Sunday, March 20, 2011

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chewies

  • 2 cups of sugar
  • 1/2 cup of milk
  • 1 tsp of vanilla
  • 3 cups of oatmeal
  • 1/4 cup of cocoa
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 1/2 cup of peanut butter
  • pinch of salt
In a large pot, mix sugar, cocoa, milk and butter. Heat until mixture boils. Cool 1 minute, add remaining ingredients. Spoon on waxed paper. The mixture will start to set immediatly.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Tuna Casserole

I wasn't really in the mood to "cook" tonight, so, it was quick and easy tuna casserole. Boil some noodles, boil some eggs, mayo, pickles, salt, pepper...DONE! I always add red pepper flakes to mine for some HEAT!


Monday, March 14, 2011

Mostaccioli or Rigatoni

  • 1 lb uncooked mostaccioli or rigatoni
  • 1 lb Italian sausage (mild)
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 jar meatless spaghetti sauce
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 carton (15oz) ricotta cheese
  • 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup of grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup of chopped onion
  • pinch of basil, pinch of thyme, salt/pepper
Cook pasta according to package directions, drain. Cook Italian sausage until no longer pink, drain. Cook the ground meat with the onion until no longer pink, drain. Mix the spaghetti sauce with the meats and cooked pasta and set aside. In another bowl, mix the ricotta with the beaten egg, add the basil, thyme, a little salt and pepper and mix well, fold in the mozzarella cheese. In a greased 13x9, add half of the meat mixture, then add the cheese mixture, then top with the remaining meat mixture. Cover and bake at 375 for 40 minutes. Uncover, add the Romano cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Let is cool for about 15 minutes, enjoy!



Chocolate Mallow Pie

  • 1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups of cold milk, divided
  • 1 package (lrg) instant chocolate pudding mix
  • 1 1/2 cups of miniature marshmallows
  • 2 tbsp of powdered sugar
  • 1 graham cracker crust (9 inch)
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and 1/2 cup of milk until smooth. Add the pudding mix, remaining milk, and powdered sugar. Mix well. Fold in the marshmallows. Pour into the crust. Refrigerate until serving.


Saturday, March 12, 2011

Steak & Cobbler

Yep, another GREAT Saturday! Grilled rib eye steaks, peppers, and onions. Something different with the taters. Sweet corn and "lazy man" peach cobbler for dessert with ice cream. Yummy!
I think the next time I make the potatoes, I might make them with a creamy cheese...

Potatoes: I just pre-boiled the potatoes, drain..don't overcook, they will finish on the grill. I used about 1/3 cup of canola oil with salt/pepper, make sure each tater gets some oil so they do not burn on the grill, and then grilled them until golden. Transfer to a 13x9 baking dish. Cover the potatoes with crumbled cooked bacon and cheddar cheese and bake at 350 until the cheese has melted.

Peppers: I used about 2 tbsp of "good" olive oil, salt, and pepper, grill until tender.

Peach Cobbler: 1 cup of SR flour, 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of milk, a dash or two of cinnamon, 1 stick of butter, 1 large can of sliced peaches. Mix your flour, sugar, milk, cinnamon, set aside. Using a 13x9, melt your stick of butter in the oven at 350 until "just" starting to brown, then add your flour mixtures, then pour the can of peaches on top. Bake until golden. Do not over bake, you still want some juices from the peaches.




Sunday, March 6, 2011

Banana Cream Brownie Dessert

  • 1 package of fudge brownie mix (13x9 inch pan size)
  • 1 cup of milk chocolate chips, divided (or semi-sweet, peanut butter)
  • 3/4 cup of dry roasted peanuts, chopped (divided)
  • 1 cup of mini marshmallows (optional)
  • 3 medium bananas, sliced
  • 2 1/2 cups of cold milk
  • 1 large instant vanilla jello pudding
  • 2-8 oz container of cool whip or 1 large
Prepare brownie batter according to package directions for fudge like brownies, stir in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, marshmallows, and 1/4 cup of peanuts. Spread into a 13x9 greased baking pan and bake at 350 for 28-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool.

Slice bananas; arrange in a single layer over the brownies. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of peanuts and 1/4 cup of chocolate chips. In a large bowl, beat the milk and jello pudding until set, fold in 6 oz of whipped topping and spread over the top. Spread the remaining cool whip on top and then sprinkle with the remaining nuts and chips. Enjoy! (will need to be refrigerated and you can omit the final cool whip layer)





Salisbury Steak with Mash Potatoes and Sweet & Sour Carrots

  • 2 lbs of ground beef
  • 1/4 cup of Heinz 57
  • 3 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp of Dijon mustard
  • 3 tbsp of dried/minced onion
  • 2 tsp each of garlic powder, onion powder, lemon pepper, Tony's
  • salt & pepper to taste
Mix all of the above and form into footballs :) Cook in a large skillet over medium heat until they form a nice brown crust. They will finish cooking in the gravy. Remove from the skillet and mix 2 cups of water with 2 packets of brown gravy or homemade gravy McCormick mix. Add the gravy mixture to the skillet, then add the steaks back to the skillet, with any drippings, and cook until done. About 10 minutes. Serve over mashed potatoes.

  • 1 small package of frozen sliced carrots
  • 2 cups of 7 up
  • 4 tbsp of butter
  • 4 tbsp of brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
  • salt & pepper

Thaw the carrots. Cook them, covered,  in the 7 up until tender. About 20-25 minutes. In a medium skillet, melt the butter, then add the mustard and brown sugar and cook until dissolved. Add the carrots and cook about 10 minutes until coated and almost all the liquid has dissolved. Serve.