Casual Home Cooked Recipes

Mommy Menus: Cheesy Sausage Biscuits

2011-03-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

Vietnamese Dipping Sauce - Nouc Mam

2009-09-22T14:08:00.000-07:00

For the Vietnamese people, this sauce is like a soy sauce to the Japanese and salt/pepper to the English. It's uses are great for rice dishes, flavoring broths, spring rolls, and egg rolls.
Tummy Talk
The dipping sauce is made with fresh lime, chili pepper and garlic. That combination alone sends my tastebuds flying!
Preparation
Add sugar to hot water. Stir until dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients, fish sauce (nouc mam), garlic, lime, vinegar, chili pepper. Stir and let rest for a day for optimal tastebud excitement!
Ingredients

2 1/2 part sugar
1 part Fish Sauce (nouc mam - three crabs brand preferred)
2 part water
1/4 part minced fresh garlic
1 sm lime (not key lime)
1 part white vinegar
1 thai chili pepper (preferably red - for added sweetness)

Tips: My mother-n-law says to never refridgerate, however, I prefer to do so, since I do not finish it as fast as the Nguyen family does. Additionally, the fresh garlic and chili pepper tends to go bad if I do so. So, if you can use it all up in a day or two, then follow Moms advice, "Keep it on the counter for storage". Another tip, whatever container you decide to use for this dipping sauce, once your done with it you'll notice the smell of the sauce is still on the container. I suggest having that container being your designated Vietnamese Dipping Sauce container for the rest of its lifetime! ;)

Mom's Beef Stroganoff

2009-09-20T16:51:00.000-07:00

Can you say Delicious Comfort Food? This dish has the words comfort all over it. It is something I savor everybite of. This meal is great for preparing in advance and eating at a later time. In fact, this is something my mom made a great deal of and stored in the freezer when I came home from the hospital after having my babies.
Tummy Talk
The sauce is quite simple and did I say, "Delicious"? With the use of mushrooms and sourcream, you can't go wrong. I used a 1lb beef sirloin steak, cut thinly opposite the grain of the steak. With a side of frozen peas, nothing could be better.
Preparation
Thinly slice the steak into bite-size strips. Hint -This is easy to do if the meat is partially frozen! Set aside. In a seperate bowl, stir together the flour, sour cream, bouillon granules, pepper and thyme. Set aside.
Using a large skillet, cook half the meat in the butter. Remove from skillet. Cook the remaining meat, mushrooms, onions and garlic. Place all the meat in the skillet, stir in the flour mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and to a lite boil. Serve over a bed of egg noodles and heaven awaits!
Ingredients

1 1lb sirloin steak
1 8 oz sour cream (light if desired is ok)
2 T flour
1/2 cup water
2 tsp beef bouillon granules
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp thyme (optional)
2 T butter
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (On a personal note, I like to add a whole lot more... 2-3 cups please)
1/2 cup chopped onion (white or yellow)
2 cups hot cooked noodles, preferably egg noodles.

I suggest, doubling the recipe for the sauce and meat mixture, store in a freezer locked bag, and you'll have a easy meal for one of those nights you don't have anything in the fridge. For this reason, you'll need to have noodles saved up in your pantry. Thanks mom for making this for me all these years.

Grilled Tri-tip with House Seasoning

2009-09-03T18:21:00.000-07:00

Tonight was another fantastic dinner that I prepared for a wonderful family. I get very excited to cook family meals for my family and other families, so it made my day to be able to do both. I grilled a marinated tri-tip and it came out so juicy and delicious.

Tummy Talk
The dinner takes little to no effort and comes out juicy and tender every time. I used a 2lb tri tip, marinated it the night before and dreamt all day about what was to come. Cooked with fresh asparagus, nothing could be better. The asparagus were prepped by shredding the ends and gently under cooking in salty water, as they continue to cook on the way to the table. Add a dash of toasted sesame seeds and dinner is served!

Preparation
Rub the meat with steak seasoning. Place meat in zip lock bag. Add worcestershire sauce, balsalmic vinager,and chili sauce (optional) to the bag. Let meat marinate over night. Prior to cooking, let meat get to room temp for 1/2 hr. Place on grill with indirect heat. Using a meat thermometer, remove at 135 degrees for Med Rare, 140 for Med, 145 for Well done. Following removal from the grill, cover gently with foil for ten minutes. Cut opposite the grain of the meat and serve.

Ingredients

1 tri tip
3 T montreal steak seasoning
2 T balsalmic vinegar
2 T worcestershire sauce
1 T chili sauce (optional for a kick)

Average cost $12-15 for a family. Left overs are great chopped up for breakfast in an egg burrito or for sandwhiches the next day with a dab your favorite bbq sauce.

Gooey Goodness Garlic Bread

2009-08-31T12:38:00.000-07:00

If you love garlic bread, your sure to love this recipe I created. There is nothing better than Garlic bread with gooey cheese slathered all over it.

Preparation
Slice the sour dough round (or your preferred bread) leaving the round attached at the bottom, being careful not to slice all the way through. Mix the butter, mayonnaise, garlic salt, onion powder, and shredded cheese until they become one, resulting in a spread. Slather each slice with the spread. Wrap the loaf in foil and back for 10 to 15 minutes at 400 degrees or just until the spread has melted. The foil wrap works great on a grill to.

Ingredients

1 stick of butter
1/4 cup of mayonnaise
1 T of garlic salt
1 tsp of onion powder
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese - (try, Mexican blend, pepper jack or Gorgonzola for a kick)

You don't have to use it all at once. The spread can be stored in the refrigerator for your next garlic bread craving.

Chicken in a Sherry and Mushroom Cream Sauce

2009-08-20T21:49:00.000-07:00

I get very excited to cook family meals for other families. Just recently, I had the opportunity to cook my favorite dish I grew up enjoying on the table for another family. My mom's "Chicken in a Sherry and Mushroom Cream Sauce". Mmmmmm, it is still my absolute favorite meal my mom ever cooked for me and occasionally, she still does!

Tummy Talk
The dinner sounds like this in my dream. Chicken (boneless and skinless) in a sherry and mushroom sauce - Mmmm, so good. Cooked with zucchini and/or yellow squash (optional, mom never did, but I do to bump up the veggie count and don't even notice they are there). Mushroom will be sliced thinly, and zucchini/squash will be quartered. I recommend enjoying this meal with white or brown rice and a nice cold Chardonnay to top it off.

Preparation
Brown the vegetables lightly over med-high heat. Add dried onion soup, sour cream, cream of mushroom soup and sherry over high heat. Bring to a simmer. Add shredded chicken and simmer for 10-15 min. Serve over a bed of rice and eat tell your tummy smiles back at you :)

Ingredients

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 packet of dried onion soup packet
1 cup sherry wine
1 cup sour cream (light is a great option)
15-20 med mushrooms
1 lg zucchini
2 yellow squash
2 shredded chicken breast (fully cooked - boiled, roasted, grilled)
2 shredded chicken thighs (fully cooked - boiled, roasted, grilled)

Average cost $12-15 for a family of 5. Left overs are even better the next day, so you'll thank me for making extra.