fat sour cream (fat free is usually a little too runny)
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
3 green onion stalks
1 tspn garlic powder (you may want to split this to 1/2 tspn garlic salt and 1/2 tspn garlic powder if you want some more salt flavor)

You'll do:

Mix cream cheese and sour cream with mixer.
Add shredded cheddar, green onions and garlic seasoning. Mix well with mixer.
Lay a tortilla flat on clean countertop. Drop a heaping teaspoon of mixture and thinly spread over entire tortilla with back of spoon. Be sure to get as close to the edge as possible.
Beginning at one side of the tortilla, roll tightly into a cylinder (about the shape of a taquito).
Repeat until all mixture is used.
Wrap rolled tortillas in saran wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours. I make these a day ahead of the event I'm using them for, and just refrigerate overnight. Remember that the mixture will be good for as long as the sour cream would have been--that's the quickest thing to spoil of all the ingredients. I wouldn't recommend keeping them more than a couple days, just because the tortillas may get soggy (I've never tried keeping them that long before cutting).
Remove tortillas from saran wrap.
Place 1st rolled tortilla on cutting board and cut into slices, discarding ends where cheese mixture is missing or not plentiful. I cut them to probably about 1/3-1/4 inch slices, and I've never paid attention to how many slices come from each tortilla.
Slice remaining rolled tortillas.
Arrange on serving dish and serve with salsa or gaucamole.

Nam! Nam!

Breakfast Brownies

2010-01-09T16:27:00.001-08:00

Their name may be decieving because they have no sugar, or cocoa, or anything else you would expect from a brownie. However, they have the shape of a brownie, and thanks to Alex for giving them a name for me! Because, let's face it--breakfast casserole is just plain boring! These are great--you prepare the mix ahead of time, so that all you have to do in the morning is throw them in the oven. They include oodles of protein and a little big of vegetable. Serve them with some pancakes, biscuits, or just by themselves for a yummy wake-up call!

You'll need:

12 oz summer sausage (can substitute kielbasa, ham, bacon, or turkey sausage)
1/2 medium sized white or yellow onion, chopped
6 large eggs (only use 5 if you have extra-large)
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
2 heaping tbsp of baking mix (such as bisquick)
1-1/2 cup milk
1/4 tspn salt
1/4 tspn pepper
1 tspn parsley (optional)

You'll do:

Chop sausage into small, bite-size pieces.
Cook meat and onion in skillet on med heat until onion is tender and meat is slightly browned, about 6-8 minutes.
In bowl, add eggs and slightly beat with whisk.
Add remaining 6 ingredients to the eggs, and stir just until mixed.
Transfer cooked meat mixture to plate lined with paper towels to drain of any grease.
Lightly grease or spray a 9x13" dish (such as pyrex).
Add meat mixture to dish.
Pour egg mixture over meat in dish.
Stir until just mixed.
Cover and place in a refrigerator for 8-12 hours.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Cook covered for 45 minutes.
Uncover and cook for another 15 minutes. Edges should be brown and middle should be firm when shaken.
Remove from oven and allow to sit for about 10 minutes.
Slice and serve immediately. (makes about 20 servings)

This is even good re-heated in the microwave. Place slice on microwave plate, cover, and heat 20 seconds on each side.

Nam! Nam!

Tangy Baked Chicken Tenders

2010-01-09T16:14:00.001-08:00

I love chicken fingers, but the deep-fried version keeps my thighs looking way to healthy! So, these are a much lighter version, still full of flavor!

You'll need:

6 chicken breast tenders (I used tyson)
1 tbsp marinade (dale's low sodium for me)
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
Lemon pepper (use as much of this as you would like--I probably sprinkle in about a teaspoon or so)

You'll do:

Defrost chicken tenders in large ziploc bag.
Add marinade, sauce, and lemon pepper to bag with chicken. Allow to sit in refrigerator for 30 minutes (or up to 8 hours, if you want to marinade it in the morning before work).
Preheat oven to 350F.
Arrange tenders in pyrex dish or on lined cookie sheet.
Pierce each tender 2-3 times with fork so that the marinade can infuse while cooking.
Cook at 350 for approximately 8-10 minutes on each side (cooking times vary based on your oven. check chicken for doneness by inserting a fork or knife, if the utensil goes in smooth with no resistance, chicken is done.)
Serve as finger food or with forks!

Nam! Nam!

Garlic Steak

2009-12-26T10:41:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe using a fairly cheap cut of beef, London broil, and serving it sliced. Very yummy, economical, and quick! You can't beat that!

You'll need:

1.5 lb London broil
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp marinade (such as dale's)
1 tspn diced garlic from a jar (if fresh, use 2 tspn)
salt and pepper

You'll do:

Preheat oven to 425F.
Line a shallow pan or cookie sheet with foil.
Mix sauce and marinade in small bowl.
Place meat on lined pan.
Sprinkle meat lightly with salt and pepper on both sides.
Drizzle sauce mixture over meat, and spread it with the back of a spoon.
Sprinkle garlic over meat, again spreading it with the back of a spoon.
Place in oven, and cook until desired doneness (15-18 min for medium-rare).
Transfer meat to cutting board and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
Slice meat on an angle, and serve with sides.

Pictured with loaded mashed potatoes and marinated tomatoes and onions. (see other blogs for those recipes)

Enjoy!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

2009-12-26T09:54:00.000-08:00

This needs no introduction...

You'll need:

2 tbsp extra vigin olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup celery, sliced
3 tspn minced garlic, from a jar (if fresh, use 5-6 tspn)
2 tbsp flour
1/2 tspn oregano
1 tspn thyme
1/4 tspn poultry seasoning
64 oz chicken broth
1/2 a rotisserie chicken (portion of dark and portion of light meat), diced or shredded
6 oz egg noodles
Salt, optional (I don't use salt because the poultry seasoning and chicken usually have enough salt for my liking)

You'll do:

Heat oil over medium-high heat in large pot.
Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic and sautee for about 5 minutes.
Add flour and seasonings, mix well.
Just after stirring in spices and flour, add chicken broth (and salt if desired).
Allow soup to reach a boil and then reduce heat to low.
Cook for 15 minutes, cover and cook 15 more minutes.
Add chicken and egg noodles, and cook another 15 minutes (or until noodles are tender).

Serve with cheese toast or grilled cheese and gobble it up!

Enjoy!

Scuppernong Pork Chops

2009-12-26T09:40:00.001-08:00

This was purely experimental because I was out of barbecue sauce. And, well, it turned out deee-licious! Even has a sweet flavor, so you can skip the dessert!

You'll need:

4 pork chops (I like the bone-in, but you can use boneless)
12 oz jar of scuppernong jelly (substitute any light-colored jelly you wish, such as apple)
1/4 cup of barbecue sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste

You'll do:

Mix jelly and barbecue sauce in a small bowl.
Place pork chops in a large, shallow dish, like a 9"x13" pyrex.
Sprinkle both sides of chops with salt and pepper.
Pour jelly mixture over chops. Flip chops in order to coat both sides with jelly mixture.
Allow to marinade in fridge for 2-10 hours.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Cook pork chops for 15-20 minutes, or until done completely through.
Serve hot, with side dishes. Pictured with fresh steamed green beans and a baked potato.

Enjoy!

Sausage Balls

2009-12-26T09:24:00.001-08:00

This are great to prepare as a filling appetizer! And, only have 3 total ingredients. Yep--THREE!

You'll need:

1 pound mild or hot ground sausage (such as Jimmy Dean)
7 or 8 oz bag of sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups baking mix (such as Bisquick)

You'll do:

Preheat oven to 350F.
Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a bowl.
Spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray or line with foil.
Pinch off pieces of mix and roll between palms to form a ball (they will expand slightly during cooking).
Place sausage balls on pan, about an inch apart.
Bake for 15 minutes on 350 F.

Yields 35 sausage balls, each about 1.5 inches in diameter. You can make these smaller or larger depending on your preference.

Enjoy!!

Taco Soup

2009-12-26T09:06:00.000-08:00

This makes a huge pot of soup. You can serve it to a lot of guests, or store it frozen for up to a month! Also, great for tailgating on a cool fall day. Serve alone, or with cheese quesadillas for a more filling meal.

You'll need:

1 pound of ground chuck (or substitute shredded chicken)
2 cans whole kernel corn, drain
14.5 oz can pinto beans, NOT drained
14.5 oz can light red kidney beans, drained
1 can original rotel
14.5 oz can stewed tomatoes or tomato sauce
half a yellow onion, chopped
2 packets taco seasoning
water

You'll do:

Brown ground chuck in large pot. (if using chicken, skip this step)
Drain meat, wipe out pot with paper towel, and return meat to pot.
Add taco seasoning packets.
Add corn, pinto beans, kidney beans, rotel, tomato sauce, and onion to pot.
Fill tomato can with water and empty into pot. Repeat.
Mix in pot.
Cover and simmer on medium-low heat, for at least an hour.

Enjoy!

White Chocolate Snowballs

2009-12-26T08:44:00.000-08:00

I call these snowballs because I made them for the first time during the Christmas season. Really, though, you can make them anytime...but, they do look great in a red bowl! This is a simple, no bake recipe. All you'll dirty up are 2 bowls, spatula and measuring cup!!

You'll need:

1-1/4 cups rice krispies (or any other rice cereal brand)
1-1/4 cups peanut butter captain crunch (don't scrimp here--get the namebrand)
1-1/4 cups marshmallows
1-1/4 cups honey roasted peanuts
24 oz white chocolate almond bark

You'll do:

empty white chocolate into a glass mixing bowl and place in a 200 degree oven.
meanwhile, mix all dry ingredients in bowl.
white chocolate will take about 30-45 minutes to completely melt.
once melted, pour white chocolate over dry ingredients and mix well will a spatula.
drop spoonfuls of mix onto white chocolate.
allow to cool to room temperature in order to harden.
place on a pretty tray or in a bowl and serve to guests!

Enjoy!

Easy Cheesy Chili

2009-11-28T15:37:00.000-08:00

Baby, it's cold outside....so, let's make some chili!! This is so easy, but is always a hit when I make it!

You need:

1 pound ground chuck
1 packet chili seasoning
1/2 medium white onion
1 small can tomato sauce
Hot sauce (optional)
Cheddar cheese
Green onions, chopped
Corn chips (optional)

You do:

Brown ground chuck in medium sized boiler.
Once browned, drain grease off meat by transferring to colander.
Return meat to boiler. Adjust heat to medium-low.
Add packet of seasoning. Stir to mix well.
Add onions and tomato sauce. Stir well.
Fill tomato sauce can to top with water. Add water to boiler. Stir.
Cover boiler and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occassionally so that nothing sticks to the bottom.
Scoop into soup bowls. Add a couple shakes of hot sauce to bowls. Top with cheese and green onions. Serve with corn chips.

Nam! Nam!!

Taco Burgers

2009-11-28T15:10:00.000-08:00

The best of both worlds: you can't get more American than burgers and, add a little touch of Mexico with some taco seasoning!

You need:

1 pound ground chuck
1 packet taco seasoning
1 tomato, sliced
1/4 large white onion, sliced
iceberg lettuce, torn
taco sauce (not salsa)
chipotle mustard
hamburger buns (4)

You do:

Preheat grill.
Mix ground chuck with 1 tablespoon taco sauce and taco seasoning.
Pat meat into 4 burgers.
Place patties onto grill.
Cook about 5-6 minutes per side, or until done.
Heat buns in microwave for 15 seconds.
Spread taco sauce on top buns.
Spread chipotle mustard on bottom buns.
Place done burger patty on bun.
Top meat with 1 leaf of lettuce, a slice of tomato, and a few rings of onion.

For fries: Place frozen curly fries on cookie sheet. Sprinkle evenly with season salt. Cook according to package directions. Serve with burgers.

Nam! Nam!!

Colorful Kebabs

2009-11-28T14:36:00.000-08:00

This meal could probably be classified as womanized man food! There is steak and potatoes, with some veggies, and it makes a gorgeous plateful! And, by using a less expensive cut of steak, you will save money too!

What you need for kebabs:

1. 1.5 lb London Broil, at least 1" thick
2. Pint of cherry tomatoes
3. 1 medium purple onion (or 1/2 a large one)
4. 1 medium green bell pepper
5. Meat marinade (such as Dale's or Moore's)
6. Salt and pepper (to taste)

What you need for potatoes:

4 medium idaho potatoes
butter
salt and pepper
cheddar cheese
green onions, chopped

What you need for squash:

2 pounds yellow squash, sliced
1/2 large white onion, cut into slices
1 teaspoon olive oil

What you do:

Wash tomatoes. Set aside.
Cut onion into wedges, keeping several layers together in one wedge. Set aside.
Cut bell pepper into strips, and then cut the strips in half. Set aside
Cut meat into 1" cubes. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 400F.
Holding blunt end of the skewers, add an onion wedge with the outside purple toward the blunt end. Add one cube of meat. Add bell pepper strip to skewer by folding strip so that the skin faces out. Add another cube of meat, a tomato, another cube of meat. Repeat bell pepper addition. Add another cube of meat. Add wedge of onion so that the purple faces the pointed end, this time. Repeat until all meat and veggies are used.
Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
Place kebabs on cookie sheet, side by side.
Sprinkle salt and pepper over kebabs. Don't add too much salt, as the meat marinade has a lot and you don't want to overwhelm the meal with salt.
Drizzle meat marinade over kebabs.
Place cookie sheet in oven. Cook for 8 minutes.
Remove cookie sheet from oven. Rotate each kebab 180 degrees, so that the opposite side is up.
Place kebabs back in oven and cook another 8 minutes.
Serve immediately with sides.

Potatoes: These are simple baked potatoes. Just pierce each potato several times with a long fork. Place on paper towel in microwave. Cook on hi for 5 minutes. Flip potatoes so that opposite side is up. Cook on hi another 5 minutes. Squeeze slightly to determine doneness. If potatoes are done, they will be very tender. Otherwise, continue cooking in 2 minute increments. Add desired topping. Pictured is butter, cheddar cheese, green onions.

Squash: Heat olive oil on med in large saucepan. Add squash and onion to saucepan. Let cook about 2-3 minutes, stir, and cover. Allow to cook about 10-12 minutes, stirring occassionally.

Nam! Nam!

Summer Salsa

2009-11-28T14:16:00.001-08:00

Ok, so it's not so summer right now, but I live in Alabama and it's 65 degrees. Besides, I never stop dreaming of the beach! This yummy homemade salsa uses all fresh ingredients. And, most of them are in season from late spring through early winter. There are also quite a few different variations you can make. And, this is great for tailgating!

What you need:

3 medium/large red tomatoes
1 large green tomato
1/4 of a large purple onion
1/2 of a small white or yellow onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 tablespoons salad vinegar

What you do:

Chop all of the vegetables into small pieces. You can chop these by hand, with a chopper, or use a food processor, but be careful not to make a puree!
Add chopped vegetables and all other ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Affix lid to bowl and shake to mix.
Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Serve chilled with tortilla chips.

Easy, breezy, beautiful!

If you want, you can add a can of corn (drained) for sweetness or a can of black beans (drained) for a little protein. A fresh, minced jalepeno will add a little extra kick!

Nam! Nam!

Artichoke Chicken Pesto

2009-10-31T15:01:00.000-07:00

A quick, easy blend of yummy flavors! Artichokes and spices make this chicken and pasta dish spunky! Add some grilled garlic bread for a complete meal.

What you need:

1. 2 chicken breasts

2. 1/2 box of whole wheat thin spaghetti

3. 14 oz can artichoke hearts, quartered

4. 1 tspn lemon juice

5. 1/2 tspn olive oil

6. 1/2 tspn lemon pepper seasoning

7. 1 envelope pesto mix

8. 1/4 cup olive oil

9. 3/4 cup water

What you do:

1. Bring medium-size pot of water to boil on stove. Add chicken to boiling water. Allow to cook through. About 5-8 minutes, depending on thickness.

2. Meanwhile, boil pasta in separate pot according to package directions.

3. Place chicken on cutting board. Discard water.

4. Dice or shred chicken into bite-size pieces (I like my shredded.)

5. Add chicken pieces back to pot.

6. Drain artichokes. Roughly chop artichoke hearts. They should be already quartered, so you'll only want to make them slightly smaller. Add artichokes to pot with chicken.

7. Mix lemon pepper, 1/2 tspn olive oil, and lemon juice to pot. Simmer on low, stirring occasionally.

8. Add pesto mix, 3/4 cup water, and 1/4 cup olive oil to small pot. Whisk constantly. Once ingredients come to a boil (about 2-3 min), remove from heat and place to side.

9. Drain pasta and place in large mixing bowl or serving dish.

10. Add chicken/artichoke mix to pasta.

11. Carefully pour pesto sauce over pasta and chicken.

12. Toss so that everything gets coated with pesto. Serve immediately.

This pairs great with bread. Just spread some butter on slices of french bread. Add garlic salt to each slice, and sprinkle with dry or freshly chopped parsley for color. Put in oven on hi broil until butter is melted and bread edges are brown.

Don't forget the wine!

Swiss and "Ham"burgers

2009-10-16T17:56:00.000-07:00

I've always struggled with the "hamburger" title...it's made of cow, not pig!! But, these burgers really do include ham, and some cheese, stuffed inside the beef. De-lic-ious-ness! These are large burgers--1/2 pound each, so you won't need a heavy side to go along side them. The recipe below is for just two burgers, but it's easy to scale up (or down) as you like!

What you need:

1. 1 lb lean ground beef (or ground chuck)

2. 2 tablespoons-ish of ketchup

3. 2 slices of ham (any variety)

4. a couple ounces of swiss cheese

5. Salt and pepper

6. Buns, mustard, ketchup, tomato slices, and purple onion slices

What you do:

1. Seperately, shred the ham and swiss cheese with a grater, or you can cut it with a knife. But, make sure it's thin if you choose to cut it yourself. Set both aside for later use.

2. Put beef in medium-sized bowl. Add ketchup, and a dash each of salt and pepper. Be your own judge--if you don't like a lot of salt, don't add so much. If you like your lips to shrivel up when you eat, then add lots. And, really, you can never add too much pepper!

3. Combine ingredients in the bowl with your hands. Be sure to get a good mix especially of the ketchup. It's messy, and be sure to wash your hands well after touching the beef.

4. Separate the beef mixture into 4 pieces. Pat each one into a thin patty.

5. Add half the ham and half the cheese shreds to one patty. Place a second patty on top and pinch sides to form one large burger patty. Repeat with other two small patties.

6. Place patties on preheated grill. Cook approximately 5 minutes on each side, or until desired degree of doneness. These can also be cooked in a skillet on the stove (med-hi heat). Or, you can put them in an oven if you choose. I would recommend about 15 minutes on 375F.

7. Warm buns in microwave for 5 seconds.

8. Dress buns with mustard, ketchup, tomato slices, and purple onion slices. Add burger patty, and top with bun.

Enjoy!!

Banana Butter Trifle

2009-10-10T18:49:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this isn't the healthiest recipe, but it's one of the healthiest desserts you can make because there are lots of alternatives to the "fattening" ingredients. It's pretty, and looks like you put a lot of love into it! I think it rivals most banana pudding recipes, but see for yourselves...

What you need:

1. 1 package Nabisco Nutter Butter cookies (peanut shaped)

2. 3 very ripe large bananas

3. 16 oz tub of Cool Whip

4. 1 large package of instant pudding mix (enough to make about 3 cups)

5. Milk (see pudding package for amount)

What to do:

1. Make the pudding according to the package directions, using the milk.

2. Allow pudding to chill in refrigerator for recommended time while carrying out the next couple of steps.

3. Chop the nutter butter cookies into 3 pieces each. You can use however many you wish. I use most of the package (with a few for a little snack while in the kitchen!).

4. Peel the bananas. Split each banana lengthwise, and then cut into 1/4" slices so that you have half-moon slices.

5. Make a solid layer of cookie pieces in the bottom of a trifle bowl. Stand a few up around the outside as well.

6. Remove the pudding from refrigerator and pour half of pudding onto cookies in trifle bowl.

7. Add half of the chopped bananas atop the pudding.

8. Spread approximately 1/3 of the Cool Whip tub on top of the pudding in the bowl.

9. Repeat layers once more--cookies, pudding, bananas, cool whip.

10. Add a few chopped cookies to the top.

11. Cover with clear, plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 1 hour. It's good for at least 4 days--that's as long as it made it at my house!!

**Make sure that you make others aware this dish contains peanuts in case anyone has an allergy!

Lighter/Lower fat substitutions:

1. Use sugar-free instant pudding mix and skim milk. Just be sure that you make about 2.5-3 cups of pudding.

2. Cool Whip brand makes several lighter options, including low sugar, sugar-free, and light.

Happy Eats!

Fried Green Tomatoes

2009-10-06T17:31:00.000-07:00

This isn't just a great movie--it's a yummy, southern dish. Fried green tomatoes can be served as an appetizer, side dish, or just a snack. They have a comfort food feel, but are a tad nutritionally appealing. I mean...tomatoes are good for you...hello! Have I motivated you to try them yet? You must know: when frying tomatoes (or anything really), pay close attention to what you are doing--frying requires constant attention!

What you need:

1/4 cup corn meal

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Season salt to taste (I use a good bit...about a tablespoon, maybe)

1 egg

Olive oil (you can use virgin, light, or extra virgin)

Large green tomatoes, sliced about 1/2" (one tomato gives 3-4 slices)

What you do:

In a shallow, flat-bottom bowl, beat the egg slightly with a fork. In a second shallow, flat-bottom bowl, mix corn meal, flour, and season salt. Heat oil in medium-sized pan on med-hi heat. One at a time, soak tomato slices in egg, then dredge in flour mixture, coating both sides. Transfer battered tomato to pan with hot oil. When a golden-brown ring appears on the side of the tomato nearest the pan, flip the tomato. Once other side appears golden-brown, remove from pan and place on paper towel-lined plate. Repeat until each tomato is done. You should be able to cook 3 slices at one time.

You can serve the tomatoes with horseradish sauce, ketchup, sour cream, or whatever your taste buds desire. My personal favorite is a little concoction that I have no name for....

What you need:

Cream cheese (4 oz) at room temperature

Fresh lime juice (about 2 teaspoons)

Parsley (a dash)

What you do:

Mix all the ingredients together and chill at least 20 minutes.

Happy Eating!

Hot Wing Dip

2009-08-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

I love hot wings... but unfortunately, they're deep fried and not very good for you. Becky introduced me to this nice substitution, and I've been in love ever since.

Grocery List:
1.) 2 or 3 Chicken Breasts
2.) Hot Wing Sauce (this can be found in the Marinade section)
3.) Fat Free Cream Cheese
4.) Fat Free Sour Cream
5.) Ranch mix (it's next to the salad dressing... I go with Hidden Valley. Look for the blue box.)
6.) Blue Cheese Crumbles.
7.) Frito's

Cut up your raw chicken into bite-sized pieces. Put it in a big zip-lock, and marinade in the hot wing sauce for about half an hour.

While you're waiting, mix together the whole block of cream cheese, the Ranch, and enough sour cream to make it smooth. I actually whip out the hand-held beaters for this, but if you're up for doing it by hand, then more power to you.

When the chicken is well soaked, spray a skillet with Pam, and cook it until it is white throughout, and there's no chance of you getting salmonella. Put the cooked chicken in an oven-safe container and top with the ranch mixture. Sprinkle the blue cheese on top, and throw it in the oven on 350 until it's warm throughout. Serve with Frito's... nomnomnom

Ms. Linda's Pretty Pink Parfait.

2009-08-28T09:25:00.000-07:00

Goah, I love this stuff. Just thinking about it makes me want to run to the grocer. I got this recipe from my friend Rodney's mom. She serves it in her spa to all of her guests, and it's woooonderful!!!

Grocery List:
1.) Large Fat Free Cool Whip
2.) Large Fat Free Cottage Cheese
3.) Large Fat Free Vanilla Yogurt
4.) Sugar Free Strawberry Jell-O mix.

Start by draining and rinsing the cottage cheese. Put it in a big bowl, and mix in the cottage cheese and yogurt. Once that's blended, sprinkle on the Jell-O, and then stir it again.

I eat this for breakfast with walnuts and frozen raspberries on top... nomnomnom

Strawberry Surprise

2009-08-27T09:45:00.000-07:00

I love some strawberries... I love them even more in January when they're in season, and you can smell them as soon as you walk into the grocer. They're not as good this time of year, but I'll still eat them on a regular basis... either plain, or with this little trick that I stole from B&A.

Grocery List:
1.) Strawberries
2.) Honey
3.) Coarse ground pepper... not the regular kind. It has to be coarse.

This might be the easiest thing I've ever "made". I use that word lightly, because all you do is wash the strawberries, and put them out with enough honey and pepper to dip in. You dip honey first, then pepper... and repeat as often as necessary... nomnomnom

p.s. The bowl of pink in the first photo is Ms. Linda's Pretty Pink Parfait. I'll save that recipe for tomorrow... so keep reading!!

Tai Turkey Burger and Sweet Potato Fries

2009-08-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

My mother found this recipe a few years ago, and it has totally changed my life. These burgers are so good, it's hard for me to go back to the regular turkey burger. Luckily they're pretty easy, and all of the ingredients I keep on hand.

Grocery List:
1.) 1 lb or so of ground turkey
2.) Peanut butter
3.) Scallions
4.) Cilantro
5.) Bread crumbs
6.) Buns... I prefer sesame.
7.) 1 or 2 Sweet Potatoes
8.) Cumin, if you don't already have it...

Start by washing the potatoes. Cut off the ends, pierce them with a knife, and throw them in the microwave for about 6 minutes. Once they're done, slice them to the size you prefer you fries, spread them out on a cookie sheet, sprinkle them with salt, Lawry's, and cumin, then cook them in the oven at about 350 while you're making the burgers.

For the burgers, you're going to want to put a few spoonfuls of peanut butter in a microwave safe dish, and heat it for about 30 seconds, to a minute... or until it's good and melted. Add 4-6 cut up scallions and a few handfuls of minced cilantro to the bowl, then throw in about 1/2 a cup or so of bread crumbs. Add your meat, and mix well. You should be able to form 5 or 6 good sized burgers from this mixture.

When your burgers are ready to cook, spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray, and then put them in. Cook on med-high heat, and let it brown on one side before turning it over... otherwise, it's going to fall apart.

Once the burgers are done, take out the sweet potatoes, and you're ready to eat. I prefer them on a sesame bun with mayo, red onion, tomato, and lettuce... nomnomnom!!!

Brie Bake

2009-08-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

Brie Bake is one of my favorite things to take to parties... or to just have on a Sunday afternoon. It's good, it's easy, and I haven't met anyone who doesn't love it. Here are two different brie bakes that I've made recently:

Grocery List:
1.) Brie round*
2.) Pillsbury Reduced Fat Crescent rolls (the kind you have to pop out of the roll, and cook)
3.) Chopped Walnuts
4.) Brown Sugar/Splenda
5.) 3 Granny Smith apples

The first thing that you need to do is remove all the nasty white stuff from the brie. This can be done with a knife, or a cheese cutter, or a combination of the two. Then, slice the brie in half so that you have two rounds.

Lightly salt your walnuts and put them in the toaster over. When they're done, mix them with the brown sugar/Splenda.

Roll out the crescent dough on a cookie sheet, and put one brie round in the middle. Spread the sugary nut mixture on the brie, then add the other round. Fold the dough over the brie until the whole thing is covered.

Bake according to crescent directions, and serve with sliced apples. (Side note: if you splash lemon or lime juice on top of the apples, they wont turn brown as quickly) You might want to make two of these and keep one just for yourself... nomnomnom

*Sometimes, you can get really lucky and find the brie with the white already removed. This brie is a lot creamier, and can be mixed with the sugary nuts before being put in the crescent rolls. If I do find this kind of brie, my bake will end up oblong, and not round.

Fiesta Fruit Salad

2009-08-24T09:30:00.000-07:00

Seeing as Becky's recipe request motivated me to blog, I think that it's only fair that it appears as my second post. Without further ado, Fiesta Fruit Salad:

Grocery List:
1.) Fresh fruit: Pineapple (you can buy them without their skin, and already cored at Publix), Oranges, Mango, Blueberries, Kiwi and Strawberries.
(side note: you can use any, or all, of these fruits)
2.) Cilantro... nomnomnom
3.) Red Onion
4.) Honey

Cut the fresh fruit and put it in a large bowl. Add a handful or two of diced cilantro, and about half of a finely chopped red onion. Top the bowl with a good squirt of honey, then mix it, and put it in the fridge over night.

I love fruit of all kinds, but this is seriously the best fruit salad I've ever had in my life... nomnomnom

Angela's Scallop Sensation

2009-08-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to start this for a while. I had the idea a month or so ago, but never got around to sitting down and actually writing until now. This weekend has been a bit of an inspiration for my new cooking blog seeing as 1.) I went to see Julie and Julia and 2.) I ran into Becky, who asked for one of my recipes.

That being said, I wish to further elaborate on my cooking style. I guess it can be summed up in four words: Healthy, Easy, Appealing, and Delicious. Oh, and cheap. I use basic ingredients, and usually stay under 5 or so things per recipe. I believe that every kitchen should have salt/pepper (from here on out known as "s/p"), a jar of minced garlic, Enova oil, and the basic condiments (butter, mayo, etc.); I'm not going to tell you to buy these things, because you already have them. I should also let you know that I'm not one for measuring things out, so I apologize in advance for my over abundance of "dashes" or "sprinkles". I feel like that makes things easier, but if it bothers you, sorry, but this is my blog.

Enough of that boring stuff. The first meal I've decided to post is also my favorite to make: Angela's Scallop Sensation. Say it with me now, "nomnomnom." Truth be told, I didn't eat a scallop until I was 24 years old. I really don't know how I lived that long without them. Thanks to a dinner party at Angela's, scallops are now in my diet pretty regularly. So, here's how you make them:

Grocery List:
1.) 1 lb. scallops (on sale at Publix until Tues, 8/25, for $6.99/lb)
2.) 3 different colored bell peppers (green, red, yellow, or orange)
3.) Couscous (It's on the rice aisle. I buy "Near East Whole Grain" and use 1/2 the box, which they say is 2 servings, but it's really 4.)

In order to prep for this, all you have to do is cut the peppers, rinse/drain the scallops, and start the water/oil boiling for the couscous.

To cook the scallops, coat a large skillet with a little oil and a spoonful of garlic. Once that's warm on the stove, throw in the scallops and s/p them. Do not touch them, and let them cook for a few minutes on one side, then turn them over and s/p the other side. Scallops aren't something that should be constantly fondled. Just put them in the pan and let them cook.

Once they're about done, add the peppers, and saute until they're the crispness that you enjoy. This usually takes just a few minutes.

When your water is boiling, add the couscous and take it off the heat. Let it sit, covered, 5 min or until you're ready to eat. Then fluff it with a fork, and put it on a plate.

Top the couscous with the scallops/peppers, and you're ready to eat. nomnomnom...