What's for Dinner?

Not sure about the wisdom of this, but we're having Taco Soup for Conny, from Melanie. :) I'm not questioning the widsom of it because it isn't a super-yummy, super-easy recipe, but because I have these two terribly nasty canker sores from biting the inside of my mouth last week. Yuck. And MOST of the ingredients in this soup are tomatoes. I normally love tomatoes. In fact, they've been a huge part of my cravings this pregnancy, but tomatoes and canker sores don't often mix. We'll see what happens...

Another thing...I've got a dentist appt. tomorrow, and the last week or so of brushing hasn't been quality near those awful sores. I feel bad for my dentist. I'm also just now questioning why I just told you all of that. Hmmmm....well, either way, you really should try this recipe. And you might enjoy it a little more than Iwill if you don't have canker sores. :/

Fall Into Flavor: Egg Rolls & Fried Rice

I grew up on this stuff. This is the recipe my mom uses and I l-o-v-e it. It's nothing like what you get in Chinese Restaurants, lemme tell ya. My husband hates egg rolls, but he LOVES mine and actually asks me to make them. You'll have to forgive me if I don't really make sense while sharing this recipe. I know it by heart, I don't use a written recipe, so this might be a little rough.

Mmm, taste the Egg Rolly goodness already.

Here's whatcha need to make'em.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of ground beef
• 1 head of cabbage
• carrots
• or just a bag of slaw mix - it already comes with cabbage and carrots and it's sooo much easier than slicing and dicing. :)
• Oil (veggie or olive)

Instructions:

• Brown ground beef (say THAT 10 times fast)
• drain and mix in with the cabbage and carrots in a large blue bowl (okay, okay...it can be another color, but I prefer my Blue Bowl.

• Place mixture by the spoonful onto egg roll wrappers diagonally. Fold bottom corner up. Side corners in. Dip your finger into an egg white, spread on top corner, roll, secure. I realize this can sound incredibly confusing, so I've provided a series of pictures.

• Place egg roll carefully into hot oil. Flip when bottom side is browned.
• After both sides are browned, place on a paper towel so oil gets soaked in.

You can't have Egg Rolls without Fried Rice, can you??? Don't answer that...I say "NO!" :)

This is SUPER easy...

Ingredients:

• About 2 1/2 cups of prepared rice (I used brown rice because I like the texture)
• A Handy Dandy "Fried Rice Seasoning Packet" (I only use about half of the packet, despite what the directions on the packet say. And I don't put my Soy Sauce in the rice at preparation. I let my guests decide how much they want.
• GREEN ONIONS (I forgot this essential part of the dish this time, and definitely changes the taste. That's why it's in all CAPS.
• Bacon (1 package, fried up and torn in pieces) - Mmmm, Bacon.

  

  P.S. DO NOT let your husbands fry up the bacon...you will not have enough for the dish. He will eat most of it while he's tearing it in pieces. I'm just sayin'.
• 2 eggs (1 of those eggs will come from your egg roll securing substance...for lack of a better term.
• Soy Sauce (optional)

Instructions:

• While the Egg Rolls are a'fryin', fry up the bacon and get the rice going. While this is happening, and you're done assembling Egg Rolls, scramble your eggs in a skillet (or Wok, if you want to be traditional).
• When rice is done, add it to the skillet along with torn bacon, chopped green onions and half packet of fried rice seasoning.

Egg Rolls & Fried Rice must go together...like Peas and Carrots, only not as healthy - but really, REALLY tasty.

Fall Into Flavor: German Red Cabbage

I'm a little late in posting this weeks Fall Into Flavor...do forgive. I've been editing photos and more photos from the myriad of fall photoshoots from October. Now that it's cooler and the leaves are all dull and crunchy, there are less requests for photoshoots. Also, the Hubs and I have been hosting friends for dinners (which has been all too fun!) and it's gotten me out of my dull cooking habits. I'm enjoying stepping out of the box (literally - boxed dinners) with a little homemade (from scratch!) German flair! Sylvia - you might like some of these!

So, this week, I'll share one colorful and zesty sidedish that I call "German Red Cabbage." I'm sure there is an official German name...I may have to get back to you on that one in a few years. ;)

I decided that red cabbage is now one of my favorite...vegetables??? For a very shallow reason: it's color. Isn't it stunning? I must admit, my crush goes further. It actually tastes fabulous, too! It's kind of a "meaty," if you will, kind of cabbage with a sweet taste. I like it. Alot.

I have to say, the recipe says to cut it into strips. I was lazy, and used scissors. Plus, it made cooking feel more like craft-time! ;)



I also must admit my complete ignorance when it comes to spices. I actually had to buy all of these. None of them were already in my pantry. Not to mention, I had to ask a fellow shopper in the grocery store where to find a Bay Leaf! I was looking in the produce section, expecting to find it with the Cilantro and Parsley (which, I apparently can't tell the difference between, as my meat dish called for fresh Parsley and I ended up with Cilantro...nice).



My favorite part about this recipe has to be the apples, though. It adds just the right amount of sweetness and tartness. And it's an apple...who doesn't like apples in the fall?

Speaking of fall - - this recipe calls for a Dutch Oven (yeah, I don't know what the connection is, either...just thought I would make myself a nice segway with the whole "fall" thing). And another admittance of total culinary ignorance: I don't really know what a Dutch Oven is. I mean, Hello...where am I going to find a Dutch Oven in America anyway? Plus, I'm making a German meal - so it just wouldn't do. What did 'do' then, you ask? A crockpot, friends. Love 'em. I pretty much let this cabbage stuff simmer on low for like, 6 hours. It's forgiving like that, it seems. And, the whole apartment smelled lovely like red cabbage and sweeeeeeeet apples!



Here's how it's done folks...

Ingredients:

♥ 1 medium red cabbage, cored and sliced (or cut with kitchen shears)
♥ 2 lart tart apples, peeled and sliced
♥ 1 medium sweet onion, sliced and separated into rings
♥ 1 1/2 cups of water
♥ 1 cup cider vinegar
♥ 1/2 cup sugar
♥ 1 TBS butter
♥ 1 tsp salt
♥ 6 whole peppercorns
♥ 2 whole allspice
♥ 2 whole cloves
♥ 1 bay leaf
♥ 2 TBS cornstarch (which I totally forgot about, so if you forget, it'll still be yummy)
♥ 2 tsp cold water (aaand, I forgot about this, too)

Instructions:

♥ In a Dutch over (or crock pot), toss cabbage, apples and onions. Add water, vinegar, sugar, butter and salt. Place the peppercorns, allspice, cloves and bay leaf on a double thickness of cheesecloth (I used a coffee filter). Add to Dutch oven, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/4 hours.

♥ Discard spice bag. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir in cabbage mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stor for 1-2 minutes or until thickened (wish I would have done this part...it was too soupy!)

Enjoy!

Fall into Flavor: Tortellini Soup

This recipe has been a hit at many fall/winter potlucks! I just made it for a friend and she requested the recipe - so I figured, this weeks "Fall Into Flavor" recipe has to be my Tortellini Soup. I should have prepared for this by taking a few pictures...but, alas, I did not. Good thing we have 4 more wonderful weeks left to share our Fall Flavors!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

♥ 2 tsp olive oil
♥ 1/2 c chopped onion
♥ 1 garlic clove, pressed
♥ 2 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken or vegetable broth
♥ 1 cup (4 oz) dried cheese-filled tortellini
♥ 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
♥ 1 1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
♥ 1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
♥ Grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

♥ In 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat.
♥ Add onion and garlic, cook and stir until tender.
♥ Add broth; bring to a boil.
♥ Add tortellini; cook according to package directions until tender. Do Not Drain.
♥ Stir in tomatoes, basil and spinach; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
♥ Sprinkle cheese over each serving.

And because I can't help but add a picture, even if it's not of my Tortellini Soup....

For MORE "Fall into Flavor" recipes, visit Lid at 2nd Cup of Coffee!

Much Ado About Dinner: Egg Rolls and Fried Rice

I knew you would be SO curious as to what we're having for dinner tonight. And because I NEVER disappoint, I will tell you.

Egg Rolls (a favorite from my past-time. Mom made the BEST eggrolls EVER)
Fried Rice (another favorite - it was always the side to the eggrolls)

Aaaaand, that's it.

We have so many leftovers (Veggie Pizza and Cake Mix Cookies) from the past few days that we just need to finish those off.

Now I'm going to share our family Eggroll and Fried Rice recipes with you. Enjoy!

_____

Egg Rolls

Ingredients:

1# ground beef
1 package of cole slaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
1 package of egg roll wrappers
1 egg
oil

Directions:

Brown ground beef; drain and put in a large mixing bowl.
Add cole slaw mix and well, mix!

Break egg into a small bowl.
Separate an egg roll wrapper from the stack and spoon filling onto wrapper.
Follow directions on egg roll wrapper package as to how to wrap them.
Use egg white to seal your wrapper.

Fry Egg Rolls in hot oil until brown and crispy!

It's that easy.

Disclaimer: This is ALL from memory. Forgive me if it sounds a little confusing.


_____

Fried Rice

Ingredients:

Rice
Soy Sauce
Bacon - fried and cut into small pieces
Eggs - scrambled
Green Onions - chopped
Packet of Fried Rice Seasoning

Directions:

Prepare Rice accordingly.
Add to skillet w/ cooked, chopped bacon, scrambled eggs and chopped green onions.
Add Soy Sauce until mixture is light brown (not too much!)

Ta Da!

Again, going by memory...be gracious. ;)

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Mmm. These are Delightfully Yummylicious! I've tested these at Jim's workplace and well, let's just say that he brought home an empty tupperware dish! This is another recipe I got from Stacy, who got it from ME Wires, who got it from S.Gutwien. It's made it's rounds...and I think it's safe to say it's been enjoyed on all levels! Now, I'm getting the recipe out there because I LOVE it so much. Jim gave it a 3 1/2 on our scale of 1-5. So, it's another one to make later (or sooner).

Another incredibly EASY cake mix recipe.

Ingredients:

1 Lemon Cake Mix
1/2 Cup of Oil
1 (3 oz) lemon instant pudding mix
1 Cup of Hot Water
4 Eggs
1/4 cup (or less) of Poppy Seeds

Instructions:

Mix all & beat for 4 minutes
Pour into prepared muffin pan/mini-loaf pans
Bake at 350 degrees
50-60 minutes for cake
40 minutes for loaves
25+ minutes for mini-loaves
15 minutes for cupcakes
Insert tootpick to check doneness. If toothpick comes out clean, it's done!

Indulge...and it's a good one to share, too!

Cake Mix Cookies

This recipe is SOOOO easy. In fact, I'm taking a box of Cake Mix to my baby-sitting job today for a fun project to do together and have a treat to reward ourselves for our "hard" work!

YOU will LOVE the simplicity of these cookies - I've already made two batches myself and am tempted to do more for Dad for Father's Day! Oh, and Jim gave these cookies a 3 1/2 on our scale of 1-5. This is how I know whether to make the recipe again or not and 3 1/2 is not bad! I would have given them a 4 1/2, but that's just me! Also, thanks Stacy dear for the recipe - I must give credit to whom credit is due! She's the time-saving cookie-baking genius!

Ingredients:

Any box of cake mix (I like the Devils Food and Funfetti)
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Oil or substitute with Apple Sauce for a healthier alternative
Powdered Sugar (Optional if you're doing the Devils Food Cookies)

Instructions:

Mix all together
Roll dough into balls and place on cookie sheet (dust with powdered sugar for Devils Food Cookies)
Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes

Yup, that's it. Seriously. It's that easy! Have fun & Enjoy!

Bonnie's Cheeseburger Soup

Last night, the Hubby and I tried Bonnie's Cheeseburger Soup.

(Bonnie from Van & Bonnie, that is.)

It was Mmm, Mmm Delish! You should try it.

Click Here.

We Ate Jeff...

Those of you who have read of my Pheasant Happenings, and even those of you who haven't, were interested in exactly how we prepared Jeff, so that we could eat him. First, I should say that I didn't "skin" him, Jim did. I couldn't stomach it having seen Jeff's expression before I inadvertantly sent him to the Pheasant netherworld. Not to mention, it was a stinky job and Jim was a willing soul. O.K. more than willing, he was eager. Perhaps it made him feel as though he went hunting that day and maybe he even imagined he shot the Pheasant himself in a brutal faceoff between man and beast. Doubtful, as I'm the imaginative one, but possible that it made him feel cool nonetheless to skin the Pheasant.

"Pheasant in a Crock," is originally a British recipe called "Pheasant in a Brick." It's been adapted, which I'm glad for, because I don't use bricks to cook.

Actually, the old British way of cooking the bird was to put him in "an unglazed earthenware clay pot that looks like a miniature metal drum turned sideways with a spout on the end." Apparently, the pot is called a "brick." Only guessing.

Here's the recipe as given by Beth Hensperger in "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook."

Cooker: Medium Roud or Oval
Setting & Cook Time: High for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours

Ingredients:

3 to 4 sprigs of fresh thyme (I used the dried stuff, we already had it on hand)
3 sprigs of fresh parsley (again...dried)
2 cloves of garlic, one crushed the other sliced (We actually marinated our bird in garlic butter over night to give it a nice flavor)
One 2 to 3 pound Pheasant, rinsed and patted dry
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 Large Orange
4 Strips of smoky bacon or pepper bacon (we weren't picky, we used the cheaper brand, which I think was Honey)
1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil (veggie oil worked for us)
1/4 cup of chicken broth (we made ours with chicken bullion cube & boiled water)

Instructions:

1. Put the thyme, parsley, and crushed garlic inside of the pheasant. Tuck the garlic slices between the legs and body. Season the pheasant with salt & pepper. Remove the zest from the orange in long, thick, curly strips and lay them over the breast. Wrap the breast with the bacon and put the pheasant in the slow cooker. Halve the orange and squeeze the juice all over the bird. Put one of the squeezed orange halves in the cavity. Drizzle the pheasant with the olive oil and broth. Cover and cook on HIGH until the meat is tender and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 180 degrees F, 3 1/2 to 5 hours.

2. Serve the pheasant on a platter, with the juices poured over.

Smucker's Caramel Pecan Pie

This is one of my favorite Fall Recipes! If you don't like Pecan Pie, then you should try this! This pie totally changed my opinion about Nutty Pies and now, I look forward to baking it for Thanksgiving every year! I've been told, it's a Party Favorite and it's been enjoyed by Pecan Hater's themselves! Seriously, try this! There are other Smucker's recipes on
www. smuckers.com. This year, the Caramel Pecan Pie is right on the Homepage! Must be that good, eh?


INGREDIENTS
1 9 inch unbaked pie shell
2/3 C sugar
1/4 C butter, melted
3 eggs
1 Jar Smucker's Caramel Ice Cream Topping
1 1/2 C halved pecans


INSTRUCTIONS
In mixing bowl, beat eggs slightly with fork.
Add sugar, stirring until dissolved.
Stir in caramel and butter, mix well.
Stir in pecan halves.
Pour filling into shell.
Bake @ 350 degrees for 45 min. or until knife inserted off-center comes out clean.
Cover; chill to store.