Chicken Paprikash

Here's a most fabulous recipe that Liz and I found in my new Food Network magazine.
Chicken Paprikash.  Saute onions and bacon in a pan.  Cut up chicken, put it in a mixture of flour, paprika, marjoram (but we used italian seasoning because I had no marjoram!  Aaack!  The odacity.)  and salt.  Then put it in the middle of the pan and let it brown for 6 minutes.  Then add chicken broth and let it simmer for 10 minutes or until the chicken is done.  Add sour cream and parsley.  MMMMMM!
We had it with a romaine salad with tomatoes, bacon, cheddar cheese, and smoked gouda cheese.
And fresh steamed broccoli.  Hardly anything is better than fresh steamed broccoli.  It's dream.

So YET another successful meal, and this time made entirely by LIZ and Sarah!
Bon Appetite!

Hot Pepper Jelly stir fry

I know, I make stir fry's all the time.  But this one was particularly good!  First, I sliced up pork in thin slices and threw it in the wok.  Then took it out when it was golden brown and added sliced up leeks, carrots, celery, red pepper, and minced pickled ginger and garlic.  Then the secret ingredient...well, it isn't secret aymore...hot pepper jelly!!!! Add the pork back in when the veggies are crisp tender and add some angel hair noodles.  Teriyaki sauce, and walaah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mayonnaise Chicken

Sounds gross?  It makes the chicken SO moist!  Pound out the chicken, slather it in mayonnaise, and coat it with bread crumbs.  Then put it in a shallow oiled baking pan and throw it in the oven for about a half hour or so on 425.  So good!  My middle girl, (5 years old) ate a WHOLE chicken breast!
We also had roasted garlic pine nut couscous with tomatoes and parmesan, and I made my very first warm bacon spinach salad.  YUM!
I ate all of the salad.
The kids ate all of the chicken.
I didn't even have to put any leftovers in the fridge tonight!  But now I'm regretting it, it smells like old garlic in here.
I gotta clean...........

Parmesan Almond pork chops

SO good!  That's all I can say about it!

Pound out some boneless pork chops and salt and pepper them.  Then dip them in egg and then in a mixture of parmesan cheese and almonds all ground up together so it's a fine bread crumb texture.  Heat up some olive oil in a skillet.  When it's hot, turn it down to medium and put the pork chops in for 4 minutes.  Then flip and cook 4 minutes more.  They will be a golden brown.

We had it with fresh steamed broccoli and cheesy rice.

The pork chops were the star of dinner for sure!  And they were moist.  Something rather rare in a pork chop dinner.

Cheerio.

Noodles and Beef with sauce

Homecooked was the theme I went with tonight.  We had side pork, chopped up and fried till crispy with olive oil, garlic, and thyme.  Then I removed that from the pan and put in cubes of tip steak that had been tenderized.  I added chili powder, salt, and pepper.  Then took those out.  With the remaining juices, cooked some chopped baby carrots and then some mushrooms.  Added it all together with a jar of garlic spaghetti sauce and peas.  Serve the sauce over linguini noodles with some cilantro sprinkled ontop.  Thank you Rachael Ray!
I also whipped together some butter, garlic cream cheese cooking sauce, and cottege cheese and spooned that over pieces of cheese rolls.  Broiled it.  YUM!  Cottege cheese really works nicely in a garlic bread form.  You should try it.  It melts nicely!
All served with a side of what????  Salad, of course.  A spinach salad with tomatoes, bacon, and smoked gouda, and a dressing of Paula Dean's peach dressing.

Honestly, I hated the peas in it.  I think it de-elevated the dish.  Something warm in the stomach, though.  The cilantro made it extra good, but I don't think I would have liked it if there was not cilantro ontop.  Cilantro always makes things taste more fresh and delicious.

Cheesy scalloped potato and ham soup

Remember that smokey scalloped potato and ham with pecan bacon green beans we had?
We have TONS of leftovers.  Miraculously, the green beans got all eaten up that first night.  Otherwise, a plate full of potatoes and like half of the ham!  What can I say, when I get a ham, I get a big one.  Make it worth my while...
I found this quart size carton of Wisconsin cheese soup, which on its own is horrid.  I mean, so fake cheesy with no depth of flavor!  So I poured that into the saucepan, added scallions, salt, pepper, the smokey scalloped potatoes, a bunch of diced ham, garlic, and some more smoked paprika.  Then added some fresh grated parmesan in the end because it still lacked a richness I was trying to achieve.
Mmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!  The girls thought it was weird, but my honey was like, "is there a lot more of this left?"  I told him "enough a big lunch for you tomorrow."  He smiled, relieved.  I'm so happy he liked it!  And it took literally 15 minutes to dice and chop and fix up.  So kuddos to the gross Wisconsin cheese soup in a quart size carton!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Anything with cheese can be great.

eggs n spinach

I got up this morning and cleaned the house, studied for meeting, did my talk...so I thought that while the baby is sleeping I deserved a nice breakfast for myself.
Wilted spinach with bacon and eggs and parmesan cheese ontop.
Mmmmmm.
There's nothing like the feeling of being a mommy and making a special breakfast just for yourself, eating it while drinking a fresh hot cup of Donut Shop coffee while watching a girly show.
I think I deserve it today.  I'm taking care of myself for the moment.
Until later when I have to clean.
But for now, the time is mine, and I'm gonna love it.

ham, scalloped potatoes, green beans

So this is no ordinary supper.  Sounds like it, right?
We bought a spiral cut ham because, well, people, let's face it.  They're deliciously thin and the edges are all carmelized and chewy.  Delicious.
Then I made homemade scalloped potatoes!  My sister used to always make them and I thought she was a kitchen whiz for it!  But I found this recipe with shallots, half and half, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, potatoes, parmesan cheese, and sharp cheddar cheese.  SO good and cheesy!  And the paprika added so much.  It wasn't that strong either, but the aftertaste was to die for!
Then for the green beans, the real star of the show.........
fresh green beans, crispy bacon, carmelized onions, crushed red pepper, and toasted pecans.
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.
I've never ever loved green beans so much!
So this is a newsflash for me-*try something new with veggies!*  Next on my list, cauliflower and artichoke sauteed.
I still get the Rachael Ray magazine.  RR and I are tight, like this-
But now I get the Food Network magazine.  It's quite a bit more expensive, but still SO worth it.  There are some to DIE for recipes in there!  I'm saving the copies.  If anyone wants to take them, let me know.  Seriously, either Rachael Ray or Food Network.  I got em here for you.  Oooh, and I want to try creamed corn ice cream.  With carmel corn ontop.  Yeah JIM....don't knock it till you try it.  And I'll let you know when I do.  It's going to be fireworks in my mouth.