Broccoli for Chinese Night

I have to have a veggie with dinner. And unless I do take on brown rice, I'm bored with having just a veggie. So, I tweaked my broccoli.

Cook broccoli according to package. Set aside.

Heat together:

1 t sugar

2 T apple cider vinegar

2 T vegetable oil

2 T soy sauce

If you want to bring it to a boil, then only do so for a minute. You really only have to heat it through then pour it over your broccoli. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds or toasted almonds.

It's all in the cap

I love stuffed mushrooms. Fill it with almost anything. Here's three ways to enjoy stuffed mushrooms at your next event. To clean a mushroom cap - take a damp paper towel or washcloth (not soaked!). Lightly wipe off dirt. That's it. If you get too much water on them..... well, that's not the mushroom you want. (Thank you Publix magazine)

Spring Veggie

1/2 C bread crumbs

1/2 C shredded carrots

1/4 C sliced green onions

1/3 C grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 C sour cream

Combine all ingredients. Spoon into about 24 large caps. Place them on a baking dish. Lightly drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 425 for about 18 minutes or until golden brown.

Bacon Cheddar

1/2 bread crumbs

4 slices cooked, crumbled bacon

3/4 C shredded cheddar cheese

1/3 C sour cream

2 minced garlic cloved (2 t)

Combine all ingredients. Spoon into about 24 large caps. Also bake at 425 for about 18 minutes or until lightly brown and heated through.

Cheese Herb

1/4 C pesto (buy it if you don't want to make it)

1/4 C bread crumbs

1/4 C shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4 C toasted pine nuts

Brie slices, extra pesto, extra pine nuts

Combine all ingredients. Spoon into about 24 large caps. Top each cap with a thin slice of Brie, a small dab of pesto, and 2-3 pine nuts. Bake this one at 425 for about 9 minutes or until cheese is melted and heated through.

Summer Time Chill

Picture this: A sunny spring day. Temperatures in the high 70's. Your kids are playing outside while you and other mommies and relaxing on the porch. Here's what you have in your hand....

Strawberry Sangria

9 - C fresh strawberries, trimmed and halved; separated

2/3 - C sugar

1/2 - C water

1 -750 ml bottle white winse, such as Sauvigon Blanc or Pino Grigio

2 C sparkling water, chilled

1 orange, sliced

In a large saucepan combine 8 C strawberries, sugar and water. Bring just to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat. Cover, cool to room temperature. Press mixture, a little at a time, through a sieve; discard solids. You should have about 3 C syrup. In a 2-quart container, stir together the syrup, wine, and remaining 1 C strawberries. Cover and chill up to 24 hours. Stir in sparkling water before serving. Decorate glass with orange slice or toss in glass.

Cute little side dishes: make a cone out of parchment paper. Tape the side. Fill with fresh blueberries.

Slice whatever fruit you like. For the dip: 1 container marshmallow fluff mixed with 1 container whipped cream cheese.

Pizza Pasta

My family tends to love it when I take two recipes and make one. Here you go:

1 lb Jimmy Dean sausage (Italian, Sage, or whatever suites your mood)

8 oz pasta

1 Jar spaghetti sauce (any flavor)

2 C mozzarella cheese

Cook pasta according to package. Brown sausage in a deep sided frying pan. Add sauce. Mix well and let simmer a few minutes to heat through. Drain pasta and let cool till steam stops rising from pasta (this helps sauce stick to pasta better). Add pasta and cheese to meat mixture. Serve!

PF Chang's Mongolian Beef......with sides

I have only eaten one appetizer at PF Changs, but I hope to go back for more food soon! I found this recipe on their website and it is so good! I served it up with some fried rice (with egg and veggies), but you could serve the meat with white rice, fried broccoli with sesame seeds, noodles, whatever! You will find most of these ingredients down your ethnic isle.

12 oz sliced Beef Tenderloin (I used Publix - meat for fajitas or stir-fry)

1 T Soy Bean Oil (I used regular veg oil b/c I could not find this one)

1/2 t Garlic

2 fl oz Soy Sauce

2 T Sugar

1 t Rice Wine

2 oz Green Onion sticks - 3" long, Green only (I used 1 bunch from Publix)

1/2 t Sesame Oil

Heat Soy Bean Oil in large skillet over med-high heat. Add beef and cook for about a minute on each side. Beef should be light brown around the edges and grey in the middle. (I don't think it has to be fully cooked, but make sure it's at least med-med well)

Add garlic, toss. Add Rice Wine, Soy Sauce, and Sugar. Mix well, bring to a boil. Cook and reduce the sauce around the beef until all the sauce has caramelized onto the beef. It helps if you mix every now and then to keep the sauce coated on the beef. Your pan should be "dry" - no flowing sauce.

Add the green onion. Toss about 3 times to mix then remove from heat. Add Sesame Oil and toss to coat. Serve.

** Caramelizing your meat is the secret!!!

Kid food on a stick

I am going to try my best! I made this up last night.

Cheeseburger Meatballs

1 lb ground beef (meat)

1/3 C bread crumbs

1/3 C shredded cheese ~ eyeball it. You want enough in the mixture, but not too much to where oils from the cheese is pouring out (I used mozzarella last night)

1 t parsley

1 egg

**note** you can add any flavoring to these meatballs. W-Sauce, spices, Montreal Steak flavoring - whatever you typically add to your burgers when you grill them.

Garlic Toast

Either bake at 350 deg for about 25 min or until cooked or skewer them and cook them on the gill.

Either serve garlic toast or take a baguette, slice it length-wise. Cut into cubes. Spread butter and garlic salt on bread. Toast or skewer and grill until butter is melted.

Dilly Cheesy Veggies

2 C vegetables, cooked and drained

1/4 C velveeta (yes, I cheated. You can make homemade cheese sauce too)

1 t Dill mix (dill, onion powder, garlic powder)

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl over medium heat until cheese is melted. Serve.

Another fun item to make instead of the garlic toast: Cheeseburger noodles.

1/2 box any type of noodles: fun shapes are best for kids

ketchup

mustard

cheese

Cook pasta as directed on box. Drain. Mix in ketchup, mustard and cheese until cheese is all melted. Serve with meatballs on top (if you want, you can omit the cheese from the meatballs if you're adding cheese to the pasta)

Yes, I realize this whole thing is full of cheese. I must have been in a cheesy mood!

Chicken and Sausage White Chili

1 med onion, coarsely chopped

1-2 poblano peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 t minced garlic

1 T oil

3 chicken sausage links (any flavor) casings removed and chopped

1 lb ground turkey

2 cans navy beans, drained

2 C chicken broth

1 t ground cumin

1 t chili powder

1/2 t dried oregano

1/4 t pepper

1 C milk

1 C shredded cheddar cheese

In a saucepan brown turkey and chicken. Set aside. Preheat a stockpot to med-high with oil. Add onion, poblano peppers, and garlic. Saute for 3 minutes or until soft. Add meat. Stir in cumin, chili powder, pepper and oregano, mix well. Add chicken broth and beans. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Add milk, cook 2-3 minutes to blend flavors.

Serve into bowls and top with cheese.