Cole Slaw

Yes, another post. Two in one weekend!

Yesterday we had Child 1's birthday celebration. I made Chuck Roast Barbecue.  We had chips for a side. But I was really craving some cole slaw.  So I thought, "Why not?" Cole slaw and barbecue go together.  Even in December.

I have never made Cole Slaw other than using a bagged slaw and a nice slaw dressing, all pre-made.

However, with some diet changes in our household, buying the jar of dressing was a big no-no.

What to do, what to do.

I went to a message board and found a recipe that I thought would work. And it seemed simple. Plus it fit our diet restrictions.

Please know when I say diet, I am not referring to losing weight. I am referring to avoiding certain foods due to reactions. :)

I say that because once you will see the recipe you will wonder what kind of diet we are on. It is not low calorie, though I did calculate them and it wasn't horrible.  The bun for my Chuck Roast was actually higher.

Anyway, here is the recipe with my modifications.

Ingredients:
1 bag of shredded cabbage/carrots (A slaw mix but no dressing).  You could also shred your own but I didn't need any extra chores.

1 Tbsp minced onion (I cheated and used dried minced onion)

1/3 cup white sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

2Tbsp vinegar (I just used white distilled)

2 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions:
Place cabbage, carrots, and onion in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix together remaining ingredients until smooth.

Pour over the cabbage mixture.  Chill in the fridge until time to serve it.

The original recipe was actually double of all of the sauce ingredients and that is how I made it. Then I ended up pouring off a LOT of the dressing. So I would definitely halve it (what you see above) next time.  It is probably because I didn't use a whole head of cabbage but rather the bagged stuff.

Either way, it was good. In fact, it was one of my favorite slaws I have ever tasted.

I will be making this again...

Reba

Cheesy Potato Sausage Casserole

One of our favorite new dishes this year has been the sausage and potatoes skillet meal.  I have only one child who won't eat it (doesn't eat potatoes in ANY form) but the rest of us devour it...TWO skillets worth! 

So when I saw this on Pinterest, part of me thought, "I already have a meal like that...I don't need another."  But what I couldn't get past was the fact that cheese was involved.  The only thing that can make foods better for me is cheese (or chocolate, depending on what kind of food it is :).

So I gave it a try.

And I loved it.

I have a feeling I will be alternating between the two from now on. Still love that skillet meal in all of its simplicity and with the right herbs/spices involved.  But there is something about gooey cheese on potatoes too...

It is hard to see much of the cheese in the picture; it all just kind of melted into the dish.

But it was there.

Dancing on my taste buds.

Yum.

Ingredients:
6-8 potatoes, peeled and sliced (I used my mandolin on a medium slice, I think I used 6 and had PLENTY of potatoes)

1 lb smoked sausage.  I like the beef.  The one change I would make to this recipe is that I would use TWO lbs. instead. I wanted more sausage. :)

1 medium onion diced (I do not like cutting onion, so I totally cheat with frozen chopped onion :)

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 stick butter

1/2 lb (around 12 slices) American cheese or other preferred cheese. I got REAL American cheese from the deli for this. Oh yum.

Directions:
Boil sliced potatoes until tender.

Slice sausage and heat in the skillet.  The original recipe had the sausage and the onions sauteed separately.  I just did it all together. :)

In a casserole dish, alternate layers of potatoes, sausage and onions, and cheese.  So I had potatoes, sausage and onions, cheese, potatoes, sausage and onions, and cheese.

Top with salt and pepper.

The original recipe called for using the butter by dotting the top with it.  I honestly think I forgot to do that.  The cheese on top was enough richness for me. :)  I don't think I used butter at all.

Tightly cover with aluminum foil.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Enjoy!

Happy cooking!

Reba

The Mid-Week Menu (Yet Again)

Here it is, mid-week. And I am just now posting a menu.

But I am cooking.

Well, mostly. :)

As much as is possible this time of year...

Sunday:  Cheesy Sausage and Potato Casserole (new recipe...yum!), rolls

Monday:  Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (I was actually at a social event, so my crew and hubby were on their own)

Tuesday:  On Your Own  (smoothies for the little ones and me, just for fun)

Wednesday:  Braided Spaghetti Bread

Thursday:  Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken, rice

Friday:  Pizza (4 cheese, ham, and pepperoni/Canadian bacon)

Saturday:  Chuck Roast Barbecue sandwiches, chips, and chocolate pie for Child 1's birthday "party" (with family)

That is what is going on at our house.  How about at yours?

Reba

Taco Pasta Bake

 I apologize for the lighting.  My kitchen light is not very photography-friendly...

Not long ago, I posted a recipe for Taco Pasta Shells.  It was good stuff. I really, really, really enjoyed it.

Unfortunately, we are taking a break from tomato products for now.

Which means that recipe is on hold. :(

And I had only made it once!

Sigh.

I do hope to make it again.

In the meantime though, I wanted something similar.  Minus the tomato sauce.

I was quite delighted to click on Pinterest not long ago and see this recipe.

Just what I wanted.

Very similar but NO tomato products.

Tonight, we gave it a try.

It probably didn't help that I was hungry before I even started cooking.

By the time it came out of the oven, I was salivating.  Maybe even drooling.

And it was exactly what I wanted.  Exactly.

Except I wanted to eat much more.

Dumb calories.

Anywho, we will be having this again.  Soon.

You know what it is like?  It like a Mexican twist on the family favorite Mostaccioli!

In fact, for today's recipe, I used ziti. But next time, I would like to try mostaccioli noodles instead...

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:
 1 to 1.5 lbs ground beef, browned

1 envelope taco seasoning (we actually make a homemade taco seasoning mix these days)

1 cup water

ziti or other large noodles (I definitely want to try with mostaccioli)

1/2 block cream cheese

1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded cheese (I used Sargento's four cheese Mexican blend)

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Boil pasta and drain.

Meanwhile, brown ground beef.  Drain if needed. 

Mix the seasoning and the water.  Pour over the ground beef.  Let it simmer around 5 minutes.

Mix the cream cheese into the ground beef.  Stir until melted and mixed.

In a casserole dish, pour the pasta.  Mix in about a cup of the shredded cheese.

Top with the ground beef mixture.

Then sprinkle remaining shredded cheese on top.

Bake uncovered for around 30 minutes.

Very easy.  Very simple.

Enjoy!

Reba

The Week After Menu...

Oops!  That last post wasn't really supposed to be on this blog. It should have been on my CloudCrew blog.  Just in case you were wondering what on earth I was doing.  I can't really answer that.  I don't know what I was doing either. :)

Anyway, here is the menu for the week after Thanksgiving at our house.  At least this year.  Always subject to change...

Sunday:  Turkey and gravy over biscuits, mashed potatoes, leftover salad, leftover dressing, leftover desserts

Monday:  Breakfast for dinner...pancakes and bacon.  I don't know why something so simple is as exciting as it is to my crew, but this is one of their favorites.

Tuesday:  Beef Stew (new recipe), crusty rolls (new recipe)

Wednesday:  On Your Own/Mommy and Daddy sushi night :)

Thursday:  Pan Fried Swai, brown rice, carrots/Ranch, and Parmesan garlic bread

Friday:  Taco Pasta Bake (new recipe), chips

Saturday: Cheesy sausage and potato casserole (new recipe), rolls, and possibly salad

So, this week it was back to life, back to reality, back to cooking.

What are you having for dinner this week?

Reba

Thanksgiving Highlights

I hope you had a happy happy Thanksgiving full of food, family, and fun.

Ours was full of...something. :)

I am just joking.

It was a good little "break".  No, that isn't the right word.  Vacation.  No, that isn't the right word either.  Anyway, it was a nice 5 days at home.

Here are a few of our highlights:

•  We were really supposed to be in Mississippi for Thanksgiving.  However, whenever it was announced that the LSU/Razorback game would be here in Fayetteville this year (this game is typically at LSU or in Little Rock), my hubby sweetly invited his family here and announced we would be staying home.  They didn't get to come but we still stayed home and enjoyed our time together.  Even though the Hogs lost.  Again.
• I cooked my first turkey!  I was terrified. It wasn't as much the cooking as it was the cleaning.  That grossed me out. I can pull my children's teeth out all day long without blinking my eyes.  But pulling a neck out of a turkey's cavity...well, that made me a bit queasy.
• I totally "cheated". I used a roaster (as in an electric one).  The whole timing of side dishes with the timing of the turkey and with very limited oven space...well, it was worth it.  It didn't get as brown as it would in the oven but it cooked very nicely and very quickly.  And it was yummy.  
• I also attempted my Mother-in-law's cornbread dressing recipe.  It was good but not as good as hers.
• The whole meal (or at least my portion) was "clean" for my diet restricted child.
• My favorite part of the meal was by far the pumpkin cake with caramel sauce. I make it about once a year.  And that is the reason...I would eat it all of the time if I made it any more than that.
• We were able to visit with friends who once lived here but now reside in Florida. They stopped by with their children.  It was cool outside but the kids spent most of the time outside anyway which gave us a chance to just chat.
• Though none of my kids is perfect (or ever will be), I couldn't help but marvel at how they really are growing up.  The youngest sat throughout the entire Thanksgiving meal.  That in itself is a HUGE accomplishment.
• I read a book (Mindset) in about three days for school.  I learned a lot from it. I think there is a future blog post coming for that...
• The girls had carpet put in their newly painted room which was completely the wrong carpet.  So a few days later, the company came back and took that out and put in the correct carpet.  Totally messed up "my plans" but in life, we have to be flexible.  Like it or not.
• We are in the process of redecorating the girls' room. The furniture is basically set up.  Beds are made.  Now we just need to decorate and accessorize...
• Hubby and I assembled the shelves that are now the bed bases for the girls without any arguing. There may have been a little sarcasm thrown around but no arguing.  That would never have happened 15 years ago.  Dare I say it...we might be growing up. :)
• One night we needed a break from turkey (plus I was limited on time), so I made our favorite Korean beef.  I also decided I really wanted a French type bread. So I visited the very handy Pinterest and found a recipe.  90 minutes later, we had French bread on the table.  Who knew I was capable of these things? :)  I certainly didn't.
• Last Wednesday (the first day of our break), I was feeling very ambitious.  I put together our Christmas photo card and sent it in to be printed.  There was a coupon for cards for THAT day so I went with it. About 20 minutes later, I had an e-mail that the cards were ready. I hopped in the car and drove down the street and had cards in hand in just a few minutes. Now let's see when I get them sent...
• I did not go shopping on Black Friday.  At all.  
• We did nothing fancy over the break, nothing extravagant, nothing that exciting. But I enjoyed it.  Each and every moment.

More soon,
Reba

French Bread

The other night we needed a break from turkey and dressing and mashed potatoes. I had actually planned on making gravy to eat with the leftovers and serving that over biscuits. But we had some company, time got away from me, and before long it was 5:30.  And I was out of mashed potatoes. 

I needed a change of plans.

So I decided that Korean beef sounded really good.

It always sounds good to me.

That is because there are NEVER leftovers.  NEVER.  So the night I make it is my one shot to eat it.  And with a growing teenager in my house, I truly do only get one shot.  I blink, and it is gone.  Literally.

Once I had that settled, I started thinking about bread.  I really wanted a good bread to eat with it. But we were almost out of our Thanksgiving (Rhodes) rolls. And I didn't have much in the freezer that was quick.  Even more, with one of our kids on a limited diet, I was even more limited in my choices.  So I did what any cook in that situation would do.  Started surfing Pinterest.

My "Rolling in Dough...Bread Dough That Is" board.

I quickly perused several recipes. Some I didn't have ingredients for. Others I didn't have time for.  I was getting a little panicked.

On a whim, though, I visited the site for this Easy Homemade French Bread.  Easy is a favorite word of mine in cooking.  And I LOVE French bread. It was the homemade part that scared me a little. I haven't done much baking and am still learning.  However, desperate times call for desperate measures.

I went to work.

I threw my ingredients together.  Kneaded it.  Gave it a little time to rise (not really the right amount of time but it worked :).  And then shaped it and baked it.

I think I broke several of the recommendations on the recipe, mainly due to lack of time.

But guess what?

It worked.

The bread was delicious.

I kept sitting there, truly basking in each and every bite, saying, "Did I really make this???"

The bad thing is that I don't think any of my children truly appreciate what a feat that was...I threw dinner AND some French bread together in an hour and a half.

They just think it is normal.

Ha!

Anyway, here is the recipe with some of my own notes.  I will be making this again. I actually have one of the loaves-since it made two- in the freezer, ready to warm up one day. It is taking all I have to NOT warm it up right now and eat each and every bite.  Myself.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups warm water (not too cold, not too hot...just right :)

2 Tbsp yeast (The original poster used instant. I only had rapid rise.  It worked.)

3 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp white vinegar

1 Tbsp salt

1/3 cup oil (vegetable)

6-7 cups flour (I was running low on my regular flour so I used my King Arthur's unbleached all purpose)

Directions: 

Add the warm water, the yeast, the sugar, and the white vinegar together and let it sit for 3-5 minutes (until bubbly).

Add in the salt, oil, and flour.  Add the flour a cup at a time.  Knead together.  The dough should be soft but still easy to mold/shape.  I added 6 cups easily but then added just a bit more. The dough was sticky but it was fairly easy to shape.

Place the dough and a pot of boiling water in the oven.  Let the dough rise.  Punch down if/when the dough reaches the top of the bowl. 

The oven is supposed to be off (per the original recipe).  However, I knew my time was limited. I turned my oven just above warm (around 175 degrees) and put the water (which keeps the dough moist) and the dough in the oven.  I only had time to punch it down once.  It worked for me.

Remove the dough from the oven once it has risen and been punched down a few times.  Or one time if you are like me. :)

Spray the bottom of a large cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cornmeal.

Divide the dough into 2 or 3 portions.  Shape into loaves.  I made 2 large loaves, mainly because my family is full of bread eaters.

"Slash" (cut diagonally) the tops of the loaves 3 or 4 times.

"Whitewash" with a beaten egg.

You can then let the loaves sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to rise or if you are in a rush (like me), you can put it back in the oven at 175 degrees with a pot of boiling water.  Don't put the water in or ON the loaves.  Just in the same oven. :)  Let it rise until it is the size you would like.

Then take the pot of water out of the oven and turn the oven up to 375 degrees. 

Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and enjoy.

Putting butter on a warm piece...Oh yum. My mouth is watering!

Though it wasn't fast fast, it was still about 90 minutes (of my time) total.  (If I ever had more time though I would let it rise a little more)

90 minutes for the pleasure of eating warm homemade bread...totally worth it.

Reba