Zucchini and Potato Hash

Things have been a bit crazy around here lately.  It seems like I've been saying that a lot lately so maybe crazy is the usual and I should just get used to it.  I had this for breakfast yesterday.  It gave me such a warm feeling on a rainy, cold day.

The recipe came from Everyday Food Magazine.  Strangely enough I haven't changed anything.  Pretty easy too and since I was the only one home, I scaled down the recipe for just me. Dice a potato and onion.  Saute in a little oil until the potatoes are browning but not cooked through.  Throw in salt and pepper to taste.  Add diced zucchini to pan and continue 0n until everything is cooked through.  Fry an egg the way you like them and enjoy.

Try it.  You will be glad you did.  Trust me on this one.

Karen

And Charlie too.  He just didn't get to enjoy this one.

Family Breakfast

With every one's busy schedule, it's so hard for my nephews families to get together.  There are 7 kids, all under the age of 10 and as you can probably guess, they are running in several different directions.  Luckily and since my daughter was home from college, we made it happen.

Of course, I made breakfast for everyone to give their parents a break.  Once the indecision of what to make left me, this is what I came up with.  Cheesy grits, breakfast pizza, bacon and egg frittatas, cheeseburger pizza along with some donuts I had buried in my freezer.  Plus Genny made monkey bread for each of the 7 kids.

This is how the morning started.  I knew it was going to be a good day with such a beautiful sunrise.

I couldn't wait to get started cooking.








Cheesy Grits

2 2/3 cups milk
2/3 quick cook grits
3 tablespoons butter
2 large eggs
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded + extra for topping
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

Heat milk, be careful that you don't scald it.
Add grits and cook, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes or until creamy.
Stir in all remaining ingredients.
Spray 8 x 8 oven proof dish with non-stick spray.
Pour grits into dish and top with extra cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes.

The kids loved them.  What kid doesn't like something with cheese.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!  Season's Greeting to each and everyone!

Karen

Shrimp and Cheese Grits

I have been wanting shrimp and grits for awhile. I don't have much experience with them, eating or making.  For some reason, the creaming grits and tasty shrimp have stayed on my mind, much like a nagging child that wants to do go somewhere when you are already settled in for the night.

So I began to search.  I looked through cookbooks.  And I looked on the Internet.  But not one of them matched my vision.  I wanted white grits, cheese, shrimp, some heat but not much, and I wanted bacon.  Because (say it with me), 'everything is better with bacon!'.

So what do you do?  Buy everything that you think you might need and get started!  Which is what I did.

Cheesy Grits with Shrimp


Grits
3/4 cup uncooked grits
2 1/2 cups  chicken broth
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Bring broth, cream and milk to a boil.  Add grits.  Cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes (according to package directions), stirring occasionally.  When starting to get creamy, add remaining ingredients and keep on low heat.  Taste and add butter, salt or more cayenne to taste.

Shrimp


4 strips bacon, reserve drippings and crumble
1/2 medium size onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced finely
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning (more or less to your taste)
1 1/2 pounds of shrimp (fresh or frozen)

Fry bacon.  Remove from pan and crumble.
Add a small amount of olive oil to bacon drippings.
Add diced onions.  When onions are soft, add garlic.
Give that a minute or so then add the tomatoes, shrimp, Old Bay, butter and lemon juice.
Cook until shrimp are done.

If you are using frozen shrimp, thaw and dry before adding to pan.  Allow for extra liquid.






Charlie said this is one of the best things he's ever eaten.  He absolutely loved it.  And me, well let's just say, I will be making this again and again.  The grits are so creamy and cheesy with a little kick.  The shrimp and sauce are so tasty that you can't wait for that next bite.  Did I say they were good?

Live, Laugh, Love.

Karen

Baked Potato Soup

A long, long time ago I had a recipe for the absolute best baked potato soup.  It was written on a piece of notebook paper.  Along the years and several moves that piece of paper, along with others I'm sure has disappeared.  One reason why I love the Internet.  I store everything on the net, I can't lose that!

Back to the soup.  The only thing I remember is that it had baked potatoes, Campbell's cheddar cheese soup and some other can of Campbell's soup.  I searched the Internet and couldn't find anything that I though was close, darn it the search goes on.

Yesterday, I wasn't feeling my best.  It's a bitch getting older but it's better than the alternative.  So I went into the kitchen and made up my own recipe for the soup I've been craving.  Now mind you, I'm great at following recipes.  I can copy any craft or decorating idea.  I'm a great apprentice.  So this time, I step up and do it myself.

Thank goodness I had a stocked pantry and fridge. Potatoes, Velveeta, a little shredded cheddar cheese, milk, green onions, sour cream, bacon, flour and butter. 

I was guessing so your amounts might vary from mine.  I guess I need to get better a writing things down as I go along.  But don't look for that to happen anytime soon, I'm not that organized.  Any volunteers to be my note taker?  Anyone? Anyone?

Bake the potatoes and cube.  I used 3 russets.  Make a rue with the butter and flour.  Equal parts of fat and flour. Melt the butter then slowly add the flour.  Don't leave it, keep stirring.  I used 1/4 cup of each.

Add the milk (3 cups for me).  Simmer until it starts to thicken.  Add Velveeta and cheddar cheese until melted.  Stir in sour cream, cubed potatoes and crumbled bacon. Season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with green onions or scallions, your choice of what you call them.  Just use them and use them often.

This is so good.  It warmed me to the bottom of my soul.  And satisfied my love of potatoes and cheese.  I'm so glad I tried this on my own.

More tailgate food.  More Cheese!!

I had some mozzarella that I planned on using on pizza but fried cheese called to me.  And think I must have eaten 4 or 5 of them.

Dipped in jarred marina sauce, this snack was to die for.  Just dip in egg wash and a mix of panko and regular bread crumbs.  Yum, yum.

Live, Laugh, Love,
Karen and Charlie

Making the Most of My Bare Pantry

I'm challenging myself to be frugal, use what we have and still eat at home.  Not just for the month of January but as a life change.  Who know if it will work, only time will tell.  And isn't there a saying that if you do something for 30 days it becomes a habit.  Well I'm giving it my best shot.



This was last night's dinner.  Not my typical chili recipe but it worked really well.  Of course I didn't measure anything but this is what I had on hand.

Ground beef

Italian Sausage

Onions

Garlic Powder

Chili Powder

Diced Tomatoes with Peppers (Rotel by a different name)

Light Kidney Beans (leave them out if you don't put beans in chili)

Tomato Paste

Ketchup

Water

Salt and Pepper

Corn Bread Mix - Love it, Love it, Love it.  You need milk and an egg.

Butter for the corn bread

Saute onion in a little olive oil. Throw in the ground beef and sausage.  After it is all nice and browned, season it as hot or as mild as you like it.

Add tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, water to the consistency that you want it.  I had to add ketchup to this because the taste wasn't right.  I really needed another can of tomatoes but...you gotta make due.

Simmer for about 20 minutes.  Make the Corn Bread while you wait. 

The house will smell so good.  If you weren't hungry when you started, you will be now.

This is what my regular pot of chili looks like.  It's a little darker and thicker.  And actually much spicier.  But this made for a great dinner and I didn't spend a dime or even alot of time putting it together.

Don't forget to join the group for 'Eat In Month'.

I also got to preview a new show on OWN through SheSpeaks.  That would be the Oprah Winfrey Network. It was pretty cool.  I'm a reality show freak anyway and Oprah is going to give the winner of this show their own talk show.  It premiers Friday, January 7th at 9E/8C.  The line up of other shows is very Oprah-like so I'm sure there will be lots of makeovers for body, soul and homes.

Meatloaf

Meatloaf

Everyone has their favorite version of Meatloaf.  I have come across dozens recently and filed away a few as definite make agains and others I just tossed.  Charlie and I came up with this one by taking the best of some and because they are all basically the same except for ketchup usage, I think this is one of the best.

Meatloaf

2 pounds ground beef
1 pound ground sausage, mild seasoning
1 egg
1 - 1 ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
salt and pepper
dash Worcester
dash Tabasco
olive oil
½ cup carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped


Saute onion, carrots, celery and garlic in olive oil.  
Mix ground beef and sausage in a large bowl.  Add sauteed veggies.  Combine.  
Add egg and a portion of the panko.  Mix and continue to add more panko until the mixture holds together.
Form a loaf on a foil lined baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

It is a very festive presentation with the colors from the carrots, celery and onion but mostly it is just plain good.  We had it with brown gravy that night.  The best thing though came the next day.

I came home for lunch and thought that I would have a slice on a sandwich.  Then I remembered seeing an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives that went to a place where they grilled their meatloaf for sandwiches.  So of course, I through a piece in a pan with a little bit of olive oil and boy, oh boy.  It is really something that you have to try.  That little bit of crusty goodness on the outside of the meatloaf added so much to something that was already good.

As soon as Charlie got home I told him that he had to try it.  He was as amazed as I was.  You should really try it too, next time you happen to have some leftover meatloaf.

Happy New Year to All!

Karen and Charlie

Printable version



Unexpected Surprise - Oxtails

I'm not a big grocery shopper as I have said before.  Charlie usually gets this chore.  I also get distracted easily, buy things that aren't on the list and end up with a cart full of stuff.

The other day when I had no choice but to stop at the store, I noticed a couple looking at the oxtails in the meat department.  I've always heard that oxtails are delicious and seen them cooked on Food Network but never attempted cooking them because they are so expensive.  The per pound cost is $4.78 so that puts it out of our budget.

As I continued through the store, the oxtails stayed on my mind.  I kept wondering if they really are as good as people said.  We could try them once and if they are good, we can make them something that we did for special occassions.  Can you see how I am trying to justify spending the money?

I saw the couple in the deli section and asked the woman if she would tell me how to cook them.  Luckily she was nice and didn't mind having her shopping interrupted by someone who was typing  every word into a phone.  I told you, I'm easily distracted and didn't want to forget.  She talked and I typed.

This kind woman assured me that they are delicious and if I cooked them low and slow, I would love them.  She was right. 

The only thing I didn't get was her name.  I would love to thank her for sharing the recipe with me.

Oxtails

2 1/2 pounds of Oxtails
Water
Salt and Pepper
1 package onion soup mix
1 package frozen soup mix (carrots, okra, onions, etc)
1 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes
1 6 oz can tomato paste
Patience - remember - low and slow

Season the oxtails with salt and pepper.  Put them in a dutch oven and cover with water.  Bring the water to boiling then turn it down to a slow simmer.  Leave them alone for at least 2 hours.  You are looking for fork tender.  Don't be alarmed if they have to cook longer.  Just walk away.  They won't over cook.

When you are satisfied that they are fork tender, drain the water.  Add the onion soup mix and cover with fresh water.  Simmer for about 30 minutes.

Stir in the remaining ingredients.  Simmer for another 20 minutes.

At the end of this long wait you get the most scruptious, flavorful meat you have ever tasted.  It's a Sunday pot roast, only better.  I didn't expected it to be so much like soup so Charlie made mashed potatoes to go with it.  Even so, it was the perfect combination.

This is Charlie's plate.  He ate his like a roast.

This is my bowl.  I pulled the meat off the bone and at it like soup, sort of.  It was a very thick, wonderful soup.

As we ate, we kept coming up with different sides that would go with the oxtails.  But we never thought about changing the oxtail recipe.  It is just too good!

Thank you kind grocery store shopper.  I will always remember the nervous look on your face when I asked if I could bother you and how gracious you were to share your recipe with us.

Live, Laugh, Love  - and be kind to strangers in the grocery store
Karen

Pork Chops and Grits

Wow, what a week! 

Can you feel my pain?  Nothing bad happened, it was just an incredibly busy week.  I travel in our area for work.  I have alot of windshield time.  This is how the week went:

                        Monday - Houston

                       Tuesday - Beaumont

                       Wednesday - New Orleans

                       Thursday - New Orleans                and Galveston

                       Friday - Houston

I had a productive but satisfying week.  And that makes me happy.

While in New Orleans, I was lucky enough to eat at Drago's.  Co-workers and customers convinced me to try the charbroiled oysters.  I am so glad I did.  They are absolutely wonderful.  I didn't have my camera so there are no pics but this one is on their website.

They sprinkle cheese on top and oh, they are so delicious.  I chose shrimp and grits for my entree.  Wow, I couldn't stop eating it.  It was a special and it certainly was.

Knowing that I couldn't recreate what I had in New Orleans, I opted for one of Charlie's Favorites, Pork Chops and Grits.  At the far end of the restaurant spectrum from Drago's is Waffle House and Pork Chops and Grits is Charlie's order every time.

Nothing spectacular to do.  Sear the pork chops on each side then let them cook through.  Prepare the grits according to the package directions.  Fry eggs.  Don't you love it when the yolk just blends into everything else and you get to run your toast over your empty plate to get all of that goodness.

It's good to be home.