Category: Main Courses

“If you buy chocolate with loose change the calories don’t count.” ― Janet Evanovich, Ten Big Ones

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I love a rainy Monday! Good day to stay in and do some cleaning. I’m still working on getting settled in so I’m always looking for the right place for everything. No matter what I do there never seems to be enough space. (Maybe I just have too much junk)

Example being – loose change. It adds up (which is a good and bad thing). What do you do with yours?  Back in my apartment (and then it moved with me to my old house) I had cleaned out one of those huge popcorn tubs (a Shrek one, none the less) from the movie theater and used it for years.  I eventually filled it and plan on cashing it in but I guess I want to upgrade a bit from the cardboard Shrek bowl.

This morning, I cleaned out the junk drawer (which was consumed with change) and without any better ideas, I washed out a fairly attractive plastic pot from which the plant had been transplanted. It will work for now. I’ll just hide it in a corner.

Whatcha think?

So last week I made enchiladas – which were awesome! So how do you improve on that???

Make an enchilada casserole!!! We southerners love us some casseroles!!! It’s creamy comfort in a pyrex dish! The peanut gallery should all appreciate this – well, almost – the DH dislikes anything that has the word “creamy or cheesy” in the title. But that’s just a mind thing because once he tastes it – that all goes out the window!! Gotta love him!

I adapted this recipe from Get off Your Butt and…..Bake. Love that name!

Cheesy Enchilada Casserole

  • 1 pound lean ground beef ( lean)

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 2 1/2 cups salsa

  • 1 can (15 ounces) black beans or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

  • 1/4 cup reduced-fat Italian salad dressing

  • 1 pack of Taco seasoning

  • 6 flour or corn tortillas (8 inches)

  • 1 small can of mexicorn, drained

  • 3/4 cup sour cream

  • 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend or your favorite cheese

  • 1 cup shredded lettuce

  • 1 medium tomato, chopped

  • 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

    You start by browning you meat and onion, drain.

    Next mix in your beans, corn, salsa, dressing, seasoning.

    Then stir in your sour cream.

    In a 2 quart baking dish, put a thin layer of the meat mixture down, so there will not be any sticking.

    Place a flower tortilla on the bottom and layer with 1/3 meat mixture and cheese.

    Repeat 2 more times, topping off with a generous amount of cheese.

    Bake at 350º for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

    Serve with shredded lettuce, tomatoes and cilantro. (I’ll add a dollop of sour cream too!)

    Mexican cornbread will go great with this and just so you know (although, I’m sure you already did) things in my kitchen do not always turn out right.  So why not show you that too. 🙂

    Here’s my mexican cornbread – not to mention, I burned the snockers out of my finger when this fell apart! Oh well!!

    One good thing about ugly cornbread is that I didn’t mind cutting (scooping) myself a piece while it was still hot. Couldn’t look any worse!

    ’till next time folks!

    abp

“I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore; While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements gray, I hear it in the deep heart’s core.” – William Butler Yeats

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Fabulous day! For starters, the weather could not have been better – it felt like fall when I walked outside to get the paper.

NO humidity!!!!

So after coffee and a couple loads of clothes, it was off to Church – the service was great, as usual. 🙂

Then it was home to shed the spiffy duds and off to the lake with a quick stop at KFC’s drive through – have you tried their new chicken bites??? If not, I recommend you do – yummy!

The next few hours were spent bobbing around on our floats working on our tans, yapping away with my mom and the hubby as he read on the dock. It really is the simple things in life that make it special.

When I returned home (a touch pink) I really wanted to cook something simple and light. So I decided on Spicy Lemon Butter baked red snapper and a lemon orzo salad with asparagus and tomatoes.

The salad is adapted from SparkRecipes.com – lots of good healthy recipes on this site. The snapper recipe is from my dear friend Dianne, who whipped this up last time she was at the beach and she passed it on to me. (Thank you D.C.!)

Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus and Tomatoes

  • 6 oz of orzo pasta
  • ½ bunch of skinny asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • ½ pint of grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley minced
  • kosher salt (to taste)
  • fresh ground pepper (to taste)
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Start by boiling 2 large pots of salted water.

Cook orzo according to package in one and blanch the asparagus for 2-3 minutes in the other. Drain pasta and remove asparagus with slotted spoon to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

Combine orzo, tomatoes and asparagus in large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.

Mix all ingredients together and then stir in Parmesan cheese.

This can be served warm, room temperature or chilled. I liked it chilled – great summer salad!

The snapper (bought from my fish man, Bayou Joe) was super easy and very flavorful!!

Place the snapper skin down in baking dish. Pour 1 stick of melted butter over the filets, sprinkle with cajun seasoning, garlic salt and cover with lemon slices.

Bake at 425° for 25 minutes.

There you go! Simple and healthy!!

Now I’m off to watch the Olympic Closing Ceremonies!!

Hope everyone had a super fabulous weekend!

abp

“There’s no such thing as a bad carbohydrate.” – Don Kardong

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Hopefully after a very painful shot in the bottom, I will feel better tomorrow!!!!

This is getting old.

But something that will never, ever get old – PASTA!!

I crave carbohydrates and there is no better way to fill that need than with PASTA (pasta with heavy cream is even better)

I was a trooper and I did not disappoint my peanut gallery, even though there were several times in the day I thought I might just have to postpone dinner. But I am soooo glad I did not. This is another fabulous recipe that will definitely work it’s way into a monthly rotation.  My house still smells like a mexican restaurant but I don’t care. Nothing a little pine-sol can’t fix.

Cajun Chicken Pasta – another Pioneer Woman creation – that women is phenomenal. There is nothing of hers I do not like.

CAJUN CHICKEN PASTA

  • 3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes
  • 3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste
  • 1 pound Fettuccine
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
  • 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
  • 1/2 whole Large Red Onion, Sliced
  • 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
  • 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
  • 1/2 cup White Wine
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • Cayenne Pepper To Taste
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
  • Salt To Taste
  • Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste

First cook your pasta according to directions (al dente – do not over cook), drain, set aside.

Then sprinkle chicken with 1½ teaspoons of cajun seasoning (I used Zatarans). Brown chicken in a large skillet with butter and olive oil until cooked through, remove with slotted spoon to clean plate.

Add a little more butter and olive oil and sauteé onions, peppers and garlic (adding remaining cajun seasoning) until soft and slightly black. (This is why my house smells like a mexican restaurant – just like cooking fajitas) Now add the tomatoes and cook for about 30 seconds.

Remove vegetables from skillet and on high heat add the wine and chicken broth and cook for 3-4 minutes, scraping all the goody off the bottom.  Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring constantly until it starts to thicken.  (mine didn’t really want to thicken up, so I ended up whisking in about a tablespoon of flour)  At this point add in more cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper and salt to taste. (I like it spicy)

Now add back in the vegetables and chicken, stir and cook for 1-2 minutes or until it’s hot and bubbly.

Toss in fettuccine and combine.

Serve with fresh parsley. Voilà!!!!

eew wee dog!!!!!

This is some kind of wonderful!!!! I have been meaning to try this recipe for months and I’m sorry I didn’t try it sooner.

All 3 members of the peanut gallery that were in attendance were very pleased. I would tell you their comments but to be honest – I was in a cold medicine haze and I don’t remember! 😉

They all had big smiles though!

Hope everyone had a terrific Tuesday!

abp

“All people love meat. If I went to a barbeque and there was no meat, “Yo Goober! Where’s the meat? I’m trying to impress people here Lisa. You don’t win friends with salad.” — Homer Simpson

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Dang it, Dang it, Dang it. I knew it would happen. I have caught the DH’s summer cold. 😦 (Scratchy throat, heavy head, all over yucks)

Boo.

I’m going to need a crate of Dayquil.

I hope this does not slow me down. I still plan on making Amy’s 4th of July Ribs today (because most of that will be manning the grill and you know who’s job that is) but not sure if the Carmelitas will make the cut. We’ll see how I feel after church and after a dose of Dayquil.

(later in the day……)

Scratch that. I’m cooking them in the oven because DH wasn’t sure if he could keep the green egg (a charcoal grill) at a regulated 250º for 6-7 hours – I’m not knocking the man’s grilling skills, he could do it but would probably be a pain and that would take away from the ease of this particular meal. I hope to have a gas grill for me to use fairly soon. I figure they will start being on sale as fall approaches. I hate buying anything full price. (unless it’s a purse – then I don’t mind so much)

Cooking them in the oven really was just as easy for me to do because after they are prepared you just plop them in the oven and forget about them.  It did keep me from making the Carmelitas since the oven was otherwise occupied but that kind of let me off the hook as seeing I really do not feel well. Dang cold.

Anyhoo – This is really a super duper easy but delicious meal!

You start out with frozen ribs, any kind, any amount.

You then mix Bulls Eye Barbeque Sauce and Lawry’s Herb and Garlic marinade in a bowl. (The number of bottles would be determined by the number of ribs)

Place the ribs on non-stick aluminum foil (enough to wrap around them). Baste both sides with the BBQ mixture (reserving some for later) and wrap it up tight. After that, wrap it up tightly again in heavy duty aluminum foil.

Place on grill or on baking sheet (if using oven) and grill/bake at 250° for 6-7 hours.

Then remove and unwrap the ribs, baste with reserved sauce and cook for 15-20 minutes more.

*****The secret to these ribs is that you start the cooking process with them still frozen. The moisture released from being frozen is what makes them so soft and melt in your mouth wonderful!

You can now make this meal and easy or as complicated as you would like – I am opting for super easy, which means – Bob Evans microwavable mashed pototoes (honestly – I can’t make homemade that taste much better), corn from a can and sliced sour dough bread from the deli at publix, pads of butter placed in between the slices with this also wrapped in foil and thrown in the oven for the last bit of cooking.

I really do hope I feel better tomorrow, especially with the peanut gallery coming and all. Actually one member will be missing but she can try left overs and fill out an absentee ballot. I also really want to make the Carmelitas!!! That’s all I really have to do tomorrow so maybe with an occasional break on the couch I’ll feel like getting it all done!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

abp

“I am not a glutton – I am an explorer of food” ― Erma Bombeck

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How is everyone (in Alabama) enjoying their tax free weekend? I had a fun little run at Belk and Publix yesterday morning but it became way to crazy busy for me out there, so the rest of my day was spent piddling around the house. Which I really enjoy doing. Great time to be lazy and stay cool. And watch my main man Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory on the DVR! Does anyone else love that show as much as I do?? Bazinga!

Oh! I also painted my toes a fun new color – Bikini So Teeny by Essie.

Whatcha think??

In other news – the weekend of gluttony continues……

I ate lunch with the DH at Zoe’s Kitchen – which wasn’t too bad except for the giant chocolate chip/chocolate chunk cookie they have sitting by the register that I can not resist for any amount of money.  I also made it through the afternoon without a snack so there is absolutely no guilt about the awesome cheesy goodness of the Simple, Perfect Enciladas I made for dinner.

First of all, let me tell you about the salad I usually make to serve with any mexican dish – it’s yummy, easy to assemble and is a really great accompaniment for this meal.

I call it my Sante Fe Ranch Salad.

  • Hearts of Romaine lettuce (in a bag)
  • Mexican blend shredded cheese
  • Can of black bean (drained and rinsed)
  • Can of corn (drained and rinsed)
  • Bag of tortilla strip salad toppers
  • Hidden Valley Ranch Spicy Ranch Dressing

You just place the lettuce in a big bowl or individual bowls, top with a mixture of the beans and corn, sprinkle with cheese, as much dressing as desired and then finish it off with the tortilla strips. Yummy and pretty!

As for the Enchiladas, The Pioneer Woman refers to the components of the meal as The Sauce, The Meat and The Rest, so that is how I will go at it. Also, I am halving this recipe because it’s just the two of us and the original serves 8.

The recipe below is the half recipe.

The Perfect Enchiladas

The Sauce

  • ½ Tbs of canola oil
  • 1 Tbs of flour
  • 1 (14 oz) can of enchilada sauce
  • 1 cup of chicken broth
  • ¼ tsp of salt
  • ¼ tsp of pepper
  • 1 Tbs of chopped cilantro, more for serving

The Meat

  • ½ lb. ground beef
  • ½ medium onion (chopped)
  • 1 (4 oz.) can of diced green chilies
  • ¼ tsp of salt

The Rest

  • 6-8 Corn tortillas
  • canola oil for frying
  • ¼ cup chopped black olives (I omitted these because I don’t like ’em)
  • ½ cup chopped green onions
  • 1½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese (I used mexican blend)
  • Cilantro

You start by combining the flour and canola oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk this together and let bubble for 1 minute.

Then pour in the red sauce, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer.

Brown the meat and onions in a large skillet and drain the fat. Add to that the green chillies and salt. Stir to combine. Remove from heat.

In a small skillet over medium heat, lightly fry the tortillas one at a time in the canola oil just until soft (do not crisp). Drain on paper towels.

Preheat oven to 350°. Spread ¼ cup of the sauce in the bottom of baking dish.

Next dip each tortilla in the sauce and place on platter to be assembled.

Layer meat mixture, (black olives if you wish), green onions and cheese.

Roll up the tortilla and place seam side down in baking dish.

Once all of the tortillas are finished stir the cilantro into remaining sauce and pour over the tortillas.

Top with cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Once out of oven sprinkle with more cilantro.

ench

I served this with the aforementioned salad and cooked seasoned black beans.

HOLY HOT TAMALE!!! – these puppies were awesome!!!! I have to give credit to the Pioneer Woman – she knows how to make an enchilada!!!

The DH went back for 3rds and was scraping the bottom of the baking dish as he took it to the sink (I cook, he does the dishes :)). He also said we could have those again tomorrow night – you have to understand – Mexican is not his favorite (Italian is), so this is really saying something. Note: the serving for 8 was cut in half and the 2 of us finished it off……

They were so good, I kind of hate that this was not a peanut gallery meal.  Oh well, they will eventually get to try it because this is going on the normal rotation!!!

It was a little time consuming – probably not one I would want to make after a long day at work unless I had the components made up ahead of time, which would be doable except for frying the tortillas. I need to keep that in mind because I have a feeling this one will be requested again in no time!

Give it a try! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!!

abp

“Anyway, like I was sayin’, shrimp is the fruit of the sea” – Bubba Gump

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Ok, so I would consider my Apple tutoring at The Core a success. Still much that I do not know but at least all my music has been downloaded to all the right devices.  I can now take my iPod to the gym – Yay! *cough* – which should (but will it??) help with the diet part of my plan.

Speaking of dieting – lets talk about last nights dinner. Spicy New Orleans BBQ Shrimp.  I first liked this recipe because you prepared the sauce the night before so the shrimp – that were purchased from Bayou Joe (the guy who sets up at the Parade close to the bridge on McFarland – for all you Tuscaloosans) – could marinate overnight. (These shrimp were so big and fresh that they still had the shiny greenish tails – waaaay better than the previously frozen grocery store shrimp and pretty much on par with the price of them too.)  Then they are just popped in the oven for 15-20 minute and poof, add a salad and french bread – dinner is served. (I chose to add a little brown rice too)

And boy, was it good  – the peanut gallery gave it 2 thumbs up each. 🙂

yes, I know – the base is a half cup of butter – did you really think it would be on my diet?

Below is a picture of what it should look like – mine of course – not so pretty.

Theirs……

Mine…….

New Orleans BBQ Shrimip

One day I will learn to take those fancy food pics everyone else posts on their blog. But hey – only one techy thing at a time for this chick.

abp

Ingredients:

2 pounds fresh,jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 tablespoons Heinz Chili Sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh parsley (or dried)
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Liquid Smoke (hickory)
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
5 cloves fresh garlic, minced (the jarred kind is fine)

Directions:

Peel and devein the shrimp.
Add all of the other ingredients in a saucepan, stir and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove pan from heat and let cool.
Arrange the shrimp in an oven- proof casserole dish and pour the sauce over the shrimp.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Bake shrimp for 15 – 20 minutes.
Serve immediately with crusty French bread, new potatoes and a crisp salad.