Hey It's ok to eat for $3.85 sometimes!

Come on. I know you do it sometimes too. What is your quick, go to fast food meal when you are out and about or don't feel like cooking?

I like to think outside the bun and have two crunchy tacos. Sometimes I get real crazy and add a soft taco as well.
I know it is so plain and simple. How can a person that eats simple fast food tacos appreciate real food? I think it is important to appreciate the small things in life as well as tasty homemade dishes. What are your "small things"?

Say Happy Thanksgiving with this delicious corn!

I made this recipe a few years ago and it is now the favorite of all the dishes. It is no wonder it is so delicious. How can you go wrong with cream cheese, butter, and sugar!

Ingredients:

2 bags of frozen sweet corn
1 8 oz. cream cheese
1 stick of butter
4 Tbs. sugar
1 Tsp salt (or to taste)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in crock pot on medium or low depending on how long you want it to take. Serve and enjoy when all ingredients are melted into a delicious side dish.

When it is Chilly have some CHILI!

Grandma's Chili Recipe

My favorite thing about this recipe is that it was made back in the day on "wash day" by my great grandmother. Picture a cold day in the winter when you didn't have a fancy washer and dryer. Imagine not being able to just throw your clothes in and leave, but rather make it an all day event! This recipe was made on those Wyoming, winter days. I think that a bowl of this with a tall glass of milk would maybe make it a good day even on an all day "wash day!"

Ingredients:
2 lbs hamburger browned well.
3 lg. onions to be browned with burger
salt and pepper
1 large can tomato juice (those big ones over a quart)
1 tsp curry powder
2 tsp cumin seed
1/2 tsp powdered sage
1 or more tsp chili powder ( to taste)
2 tsp celery seed
sugar to taste ( I use about 1 tbsp or more)
7-8 cans beans of preference. (I used half kidney beans and half pinto beans)

Directions:
Brown burger and onions together until really browned, not just until the pink is gone. Add tomato juice and seasonings and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Then add the drained beans and simmer on low heat for about 20-30 minutes to let the flavors combine. Watch so it doesn't burn on the bottom during this process. A thick pan is best for this. Light aluminum is not too good. Serve and enjoy with bread and butter and/or crackers and ice cold milk. Grated cheese is good on top. But remember, the burger needs to be really browned. The flavor is different. This is yummy the next day too.

please don't eat ME!?

Jane at theycallmejane had someone find her blog by searching for wrinkled...... (well I won't ruin the surprise). Head on over to there to find out what and find out why that is so funny. It seems that is the last thing you would find there, and who searches for that anyway? Well, she challenged other bloggers to see what crazy searches are leading people to our own blogs. I found a few to be disturbing.

• kasha in crock pot
• kashagooie
• leftover kasha casserole
  

Somebody wants to put me in a crock pot, casserole, or worse..........What is kashagooie anyway? It doesn't sound very tasty even with me in it! Hopefully they are referring to the fact that KASHA means porridge commonly eaten in Eastern Europe. In English kasha refers to buckwheat groats made into cereal. Wow! Thanks mom and dad and Bon appetit ! (I guess)

Head on over to her site to see what other crazy searches were found tomorrow! (Friday)

Is it Summer or Fall?

Silly question perhaps, but here in Arizona there is a good reason for my confusion. Some days it is 90 degrees and sometimes it is 70 degrees (freezing temps in my book). I am stuck in that awkward spot with what to wear. I just want to embrace my sweaters, but will have to layer on the deodorant for sure. I could still just wear t-shirts, but after 10 months of that I am ready to look like I am cold darn it! As you can see I love me some soup, but they taste better when it is cold and necessary.

Yesterday I made Rosemary Chicken Croissant Sandwiches with Potato, bacon and cheese soup. Sounds like they are too standard to be delicious, but I assure you that the rosemary makes all the difference. Plain old potato soup? The secret is a touch of cayenne pepper to give it that extra oomph to take it from plain to pretty darn tasty! It was Summer and Fall together. It was a pretty good combination.

Rosemary Chicken Croissant Sandwiches (Summer)

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup light plain yogurt
1/4 cup light mayo
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
croissants

Directions:

Mix ingredients & spread on croissants. Serve and Enjoy


Potato and Bacon Soup (Fall)

Ingredients:

6 thick slices bacon (I used turkey bacon)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups cubed potatoes
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups cream or milk

Directions

1. Cook bacon until crisp in 3-quart saucepan, remove from pan.
   
2. While bacon is cooking, prepare vegetables. Add to saucepan and add onion, carrot, and celery as they are cut up. Saute until onion is soft but not brown, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Stir in chicken broth, potatoes, and pepper; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
4. Stir in milk or cream. Stir in cheese, heating just until melted--do not boil. Chop bacon and add to soup. Adjust seasoning to taste by adding salt, if desired. Serve at once and of course enjoy!

Thankful Thursday! Queasdillas-the sweet kind.

On this Thankful Thursday how can I not be grateful to my Dad for two things:


1. He restored my teeth. I now have my 4 crowns cemented and with a little time I think I will be as good as new.

2. He is the guy that really inspires me in the kitchen. He is always trying new things and is fearless with any dish! While visiting and getting my dental work done he made Prime Rib that was cooked better than anything Bobby Flay could of whipped up.

He also made a real tasty desert.

Picture a quesadilla with brie cheese and blue cheese crumbles melted inside with sauteed caramel apples drizzled on top. That is exactly what he made and boy was it delicious!



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pound apples,peeled, cored, quartered and small diced
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
For the quesadillas:
1/2 pound Blue Cheese, crumbled
1/2 pound Brie, thinly sliced
16 small flour tortillas
Vegetable oil for pan frying
For the walnuts:
1 cup walnut pieces
2 tablespoons cinnamon and sugar mixture
Directions
In a large saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the sugar and cinnamon, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the apples and salt. Mix well. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the apples and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely.



Place 1/2-ounce of the blue cheese and 1/2-ounce of the brie over half of each tortilla. Fold the tortillas over and press firmly. In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add a third of the quesadillas and pan fry for a couple of minutes on each side until golden brown and the cheese is melted. Pan-fry the rest of the quesadillas in small batches.

Fry the walnuts for 1 minute. Remove and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Drain on paper towels. Slice the quesadillas in half and serve with the apple compote and walnuts. Serve and enjoy!


Also good with pears!