She's baaack..sort of.

I have been consumed by our recent house purchase..fondly called Chateau Stinkbug.  We bought a fixer-upper.  It has been a hoot when tradesmen/contractors have come in the house.  They always ask "Was this a foreclosure?" When  say we bought it from the original owner, they just shake their heads. Michael and I shake our heads a lot too.... followed by the sentence "What were we thinking?"
We finally have the main floor under control..mostly.  It sure has taken a toll on my blogging...it took us almost 5 weeks to get the internet/TV installed but that will be a topic for another post. In the upcoming weeks I will post some of my very favorite holiday recipes.  They are not fancy but each and every one has been a "crowd pleaser" for decades!!!

Some things don't need to be "new and improved"

Every family has their favorite dishes and I would bet that most of them are comfort foods.  Having the good (or maybe bad) fortune to come from a family of good  excellent cooks there are a lot of favorites to choose from. Bread pudding and Rice pudding are our family favorites.  It may have something to do with the fact that they are calm and predictable...and yummy! This recipe is easy and cheap to make, travels well and can be eaten warm or cold.  It doesn't get any better than that!

6 slices of white bread toasted and buttered
6 eggs
1 quart of whole milk
"some" fresh ground nutmeg (personal choice of how much)
3/4 C sugar (I only use 1/2C)
1 t vanilla
1/2 t salt

Beat eggs, add milkm numeg, sugar,vanilla and salt

Pour over pulled apart bead  that was placed in a greased (Pam)  8X11 casserole dish

Bake 1 hour at 325.  Test by inserting knife in center

Put raisins in 1/2 hours before finishined (optional)  WELL drained pineapple (8 oz. crushed) can also be added to the milk mixture

Officially Homesick

Memorial Day has made me homesick...that begs the question can I be homesick for somewhere that I was not born and raised?    

I was raised in Medford NJ.  A wonderful little town that has a Memorial Day Parade every year..they had theirs today.  So did Medford Lakes.  There were many stops along the way before my husband and I ended up in Orange Park FL.  We lived there 27 years before moving to WV 7 months ago. Orange Park is NOT a little town, quite transeint because of the large military presence.  Today I missed them both...terribly.

I had to drive "downtown" to drop something off.  As I was leaving the neighborhood, I noticed something.  Our house was the ONLY house flying the flag.  Actually, on Memorial Day and Fouth of July, we line our walkway with flags and today was no different. Not ONE  American flag in sight.  I checked the entire neighborhood.  Then I headed into town.  The only flags I saw were at the Hometown bank and the Volunteer Fire Dept. (they fly daily/lighted)  I felt a small bit better when I hit Main Street because the town had put flag up on the telephone poles..but as I checked only two other businesses had flags.....not ONE house had a flag.

That would never happen in Orange Park. In my little neighborhood a good amount of the neighbors fly the flag every day.  Our house is one of them we have  a 20ft. lighted flagpole, we fly 24/7.  On holidays, probably 80% of the homes have Old Glory proudly displayed which is quite an effort because many of my neighbors are elderly. (Fox Valley you ROCK!) That is repeated in neighborhood after neighborhood. Maybe Orange Park is such a "flag flyin'" town because we are such a military town.  If so, I miss my Navy town.

I have been gone from Medford a long time...but I would bet it is still the kind of town that when our flag passes by at the parade you do not have to ask people to stand...they just do.

I miss the flags...I miss knowing that my neighbors fly the flag because they care.....they "get it".  I don't know if the lack of flags denotes lack for care or patriotism but it made me sad.....and homesick.

June Cleaver is back! Expresso Cupcakes!!!

Cupcakes
1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist chocolate fudge cake mix
1 1/3 C water
1/2 C vegetable oil
3 eggs
1T instant expresso coffee powder

Filling
1 container (8oz.) mascarpone cheese
2t  milk
2t instant expresso powder
1C powdered sugar

Frosting and Garnish
1t instant expresso
1 container (12 oz.) Betty Crocker whipped milk chocolate frosting
 Chocolate-covered expresso beans

1) Heat oven to 350 for shiny metal pans or 325 for dark or non-stick pans. Place baking cups in each muffin tin
2) In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, and eggs with electric mixer on low for 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed for two minutes, scaping bowl occasionally. Gently stir in 1T just until blended. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
3) Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 5 minutes, remove from pan to cooling rack.  Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
4) In medium bowl, beat mascarpone cheese, milk, 2 teaspoons of expresso powder and the powdered sugar onj mdeium speed until smooth. Spoon mixture into decorating bag fitted iwth a 1/4 inch (#9) writing tip.
5) To fill each cupcake, insert tip of bag into center of coller cupcake, gently squeeze bag until cupcake expands slightly but does not burst (each cupcake should be filled with about 1T of filling)
6) Stir 1 teaspoon expresso powder into the frosting. Spoon frosting mixture into decorating bag fitted with a 3/4 inch (#824) star tip. Pipe over top of cupcakes Garnish with expresso beans. Sore covered in refrigerator.

These are FAB...if you want to save time you can just frost the cupcakes with a knife and "plop" the expresso bean on top!  The filling must be inserted with the decorating bag!

I had more to say than just "Dinner O' the Day"

To "all" my followers (seven of you dear people).I have changed the name of my blog.  I moved all of my posts over to: Not Just Dinner O' the Day.   I can't move my followers.   So, if dear friends you would still  like to see what's for dinner (and some random other stuff) I hope you will follow me here.

I changed the name because I have more to say than just stuff about food.  Those of you that know me well probably started laughing right when you read  " ...because I have more to say..." 

Today's Tip: Plastic Knives are not just for Picnics

Really...now, maybe I am the only one who did not know this (actually it may be me and Kim Knapp) But if you want to cut brownies easily..use a plastic knife...really.

I DID know that if you cut a head of lettuce with a plastic knife, it will not turn brown because I spent 6 dollars to buy one.  It would have been cheaper to use one of my knives in the picnic basket.

"Almost Mrs. K's cookies"

We have a dear friend of the family..our girls call her "Mrs. K"  We lived down the street from her house for many years.  It was a very different house than ours..we have two girls (hair bows and My Little Pony's), they have three boys (Tonka trucks and dirt)  Mrs. K has not only survived in a house full of men, she is in control (shhhhhh....don't tell) She has always been able to do it all, works full time, quilts, makes time for family and friends and she cooks.  She makes  chocolate chip cookies that start with a yellow cake mix.  They are referred to, with proper reverence as "Mrs. K's cookies.  The amazing thing is NO matter when you drop in, she ALWAYS has cookies. 

That long introduction is to tell you that this recipe also starts with a yellow cake mix, the cookies are VERY good, VERY easy but they will never become a legend like "Mrs. K's cookies"

1/2 C butter, softened
1 box of yellow cake mix
2 large eggs
1 T water
1 pkg of Heath toffee bits
1/2 C pecans, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350, Mix butter, add cake mix, eggs and water.  Mix well. Add toffee and pecans mix by hand. Spoon onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  Transfer to cooling rack

Sometimes there just isn't a recipe

I made Chicken Noodle Soup last night and I sorta feel like Michael's Grandmother.  I have her closely guarded Potato Salad "recipe"..it takes four 5 X 7 index cards, written in narrative form My soup turned out very good but there just isn't a recipe..so here goes.

I am so cheap that after I baked a whole chicken the other day, I decided to boil the carcass like I do with a turkey.  In 6 cups of water I added  some sea salt, course ground black papper, a chopped clove of garlic, 2 stalks of celery chopped and and 1/2 a large onion chopped.  I simmered it for about 30 minutes, let it cool, put it through a strainer and picked out all the meat and threw away the cooked onion/celery (Michael hates onions in his food, the celery was way too mushy). I refrigerated it overnight, skimmed off the small amount of fat, reheated it, added a 1 1/2 cups of frozen mixed veggies brought it to a rolling boil for 5 minutes, then added about  1 1/2 cups of fine egg noodles and bioled for another 4 minutes.  It was quite tasty! Grandmother Esther would be proud!

So many recipes, so little time.

I may never get to all the recipes I have already cut out or marked in one of my cookbooks AND the internet just adds to the pile...AND I actually have TWO "apps" on my iphone. AND then there is the family recipe box with all its treasured, tattered index cards...sigh.

Nothing is Perfect!

I could not resist trying these new sauces...one-it is quick, two-who doesn't like Philly cream cheese? three-with  great coupons, they ended up costing 50 cents.

The recipe that came with this one was Chicken Bruschetta Pasta, another sauce's recipe was Easy Chicken Enchiladas.  They were both very good.  However, it isn't a dish that this house will be having often.  It contains 25% of your daily saturated fat.....SIGH.....other than that "little" detail it was going to be a keeper.

Who knew I was married to a hamburger purist?

I know the term purist usually refers to music or art..but I think it may also be appropriate for Michael's review of tonights new burger recipe.

Michael declared they were more like meatloaf...and I think he was right.  So  "NO recipe for you" (Think soup nazi) I will try it in a few weeks as a meatloaf. It has salsa, brown sugar, and bread crumbs....so it probably does have a  future as a meatloaf

My Dirty Little (Pizza) Secret

Growing up in South Jersey I had the good fortune to be surrounded by GOOD Italian cooks and GOOD Italian food.  However, I will resort to average take out when I have no inspiration to cook and many times it will be pizza.  I must be honest and say tonights take out wasn't bad!  And it was cheap.  We have tried two of the local Pizza joints and neither one of them will get a return visit.  They were average and NOT cheap. NO inspiration=Domino's Pizza.
So, even though I feel just a little guilty...I mean you can't really call Dominos Italian food if you are a Jersey girl.....but all in all it was quick, easy and NO mess to clean up. 

Dr. Seuss with Dinner

To put it mildly, the Stuffed Eggplant did not go over too well.  Michael actually used the word abhor...really.

He even started a rhyme a la Dr. Seuss "I cannot tell you how much I hate it...I do not like it diced or grated"

THEN...he recited the list of things he does not like: eggplant, asparagus, brussell sprouts, onions, radishes,water chestnuts, turnips, rutabagas, buttermilk, cheap dill hamburger pickles...that's about it.  Sheesh!

I actually liked it, thought it was quite good, so here's the recipe!

Stuffed Eggplant

1/2 lb. ground beef
1 onion chopped (I always use dried..see above)
1 eggplant (about 3/4 lb.)
1/2 a green bell pepper, chopped
3 T Italian-style bread crumbs
1/4 C sour creme (I used low fat)
2 T grated Parmesan cheese

1) Coat frying pan w/cooking spray.  Cook ground beef and onion over medium heat until beef is no longer pink.
2) Halve eggplant lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out flesh. leaving 1/2" border all around. Chop flesh into pieces.  Add eggplant flesh and bell pepper to pan with beef.  Cook until softened.  Stir in bread crumbs and sour creme.  Spoon mixture into shells, sprinkle w/Parmesan cheese, and place in a 4 quart or larger slow cooker
3) Cover. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Green Beans in lemon chiffon sauce

3 lbs. fresh green beans, trimmed
3 C water
1T cornstarch
1 1/2 C chicken broth
1/4 C parmesan cheese
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 C butter cubed
1/4 C lemon juice
2t  parsley
2t chopped green onion

1) place beans in a Dutch oven and cover with water.  Bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender.
2) Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine the cornstarch, broth and parm. cheese  until smooth.  Cook and stir over med-high heat until thickened and bubbly.  Reduce the heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.  Stir a small amount of filling into the eggs; return all to pan, stirring constantly.  Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.  Add butter, one piece at a time, whisking after each addition until butter is melted.
3) Remove from the heat.  Gently stir in the lemon juice, parsley and onion.  Drain beans; top with sauce.

Yield: 12 servings*

I cut the recipe to one third and it was just fine.

I am so distracted

I can't even think about dinner.  This media obsession with Charlie Sheen is so distracting.  The man is a human train wreck. One thing is for sure......Lindsey Lohan should be sending him flowers (or at least a "proper" thank you note). He is making her look like Mother Teresa

Always a Favorite!

I made Spinach Salad for dinner last night.  It is always a hit at home.  The dressing doesn't  "travel well" so I never take it to potlucks..you have to come to my house if you want some!

1 bag of  baby spinach ( I buy the baby becasue I don't want to spend the time tearing the regular into bite sizes pieces)**
1 good handful of fresh bean sprouts
1  8 oz. sliced water chestnuts, well drained
8 slices of bacon, well cooked and crumbled
3 hard boiled eggs, sliced

Dressing
1 C veg. oil
1/2 C sugar
1/3 catsup
1/4 C vinegar (NOT balsamic) I use red wine or white
1 T worcestershire sauce
1 med. onion grated

Mix well and add to salad just before serving.

**If you are using it as a main course, I just use one bag of spinach (serves 4) You can add fresh shrimp or chicken too!
If you use it as a salad you can use two bags of spinach, just toss really well to distribute the dressing.(serves 8)

This is my new favorite spice!

New Sodium Guidelines

The government just announced new sodium guidelines.  People over 50 should not have more than 1500mgs per day.  I do not use salt, I rarely cook with salt but when I started reading labels..even I am going to have to watch what I do more closely.  So I bought  a new McCormick seasoning..."Perfect Pinch Savory All-Purpose".  It is salt free and I used it in this recipe.

2 to 3 lbs. of chicken ( I used boneless skinless thighs)
1 T olive oil
1/4 C of chopped onions (I used dry because my husband hates onions)
3 stalks of celery, sliced
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/4 C wine
2 "handfulls" of fresh spinach
1 can of cream of celery soup (I used the fat free)
2 C of long grain rice
2 C of water
1 T Perfect Pinch
1/4 t garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350
Par boil rice in water (about 14 minutes) Now, while you are waiting on the rice..
Put onions and celery in frying pan w/olive oil. Saute for 5 minutes, remove from pan, set aside in small bowl.
Cover chicken w/ perfect pinch, garlic powder and brown in pan.  Set aside. Place mushrooms in pan and saute. Add mushrooms, soup and wine into small bowl.  Mix well. Grease large casserole dish. Put  1/2 rice in casserole,  throw in the spinach, put in the rest of the rice, mounding it to the center.  Place chicken on rice, cover with soup mixture.  Bake for one hour! Comfort Food!

Save Your Marriage Pot Roast

Well, at least that is what my Mother in law called the recipe...she must have been ahead of her time.  It has been YEARS since I cooked a roast using that recipe and the other day Rachel Ray was doing a version.

1 3 to 4 pound beef roast
 Preheat oven to 500.  Place roast in shallow pan (I put a light coating of dry rub spices) Cook for 35 minutes. Turn the oven off, leave the roast in for 2-2 1/2 hours. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR
That's it.....lets hope it turns out..we will know @ 6 p.m.

I need to be clear......

I am NOT a Martha Stewart wanna be...in fact when I cook I will take every shortcut and easy fix I can.  Cooking isn't brain surgery, it is only as complicated as you make it.  I have lots of recipes from family ( I will share many of them in the future..except Michael's Grandmothers potato salad recipe.  It is the family secret) I have collected recipes from friends.  I will share those also. I have been "stealing" good food ideas for years.  Isn't plagiarism the sincerest form of flattery?
What I do know is I am not going to reinvent the wheel....I am just going to cook and share!

One-pot steak and pasta casserole

1 T olive oil
1 lb. lean sirloin steak, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 onion chopped
1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper seeded and chopped
1 28 oz.can of chopped tomatoes (I used italian tomatoes w/garlic, basil and oregano)
2 T tomato paste
2 cloves of garlic crushed
3 C reduced sodium beef broth (divided)
4 celery stalks, sliced
8 oz. of fusilli pasta (I used whole wheat)
1 1/2 C button mushrooms
1 t dried oregano or 1 T chopped fresh oregano
coarse ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in large Dutch oven, brown the meat, remove with slotted spoon. Add onions and peppers to the pot, stirring often  until soft (about 5 minutes) Add the tomatoes with their juice, the paste, garlic and 2 cups of the broth. Stir well and bring to a boil.
Return the beef to the pan and the celery and season w/ pepper. Cover and simmer gently until the beef is tender (about an hour).
Add the pasta, oregano, mushrooms (cut the buttons in half if they are large) and add remaining broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer,  reduce heat and cover the pan.  Cook until the pasta is tender.  (about 20 minutes) Serve immediately.

The recipe said it serves 4..but it looks like it will feed 6.  It was quite yummy!

EASY Vegetable Beef Soup

This recipe is always a hit...and it is so easy.  The entire prep takes about 5 minutes..come home from work and the house smells dee-vine! Many times I double it.

1/2 lb. for stew meat, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 can (14 oz.) tomatoes (I used Del Monte diced with basil, garlic, and oregano)
1 small onion diced (Michael hates onions so I sneak in dried chopped)
coarse ground pepper to taste
1 stalk of celery sliced
3/4 cup of frozen mixed vegetables
1 beef bullion cube
water

Put all ingredients in crockpot.  Add water to barely cover. Stir thoroughly.
Cover and cook for 10-14 hours

Baptism by Fire

I don't think I can say I LOVE to cook...but I really do enjoy cooking for my family and friends.  When I was a newlywed (that was so far back I like to say it was before there was dirt) it was kinda baptism by fire.  Millington TN was our first duty station.  Michael was a student and he found our rental house in Atoka TN across the street from one of his classmates.  At the wise old age of 19 I was playing house and I did not have a clue.  I got up every morning, picked up the "entire" house and mopped my way to the sink and stove (true story) and made a home cooked breakfast.  Well, one weekend morning I made pancakes..from scratch.  After breakfast Michael walked across the street and was talking to his buddy Ken(pictured above). Later, I wandered over and just happened to overhear the part of their conversation where my beloved referred to my Pancakes as GUT BOMBS. I was making them many times a month...in the same sentence he said.."they are killin' me"  Bless his little heart, he did  not tell me because he did not want to hurt my feelings!
Breakfast is not my favorite meal to cook..Michael makes breakfast every Sunday. But I did get waaaay better.  I also discovered Bisquick..another "don't reinvent the wheel" tip. My Bisqick pancakes are excellent..no more gut bombs!

For Rhonda

Fresh Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

1 Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust (no need to re-invent the wheel)

4 eggs
1 1/2 C of milk, I used evaporated
1 1/2 C shredded cheese (cheddar or swiss)
1/2 C ricotta cheese
1/2 t coarse ground pepper
2 C torn fresh spinach
2 C sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 t fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 C chopped onion

Preheat oven ro 400 degrees.  In large bowl, beat eggs add milk, ricotta cheese, pepper and nutmeg.  Fold in onions, spinach, and mushrooms.  Add 1 1/4 C of  cheddar cheese.  (Use a 9 inch deep dish pie plate)Pour filling in pie shell, sprinkle remaining cheese on top  Bake for 40 minutes...let sit for 5 minutes before serving

For Rhonda

Fresh Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

1 Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust (no need to re-invent the wheel)

4 eggs
1 1/2 C of milk, I used evaporated
1 1/2 C shredded cheese (cheddar or swiss)
1/2 C ricotta cheese
1/2 t coarse ground pepper
2 C torn fresh spinach
2 C sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 t fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 C chopped onion

Preheat oven ro 400 degrees.  In large bowl, beat eggs add milk, ricotta cheese, pepper and nutmeg.  Fold in onions, spinach, and mushrooms.  Add 1 1/4 C of  cheddar cheese.  (Use a 9 inch deep dish pie plate)Pour filling in pie shell, sprinkle remaining cheese on top  Bake for 40 minutes...let sit for 5 minutes before serving