Friday, September 4
I think I'll stick with my cheese curds
Check out this video on Fox News.
So, would you try it? What are your favorite fair foods?
Mine are cheese curds, thee chocolate chip cookies and lemonade.
Saturday, August 29
A Sunday Meal
I wish this post was about my awesome husband and brother-in-law helping my mommy make rolls. FYI this photo was taken over three years ago. This post is dedicated to a crock-pot and a lovely Sunday meal.
Oh the memories of Sunday afternoons growing up. The wonderful meal awaiting us when we got home from church- roast and mashed potatoes. Usually when I start to crave something, I just have to have it; which is the exact reason for this post.
I have decided to try and just use my point and shoot for this blog. When I try to take good food photos I get too wrapped up in photos rather than food. I am no pioneer woman.
My biggest tip, which I learned from the mother, is to brown your roasts. YOU MUST!
So, season your meat (I am using beef) with salt- pepper- garlic. I like to use Steak Seasoning- it's fast and easy.
Get a pan nice and hot with oil and brown the heck out of it. Brown every side until it has a nice color to it.
Add your desired veggies to the crock pot and make the meat happy. Cook on low or high, whatever you have time for.
For me, roast must be served with mashed potatoes. Cut in fourths and add to a pot of water. Bring them to a boil and once they come to a boil turn to low and cook for 12 minutes. They will be perfect.
This is all you need, well plus the juice from the pot, to make stellar gravy. Now, I have come to the realization that my gravy will never surpass my mothers. I always either make it too thick or not thick enough.
I might have to make this again tomorrow. Make the potatoes lovely by mixing them with milk, a lot of butter, sour cream and garlic.
And you have a meal to make you so full. Seriously, after eating this I told Brian that I haven't felt that full in a long time. It was a good thing.
Sunday, August 9
Sweet Corn
Tuesday, August 4
Fried Ravioli
Giada, from the food network, knows her Italian! I saw this the other day and could not wait to try it! I am so glad I saw that episode- we have a new favorite easy Italian dinner.
This recipe is courtesy of Food Network adapted by me.
Ingredients
- Olive or vegetable oil, for frying
- Buttermilk
- Italian-style bread crumbs- I used Progresso
- 1 box store-bought cheese ravioli (about 24 ravioli) I used Buitoni
- 1 jar store bought marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce
- Parmesan Cheese
Directions
Pour enough olive oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F.
While the oil is heating, put the buttermilk and the bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Working in batches, dip ravioli in buttermilk to coat completely. Allow the excess buttermilk to drip back into the bowl. Dredge ravioli in the bread crumbs. Place the ravioli on a baking sheet, and continue with the remaining ravioli.
When the oil is hot, fry the ravioli in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried ravioli to paper towels to drain.
Sprinkle the fried ravioli with Parmesan and serve with a bowl of warmed marinara sauce for dipping.
They were so good, easy and cheap!! Enjoy please!
Eat well and be happy!
Wednesday, July 29
Green Bean Casserole- No Cans Used!
I am a sucker for homemade things so when I thought about green bean casserole at Thanksgiving I thought- I could totally make that from scratch!
I grabbed my cooking bible- The New Best Recipe- and was set.
I was in love! So different from what I was used to, but wonderful.
The sauce was so fresh and creamy and the beans had a great slight crisp to them.
Most of my meals are planned while I am walking around the grocery store. This time I waned to make steaks for the husband and needed something fun to go along. So, I made the casserole.
It takes maybe a half hour from start to finish, including all of the chopping.
I am new at this whole cooking and photographing thing. It was not easy!! I think I am going to have to take only pretty photos of the finish product and snapshots of the process.
So, here is the casserole.
I will post the exact recipe later.
Along with our beans we had loaded mashed potatoes and steak.
Mushrooms- recipe actually calls for cremini but I used button
Fresh green beans with ends trimmed
small red onions
use any onions you have or shallots
Set aside on a paper towel and wipe out skillet
Heat the butter over medium heat-when foaming subsides add onions and cook until the edges brown
Add 1 T flour and garlic
Add mushrooms to beans and cook uncovered until beans are tender- about 4 minutes.
Remove bay leaves, season with salt and pepper if needed and top with onions
Mashed potatoes filled with goodness!!
Want to make perfect mashed potatoes?! Here is what you need to do.....
Peal and cut potatoes into chunks
Add to a pot of water
Cover and turn stove to med-high
Once the water starts to BOIL turn your burner to low/simmer and cook for 12 minutes
Drain and set back on stove for 2 minutes to dry
That is all there is to it- they will be perfect every time!
The potatoes new lovers. I don't measure with these- I just throw in and it works. So, weather you want tons of flavor or just a little you are in charge.
I usually mash my potatoes in the mixer, but for this meal I needed to do them as quick as possible. I threw in all the ingredients at once and mashed away. If you don't have a masher like this- get one they are awesome- it was only a few bucks at the store.
Brian and I sat down to eat and we each had a few bites and sighed
What did you have for dinner tonight?
I'm going out with my in-laws
Monday, July 27
Back Then......
This past weekend we went to Living History Farms while we had family in town. It was a lot of fun and I loved going around seeing how "cooking" would have been back then.
So, here is a post dedicated to what my cooking life would have been like "back then"
I would have to make someone else do this job. Could you imagine turning this with your hand?!! Makes me quite thankful for my automatic one :D
I remember in third-grade we churned our own butter at school and it was so fun. I am a bit to comfortable with just going to the fridge to get butter today.
My stove would have looked like this if I was a lady in the 1900s. However... I am sure I would have been dressed a little more covered.
Food would be cooked over an open fire. I would have probably caught myself on fire. Back then they dried all of their food so they always made soups to rehydrate it.
Please just leave a quick comment to just let me know that I have readers. Thanks!!!