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Family Favorite: Baked Pasta Sauce Recipe

Wednesday, May 8th, 2013

I made this one again tonight!  It is a really tasty vegetarian tomato pasta sauce that you can throw together in one dish and easily get it on the table in a flash (well, 40 minute bake time).

Baked Pasta Sauce Recipe

  • 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
  • 1, 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes + juice (I use fire-roasted)
  • 1 jar marinated artichoke hearts
  • 1 jar (or mixed) black/greek olives &/or green olives
  • 1 jar roasted red peppers
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven 400F.

In a baking dish (9×13), pour olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  Then add the tomatoes and all of the veggies (you can add mushrooms too) and mix a bit.  Then top the mixture with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 40 minutes.

Cook the pasta of your choice and put the baked sauce on top!

Posted in Family Favorites, Home Cookin', Main Dishes | No Comments »
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And…Homemade Ice Cream Cakes that won’t Break the Bank

Thursday, March 7th, 2013

Have you been to Baskin’ Robbins lately to pick-up an ICE CREAM CAKE?

These are two alternative homemade ice cream cakes we have made that won’t break the bank and they were great!  We made the NERDS & Funfetti Ice Cream Cake for my brother-in-law and he thought we bought it (was he just being nice, not sure). The Peanut Buster Parfait Ice Cream Cake was made by a friend and it was so tasty.

Nerds Funfetti Ice Cream Cake Recipe

- Buy a Funfetti Box Cake, pack of NERDS candy, White Icing, & Breyer’s Vanilla Ice Cream (to class it up)

  1. Prepare & Bake Funfetti Cake as directed on box in a removable side cake pan.
  2. Let the cake cool. Use knife around sides of cake pan edge. Remove cake pan side. Then cut cake into two pieces on the side (to create a top and bottom piece). Then place the bottom portion of the cake onto a plate.
  3. Next, let your Breyer’s Vanilla ice cream soften a bit.
  4. Spoon the ice cream onto the bottom piece of the cake (don’t let it hang over the edges).  Now place the top part of cake back on.
  5. Freeze the cake for a bit so it hardens (this makes it much easier to frost).
  6. Next, frost the cake on the top and sides.
  7. Sprinkle Nerds on top (and Skittles too if you have want to).
  8. Freeze again until you are ready to serve.

Posted in Desserts, Home Cookin' | No Comments »
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Earl Campbell’s Hotlinks (!Chicken, Pork, & Beef!)

Monday, March 4th, 2013
Earl Campbell's Hot Links

Earl Campbell's Hot Links

Our Uncle is friends with Earl Campbell and was sent a bunch of Earl Campbell’s HOT LINKS in the mail, which we were lucky enough to enjoy.  When they had us over to try them, we loved them and even passed on a pack to our Texas friends and they loved them too (they are a bit spicy so you have to enjoy that).  So we set out to order a bunch more but this time with cheese: Hot-n-Cheddar Links!  The packs are quite large so we split a shipment with friends.  The links are pretty great to have in the freezer and pop out to make these tasty and easy dishes below.

You can eat these sausages grilled or cooked on the stove top with some sides but we also found three other recipes that worked really well with these links. One is an easy stew from Bon Appetit and the other is an easy Jambalaya Recipe.

UPDATE: The shipping costs are pretty high for these sausages but from our research it says that the Fremont, CA Walmart carries them!

Earl Campbell’s Sausages in these easy recipes:

  • Easy Jambalaya Recipe
  • This is a great weeknight dinner, super easy, fast and it will impress the weeknight crowd for sure, this is not a complex flavored true jambalaya – it is the weeknight, fast version. Serve with a salad.
  • 1 Tablespoon butter (or olive oil)
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3 celery stalks, finely chopped (optional)
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red or green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
  • 1 pound sausage (use links above), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 Tablespoon Cajun Spices
  • 2 Tablespoons Tabasco
  • 1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes with juice
  • 1 cup long-grain rice
Directions:
  1. Heat butter in larger saucepan.
  2. Add vegetables to pot.
  3. Cook, stirring, 5 minutes.
  4. Add sausage; cook 3 minutes.
  5. Add garlic; cook 1 minute.
  6. Stir in stock, Cajun Seasonings, tomatoes, and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil.
  7. Add Rice. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 20 to 25 minutes or until rice is tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Posted in Foodie Gifts, Grilling, Home Cookin', Store Bought | 1 Response »
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Family Favorite Breakfast Casserole: EGG BAKE

Saturday, March 2nd, 2013

Ok, so this is not difficult and it is not gourmet, it is just good!

My Aunt makes this breakfast casserole EGG BAKE (my husband calls it ‘French Toast Casserole with Sausage & Cheese’) every holiday when we are together.  She also makes a really complicated Danish Pastry Wreath Recipe to accompany it. If you don’t have the time to make a homemade coffee cake to accompany this dish, make a box coffee cake (I love those too).

Egg Bake Breakfast Casserole Recipe

6 slices white bread/cubed
1 lb. cooked sausage
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups milk
8 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. salt

Mike all together and refrigerate overnight.

Bake in a 9 X 13 pan at 350F for 35 to 40 minutes.

Posted in Breakfast, Family Favorites, Home Cookin' | No Comments »
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Couples Interactive Dinner Party: VALENTINE’S DAY

Wednesday, January 30th, 2013

Recently, we hosted a "Tantalizing Tapas" & "Dating-Couples Game" Dinner Party.

It was really fun and would be a great Valentine's Day Affair!

TANTALIZING TAPAS DINNER PARTY MENU:

Small Sides to Start:

  • Toasted Marcona Almonds with sea salt (Can purchase at Whole Foods or Specialty Groceries.)
  • Marinated Castelvetrano Olives (on tooth picks) (Check out your local Olive Bar.)
  • Pickled Vegetables (on tooth picks)

    Main Dishes:

    Patatas bravas with chorizo
    http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/461640/patatas-bravas-with-chorizo

    Spanish Radicchio Salad with Manchego Olive Vinaigrette (A super hit from 'Toro Bravo' restaurant featured on Portlandia!):
    http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2011/04/spanish-radicchio-salad-with-manchego.html#.UILkQIVgOLU

    Spanish Frittata (any filling you desire):
    http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/frittata-recipe/index.html

    OR

    Vegetable Empanadas:
    http://www.food.com/recipe/vegetable-empanadas-with-tomato-sauce-247508

    Dessert:

    Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta

    http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/15191/vanilla+bean+panna+cottaOR

    Spanish Peanut, Buster Parfait Ice Cream Dessert
    http://www.heatovento350.com/2010/06/peanut-buster-parfait-ice-cream-cake.html?showComment=1277755726967

    DATING GAME Steps:

    1. Print out these questions below (One per-pair: Need one-side with "He Said/Partner 1" and one side of paper with "She Said/Partner 2").
    2. Give each couple a # and divide up the couples so that questions are asked by someone who is NOT their partner.
    3. Move couples into separate rooms so they can't hear each others answers.
    4. Ask the "SHEsaid" to the opposite partners.
    5. Then return as a group to share all of the responses.
    6. Score the questions. If the couple has the same answer, they get a point for each they guessed the same answer for.
    7. The Couples who get the most answers in-common, wins!

    ASK HER or Partner 1                          PARTNER NAME #1:______________

    *Answer what you really think (not what your partner thinks).

    1. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING AS A COUPLE? (1 POINT)
    2. WHAT BODY PART DOES YOUR PARTNER LIKE BEST ABOUT YOU? (1 POINT)
    3. DOES YOUR PARTNER PICK-UP AFTER HIMSELF OR LET IT LAY AROUND? (1 POINT)
    4. WAS IT LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT? EXPLAIN. (EACH WORTH 1 POINT)
    5. GIVE ONE INITIAL REASON WHY YOU THOUGHT HE WOULD BE A GOOD PARTNER? (1 POINT)
    6. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR? (1 POINT)
    7. WHAT DO YOU AND YOUR PARTNER COMMUNICATE BEST ABOUT (MONEY, JOB, SEX, LOVE, LEISURE, FAMILY, OR ETC..)? (1 POINT)
    8. HOW MANY CHILDREN DID/DO YOU WANT TO HAVE? (1 POINT)
    9. IF YOUR PARTNER COULD TAKE YOU ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD THEY LIKE TO TAKE YOU? (1 POINT)
    10. IN WHAT ONE WAY WOULD YOUR PARTNER LIKE YOU TO SHOW MORE LOVE FOR THEM? (1 POINT)
    11. IF YOU HAD ONE YEAR LEFT TO LIVE HOW WOULD YOUR RELATIONSHIP BE DIFFERENT? (IN YOUR EYES & IN YOUR PARTNERS EYES) (WORTH 2 POINTS, 1 FOR EACH ANSWER)

    ASK HIM or Partner 2                         PARTNER NAME #2:______________

    1. WHAT DOES YOUR PARTNER ENJOY DOING TOGETHER AS A COUPLE? (1 POINT)
    2. WHAT BODY PART DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT YOUR PARTNER? (1 POINT)
    3. DO YOU PICK-UP AFTER YOURSELF OR LET IT LAY AROUND? (1 POINT)
    4. WOULD YOUR MATE SAY IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT? EXPLAIN. (2 POINTS, ONE FOR EACH)
    5. GIVE ONE INITIAL REASON WHY YOUR MATE THOUGHT YOU WOULD BE A GOOD PARTNER? (1 POINT)
    6. WHAT IS HER FAVORITE COLOR? (1 POINT)
    7. WHAT DO YOU AND YOUR PARTNER COMMUNICATE BEST ABOUT (MONEY, JOB, SEX, LOVE, LEISURE, FAMILY, OR ETC…) (1 POINT)
    8. HOW MANY CHILDREN DID/DOES YOUR PARTNER WANT TO HAVE? (1 POINT)
    9. IF YOU COULD TAKE YOUR PARTNER ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THEM? (1 POINT)
    10. IN WHAT ONE WAY WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR PARTNER TO SHOW YOU MORE LOVE? (1 POINT)
    11. IF YOU HAD ONE YEAR LEFT TO LIVE HOW WOULD YOUR RELATIONSHIP BE DIFFERENT? (IN YOUR EYES & IN YOUR PARTNERS EYES) (WORTH 2 POINTS, 1 FOR EACH ANSWER)

    Posted in Dinner Activities, Dinner Party Menu | No Comments »
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    Fast Food made Slow for a Gourmet Dinner!

    Sunday, October 21st, 2012

    Our last Gourmet Club Dinner was a really fun one because of its Fast Food themed recipes!

    • The host assigned us each a restaurant and told us to find a dish or recipe we wanted to recreate in anyway.  They made the salad and dessert to make sure to cover those but the rest was wide open.

    We ended up doing Wendy’s Chili (being from Ohio and all, near the founding location of Wendy’s in Dublin, OH) and Frosty’s.  The Chili was good but the Frosty’s tasted exactly like the real thing (see recipe below).  This was such a fun meal and the Mini-Big Mac Sliders were amazing

    McDonald’s:

    Wendy’s:

    Carl’s Junior:

    Chick-Fil-A:

    Taco Bell:

    Posted in Dinner Party Menu, Home Cookin' | No Comments »
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    Grilled String Bean Salad with Arugula Recipe

    Wednesday, August 1st, 2012

    Alrighty, we are back to CSA season (Community Supported Agriculture Weekly Food Box). CSA involves creative cooking is at its best.  What is that show again where they are only given certain ingredients and they have to make something delicious?  Having a CSA a box has been our chance at our own version of ‘Chopped.’

    If you want to learn how to cook, sign-up for a CSA weekly food box and get to work!

    John’s been the main cook lately.  He had string beans and arugula to work with.  So he found this salad recipe that only had a few ingredients and it was a great weeknight summer meal for two. Add some crusty sourdough to make it a meal.

    Grilled String Bean Salad with Arugula & Lemon Recipe

    • 1/2 – 3/4 lbs. String Beans (yellow or green), trim each end off but keep beans long
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2-3 large hand-fulls of arugula, trimmed
    • 1-1 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
    • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

    Toss the beans with the olive oil and garlic.  Let them sit for a bit and then wrap all of them in a square of tin-foil, for grilling. Warm the grill up while you are letting the beans sit for 10 or so minutes.  Then grill the beans in the aluminum foil pack for 15-25 minutes – be sure not to char or burn them too much, a little tastes good to me.  Let the beans cool a bit.  Combine the beans with the rest of the ingredients (arugula, salt/pepper, lemon zest).  Serve!

    * I’ve read you can use your oven if you don’t have a grill – (425F for 30 mins).

    Posted in Home Cookin', Salad | No Comments »
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    Chocolate Chip Cake Recipe – A Birthday Family Favorite

    Monday, July 30th, 2012

    One of the best things about having a food blog is having the ability to be able to save all of our family recipes to a safe-locked place besides in an old book in the second bedroom.  Having said this, sometimes family favorites are favorites because of the nostalgic flood of memories that come along with each bite.  Of course, every family has their own set of a particular family faves. All of us having so much stuff these days means that the best thing you can pass down, in my opinion, are a couple of family keepsakes such as a book of family favorite recipes. My brother and I have a small book of handwritten family recipes and then we’ve added some of our new favorites over the years. We cherish our little family recipe books and use them all of the time.

    This is a cake that my husband remembers being baked and served by his Granny in North Carolina.  It came from a Community Church cookbook where everyone shares their favorites, pretty great if you think about it.  Actually, I need to look back through that book and see what else I can find – hopefully it isn’t filled with jello salad recipes that were popular in the Midwest at least!  You know it, even jello salad can be a family favorite recipe – like I said, it can be all about the nostalgia.  Have you heard the word nostalgia stated enough in this post? It had just been too long, I had to get back to this bad word that flowed like butter from the mouths of my fellow grad students back in the day.

    Chocolate Chip Cake Recipe

    • 1/4 lb. butter
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 2 eggs
    • 8 oz. sour cream
    • 1 tsp. vanilla
    • 1 tsp. water
    • 2 cups flour, sifted
    • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
    • 1 tsp. baking soda

    Topping:

    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 1 tsp. cinnamon
    • 6 oz. package of chocolate chips

    Preheat oven to 350F.

    Cream together butter, sugar, and eggs. Add sour cream, vanilla and water. Sift flour, resift with baking powder and soda. Add to mixture.  Grease 9×13 inch pan. Spread half of batter in pan (can be a bit hard to spread, but it works). Then sprinkle half of the topping mixture over it.  Spread the remaining batter on top.  Now sprinkle the rest of the topping.

    Bake for 25-30 minutes.

    Posted in Desserts, Family Favorites, Home Cookin' | 2 Comments »
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