The Hungry Homemaker

Empanadas

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:14:00 +0000

Empanadas are little pockets of deliciousness. Okay, really they are a great Mexican food staple. You can fill them with anything from chicken to chocolate, and you can even make some amazing dips for them. The idea is that you make them from scratch, and make a bunch of them and freeze the ones you don't eat. Well, around these parts I like the find the easy way. The recipe I found was from Paula Deen on food network, and instead of making your own crust, you use refrigerated pie crusts so these little beauties are super simple.

This specific recipe calls for chicken, but we used chorizo because chorizo is delicious! This makes enough to feed a family of 6 for a meal, or a small crowd for an appetizer.

Empanadas

3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1 (8-ounce) package shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese blend
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts
Water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Lightly grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the chicken and next 7 ingredients. Unroll 1 piecrust onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 15-inch circle. Cut out rounds, using a 3-inch cookie cutter. Re-roll dough as needed. Repeat procedure with remaining piecrusts, making 12 to 15 circles total. Arrange 1 round on a clean, flat surface. Lightly brush the edges of crust with water. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of chicken mixture in the center of the round. Fold the dough over the filling, pressing the edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with the remaining rounds and chicken mixture. (Up to this point, the recipe can be made ahead and frozen for up to 1 month). Arrange empanadas on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

Almost Famous Pecan Waffles

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:21:00 +0000

I believe I have mentioned this before... but the Food Network Magazine does a section every month called "Copy That", where they share a recipe from a famous (or somewhat well known) eating establishment. In the December 2011 issue they shared a recipe from the Waffle House. Unless you have lived in the south east, then you do would not understand the loveliness that is the Waffle House. For me it brings back memories high school and late nights with friends. It is seriously the scariest place you will ever get food, but it also has the best late night nosh!

So, when I saw the recipe for Pecan Waffles from Waffle House Iknew I had to try it. I never actually had the Pecan Waffles, but I know everything I tried there was good, so these had to be too, right?

And I was right. These waffles are amazing! DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT leave out the pecans. It seriously made these waffles devine. Oh, and do not forget your dollop of fresh whipped cream!

.

Almost Famous Pecan Waffles

3/4 cup pecans
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for brushing and topping
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, melted and cooled
Maple syrup, for topping

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet; bake until toasted, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool, then chop. Reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees F.

Whisk the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk the egg, milk, buttermilk and vanilla in a separate bowl until combined. Stir the egg mixture, melted butter and shortening into the dry ingredients until just combined. (The batter will be lumpy.)
Preheat a waffle iron and brush with melted butter. Ladle some batter into the iron (about 1/2 cup, depending on your waffle iron); sprinkle with 2 tablespoons toasted pecans. Cook until golden brown, then transfer the waffle to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter. Top the waffles with butter and maple syrup.

Monthly Menu: January

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:24:00 +0000

Bread Entrees
Pizza
Ham and Cheese Turnovers

Breakfast Entrees
Pancakes
Eggs Baked in Ham Cups

Mexican Entrees
Jerk Chicken Nachos
Tacos

Chicken Entrees
Chicken with Cornbread
Southwest style fried wings
Chicken Microwave Dish

Beef /Pork/ Fish Entrees
Sweet and Spicy Asian Pork Shoulder
Ribeye and Crab Legs

Pulled pork bbq sandwiches
Brazilian Feijoada
Hotdogs
Fish and Chips

Pasta Entrees
Homemade Mac and Cheese
Spaghetti with Bacon Meatballs
Linguini with almond pesto
Frozen Tortellini

Rice Entree
Thai red curry
Indonesian Rice

Soups
Clam Chowder
Zuppa Toscanna
Roasted red paper and Tomato Soup (boxed from costco)
Zucchini Soup

Mary's Very Authentic Egg Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:01:00 +0000

I don't know Mary, but someone does! So, if you want to hear the cool story behind this recipe, head over to Mel's Kitchen Cafe and have a read!

I was very excited to try these out because 1: I love Asian food, and 2: I am intimidated by it so I love recipes that are authentic, but easy to follow and execute with ingredients you can actually find!

A couple things: It says to not use egg roll wrappers, but I did, and we still thought they were delicious. I also did not use the vermicelli. I could not find it, and I didn't miss it either!

Also, when I was putting together the rolls I wasn't sure if I was supposed to cook the meat before frying or not, so I didn't. However, I did measure the temp of the meat after it was done frying, to make sure it was hot enough to be considered "fully cooked". So, you are safe, you do not have to cook the meat beforehand, but you can if you want.

So, even with my changes, these were awesome! It made a lot of filling, so I just threw the filling in a freezer bag for later. If you want you can also make all the egg rolls, fry them, then freeze the ones you do not eat. From there you can reheat in the oven or microwave.

Mary's Very Authentic Egg Rolls
from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

This recipe will make 50-100 egg rolls, you can half the recipe and even then freeze what you don't use.

Filling:
2 packages vermicelli (or Muong Bean Thread noodles) noodles (6 ounces total)
2-3 pounds meat (I use a combination of ground pork and ground turkey)
1 head of cabbage, shredded finely (or use 1 10-ounce package of pre-cut cabbage)
4 whole eggs
3 egg whites (save the egg yolks for sealing the egg rolls)
1/2 pound carrots, shredded finely (or use the 10-ounce bag of shredded matchstick carrots)
2 onions, finely chopped

Sauce:
3 tablespoons salt
8-10 tablespoons oyster sauce
4-5 tablespoons black soy sauce ( I just use normal soy sauce)
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fish sauce

Put the vermicelli noodles in a large bowl and pour hot water over noodles and let soak for 15-20 minutes (if using boiling water, soak for 10 minutes). Once soaked, drain very well and chop noodles up a bit into 2-3 inch pieces (not too short).
Mix all the filling ingredients (noodles, meat, cabbage, whole eggs, egg whites, carrots and onions) in a large bowl. Hand mixing works best. Then add the sauce ingredients.
Mix together.
Pull apart spring roll pastry wraps. Leave main stack of wraps covered with a damp towel while rolling egg rolls. Lay the wrap so it is a diagonal in front of you. Put a large spoonful of filling about an inch above the bottom diagonal. Fold up the bottom triangle and tuck under the filling then proceed to roll up the egg roll, folding in the sides and tucking them in. Moisten the top triangle with the remaining egg yolks and roll/press to seal.
Heat canola or vegetable oil (I always use canola oil) 1/3 full in pot. Heat the oil to about 375 degrees. Fry egg rolls until golden brown and cooked through. Constantly turn the egg rolls so they don’t overcook on one side. Drain on crumpled paper towels and serve with sweet chili sauce.

Pumpkin Cobbler

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 04:54:00 +0000

When I told my husband I was making pumpkin cobbler, he said "it can't be a cobbler, pumpkin is not a fruit!". Whatever, it is pumpkin with deliciousness on top and I love it. This recipe is almost too easy too, and even my "cobbler" snob husband couldn't stop eating it, and he hates pumpkin. I may have had it for lunch once (or twice). Really, you should try this, and do not wait until next Thanksgiving.

Oh, and DO not leave out the pecans either, it seriously is the key to this recipe.

Pumpkin Cobbler
from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup milk, evaporated or regular
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 boxed yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
½ cup melted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan.
In a medium bowl, stir together the pumpkin, milk, sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon until well combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan.
Sprinkle the cake mix evenly over the pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle evenly with pecans and drizzle the butter evenly over the top.
Bake the cobbler for about 1 hour, until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the cobbler stand for 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Monthly Menu: Decemeber

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 04:50:00 +0000

Bread/Starch Entrees

Snowman Shaped Pizza
Hoagie Sandwiches
Empanadas

Asian Entree's

Spicy Thai Noodles
Thai Coconut Curry Soup
Sweet and Spicy Asian Pork Shoulder

Breakfast Entrees

Pecan Waffles
Quiche
Egg, Potato and Chorizo Empanadas

Beef /Pork/Turkey Entrees

Ribeye Steak and Mashed Potatoes

Tri-Tip Open Faced Sandwich

Corn Dogs

Pork and Sweet Potato Quesadilla

Ribs

White Bean and Kielbasa Stew

Seafood
Crab Legs and Lobster Tail

Chicken Entrees
Sesame Chicken
Southwest Style Fried Wings

Rice
Chili Rice Dish

Pasta Entrees
Spaghetti with Bacon Meatballs

Linguine and Almond Pesto

Soups

Chili
Tomato Soup
Tortellini Sausage Soup
Clam Chowder

Cheesy Potato Soup

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 21:22:00 +0000

I am on a never ending quest to find a really good cheese soup. I have made some that my kids like, or I like, or my husband likes, but no recipe has yet impressed us ALL. I like to have broccoli in mine, while everyone else likes straight up cheese. A friend of mine recently posted her cheesy potato soup recipe on facebook and I had to try it.

The verdict: My husband and I loved it, the kids thought it was ok. Good enough for me! My favorite thing about this soup was you could just make the base soup, then have add-ins at the table (broccoli, bacon, hot sauce, whatever floats your boat! Also, there are different types of cheese you can use, I used sharp cheddar... but it is great because you can use what you have on hand!

Cheesy Potato Soup

8-10 potatoes, peeled, cubed, boiled (8-12 min) and drained
2 cans chicken broth
1 to 2 C milk
bouillon cube
*2 packets mac and cheese seasoning
8 oz sour cream
broccoli, bacon, chives, hot sauce, etc as wanted

* If you would rather, you can substitute 8oz of velveeta, or 2 cups of shredded or cubed cheddar

Boil the potatoes until fork tender, but not as long as you would boil them for mashed potatoes. Add the broth, milk, bouillon and return to boil. Reduce heat to low and add cheese. If you are using the cheddar it is important to not allow the soup to boil after adding the cheese (with the other "cheeses" it doesn't matter). Add the sour cream, stir til all is well incorporated. You can add broccoli, bacon, cauliflower or other veggies as wanted or available. Sometimes you might need to thicken it to the right consistency by useing a bit of cornstarch and cold water.

Oven Baked Parmesan Seasoned Fries

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 03:51:00 +0000

I love finding new fry recipes (almost as much as I love finding new macaroni and cheese recipes). This is a great one because it is baked and because it is more than just your standard salted fry! Who doesn't love a good fry recipe? Oh, and try mixing up a little mayo and ketchup together (fry sauce, you know the stuff) to dip, sooo good.

Oven Baked Parmesan Seasoned Fries
from Playing with Sugar
NOTE: The amounts listed are for every one pound of fries. One pound of fries is the equivalent of approximately 3 medium potatoes.

1 pound of medium russet potatoes (approx 3 medium potatoes)
1 1/2 TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Dried Thyme
1/4 tsp Dried Oregano
1/8 tsp Dried Rosemary
1/4 tsp of Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp of Old Bay Seasoning
2 TBSP of Kraft Parmesan Style Grated Cheese

*Preheat oven to 425.
*Wash and cut potatoes into 1/8ths.
*Place on a cookie sheet that has been lined with foil (I used Reynolds Release foil so that they will not stick, but you could also either use non-stick cooking spray or lightly grease the top of the foil with extra virgin olive oil).
*Mix all of the spices and the parmesan cheese in a small bowl.
*Place all of the potatoes (remember we are talking about one pound at a time) into a gallon size freezer bag, add olive oil and the parmesan cheese/spice mixture to the bag.
*Seal the bag and shake until the potatoes are evenly coated.
*Once thoroughly coated dump onto the prepared cookie sheet and spread in a single layer.
* Bake 30-45 minutes or until tender and lightly golden brown. (Baking times will vary depending on the amount of fries that you make and the size that you cut them). For the ones shown in the picture they were baked at 425 for 45 minutes.

Monthly Menu: November

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 06:13:00 +0000

Bread/Starch Entrees

Avocado Mozzarella Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

Pirozhki

Homemade Pizza

Asian Entree's

Asian Meatballs and Brown Fried Rice

Authentic Egg Rolls

Crock Pot Orange Chicken

Frozen Potstickers

Breakfast Entrees

French Toast
Quiche

Beef /Pork/Turkey Entrees

Hamburgers
Pan Seared Lamb and Couscous

Seafood
Salmon Tacos
Basa Fillets

Chicken Entrees

Creole Chicken Wraps
Uncle Bubba's Wings

Frozen Chicken Nuggets

Pasta Entrees
Spin-Art Pasta
RIGATONI CHORIZO & CHICKEN AL FORNO

Soups

Cheesy Potato Soup

Clam Chowder

Spicy Chicken Stew

Holiday Dinner:

Big Fat Thanksgiving Dinner

Plus a few leftover nights

Orzo Salad with Spicy Buttermilk Dressing

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:38:00 +0000

Summer is over, but I still have some summer friendly recipes to share. This is a really great salad that makes a lot, and between the beans, tomato and avocado, you can feel good about what you are eating! I made a batch of this at the beginning of the week, and then had it for lunch everyday. And even then I had leftovers to share with a friend!

And maybe on a cold snowy day, you can makes this and imagine that it is hot outside.

Orzo Salad with Spicy Buttermilk Dressing
from Simply Gourmade

1 cup uncooked orzo
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed and drained
12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
3 green onions, sliced
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons light sour cream
2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise ( I have a confession...I used real mayo)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 peeled avocado, cut into 8 wedges
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse; drain well. Place orzo, corn, and next 3 ingredients (through beans) in a large bowl; toss.

Combine buttermilk, 2 tablespoons cilantro, and next 8 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle over orzo mixture; toss. Top with avocado; garnish with remaining cilantro and parsley.

Homemade Corndogs and Funnel Cake

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 03:16:00 +0000

As a family, we set aside one night a week for Family Night. One night my husband came up with a fantastic idea: Carnival night! We started with homemade corndogs (from the amazing Alton Brown), then played some carnival games (ring toss, knock over the bottles, and throw the ball into the bucket). The kids had to "earn" their tickets for the games by answering gospel and scripture questions. Over all it was a really fun night, and only a few tears and threats of an early bed time.

My favorite part of the night was of course: the food. Homemade corndogs are suprisingly easy, and really good. And homemade funnel cakes? I may never buy an over priced one again. Maybe.

Now I just need to get one of those cotton candy makers and I think we're set.

The only bad thing about this recipe is the cornstarch. Does any one else my disdain for cornstarch? I am not talking about taste here (does it even taste like anything?). It is that cringing squeaky noise it makes when you touch it. Gives me the heebie-jeebies. I avoid it at all costs, but unfortunately you kind of have to use it here. I have nightmares of someone throwing me into a pool full of cornstarch...

:shudder:

Corn Dogs
from Alton Brown

1 gallon peanut oil
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons (approximately 1 large) jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced
1 (8.5-ounce) can cream-style corn
1/3 cup finely grated onion
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons cornstarch, for dredging
8 beef hot dogs

Special equipment: 8 sets chopsticks, not separated. (I used bbq skewers and popsicle sticks)

Pour oil into a deep fryer or large heavy pot and heat to 375 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cayenne pepper. In a separate bowl, combine the jalapeno, corn, onion, and buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients all at once, and stir only enough times to bring the batter together; there should be lumps. Set batter aside and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Scatter the cornstarch into a dry pie pan. Roll each hot dog in the cornstarch and tap well to remove any excess.
Transfer enough batter to almost fill a large drinking glass. Refill the glass as needed. Place each hot dog on chopsticks, and quickly dip in and out of the batter. Immediately and carefully place each hot dog into the oil, and cook until coating is golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. With tongs, remove to cooling rack, and allow to drain for 3 to 5 minutes.

Easy Classic Funnel Cakes
from food network magazine

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cup milk, plus more if needed
Canola oil, for frying
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Whipped cream and/or fruit sauce, for serving (optional)

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk the egg with the granulated sugar until pale. Whisk the milk into the egg mixture, then gently fold into the flour mixture. It should be a bit thicker than pancake batter but thin enough to pour. Add up to 3 tablespoons milk to loosen the batter, if needed.

Heat about 2 inches of canola oil in a large high-sided skillet or pot over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375. Meanwhile, mix the confectioners' sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Hold a funnel in one hand with your finger plugging the hole at the bottom. Pour 1 cup batter into the funnel. Hold the funnel over the hot oil and remove your finger from the hole, letting the batter drop in a spiral pattern all over the surface of the oil. It will look like lots of individual pieces at first, but as you continue to add batter, the pieces will fuse together. Cook until the batter floats and the underside is golden brown, about 30 seconds. Flip with tongs and cook until golden brown on the other side, about 30 more seconds. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and repeat to make 5 more funnel cakes. Dust with the cinnamon-sugar and serve with whipped cream and/or fruit sauce, if desired.

Potato and Onion Varenyky

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:11:00 +0000

Back in 2000-2002 my husband was able to serve a mission for our church in Kiev, Ukraine. Throughout our marriage he has reminisced about meals he during his time there. Unfortunately I have not been able to share in these food memories simply because there is not a local Ukrainian (or even Russian) restaurant down the street (or even in the state!). One time when we were dating Trent tried to make me some borsch, but sadly it burnt. However, I have had Mrs. T's Perogies form the freezer section of the grocery store. Not exactly authentic, but we still like them. Oh, and then the one time some friends of ours made some Russian dish (the husband is Russian), but I cannot even remember what it was.

Meanwhile, I have this awesome friend. We have been friends since my junior year in high school. She is one of those friends that could go years without seeing you, and still buy you a present that is so perfect that you start looking for hidden cameras in your house. For Christmas this past year she sent me a cookbook called "Russian, German, and Polish Cooking". Oh, my husband and I were so excited! We looked through the cook book together and my husband would shout out names of dishes and get all excited. I was so excited to try out several recipes, but the problem was I was pregnant, and really lazy. So fast forward 10 months, and finally had the time and energy to try one out!

The recipe I attempted was called Liver and Bacon Varenyky.

What?

Did I just say liver?

Yah, if you noticed the title of my post, I had to change the recipe into Potato and Onion, because who in their right mind would go to the meat counter and ask for "roughly chopped chicken or lamb liver". (Also a sign that this cookbook is legit). This recipe was intense, and my husband was in awe when he got home that I even attempted it on my own. Apparently in Ukraine they spend the whole day making these bad boys. How did they turn out? Well the filling was perfect, the dough however was a little too thick. It was hard to roll it out just thin enough, Everybody lover it though, and it is worth making it again!

My favorite part? In the cook book it says " There is an old Ukrainian superstition that if Varenyky are counted, the dough will split and the filling will spill out". SO, of course the entire time I am making them and wanted to count them. It took every ounce of energy to NOT count those dang Verenyky. I didn't and guess what, not one split! I am a believer.

Potato and Onion Varenyky

1 3/4 c plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp butter, melted
beaten egg for sealing
1 tbsp sunflower oil (I just used canola)

For the filling:
t tbsp sunflower oil
1/2 small onion chopped
4 oz bacon, choppped
8 oz of potato, peeled, cooked, and mashed
salt and pepper

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the center. Add the eggs and butter and mix to a dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 2-3 minutes, until smooth. Wrap in clear film and leave to rest for 30 minutes. For the filling, heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion for 5 minutes. Add the bacon and cook until crispy. Remove from heat and add the cooked mashed potatoes and stir until well combined. Put the mixture into the food processor and process until filling is finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper and compress a few more seconds. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until an 1/8th of an inch thick. Stamp out rounds of dough with a 2 inch cutter. Spoon a tsp of filling into the middle of each round. Brush the edges of the dough with beaten egg and fold in half to make half-moon shapes. Leave to dry on a floured dish towel for 30 minutes. Bring a pan of salted water to boil. Add the oil, then add the varenyky, in batches if necessary. Bring back to boil and cook them at a gentle simmer for 10 minutes, until tender. Drain well and serve hot. Garnish with sour cream and chopped chives.

Bacon 'n' Cheese Strata

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 03:07:00 +0000

What is a strata? Well, I realized after I made this that it is a fancy word for "casserole". Casserole is a bad word at our house. Call me a food snob, but we do not do a lot of casseroles at our house. However, there are a few casseroles that we like to make, and this "Strata" has made the list. From the crispy bacon to the ooey gooey cheese, there is not a whole lot not to like! We love having breakfast for dinner too, so we just added this to our repertoire. Plus, you can make it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for later!

Bacon 'n' Cheese Strata

8 slices firm white bread
2 scallions, chopped (including green)
8 slices pre- cooked bacon, chopped
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Coat shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
Arrange half the bread in single layer in dish, cutting to fit.
Cover with half the scallions, bacon, cheese and tomatoes.
Repeat for a second layer.
Combine eggs, milk, pepper and hot-pepper sauce.
Pour over casserole.
Cover.
(Can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 hours).
Heat oven to 375°F.
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until lightly browned.
If browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil.

Grilled Sausage with Spicy Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 02:58:00 +0000

Not much to say about this, other then it is simple and it taste good. Great meal for those lazy summer days when you want to cook (or grill) something quick! Oh, and of course it comes form my favorite Food Network Magazine.

Grilled Sausage with Spicy Sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 pounds good-quality kielbasa or other smoked sausage, cut into bite-size pieces
3/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup spicy brown mustard
1 tablespoon hot sauce

Soak 8 to 10 wooden skewers in water for about 20 minutes.

Preheat a grill to medium and brush with the oil. Thread the sausage on the skewers, leaving space between each piece. Grill until slightly crisp, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Mix the ketchup, mustard and hot sauce in a bowl. Serve with the sausage for dipping.

Chinese Chicken Burgers with Rainbow Sesame Slaw

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 02:53:00 +0000

This recipe comes from an article in the Deseret News about the 2009 National Chicken Cooking Contest put on by the National Chicken Council. The winning recipe: Chinese Chicken Burgers with Rainbow Sesame Slaw. The reviews were astounding so I knew I had to try it. Fast forward two years and I finally made them. This recipe was a bit intimidating to me for two reasons. 1: I don't like cooking with ground chicken, and 2: there are a lot of steps.

Well, I discovered cooking with ground hcicken isn't so bad and the recipe itself wasn't all that time consuming. Even better, it was delicious! Even better, my kids loved them because they thought they were eating regular hamburgers.

Chinese Chicken Burgers with Rainbow Sesame Slaw

2 lbs ground chicken
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced lemongrass
1/3 cup sliced scallions
6 hamburger buns with sesame seeds
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 tablespoons hoisin sauce
sliced scallion

Sriracha Lime Mayo
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 limes, juice and zest of
2 tablespoons sriracha chili sauce

Rainbow Sesame Slaw

2/3 cup julienned bell peppers ( red, orange, yellow or any color combination)
2/3 cup julienned snow peas ( strings removed)
2/3 cup julienned jicama
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sriracha chili sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

In large bowl, mix together ground chicken, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, lemongrass and scallions. Divide the mixture into 6 patties and set aside.

Place a grill pan over medium heat. Spread softened butter on hamburger buns and place on grill pan until light brown. Wipe grill pan with paper towel and brush with vegetable oil.
Place chicken patties on grill pan and cook over medium-high heat, turning once, until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, about 7 minutes per side. During last few minutes of cooking, baste each burger with 1 tablespoon of the hoisin sauce.
To assemble, place 1 tablespoon Sriracha Lime Mayo on each bottom and top bun. Place chicken on bun bottoms and top each with 1/3 cup Rainbow Sesame Slaw. Serve with any remaining slaw and mayo on the side. Garnish with scallions. Enjoy!
Makes 6 servings.

Sriracha Lime Mayo:
In small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, zest and juice of lime and Sriracha chile sauce. Set aside.
Rainbow Sesame Slaw:
In medium size bowl, mix together bell peppers, julienned snow peas, julienned jicama, rice wine vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, Sriracha chile sauce, sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds.

Chili

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 04:17:00 +0000

My husband often comes home from work bragging about some awesome lunch he had, or the great doughnuts someone brought in. Every once and a while he will rave about something he had that was actually homemade. I love this because I can have him get the recipe and then I can make it and share in his joy. This is where the chili recipe comes in. My husband said it was hands down is favorite chili. I was super excited when I saw the recipe too, because it is easy AND you can control the heat (by the heat of the rotel and the green chili's), so you can make it as mild or as spicy as you want.

Chilli

2 lbs. ground beef browned

1 large bell pepper diced

1/2 large white onion diced

Mrs. Dash original flavor

Salt

Pepper

Chili powder

garlic salt

4 cans Bush's Chili beans

2 large cans S&W kidney beans

1 small can green chilli's

1 large can petite diced potatoes

1 can Rotel

Brown ground beef along with bell pepper and onion. Sprinkle pretty much equal amounts of seasonings over ground beef (don't completely cover the meat, just sprinkle over the surface), stir, taste the meat with seasonings and make any adjustments you feel necessary. You want the meat to have a really good flavor before you add the other ingredients. Add all of the canned ingredients along with their juices. Cook everything through until it's warmed and enjoy! Oh, and like most chili's this is freezer friendly.

Monthly Menu: October

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 04:47:00 +0000

Bread/Starch Entrees

Tomato Sandwiches with Oven Baked Parmesan Seasoned Fries

Pirozhki

Baked Potato Bar

Potato Varenyky

Mexican Entree's

Quesadillas

Creamy Avocado & White Bean Wrap

Breakfast Entrees

French Toast

Fried Eggs, Toast and Bacon

Beef /Pork/Turkey Entrees

Not So Sloppy Joes

Homemade Corndogs

Mongolian Beef

Very Authentic Egg Rolls

Grilled Tri-Tip

Chicken Entrees

Crock Pot Orange Chicken

Pasta Entrees

Spaghetti

Penne in Cream Sauce with Sausage

Frozen Costco Ravioli with Easy Parmesan Knots

Soups

Spicy Chicken Stew

Clam Chowder

Campfire Cones

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 04:01:00 +0000

I admit, I am a pinterest junkie. Haven't heard of it? Well, I suggest you look it up and check it out. It has revolutionized the way I organize the recipes I find online AND it has opened up a whole new world of recipe sites for me to check out. I have "pinned" and tried several new recipes found from pinterest and I am excited to share them.

One of the first recipes I "pinned" on pinterest was Campfire Cones. Honestly, I think it only took me about 10 hours after I saw the recipe to break down and make them, which was easy since I had ALL the ingredients laying around. These are really fun to make because each person can personalize them, and even better, you don't need to only cook them in a campfire, you can also do them in the oven.

Campfire Cones
from Chef Jessica Bright

Each person needs:

1 ice cream cone (I prefer sugar cones)
1 piece of foil, big enough to wrap the cone

And an assortment of the fillings of your choice. They can include but are not limited to:

Chocolate chips
Butterscotch morsels
White chocolate morsels
Peanut Butter Chips
Mint Chips
Walnuts
Peanuts
Almonds
Toffee pieces
Mini marshmallows
Brown sugar
Coconut
Cocoa nibs
Banana pieces
Dried fruit

Allow each person to design their cone with the fillers of choice in layers. Wrap securely with foil and place over heat near campfire or on grill to allow the chocolates to melt. You can also bake in the oven at 400 for 10-12 minutes Unwrap and enjoy.

Baltimore Beef Bad Boys with Grilled Romaine

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 03:16:00 +0000

This is a great recipe from the Food Network Magazine. It is great to have a recipe source that I know ALL the recipes will be good. This particular recipe comes from Guy Fieri, and if Guy Fieri told me dirt tasted good I would probably believe him. This recipe does not taste like dirt however, it is delicious and easy to assemble. It reminds of a beef rueben sandwich, and I love reubens. This is also a great recipe because my husband is in charge of the grill, so it is a great way to "trick" him into making dinner.

We also threw out some grilled romaine to add to this meal. Cut the romaine hearts into halves or fourths. After you grill your meat add on romaine hearts with cut side down and grilled until the leaves are just charred. Top with crispy bacon, blue cheese and ranch dressing!

Baltimore Beef Bad Boys

2 tablespoons seasoned salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 pounds top round, cut in 2-equal pieces*
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup horseradish
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
16 slices Rye bread, lightly toasted

Combine seasoned salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper, onion and garlic powder, oregano, paprika and chili powder in a 1-gallon sealable plastic bag. Mix thoroughly and then add 1 piece of meat, shake it around in the bag, remove it and repeat with the second piece of meat. When both pieces are done, return them to the bag, and let marinate for 24 to 48 hours in refrigerator. Remove meat from refrigerator at least 20 minutes, prior to grilling.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, horseradish, garlic and sea salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and place into refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
Set grill or large grilling pan to high heat. Cook meat for 20 minutes or until desired temperature. Remove from heat, cover and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Best served medium-rare.
Slice cooked and rested steaks paper thin using either a knife or counter-top deli-slicer. Place 4-ounces of meat on a slice of toasted rye and spread on sour cream horseradish.

This made more than enough or my family of 5, so after I dredged the meat in the seasonings I wrapped one up and threw it in the freezer for next time!

*remember, you can ask the guy behind with meat counter at the grocery store to split your top round in half for you.

Surimi Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 03:27:00 +0000

The cooking bug is finally back! After my baby was born at the beginning of May I have not been in the mood to cook, think about cooking, or blogging about cooking. However, it's baaaaack! I have made so many fun recipes these past few weeks so get ready for some delicious posts.

One night I was going through some of my old recipes I had torn out of magazines when I found this recipe for Surumi Rolls. It is from the August 2009 Family Circle recipe, titled as a no-cook supper which definitely caught my eye! This is a great recipe for summer, and it is great for those days where you don't feel like cooking, but want something delicious to eat.

Now what the heck is surimi? Surimi is basically imitation crab. It is usually made with pollack and then is flavored with crab, shrimp and lobster, then pre-cooked. You can find it in the freezer section of the grocery store, and is usually labeled "imitation crab"

Surimi Rolls

1 lb imitation crab meat (surimi), chopped or shredded
3/4 cup chopped celery
4 tsp chopped tarragon
1 tbs dijon mustard
1 tbs olive oil
8 hot dog buns (please do not use your run of the mill hot dog buns, get the fresh bakery kind that you have to slice open)

In a large bowl, mix together the imitation crab, the mayo, celery, tarragon, mustard and olive oil until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. To serve spoon a generous half cup of the crab mixture into each bun. We found that slathering your bun with yellow mustard, topping the crab mixture with black pepper and adding some green leafy lettuce makes it even more excellent!

Asparagus Pasta Salad

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 03:19:00 +0000

I love pasta salad. I also have been intimidated by it... who knows why because most recipes are super easy! In a recent issue of Food Network magazine, they featured several different pasta salad recipes with ingredients were listed, but not the amounts of each ingredient. I like this idea because it allows you to put in a little bit of this and a little bit of that. The ingredients for the pasta salad I chose where: Fusilli, Asparagus, Corn, Sun dried Tomatoes, and Creamy Parmesan Dressing. I will try to guesstimate the amounts I used, but take some time and have fun at making it your own!

Asparagus Pasta Salad

16 oz package of Fussili or other corkscrew pasta
1/2 lb of asparagus (fresh or frozen)
6 oz of corn
8 oz container drained and chopped sun dried tomatoes
1 bottle of creamy Parmesan dressing (which I could not find so I just used a creamy cheese dressing)

Cook pasta in salted water, drain and cool. Meanwhile, broil asparagus brushed with olive oil for 7-10 minutes until crisp. Let asparagus cool, and cut into 1 inch pieces. After pasta has cooled add all ingredients together and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to eat! I also added some grilled chicken to mine to make it more of a meal than a side dish.

Monthly Menu: September

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 05:22:00 +0000

Bread Entrees
Grilled Pizza
Costco Pizza
BLT's on Focaccia
Pirozhki

Mexican Entree's
Tostadas

Breakfast Entrees
Blender Wheat Pancakes
French Toast
Bacon 'n' Cheese Strata

Beef /Pork/Turkey Entrees
Hot Dogs
Baltimore Beef Bad Boy with Grilled Romaine
Turkey Steaks
Not So Sloppy Joes
Grilled Sausage with Spicy Sauce

Chicken Entrees
BBQ Chicken Kebabs
Chicken Nuggets
Chinese Chicken Burgers

Fish Entrees
Shrimp and Grits
Salmon
Surimi Rolls

Pasta Entrees
Beef Stroganof
Potato Varenyky
Penne in Cream Sauce with Sausage

Soups
Curried Split Pea Soup
Chili

Salad
Orzo Salad with Spicy Buttermilk Dressing

Quick and Delicious Asian Noodles

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 03:11:00 +0000

The name says it all! These are quick and delicious! This makes a ton also, so we had leftovers for lunch for almost a week. I found that adding a little sriracha to them added a nice flavor and kick. We love Asian food at our house, so this recipe is a keeper.

Quick and Delicious Asian Noodles
from Mels' Kitchen Cafe

12 ounces thin spaghetti, fresh chinese noodles or rice noodles
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1 pound ground turkey
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 ½ teaspoons Thai red curry paste
8 ounces white button mushrooms, finely chopped
Sesame seed oil

Sauce:
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar

In a small bowl, whisk all of the sauce ingredients together to combine. Set aside.

In a large pot, bring lightly salted water to a boil (I use about 1 tablespoon kosher/coarse salt for 4 quarts of water). Add the thin spaghetti (or whatever kind of noodle you are using) and cook until desired tenderness. Drain and set aside.

While the noodles are boiling, in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until rippling. Add the mushrooms and Thai curry paste and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are nicely browned but not all the way cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the ground turkey, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook it with the garlic, mushrooms and curry paste until the turkey is cooked through.

Add the cooked noodles and with a pair of tongs, lift and separate the noodles and incorporate them with the other ingredients. Pour the sauce over the noodle mixture and again, lift the ingredients up and over with a pair of tongs to coat all the ingredients with the sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, until the noodles have absorbed all the flavors and all the ingredients are heated through.If desired, drizzle lightly with Asian sesame seed oil to finish. Serve immediately.

First Annual Cougar Board Charity Cook Off

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 02:59:00 +0000

This past weekend our family attended the First Annual Cougar Board Charity Cook Off. What is cougarboard? Well, it is not a place where I prowl on boys half my age. It is a message board for all that is BYU sports and more, much much more. My husband is addicted to it, and I may admit I am too. The people who run the message board decided to do a cook off and chairety event to support a cancer support group. Since our family is all about food, we decided to enter ALL FOUR CATEGORIES. This consisted of: meat, hot wings, chili and dessert. I was in charge of the hot wings, my husband was in charge of everything else (this was all his idea by the way).

Starting at 4am, My husband was out attending to his smoked pork shoulder, and through out the day we simmered chili, constructed a dessert and fried up some wings!

I cannot say the competition was fierce, but there was some great food there. In the end, we came out pretty well.

The husband placed 3rd with his smoked pulled pork. Honestly, he was up against ribs and brisket. The judges did not bother to try his amazing secret bbq sauce either, so pulling out a third place with plain smoked pulled pork was pretty awesome.

I placed second with my hot wings. Please do not ask how many competitors their were. It will make my second place win be more like last place... I don't think the judges were quite ready for the hot part of my hot wings. I used Bobby Flay's recipe for hot wings and blue cheese yogurt sauce. I used peppers that we grew in our garden, which may have possibly made it a bit to spicy for most palates. However, I thought they were delicious! I also won some pretty awesome BYU beenies so all is good.

We did not place in the chili portion. However, my husband made some pretty awesome chili. He took the recipe for our favorite beans, and made a chili out of it by adding some tomato paste and other ingredients.

Husband also placed third in desserts, and EVERYONE agreed he was robbed. He lost to two desserts that looked like they were made from a boxed cake mix. I was not a judge but I tried all the desserts and only one even came close. It was a Key lime cheese cake, and they didn't win anything! But, that is how it goes. I loved the dessert so much that I want to share it with you

Carmel Fudge Cake

Take your favorite recipe of yellow cake
Good melting caramel
favorite chocolate ganache recipe
whipping cream whipped yo to perfection

Bake your yellow cake in two 8 inch cake pans. After cooking, cooling, and de-panning, pick the cake that came out the best and cut it in half (like a layer cake). Fill the middle with melted caramel, replace the top part, cover it with more caramel. Refrigerate it for a bit, the cover the top with chocolate ganache and sever with the whipped cream.

White Chocolate S'mores Gooey Cake Bars

noreply@blogger.com (The Hungry Homemaker) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 02:53:00 +0000

Yah, just the name of this makes me drool. I made the mistake of checking out Picky Palate the other night, and I think I bookmarked at least half the recipes. Holy moley this lady knows how to do desserts (and her other recipes look pretty fantastic too).

I love S'mores, so this recipe really stood out to me, plus I had all the ingredients and it looked super simple (and it was). The fun part about this recipe is you can change it up if you want, make is all chocolate, or throw in some peanut butter chips instead.

White Chocolate S'mores Gooey Cake Bars
from Picky Palate

1 box yellow cake mix
1 large egg
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
4 1/2 full graham crackers
10 ounce bag white chocolate chips
2 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line an 8×8 inch baking pan with tin foil that’s been generously sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure foil goes all the way up and over the edges for this one. It will be a full pan

2. Place cake mix, egg, and butter into a large mixing bowl. Mix with hands until a nice dough forms. similar to a cookie dough. Press half of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer with graham crackers, white chips then marshmallows. Top with remaining half of dough pressing evenly. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk over top then bake for 28-33 minutes, until cooked through and golden brown on top. Remove from oven. Let cool for 5 minutes then take a plastic knife and run along edges to loosen marshmallow (this will make your life easier when pulling foil out of pan to remove bars. Let cool completely then remove bars from pan with foil edges. Cut off all edges if desired, about 1/2 inch each side. I save the edges to snack on too. Cut bars into squares and serve. They are delicious room temperature or chilled.
12 to 16 servings