An Award and Pizza Casserole...

Or what my kids like to call "Bubble Pizza"! This is so good that even the BIG kids in your house will love it!!! Yes, you're the BIG kid I'm talking about!!! ;)

Bubble Pizza

2 cups pizza cheese
16 oz. browned sausage (or pepperoni, hamburger, or bacon)
1 jar of pizza sauce
2 tubes buttermilk biscuits
*Note: I don't put veggies in this b/c my kiddos don't like them, but feel free to add whatever you would order on your own pizza.

Brown and drain the meat. Cut the 2 tubes of biscuits into quarters. Put the biscuits into a bowl along with the jar of pizza sauce. Add the meat and any other toppings you may have. Mix it all together. Pour into a baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. After baking for 20 minutes, take it out and add your cheese. Now pop it back in the over for 10 more minutes. Enjoy!



Heidi, from Tried-and-True Cooking with Heidi was so sweet to send me the Kreativ Blogger Award. Thanks Heidi, I sure appreciate it!!! :o)

There are rules to this award, so here they are:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated.


I don't know if anyone will find any of these things interesting, but here goes:

1. Been married to my best friend for 17 years!!! I know this is wierd... but I really love watching him do yard work! One would think it would be nice of me to help him out - nope, I just watch!!! I do visit with him to keep him company though!!! What a sweet wife he has!!! ;) lol...

2. I love summertime because that means I have all of my kids home with me! I hate it when school starts in the fall!!! I know, you're thinking I'm not normal!!! So, please forgive me for not posting more - I'm taking advantage of these precious few months I have my kiddos all to myself!!!

3. I HATE to shop! I hate going to the grocery store and Wal-mart weekly! And believe it or not, I even hate shopping for myself!!! Which is why I tend to not buy trendy clothes! I need things that will always be in style. I only really go what you would consider "fun shopping" twice a year - once for school clothes and the other is for Christmas gifts. And I try to do online shopping whenever I can get away with it! I know - I'm definitely not normal!!!

4. I hate getting shots but I don't mind getting them in the mouth from the dentist!!! Yes, I'm a wierdo!!!

5. I have a bad habit of eating ice! I know - pretty annoying!!! That just reminds me... it's time to schedule my dental appointment!

6. I'm donating my hair to Locks of Love at the end of summer!

7. I LOVE to eat and try new recipes. I don't eat low-fat anything!!! I eat what I want when I want - as long as I'm hungry for it. If you're interested, here's how I stay thin!

I would like to pass this award along to:
Jamie from Mom's Cooking Club
Penny from Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen
Tina from Mommy's Kitchen
Teresa from A Blog About Food
Delectable Dining
Rachel from Rachel VS. "The Kitchen"
Kim from The Ungourmet

No1here's newest creation...

My husband is the KING of throwing things together and making a wonderful meal. I didn't feel like cooking the other night, so he goes into the pantry and the fridge and says "I have it!" I wish I had that gift!!! Here's what he came up with...

Poor Man's Ceviche

2 Tilapia fillets
1 can black beans, drained
2/3 cup frozen corn
chopped tomato
juice of 2-3 limes
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
chopped cilantro
salt & pepper

Cook the fish the same way as in the fish taco recipe. In the meantime, mix the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl. Add your cooked fish, and give another stir. We ate this with Tostito Scoops.

Ooey Gooey Goodness...

I can't believe I'm just now getting around to making this!!! I've been meaning to for years!!! It was so good that even my non-dessert-loving-husband loved it!!!

Paula Deen's Gooey Butter Cake

Cake:
1 18 1/4-ounce package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 16-ounce box powdered sugar



Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Prepare Filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar and mix well. Spread over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey. I sprinkle a little bit of powdered sugar on top before serving. Yield: 6 to 8 servings, or more if cut into small squares!

Kathy's menu - week 32

Monday - BBQ Ribs, Beans, Coleslaw, Fried Okra, My Cheddar Beer Bread

Tuesday - Taste testing... Curried Coconut Chicken and Rice

Wednesday - Burritos and Chips

Thursday - Steak, Baked Potatoes, Green beans, and Rolls

Friday's Fun Kid Pleaser - Bubble Pizza and Salad

Saturday - Hoisin and Bourbon-Glazed Pork Tenderloin, Tomato Relish, and Rice

Sunday - Chicken Tortellini Bake and Crusty Bread

Two More Lovely Awards...

Teresa over at A Blog about Food and Heidi from Tried-and-True Cooking with Heidi were sweet enough to leave us girls the One Lovely Blog Award - how exciting!!! This award is to be passed to ten other bloggers. Which is really hard, since we all tend to love the same blogs!!! Here goes... We'd like to pass this on to...

1. Katy at Food for a Hungry Soul
2. Delectable Dining
3. Carrie at Cooking with Carrie
4. Kara at Kara's Kitchen Creations
5. Christy at Christy's Kitchen Creations
6. Monica at Lick The Bowl Good
7. Dana and the girls at San Diego Cooks
8. Chelsea at Mmm...Cafe
9. Amy and Amber at The Sisters Dish
10. Jaime and Jen at Jaime & Jen Dish

Chicken, Pasta and Alfredo...

Alfredo Sauce

1/2 cup butter
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1 box of linguine or other pasta

Cook noodles, and set aside. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, cream, white pepper, and bring mixture to a simmer. Stir often. Add the Parmesan cheese and simmer sauce for 8-10 minutes or until sauce has thickended and is smooth. When sauce has thickened, add the Mozzarella cheese and stir until smooth. Stir frequently! You can either place pasta on serving plates and spoon sauce over pasta, or I just added it all to the sauce to warm back up and evenly distribute the sauce. Serves: 4-6

Italian Grilled Chicken

Chicken breasts
Zesty Italian Salad Dressing
Juice of a medium lemon

I clean my chicken breasts, and pour enough Zesty Italian dressing to cover it all. Let it marinade in the fridge for as long as I want it. Then in the last 30 minutes, add your lemon juice to the marinade. Then grill it up!!!

*This is how I cook my chicken for fajitas, minus the lemon!! Yummm, the best!!! I thought the lemon would be a nice touch with the pasta - and it was!!!

Burrito Battle...

Well, I finally got around to trying Heidi's Brown Bag Burritos! They were very good!!! Much like Taco Bell's! I don't know... we're a little partial, we really love my mil's recipe best!!! We really love the garlic flavor in it. Both are great though. Guess you'll have to try both and you be the judge! Be sure to keep me posted! :o)

Brown Bag Burritos

1 lb. ground beef
1 can refried beans
2/3 c. enchilada sauce
1/4 c. water
1/3 c. minced onion
1/2 TBSP chili powder
1/2 TBSP garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 c. shredded colby/jack
10 flour tortillas

Brown and drain meat. Add all ingredients, but tortillas. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Fill tortillas and roll up. Serve with shredded lettuce, cheese, sour cream and salsa

Gram's Famous Burritos

1 1/2 lbs. hamburger meat
leftover pinto beans
1 8oz. jar Picante sauce
garlic powder, to taste
black pepper, to taste
Burrito tortillas

She makes about 4 cups dried pinto beans and has a meal with them and then refrigerates the leftovers. Then she cooks her hamburger meat and drains it. Then she adds her leftover beans to the skillet of meat to warm. Then add the picante sauce, garlic powder, and pepper to taste. She wraps all her burritos in saran wrap and puts them in the fridge for up to 2-3 weeks, but I promise you they will not last that long!!! Or if you do have extras, you can freeze them!!!

Cuban Midnight Sandwich...

The medianoche earns its name from the time that it was typically eaten. After a night of dancing, the medianoche is a perfect way to stave off hunger. We're not dancers and we didn't eat this at midnight, but it was still wonderful!!! I couldn't believe even my kids loved it!!!

Medianoche

1 cup mayo

5 Tbs. Italian dressing

4 Tbs. mustard

3 thin slices of ham

3 thin slices roast pork hot or cold (I used leftover pernil)

3 thin slices of Swiss cheese

3 or 4 slices of pickles

1/3 cut Cuban bread (sweet yellow bread) or a substitute bread

In small bowl, mix together mayo and Italian dressing. Slice the bread open face so that both halves are still barely connected. Spread mixture on your rolls and then spread mustard on both halves. Add the ham, and then the roasted pork. Add your Swiss cheese and then a few pickle slices. Make sure to rub your sandwich press with a little Olive oil, or brush some soft butter on the outside of the bread. Place the sandwich in a sandwich press and press down until the cheese is melted and the bread is slightly hard to the touch. (Really watch this - my sandwich kept slipping apart! Maybe I had too much mayo and mustard?!) When finished, slice the sandwich diagonally across the middle so that you have two triangle shaped wedges. Enjoy!

* Mayo and Italian Dressing is not the traditional Cuban sandwich, but it was a really nice change!

Tara's Menu and a super YUMMY marinade!!

Well I have not posted a menu in quite a while so I though I'd surprise you all! These are in no particular order...just gonna make them as the days go on! It's summer time so dinners are going to be fast and easy around here! My dinner tonight is going to be grilled pork chops marinating in a garlic, herb and wine marinade made by McCormick. If you ever run into these little packets they are a must try!! I've had this one before but my favorite is the tomato, garlic and basil, which is AWESOME on chicken!!! You can go to www.McCormick.com and see all their products. They are all super yummy!

Other Menu items:
**Chicken nuggets (I make mine with Shake N Bake, Parmesan crusted)
**Fried Ravioli with marinara sauce
**Sloppy Joes
**Meatloaf with mashed potatoes
**Grilled Ham steak: I'll be trying Wal-mart Woman Ham steak from Heidi's blog.
**Tacos: Heidi's Taco Puffs look good too! Maybe I'll try these instead of plain ole crispy tacos?? AWESOME blog Heidi!!!
**Bacon Wrapped Cheesy Chicken...this looks to die for!!

And, that's all I've come up with so far! Wishing everyone a safe and happy summer!!

As requested...

Sorry it took me so long to post this recipe!!! May is really crazy here at our house with all the year-end school events!! Hopefully June will be better. Of course we're leaving tomorrow for vacation! I'm sure I'll be back to posting in about a week. Until then here's that recipe I promised you, Kim!!!

No1here's Borracho Beans

In 1-2 Tbsp of oil sautee 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced, and 1/2 medium onion, chopped, until translucent.
Add 2 minced cloves garlic and satuee for another minute.
Add 3/4 can beer and boil for about 5-10 minutes (reduce/evaporate alcohol).
Add big can of pinto beans and half a can of water. Return to boil for 5-10 minutes.
Add chopped tomatoes and cilantro. Salt & pepper to taste. Simmer until ready to eat.

Memorial Day Fare...

We had this last night and it was very good! It was so different and unique that I had to share it with y'all! We had so much grilling going on and visiting with family at the same time, that we didn't get around to taking any photos! But this is exactly what it looks like. The photo and recipe both come from Southern Living - my favorite!!!

Grilled Potato Salad

8 bacon slices
4 medium-size red potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (I used 8 small russet)
1 large white onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips (I used 1 red onion)
Potato Salad Dry Rub
Potato Salad Dressing
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley (I omitted this - not a parsley fan)

Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Cook bacon, in batches, in a large skillet over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon. Add potatoes, onion, and Potato Salad Dry Rub to hot drippings in skillet, tossing to coat. Remove potato mixture with a slotted spoon. Grill potato mixture, covered with grill lid, over 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat in a grill wok or metal basket 30 minutes or until tender, stirring every 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add Potato Salad Dressing, and toss to coat. Stir in bacon. Garnish, if desired. Serve warm.

* We ended up grilling so much food, that to save time - I just put these in the oven at 400 degrees for 1 hour! They might have missed some of the smokey flavor from the grill, but still very good!!! Next time we'll throw them on the grill and see how they compare!

Potato Salad Dry Rub

2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried crushed rosemary
1/8 tsp. celery seeds

Stir together all ingredients. Store in an airtight container up to 1 month. Makes: about 2 Tbs.

Potato Salad Dressing

5 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Stir together all ingredients. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Makes: 1/2 cup

Gone, but not forgotten...

I just wanted to say "thank you" to the families of ALL servicemen out there that have given the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom!!! Click here to watch a very touching video and remember that this is a National Day of Mourning!!!!

Good Eats for Summertime!!!

We first found this on MyRecipes, but of course my hubby had to change it up! This was WONDERFUL!!! Here's his version........

No1Here's Fish Tacos

Sauce:
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbs. mayo
4 Tbs. sour cream
1 tsp. grated lime rind
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 of a jalapeno, seeded and minced


Tacos:
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 lbs. Tilapia fillets
Cooking spray
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 cups shredded cabbage

Preheat oven to 425°. To prepare sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl; put in fridge to meld flavors. To prepare tacos, combine dry seasonings in a small bowl; sprinkle spice mixture evenly over both sides of fish. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 9-12 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Place fish in a bowl; break into pieces with a fork. While fish is cooking, heat tortillas. Divide fish evenly among tortillas; top each with 1/4 cup cabbage and 1 tablespoon sauce. Serves:4

Kathy's menu - week 31

Saturday - Fish Tacos and Borracho Beans

Sunday - Pork Chops w/ Mushroom Sauce, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, and Rolls

Monday - Grilled Chicken, Grilled Potato Salad, Grilled Corn on the Cob, and Grilled Bread

Tuesday - Pernil, Fiesta Rice, Beans

Wednesday - My Birthday Dinner at Lupe Tortillas

Thursday - Midnight Cuban Sandwiches, and Chips

Friday - Grilled Lemon Chicken w/ Pasta and Alfredo Sauce, and Garlic Bread

Dinner tonight...

I made this for dinner tonight and it was super yummy! I'm not that great of a photographer, so this picture doesn't do it justice!!! Happy cooking!

Italian Sausage Pasta

1 pkg (16oz) bow tie pasta (or whatever you like)
1 lb Italian Sausage (you can buy the links and cut into small pieces and brown like meatballs or chop up like hamburger)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1-1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (I omitted this because we don't like spicy stuff)
2 cans (14-1/2 oz) Italian stewed tomatoes
1-1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (I only used 1 cup)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried basil
1 pkg shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile in a dutch oven, cook the sausage, onion, garlic and pepper flakes over medium heat for 4 - 5 minutes or until meat is no longer pink; drain well, stir in tomatoes, cream, salt and basil. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 6 to 8 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta, toss with sausage mixture or serve separate. Garnish with cheese!!

Memorial Day Ideas...

Besides hotdogs - does anyone have any great dishes I should try this coming Memorial Day? Main dishes, sides, desserts, -- anything you got! I'm leaning more toward a brisket, but I'm a "dry rub" girl!!! I just haven't found that winning rub recipe yet - ughh!!! I'd just love any ideas all around!!!

A vintage recipe for you...

Do you remember eating this as a child? Really brings back all those wonderful memories, doesn't it? I found this recipe over on Food, Friends, and Fun and thought I'd give it a try. It turned out really great! The kids loved it - even the adults too! ;) It's perfect for this gorgeous weather we've been having!

Jello Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
0.6 oz box strawberry jello
3.4 oz box vanilla instant pudding
1 container cool whip

Bake cake mix in 13x9 inch baking dish according to box directions. Pull out of oven and poke holes into the top of the cake. Combine strawberry jello with 2 cups BOILING water. Mix well, then pour over hot cake. Refrigerate over night. (I only refrigerated for about 4 hours and it was fine) Prepare instant pudding according to box directions and spread over cake. Spread cool whip over pudding and enjoy!

Beef Tips Revisted...

Just adding a photo to an old recipe. Go here if you want to make this yummy dish!

Fish Tacos

I attempted Fish Tacos tonight, and although they were good, they weren't GREAT!! I am looking for some ideas....any kind of fish any old way....I'm open for suggestions/ideas/advice!!! Here's what I did:

seasoned tilapia then baked it in the oven for about 15 minutes..served on corn tortillas with spicy ranch, cabbage slaw, tomatoes and avacodos.

Like I said, it was good...but would like to start cooking more fish....send me what you got!!!

Thanks for reading!!

Cindy

Last Comfort Food Meal...

Weather permitting, of course!!! This is definitely a "keeper" that I should have shared with y'all a long time ago. I just wished the photo turned out a bit more appetizing!!! I promise it's worth it!!! This awesome recipe came out of an old cookbook that my dear friend Janice got me once she left our Lone Star State. The cookbook is titled Miss Daisy Celebrates Tennessee. She even had it autographed for me!!! Well Janice, since you've now moved from Tennessee - I think it's time for a new cookbook!!! ;) lol...

Oven Steak With Potatoes

2 lbs. round steak
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup shortening, or oil
1 lg. onion, sliced
5 med. potatoes, sliced 1/2" thick
1 10 3/4 oz. can mushroom soup
1 soup can water

Cut steaks into 8 pieces, season with salt and pepper. Dredge meat in flour, brown on both sides in shortening in large skillet. Remove steak from skillet once crisp and done. Saute onion in same skillet. Place potatoes over onions. Continue browning for 10 minutes, turning frequently. Place meat on top of potatoes. Whisk together the soup and water and pour over the steaks. Cover and cook over medium heat for 35-40 mintues. Serves: 6-8