Vegetable beef stew

This stew was created from the leftovers of our pot roast supper from the night before. This is my favorite way to make beef stew. The meat is tastier and much more tender when you are using leftovers. ;-) Not to mention how simple it is to throw together! I added a can of rotel, a can of corn and a can of green beans to my leftovers that I had cut up the night before. I chopped a little white onion and added some more fresh chopped celery to the pot while it slow cooked. It was so hearty and robust! Another successful meal placed on the table! I looked around at a lot of happy faces that night! Yay Me!

Pot roast and mini strawberry cream cheese pies

This was our Valentines Day supper! Traditional pot roast with mini french rolls. Dessert was mini strawberry cream cheese pies. YUMM!


Mini Strawberry Cream Cheese Pies
1 block of cream cheese softened to room temperature.
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 C. lemon juice from concentrate

Mix first 3 ingredients on med/hi speed until well blended. Approximately 3 minutes. Slowly add the lemon juice while mixing. After juice has been completely added mix for 1 additional minute.

Pour into pie shells. This recipe will yield 12 minis or 1 regular size graham cracker pie crust.
Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to set the pie. After the pie has set, open a can of your favorite pie filling or topping and spread on top. ENJOY!!!

My family loves the strawberry pie filling paired with the graham cracker crust. My personal favorite however is a shortbread pie crust with the blueberry pie filling on top. YUMM!

Indoor grilling

 Okay so I have to tell you guys that I am in love with my stove top grill/griddle! It sure makes it easier on me to get my grill on without having to go out in the freezing weather to do it! I do have to crack the kitchen window and turn on the vent above the stove though. It is so worth the money if you guys do not have one, get one. My suggestions for cleaning it is to spray it with Easy Off oven cleaner and let soak in for about 30 minutes. Then using a grill brush, scrape and scrub the charred remains off the pan. Make sure you towel dry this off very well so that rust does not start to build up. If using cast iron make sure you keep it clean and seasoned after any good scrubbing.

These steaks are marinated in minced garlic, teriyaki, lime juice, a splash of soy sauce, mesquite liquid smoke and onion powder. They are super yummy! ENJOY!!!

Taco Stromboli

Taco Stromboli
  1 lb. hamburger meat. Browned, drained and taco seasoning added.
  1 tube of Pillsbury french loaf dough,
rolled flat on a flour dusted surface.
  Spread meat over dough. Top with your preference of shredded cheeses and jarred jalapeno slices.
  Bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until bread is golden brown.
  TIP...After removing from oven, paint with melted garlic butter. Yumm! :)

  Top with salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream, or whatever other yummy taco toppings you love. ENJOY!!!

Kabobs

        Kabobs!
Upper left, steak.
Upper right, chicken.
Middle center, fresh fruit.
Bottom center, shrimp and bell pepper with sweet onions.

Chicken tortilla soup

 Chicken Tortilla Soup


Heat 1 T. Canola oil in bottom
Add 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast cut into small pieces.
Add 2 T. Paprika
1 T. Cumin


Cook till meat is done.


Add;
1 can rotel
1 can of diced green chilis1 can corn (drained)
1 regular size can of chicken broth
6 C. Water
Knorr Mexican chicken bouillon (to taste, I like it really "chickenie" so I use 4 cubes)
1 tsp. Crushed garlic
Cilantro (to taste)
1 cut up zucchini
1 cut up summer squash
1/2 small white onion diced
The juice of half of a lime1 bag of white minute rice

Boil for 25 minutes.
Serve with tortilla crisps, a spoon of salsa, sliced avocado, cheddar and MONTEREY JACK cheese. ENJOY!!


My family loves to eat shredded beef tacos with this soup. Just toss a nice round bottom roast in the slow cooker with 1/2 C. water, salt, and two beef bouillon cubes and cook until it falls apart. Shred meat and place in soft tortillas. Top with your taco favorites. Cheese, lettuce or cabbage, salsa, guacamole, onions, or whatever you like. ENJOY!!! 

Strawberry Stuffed "Pancrepes"

Holy moly these were amazing!!! Cool whip and strawberry filled "pancrepes" with sliced oranges, red grapes and honey vanilla greek yogurt for breakfast this morning! Super simple to make too! Just water down your pancake mix to make a very thin pancake. Fill with whatever yummy fruit you like and cool whip! Ta-da! ENJOY!!!

Chicken and shrimp po' boys

Chicken and shrimp po' boys with seasoned french fries that I made for the boys night before last. Huge hit as always! My plate is the one with the shrimp and grilled chicken. :)

About supper last night

Last night I finally made the crab pastini recipe that I discovered in a seafood cookbook a few weeks back. As soon as I saw the dish in the picture I started craving it! I love snow crab and any excuse to cook it,  I take. As soon as the crushed red pepper hit the olive oil/garlic butter blend my nose was being teased and my mouth was actually watering! The aroma of the garlic, pepper and lemon was tantalizing! When I tasted the angel hair pasta after it had been tossed in the blend and salted, I was blown away! I LOVE this dish!!!
That being said. My older two kids didn't really care for it. Anthony said it was too seasoned. Which I found to be odd for him. Nathan said it just didn't taste right. I can only think of one or two things here. One, neither of them may actually like fresh Italian parsley, or two, they might not have been feeling the olive oil. Thomas liked the taste but the peppers were too spicy for him. Prieto loved the pasta. My husband loved the entire meal and took the leftover in to work with him this morning. This may end up being one of those non-kid friendly meals. I would totally recommend it for a "date night" meal though. The grown up, mature palate will be very pleased that you did! :) Also, that Italian garlic/cheese bread was amazing!   I hope you guys enjoy checking out the pictures and the recipes. My next supper mission will be chicken and shrimp po boys at Anthony and Nathan's request. The next dessert creation in the works was inspired by my older sister Jana. It will be a Mounds pie. Coconut cream, with milk chocolate and toasted almonds. It is her current favorite coffee flavor, who knows, I may just mix in a small shot of espresso and call it a coffee mound pie. :) I guess you will just have to wait and see.

Crab Pastini Recipe

Crab Pastini

Bring a large stock pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 pounds of
crab legs still in shells. Boil for 12 minutes. Remove from stock pot
and place in an ice bath to cool down.

In a pasta pot bring water with 1T. of olive oil and 1tsp. of salt to
a rolling boil. Add 1 pound package of angel hair pasta and boil for 6
minutes. Drain.





In a large skillet melt 3/4 stick of butter with 1/2 c. Of extra
virgin olive oil, 1 tsp. of crushed red pepper, 5 cloves of crushed
garlic, and 2 T. of fresh lemon juice.  Cook till fragrant. Appox 4
minutes.

Remove crab from ice bath. Using a mallet or rolling pin bang on crab
shells hard enough to crack the shells. Do not remove the meat. Place
cracked crab legs into skillet with hot oil/butter. Toss to coat
shells and then let rest for 3 minutes each side to reheat the crab.
Add drained angel hair pasta and 1/4 c. fresh chopped Italian parsley
and toss until all pasta is evenly coated. Add sea salt and fresh
cracked black pepper to taste. (I like a lot!)

After plated add shredded parmesean cheese on top of pasta.

I like to serve with a fresh loaf of Italian bread halved lenghtwise,
brushed with garlic butter and sprinkled with 6 cheese Italian blend
by Kraft. Bake in oven at 400* for 20 minutes. Remove, slice and serve.

ENJOY!!!