Teriyaki Green Beans

This is a wonderful recipe that I use instead of traditional green bean casserole.

Teriyaki Green Beans

You start this with a pound of bacon.  Fry it up crispy and put it aside.

In the bacon grease fry any amount you want of thinly sliced peppers of any color and onions.   I then add frozen long green beans and cook till tender.  You can use fresh if you like and just cook till tender.

When they are done I mix some honey and teriyaki sauce together (any amounts you would like,  more honey for a sweeter taste and less for a more teriyaki taste) and pour it over the green bean mixture.  Season with salt and pepper and any other seasonings you like. Make sure to taste more than one and adjust seasoning to taste.  Top with slivered or sliced almonds and the fried crumbled up bacon.

Toss and simmer for a few more minutes.

Enjoy




Nutritional information about Green beans

Meatballs

Meatballs

 This recipe is so easy and tasty you will never buy pre made meatballs again.  They can be kept for a week in the refrigerator and up to a year in the freezer.

Put any amount of ground beef in a bowl to make the meatballs.  I used 3 pounds because I will separate the beef to cover a few meals.  If I am going to cook one meal I will usually cook 2 or 3 other things at the same time.  This saves me time during the week of preparing other dinners.

Next I add everything from veggies to seasoning.  I put in mine a bag of onion soup mix, some garlic, ½ cup per pound of any mixture of diced onion, green and yellow pepper, a jalapeno, some Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.  Mix these ingredients well with your hands yes I said your hands.  Take off your bling and get your fingers in there and mix everything up good.  It can be very liberating.  Just remember to wash your hands good before you touch anything else.

At this point I made 4 hamburger patties and wrapped them until later in the week and I fried up a little less than a pound for another meal that week.

With the remainder of ground beef I added 2 eggs and some type of crumbs.  I took Friday nights toasted baguettes and put them in the oven to toast them even more.  When they were done I put them in my food processor to make my own bread crumbs.  You can use crackers, chips, pretzels, oatmeal or whatever you have in the cupboard.  Just grind them up into small crumbs.

I then will roll my meatballs.  They can be as big or small you would like.  Unless I am making cocktail meatballs I will make them big.  Cook them on 350 degrees for 10 minutes then I will flip them or they will burn and cook for another 10 or 15 minutes or until the internal temperature is 160 or above.  If they are small meatballs they may not take as long to cook.  Keep an eye on them to not overcook them. 

 I feel a meat thermometer is a must because you don’t want to over or under cook you meat products.

You can make as many as you want for future meals because they freeze really well.  If you freeze them put them on a plate or baking sheet in freezer until they are frozen then put them in a freezer bag.  That way they won’t stick together and you can just use one or two meatballs at a time.  They are good 6 months to a 1 year.

Some will stay in the refrigerator after being cooked until Spaghetti night then I will just add them to some sauce.  That recipe is to follow.  Don't forget the infamous meatball sub.



Enjoy


8 Mistakes when making meatballs

Chinese Salad

This is a wonderful salad to make for a party, picnic or as a meal.  It will last in the refrigerator for a week.


Chinese Salad

Empty 1 pound bag of cabbage or broccoli slaw in a bowl.  Add some chopped green or regular onions or not if you don't like onions.  It is very good with or without them.

Toast 1/2 Cup slivered almonds,  2Tbs Sesame seed in butter.  Melt butter over medium heat add almonds and sesame seeds until slightly brown.  Take off heat and put aside.

Make dressing:  1/4 cup oil any kind will work.  1Tbs sugar, 2 Tbs rice vinegar or regular vinegar will be fine if that is all you have.  Salt & pepper to taste.  1tsp accent.
 2 shakes soy sauce.  Mix and pour over salad, take a package of Ramon noodles and open flavor packet and sprinkle over salad.



Pour toasted almonds and sesame over salad.  Toss salad to coat everything.

15 minutes before serving add ramon noodles by breaking up small.  Toss with noodles until mixed and let sit for 15 minutes and serve.  This Chinese salad is ready to serve.

Enjoy

Date Night Dinner Crusty Baguettes with Red Sauce

This is one of my favorite date night dinner in meals.  It is so tasty and easy to eat while watching a movie.  It only takes about 15 minutes to have dinner ready.

Toasted Crusty Baguettes with Red Sauce

I start with some crusty baguettes, butter, garlic them and put in the oven to toast.

While they are toasting put some jar red sauce in a pan and heat.  I will add seasoning, canned diced tomatoes, onion, peppers, and Parmesan cheese.  I will taste and season until it taste wonderful.   Simmer red sauce until bread is done.


When the baguettes are kind of toasted you can add cheese to them if you want and toast a few more minutes.  About 15 minutes total on 370 degrees.

When the baguettes are done we dunk them in the sauce and enjoy a great date night dinner and movie.


Enjoy

Cold Veggie Pizza Appetizer

Cold Veggie Pizza

This is a wonderful appetizer to take to a holiday gathering.  It is very easy to make and can be made a few days ahead of time.  It does well when traveling.  It is very light and easy to carry.  There are only a few ingredients and everyone loves it. 

 

 

Start with a package of crescent rolls and more than one if you are making it for a bigger party. They work best on a cookie sheet or flat pan.  Roll them out and press them together so there is a single layer of one big sheet.  Bake crescent rolls per package instructions.

 

Completely cool before starting to assemble.

 

Mix ½ of rectangle of cream cheese and ½ cup sour cream together.  Add a package of dry Ranch dressing mix.  If it doesn’t look like enough to cover crescent rolls you can mix a little more.  Spread on cooled crescent rolls.

 

Finely chop any or all of the following ingredients to top you pizza. 

Celery, onion, cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, olives and cucumbers.  Shred some carrots and use finely shredded cheese of any flavor (regular shredded cheese will work just fine). 

 

Next is to dress you pizza with the veggies.

 

Sprinkle veggies over crescent rolls then layer shredded carrots and cheese.   Cut with a pizza cutter into small squares.  

 

Refrigerate

Tuna Fish Cakes

Tuna Fish Cakes

These Tuna Fish Cakes turned out amazing.  This tuna recipe was inspired by my brother’s suggestion to come up with a recipe to use all those cans of tuna in the pantry.  I think it may be a reason to go buy more tuna fish.

Tuna Fish Cakes

I started with two cans of tuna fish in a large bowl but it is fine to just half the recipe for just one.

I diced up very small celery, yellow pepper, onion, and one whole jalapeno (about 1/2 cup total). Add this to the tuna and stir. Next add 2 eggs, sriracha sauce to taste (leave it out if you don't like hot and spicy), finely shredded cheese (whatever amount you want), whatever seasoning you like and then bread crumbs or some other crumble mixture. (crackers, pretzels, bread crumbs, or crumbled potato chips) I used seasoned stuffing that I finely ground in the food processor. Use enough to make the patties stick together. They will be kind of crumbly but squeeze them together good.

Heat a pan with a little oil or nonstick spray. Drop in the tuna fish cake patties when the pan is hot and cook on that side a few minutes. You can make then whatever size you want, small for an appetizer or large for dinner. Try not  play with the tuna fish cakes too much because they will fall apart. Flip very carefully and cook on the other side a few minutes. Shut off stove and sprinkle with cheese and let melt. I used mozzarella but you can use whatever you like or have on hand.

When the cheese is melted on the tuna fish cakes they are ready to eat.  Very quick meal with a very inexpensive high protein product.

Enjoy




Fish cake recipe

Wienie Mac and Cheese

Wieners were a staple in my house growing up.  We would add them to box mac and cheese for a delightful dinner.  This is the adult mac and cheese from scratch that I make when I am looking for those nostalgic childhood comforts.

Winnie Mac and Cheese

Bring water to boil in a 2 qt sauce pan or whatever size you like.  When water is boiling add macaroni and cook until done.   The box should have cooking directions if you need them.

When macaroni noodle are done drain water and add some butter.  Keep over low heat and add any or all of the following items.

Cream cheese, sour cream, and lots of cheese of any kind or flavor. (when I am feeling bold I add blue cheese)  Whatever your heart desires or your provisions provide.

I stir until everything is melted and hot.  Add the sliced up skin on Wieners to the mac and cheese.  If you don’t have wieners on hand you substitute in bacon, ground beef or tuna. 

Add spices to taste.  I will use chili pepper, garlic, paprika, parsley, hot sauce, sriracha and cilantro.  Remember this is Adult mac and cheese so go wild with the seasoning.  Taste it periodically and add more as needed.

Plate and garnish with more cheese and feel the comforts of your childhood.

Enjoy