weekend cooking

Weekend Cooking: Helpful Kitchen Finds

Jun 172017

The other day I was hopping around on the internet when I came across these and decided to order them. They came in the mail yesterday. I haven’t used them yet, but will review them when I do.

Q-glove Silicone Oven Mitts Heat Resistant Glove

These will come in so handy for flipping food on a grill. No more dropping food when it slides of the metal spatula! They’re heat resistant up to 425 Degrees Fahrenheit!

Oksale 60 Second Salad Cutter Bowl

I love salad but sometimes having to cut everything up one thing at a time can be time consuming and not a lot of fun. I haven’t used this yet, but I plan to soon. Just throw everything in the bow and cut in the slots.

Have you used either of these? What do you think?

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Weekend Cooking:
Quick Easy Recipes: 5 Ingredient Cookbook by Hannie P. Scott

weekend cooking

Jun 102017

Quick Easy Recipes: 5 Ingredient Cookbook: Easy Recipes in 5 or Less Ingredients (Quick and Easy Cooking Series)

Quick Easy Recipes: 5 Ingredient Cookbook
by Hannie P. Scott

I’ve had this e-cookbook for a while but didn’t check it out until today. There are many recipes I want to try, including the one I’m sharing with you today. I do wish that the recipe had the nutritional values included. I can figure it out myself, but having them included would have been so much better and quicker to add to my food tracker.

I want to try the Mashed Cauliflower recipe soon too. There are slow cooker, stove top, and dessert recipes. When I make this I’ll let you know what we thought,

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Weekend Cooking: Weird Food

weekend cooking

Jun 032017

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

I ran across these recipes and really had to think about whether I’d try them or not. There are some that I would try, and some that are just too weird for me. Would you try any of them?

Dill Pickle Bread @ Delish (I can’t believe I’ve never heard of this before)

The Humm Dog with Bacon, Black Truffle and Celery @ Food Republic

This post @ BuzzFeed has 33 weird combinations that taste really good (?)

Deliciously Weird Food Combinations @ HuffPost

Weird & Wacky Regional Recipes @ Food.com

Weekend Cooking: The Melting Pot

weekend cooking

May 062017

April 28th was my oldest granddaughter’s 19th birthday. She wanted to try a new restaurant, The Melting Pot, so that’s where we went. It was a nice restaurant. We liked the food, but the entree wasn’t as good as I was expecting. The website says to expect the meal to last 3 hours. It took us 4, I suppose because there was so many of us, my son Jeremy and dil Susie, grandkids Arianna and Jordan, Luigi who is a friend of Arianna, my son Anthony, and me.

You get to choose the type of cheese and chocolate you want for two of the fondues.

The cheese fondue comes with artisan breads, seasonal fruits and veggies.

The chocolate fondue comes with fresh strawberries, blondies, bananas, pineapple, marshmallow treats, pound cake and brownies.

For the entree I got Tampa Big Night Out which included cold water lobster, teriyaki-marinated sirloin, Memphis-style dry rub pork, sriracha lime shrimp, Sun-dried tomato chicken, & wild mushroom sacchetti.

I liked that we got to cook our own meat in a pot. All the food tasted good, especially the chocolate fondue. Of course I couldn’t eat it all so I ended up bringing some of the meat home.

We had a fun time, I love spending time with my family.

This is the chandelier above our table.
I thought it was a bit strange, but I liked it.

If you’ve been to The Melting Pot before, what did you think?

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Hawaiian Grilled Cheese

recipes, souper sundays, weekend cooking

Apr 152017

I saw this recipe @ House Of Yumm and since I love grilled cheese and all the ingredients used in it, I decided to try it. The only thing different I did was use slices of Colby Jack cheese instead of shredded Monterey Jack.

2 slices of bread
3 slices of pineapple, fresh or canned
3 slices canadian bacon
shredded Monterey Jack cheese
butter
oregano and parsley

Butter one side of each slice of bread and sprinkle with parsley and oregano to taste

On non buttered side of bread place the shredded cheese, then the canadian bacon, pineapple, and top with the other slice of bread, buttered side facing up

Cook sandwich on stove top on a griddle or frying pan

Once bread is toasted on one side flip the sandwich to toast the other side

Cook on a low heat to allow the cheese to melt while the bread is toasting

What I Thought
This sandwich was so good! I’ve never added oregano and parsley to the bread when making grilled cheese, and I loved the flavor it added. Quick and simple, and very yummy, I’ll be making this again!

Weekend Cooking

Souper Sunday

I ♥ Sweet Tomatoes

family, weekend cooking

Jan 282017

My daughter and I go on day trips once in a while. Two weeks ago we went to Lady Lake and stopped at Sweet Tomatoes, one of my top 3 favorite restaurants. For soup and salad, it’s #1. If you’re not familiar with Sweet Tomatoes, they’re a salad, soup, and baked goods restaurant. And their food is oh so yummy. I didn’t get a photo of the salad bar because we got there just as they were opening the door and there were a bunch of people waiting to get in. By the time I tried to take a photo, there were people on both side of the bar and I couldn’t get a good shot. Next time. There are more soups and bakery items than in the photo, it was just hard to get a clear shot with the people standing in front of them. I know the restaurant isn’t in all states, but if you haven’t been to this restaurant, check to see if there’s one near you. Their food is so good!

Sign Outside

Soup Bar

Bakery Bar

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Hosted @ Kahakai Kitchen

Paula Deen’s Crock Pot Potato Soup

recipes, souper sundays, weekend cooking

Jan 202017

Paula Deen’s Crock Pot Potato Soup

1 bag (30 oz) frozen hash-brown potatoes
2 cans (14 oz ea) chicken broth
1 can (10.75 oz) cream of chicken soup
1/2 C chopped onion
1/3 tsp ground black pepper
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

Optional Garnish: minced green onion, shredded Cheddar and bacon

In a crock pot, combine potatoes, broth, soup, onion, and pepper. Cover, and cook on low for 5 hours.

Stir in cream cheese, cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until combined.

Garnish with green onion, and/or Cheddar and bacon if desired.

Thoughts
I’ve always made homemade potato soup using my mom’s recipe. This time I thought I’d look for a recipe online and see what I could find. I found this recipe by Paula Deen and thought I’d try it.

I wondered how the ingredients would work since I’ve never used cream cheese, chicken broth, or cream of chicken soup. It was easier than easy to make, and the ingredients didn’t cost much.

The soup was good, but I think I’ll stick with my mom’s recipe most of the time, and use this for when I’m not feeling like peeling a bunch of potatoes.

As you can see, I took the photo without the optional garnishes. It was fine without them, but they do add a bit more flavor.

Hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Hosted @ Kahakai Kitchen

Simple BBQ Ribs

recipes, weekend cooking

Jan 142017

This is #1 of 6 recipes for my Pin It & Do It Challenge

The reason I chose this recipe instead of the one of the many others on the web, was because it has a 5 star rating from 1038 reviews. How could it not taste good with that kind of rating?

Simple BBQ Ribs
2 1/2 pounds country style pork ribs
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons salt
1 cup barbeque sauce

Place ribs in a large pot with enough water to cover.
Season with garlic powder, black pepper and salt.
Bring water to a boil, and cook ribs until tender.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Remove ribs from pot, and place them in a 9×13 inch baking dish.
Pour barbeque sauce over ribs.
Cover dish with aluminum foil

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until internal temperature of pork has reached 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Changes I Made
I didn’t follow this recipe exactly. Instead of bringing the water to a boil, I turned the burner on low and just let the ribs cook for about 4 hours. I also poured a whole 18 oz. bottle of Stubb’s Hicory Bourbon BBQ Sauce over them instead of 1 cup.

What I Thought
WOW, these ribs were so tender! I’ve never had ribs that were that tender before. They tasted really good. We loved them and I’ll definitely make them again. I’ve added this recipe to my list of favorites. The next time we have a family get together, these are definitely going on the menu. Best ribs I’ve ever had!! There were a few ribs left, so the next day I made a sandwich with colby/jack cheese and pickles. Yummy!

This counts toward my Pin It & Do It: Food challenge

Hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

weekend cooking

Nov 262016

The other day I asked my son Anthony to stop at the store on his way home from work and get me a box of Suzy Q’s. This is what he came home with:

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, etc.

Cheese Tortellini With Peas, Corn & Alfredo Sauce

recipes, weekend cooking

Nov 052016

I’ve been craving the Cheese Ravioli w/ Broccoli & Alfredo Sauce that I’ve made before. This time I wanted to try it with cheese tortellini and switch the broccoli with peas and corn.

Cheese Tortellini With Peas, Corn & Alfredo Sauce
2- 16 oz. Cheese Tortellini
16 oz. frozen peas
16 oz. frozen corn
2- 16 oz. jars Alfredo Sauce

Make tortellini as directed on bag

Make peas and corn as directed on bag

Place tortellini, peas and corn in large pot

Add Alfredo sauce

Heat, stirring occasionally

Serve

Thoughts
I only made half a recipe since there is only two of us, and there was still a small bowl left over. I thought this was really good and suprisingly, so did son Anthony! It was a really low cost meal and so quick and easy to make. Not 100% sure, but I think I like the cheese ravioli and broccoli just a bit more because, well, it has broccoli. My son likes peas and carrots more than he does broccoli. This recipe is a keeper for when I want a quick and easy meal! The corn is hard to see, but believe me, it’s in there.

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

10 Can Chili

recipes, weekend cooking

Oct 252016

We love chili. I make it throughout the year, whether it’s cold or hot outside. I always use a recipe Henry and I came up with many years ago. But this time I used one I saw @ Around My Family Table. Here’s the recipe:

10 Can Chili
2 lbs ground beef
2-15oz cans tomato sauce
2-15oz cans kidney beans (with liquid)
2-15oz cans pinto beans (with liquid)
1 med onion, diced or one handful of dried onion flakes
1-2 small cans diced green chilis
2-15oz cans diced tomatoes
4 teaspoons cumin powder
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups water

Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. Drain off the fat.

In a large pot, combine the beef plus all the remaining ingredients, and bring to a simmer over low heat.

Cook, stirring every 15 minutes, for 2 to 3 hours.

(For the slow cooker: brown the meat. Add everything to slow cooker pot. Cook on low half the day or high for several hours. Stir often.)

Adaptions
used 2 1/4 lbs. ground chuck
didn’t add onions
melted slices of American cheese in the bowls

Thoughts
This recipe made six big bowls which was too much, we ate it for dinner three nights. If I make it again I’ll only use one can each and cut back on the spices since we both thought it was a little too spicy.

My family says I’m weird, but I always smear peanut butter on a piece of bread (or two) and fold it over to eat with my chili. It’s so good!

This is a cheap, quick way to make a pot of chili. I loved that it has cumin, I love cumin!

Souper Sundays

Bacon, Egg, And Cheese Eggo Waffle Sandwich

recipes, souper sundays, weekend cooking

Oct 162016

I was supposed to make these Bacon, Egg, And Cheese Eggo Waffle Sandwich last week, but didn’t get a round to it. So today, I decided to make it. The ingredients cost less than $10.

I very very rarely eat pancakes or waffles, I’m talking beaucoup years in between. But when I saw this recipe on the internet, it was different enough to pique my interest.

My son thought they were good but needed a little extra flavor so he put strawberry jam on his. When I tasted mine I thought the same thing, so I added some to mine. Much better! I left the cheese off, and that may have made a difference, so I may make these again with a different variety of ingredients, like adding the cheese, or some syrup instead of jam. I’ll also buy a different flavor of waffles. When I went to shop for the ingredients, I had no idea there were so many different kinds of them. The best thing about this sandwich was the bacon, of course!

Linking to:
Weekend Cooking
Souper Sundays

California Yogurt Bowl

recipes, weekend cooking

Oct 082016

It’s time to cook with Heidi Swanson @ I ♥ Cooking Club

California Yogurt Bowl

Spoon one cup of whole milk yogurt into bowl

Top the yogurt with:
a bit of thinly sliced, ripe avocado
1/3 cup lightly smashed boysenberries (or blackberries)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
scant 1/4 cup raw rolled oats
a tiny bit of sea salt, optional
Each bowl serves one

Thoughts
This was my first time trying a Heidi Swanson recipes, and it is very good. In fact, is now my new favorite breakfast. I’ll be making it a lot from now on. It will also be a great choice for when I feel a bit hungry and want something that’s light and healthy. Quick, easy, and healthy. Seriously yummy!

I adapted this a bit by not using maple syrup, I used honey instead because that’s what I had on hand. I also cut up some extra avocado and blackberries to put on top.

I ♥ Cooking Club

Weekend Cooking

Italian Sausage Baby Broccoli Pasta
with Oregano Gremolata and Pramesan Cheese

recipes, weekend cooking

Oct 012016

Italian Sausage Baby Broccoli Pasta with Oregano Gremolata and Pramesan

9 oz Sweet Italian Sausage
6 oz Gemelli Pasta
6 oz Baby Broccoli
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
2 Cloves Garlic
1 oz Almonds
1/4 oz Oregano
1 Lemon
1 T Olive Oil

Wash and dry all produce. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Line up the baby broccoli
on your cutting board, and cut into 1-inch pieces. Discard the ends.
Roughly chop the garlic. Pick the oregano leaves off the stems.
Discard the stems.

Place the sausage onto a baking sheet. Cook in
the oven for about 15 minutes.

Add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook 9-11
minutes, until al dente. While the pasta cooks, add the baby broccoli
to the same water. Cook 3-4 minutes, until tender. Remove the baby
broccoli with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Meanwhile, place the almonds, oregano
leaves, and chopped garlic in a pile on your cutting board. Run your
knife over the mixture until finely chopped (some larger pieces of
nuts can remain). Check on the pasta, drain when ready, then return
to the pot.

Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan
over medium-low heat. Add the gremolata mixture. Cook, tossing, for
3-4 minutes, until beginning to turn golden brown. Season generously
with salt and pepper. Remove pan from heat. Zest about 1 teaspoon
lemon directly in the pan, and stir thoroughly to release the lemon oils.

Thinly slice the sausage. Halve the lemon. Toss the
sausage, baby broccoli, gremolata, half the Parmesan cheese, and
a drizzle of olive oil into the pot with the pasta. Reheat over medium
heat if necessary. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in
a squeeze of lemon, to taste. Divide between bowls, serve with the
remaining Parmesan cheese.

Thoughts
I really liked this and thought it had a nice flavor. My son Anthony liked it but didn’t think it had enough flavor. After sprinkling with garlic salt he was satisfied with the taste.

The recipe was easy to do and didn’t take that much time, about 30 min.

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Weekend Cooking: Hello Fresh

weekend cooking

Sep 242016

I signed up for Hello Fresh about a week and a half ago, have made two of the recipes so far, and really liked both. I like that you can choose from 3 different plans, Vegetarian, Classic or Family. I chose Classic, 5 meals, for 2 people. You can click on their link and check out the plans and recipes.

Some of the recipes are not what I would try on my own, but so far both my son and I are enjoying them.

The first recipe I made was Dukkah-Crusted Pork Chops with Mashed Potatoes and Lemony Greens. I loved everything, but my son isn’t a fan of lemon and thought the greens were too lemony.

The second one I made was Rockfish Piccata with Sautéed Spinach, Israeli Couscous, and Lemon Caper Sauce. We both liked it all, and since I don’t like fish much I was surprised that my favorite thing was the fish.

I like that they include prep and total time to prepare, allergy alerts, cooking level, and nutritional values. As far as I can tell for the classic 5 day plan, they give you six different recipes a week, and you get to choose the five you want.

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Ham, Turkey, & Sharp Cheddar Panini

recipes, weekend cooking

Sep 202016

Ham, Turkey, & Sharp Cheddar Panini
2 slices bread
2-4 slices each of ham and turkey
1-2 slices deli sharp cheddar cheese
butter

Butter one side of each of the bread slices
Place one piece of bread butter side down on a panini press
Layer the ham, turkey and cheese on top of the bread
Top with the other bread, butter side up
Close the Panini press and let grill until bread is golden brown

I enjoy a good Panini once in a while, and this is a good one for when you don’t have a tomato or avocado on hand. I definitely would have added them if I’d had some, but this was still a yummy Panini. Sometimes it’s good to go simple.

Souper Sundays is hosted @ Kahakai Kitchen

How To Clean Burnt Pots & Scorched Pans

weekend cooking

Sep 102016

082696ae35b00b68debde43052da4fc10e431b64

(Image Credit: Sarah Starkey)

This article showed up in my email and I thought it was worth sharing. I think anyone who cooks has burnt a pan or two over the years.

Here’s the link to the article @ Apatrtment Therapy. I don’t live in an apartment, but since I’m moving to a house that’s only about 800 sq. ft., I subscribed to this because they have all kinds of information for living in a smaller place.

What You Need:
1 cup of vinegar
2 tablespoons of baking soda
1 cup of water (give or take depending on the size of your pan)
A burnt stainless steel pan that was left empty and unattended on a heated hot plate. oops!.
A scourer, because I can’t find any way to avoid it entirely

1. Fill the bottom of the pan with a layer of water.

2. Add the vinegar.

3. Bring the pan to the boil. It should be looking a bit cleaner already.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and add the baking soda. Expect fizz!

5. Empty the pan and scour as normal; if necessary add an extra bit of dry baking soda.

6. If there are any super stubborn marks that don’t come off with scouring, make a paste of baking soda and a couple of drops of water. Leave the paste on the marks for a while and return to clean as normal.

7. Ta-da! Now you can put your feet up and enjoy the many hours you saved yourself standing over the sink.

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

101 Soups, Salads & Sandwiches by Gooseberry Patch

recipes, souper sundays, weekend cooking

Aug 202016

101 Soups, Salads & Sandwiches by Gooseberry Patch

Whether you’re looking for lunch recipes, side dishes, or hearty mains, you’ll love the variety in 101 Soups, Salads & Sandwiches Cookbook. Chicken & Dumplin’ Soup, Spicy Sausage Chowder and Pioneer Beef Stew and BBQ Sloppy Joe Soup will all hit the spot! Tarragon Steak Dinner Salad and Pasta Taco Salad make tasty mains, while Mustard-Thyme Potato Salad and Raspberry Chicken Salad are great for toting to potlucks and picnics. Bite-sized or stacked high, friends & family will love sandwiches like Cheeseburger Roll-Ups, BBQ Chicken Calzones, Tuna Paninis and Lasagna Buns. Plus, with the “Terrific Toppings” chapter, you can sprinkle soups and salads with homemade garnishes like Zesty Pita Crisps and Bacon-Onion Croutons, and pile more flavor on sandwiches with Lemony Sage Mayonnaise or easy Refrigerator Pickles.

Thoughts
I’ve been a fan of Gooseberry Patch for so many years so when I saw this book I couldn’t resist buying it. I love that it’s spiral bound, and the pages are easy to wipe clean if something splatters on them.

This book will come in handy when I’m looking for a soup, salad, or sandwich recipe to post for Souper Sundays (soup, salads, or sandwiches) or Weekend Cooking.

Here are some of the recipes I want to try:
Soups
Chicken Cacciatore
Kielbasa
Meatball Vegetable Cheese

Salads
Berry Chicken
Layered Caribbean Chicken
White Bean & Tomato

Sandwiches
Scott’s Ham & Pear
Toasted Chicken Salad Bagels
Yiayia’s Chicken Pitas

Each recipe has the name and place of the person who submited it, and a few of their thouhts on the dish. The last page has U.S. to Canadian Equivlents, Baking Pan Sizes, Recipe Abbreviations, and Kitchen Measurements.

I love this book and want to add more Gooseberry cookbooks to my kitchen library.

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Souper Sundays is hosted @ Kahakai Kitchen

Grilled Cheese Sandwich With Mayo Instead Of Butter

photos, souper sundays, weekend cooking

Aug 062016

This is not the sandwich I had planned to make and share today, but someone left the Chipotle mayo at work (shhh, it was Anthony). I’ve been seeing a commercial for some brand of mayo, can’t remember which one, that says a grilled cheese with mayo instead of butter is so much better. Since my son Anthony and I both love grilled cheese sandwiches every once in a while, I wanted to test that out for myself. Luckily I had all the ingredients.

Not the best photos, but I was in a hurry.

Thoughts
Anthony and I both thought these tasted almost the same as when made with butter except that there was a slight sweet taste to it. We both said we’d rather stick with butter, but mayo would be good for anyone who wouldn’t mind a slightly sweet grilled cheese sandwich.

Weekend Cooking is hosted @ Beth Fish Reads

Souper Sundays is hosted @ Kahakai Kitchen

Food N’ Flix: Popeye & Hamburger Soup

recipes, souper sundays, weekend cooking

Jul 292016

The July movie pick @ Food N’ Flix was Popeye, chosen by Elizabeth at The Lawyer’s Cookbook. The cast includes Robin Williams, Shelley Duvall, and Ray Walston, who by the way was on one of my favorite tv shows when I was a kid, My Favorite Martian.

I loved the Popeye cartoon when I was a child and was really excited to watch this movie since it’s been many many years since I saw it. To be honest, unlike the first time I watched it, all the singing and “silly” talk got to me a bit. I almost stopped watching it a few times, but I didn’t, and am glad I didn’t. It must have been the mood I was in, because it never bothered me before, in fact I always found it “cute”. Still, when the movie was over, my thoughts were that I loved the movie and wouldn’t mind watching it again.

There were a few times food was mentioned or seen in the movie, other than spinach and hamburgers of course, but the one that grabbed me the most was a conversation between George W. Geezil and Wimpy. Here’s what was said:

George W. Geezil: What is that glop you’re eating?

J. Wellington Wimpy: It’s a soup burger.
These are difficult times. Burgers can’t be choosers.

So, I decided to make this recipe, which I found HERE, and adapted it a bit.

Burger Soup

1 lb. extra-lean, ground sirloin

1 chopped onion, about 1 cup

2 clove garlic

1 15 oz. no-salt-added tomato sauce

1 14 1/2 oz. canned, chopped, no-salt-added tomatoes

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 16 oz. packaged, frozen mixed vegetables

1/3 cup brown rice, uncooked

In a large pot, cook the meat, onion, and garlic over medium heat until the meat is done.

Drain excess liquid.

Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes, broth, mixed vegetables, and rice.

Cover the pot, allow the mixture to come to a boil, reduce heat, and cook 35 minutes or until rice is done.

Adaptions
I didn’t think this had very much flavor, so I added 1 tsp. each of cayenne pepper, garlic powder & onion powder. That made it a lot better.

Thoughts
This was a good soup. The ingredients didn’t cost much to buy, and it was easy and quick to make. The next time I make it I’m going to use a few each of Yukon potatoes, carrots, and a small bag of frozen peas, and maybe celery, instead of using a bag of mixed vegetables. was good good, but I like to try different ingredients to see which way tastes the best. I served it with a crusty bread which I didn’t take a photo of 🙁

Also linking to:
Weekend Cooking
Souper (Soup, Salad, & Sammie) Sunday

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