Zucchini Noodles or "Pasta"

Zucchini noodles are a great alternative to pasta as a side dish. I make mine sauteed in butter or olive oil mixed with parmesan cheese, garlic salt and black pepper.

You can peel it with a regular potato peeler into strips or I use a Julienne Peeler made by OXO, which you can get at Bed, Bath and Beyond. This makes nice thin spaghetti size strips

Tonight I made the zucchini with shrimp and mushrooms

Julienne Peeler

Dijon mustard sauce

This is a easy sauce that you can make with pork or chicken.

1. Brown boneless pork chops or chicken breasts in a little butter in a frying pan.
2. Remove meat to platter.
3. Add a tablespoon of dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1/2 cup cream. Simmer over medium heat until sauce thickens.
4. Return meat to sauce and serve

Teriyaki Ranch Baked Chicken

This seems like a weird combination but it has a nice taste. I used crumbled real bacon, not bacon bits and no green onions as I did not have them.

Teriyaki Ranch Baked Chicken


SERVES 4

4 boneless skinless chicken breast
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
3 green onions, chopped
1 (3 ounce) jar bacon bit

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix together Teriyaki and Ranch dressing.
3. Spoon sauce over each breast.
4. Put chopped onions, cheese and bacon bits on top.
5. Bake for 45 minutes.

Cream of Chicken Soup

Sorry for my lack of posts. We have been busy and eating not at home or someone (including me) have been sick. Today since my son and husband are sick I made this for dinner. It was my first time and I really loved the taste of this soup.
I added the cayenne pepper in a separate batch for the adults and it really added a great flavor.


Also I chopped the chopped the carrots, celery and onion in my mini food chopper so my kids would not see the veggies. I would double the recipe for a larger family or just to have some to freeze.

Cream of Chicken Soup
SERVES 4

6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup celery, chopped fine
1/4 cup carrots, chopped fine
1/4 cup onion, chopped fine
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup cooked chicken, chopped
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (or to taste)

1. Melt butter in large heavy saucepan.
2. Add onion, celery,carrot and garlic and saute until soft.
3. Add flour mixing well.
4. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add milk, cream and broth mixing well.
6. Cook and stir until mixture thickens and comes to a boil.
7. Reduce heat and stir in chicken and remaining seasonings.
8. Adjust seasonings to taste.
9. Cook over low heat 2-3 minutes then serve

Homemade Microwave Popcorn

Great idea and much more economical then the commercial microwave popcorn.
I used this recipe in a microwave corn popper I bought from Walmart. It holds up to 12 cups and has a vented lid for popping. Then when it is ready you just take off the lid and enjoy



Homemade Microwave Popcorn
6 -8 cups

1/3 cup popcorn
2-3 tablespoons melted butter
salt

1. Pour kernels into a small paper bag (standard lunch size is fine) and fold the top of the bag over twice to close (each fold should be 1/2 inch deep; remember the kernels need room to pop).
2. Seal the bag with tape placed 2 to 3 inches apart. (Do not use staples, in a microwave they can be hazardous)
3. Place bag in microwave on carousel.
4. Cook on high 2-3 minutes, or until the pops are 5 seconds apart
5. Mix with butter and salt

Pork Chops in the Crockpot

This was very easy and had lots of flavor. After the pork was ready I put the extra sauce in a small sauce pan and thickened it a bit with Gold Medal brand Wondra Flour. It is great for thickening sauces.

Wondra Flour is a high-quality, bleached, enriched all-purpose flour milled from a select blend of wheats. This quick-mixing all-purpose flour is the perfect solution for lump-free gravies and sauces, as well as for tender pancakes and popovers. It’s also ideal for breading fish and poultry
http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/gold-medal-flour/gold-medal-products.htm


Pork Chops in the Crockpot
SERVES 6


6 boneless pork chops (I am sure you could do this with chicken also)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup soy sauce (I usually cook with low sodium)
1/4 cup ketchup
2 garlic cloves, Crushed (I buy pre minced garlic in a jar and use it in everything)

1. Place pork chops in slow cooker.
2. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over pork chops.
3. Cook on Low setting for 4-5 hours or until internal temperature of pork has reached 160 degrees F.

Before cooking in the crockpot

Homemade Ketchup

Most store bought ketchup's have high fructose corn syrup them and not much else. I finally decided to try making my own which was very easy. This is a very basic recipe. Some recipes add dry mustard and additional spices but I wanted to keep it simple since my son is picky with foods. I may go a bit more creative next time. You can lower or omit the salt if you are following a low sodium diet or even sub splenda for the sugar if you follow a low calorie diet.

Homemade Ketchup

4 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 cups water
3/4 cup vinegar
6 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon onion powder
4 teaspoons salt (kosher preferred)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Place tomato paste in pan and stir till smooth.
2. Add water little bit at a time while stirring.
3. Add vinegar same way.
4. Add remaining ingredients and stir over low heat till simmering.
5. Place into old bottles and cool. Store in fridge.

This and That

I have added a email sign up section on the left of the main page. This will allow you to receive updated via email when I update my blog.

I will be making some updates/notes to my Homemade Oatmeal packet recipe. Instead of making mine in baggies I have just been grinding some and putting it in a container and I wrote the recipe right on the lid of my large Quick Oats container. When I need to make a bowl I just put all the ingredients that I would normally put in a baggie into the bowl and add hot water. Also I realized my kids like their oatmeal a bit thicker so I have been using 1/2 c of water.

Creamy Cantaloupe Pops

These came out very good. My kids are not much into trying new fruits so I figured this was a good way to get a new fruit in their diet without them knowing. They tasted similar to a creamsicle.

Creamy Cantaloupe Pops

1 1/2 C cubed cantaloupe
1 C heavy whipping cream
1/2 C sugar

1. Place cantaloupe in blender. Process until smooth.
2. Pass blended cantaloupe through a strainer (not required but makes it smoother)
3. In small saucepan, combine the cream and sugar. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.
4. Stir in pureed cantaloupe.
5. Pour into popsicle molds or plastic cups. Freeze until firm

Chicken Noodle Casserole

This is a great way to use up leftover chicken or turkey. I did not have any broccoli in the house so I just made it without and served it with a salad.

Chicken and Noodle Casserole
SERVES 6

1 1/2 lbs cooked cut up chicken breast
2 (10 1/2 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
1 (12 ounce) package egg noodles
1 (16 ounce) bag frozen chopped broccoli
4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
1 dash hot sauce (optional)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2. Cook egg noodles according to instructions on package.
3. Heat broccoli in microwave until done; drain.
4. Mix the 2 cans of cream of chicken soup, broccoli, chicken, cooked hot egg noodles, salt, and pepper. (I also like to mix some extra cheese into this mixture)
5. Put into casserole dish.
6. Cover top with shredded cheddar cheese .
7. Put in 350F oven for about 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted

Pan Fried Onion Dip

My cousin made this for NYE and everyone enjoyed it so much I decided to make it for a superbowl get together today.

Pan fried Onion Dip

2 large yellow onions
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup vege. oil
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayo

1. Cut onions in half and then slice them in 1/8 inch half rounds (you'll have about 3 cups)
2. Heat butter and oil in saute pan on medium
3. Add onions, cayenne, salt and pepper - saute for 10 minutes and cook an additional 20 or so...so that they are brown and carmelized. Cool.
4. In bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream and mayo. Add onions. Serve room temp with your favorite dipper

Baked Oatmeal

My kids enjoyed these. I used them as a snack and added some chocolate chips but you also can add raisins or make as is and use them for breakfast along with some fruit or yogurt. These have a good amount of protein by using 4 eggs.

I used a 9x13 pan for mine, to make them not too thick.

Baked Oatmeal

4 C. old fashioned oatmeal (not quick cooking)
3 t. baking powder
3 t. cinnamon
3/4t. salt
1 C. brown sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2t. vanilla
1 C. milk
1 C. apple sauce

1. Preheat oven to 325
2. Spray baking dish with cooking spray (I used a 9x13 pan).
3. Mix all ingredients well.
4. Bake 40-45 minutes until light golden brown.
5. Cool in pan and then cut into 10-12 servings. Store in covered container in refrigerator.
6. For an individual serving pop one bar into microwave for about 1 minute and then serve