Fajitas

We had Keri over for dinner last night! Poor Adam was sick. I tried this for the first time! Keri loved it! She had three plates:)I think the noodles add a fun new twist instead of using tortillas. I actually combined a couple recipes. You can just buy fajita meat but i made mine.


Meat:
About 1 lb (depends how much you're making) steak cut into strips
•1/4 cup soy sauce (I marinated my meat for a couple hours)
•1/4 cup lime juice
•1 teaspoon chili powder
•2 Tablespoons oil

Red bell pepper, julienned
Green bell pepper, julienned
1/2 onion, sliced
2 Tbls olive oil
1/2 bag fajita meat
1 can Original Rotel
Angel hair pasta

*Cook pasta according to directions. Saute bell peppers & onions in olive oil. Add meat for the last 5 minutes. Add Rotel. Drain water from pasta and add to fajitas. Mix well & Enjoy!

Teriyaki Beef Bowl

Nothing fancy here but oh so good! I knew Coley would love this! Chad had four bowls:)


About 2 cups chopped carrots
About 2 cups chopped broccoli
Steak cut into strips
8 oz Pasta
¼ c Italian dressing
¼ c Teriyaki sauce
1 t ginger
Cook pasta, when there is about 7 min left add fresh vegetables. Drain when done. While pasta is cooking, heat 2 t oil in skillet, add steak and brown. Stir in Italian dressing, teriyaki sauce and1 ginger. Cook until sauce thickens then toss everything together.

super easy!

Japanese Chicken

Gavin never eats all his food and then ask for seconds, but that's what he did while eating this meal. He did this hand gesture and said, "This food is the best, Mom"! We all died laughing and I had to get a picture. He is the funniest kid. That makes it all worth it for me!

I served this with chicken fried rice, white rice and creamy fruit salad

4-6 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup flour

2 1/2 T. sesame seeds

1/4 plus 1/8 cup soy sauce

2 cups sugar

1 cup vinegar

1/8 cup chopped green onions

Dip chicken in egg, combine flour and sesame seeds, roll chicken in flour mixture and place on greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 degress for 10 minues on each side. Mix soy sauce, sugar and vinegar, pour 1/2 of mixed sauce over chicken and bake at 325 for 40 more minutes. Place chicken in serving pan and pour remaining sauce over it. Garnish with green onions. Serve.

Recipe comes from the McKay-Dee Hospital Cafeteria

Peach Cobbler with Coconut-Pecan Topping and Vanilla-Rum Creme Anglaise

I'm telling you this is one of the best cobblers I have ever tasted and it's because of the topping. I used peaches I had frozen from my garden. The original recipe calls for mixed berries. Brad loves peach cobbler, but I love berry cobbler. So next time I make it I will do the berry one.

Enjoy!
Recipe comes from: Cuisine at home, August 2005, Issue 52, p. 51

Toss Together:

8 cups peaches or berries, fresh or frozen(thawed slightly if frozen)

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup instant tapioca

Juice of 1/2 a lime

pinch of salt

Combine;Knead in:

1 cup all -purpose flour

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. table salt

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed(1 stick)

Blend in; Top fruit with:

1 egg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Toss berries with sugar, tapioca, lime juice, and salt in a bowl. Spoon into a 2-qt. baking dish.

Combine flour, coconut, sugar, pecans, baking powder, and salt in a second bowl. Using your fingertips, knead in the butter until incorporated. Mixture should look like coarse sand.

Blend in the egg, then arrange topping over the berries in clumps, covering them evenly. Bake the cobbler for 45-50 minutes, or until topping is golden and crisp, and filling is thick and bubbly. Cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before serving.

This can be served with vanilla bean icecream or Vanilla-Rum Creme Anglaise(recipe below)

This is a really delicious dessert sauce:

Vanilla-Rum Crème Anglaise

Makes: About 2 Cups Total Time: About 20 Minutes Rating: Easy

Warm:

2 cups half and half

2 T. sugar

1 vanilla bean(You will have to either order these or get them from a specialty foods store. I ordered mine), split and scraped; pod chopped into 1-inch pieces(you will strain below to remove the pods) 

Whisk Together; Temper Milk into and Cook:

5 egg yolks

3 T. sugar

2 T. light or dark rum(you'll have to go to a liquor store to get this. The alcohol evaporates out, but leaves the rich taste) 

1/4 t. kosher salt

Blend and Strain(this will make the consistency much nicer); Add:

1 t. vanilla extract

So delicious!
Here's a recipe for this sauce without the Rum:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/CremeAnglaise.html

Cheese Broccoli Soup

I made this tonight and it was pretty good! I am usually not a fan of velveeta cheese but it was good. I would prob do half a pound next time.


1 onion, chopped
2 Cups sliced carrots
2 Cups chopped celery
3 Cups cut up broccoli

Boil all veggies but broccoli in 2 cups of water for 10 minutes. Add the broccoli and boil for 10 more minutes. DO NOT DRAIN.

Sauce:
1/2 Cup margarine
3 Tablespoons flour
2 Cups milk
1 pound Velveeta cheese
1 teaspoon dry mustard or tablespoon prepared mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 chicken flavored bouillon cubes (or 3 teaspoons bouillon granules)

In saucepan, melt margarine. Stir in flour. Add milk and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick. Add cheese and other ingredients. Mix until smooth. Add to undrained veggies and heat together but do not boil.

*Notes: It was really yummy but a TAD thick. I ended up adding more water once it was all done because it was too thick for me.

Creamy Grape Salad

This recipe comes from Taste of Home 2011. It is something else!! Tastes like dessert. You HAVE to try it.

Ingredients:
1 pkg.(8 oz.) Philadelphia cream cheese(softened)
1 cup sour cream(8 oz.)
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 lbs seedless red grapes
2lbs seedless green grapes
3 T brown sugar
3 T chopped pecans
Directions:
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla until blended. Add grapes and toss to coat. Transfer to a serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Sprinkle with brown sugar and pecans just before serving. Yield: 21-24 servings

Pureed Butternut Squash Soup

This soup was so delicious! Even the kids gobbled it up. However, I took some to my Mom and Dad to try and they gave it back and said they didn't like it. Ha ha, I had to laugh about it! It is one of the best squash soups I have tasted so far. I served it with sourdough bread to dip in and watermelon on the side.

Ingredients


2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, chopped

1 piece (2 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and chopped or I just used some ground ginger

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 3/4 pounds small butternut squash, prepared and cut into 3/4-inch cubes(I used some I grew in my garden)

4 cups Chicken broth(I just used water and added boullion)

Coarse salt and ground pepper

Sour cream, (optional)

Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Directions

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, and squash; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in 4 cups broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer until squash is tender, 20 minutes.

Puree soup in two batches. When blending hot foods, allow the heat to escape to prevent splattering. Remove the cap from the hole of the blender's lid, and cover with a dish towel. Stir 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Serve hot, with sour cream, pepper, and pumpkin seeds, if desired.