Meal Ideas

Sometimes coming up with ideas for meals can be difficult.  I hate getting stuck in a rut and cooking the same thing over and over.  I constantly come up with new things too, but I have a very picky husband that can be hard to please.  I know that this is a common problem among a lot of my friends as well as I'm sure it is with many couples across the world.  What I would like to do is ask for comments from people of meal ideas for picky eaters.  I'm hoping that this will help people out and give them something to make for their picky eaters.  I am also willing to take requests for meals.  If you have an idea for a meal, but don't know how to pull it together jot it down and I can see what I can come up with.  For example, if your man likes chicken and rice, but you are tired of the bland meals chicken and rice meals bring I can give you a great chicken gumbo recipe that I make all the time.  I really look forward to the possibilities for meals.  I hope to hear from you soon!

MMM Comfort Food.

So last night I was in the mood for some delicious comfort food, so I made homemade mac and cheese and fried pork chops.

Fried Pork Chops
4 Boneless Pork Chops
1 cup flour
2 TBS seasoned salt
1/2 TBS pepper
1 egg
splash of milk
vegetable oil for frying

In a small bowl mix egg and milk together.  In a separate slightly larger bowl mix together seasoned salt, pepper, and flour. 

Take your pork chops and dip in egg wash.  Next coat with flour.  Set on lined baking sheet to dry.  Wait about 2 minutes then repeat process for each pork chop.  Let set for 15 minutes so breading adheres to the pork chop and doesn't come off during frying.

Next fry pork chops for 10-15 minutes on either side until golden brown and meat thermometer reads 165F 

If your breading gets browned before your pork chops are completely done cooking and you are afraid of burning them, pop them in a 350F oven for 10 minutes and they will cook through perfectly.

Homemade Mac and Cheese
3 cups uncooked macaroni
1 pound colby and montery jack cheese (I use blocks of cheese for this)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded colby and montery jack cheese 
1 egg
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
4 pieces of bread toasted and made into bread crumbs
1/2 stick of butter

First you need to boil your water and get your macaroni cooking. Then drain macaroni and add the pound of colby and montery jack cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, the egg, milk, salt and pepper.  Cook on low heat until all of the cheese is melted through. 

Next you want to get a baking dish out.  I use a 9*9 pan.  Spread your breadcrumbs across the bottom of the pan and mix with the butter.  Press down to create a crust.  Then sprinkle with the rest of the mozzarella cheese.  Pour in the macaroni and top with the shredded colby and montery jack cheese.  Bake at 350F for about 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is slightly browned and bubbly. 

This is extremely cheesy and delicious.  I love to add new cheeses every time I make it and sometimes for the crust I use Ritz crackers instead of breadcrumbs.  It really depends on if I have them or not.

Where Has The Time Gone?

The last week has been extremely busy.  I feel like the time has gotten away from me.  My husband, my son and I have been out of town at my parents' house for quite some time.  They live in the middle of the country so sometimes the internet access is not the greatest and sometimes, quite honestly, its nice to get away from the outside world.  Needless to say we enjoyed our time there.  My mom and sister wanted me to stay because I cooked for them.  One night I made chicken kabobs and baked potato rounds with peppers and onions.  Oh it was so good.  I marinated the chicken and grilled the kabobs.  Unfortunately I didn't think to take any pictures!  Oh well I will surely make them again someday.  I also made chicken Parmesan before we left for my parents' house.  Again delicious, but my camera was mia so there are no pictures of that either.  Hopefully I will get the recipes for them and put them up soon.

Just a note: most of the things I cook don't have actual recipes.  I just make them up and don't measure anything out.  I am struggling to find the exact measurements to tell all of you so you can hopefully make these again one day if you like.  I promise to measure the next time I make something.  I'm hoping homemade mac and cheese will be on the menu in the next couple days.  I'm in the mood for some delicious comfort food! Yum!

MmmmMmmm Meatball Subs

So my lovely husband decided he wanted meatball subs, which he has a big part in making.  So I decided that if he made the meatballs I would get the bread and sauce all mixed up.

Italian

Meatballs
1 pound ground beef
1 egg
1/2 sleeve Ritz crackers
1Tbsp garlic powder
1tsp salt
1tsp ground black pepper
You can add an onion to it if you like

First mix all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Then roll out the meatballs to the desired size.  Place the meatballs in a large skillet, its ok if they touch.

Brown the meatballs at a medium high heat on all sides until cooked through.

While the meatballs are cooking you need to preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Prepare your bread.  I took a plain Italian loaf from the bakery and cut in half.  I spread butter and garlic on the inside and baked it until crispy then flipped the bread where the top was showing.  I put shredded cheese and herbs on the bread and baked another 5 minutes.

I also got my sauce together while the bread was baking.  I took a can of tomato sauce and added 2tsp of garlic powder, 1tsp onion powder, 1 tsp of oregano and salt and pepper to taste.  I simply let the sauce cook to a boil then pulled it off the burner.

After all of your ingredients are cooked you need to put the sub together.  I put the meatballs directly on the bread, then spooned the desired amount of sauce and topped with my choice of cheese.  I used provolone and my husband used pepperjack.  I then put the subs back in the oven until the cheese was melted.  I spooned an extra spoonful of sauce on both of our subs, but we really like sauce.  All that's left to do is enjoy!  Be warned they are messy.

Fun Filled Weekend

This weekend was jam packed with lots of fun.  My husband, my son and I went to my parents' house for the weekend to celebrate an early father's day.  We also celebrated my parents' 25th wedding anniversary and my baby boy officially turning 2 months old! 

My sister recently bought a pool for my parents' house, so part of our weekend consisted of swimming.  We were joined by my cousins and my sister for our pool party.  My mom grilled us hotdogs and we all just hung out in the sun for the day.  That evening we all headed down to my Grammy's house to have a barbeque.  We had barbeque pork steak, grilled corn on the cob, salad and delicious smashed potatoes.  The entire weekend consisted of hanging out and having fun.  We laughed and told stories and tried to stay cool in the pool.  Definitely a weekend worth repeating. 

Tonight my husband and I are relaxing with my baby.  We took him to the doctor today to get weighed and measured and to get his shots.  He cried so much when he got his shots and I felt really bad.  He is growing like a weed though.  He is already 13lbs 12oz and 24.5in long!  I'm gonna have a big little boy.  My husband is helping me make dinner tonight, because its a recipe he grew up with.  We are having meatball subs! Yum!  I will be sure to post more about those later.  For now I hope everyone has a great evening!

Help! Too Many Choices!

When I was in college I had a lot of different jobs.  One job was at the JCPenney Home Store where I worked in the Housewares Department where I heard a lot of questions about cooking and products because people said there were too many choices.  Some of the most popular questions were: What brands are the best?, What's the difference in knives?, What's the difference between stainless steel skillets and non-stick skillets?.  I was able to help people out because of my classes in the Hospitality program at school and my own personal experience with cooking.  I figured that since a lot of people have these questions I would try and answer some of them here and maybe it will help you out.

What Brands are the Best?
This really depends on your preference.  Some people want to follow a specific brand and other people don't care, but if you really cook and you want your cookware to last you should invest in some good quality stuff.  Some brands that I really love include Farberware, KitchenAid, Cuisinart and T-Fal.  Most celebrity chefs have their own brands of cookware as well and they are generally good quality.  Something to really look for is that your cookware is going to last a long time.  I personally have Farbeware, which is what my Grammy has as well and she has had hers for 30+ years and it still works fantastically.  Some people that would come into the store thought these brands cost more than they wanted to spend, which I can understand, but you have to think of it from a long term perspective.  If you buy a cheaper brand it has the potential to get destroyed a lot sooner.  I once decided I was going to buy cheap cookware because I was a poor college student and needless to say I wore the pans out in just a couple months.  If you seriously cook then you need to invest in a product that will last you for years to come.  As I told all of my customers, you need to choose the brand that's right for you, which may mean you need to do a little research and shop around, but in the end its definitely a money saver.

What's the Difference in Knives?
When buying knives you need to look for a few things.  First the best knives are generally a full tang and triple riveted.  This means that the blade goes all the way through the handle of the knife and the triple rivets hold the blade in place (see image below).  Another thing you need to look for is how durable the knife is, if you can take the blade and bend it back and forth in your hand too easily it probably won't last long.  When shopping for knives there is usually a display case, don't be afraid to ask to see the knives and handle them.  The brand of knives you buy again completely depends on your preference, but the big names in kitchen cookware also make good knives.  I personally have KitchenAid and Farberware knives, but there are lots of wonderful knife brands out there.

What's the Difference Between Stainless Steel Skillets and Non-Stick Skillets?
The main difference between stainless steel and non-stick skillets is the Teflon coating on non-stick skillets.  This coating makes it more convenient for cooking sticky foods and makes for an easier cleanup.  The drawback however is that non-stick skillets don't last as long because of the Teflon coating.  Teflon coating tend to flake off after constant use, which can then end up in your food.  It also means you can't use any metal cooking tools, such as spatulas or forks while cooking.  Stainless steel skillets are a little harder to cook with because food may stick, but they last for years and years.  You have to use more oil when cooking, which could be a factor for some people who want to cook healthier.  I personally love to use stainless steel skillets because anything that sticks to the pan can be deglazed and used to make sauces or gravies that have lots of flavor.  This is one choice that really depends on you.  You have to decide what is more important, easy cleaning or long lasting pan. 

These are just a few issues people have when buying cookware and kitchen tools.  I hope that it helps some.  If anyone has any questions please feel free to comment and ask.  I am more than willing to help if I can.

Oh How I Love Pinterest

I just recently discovered Pinterest and I have to say I love it!  I have found so many neat ideas that I want to try.  I have also found several recipes that look delicious.  Tonight for dinner I decided to try a recipe posted by "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" blogger.  The recipe name is Bacon Mushroom Honey Dijon Chicken.  I made this for my brother and my husband and they both loved it.  Here is what you do:

Bacon Mushroom Honey Dijon Chicken
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey
4-1/2 teaspoons canola oil, divided (I used vegetable oil)
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Dash paprika
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
8 bacon strips, cut and cooked
2 TBL sliced green onions

First you need to make the marinade for the chicken.  This consists of the Dijon mustard, the honey, 1 1/2 tsp of oil and the lemon juice.  Combine all of these ingredients in a plastic bag with the chicken.  Close bag and completely coat chicken.  Then refrigerate chicken for 2 hours.

Next you need to cook the chicken.  Brown it on all sides in a large skillet with the rest of the oil.  After browned take the chicken out and add mushrooms and bacon to the skillet.  Cook these until the bacon is finished. 

Remove the mushrooms and bacon and replace the chicken in the skillet.  Top with the cheese, bacon, mushrooms and green onions.  Reduce heat to low and cover for about 15-20 minutes.  When the juices run clear you are ready to eat!

I also made baked potato rounds to go with this.  It has the same ingredients of cheese, bacon and green onions so I bought enough to use for both.  You simply cut potatoes into rounds and brush both sides with butter.  Place on a lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30-40 minutes.  If you get your rounds too thin, they will get crispy.

When they are finished baking top them with your desired toppings.  Place them back in the oven until the cheese is melted.  It doesn't take very long at all.  You can also serve with sour cream, which we forgot we had, but they are super delicious and fun to eat.

This recipe was definitely a winner.  I know that we will be making it again very soon. 

Dinner Tonight, Rice La Mamma!

For dinner tonight I made a family favorite, Rice La Mamma!  This is a recipe that my Grammy made up when my mom was a kid.  Now the whole family uses it, aunts, uncles and grand kids alike.  It's super simple and taste delicious.


Rice La Mamma:
1 pound ground hamburger
1 cup rice uncooked
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 TBS chili powder
1 can red kidney beans (drained)
1 can Rotel

 First you need 1 cup of uncooked rice. I use white rice, but if you want it to be healthier brown rice would work great too.  Start cooking the rice according to the package instructions.

 

While the rice is cooking you can get 1 pound of hamburger and start browning it.

Then you need to gather 1 can of red kidney beans (drained), 1 can rotel (I use hot because I like heat), 1/4tsp of cayenne pepper, 1tsp onion powder, 2tsp garlic powder, 1TBS chili powder and salt and pepper to taste.

After you measure out all of the ingredients combine them with the browned hamburger.  Make sure everything is combined well then mix in your cooked rice.  Once the rice is mixed in let it simmer for about 5 minutes to let all of the flavors combine.  Next all that's left to do is enjoy!

Drinking My Way Slim with Tea!

Today I decided to start a new sort of "diet" to help me loose those few extra pounds of baby weight. I've already lost 27 pounds since I had my baby almost 2 months ago, but I can't seem to loose those last few lingering pounds.  I recently read in a magazine article that you can get slim by drinking tea.  I know what you are thinking, "sure you can", but it was an article by Dr. Oz and he usually has some pretty good tips.  So I thought what the heck I will try it.

Here is what you do.  First you need 4 different types of teas: Pu-Erh Tea, White Tea, Dandelion Root Tea or Chickweed Tea, and Cinnamon or Billberry Tea.  Next you need a tea schedule: with breakfast have 16oz. of Pu-Erh Tea, with lunch 16oz. of White Tea, in the afternoon 8oz. of Dandelion Root or Chickweed Tea and finally with dinner 8oz. of Cinnamon or Billberry Tea.  You can also make 16oz of a Lemon Ginger Cooler with the Pu-Erh and White Tea for breakfast and lunch, so you have something different to drink.  I will give you the recipe for that later.  Supposedly when you drink these teas at these times they help curb your appetite, relieve bloating and melt fat!

This is my first day of trying the tea regimen and so far its not too bad.  It was rather difficult to find all of the teas though because they are not all sold locally.  I ended up buying a couple on Amazon.com. I hope that this helps out with those few pesky pounds hanging on.  I will let you know my progress as the weeks go on.  It would be really nice to add some good ab workouts with this as well, but I had a c-section and am still healing.  Hopefully soon!

Here is the Lemon Ginger Cooler Recipe:
Boil 8 Cups Water. Add 8 Pu-Erh Tea bags, 8 White Tea bags and several ginger slices.
Let steep 5 minutes then pour into a heat proof pitcher. Stir in 2 TBS of fresh lemon juice (I used bottled since I always have that on hand.)  Cool, chill and enjoy!

First Time For Everything

My name is Leann.  I'm a first time wife and mother and I'm enjoying every minute of it.  This is my first time ever writing a blog, but I have some spare time now and I thought I'd give it a try.  The purpose of this blog is really just to give you a glimpse into my life.  I have a 2 month old baby boy who is absolutely precious and a husband that I couldn't live without!  My husband always says he married me for my cooking and I'm hoping that in this blog I can share some of my recipes and show you the fun we have making them.  I am also a little crafty and I love to share my ideas with everyone, I figured this was just an easier way to meet more people.  I hope that whoever reads this blog will enjoy the laughs, love and food that I share.  Here is to the beginning of my journey.