Bunless Cheddar Burger

Cheese! Glorious Cheese! Remember those commercials? I posted a clip from YouTube at the bottom of this post so you can live it again and again. 

Side note: The video description says the commercial came out in 1987. Wow. Now I feel old! 

Anyhoo- Since we've gone off bread and sugar and anything that makes life worth living, I decided to make burgers. Bunless burgers. Waah, waah waaaaahhh!

Actually, they were really good. It's not the bun that makes the burger folks. Just wrap that bad boy up in some lettuce and move on. It's really good. 

I mixed some fresh herbs and garlic and of course cheese and bam! It was a dang good burger if I say so myself. 

What you'll need:

1lb LEAN ground beef

1 egg

2 cloves mince garlic

1 tbsp onion powder

5 basil leaves

3 tbsp grated or shredded parmesan cheese

A few slices of SUPER SHARP cheddar

Your fixins' we topped our with a beautiful locally grown tomato and some Marie's Yogurt Blue Cheese Dressing purchased on the cheap at Publix. 

Fire up your grill and let's get to business of making burgers. 

Combine your first six ingredients in a bowl and mix with your hands. 

Place on your grill. I used our George Foreman Grill with removable plates. I love George. 

Once your burgers have reached their (well your) desired cooking temperature place your cheese slices across like an x and let melt a  little. 

Top with all your favorites and wrap in lettuce. 

Look! Burgers even excite those with no teeth to eat them!

Easiest Stir-fry ever

School starts soon, which means another busy year is off to a start. I don't have school-aged children but I know many of you do.

So I thought I would post a few simple, quick, healthy and of course cheap (love cheap!!!) recipes.

Here is the world's easiest chicken stir-fry.

Note: When I buy a large pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts (on sale. I never buy it when it's not on sale) I break up the pack and put it in sandwich bags. I will think ahead of what I am going to make and add in marinades.This saves a TON of time.

What you'll need:

2 chicken breasts, cubed

1 cup Teriyaki marinade

garlic

1 bag teriyaki vegetables (I prefer the Eat Smart- not the frozen kind. The frozen kind get mushy)

1 can pineapple chunks in pineapple juice

2 cups cooked rice

Warm up a skillet over medium heat. (I used the electric skillet.)

Place chicken in skillet with marinade. Make sure chicken is fully coated and allow to brown.

Add in garlic and pineapple.

Stir in your vegetables and cook for about 8 minutes. You want crisp veggies not limp brocoli.

Add in cooked rice and stir.

The end!

Veggie Loaded Lasagna Casserole one for now, one for later

How many declarations of my love of a specific food can I make before it is officially declared as sad? Oh, I get a couple more? Okay then, I LOVE LASAGNA!!!

I am fond of any pasta with cheese on it. (And then they solved the mystery of Lydia's giant rear end.)

Last week I wanted to make vegeterian lasagna. Once a week we go meatless for dinner. No fish. No meat. Nothing. I figure if I put enough cheese on it my carnivore husband won't notice. ;)

So I was busy preparing my veggie loaded lasagna when I realized I didn't have any lasagna noodles. But I had seen a recipe for lasagna casserole so I decided to just make that. Only later when moving some things around in my cabinet I found an unopened box of lasagna noodles! For real! I need some sort of pantry inventory system. Suggestions?

At any rate. The casserole turned out fantastic and I had enough to make two pans, one for now and one to freeze.

So here it is folks. YOU will be amazed. (Well, maybe not.)

I made this with several left over ingredients, including some cucumber I blended into the sauce to make it thicker (I have left this part out of the recipe. It is super optional). I also had some leftover kale from making a kale, apple and quinoa salad so I threw that in their too. 

What you'll need: (Note, this makes two pans)

16 ounce box of rotini (or ziti)

1 jar of pasta sauce

2 tomatoes that you pealed or a 12 oz. can of tomatoes

container frozen spinach

1 onion

4 carrots, grated

2 cups Kale

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 container part skim ricotta cheese (some people use cottage cheese. It turns out really good actually.)

2 cups grated mozzarella

1 egg

dried basil or oregano

Preheat your oven to 350.

Cook your pasta pretty al dente. I would say cook it for only about 6 minutes, then drain but don't rinse.

In a greased skillet cook your onions and mushrooms over a low heat. Sprinkle with some basil.

Get a sauce pan warmed up and put your sauce, tomatoes and carrots in there. Let simmer for about 10 minutes to cook the carrots slightly. You don't want them mushy, but you probably don't want them overly crunchy either.

Once your onions and mushrooms have cooked down a little bit, put the spinach and kale into the same skillet and cover.

In a bowl combine your ricotta cheese, egg and one cup mozzarella. Stir together.

Grease your casserole dish and place a smidgen of sauce in the bottom. Then place some noodles in the pan, cover with the spinach/mushroom/onion/kale mix from your skillet. Add a your ricotta cheese mixture and then stir together. Cover in sauce and cheese and bake for 20 minutes.

If you are making a pan for the freezer, skip the baking part. To bake your frozen pan later, let thaw overnight in the fridge and then bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Ranch Tacos and a cute baby

My baby has been sleeping through the night for a few months now. It has been glorious. But last night he decided to wake up at midnight rocking some cool crib break dancing moves.

Then he wanted to stay awake for two hours. It took a lot of convincing to get him back to bed. Needless to say, today I was a wee bit tired.

(But how could you be irritated with that face?!)

So today I did no posting (other than the things other people pay me to) until now...

Chicken Ranch Tacos!!! They are so easy even I could do it in my state of near sleep.

They are really simple and require minimal effort. I make them on my George Foreman. They are tangy, creamy and I load them up with vegetables.

What you'll need:

Two chicken breasts

Four Tortillas

Some Salsa

1/2 bottle of ranch dressing

a little cilantro

sour cream

and your taco fixins'

In a bowl I combine my chicken and ranch dressing. You can cut up the chicken first, or you can put the whole breast in there. I make sure it is fully coated and then I place it on my warmed up grill. I put down the lid and I walk away.

In a small bowl I combine about a cup of sour cream and a cup of ranch dressing, a little kosher salt (because it makes everything yummy) and a little cilantro.

Once your chicken is cooked and ready (it will be a little crispy on the outside. Yum!) Put it on your tortilla with your taco fixins'. I like cucumber, salsa and cheese. Then put your ranch/sour cream mix on top. If you want to be healthy you could use Greek yogurt.

I also started some no knead bread tonight. I will bake it in my Dutch oven in the morning and report back/

Chicken mac and cheese- it's that good

What do we all, and I mean we ALL, love more than mac n cheese? Nothing. Can you think of many things you love more? I'll wait for you to make a list...

that didn't take long.

I make this. On rare occasions. It is always delicious. It hits the belly in a way that lets the person consuming it know they will be alright.

This recipe is another way to use all that leftover chicken from roasted chicken or rotisserie. Or, you can cook a couple chicken breasts and you're good to go.

What you'll need:

4 cups Rotini
8 Tablespoons Unsalted butter
1  Medium Onions cut into thin strips
2 cups cooked chicken
1/4 cup All-purpose Flour
2 cups skim milk
 2 eggs
1 1/2 cups cheese, any cheese.

1 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a casserole. Cook your pasta al dente. Very al dente. Like for only 4 or 5 minutes, al dente.

Melt half your butter in a skillet over a low heat and add your onions to cook. You will want to cook them until they are golden.

Remove the onions and put the remaining butter in your skillet. Once melted, whisk in your flour. Once smooth add your milk. Add in your eggs.You will want to temper them first. - To temper crack the eggs into a separate bowl, whisk and then add a little bit of the milk and flour mixture. Add the eggs into the skillet.

Then add your cheese and stir until it all melts in together smoothly.

Put your noodles in your greased dish. Cover in cheese mixture. Add your chicken and onions. Mix ALL of this together and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake for 20 minutes.

Unbutton the top button of your pants and enjoy.

What's for Dinner?

Inspired by a few other blogs, I have decided to start posting our weekly menu. This is something I have been doing for years now. I go through the Sunday ads, find what's on sale at my local grocer and plan my menu accordingly.

Once a month, when Winn-Dixie, has their good meat deal, I load up on chicken, ground beef and a roast or two.

So here is our weeknight dinner menu:

Monday: French onion beef roast, trio fruit salad (recipe below)

Tuesday: Chicken casserole

Wednesday: Leftovers pizza using left over cheese, sauce and pepperoni from making this recipe. I will also use some sweet red peppers.

Thursday: Spinach, cheese quiche - I will post this recipe Friday

Friday: Fish Tacos

Trio Fruit Salad:

You don't need a recipe.

But I used

Two small apples

Two small navel oranges

1 container of strawberries, cup tup with the stems removed.

Dice your apple and move the seeds, etc. Peel your oranges and cut into small slices. Squeeze extra juice over apples. Add your strawberries and mix it all together. Chill.

Spinach and Bacon Ziti

Want a quick meal? Yeah, me too. We all do. Sometimes coming up with dinner, cooking that dinner and getting it on the table is exhausting. How many times have you stood at your refrigerator's open door at 5:30 p.m. just waiting for dinner to materialize? 

This recipe is easy and fast and you probably have most of the ingredients. 

What you'll need:

One package bacon rendered in the oven (cook for 10 minutes at 400)
Two cups cooked whole wheat Penne
2 - 4 diced tomatoes
1 bag baby spinach 
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups mozzarella cheese 
some grated parmesan cheese
A smidge olive oil
1 package baby bella mushrooms

Heat up your electric skillet to 350 and warm the olive oil. Add your tomatoes and mushrooms and garlic. Let them cook for a few minutes. Add your bacon and then your pasta and basil. Add your spinach and cheese, cover and let cook for 10 minutes. 

If you don't have an electric skillet use a skillet on the stove, then before you add your cheese transfer to a baking dish, add cheese and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Stretching Ingredients Part II: Beefy(ish) Cheesy Cornbread

Yesterday we talked about stretching our ingredients out to make a package of ground beef last and last.

One of my husband's favorite meals is cheesy cornbread with some sort of meat in it. The problem is it's usually very unhealthy. So I cut way back on the meat, used far less oil and only used half the cheese. And guess what? He didn't know the difference. (Note, he probably did know the difference, he is just nicer than I am.)

Also, like yesterday you can make 2 and freeze them.

What you'll need:

1/3 pound ground beef

2 cups self rising corn meal mix

2 eggs

1 tbsp vinegar

3 tbs conolia oil

1 cup milk - maybe more

1 -16 oz can of tomatoes or 2 stewed tomatoes diced

1/2 onion

1/2 cup cheese

I used a cast iron Dutch oven. It's the best way to make cornbread, if you don't have one then you will need to grease a pan and preheat your oven to 350. I am assuming you don't have a Dutch oven, so I am going to give you instructions based on that assumption.

Heat a skillet over a medium heat and brown your beef. Then add your onion and tomatoes. Let it all cook for a few minutes, you want well cooked onions.

Next, in a bowl combine your cornmeal, milk, eggs, vinegar and oil. Mix well. You made need more milk to thin out the mix, it should be the consistency of pancake batter.

Add your beef mixture and stir well. Add in your cheese and miz.

Transfer all of the contents to your grease pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

My husband likes to top this with salsa and sour cream. But, it's good on its own. If you feel guilty about all the carbs, serve with a salad. Or, don't feel guilty. ;)

For freezing, make sure the pan is tightly covered in aluminum foil. When ready to thaw let sit in fridge over night and bake for 45 minutes at 350.

Stretching ingredients: Mushroom baked ziti

I love pasta. And mushrooms. And cheese. Why not put them all together!?

What you'll need:

1/3 Pound Ground Beef 

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 16 oz can of diced tomatoes, or 2 stewed and chopped tomatoes 

half jar tomato sauce 

4 cloves garlic

4 cups cooked penne pasta (I used a mix of regular and whole wheat)

1 cup shredded cheese  

1/2 onion

Olive oil or cooking spray

Preheat your oven to 350 and get a greased pan ready. 

In a skillet heat your garlic and your onions. 

Once your onions have cooked for a few minutes add your ground beef, brown.  Then add your mushrooms. 

Once all that has cooked down a bit add your sauce and tomatoes. You won't want to overcook your tomatoes since you will bake all of this in the oven. 

Dump your noodles in your greased pan and add your beef mixture. Stir it all together so that the sauce coats the noodles. Sprinkle with cheese. 

You will bake for about 10 -15 minutes. Just enough to make the cheese melt. 

If you are freezing skip the baking part and just sprinkle with cheese, cover and let cool. Then freeze. 

When you are ready to cook let it thaw for a few hours and bake for 30 minutes at 350.