I know you're jealous!!!

Our good friend Heather made this delicious Banana Pudding Thursday at Bunko. Let me tell ya it's sooo good I just could not wait to make it this weekend! and it's not going to look good on the thighs either!!!! Kathy does not like banana pudding but she LOVED this!! So, if you're not a fan you still need to give it a try!!! You won't be dissapointed!!!!! PROMISE!

Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

2 large boxes Vanilla Jello Instant Pudding

1 tub whipped cream

1 jar marshmallow cream

1 container cream cheese (make sure you let it soften, or it will be very lumpy)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 box Nilla wafers

bananas (I usually use about six, but you could use more or less if you prefer)

Directions:

Make pudding as directed for pie filling. Pour in other ingredients and mix until desired consistency. Layer bananas, Nilla wafers and pudding mixture.

Just a note - This recipe is very forgiving. If you don't have all the ingredients on hand, it will still taste great. The only thing I would not do is use low fat ingredients. Heather tried it, but the pudding did not have near the same consistency or taste.

Kathy's Menu - Week 29 & 30

Saturday - Burgundy Pork Tenderloin, Mashed Potatoes, Asparagus, Rolls
Sunday - Chicken Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, Salad
Monday - Beef and Beer Stew, Cheese Bread
Tuesday - Taste testing... Chicken Cacciatore from Smoky Mountain Cafe, pasta, garlic bread
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - Mongolian Beef, Broccoli, Rice, egg rolls
Friday's Fun with Kids - Sonic Night at Home!!! Make French Fries with your own toppings: cheese, chili, bacon bits, sour cream, etc..... Homemade Cherry Limeade! Jello Cake for dessert!


Saturday- Oven Steak with Potatoes, Green Beans, Rolls
Sunday- Southwestern Enchiladas, Borracho Beans, Spanish Rice
Monday- Beef Tips Cooked in Wine, Rustic Bread
Tuesday- Taste Testing... Brown Bag Burritos from Tried-and-True Cooking with Heidi
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - Tortilla Bake, chips and salsa
Friday's Kid Request - King Ranch Chicken, salad, Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars for dessert!

No1here's Hummus Recipe...

This is one of my and No1here's favorites!!! We've been eating this together for almost 17 years!!! It goes great with veggies, but we love to eat it with Pita Bread. Enjoy :o)

1 (16oz.) can Chick Peas or Garbanzo beans, drained
1/3 cup Tahini
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pinch paprika
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
water or plain yogurt, for consistency

Place the chick peas, tahini, lemon juice, salt and garlic in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. If it's too thick - add a little bit of water or yogurt to get your desired consistency. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl. Drizzle olive oil over the mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley.

My oldest son loves punch...

I'm not sure when I came across this recipe?! I knew I needed to give it a try - for my son's sake, of course!!! ;) He loved it!!! If you have any tried-and-true punch recipes - please share them. My oldest will thank you, and so will I!!!

Strawberry Limenade

1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1 T. freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 pkg. frozen strawberries (in sugar)
4 1/2 cups lemon-lime soda

Place juices and sugar in a pitcher and stir well. Add strawberries and mix again. Slowly add lemon-lime soda. Serve immediately.

Authentic Mexican...

This is a very good meal! If you are only a Tex-Mex lover (Tara!!!), then don't waste your time. If you don't know if you like Authentic Mexican... give it a try - it's sooo worth it!!! I really love the potatoes in this dish - it really makes it!!!

Carne Guisada

1 pound sirloin steak, diced 1/4"

1 teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon butter

1 teaspoon bacon grease

1 medium onion, diced

1 large potato, diced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cans (4.5 oz. each) of chopped green chilies

1 1/2 cups water, reserved from potatoes

1/2 cup cream

Pour oil into a very hot pan. Heat oil for a moment and add beef. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin. Cook until beef is deep brown on the edges, then set aside. Put your diced potatoes in a big pyrex measuring cup. Add water to cover, and salt if you like. Microwave for 5 minutes, set aside. In the same skillet that you cooked your beef in - add butter and bacon grease. Add your onion and garlic. Use a slotted spoon to remove potato from cooking water. Add potato into the skillet with the onion and garlic. season to taste with salt, garlic powder and pepper. cook until potatoes are browned. Add reserved water, cream, and chopped green chilies. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until gravy is reduced, about a half hour.

Serve on fresh hot tortillas, with pinto beans and my Aunt Billie's Mexican Vermicelli on the side!!!

Sometimes I can be a food snob!!!!

It's my opinion that there's only one way to chocolate dip anything -- you HAVE to use Almond Bark!!! If you don't, it's just not the same!!! I can tell instantly if someone used Almond Bark or not. And sadly, if they didn't - sometimes I won't finish whatever they made. I know, I'm awful!!! So, check your local grocer or Walmart!!! Give it a try! You'll never go back to your semi-sweet chocolate chips!!!


This is one of my kids favorites!!! If there's strawberries in the house - this is what they're begging for...

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Surely, you weren't expecting a recipe - were you? If you really need one - look on the back of your Almond Bark package!!! ;)

My New Foodie Friend...

over at Tried-and-True Cooking with Heidi is celebrating her 100th post with a Giveaway!!! How exciting!!! You'll have to go over and check it out! I love checking out her blog every day. We have so much in common - both from small towns, both stay-at-home moms, both have a love of cooking, and both try to be frugal with our spending at the grocery store!!!

Just yesterday we used a recipe that I found over on Heidi's blog. No1here was about to start making his yummy yeast roll recipe, but realized he was out of buttermilk. So, I pulled up her recipe that I had previously bookmarked. She actually got it from the Duggar Family's site. If it's a favorite of 20 people - it has to be good!!!

But if you know my husband - he never sticks to a recipe!!!! The recipe originally calls for 1/2 cup shortening. Instead, he used 1/4 cup shortening with 1/4 cup butter. I asked him for his reasoning... he says that shortening and butter give different textures to dough. Shortening for more flakiness and butter for a bit more denseness and more "melt in your mouth" flavor. If you'd rather try the original recipe, you can check it out here! No1here's version has that old-fashioned quality to it, that reminds me of the rolls I used to eat when I was little. yummm...

No1here's Old Fashioned Yeast Rolls

1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

2 pkg. yeast

5 cups flour, divided

2 eggs

Combine shortening, butter, sugar, salt, yeast and 2 cups flour in large bowl & cut with pastry cutter. In a 2 cup measuring cup beat 2 eggs and then fill cup to 2 cup mark with hot water. Pour over dry mixture. Slowly add: 3 c. flour. Cover. Let Rise 20 minutes in warm oven. Pour onto floured surface.Knead. Flatten with hands into large pizza shape. Cut with pizza cutter into16 slices. Roll up from wide end to point. Place in greased pans leaving space for rolls to double in size. (can shape like crescent or lay on side where swirl shows.) Cover. Let rise in warm oven at least 20 min. Remove from oven. Preheat oven. Preheat oven to 375. Bake 20-30 min. depending on how dark you prefer. Immediately brush with 1 stick (1/2 c.) melted butter. Makes: 16 Rolls in 2-9”x13” pans

I love La Madeleine`s

La Madelieine's is one of my favorite places to eat. I never go without getting their Strawberries Romanoff! I love it so much that I found a copy-cat version years ago and I've been making it at home ever since. Here's their website to find a location near you! I hope you all have a Blessed Easter today!!!

Strawberries Romanoff

1 cup strawberries, hulled and rinsed
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon brandy

Just before serving, rinse berries and trim stems with a paring knife. Mix remaining ingredients and let stand for 2 to 3 minutes.

No more take-out...

I have seen this recipe all over the net and I have really wanted to give it a try. I decided to go with Blogchef's recipe, for no other reason than I reallly like his blog!!! ;) lol... His Asian inspired recipes and photos really make me drool!!!;) Funny thing is... I've never been a fan of Chinese food until recently! I must be getting old or something?! This was a wonderful meal and very easy too!!! There is no reason to order out anymore - much better to make at home!!! And with easy recipes like this - there's no reason you can't!

Bourbon Chicken

2lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, or tenders
oil (for frying)
cornstarch (for dusting, optional)
Sauce-
1 garlic clove (minced)
¼ teaspoon ginger
¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (we used 1/4 tsp)
¼ cup apple juice
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
½ cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce

Cut chicken breasts into bit sized pieces, then lightly dust with cornstarch. Heat oil in your wok and fry chicken bits in batches until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels and set aside. In a bowl combine all sauce ingredients. Pour into pan and bring to a boil. Add chicken bits back to the pan, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

I LOVE this stuff!!!

I mentioned earlier that my oldest son's favorite thing to get at the Japanese Hibachi restaurants is their onion soup. Well my absolute favorite is their salad dressing!!! I can't get enough of this stuff. We finally decided to make it at home!!! This is very easy to make and definitely worth it!!! Tara and Cindy, too bad we're not neighbors anymore - I need someone to share this with!!!

Ginger Salad Dressing

1/2 cup onion, we used green onion
1/2 cup peanut oil

1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fresh ginger
2 tablespoons celery
2 tablespoons ketchup
4 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1-2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Mix on high speed for about 30 seconds or until all of the ginger is well-pureed. Keep in fridge until ready to eat. This really thickens up if it sits in the fridge overnight. This recipe makes about 1 3/4 cups.

New Southern Favorite in our House!!!

Supper was late getting on the table tonight, so we took a photo afterwards. I know it looks like a mess, but it was sooo good!!! I got two pretty important phone calls while trying to start supper, so No1here took over. Can anyone guess what that means? He changed the recipe up some!!! It was soo yummy... I was so hungry tonight but I don't think that's why it was so good -- it was just a darn good recipe!!! It came from Southern Plate, before it got tweaked a bit! ;) No1here said this reminded him of his mom's broccoli and rice casserole that we have at Christmas, minus the broccoli of course!!! All I know, is that it is a definite "keeper" in our house!!! Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Cheesy Chicken And Corn Casserole

1 Box Yellow Rice - (I used a 10oz. bag)

1 Stick Margarine - (he only used 6 Tbs. in the rice mixture and 1 Tbs. to brown the chicken in)

1 Tbs. olive oil (for browning the chicken)

1/2 onion, chopped (his addition)

1 Can Cream Of Chicken Soup

1-2 Cups shredded, cooked chicken - (we used 2 breasts, chopped and fried)

1 can Whole Kernel Corn (drained)

1 1/2 Cups Cheddar Cheese

Cook rice according to package directions. Fry your chicken in some butter and olive oil, then set aside. Saute your onion in the same skillet with the chicken bits. Add rice and all other ingredients, except for 1/2 C of cheese, into a bowl and stir until well combined. Spoon into casserole dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for about thirty minutes, or until bubbly.

Fruit Dip, or...

I have seen so many different variations on this recipe here lately. Some use brown sugar with white sugar and some just use powdered sugar. Being a huge toffee lover, I knew I had to give this one a try! You can use this as a dip for your apples or other fruit or even on bagels! This particular recipe comes from Mennonite Girls Can Cook. If you've ever made this, which varying ingredients do you prefer?

Toffee Bagel Spread

8 oz. pkg of cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp. vanilla

3 skor bars crushed (I used half a bag of Heath Bits, about 1 cup)

chopped peanuts, optional (I skipped this one)

Mix all of the ingredients together with a hand mixer and store in the fridge. The longer it sits the better it is.

Japanese Onion Soup

Both of my older boys have their birthdays fall during Spring Break each year. Well, one tradition that we have is we let the birthday child choose their favorite restaurant to eat at for supper that night. Well, my oldest always chooses a Japanese Hibachi grill where they cook in front of you. One of his favorite things to get there is their Onion soup. He loves it so much that only getting it once a year is not enough, so my husband decided to start making it at home. We had it for the first time this past weekend and it was awesome!!!! Here's the recipe he came up with...

No1here's Homemade Japanese Onion Soup

5 cups water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 white onion, coarsely chopped
1 smashed clove of garlic
1/2 carrot, coarsely chopped
1/2 celery stalk, coarsely chopped

Thinly sliced mushrooms
Sliced green onions

One of the following options:

1/2 white onion that is thinly sliced, 1 cup veggie oil, milk, AP flour - dip your onions in the milk, then the flour, shake off and drop into the hot oil. Once golden brown, drain on a paper towel.

OR
French Fried Onions

OR
Tempura batter

You put the first set of ingredients in a pot & bring to a boil...then cover & simmer for a couple hours. Then you strain it, and then put in the mushrooms & green onions. Then you do the last step where you either put in the homemade fried onions, or store bought french fried onions, or drizzle tempura batter to make that bread-like consistency that is my favorite part!!! ;) Enjoy!

This serves about 6

Kathy's Top 10 Main Dishes...

I'm sure this list will change from time to time, even depending on the season - but for now these are my favorites...

1. Garlic Swiss Steak
2. Chilaquiles
3. Grilled Spicy Citrus Ribs
4. Carnitas
5. Garlic-Rosemary Lamb Pita, with our homemade tzatziki sauce!
6. Chili
7. Chicken Tequila Fettucini
8. Shredded Beef for Tacos
9. Beer and Beef Stew
10.Our Southwestern Chicken Enchiladas


These two are my absolute favorites, belonging at the very top of this list, but my hubby refuses to let me share these family secrets with you! I'm sorry! :(

*No1here's Tortilla Soup
*No1here's Steak with his secret sauce

Something different for your ripe bananas...

What a cute and yummy cookie for Easter!!! I used to make these all the time when No1here and I lived in England, before the kiddos came. I think I made them so often, that I got burned out on them. Well, many years have passed - Now it's time to see if the kids love them as much as we do!

Banana Cookies

3/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 bananas, mashed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the shortening, sugar, egg, vanilla, and bananas. Beat well and add your salt, soda, and flour. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cookies will be soft and puffy. After they cool, spread with icing. Makes: 3 1/2 dozen

Icing:
4 Tbs brown sugar, firmly packed
2 Tbs + 2 tsp milk
2 Tbs + 2 tsp margarine
1 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar

Add your brown sugar, milk and margarine to a sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Add enough powdered sugar to make into a spreading consistency. Spread onto cookies and enjoy!!!

Dessert for the week...

I don't know what has happened to me... all my life I have been a chocoholic and in the last two years I prefer salty snacks to sweet snacks?!?!? What is going on with me? Hormones?! Who knows... Anyway, I still drool when I see photos like this one, but once the goodies are made - I'll only be able to have a couple of bites. Well, I found this recipe and I'm hoping it'll put me back on track!!! I'll keep you posted...

photo via verybestbaking.com

Nestle Toll House's Chocolate Chip Pie

1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell *
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts
Sweetened whipped cream or ice cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 325° F. Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high speed until foamy. Beat in flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in butter. Stir in morsels and nuts. Spoon into pie shell.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

* If using frozen pie shell, use deep-dish style, thawed completely. Bake on baking sheet; increase baking time slightly.

Two Fun Favorites for the Kiddos!!!

Taco Chicken Fingers

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 Tbs. milk
3 cups crushed tortilla chips
3 Tbs. mild taco seasoning
garnish: salsa, sour cream, guacamole

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut each chicken breast into 1/2 inch strips. In a large shallow bowl, whisk mayonnaise and milk until blended and smooth. Place tortilla chips in a resealable plastic bag. Using a rolling pin, crush chips into fine crumbs. In another large shallow bowl, toss crushed tortilla chips with taco seasoning; mix well. Toss chicken strips first in mayonnaise mixture, then in crushed tortilla chips. Place on prepared baking sheet - do not overlap. Bake until just browned and chicken is cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole. Serves: 8-10



In the background is Potato Slabs, that I found over on Amber's Delectable Delights. These were awesome!!! My entire family devoured them!!!

Great for company...

This is a great dish to take over to a sick friend or when company's coming over! Or just half this recipe if you're making it just for your family.

Tara had a wonderful Tetrazzini recipe that I had years ago, but I can't find my copy anywhere and she lost her cookbook that it was in!!! ughh... So, I had to come up with my own. We had it this weekend and it was divine!!! YUMMMM!!!! Let me know if you give it a try!

Chicken Tetrazzini

16 oz. spaghetti, broken into pieces
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup sherry
8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 lg. onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
4 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 15X10 inch casserole dish. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook your chicken breasts in butter/olive oil. Once chicken is golden brown and juices run clear, set aside to cool, then chop. Then saute your onion, mushrooms, and garlic until tender - in the same pan you used for your chicken. Then in a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, and gradually stir in chicken broth and cream. Return to heat, and bring to a low boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add sherry, then stir in cooked spaghetti, diced chicken, mushroom mixture. Taste and add more salt and pepper according to your tastes!!! Then pour it all into the prepared baking dish, and top with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, covered with foil in the preheated oven. Then remove foil and cook another 10 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned. Serves: 8-10

Spring Break request...

The only thing that my oldest son really requested to eat while out this whole week was his favorite -- Egg Salad Sandwiches!!! Here's our recipe...

Our Favorite Egg Salad Sandwiches

8 eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
2-3 Tbs. chopped green onion
salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop. (Week old eggs peel better!) Place the chopped eggs in a bowl, and stir in the mayonnaise, mustard and green onion. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Stir and serve on your favorite bread or crackers. If serving on a lettuce leaf - you might add a little paprika for color!

Texas Jambalaya

I orignally found this on AllRecipes, but of course we made some minor changes to it. The kids weren't too crazy about this meal, but No1here and I loved it!!! I think the reason they weren't licking their plates was because it was still a tad bit spicy. Definitely a "keeper" for us big kids! ;)

Texas Jambalaya

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced celery
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 cup converted long-grain white rice
4 ounces smoked sausage, cut into slices
4 ounces cooked ham, cut into bite-size pieces
1 (10 oz) can Rotel, mild
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 (15 oz) can Ranch-style beans, undrained

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion, green pepper and celery, until onions are soft and translucent. Stir in garlic, and cook another minute. Add rice, sausage, and ham. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, to coat the rice with oil, stirring frequently. Pour in Rotel, can of diced tomatoes, and chicken broth. Season with thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in the beans, mix well and heat through.