BBQ Smoked Sausage & Pasta-Ranch Salad

BBQ Smoked Sausage

Smoked sausage, cut into 4-inch pieces
BBQ Sauce

Grill, bake or broil the sausages until completely hot. Brush with bbq sauce and cook 5-10 minutes longer. Yum!

Pasta-Ranch Salad

16-oz pkg small shell pasta, cooked as directed on package
1 pkg Ranch dressing mix, prepared as directed on package
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup chopped sweet gherkins
1 cup colby cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
10 slices bacon, cooked crisp and chopped

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. If mixture is too dry at serving time, add 2-3 tbsp milk and stir well. This makes a lot of pasta salad but it tastes even better the next day.

This is our favorite pasta salad. It's really good with the BBQ Smoked Sausage.

Pineapple Pork Chops

Pineapple Pork Chops

4 pork chops
Garlic salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 can pineapple tidbits or crushed pineapple
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 green pepper rings

Season the pork chops with garlic salt and pepper and brown well on both sides in the vegetable oil in a large skillet. Add the onion when the chops are almost done and cook until translucent. Stir in the pineapple, brown sugar and cinnamon. Top each pork chop with a green pepper ring, cover the skillet, reduce heat and simmer about 40 minutes or until tender.

I served this tonight with the Neely's Memphis Sweet Potato Fries (see earlier posting) and Cole Slaw.

Brown Sugar Meatloaf Variation 1 (original recipe posted in May)

1-1/2 lbs ground beef and pork for meatloaf
1/3 cup milk
2 heaping tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbsp dehydrated minced onion
1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal
2 sliced swiss cheese
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup catsup


Preheat the oven to 350^ F. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the first 7 ingredients and press half of the mixture into a 9x5" loaf pan. Top with the swiss cheese slices and then the rest of the meat, pressing to seal cheese in. Combine the brown sugar and catsup and spread over the top. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes or until the meat is completely cooked. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Great meatloaf!


Cheddar-Bacon Mashed Potatoes

Idahoan instant mashed potato flakes, prepared as directed on package
Sour cream
Shredded cheddar
minced chives
Bacon bits

Stir a dollop of sour cream into the hot mashed potatoes. Spoon into a buttered casserole dish, sprinkle with cheddar, chives and bacon bits. Bake at 350^ for 20 minutes.

Yummy! These would be the bomb made with real mashed potatoes instead of instant!

Ranch Crispy Chicken

Ranch Crispy Chicken

1 packet Hidden Valley Original Ranch Dressing mix
1 cup fine cornflake crumbs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine the ranch dressing mix and the cornflake crumbs in a shallow bowl. Combine the mayonnaise and buttermilk in another shallow bowl. Dip the chicken breasts into the buttermilk mixture, coating both sides, then into the crumb mixture to coat both sides. Place in a shallow baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam and bake at 375^ for 50 to 60 minutes or until chicken is completely cooked.

Served with Roasted Potatoes and Pickled Beets. The chicken was gooey on the bottom, nice and crispy on top, but in my opinion it's not worth making again.

Baked Steak with Cream Gravy

Baked Steak with Cream Gravy

4-6 small sirloin steaks, about 1/2" thick
Seasoned Salt and Pepper
1 cup flour
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, cut in half and sliced
12-oz can evaporated milk
10-oz can Campbell's Beefy Mushroom soup

Pound the steaks until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Season with seasoned salt and pepper and dredge them in the flour. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large heavy skillet. Brown the steaks quickly on both sides, turning only once. Place the meat into a 9x13" dish. Add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring often, until they are transparent. Stir in about 1/4 cup flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the evaporated milk until the mixture begins to thicken. Stir in the beefy mushroom soup and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over the steaks, cover the pan tightly with foil anb bake at 350^ for 1 hour.

We had this with Rice and Green Beans. It was good!

Cincinnati-ish Sausage & Noodles

Cincinnati-ish Sausage & Noodles

1 1/2 lb Jimmy Dean sausage
2 tbsp minced dried onion
6-oz can tomato paste
15-oz can Fire-Roasted Diced Tomates
15-oz can dark red kidney beans
1 can Hormel Chili with Beans
1/3 cup Coca-Cola
2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp Hershey's dark chocolate syrup
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 pkg taco seasoning mix
16-oz pkg egg noodles, cooked as directed
Shredded colby cheese, if desired
Sour Cream to garnish, if desired

Brown and crumble the sausage in a large skillet. Add all the remaining ingredients except the egg noodles and simmer for about 45 minutes. Serve over the hot noodles with shredded cheese and sour cream.

John loved it....me, not so much. This, in my opinion, would have been excellent with Bowties or maybe Shells, but not egg noodles!

Spaghetti & Meat Sauce

Spaghetti & Meat Sauce

1.5 lbs ground chuck
Garlic Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tbsp minced dried onion (or 1/4 cup minced red onion)
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp refrigerated minced roasted garlic
1/4 cup shredded parmigiano reggiano, optional
26-oz jar spaghetti sauce (recommended: Newman's Own Cabernet Marinara)
1 tbsp Italian salad dressing, optional
1/2 cup water
1-lb pkg thin spaghetti, cooked al dente, as directed on package

Crumble the ground chuck into a large skillet and season with garlic salt & pepper. Add the dried onion and worcestershire and brown, stirring often, until meat is done. Add the basil, oregano, pepper flakes and garlic. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, italian salad dressing and water and simmer for about 20-30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings and serve over cooked spaghetti.

Salsa Chicken with Black Beans and Yellow Rice

Salsa Chicken with Black Beans and Yellow Rice

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Montreal chicken seasoning
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
8 oz Thick & Chunky Salsa
2 cans black beans, undrained
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried cilantro
3 tbsp catsup
1 tbsp pickled diced jalapeno
1 pkg yellow rice, prepared according to package directions
Sour Cream, if desired
Shredded Pepper Jack cheese, if desired
Chopped fresh tomatoes, if desired

Season the chicken with Montreal chicken seasoning. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Brown the chicken. Add chopped onions after you turn the chicken over to brown the other side. Remove the chicken to a small baking dish and spoon a couple of tablespoons of salsa over each breast. Place in the oven at 350-degrees. Meanwhile, stir the undrained beans into the same skillet used to brown the chicken, scraping up the browned bits. Add the rest of the salsa, the cumin, cilantro, catsup, and jalapeno and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and serve it with the black beans over prepared yellow rice, topped with sour cream, shredded pepper jack and chopped tomatoes. Yummy!

Braised Short Ribs with Roasted Potatoes and Mom's Pea Salad

Braised Short Ribs

4 lbs short ribs
Salt & pepper
1 cup flour
3 or 4 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups baby carrots
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ginger
1 1/2 cups red wine
32 oz carton beef broth

Season the short ribs with salt & pepper and coat them with the flour. Heat the oil in a large skillet and brown the ribs. Put them into a crockpot and add the onion, celery, carrots, allspice, ginger, wine and beef broth. Cover and cook on low for about 8-10 hours. These were good but I think they could have been better. They needed something....


Roasted Potatoes

4 potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges (6 to 8 wedges per potato)
Olive oil
Garlic salt
Pepper

Place the potatoes on a large shallow pan (like a jelly roll pan) in an even layer. Drizzle with oil, season with garlic salt and pepper and toss them around a bit to distribute the oil. Separate them into an even layer and bake at 450-degrees until done, about 35 to 40 minutes. Excellent potatoes!


My Mom's Pea Salad

1 can green peas, drained
1 tbsp dried minced onion
2-3 tbsp sweet relish
1/3 cup (more or less) mayonnaise

Combine peas, onion, relish and enough mayonnaise to bind together. Cover and refrigerate about an hour. Serve cold. This is another of my stand-by dishes. It's easy and everyone loves it.

The Lady's Chicken Noodle Soup - Sort Of

The Lady's Chicken Noodle Soup - Sort Of...

Paula Deen's original version of this soup can be found at foodtv.com....here's how I did it:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Garlic salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp butter (geez, I can't believe Paula forgot this!)
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup baby carrots, chopped
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp celery flakes
1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
48-oz carton chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
Water
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
16-oz thin egg noodles
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup heavy cream

Season the chicken breasts with garlic salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a large pot and lightly saute the chicken breasts until they just begin to brown a bit. Remove chicken and add the onion, celery and carrots. Saute until onion is slightly tender. Add the basil, oregano, garlic powder, parsley flakes, rosemary, pepper flakes, and lemon pepper. Cook about 1 minute, stirring often. Add chicken broth, wine and enough water to make about 4 quarts of soup (or until you have enough broth to cook a whole bag of noodles). Chop the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and add the meat to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 30-40 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if you need to.

Add the mixed veggies and return to a boil. Stir in the egg noodles and cook, according to the instructions on the package. Stir in the parmesan and cream a couple of minutes before the noodles are done and continue to cook until the noodles ARE done! Serve with hot, French bread.

I thought this was really good, but John says the one I usually make is better. Of course, he did see me add the parmesan cheese and he's not a fan of that cheese, so I suspect that's probably why.

Rigatoni Meatball Chili Supper

Rigatoni Meatball Chili Supper

1 (1-lb) pkg frozen fully cooked Italian meatballs
26 oz jar spaghetti sauce
16 oz can stewed tomatoes
15 oz can light red kidney beans
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
16 oz pkg rigatoni, cooked as directed on package

Place meatballs in a Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cook 10 minutes, drain. Return the meatballs to the pot, add the next 6 ingredients and simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir in the cooked rigatoni and serve hot.

Very good, very easy.

The Neely's Memphis Sweet Potato Fries

The Neely's Memphis Sweet Potato Fries

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch wide strips
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix together olive oil, paprika and cinnamon. Toss the potato strips into mixture, to coat well, and spread onto baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and brown sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.

I omitted the paprika entirely and only turned them once after 15 minutes. They were not crisp at all, but they WERE delicious! John told me next time to double the recipe and swore there would not be any leftovers if I did!

I served these with a Grilled Ham Steak and Cole Slaw. From FoodTV.

Bacon Roasted Pork Tenderloin & Smoky Gouda Potatoes

Bacon Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Half of a 2lb pork tenderloin
2 strips bacon
Garlic Salt
Pepper
2 tbsp Maple Syrup
1 large onion
2 tbsp water

Slice the onion into thick slices and place in the bottom of a crockpot with the water. Wrap the bacon strips around the pork and season with garlic salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with the maple syrup, put the lid on it and cook on low for about 6 hours or until browned and tender. Yum!

Smoky Gouda Mashed Potatoes

6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into chunks
Water
Salt
1 tbsp minced dried onion
1/2 cup shredded smoked Gouda
1/3 cup half and half

Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Add salt to taste and the dried onion. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are done. Drain and return to pot and shake it around over the hot burner for a couple of minutes to dry out the potatoes a bit. Add the smoked Gouda and the half and half and mash with a potato masher until well combined but still a little chunky. These were good but I think they needed more cheese. And butter.

We had the Pork and Potatoes with Broccoli & Cheese.

Turkey Cutlets and Stuffing

Turkey Cutlets and Stuffing

1 pkg turkey cutlets (about 8 thin slices)
Salt & Pepper
Poultry Seasoning
2 tbsp butter, divided
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
Handful baby carrots, chopped
1 can Creamy Chicken & Mushroom soup
1/2 can water
1/2 cup half and half
2 tbsp white wine
1 box Stove Top cornbread stuffing
1 box Stove Top turkey stuffing
3 cups water
1/2 stick butter

Prepare the stuffing mixes as directed on the package using 3 cups water and 1/2 stick butter. Set aside.

Lightly season the turkey cutlets with salt, pepper and a sprinkle of poultry seasoning while you melt 1 tbsp butter and the oil in a large, heavy skillet. Saute the turkey about 2 minutes per side. Remove turkey from the pan.

Add 1 tbsp butter to the pan until melted. Saute the onion, celery and carrots until the onion is tender and starting to brown a bit. Stir in the soup, water, half and half and wine and simmer until well combined and hot.

Scoop and pack the Stove Top into a small round mold (I use a plastic measuring cup) and invert into a large casserole dish. Repeat until you have 4 to 6 mounds of stuffing. Place the turkey cutlets over the stuffing mounds. Pour the hot gravy and vegetables over all. Cover with foil and bake at 325-degrees F for about 30 minutes.

Love it! Served with Sauteed Apples and Cranberries (see recipe for Fried Apples and throw in a handful of dried cranberries).

Broccoli Soup and Chicken-Chutney Patty Melts

Broccoli Soup

24oz pkg frozen broccoli florets
32 oz carton chicken stock
1 tbsp dried minced onion
Water
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tbsp white wine
Dash nutmeg
1/2 cup half and half
1 can Creamy Chicken Mushroom Soup
8 oz Velveeta, cut into cubes

Combine the broccoli, stock, onion and enough water to cover the broccoli in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste and the wine and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the broccoli is very tender. At this point you can either pour the soup into a blender and blend until the broccoli is pureed, or if you'd rather have little chunks of broccoli, use a potato masher to crush it into smaller pieces. It's good either way. Add the nutmeg, half and half, and chicken-mushroom soup and cook until the soup is well mixed. Add the Velveeta, stirring and cook until the cheese is melted. I like to garnish this soup with a little shredded swiss cheese and a few croutons.

Chicken-Chutney Patty Melts

4 frozen fully cooked breaded chicken breast patties
1/3 cup pineapple preserves
3 tbsp dried cranberries
2 tsp vinegar
4 tsp butter
2 English Muffins, split and lightly toasted
4 sliced Muenster cheese

Bake the chicken patties as directed on the package. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine preserves, cranberries and vinegar; mix well. Spread 1 teaspoon butter and 1 tablespoon pineapple mixture on each English Muffin half. Top each with a hot chicken patty and 1 slice of cheese. Place on cookie sheet and bake 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top each with 1 tablespoon of remaining pineapple mixture. Makes 4 open-faced sandwiches.


We love this soup, but neither of us liked the sandwiches at all.

Orange Barbecued Pork Chops

Orange Barbecued Pork Chops

4 pork chops
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tbsp sweet orange marmalade
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Place the pork chops in a 9x13" pan. Combine the orange juice, soy sauce and pepper flakes and pour over the chops. Seal the pan with foil and bake 1t 375^ for about 1 hour, or until the meat is tender. Stir together the marmalade, barbecue sauce and cloves. Remove the foil from the pan and drain off most of the liquid. Spoon the barbecue sauce mixture over each pork chop and return the pan to the oven for about 10-15 minutes. Yummy!

Served with Orange-Scented Jasmine Rice and Steamed Broccoli.

Chicken a la King

Chicken a la King

2 tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 can Cream of Chicken with Herbs
1 can water
Salt & Pepper to taste
3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
2 oz jar diced pimiento
1/2 cup heavy cream
Hot, cooked rice

Melt the butter in a saute pan and cook the onion and celery until soft. Add the soup, a can of water, and salt & pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Stir in the chicken and cook until thoroughly heated. Add the mixed veggies and cook about 10 minutes. Stir in the pimiento and cream and simmer another 5 minutes. Serve over hot, cooked rice.

Easy, fast and delicious.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp baking powder
3 lbs chicken breasts and legs
Vegetable oil

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a plastic or paper bag; shake to mix, and set aside. Combine the buttermilk and baking powder in a large shallow bowl; mix well.

Dip 2 pieces of chicken in buttermilk mixture; place chicken in bag and shake to coat. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken. Place chicken in a shallow pan; cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Heat 1 inch oil in a large skillet to 325-degrees. Add chicken, and fry 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels.


Good chicken! Juicy and Extra Crispy! Served with rice, cream gravy, green beans and hot biscuits for a good Southern dinner.

Purple Monstrosity Fruit Smoothie

Purple Monstrosity Fruit Smoothie

2 frozen bananas, skins removed and cut in chunks
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place bananas, blueberries and juice in a blender, puree. Use honey and/or vanilla to taste. Use more or less liquid depending on the thickness you want for your smoothie.

After reading about how good bananas are for you, I decided to give this smoothie a try. Being as how there is no way I can EAT a banana...it's a texture thing, plus the fact that they made me sick once when I was a little kid I've I've never been able to tolderate them since that day - they make me gag.... so I thought I might be able to drink one! The minute I smelled the banana this morning I knew I wouldn't be able to drink this, but I made it anyway. I probably would have been better off trying this in the afternoon given that I've never been too fond of any food early in the day. However, I gave it a try...a very small try...and I admit that the flavor was decent and if it hadn't been so thick and if it had been later in the day, I might have been able to drink at least half of a very small glass. My husband, on the other hand, loved it and was quite happy to finish drinking the entire thing! He says it would be even better with strawberries instead of the blueberries.

Southwestern Ribeyes & Spicy Garlic Bread

Southwestern Ribeyes

2 Ribeyes, at least 1" thick
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp dried cilantro
1 tsp honey
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp worcestershire
1 tbsp minced onion
2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt

Place ribeyes in a plastic ziploc bag. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the meat. Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When ready to cook, heat the grill and cook the steaks until they reach the desired degree of doneness....medium will take about 7 minutes per side over a medium-high heat. Serve immediately.

Spicy Garlic Bread

2 tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp garlic & parsley powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried cilantro
1/2 tsp chili powder
Splash of hot sauce
Your choice of thick sliced bread or halved rolls

Combine the first 6 ingredients until well blended. Spread on tops of whatever kind of bread of rolls you are using (I had a couple of nice, fresh hamburger buns from the Publix Bakery) and place in a 400-degree oven for about 5 minutes. Turn the broiler on and toast the tops for about 35 seconds or until as toasty as you like. Serve at once.

Cinnamon Iced Coffee

Cinnamon Iced Coffee

Brew a pot of double-strength coffee, adding 1 tsp cinnamon to the coffee grounds. Chill at least 4 hours. To serve, pour cold coffee over crushed ice and add milk and sugar to taste. This is also really good with a shot of Kahlua!