Pork, Potatoes & Tomatoes

I guess, some days I just feel like making beans & weenies and some days I want to be adventurous and make things I've never tried before.  I found a new recipe on facebook for pork tenderloins and pinned one for mash-potatoe-cakes.  So I decided to try them both and add in some Parmesan tomatoes.  None of these were my own recipes, I copied straight from the original posters.... so here's the links & few things I've added or changed: 

Pork: 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152095376843179&set=oa.435060669935746&type=1&theater

I made the pork according to the directions - however, in the end I wanted more 'sauce'.  So I mixed in the cooking juices along with a blop of brown sugar and a good squirt of yellow mustard.  It was not as thick as I wanted it, but it was delicious way to top the pork!

Mashed Potato Cakes:

http://ideascute.net/cheesy-leftover-mashed-potato-pancakes.html

The ONLY thing I changed here was that I used panko bread crumbs to the mixture instead of some flour.  It gave it a good crunch and seemed to hold it together better.

Parmesan Tomatoes:

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/baked_parmesan_tomatoes.html

The one thing different I did with these is I don't bake them, as it says.... I just pop them under the broiler until they look crispy and done.  YUMMY!

Everything turned out wonderful and tasted delicious.... I just wish it wasn't all sort of, the same color.  I know you've heard me say it before.... my food may not always LOOK correct or great, but it tastes good.  LOL. 

Enjoy!

Camping: Ranch Salsa Chicken

Super easy.... that's what's important when you're camping.  It's supposed to be relaxing and calming and a nice time.  So complicated food takes away the 'chill' nature of it.

SO.... foods that appear complicated but aren't are my favorite while camping.  Again, I scoured the internet (mostly pinterest) and found a good chicken recipe.  

INGREDIENTS:

You're favorite salsa (mine was a homemade recipe I made a few days earlier, had tomatoes, green peppers, black beans & corn in it.  I let it sit for a day before eating it, then mix in some coumin, garlic powder, chopped onions & 1/2 pkt ranch seasoning.  YUMMY!!)

Chicken breasts

Water

DIRECTIONS:

* Pour water into a tin dish (or whatever you plan to use while camping & grilling)... about 1 cup will do

* Place chicken in the dish

* Top with your salsa

* Cook over fire until done.  If the water is gone, add a little more to keep chicken cooking & juicy

* When you serve it, scoop the salsa on top of the chicken. 

* Eat & Enjoy!

Bomb Salsa(s)

So.... It was my birthday a few days ago and my wonderful husband got me a Ninja Chopper.  I've needed a reason to use it and so I decided to make salsa.  Yay.... GREAT decision.  I love my chopper.... AND my salsas!  I've made 2 different types of salsa, at the same time, so there will be many similarities between the two salsas I'm listing today.  

Salsa #1 ~
Regular Bomb Salsa:
1/2 C strong beef stock
2 1/2 beefsteak tomatoes
6 Roma tomatoes
1 medium yellow onion
2 green bell peppers
1 jalapeno pepper (seeded or de-seeded is up to you)
3 tsp minced garlic
4 oz can of green chilies
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
S & P
1/2 tsp cumin
6 drops of liquid smoke
1 drop of "Afterdeath" hot sauce

Directions: 
Blend or chop all ingredients to your desired chunkiness and blend all together.  Jar or can & let sit for at least an hour before serving to let flavors settle.  Yum!  (Made 2 large mason jars full.)

Salsa #2 ~
Regular Bomb Salsa:
1/2 C strong beef stock
2 1/2 beefsteak tomatoes
6 Roma tomatoes
1 medium yellow onion
1 lg can of black beans - drained & rinsed
1 15 oz can of white corn - drained
1 15 oz can of yellow corn - drained
2 green bell peppers
1 jalapeno pepper (seeded or de-seeded is up to you)
3 tsp minced garlic
4 oz can of green chilies
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1/2 bunch of fresh parsley
1/2 bunch of fresh basil
Juice of 1 lime
S & P
6 drops of liquid smoke

Directions: 
Blend or chop all ingredients to your desired chunkiness and blend all together.  Jar or can & let sit for at least an hour before serving to let flavors settle.  Yum!  (Made 3 large mason jars full)

Both of my salsa's came out a bit more blended than I had wanted and a bit more watery, but I think it's due to a new chopper that I'm not 100% sure I used correctly.  However - the flavors are wonderful of each salsa.... My husband blended the 2 together and ate tons of it.  We even had enough to share with friends.  {Posted a picture... not the best, but you get the idea.}

Of course there's many, many different recipes for salsa and the fun part is that you can do it however you like.... but here's what I did.  And it was yummy!!

Hope you make your own - and enjoy it!

Shrimp & Crab Bisque

Well, my family and I just got home from a weekend trip and I had decided to google some easy supper recipes.  I was aiming for a fish po boy sandwich, to finally use up that fish in my freezer.  One thing led to another and I was then looking at other sandwiches, then soups that could be a side dish, then I landed on main dish soups.  I had shrimp and crab on hand (admitted, not the BEST crab.  However I usually buy that fake stuff, so I was pretty proud of myself that it was at least real.  lol)  so I thought maybe a bisque would be nice.  I've made one before and it turned out pretty darn good, so thought I'd try another.  

After reading through several different recipes, I've combined enough ingredients and ideas to come up with my 'master plan' for supper.  Here's what I ended up with and it turned out great!!!  

INGREDIENTS:

3 Tbs melted butter

3 Tbs flour

1 tsp lemon juice

1 can diced tomatoes (roasted is best, but I had with garlic and onion)

3/4 C sliced celery

1 white onion, diced

1 tsp minced garlic

Salt & Pepper

2 1/2 C half & half

1 C chicken stock (with 3 tsp extra chicken bouillon granules)

1/2 C white wine

1/3 C fresh parsley, chopped

1 lb medium shrimp, de-veined and chopped.  

12 oz  crab meat (I bought something that came out totally mutilated.  When I get it again, I'd get a lump crap or something like that.  Anyhoo.... still real crab and the right flavor, so it's good.)

4-8 slices of cooked bacon, cut into small pieces

5 green onions, chopped fine

DIRECTIONS: 

1) Make your rue... slowly melt the butter and add in the flower.  Whisking together & add in the lemon juice, then removing from heat. 

2) Add together in a large pot: canned tomatoes (with juices), onion, celery, garlic, salt & pepper.  Cook until warm.... only a few minutes.

3)  Add in some liquids: 1 C of half & half and your 1 C stock with the extra chicken granules.  Keep on medium heat until just bubbly.

 4) Once it's bubbly yummy, add in the rest of the liquids - - 1 1/2 C half & half, 1/2 C white wine.

5) Put all the "meat" in.... your crab and your shrimp, along with the parsley.

 6) Sit until it boils, lower heat and let simmer 25-30 minutes.

 (Yummy picture of all the goodness inside this bisque.... delicious!!)

7) Right before serving - top with the cut green onion tops and as little (or as MUCH) of the bacon as you wish.  (Bacon makes everything better!!)  Even my little, picky boys ate all their supper.  This was so good... I will definitely make it again, only next time with lump crab meat instead of the tiny little bits I grabbed.  Now I know.

I served this bisque with small garlic cheese breads and a small side of lemon-pepper broccoli.  It was so good.  If ya'll try it, let me know how things turn out.  What you added or took out, share!! 

Enjoy!!

Homemade Tomato Soup??

10:00am **
Hello!  So, today it's chilly outside in South Dakota so I'm feeling like making a soup.  I want to put something in the crock pot, that'll sit, simmer and make the house smell yummy!  So I'm going to try stewing my tomatoes all day and see how things turn out for my soup later tonight.

I have made homemade tomato soup before and it was good, but I'm not sure if stewing all the yumminess first would make a difference?  I have no clue.  Good or bad.  No idea.  So I'll mention how things are going along the way and hopefully I'll learn something from my boredom today.  Hm... hopefully.

I don't know much about tomatoes, I will sit down and learn more about them someday - but for now, please forgive my vagueness in the specific tomato area.  Having said that - here is what I added into the crock-pot just now:

8 'Tomatoes on the vine'
1 Md white onion
1/4 stick of unsalted butter
1 C water
Chicken Bouillon
1/2 C Red Wine
Garlic
Liquid Smoke (Just a tad - I always add too much and it becomes overbearing quickly!!)
Oregano
Basil
Salt & Pepper

I put the crock-pot on a lower setting for 8 hours.... I'll check it in a few and see how things are stewing.

Hehehe.

11:05am**
I've already learned something... after doing some research on homemade tomato soup and stewed tomatoes, I have realized I did NOT cut out the stiff, hard white centers of the tomatoes.  I have taken each half out of the pot and now done that.  I've also realized that I probably should have boiled the tomatoes first, blanched them & then taken off the skins.  Hm... however, it's a bit too late for that, so we'll just see how it goes and I'm sure I'll be able to skin them later, down the road.  Trial and error - that's how I cook.  Oh fun!!



1:15pm **
So I'm having doubts on my stewed tomato soup.  It just doesn't look right.  I used my potato smasher and mushed around a little and the tomatoes crushed easily, which is a good thing, to me.  I mix it all together and the tomatoes are smashed pretty well, but it just doesn't look right.  I taste it and it's yummy.  So....  just like most everything else I make, it looks a bit 'odd' but it tastes great!  So... I'm sticking with it.

However, I did add a few things to it; cumin (I could be blamed for cumin overload - - I love it!!), a small sprinkle of sage, a bit more garlic & a bit more liquid smoke.  I'm trying to give it a more hearty, full taste and hopefully that'll do it.  We'll check it some more in a little bit.

Side note: I did have a thought, while trying to make my tomato soup more hearty... I have a can of Hormel Chili - no beans.  Once the soup is finished I may add half or the whole can of that.  I'm teetering between that possibly ruining my day-long efforts in making a wonderful tomato soup or would it enhance the soup (which could end up badly, honestly) and truly make it hearty?  It's possible, in the end, that I add it to just the kids' portion, so that they will eat it for sure.  Hm.... I'll debate this a little further before it's finished.  Just a thought.  

2:25pm **

I have officially scorched my tongue testing my creation - and it hurts like hell!!  BUT... I am actually very happy with how it's tasting and do not feel like adding a can of pasty, chunky, greasy chili to it would do it any justice.  I do love those Hormel chili's in the right circumstance, however if I'm going homemade, might as well go all out, huh?  So.... no canned chili in my stewed tomato soup.  And my boys will still eat it.... I'm sure of it.


4:00pm **
My tomatoes are making the house smell wonderful and I think they are 'stewed' to their full capacity by now.  I have turned off the crock-pot and took the lid off... hopefully they will cool off enough for me to blend the heck out of them later.  My tongue still hurts but the tomato juices taste even yummier than before. So far, I'd say things are going quite well.

(Pardon the dirty crock-pot.  How in the WORLD could it stay clean with such yumminess inside??)

5:50pm **

So I have blended the stewed ingredients and prepared to heat it up.  I got my pan out, placed a bit of sour cream in the pot as I turned the heat on and then added the soup.  It heated up appropriately and then I made the grilled cheese while the soup heated up.  Overall, it was quite yummy, however I'm not sure if the stewing all darn day made a difference, other than it gave me something to do on my (obviously) very boring day.  

My main problem is that when I cook for a long period of time, I tend to NOT want to eat anything later.  Ugh!  However, this was yummy and much better than canned tomato soup, yet I do not believe I'll spend all day simmering & stewing the ingredients again.  Not for a soup.  It pretty much was a success, though, I do believe.

Hope you enjoyed my adventure today.

Best Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Ever!!

I love spaghetti!!  I make it so many different ways and put different things in it.  The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to this meal.  One thing I've never done, though, is make my very own sauce and today I've decided to do that.  It was a great decision and I was told after supper, that it was the best spaghetti sauce ever.  Hm...  I would agree.  (Granted, the fact that all the ingredients were fresh would alone be enough to make it better than canned... however, I believe I did a great job overall.)  The sauce is so flavorful and is thick enough that it doesn't run off your plate.  It sticks right to the pasta and evenly coats all the other goodies you'd put in your s'getti!!  Enjoy!!

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

6 large tomatoes (I don't know differences, but the large ones you'd slice for BLT's)
1 large yellow onion
olive oil (or veg oil)
5 cloves of garlic
liquid smoke
1 tbsp butter
1/2 C brown sugar
small can of tomato paste
1/4 C white vinegar
1 pkt of Beef Onion soup mix
hot sauce - your favorite, go-to hot sauce
1/3 C Burgundy Red Wine
garlic powder
celery salt
basil (I used dried... didn't have fresh)
Fresh parsley
** grated parm cheese **

1) Heat up about 1/4 C oil in large pot with the chp'd garlic cloves until they are cooked & the oil is infused with garlic.  Remove the garlic chunks from the oil and then quarter the large tomatoes & chunk-chop up the large onion.... lightly salt & pepper them & place them in the pot.  Drizzle the liquid smoke on top of veggies, as much or little as you like.... I used quite a bit.  Once it warms a little add in the butter.

2) Once butter melts & the tomatoes start to mush a bit when you stir it - - add in the brown sugar, paste and vinegar.  Stir frequently while on medium heat.  The tomatoes will become mushy & more sauce-like, but many chunks will still remain.  Add in the soup-mix packet & let it bubble & boil for a few minutes, then turn down to a simmer and let simmer for 3-4 hours, then turn off heat.

3) Once the mixture cools.... blend it until as smooth as you like your sauce.  (If you put something in the blender that's got a kick of heat in it, it will cause a lot of pressure build-up and cook burst out of the blender. Thus a big mess for you to clean up!  Thanks Bobby Flay, I never knew that!!)  Heat the sauce back up... add in your spices.  Garlic powder, celery salt, dried basil, salt & pepper, hot sauce and stir in the red wine.

4) Chop up the fresh parsley and top your spaghetti with the parsley & grated parm cheese.  Yummy!

For the rest of the meal - - this is what I did.... 

** Brown 1 lb ground beef in skillet, adding salt & pepper & garlic powder before finished.  Adding in 1 Tbsp butter & about 10 small white mushrooms, chunked up.  Cook on medium heat until almost done, then add in 1/3C red wine and turn heat up while stirring.  The wine will soak into the mushrooms and cook off.  Once liquid is gone, it's done.
** For the spaghetti, I tend to always lean toward the thin spaghetti and I buy 1 lb, since my family loves leftovers. 

** I usually buys large garlic bread that I can cut up on my own.  I cut them into 2-3 in long pieces this time and only put in the oven for 6 min or so, instead of 10, like the package told me to.  Meanwhile....

** I cook 1 bunch of fresh asparagus (rough, hard ends trimmed off) in reserved bacon grease.  ( I love bacon, as you might know now, and sometimes reserve the grease for future foods.  Great for flavoring potatoes and veggies and other things...)  I used about 1 Tbsp of the grease.  When almost done, I sprinkle some salt & lemon pepper on top & let it cook a min or so more.  (I really like the way the lemon pepper enhances the asparagus flavors!) 

** Once the bread is out of the oven, turn the broiler on.  Top the garlic bread with the asparagus spears & then sprinkle on some white 'Italian' shredded cheese.  Place under the broiler for a few minutes, just so the cheese melts and tips turn a bit brown.  (Notice: My 4 year old Carter's piece only has 3 asparagus spears... You get in what you can, huh?)

This turned out really great... if you try it, hope you like it just as much!!

  ** ** ** ** ** ** 

I got an 'early Christmas gift' from my husband - - a nice spaghetti handler!!  (I don't know the technical term, but I've always bought the cheap ones and they suck.)  Now I have a nice, new one and it works great!!  Thanks Chris, I love it!!