Cheese Pear Toasts

Don't you just love simple food? This recipe came from a Martha Stewart Everyday Food magazine, which just so happens to be my all time favorite cooking magazine EVER! It was written up as an after school snack. How about an I-don't-want-to-cook snack, or an I-have-no-more-ideas-for-dinner meal? It is nutritious, and delicious, and oh so quick to make. Please please please be sure you use real cheddar cheese and not cheese food product or velveeta.

english muffins split in half
grated cheddar cheese
ripe pears, sliced 1/4 inch thick or so

On each english muffin half place about 1/4 of a pear. Top with a mound of grated cheese. Broil with the door open, peering in anxiously as you wait. Do not walk away from the oven, you will burn them. They are done when the cheese is sizzly and ever so slightly browned on top.

It's not just email baby.

Somebody call CPS cause I've done something very wrong. And bad. That no loving parent should ever do to their children if they love them. Yes, I tried to feed my children Spam. I had a coupon for a free single serving. It sounded like such an easy option for dinner when I didn't really want to cook. Ok, ok, I'm sorry. I'm sorry *sob*...I'll never do it again.

Seriously though, lets talk Spam. Not only is the texture rather odd, but the fat content is out of control. I cooked it a little bit in a skillet, like my Korean friend does, to brown it up a bit, and get off some of the grease. The response I got: "Mommy this is yucky meat. I don't like it." At least my children's natural instinct is to stay away from artery clogging fat laden food. That is, except for donuts, and ice cream, and candy bars, and chips, and the list goes on and on.

I actually don't mind the taste of Spam. It's not bad. It is especially greasy though. You look at the information on the back, and 22 grams of total fat seems huge, but that is a pretty big piece of Spam. You'd have to be really dedicated to eat the whole thing by yourself. And the sat fat is pretty darn high too. What the truly discerning consumer really needs to know is what kinds of fat contribute to the 22 grams of Total Fat in the Spam. Lets do some fat arithmetic shall we? 22 grams of Total Fat minus the 8 grams of sat fat leaves 14 grams of mystery fat. I need to know what these fats are. I'm curious after all. Do you think they'd tell me if I called them and asked?

If I were the Spam people, I'd be playing up any monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats that might be in there. Then they could promote Spam as an artery cleaning food. Well maybe not. But, they could do some fuzzy fat arithmetic and extrapolate how the good fats cancel out the bad fats and then Spam is therefore a fat neutral food. But, what if those mystery fats are BAD, SCARY fats. Worse than the 0 transfats that are listed on the back. Until recently we didn't even know that some of the mystery fats we were eating were transfats *shudder*. Perish the thought! How could we have been ingesting those terrible little boogers and not know it? Mystery fat....I need to know. How about you?

Salami Pasta Salad

My husband loves this pasta salad. It is again, another lovely salad for those longing for spring. If you have a Costco in your area, look for the Nature's Sweet grape tomatoes. Not only are they cheaper than those you'll buy in your regular grocery store, they are the sweetest most incredible tasting tomato I've ever tried. And I've grown a lot of tomatoes in my garden. I always wonder if they inject them with MSG and sugar or something. You could add marinated artichokes to this and it would be lovely also.

12 ounces Tri-color rotini pasta cooked according to package directions, rinsed, and cooled
1 can medium olives, drained (I like medium because they are more bite sized for a salad.)
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, fresh or brick cubed, or feta cheese crumbled
4 ounces salami, sliced into ribbons or cubed (cubed looks better)
2-3 cups grape tomatoes halved
1/3 cup sliced green onions
fresh basil
5 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon pepper

Layer basil leaves in a smallish line, roll up, and slice on the diagonal. Combine pasta, mozzarella, salami, tomatoes, and green onions in a large bowl. Sprinkle basil over top of pasta mixture and combine gently. In a small bowl, whisk to combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour over other ingredients in large bowl and toss gently. Refrigerate and serve when chilled.

Pork Tacos

These are my favorite tacos. The recipe came about in an interesting way. I used to buy those huge packages of pork tenderloin chops at Costco. I don't know why for sure, because I would always struggle in the end to use it all up. I'm just not that good at cooking pork chops. Finally out of desperation, I think I was out of ground beef, I tossed some in the food processor and pulsed them until they were slightly chopped. Oh...my...gosh! The flavor of pork tenderloin is fabulous in a taco with all the fixings. You've just got to try it!

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 pounds pork tenderloin chops
1 (20 ounce)package salsa corn (Please see picture below.)
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt

Cut the pork chops into roughly 1 inch chunks. Toss into your food processor and pulse for a few seconds until the meat is roughly chopped up. It will be in much bigger pieces than hamburger. Be careful to not over process the meat, or it gets gummy. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook the pork until it begins to brown. Sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, and salt. Stir and cook, toasting the spices until they become fragrant. Turn down the heat to medium low, add the salsa corn, stir, and cook for 10-15 minutes or so until the pork and vegetables are cooked through. Serve with corn tortillas, sour cream, fruit Salsa, cilantro, lime wedges, and grated cheddar cheese.

*I don't serve this with cotija cheese, my usual taco cheese, because it does not pair well with fruit salsa. If you do use tomato salsa, feel free to use the cotija, it's great!

Amy's Fruit Salsa

Here's one of those recipes that is summery, fruity, and totally do-able in the winter. Everything comes out of a jar except for the kiwis, which are a winter fruit anyway. The mango can be found in the refrigerated produce section. If you want, use fresh mango, but I don't like using them so much because you never know quite how much pit vs. fruit that you actually have in there. This salsa is delicious. Let me warn you. You will not be able to resist it's gravitational pull. But don't worry, it's a fruit! We all need more servings of fruits and veggies in our diets! This salsa tastes wonderful over pork in tacos. (Pork taco recipe coming soon.)

1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 jar Del Monte Sunfresh Mango, drained
3 kiwis peeled
1 cup diced roasted red bell peppers
4 tablespoons minced cilantro
3 tablespoons white sugar
5 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Dice the mango into smallish pieces, but not as small as you would if mincing it. Dice the kiwis into similar sized pieces. In a bowl combine pineapple, kiwi, mango, red bell pepper, and cilantro. In a small bowl combine sugar, vinegar, and crushed red pepper. Mix thoroughly and pour over fruit mixture. Mix gently and let sit at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes if you can wait that long. Serve.

Chicken Poppy Seed Salad

I'm one of those ridiculous people who crave winter food in the summer and vice versa. So for the next little bit, I'll be sharing some foods to fulfill that need. Fortunately for me, and all of the deranged passengers in the same boat, there are salads that you can cook in the winter that won't cost an arm or leg, and also use produce that is fresh in the winter. Thanks to that country shaped like a Chile pepper, we have delicious fresh grapes in the winter. Let us make use of them and be thankful.

12 oz. cellentani pasta, cooked al dente
2 cooked chicken breasts chopped into bite-sized pieces
4 oz. cheddar cheese cut into cubes
1/2 cup celery diced
1-2 cups red grapes (how many do you want in your salad?)
1 bottle of Brianna's Poppy seed Dressing

If at any time a quantity does not meet with your satisfaction, please change the amounts to suit yourself. Combine all ingredients and mix gently. Eat. Enjoy. Feed to your toddlers.

I have included this post in a blogging event called the "Wholesome Lunchbox" It's healthy, and you can make it organic if you want. Add a piece of fruit, a bit of something sweet, and a healthy drink such as juice or milk and you've got a lunch that anyone would love.

Jin Hee's Fried Tofu in Soy Sauce

I'm sure there's an appropriate Korean name for this. I don't know what that name is, so I named this dish after my friend who taught me how to make it. Korean food is something that we Americans don't eat very much. We should! It is so darn delicious. That is, unless you don't like garlic. Koreans are very into their garlic from my personal experience. If you haven't ever tried Korean food, go out and find a restaurant today. Or go to your favorite sushi place and ask them to make you some authentic Korean food. Most of them are run by Koreans these days and they are always very happy when someone shows interest in their cuisine. Why don't we Americans eat more Korean food? (I may not have the proportions exactly as she taught me, but this is kind of how we like it.)

olive oil
1 brick of extra firm tofu
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
3-4 green onions sliced
2-4 cloves of garlic, depending on your garlic love, finely minced
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Drain tofu. Wrap in a clean kitchen towel, set on a plate, put another plate on top and then put something heavyish on top of that plate to remove excess water from tofu. Let the tofu drain for 10-15 minutes. While the tofu drains, combine soy sauce, water, green onions, garlic, sesame seeds, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Slice drained tofu into 1/4 inch thick slices. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a non stick skillet on medium high heat. It is essential to use a non-stick skillet or your tofu will stick miserably. Beware of spatters of hot oil as you carefully slide slices of tofu into the oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, turn over slices and then repeat. Drain hot tofu on paper towels. Place tofu in a serving bowl, and pour soy sauce mixture over tofu. Serve with Calrose rice.

Do you like to use the store brand?

I am all about saving money at the grocery store. I like to use the store brands, but I'm usually afraid. What if it's not any good? Then you've wasted all that money. Well I am all about going to great lengths for my readers. After using my sister in law's Western Family cooking spray, I knew what I had to do. My mission was clear. There *ARE* differences between the various store brands and generics. I had to tell the world.

In a side-by-side comparison, you can clearly see a difference in the two products. On the left we have the Western Family cooking spray, and on the right we have the Great Value (Wal-mart) cooking spray. I think the picture speaks for itself. When you spray that Western Family spray, it just runs everywhere. My husband being the scientist that he is, had to know why. Well here's our hypothesis. If you do a side by side comparison of the ingredients on the back, you will see that the Western Family brand includes water. Why on earth would you put water in a cooking spray? I have my guesses as to why. I mean seriously is soybean oil that expensive? All of the other ingredients are virtually identical except for the addition of water. Mystery solved, case closed. And there you have it.

PS. The butter smell of the Great Value spray is a bit funky.

Darren's Italian Chicken

This is an easy recipe. You only really need four ingredients. Five if you count the side order of pasta. Try to get past the odd photo I have here and imagine. You're tired, and worn out. Suddenly your relatives appear right at dinnertime. What to do? Have I got a solution for you. And it is just as delicious as it is easy. It's another of my husband's all time favorite dinners. Again the amounts will be approximations because it depends on how much you want to make. I found this recipe in Parents magazine way back in 2004.

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Frozen breaded chicken breasts or tenderloins

pre-made pesto

sliced mozzarella cheese

bottled marinara sauce

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Heat the marinara sauce over low heat so it won't spatter all over the place. Heat your oven to whatever temperature the chicken package recommends. Cook the chicken on a baking sheet for 1/2 of the recommended cooking time. Remove from the oven. Spread pesto over each chicken piece and top with mozzarella. Return to the oven and bake for the remaining 1/2 of the recommended cooking time plus 2 extra minutes or so. Serve chicken piece on top of a pool of marinara sauce and pasta on the side.

The Great Debate

A couple of nights ago I had a conversation with my husband about this blog. It went something like this"

"I'm going to blog the Frito Pie we had."

"Why would you want to do that?"

"Why are you telling me that I shouldn't put Frito Pie on my blog?"

"It's too low brow."

Now come on. I am all about food. That would include things that you only find on the table of a busy mom without a lot of time to cook, or even food found at a football game. How can I not blog the Frito Pie? There might be some person out in cyberdom, although they probably don't read my blog, who might not know how to make Frito Pie. It's a kid-friendly, kid-favorite dinner. You can sneak camouflaged vegetables into the chili. And what about all of that corn in the Fritos? Corn is so good for you.

So for all of those moms out there among my 5 faithful readers, who have run out of ideas and are desperate to shake things up a bit, and who have forgotten this dish from their childhood. Make Frito Pie! You don't need a pie plate! You don't need a recipe! The picture is the recipe! Make some chili, or use leftovers. If you absolutely must use canned, but it makes me gag. If you are in a hurry, use the McCormick packet to make some chili. Put in canned diced tomatoes instead of tomato sauce to get in some good veggies. For the best appearance assemble each persons individually in their bowl. Throw in some Fritos, top with chili, and then cheese, and then if you're not lactose intolerant, crown it with a heap of sour cream.

Ta da!!! Dinner is served!

Caramelized Onion, Mushroom, and Chicken Quesadilla

Do you like quesadillas? I absolutely love them, but I've never been that good at making them. That is until I recently discovered a secret to making them crispy, but not greasy. Make your quesadilla in a non-stick skillet and spray the tortilla with cooking spray prior to cooking. Who would have thunk it? Your chicken that you use can be left over chicken. Just whatever you have handy, rotisserie, grilled, boiled, fried. It's all tasty in a quesadilla. You could even sub in pork or steak. Just don't use hamburger, your quesadilla deserves better.

2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 small onion, sliced thinly
5 medium mushrooms, sliced thickly
1 chicken breast thinly sliced
6-8 slices of pepper jack cheese broken up into pieces,
(or 2 cups or so of pepper jack cheese)
4 medium sized tortillas

Melt margarine in a small skillet. Add onions and mushrooms and cook over medium low heat for 10 minutes or so. Add chicken slices in the last 2 minutes or so of cooking to the onion mushroom mix to heat them. The quesadilla will heat through more evenly if you heat the chicken first. Spray one side of of a tortilla and place sprayed side down in a large skillet over medium heat. Place 1/4 of the cheese on the tortilla in the pan, add 1/2 the onion mixture, and top with another 1/4 cheese. Add tortilla to top ,and spray with cooking spray. After it has cooked for about 3 minutes, press down with a spatula to adhere toppings inside, slide a spatula underneath it, place your hand on top and gently flip over. Cook for another 3 minutes or so. Serve it with salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, whatever makes you happy. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make a quesadilla for your friend.

Bea's Chicken Casserole

My grandmother was a great Louisiana cook. She made the best fried chicken. I have the fondest memories of eating dinner at her house. During the summer was the best. This casserole was one of her recipes. Again, it must be said, that I don't know what is so wrong with casseroles in photos. They just don't photograph well. Don't let let the picture deter you. I promise you will find it delicious.

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1 pound spaghetti, cooked

3-4 chicken breasts cooked, and chopped into bite sized pieces

2 tablespoons margarine or butter

1/2 cup celery, diced

1/2 cup onion, diced

1 small can mushrooms, diced

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1-2 cans Rotel tomatoes, undrained

16 ounces Velveeta, cut into cubes

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

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Preheat oven to 350 F. Saute celery and onion in margarine until soft. Stir in cream soups and Rotel tomatoes and their juice. (If you want it spicy, put in two cans, it won't affect the consistency of the casserole.) Add Velveeta and stir until melted. Combine all ingredients except for grated cheese. Put in greased 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle grated cheese over top. Bake for 30 minutes.

Home Fries

How about some home fries? You know those crunchy yet soft potatoes you can eat at any meal. They're so tasty. And probably not very good for you. But who cares. And guess what! They're easy to make too. Use left over baked potatoes, or steamed potatoes, peels on or off. Go crazy.

This recipe is only approximations because you should do it to your own tastes. If you use already cooked potatoes, just cut them into chunks, and skip the cooking in broth step.

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Home Fries

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4-6 potatoes cut into 1x1 1/2 inch chunks or slightly bigger if you want

3 tablespoons of olive oil, or butter or any combination

1-1 1/2 cups chicken broth

seasoning salt

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Heat butter/oil in large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. (You could do this in cast iron, but it may still stick unless you've got a really well seasoned pan. And you'll have to use more oil.) When hot add potatoes and cook for about 1 minute. Pour in broth turn down to medium-low, cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart. The broth should be pretty much cooked out at this point. If it's not you could pour some out. All you should have left is a bit of the butter/oil and potatoes. Cook the potatoes until browned turning them over gently with a spatula. Don't stir them or you'll break them into pieces. When they are brown enough for you, sprinkle with season salt and serve.

Toasted Pecan-and-Broccoli Salad

This salad is very good and fresh tasting. Never in my life would I have thought that this combination would be as incredible as it is. The toastiness of the pecans with the tartness of the cranberries, and sweet acidity of the salad dressing are perfect partners to the broccoli. You can make it all low fat if you absolutely must. Use low fat mayo, and turkey bacon if you can stand it. Or you can do just blow it all to pieces and use the full fat versions. You only live once you know.

1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli florets, broken into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries or raisins
4 cooked bacon slices, crumbled

Stir together mayonnaise, vinegar, and sugar and let it sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so the sugar dissolves. In a small skillet, toast pecans over medium head until fragrant and barely browned. In a large bowl combine broccoli, onion, cranberries, pecans and mayonnaise mixture.

Lamb Meatballs with Citrus Sauce

These meatballs are very tasty. If you've never tried lamb, you should. It has a slightly stronger taste than beef, but it is especially yummy with Indian inspired seasonings. I got the meatball recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens 2006 holiday publication "Appetizers."

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 1/4 teaspoons grated ginger

3 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 pound ground lamb

1 pound lean ground beef

1 cup barbecue sauce

1 cup orange marmalade

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all ingredients except for barbecue sauce and orange marmalade, mixing well. Shape into meatballs 1 1/2 inch in diameter and place on rimmed cookie sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through. Mix together barbecue sauce and marmalade. Pour sauce over meatballs and serve warm.