'Kimmy's Simple Fried Rice'

    Yahoo... now this is very cool!!! I haven't heard from this broad in ages so imagine my surprise when I got this recipe from her! It was so good to hear from my girl Kimmy whom I met 29 yrs ago when I was cooking at La Petite Academy for all the little chitlins and teachers that attended the school there in Gainesville FL. We haven't done a recipe like this yet so this will be fun. But first, like always, I'm a little thirsty! Aaahh, refreshed! Now on to the business at hand...Fried Rice :)
   This is what we need:
       1. 4 cups cooked rice (white, brown or whatever)
       2. 1 cup cooked chicken, cut into sm cubes (little shrimp perhaps)
       3. 1/2 cup diced green onion (white & green parts)
       4. a 16oz bag or two of frozen stir-fry veggies
       5. 2 lrg eggs, beaten
       6. 3 tablespoons soy sc.
       7. 1 tablespoon butter or marg.
       8. 1 minced garlic clove
       9. 3-4 slices cooked and crumbled bacon (YUM)
     10. 1/4 tsp ground ginger (if you have it, if not, no big whoop)
     11. salt & pepper
     12. a little veg oil to drizzle  
   Get out your biggest skillet (or use a wok if you want to be sorta Asian :) Refresh yourself once again then drizzle just a little oil around the bottom of the pan. Heat skillet on med heat until oil is hot. Pour the eggs in, sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt and pepper. Scramble them up into sm pieces. Remove from pan and set aside. Go around the pan once again with a couple more tablespoons of veg oil. When hot, add the rice. Stir-fry the rice for about 4-5 mins then throw in the veggies, onion & garlic. Toss all this jazz around for a few more minutes until veggies are softened. Add the chicken, have another drink and stir-fry for 4-5 mins until chicken is warmed through. Stir in the soy sc, butter and ginger. Sprinkle some pepper in the mix (as much as you care for). Last and yes, the least, drop the bacon & eggs into the rice mixture and warm thru and well combined. How delicious does that sound???  Try eating this one with chop stix...just for fun! Good times and DERN TASTY!! Thanks Kimmy, now keep in touch!  :)

'Sue's Ziti Bake'

  Holy smokes...it's crazy I tell ya! Thanks so very much for all the recipes and sweet words ya'll have sent my way (makes me thirsty just thinking about it)! This weeks tasty tidbit comes to us from my friend Sue B. residing in Palmetto FL who is raising her two grandkids ...God bless her (I'm sure she STAYS thirsty)! Sue says she fixes this one when everyone is starving to death and she is short on time (who ain't)? Her family gobbles up Sue's Ziti Bake in a minute - so let's take a big gulp and give it a go, shall we...this is what we need:
    1. 1 1/2 cups cooked ziti (elbow mac or bow ties would be cute too)
    2. 1/2 lb ground Italian sausage (mild, med or hot, it's how ya like it)
    3. 1 sm onion, chopped
    4. 1 garlic clove, minced
    5. 2 tablespoons beef broth (dry red wine would bring out more flavor if you ask me, but who's
        asking...sorry Sue, love you)!
    6. 1 1/2 cups your fave pasta sauce
    7. 1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    8. 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
    9. salt & pepper to taste
  10. parm cheese for sprinkling 
 That's it...so don't just stand there, go preheat the oven to 350! Now sip some & let's have fun (ooh
I'm a poet again) HA! Crumble the sausage into a lrg heated skillet then add the onion. After about 3-4 mins add the garlic. Stir it around awhile on med heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain. Drop
the pasta in with the meat mixture and add the sauce, broth (or wine) and seasonings.Transfer pasta
into a greased 1qt baking dish. Evenly cover pasta with the mozz cheese. Now top the whole thing with a good sprinkling of parm cheese (about 1/4 cup or so) mmmm, cheesy! Stick it in the oven, uncovered for about 12-15 mins until heated thru and cheese is melted. Ooooh La Wee, sure is
DERN TASTY...thank you Suzie Q! Keep em' coming kids: vege-lover@excite.com XOXOXO

'Jo Beth's Mexican Pizza'

   We're gonna' change things up a bit! It's always fun to experience new things and discover what kinds of foods make other folks happy - and so I've decided to start a 'mini-series'...publishings of my friends & families fave recipes that they really enjoy, are quick and easy (of course) to prepare and
naturally, DERN TASTY! And so daddy-o, we'll try these recipes together but (as usual) first things
first! Fix you a little (or big) something soothing & let's see what everyone else is cookin'!!
  My friend Jo Beth, from Riverview FL, tickles her families fancy with this quick cook, flavor filled, 'Mexican Pizza' YUM!! I've had different versions of  this recipe before so now we'll try it Jo Beth's way. I already have most of the ingredients but I did have to shop for a few tidbits...
   This is what we need:
        1. 8 6in tortilla shells (makes 4 pizzas)
        2. 1lb ground beef
        3. 1 package taco seasoning mix
        4. 1 16oz can refried beans
        5. 1 jar of salsa (mild, med, hot your call)
        6. sour cream (a good dollop for each pizza)
        7. 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese       
        8. veggies of your choosing, Jo Beth uses sliced blk olives, shred lettuce, mild green chilies
            and diced tomato (but think of all the possibilities...chopped onion, diced green pepper,
            jalapenos, hot sauce, whatever ya like)    
   After we sooth ourselves one more time, let's preheat the ol' oven to 350 and get a baking sheet ready. In a med skillet, brown the beef until cooked through. Drain. Sprinkle taco seas. over the beef and follow pkg directions. Place four torts on the baking sheet. Begin to build! Put a good big spoonful of taco beef on each tortilla. Spoon a little salsa over the meat. Place another tortilla on top
of each pizza. Drop a big glob of refried beans on top and spread evenly. You can add onion or any of the peppers here if your using them (unless you like em' raw, then just hang on a few mins). Cover beans with cheese and stick them in the oven. After about 10 mins, when cheese is hot and melted,
take them out and top with lettuce, tomatoes, olives, sour cream or whatever else your using.
     How fun, kids also love these pizzas. Experiment with these...make you're own delicious delights for your family but always make everything DERN TASTY!! Have a quick, tasty weeknight recipe you'd like to share? Email it to me at vege-lover@excite.com and keep it tasty!! Love ya!

 

'Pork Tenderloin 'Honey'!

   Can you get over it? They say time goes by much faster when you get older, well whoever "they' are, they ain't whistling Dixie! I just cannot believe how fast time has flown. It's August already for heaven's sake...almost time to get the Halloween stuff back down (feels like I just put it up, oh
yeah, I just did :) Anywho, it's all good by me, I love the fall best of all (and I'm a poet) HA! Well time to remove the work wear, fill a large glass with liver damage and take a peek into the frozen tundra. There's a few bags of veggies and aahh, got it, a pork tenderloin! Always a quick cook, pork tenderloin is easy to prepare and delicious!
So this evening's delight will be 'Pork Tenderloin 'Honey'! Let's fill our drinks and get at it!
   This is what I've got:
        1. 1 - 1lb pork tenderloin 
        2. 1/4 cup honey
        3. 1 tablespoon or so mustard (I like spicy but any ol' mustard will do)
        4. 2 tablespoons brown sugar (a pinch more if your a sweet person)
        5. 2 tablespoons vinegar (I like cider vinegar in this one)
        6. salt (about 1/2 tsp)
        7. pepper (approx. 1/4 tsp) 
That's it...that's all you need. Easy, Peasy!! Re-fuel then pre heat the oven to 400 degrees (400? wow, I must have gone mad) anyhow, grab a baking pan & line it with foil. In a little bowl, combine all the ingredients (except for the meat of course, silly). Cover your meat with a few tablespoons of the honey mixture saving a little for basting as you go. Stick the glazed pork in the oven and bake, uncovered, for about 25 mins (until no longer red in the center) spooning the leftover glaze onto the pork to baste occasionally. Take it out and let it sit for a few mins to rest. DONE! Slice this into medallions and serve with whatever the heck you like (buttered egg noodles or mac and cheese is good with this jazz) Ready to chew!  How simple and so DERN TASTY!! Hope you like  :)

"Crumby Chicken 'Dive-in"

    You know, sometimes it's kinda nice to put something on the table that doesn't look like it was just 'thrown' together. Look, I love saving time as much as the next but once in awhile it's nice for our dinner to be about quality and wonderful food instead being about just 'getting dinner done'! And so tonight I'd like to have a LARGE cocktail & fix something that 'looks' very time consuming (cause who am I kidding, I truly don't have time for this crap) but actually takes no time at all, I really want to get dinner fixed as quickly as possible so I can just RELAX (there I said it)! Now, let's go see what's to eat. Fill up our drink for our travels to the freezer and WHAT THE?? MORE CHICKEN?? UGH!! It's alright...there's ALWAYS something very tasty and quick we can come up with...so
This is what I've got:
      1. CHICKEN, I'm using this 1/2 baked leftover but thighs or breast, cooked and cut into cubes
          would actually work well, about 3 cups         
      2. broccoli florets, about 6-8 cups (chill out, it cooks down so much, you won't believe it)
      3. 1 cup mayo
      4. 2 cans cream of chicken soup, undiluted
      5. 1-1/2 tsp lemon jc (zest or peel small lemon curls before you squeeze and save it till the end)
      6. 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
      7. 1 cup dry bread crumbs
      8. 3 1/2 tablespoons butter or marg, melted
      9. the zest of 1/2 that lemon or thin lemon peel curls (optional, just for garnish)
    10. pepper to taste
Pre heat oven to 325 degrees, drink up and let's do this thing! In a large, microwavable bowl, cook the broccoli until just tender (approx 3 mins depending on your micro). Transfer the cooked
broccoli to a greased 11 x 7in baking dish. In a small bowl, mix the soup, mayo & lemon jc together. Cover the broccoli with the chicken. Evenly spread mayo mixture over chicken. Shake some pepper (as much as you like) over the top. Sprinkle cheese all over. Combine butter with bread crumbs and sprinkle over the cheese. Stick it in the oven, uncovered, for about 30 mins until golden brown and bubblin'. Let it sit for a few mins to set then garnish with lemon peel curls or zest if you want it to look pretty. This could be served with parsley new potatoes or rice or whatever you like...whatever you choose, this jazz is mighty DERN TASTY!!

'Kitchen Sink Stir Fry'

   Every so often there comes a time for a good fridge cleansing, you know - out with the old, in with new sort of jazz that requires a 'kitchen sink' kind of meal. Well tonight is the night! We'll pour our first glass o' relaxer of the evening, put on the big fat t-shirt & take a stroll to the freezer to make our discovery. Now this is exciting!! Tonight we have a choice, tonight...ANYTHING goes!! We've got two chicken breasts AND a bag of shrimp in here - wow, endless possibilities! Well I'm really in the mood for something fast and shrimpy so it's 'Kitchen Sink Stir Fry' (sorta) for our clean out the fridge meal this fine evening.
   So, a little more relax juice and this is what I've got:
       1. 1 lb cleaned med shrimp (tails off) defrosted or 1 lb chicken cut into strips
       2. 1/2 cup or so broccoli florets
       3. 1/4 cup or a more onion, sliced 
       4. 4oz (approx) mushrooms, sliced
       5. 4-6 carrot sticks (I have a few left in a bag) sliced thin or julienned if your fancy
       6. 1/2 green pepper sliced (red pepper too if you have it)
       7. cooked rice...as much as you need...BUT I ran out of rice (which is insanity)
           so I will use, ready for this...ramen noodles, 2 pkgs...yes, I said ramen noodles, KA-RA-ZY!!
       8. veg oil for sautéing
       9. 1/4 cup soy sc.
     10. 1 1/2 cup water (for noodles)
This recipe is such fun cause you use whatever you have on hand. As much or as little as you want! If you don't have some of the stuff I'm using, big deal, no one cares, you have other tasty bites you want to use...just do it!! Good times :) Let's CLEAN OUT THE FRIDGE!
   Now, with a full glass, grab a large, deep skillet and let's act like chefs!
   Heat skillet on med heat. Drizzle a few tablespoons veg oil in the pan and heat till oil is hot. Add all the veggies & soy sc to the pan and 'stir fry' about 2-3 minutes (this is where you would add the chicken if that's what your using). Pour water in with the vegetables and bring just to a boil. (I have a packet of shrimp flavored noodles and a packet of chicken flavored. I'm using both). Sprinkle contents of seasoning packets from the noodles into the water and stir. Add the noodles. Stir. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for approx. 5-7 mins. until noodles are tender. Remove cover. Stir. Add shrimp, toss around until everything is mixed up real pretty. Cook just until shrimp is cooked through, pink and liquid is absorbed. Done! You really don't need anything else with this 'clean out' meal but your lips and another cold one (and maybe some chopsticks to set the mood). Play around with this one, sprinkle a little more soy on top if ya like it...have some fun, and remember to always make it...DERN TASTY!!! Now go eat! :)

'Peewee's Beefy Mac'

   WOW, another rainy day, ...so thirsty, so hungry, SO TIRED! I really don't feel like doing too much tonight (geeze I'm lame) but maybe hunkering down, quenching this thirst, watching a good scary movie with an easy 'stick to the ribs' kind of meal. Watcha think? Sound good? Well that is just what we'll do! Let's take care of the thirst first, okay,,,that's much better!! Now we visit the freezer. What delights await? What's in here that we can just throw together quickly but still have a fantastic, tasty & hearty meal? I found it...gonna defrost a block of ground turkey! I know I have half a box of macaroni I could get rid of, so with a few more ingredients - We've got dinner!! It's 'Peewee's Beefy Mac' for us tonight :)
     This is what I've got:
        1. 1 lb ground turkey (or beef if you want)
        2. 1 cup elbow macaroni, uncooked
        3. 1 cup lo-sodium beef or chicken stock (water is fine also)
        4. 1 sm onion, diced
        5. 1 15oz can diced tomatoes, Italian style
        6. salt & pepper
        7. 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (or a little more, why not)?
        8. 1/2 green pepper, diced (optional)
        9. parm cheese for sprinkling 
      10. a few basil leaves, ripped (for garnish)
    A big ol' drink to help the cooking process and LET'S COOK!
        Grab a large, deep skillet. Cook the turkey with the onion & green pepper until the meat is no
        longer pink. Drain. Pour the tomatoes and stock in with the meat and give it a good stir. Sprinkle
        a little salt (not too much, stock & cheese are salty enough) and a good amount of pepper into
        the meat mixture. Stir it up again then bring it to a boil. Once boiling, drop the pasta. Cover.
        lower the heat. Simmer for approx.10 mins until pasta is tender. Turn off the heat. Add the
        cheese and mix well. Shower with some parm cheese and a few basil leaves...okay, there,
        what else do ya want? Was that easy or was that easy?? With a baby salad, another drink
         (or no salad)  :) DERN TASTY!! Thanks for giving it a try...now go relax!!

'Cozy Chicken Pot Pie'

   Imagine life without the conveniences we have all become so accustomed to. How DID we get by without our gadgets & fast foods?? I myself have just experienced being 'cell phone-less' for only a few days and I thought I would die! I felt cut off from the whole world - pathetic isn't it? I believe that is what makes the holidays and family gatherings so special, folks actually doing some real cooking for their loved ones to create a feast from the heart rather than the "hurry up & throw dinner on the table" mentality. We are all so busy every single day...Dear Lord...STOP THE MADNESS!! So tonight, I have put myself in the mood for a real 'kinda-sorta' home cooked meal (but I have no time...HA)!! First things first, I must pour a TALL glass of relax juice...mmmm good, now I can go check out the freezer. There it is, tonight's cozy little dinner. A zip-lock bag of the other half of a  rotisserie chicken I bought from the deli (fast and convenient :) With what's in the drawer in the fridge and a little extra jazz, this will be a pretend slow cooked dinner that will take no time at all! 'Cozy Chicken Pot Pie' So easy and tasty, you will be amazed!
    This is what I've got:
         1. 2 cups (or a little more) cooked chicken
         2. 1 box 9in pie crust (15oz found in the dairy section)
         3. 11/2-2 cups mixed veggies (I have frozen but canned is okay too)
         4. 1 10.75oz can cream of chicken soup
         5. 1/4 cup milk (heavy cream for some tasty fat, chicken stock will work also)
         6. 1 beaten egg for brushing
         7. a little butter (for more tasty fat)
         8. salt & pepper
     For this real 'from scratch' masterpiece, you will need to first re-fill your glass then preheat the
     oven to 375 degrees. Spray or butter a 9in pie pan and gently lay one pie crust evenly on the
     bottom, pressing it against the sides, set aside. In a med sauce pan, warm up the soup, cream,
     a tablespoon of butter and veggies (if mixture seems too thick just add a little more liquid).
     Meanwhile, cube or shred the chicken, making sure it is bone free, and plop that in with the
     soup. Add just a pinch of salt (soup has plenty already) and a good amount of pepper. Stir it all up
     until warmed through. Pour mixture into pie pan, spreading evenly. Place the other pie crust over
     the top gently pressing down around the edges to seal. Crimp all around edges with your fingers
     or simply press with a fork, just so the crusts are sealed together well. Trim any extra crust that  
     might be dangling off and remember... It doesn't matter what it looks like, your gonna eat it 
     anyway! With a sharp knife, cut 2 or 3 small slits on the top to let the steam escape. Brush the top
     with the egg for a gorgeous golden crust and stick it in the oven (I would put it on a cookie sheet
    in case of drippage). Bake it for 35-45 mins until golden brown and smells like heaven! You serve
    this up with some mashed tates and life can't get much better than this...your a superstar!
                      Very DERN TASTY, have a great dinner kids!!
    

'BBQ Ribs OFF the Grill'

   The 4th of July is here again, The odor of smoky backyard grills fill the air and don't even get me started on the 'off the chart' smells billowing from every bbq joint you drive by - geeze, makes my taste buds dance and drool drip from my lips (oooh, gross) every time my senses are lucky enough to encounter these summery delights...However, there are those times (such as tonight) when I do NOT feel like going anywhere & sure as hell do NOT want to stand out there in this inferno-ish heat with my little buddies, the very hungry mosquitos, to babysit the bbq grill! And so, I kick off the work shoes, poor a mug full if icy cold beer and pull a slab of spareribs, that I already knew I had, out of the freezer to begin my 'faux' cookout!
   Besides another cold beer, this is what I've got:
         1. a 3-4 lb slab of ribs (whatever kind ya like)
         2. 3 tablespoons or so spicy mustard, for smearing
         3. your fave bbq sc, a few tablespoons will do but keep the bottle out for dipping
         4. spices, any ol' spices will do, the kind you would use when you grill out
             (I'm using a  good sprinkling of garlic powder, onion powder, blk pepper, cayenne
             pepper, a good glob of brown sugar,(not really a spice) & little salt)
         5. 3 tablespoons apple jc (orange jc, chicken stock or just water, you choose)
    That's it! You can even just use salt & pepper if you like...nobody cares! Anyhow, go fill up your mug then pre-heat the oven to 250 degrees. (I know, don't freak out)! Line a large shallow baking pan with aluminum foil (dull side up, don't ask me why). Cut the slab in half and slather both sides of each half with mustard (it won't taste mustardy...trust me). Now evenly cover both sides of the meat with your seasonings. Lay the 2 racks in the pan then pour in the liquid. Cover the pan completely and as tightly as you can then stick it in the oven. How hard was that?? After about 1 1/2 hrs, remove the ribs from the oven and take off the foil. Brush both sides of the ribs with bbq sauce & put them back in the oven, uncovered, for 15-20 mins until they are a gorgeous mahogany color and smell like heaven (if heaven was a backyard grill)! Now how simple was that??? With some pork n' beans, another cold beer, and plenty of napkins...life today is DERN TASTY!!! Happy 4th ya'll!

'Simi's Scrumptious Scampi'

     Am I the only one that fumbles through life? My planning skills, for the most part, SUCK!! So I continue on, day after day, and just fumble! Oh sure, I get through the duties of life and continue on. And I guess things could be worse like doing absolutely nothing everyday but sitting around on my fat, eating out of a can & watching tv...but hell no, I always seem to find a way to get it done, like dinner each & every night, weather I'm prepared or not...we eat (and drink)!!! So, trying to get it together without too much fumbling, I grab a bottle of chardonnay (with a glass of course, I'm not THAT bad...YET) and head to the freezer to discover tonight's epicurean delight. Shoving a few things around, I notice white butcher paper wrapped around shrimp, ohh yeahh, a pound of med shrimp...no fumble here, tonight we feast, tonight we have "Simi's Scrumptious Scampi'! (by the way, Simi is one of my chickens, she loves garlicy noodles :)
      This is what I've got:
      1. 1 bottle of chardonnay oh wait, that's not part of the recipe HA!
      2. 1 lb med shrimp, cooked & cleaned with tail on
      3. 2 to 4 minced garlic cloves (depending on who your kissin')
      4. 1/4 cup butter or marg
      5. 1/4 cup lemon jc.
      6. 1/4 cup olive oil
      7. 1/4 cup parm cheese (or a little more like I do)
      8. 2-3 tablespoons fresh parsley (less if using dried)
      9. a few good sprinkles dry oregano
    10. a good pinch or two of blk pepper (as much pepper as you like)
    11. 1/2 spring onion chopped (green & white parts)
    12. angle hair pasta, as much as you need (I'm using 8oz but you can use up to 16oz)
        This is such a quick cook recipe so if your in a hurry, this is the one for you! More wine and
get out your skillet...let's go! Heat butter and oil on med-lo then add the garlic. Saute a few mins until you can smell the garlic (DO NOT BROWN)! Meantime, boil the pasta according to directions (it only cooks for 3-4 mins). Add the lemon jc, herbs and pepper to the garlic butter. Stir it up a bit then drop in the shrimp. Toss the shrimp around in the garlic butter until warmed thoroughly (DO NOT OVER COOK)!! Spoon the hot scampi over each portion of pasta, sprinkle with cheese and top with a little chopped green onion. Get you some crispy bread to dip and more wine.
How DERN TASTY can life be?? Enjoy!!

'Weeknight Mexican Casserole'

       That's it, enough is enough! I NEED to win the lottery!!! Just think of all the fantabulous things we would do with all that dough - oh the dreams we can conjure, the possessions we would accumulate, yet, I think the thing that would make me the happiest is food and drink (shocking huh)? Yup, I would travel the world and EAT! Imagine it...all sorts of folks cooking all sorts of strange morsels to tantalize the taste buds - how joyous! But as for now, time for a reality trip to the freezer. With a very cold drink for the journey, I'm on my way! More hamburger meat, really? Seriously?? It's fine, it's all good, we can do this! We are 'The S!#t in The Freezer' after all, we can find something to do with anything!! With a little of this and that, how bout' a 'Weeknight Mexican Casserole'! Why not, let's jump right to it! This is what I've got:
        1. 1lb ground beef, I have a little over (turkey's good too)  
        2. 1 packet taco seasoning (and you know my mantra, always keep plenty of sauces, soups &  seasoning envelopes on hand)
        3. 1 med onion, chopped
        4. 4 taco size tortilla shells (corn or flour, you pick)
        5. 1 can re-fried beans (cup of blk beans instead...tasty)
        6. 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (spice it up with pepper jack)
        7. blk olives sliced
        8. 1/2 cup salsa (as hot as you like)
        9. your choice of toppings, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, sr. cream, jalapeno slices, skies the limit!
      10. 3 tablespoons water
        Take a wild guess as to what's first. Preheat the oven to 350!! You got it! Go get another adult beverage. Brown ground beef with the onion on med heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain. Pour water and seasoning package into the meat and combine. Lower heat & simmer for a few while you spray a baking dish with a non stick spray (I'm using a 10 x 10 dish). Lay 2 tortillas on the bottom, ripping them to fit the best you can (no stress). Plop refried beans by tablespoon full onto tortillas and spread out the best you can (no stress again). Dump meat over the beans and spread evenly. Spoon salsa over the meat and spread again (whole lotta spreading going on huh) :) Place remaining tort shells on top (ripping again if needed). Sprinkle cheese over all of it all then decorate with olive slices...so pretty!! Stick it in the oven, uncovered for approx. 25-30 mins until cheese is melted and everything is heated through. Remove from the oven and top with your fave toppings. Serve it hot with maybe some Mexican corn mix on the side...OLE!! This recipe is so DERN TASTY, it sure don't last long in this house. Enjoy my friends and have a drink on me :)

'Creamy Ham and Potato Au Gratin'

     POOPED...That's how I feel...yes, pooped, that's it! This week has just exhausted me! Something easy but super tasty is just what the doc ordered for tonight oh, and a cocktail of course!! So, marching my fat over to the freezer, cocktail in hand, I notice (under a bag of frozen veggies) a big ol' ham steak - hhhmmm, this could be interesting. I do have a few potatoes I need to use before they start to root so tonight we'll enjoy 'Creamy Ham and Potato Au Gratin' YUMMOLICIOUS!!
    This is what I've got: 
        1. 1 lrg ham steak (mine is a little over 1lb) cut into cubes
        2. 3 cups potatoes  boiled, peeled & also cubed
        3. 3-4 strips of 'crispy' bacon crumbled
        4. 1/2 cup diced onion (I'm using green onion, white and green parts)
        5. 1/4 cup mayo
        6. 3/4 cup whole milk
        7. 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or a little more if your feeling cheesy)
        8. butter
        9. pepper
      10. a little flour for thickening 
Top off your cocktail, relax and let's wet that appetite! Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
    Drop a little glob of butter into a large skillet (naturally), and sauté onions until tender. Toss the potatoes, mayo, ham and bacon in with the onion. Stir it up then pour it into a greased 11in x 7in baking dish. Use that same skillet (why dirty more jazz) melt about a tablespoon of butter. Stir in a tablespoon of flour and a good amount of pepper until no longer lumpy. Slowly add the milk stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Cook for a min or so (keep stirring). Add the cheese, lower heat and stir until cheese is melted. Pour cheese mixture evenly over ham & potatoes (you can always add a little more butter on top for more richness). Cover. Bake for approx. 30 min. until heated through and bubbly. Now this is what I call DERN TASTY!! May the rest of your week be fab. Go eat (& drink)

'Simple Saucy Stroganoff'

   Lot's going on this week, kids graduating, rug rats getting out of school for the summer (WHAT THE??? relax, OTHER people's kids goofy)!! Everyone is rushing around like crazy...what IS going on? It's all madness! We have got to slow down or we're gonna drop dead I tell you - I NEED WINE!!! That's the ticket, now I can concentrate, now I can slow down, now I have to come up with something fantastic that will hopefully make enough for an extra meal and save me some time this week (which we can certainly use with weeks like this). Alright already, enough bitchin', off to the freezer!  I spy with my bloodshot eye (behind a bag of frozen something I don't even recognize) a baggie of ground turkey AND a baggie of ground beef...It's use up leftover night! We can use both these leftover meats and dispose of some of this jazz. We have all the stuff we need for 'Simple Saucy Stroganoff'! From the pantry (& fridge), this is what I've got:
       1. 1/2 lb ground turkey
       2. 1/2 lb ground beef (all beef or all turkey, your call)
       3. 8oz sliced mushrooms
       4. 1 lrg garlic clove (or 2 small) minced
       5. 1 lrg onion chopped
       6. 1 can condensed cream of mushroom or cream of  chicken soup (I'm using chicken)
       7. 3 cups cooked egg noodles (mashed taters are awesome too)
       8. 3/4 cup sour cream
       9. 1/4 cup heavy cream
     10. 1 tbsp butter or marg
     11. salt & pepper to taste
 Open another bottle of wine, get your large, deep skillet out (AGAIN) and let's boogie!!
         Heat your skillet on med heat. Cook the meat, onion, garlic & mushrooms together
         until meat is no longer pink. Drain. Stir in the soup, a good amount of pepper and a little
         salt (the soup has salt in it also). Cook just a few mins till soup heats through. Lower the heat,
         add the butter, sour cream & heavy cream. Stir it up then throw in the noodles. Toss it all
         together until noodles are covered in sauce (if you like it a little more saucy, add a little more
         sour cream or heavy cream), Simmer 2-3 mins till thoroughly heated. Serve this all by itself,
         with a little green veg or buttery dinner rolls. But definitely, another glass of wine! This lip
          smackin' and DERN TASTY recipe was brought to you by...me!

       

"Quick & Tasty Paella"

      Close your eyes, picture it...crystal clear turquois waters, palm trees bending to the warm breezes that envelop your body, the sound of birds singing so sweetly with the beckoning smell of something sizzling on an open fire pit while sucking down a cold summery glass of sangria, aaahh, now that's what I'm talkin' about!! Okay, wake your ass up & snap out of it, that's somebody else's life! WE are heading to the freezer for a dose of reality so let's check it out. We're still doing a cold summery glass of sangria by the way :)  I see a few things which gives us many options. All kinds of things to choose from so tonight but I think I'll use two different meats and create something remarkable, chicken thighs & chorizo sausage..."Quick & Tasty Paella"...Love, love, love this dish! 
 This is what I have: 
        1.  4-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (breasts can be used too if you like dry chicken)
        2.  1lb chorizo sausage cut into 1/2 in medallions
        3.  1 10oz pkg yellow rice, cooked according to pkg directions (chicken stock instead of water
                       adds flavor)
        4.  1 can of young baby peas, drained (I like LeSeur but 9 ounces of frozen, thawed is good also)
        5.  1 med onion, chopped
        6.  2 tsp Adobo seasoning
        7.  butter or margarine and lots of it!!
        8.  pimento pcs (optional, it looks pretty & adds good flavor)
We can still take our minds to a beautiful someplace, with a full glass of sangria and a hefty bowl of paella...let's do this!!
        Grab a large, deep skillet. Heat it on med heat and drop a couple of teaspoons of butter around the bottom to melt. Toss in the onion. Cook for just a couple mins then put your thighs in the pan
(ouch). Sprinkle Adobo seasoning on everything and cook chicken 3-4 mins on each side until no longer pink when you cut into it. Add the sausage and cook just till chorizo is warmed through. Remove chicken, sausage & onions from skillet. Lower heat to simmer. Spread cooked yellow rice evenly around the bottom of the skillet. If you are using pimentos, mix them in with the rice now (I use the leftover pimentos from the green olive jar when I have them...no waste here, plus they add a flavor that I love)  Place the chicken, sausage & onion evenly over the top of the rice. Dig a round well (about 3-4 inches around) right in the middle of the rice mixture. Pour the drained peas right in the middle of this gorgeous masterpiece. Drop a several globs of butter over the peas and rice. Cover. Heat long enough for the peas to heat through and the butter to melt. Serve with a large serving spoon right out of the skillet...delectable!!! With some buttered Cuban bread and some more sangria, what the hell else do ya want??? Life is good and so DERN TASTY!!!

'Portobello Pizzas'

     Now that grilling season is in our face, our minds take us back to those luscious, smoky memories & damn mosquitos...I find myself spraying massive amounts of smelly Off all over my body, pouring an extra large glass of frosty, cold beer (a light beer, I must keep my fat sexy :) and it's out to fire up the grill. Wait, WHOOA Nelly...what's the freezer got in store for us?? Sticking my head in the icebox, (ooh, nice and cool) I don't see a whole lot but I do have a little frozen block of 'meatloaf mix' (ground pork & ground beef smooshed together) so with that and what I've got in the fridge, we can grill our ass off (if only)!! Our cookout meal tonight will be 'Portobello Pizzas'! DANG, don't that sound scrumptious??  This is what I've got: 
    1. 4 lrg Portobello mushrooms (stems removed & gills scraped out)
    2. about 1lb (a little less or more won't matter) ground meat (I've got the meatloaf mixture but
       ground beef or turkey is also just as awesome)
    3. 4 lrg  raw onion 'rings' (bell pepper 'ring' also very tasty)
    4. 3/4 cup marinara sc. (whatever kind of pasta or pizza sc you have is perfect)
    5  1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (lo-fat if you really think it will help anything)
    6. 1/2 tsp oregano
    7. 4 tablespoons parm cheese
    8. veg oil, olive oil or cooking spray - up to you!
       Start with another ice cold one THEN light the grill to med-high heat. Meantime, crumble and
brown your meat. Drain. Add the sauce and oregano. Simmer on low for a few mins while you set
out 4 squares of alum foil (a little bigger than the mush caps are). Brush or spray oil on the top of 
mush caps and place each one, top down, on each piece of alum foil. Fill each cap with meat mixture
then place your onion (or pepper) ring on top. Spoon a 'good' spoonful or two of mozz cheese inside
the ring and sprinkle with parm cheese. (sky is the limit for toppings...sliced blk olives, pepperoni,
jalapenos, whatever you fancy)! Now loosely wrap each cap with another piece of foil and place on
the grill. Lower heat to medium (350 degrees) and cook for approx.10-12 mins until mushrooms are tender. So little clean-up, LOVE IT!!! Fill up your glass, fix a little cucumber, onion and tomato salad & life is good!  Mucho DERN TASTY...Such fun :)

      Summer will be here in a blink of an eye (I know...it's hot as hades already but uh by the way,  this IS Florida, what do ya want anyway)? So, in celebration of sweat and heat stroke, let's do something summery, let's get the blender out, fix a frosty, tropical  little (or big) tasty, boozy treat and head over to the freezer to check out what's in store for us and our summer feast. Oh wow, I get it & it's fantastic...a crab boil!! Yup, our 1st crab boil of the summer - how simply tantalizing!
     This is what I've got...
     1. 2lb bag frozen crab legs (no need to thaw)
     2. 1 14oz pkg sausage cut into 1/2 in slices (I have kielbasa in the fridge but you use what you
         like)
     3. 1lb lrg shrimp, tail on (cleaned and de-vained)
     3. 1lb potatoes cut into large chunks
     4. 4 ears sweet corn cut into 2in pieces
     5. 1 red onion, quartered
     6. 2 32oz cartons reduced sodium chicken broth (your crab boil will be way to salty if you use reg
         broth, trust me)
     7. 1 12oz can light beer (use light, trust me again)
     8. 1/4 cup Old Bay seafood seasoning
     9. 4 cups water
   10. 4-5 bay leaves
   11. a little veg oil for the bottom of the pan
   12. pepper, as much as ya like
        This has got to be one of the easiest and DERN TASTIEST recipe you will ever make, plus
it's great for a crowd...your company will LOVE you!! Crank up the blender one more time, grab a large stockpot and let's get crabby!!
 Drizzle a couple teaspoons of oil into your stockpot and heat on med - high heat.
 Brown the sausage. Dump in the broth, water, beer, seafood seasoning, some pepper and bay leaves.
 Stir it up then throw in the corn, potatoes & onion. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat.
 Simmer, uncovered for about 20-25 mins until the potatoes are just tender.
 Add the crab then after about 5 mins toss in the shrimp. Cook just long enough to heat the shrimp
 (don't overcook the shrimp...YUCKY)! Drain and remove bay leaves.
 Now ladle all that fabulousness into some big ol' bowls & with butter and some crusty bread,,,
 have at it!!! A few more tropical drinks and you'll swear your at the beach :) Out of control and
 simply...DERN TASTY!!! 

      No time this week for shopping, God only knows what we can find in the freezer tonight sooo -
we grab a glass of pinot grigio, head over to the freezer and keep the fingers crossed! Aaaahh,
figures...PEAS, yes I said a bag of frozen PEAS - no meat, just PEAS!!! Oh brother, relax, it's okay, don't be a titty baby! As long as we got the goods in the cupboard...we can do anything!!! So, we refill and take a stroll around the kitchen island. Take a little glance into the cupboard and hell yeah,
I see exactly what we're going to do...what joy :) It's 'Mushroom, Pea and Pasta Marsala"              This is what I've got...
       1.  1lb cooked pasta (I have small shells but if I had ditalini, I would use those)
       2.  1lb cleaned & chopped mushrooms, whatever kind ya like
       3.  1 cup dry Marsala wine
       4.  1/2 lb artichoke hearts (I have the cans but frozen would probably be better)
       5.  3/4 cup grated parm cheese (or a little more if you love it)
       6.   1/2 cup heavy cream (milk is okay but it's  gonna be a little thin)
       7.   1 small chopped onion
       8.   8oz frozen peas, thawed preferably
       9.   some olive oil for the pan
      10.  a handful of chopped parsley
      11.  salt & blk pepper to taste 
    Alright, that's enough already!! MORE WINE!!!  K, now drizzle 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of a large, deep ( gosh, AGAIN, so nasty) skillet. Heat on med-high for a few mins then
add the onions. After about a minute or two, add the mushrooms, peas and a good pinch of salt.
Cook 8-10 mins until the mushrooms have cooked down. Pour the Marsala over the shrooms &
cook about 5 mins or so until most of the wine has evaporated. Add the pasta to the mushroom mixture. Stir it up a bit then add the artichoke hearts, parm cheese and cream (if it doesn't look
creamy enough for you, add a little more cream). Cook for about 5 minutes or until the artichoke
hearts are heated through. Stir in the pepper then taste for seasoning. Sprinkle parsley over the top,
toss it around a bit and be prepared for ecstasy (oooh, sounds groovy)! This DERN TASTY recipe
is brought to you by...ME :) Have a fantastic week!!!

     I do believe the time has come for a little something pizza-ish. That's what I'm in the mood for, what do ya say? It's been a long while since I've had anything 'pizza' so pour an ice cold one and...
on to the freezer!! Aaahh, nothing but chicken thighs AGAIN!! It's okay, don't freak, I have everything under control (yeah, right ha :) We will have "Pizza Chicken Bake" to satisfy the soul
(and the taste buds) mmmmmm, can't wait! Taking a little gander around the kitchen,
      this is what I've got:
           1.  4-6 (depending on the size) boneless, skinless chicken thighs 
           2.  12-15 slices of pepperoni (if you have some Italian sausage, groovy)
           3.  8oz mozzarella cheese (slices or shredded, makes no difference to me)
           4.  15oz of your fave pizza or pasta sauce
           5.   garlic powder
           6.   parmesan cheese, as much as ya like
           7.   a little olive oil or cooking spray
           8.   sliced blk olives (optional, but I love em')
     Now this is what we'll do:
          Turn the oven on to ___degrees (fill in the blank, hehe) and fill up your glass, NOW COOK!
               Drizzle a little olive oil (or spray with cooking spray) around the bottom of an 8x8 baking
               dish. Spread your thighs (gosh, the filth) flat on a plate and sprinkle each one on both
               sides with a good amount of garlic powder and pepper. Sprinkle only lightly with salt
               (the cheese has plenty already). Spread a teaspoon or two of pizza sc on the bottom of
               the baking dish. Place the chicken in the dish then top the thighs with pepperoni slices
               sharing the slices evenly (be fair to all chicks :) Carefully cover the whole shebang with
               the rest of the sauce. Top each piece of chicken with mozz cheese and sprinkle the blk
               olive slices over it all if your using them. Shake the parm cheese over the top & cover.
               Bake on 350 degrees for 30-35 mins (until chicken juices run clear) Uncover and add
               more cheese if you love cheese like we do! Fix you a little salad, another cold one and
               you are in like flint with this DERN TASTY delight!!! Thanks guys  :)

       So, you think you have it tough? So you think your life sucks...well GET OVER IT! It's spring time for heaven's sake. Time to rejoice, time for a new beginning, time for a drink and to check the freezer! Now... you see, isn't everything a little better? A drink and some more freakin' hamburger meat out of the freezer, this is what I call wondrous!! YOWZA, we're doin' 'Simple Shepherd's Pie'!
          This is what I've got:
        1. 2lbs ground beef (ground turkey really doesn't taste so great in this recipe but if you want to
              use it then who's stoppin' ya)!
        2. 2 jars of beef gravy, 1 beef & 1 mushroom instead would be tasty too (you can use gravy   
               packets if you've got em')
        3  1/2 cup chopped onion (like mushrooms? Slice up a few and sling them in there) 
        4  1-1 1/2 cups of frozen mixed veggies (thawed is best)
        5.  Approx 3 cups mashed taters (real ones, fake ones, depending on how  
              lazy your feeling :)   
        6.  butter or marg
        7.  salt, pepper & paprika 
          Here's what we'll do...enjoy another drink and get to cookin'!
             Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (WHAT? The hell you say)!
             In a large, deep skillet, brown ground meat until no longer pink. Drain.
             Toss all the veggies in with the meat and add a little glob of butter.
             Sprinkle a little salt (gravy has lots of salt already) & a good amount of pepper.
             Cook a few mins until vegetables are softened then add the gravy.
             Stir it around a bit until gravy warms through then spoon mixture into a greased 2-qt
             casserole baking dish. Top meat mix with your prepared mashed pots. Spread taters evenly
             over everything, Dot the potatoes with little blobs of butter and sprinkle with paprika.
             Bake, uncovered, for 30-35 mins until heated through and bubbly. You don't really need
             anything with this meal but do what the hell you want because it is of course...
             DERN TASTY!!!  Good Eatin'  :)

 
                    

     Don't you just love steak? I know I sure do. Do you have steak in the freezer? I know I sure don't. So we know one thing...it ain't steak tonight :( Well there's ALWAYS some kinda S!#t in The Freezer that will tickle our fancy - but - most important thing 1st...libation time!!  Hot damn that's fine :)
NOW we can get jiggy with it!  I did it, I've solved tonights quandry...RIBS...Yeeha ya'll!!!
   I really love this recipe, it is so very simple but does take some cooking time, and so what? Who cares? These ribs are so tender and tasty, you will fall for them too!
   Down to business, this is what I have: 
       1.  1 slab of pork loin ribs, approx. 3lbs (any style ribs will work)        
       2.  2 tablespoons mustard....Yes mustard, get over it! (any type ya like)
       3.  spices like salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, fennel seed (I use fennel pollen on
            almost everything pork but it is rather pricey so the seed works just fine) and a few
            pinches of paprika. Whatever spices float your boat...ya'll
       4.  about 1/4 cup apple jc (just cause I like it) you can always use beef or chicken stock
            (lo-sodium, of course) or plain ol' h2o, if you don't care much for flavor up to you! Hehe.
       5.  a few tablespoons of your fave bbq sc, just enough to make them messy!
    Pre-heat the oven to 250 degrees, SAAAY WHAAAT?? Yup you heard correctly, the world is a
    crazy place my friends! (that means have another drink in Pattie talk)
    Meantime, line a baking pan, a 13 x 9 is good, with aluminum foil.
    Cut the slab in half if it doesn't fit in the pan then coat the pork with mustard on both sides
    (I promise it won't taste "mustardy")
     Liberally sprinkle the spices that you are using all over both sides of the ribs then rub your meat
     (GEEZE, what kind of blog is this anyway :) working the spices and mustard into all the cracks
     and crevices. (OUCH)
     Pour your liquid into the pan drizzling a little over the meat and that's it!
     Cover the pan with more alum, crimped tightly around the edges and shove it in the oven.
     Cook ribs for 1hr 45mins to 2hrs. Remove from the oven. Take off the top foil and brush or
     spoon on a little bbq sc all over the meat. Back in the oven, uncovered for an additional 15 mins
     until sauce is browned & sticky. Good God...I'm ready NOW!  Some cold beer maybe potato
     salad and what can get better than that (okay, don't say it) SO DERN TASTY!!! Enjoy!
                                

   The last few days have been So exciting, good times, great friends - so much going on! Therefore we must do something special...cocktails are special...aren't they? Well aren't they?? K, one drink down, one (or two or three) to go HA!! I've gotten several requests for a scrumptious baked pasta and since I see Italian sausage in the freezer, tonight is the night. Aaaahh...baked pasta, could you just scream!!! Yeah whatever, anyway this is what I've got:
      1. 12 large pasta shells cooked just a min or two under pkg recommended cooking time 
      2. I've got 1 1/2lbs of bulk mild Italian sausage but you can use a little less if you want,
          it doesn't really matter
      3. 1 15oz container ricotta cheese, DO NOT use cottage cheese...YUCK!
      4. 1 cup shredded parm cheese (can you tell I love parm cheese :)
      5. 2 garlic cloves  chopped
      6. 2 1/2 cups store bought pasta sc. (unless you have homemade...well fine then)
      7. 1 1/2 cups shred mozzarella cheese
      8. a tablespoon of torn basil would taste fab with this recipe but if you don't have it,
          no big whoop!  (parsley is good too)
      9. 1 egg (no shell required) hehe
    10. salt & pepper
                  Get it all together, pour a fresh one and let's go!!
     Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees (the hell you say :)  In a large non stick skillet, brown the sausage adding the chopped garlic when the sausage is half cooked. Drain the grease. In a mixing bowl, mix the ricotta, half of the parm cheese, half the mozz cheese, a little salt (not to much, the cheese is already salty) and a good amount of pepper. Crack the egg into the bowl and give it a mix until well combined. Add the sausage and garlic to the cheese mixture & mix some more. Take a baking dish, big enough for 12 pasta shells, pour about 1/4 cup of the sauce around the bottom of the dish. Get your shells, and using a teaspoon start filling them (pile it high) with your delicious cheesy jazz. Arrange the stuffed shells in the baking dish and pour the rest of the sauce over the shells. Cover it all up with the rest of the cheeses & finish with a sprinkle of basil. Cover and bake for about 20 mins. Uncover and bake for another 10 mins  until all the cheese is melty and bubbly. Damn, that sounds tantalizing!!! A fat glass of wine, some garlic bread, maybe some greens for ruffage and that's really all you need. So DERN TASTY...Now go get you some!!!

     Heck of a week so far, it's all okay - no worries - we have alcohol which must have been created specifically for these special times...thank the heavens! (what a joke, ya'll know I have "these special times" every night :) Okie Dokie, let's get to it! Tonight's fantastical meal looks like it must come from chicken cutlets!!! OOOH YEAH, I have just the ticket for these sweet babies, "Chicken Cutlet Purses". I'm so tickled, I adore these things!!
     Taking a little gander around the kitchen, this is what I've got:
                  1.  4-6 chicken cutlets, depending on who's eatin'
                  2.  4-6 slices of baked ham, sliced thin
                  3.  4-6 slices of Swiss cheese (the packaged Swiss comes in long rectangular slices so if 
                       that's what your using, cut those slices in half)
                  4.  a handful of fresh spinach leaves (you only need 2 or 3 per cutlet)
                  5.  Italian style breadcrumbs, just enough to coat the purses (I know...more freakin'
                       breadcrumbs)
                  6.  some parmesan cheese for sprinkling
                  7.  1 garlic clove, peeled &  a little smooshed
                  8.  2 beaten eggs 
                  9.   salt & pepper
                 10.  a little olive oil for baking and drizzling
       Got it all together???  Let's top off our glass and get to cookin'!
                        Pre-heat oven to...take a guess...yup, you got it, 350 degrees (shocking huh)
  Grab a small baking dish (an 8x8 size should do)  Drizz about a tablespoon of olive oil around the bottom of your baking dish then place the squashed garlic clove in the oil. Put the dish in the micro for about 30-40 secs. on high to flavor the oil and just let it sit while you prepare the chicky.
Find a couple of dishes, one for the egg & the other for the breadcrumbs. Lay the chicken on a flat plate. Salt & pepper each cutlet. Place one square slice of ham, one slice of cheese and 2 or 3 spinach leaves on each cutlet. Sprinkle a little parm cheese on top of everything.
   Carefully fold each cutlet in half, the best you can & don't worry if anything is sticking out, big whoop! Stick 2 or 3 toothpicks around the edges of the cutlets to keep them together (sounds like lots of trouble but believe me...well worth it)! Take the baking dish out of the micro. and remove the garlic. Now, with love & tenderness, take your 'purses' and moisten each one with egg then very carefully cover them with breadcrumbs. Place each one in the baking dish and sprinkle a little more parm on top. Just a teeny tiny bit more olive oil over the top of each little breaded 'purse' to help brown and ready for the sauna! MMMM, I can't wait!!
    Bake in the oven, uncovered for approx. 20-25 mins. Again, DO NOT OVERCOOK! Dry chicken is gross  :)  Fill up yer glass, fix a little salad and oh yeah! (don't forget to take out those stabby tooth picks).    Now, time to feast on these DERN TASTY jewels...Wahoo!!!!

       And so it continues, another Wednesday...another freakin' dinner for family consumption - what about me??? Why doesn't anyone cook for me??? Well who gives a rat's patooty, gotta cook!! It's okay, life will be MUCH better after cocktail time! Ooooh yeah, now a little more relaxed & settled a bit, time to stick my head in the freezer. What frozen rock do we discover this fine evening? Why, it's pork chops...I have just the thing, I'm thinking SCRUMPTIOUS!! In fact, I see something else I will use with this one...bacon...yes, I said BACON! I must tell you, I really try to take full advantage of the buy one get one free deals at the grocery store (or any store for that matter) so when bacon is on 'BOGO', I load up!  Time to get down to business -We're doing "Bacon Wrapped Pork Chops".
           This is what I have:
           1.  4 (sorta thick) pork chops, I like bone-in cause the bone brings more flavor
           2.  8 slices of bacon (yes, again, I said bacon :) That will be 2 slices per chop but you can really only need 1 (but don't be stingy)!
           3.  some of your fave bbq sauce, you don't need much, a few tablespoons should do
           4.  just a pinch of salt & some pepper to taste
        Pre-heat the oven to 350 (of course)  Another good, long drink...aahh, sweet! Now
Prepare a baking pan with aluminum foil (for easy clean-up). A roasting rack would be great for these chops to drain the grease during baking.
Next, sprinkle a tad bit of salt (not too much, bacon is salty enough) and as much pepper as you like on each pork chop. Wrap each chop, as evenly as possible, with one or two slices of bacon. If you are having trouble keeping the bacon on, stab a toothpick or two into the pork at the ends of the bacon.
       Bake for approx.15 mins. Take them out of the oven and remove the toothpicks if you used em'.
       Brush each pork chop, both sides, with a little bbq sc and stick them back in the oven.
       Cook for another 10-15 mins till no longer pink inside (do not over cook, pork dries out quickly)
        If the bacon is not crisp enough for you, stick them under the broiler for just a few minutes per side to crunch it up a bit but DON'T overcook!!! Cut a little slice into the center of one of the chops to check for doneness. If the redness is gone, remove them from the heat. Done and done!
      Serve these with a little extra sauce on the side and maybe some creamy mac & cheese...oooh, YUMMOLICIOUS and as always, DERN TASTY!   Now, go eat :)

       PLEASE...give me strength, is it the weekend yet??? Yeah sure, just one of those days I guess - No problemo, let the wine flow!! There now, life is good again so...off to the freezer!
    I spy with one of my eyes (I got a leaf from the damn oak tree in the other one and it's swollen) a baggie of large shrimp, Excellent! Let's cast our nets (hehehe) on "Teriyaki Shrimp with Fried Rice" for tonight's meal , DELECTABLE!!           This is what I have:
      1.  1lb fully cooked lrg shrimp, tails on (this bag has about one & a half lbs but who's counting)
                  p.s. you can always use raw shrimp, it will just take a little longer to cook
      2.  1 cup cooked rice (as I'm sure I have mentioned before, I use the 'quick' cook brown cause of my doggie food but you use what you like best)
      3.   bottle of teriyaki sauce (it will only take a few shakes, according to your own taste. I've got lo-sodium, it tastes just the same as reg. in the end) 
      4.   1/2 cup veggies...brocc, carrots, gr. beans etc. whatever you need to use up. (I always have bags of frozen mixed veggies in the freezer for my chickens, I think I've mentioned that before too but oh well, I said it again so enough already :) 
      5.    1 or 2 green onion (I have a bunch in the fridge drawer and I need to use them before they start to shrivel and rot. Thin sliced reg onion will work too)
      6.    1-2 tablespoons veg oil or if you just happen to have sesame oil (I keep my soy sc, teriyaki sc & sesame oil in the fridge door with the salad dressings to keep them fresh)
      7.     Now, if you really want to go all 'chef boyardee' and you happen to have a lemon, fresh parsley or sesame seeds...well then...you ARE amazing, I'm proud of you! A few options with this dish would be some sprinkles of fresh parsley & lemon zest over the top at the end & a spoonful of sesame seeds cooked in with the rice. Mmmmm
      Must relax some more, sip sip sip (gulp) there, good...that's better. Here we go.  Let's cook!!
 Fix the rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large, non stick fry pan (or a wok if you really want to show off)  heat your oil on med - med high. When oil is hot, drop in your veggies. Stir veggies around for 3 or 4 mins then plop in the cooked rice. Shake a few tablespoons of teriyaki sc (or more if you want but taste for saltiness first) This is where you will sprinkle in the sesame seeds if your using them. Toss rice & veggies around till veggies are fully cooked and rice is browned & covered with the teriyaki sc. Throw in the shrimp and cook long enough to just heat the shrimp through (cook raw shrimp until it turns completely pink throughout). How fast is that??? Really, that's all there is to it. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle some chopped green onion, fresh parsley and a few scrapes of lemon zest right over the top. GORGIOUS, you got it baby!!!
               Like I always say, DERN TASTY!!! Have a great rest of your week :)

      Take a moment, breathe, now have a cocktail. Aahh...isn't that better? Of course it is! Told you so!! Time to see what's in the freezer...This IS a discovery - it's meatloaf mix (ground beef & ground pork packaged together). Just fab, this night will be "Stove Top Lasagna",  this night will be remarkable! I do believe this is probably one of my favorites...easy to make, easy to eat - let's get on with it.     This is what I have:
   1. 1lb ground beef & 1lb ground pork (a couple lbs of whatever type of ground meat you have will be fine and DERN TASTY)
   2. about 6 lasagna noodles (along with different kinds of soups, spices & sauce packets, I always have a variety of pasta noodles in the pantry for a quick 'go-to' meal in a pinch. Today I have reg lasagna noodles which I will have to boil separately but say, who says you can't layer with spag or ziti noodles - who cares? No boil noodles would save time and use less pots that must be cleaned but of course...ain't got none)!
   3. pasta sauce  (home made is usually better but I am using one of my favorite store bought jars that I have on hand)
   4. mozzarella & parm cheeses are really a must in this dish (nuts...I only have an 8oz bag of shredded mozz in the fridge which isn't really enough but I also have a 16oz plastic container of shredded parm & several little bits and pieces of asst. cheeses so I will use every kind of cheese I have in the house, it's all good)!!
   5. 1/2 of a med onion, diced (some diced green pepper would also be awesome)
   6. 2 minced garlic cloves (you can sprinkle some garlic powder over the meat if you don't have fresh cloves).
   7. I happen to have an 8oz package of sliced white mushrooms in the fridge so I will definitely use them up in here (don't have em', don't need em' BUT they do add a little something I love, canned or jarred shrooms work too)
   8. salt & pepper (if you like things a little spicy, sprinkle some red pepper flakes or a pinch or two of cayenne...you go hot stuff :)!
                    Geeze, that's a mouthful, got to refill...there - and begin!!
   Plop the meat into a large, high sided skillet, salt and pepper to taste (sprinkle a few good shakes of garlic powder here if that's what your using) & cook on med heat until browned. Meanwhile, boil the noodles 2 or 3 mins under package recommended directions & drain, set aside. When meat is done, spoon onto a paper towel to soak up excess grease but leave the rest of the grease in the pan. Keep heat on med and throw in  your onion & mushrooms. Cook about 4-5 mins to soften. If your using fresh, add the garlic here. Lower the heat to med-lo & cook 2-3 mins more. DO NOT BURN THE GARLIC!!!  Drain off the grease. Put the meat back into the pan with the veggies and stir it up a bit till well combined and meat warms up. Remove 1/2 the meat mixture. Spread the remaining meat mix evenly over the bottom of the pan. Pour enough pasta sc over the meat and spread around just enough to cover the meat. Lay about 3 lasagna noodles on top of the sauce (cut or rip it to fit, whatever it takes to cover)  Now sprinkle the mozz (use 1/2 the bag if you have 16oz.'s. I will only use 1/2 of my 8oz bag with extra parm on this layer). I also have 1/2 of a leftover 8oz container of ricotta I must use up before it starts growing so I'll just scrape a few little spoon fulls onto the noodles and get rid of it.You can really use as much cheese as ya like. Here comes a good handful of the parm. spread it out. Got some cheddar...why not??  Repeat layers.  Top it all off with the rest of your cheeses (if you happen to have a few herbs such as parsley or basil, rip up a few leaves & sprinkle on top...it looks pretty) Cover the pan and simmer for about 15-20 mins until the cheese is all melted and everything is bubblin'.    Dear Lord...I am so thirsty :)
          Ooooh...Fantastical!!!  Voila'  "Stove Top Lasagna"!  Uncover. Let it sit for a few minutes before digging in. Serve with some garlic bread or not. MMMM...So DERN TASTY!!!

     This my friends will be quite interesting! I am in a cabin in the Tennessee mountains on a ski trip with good friends so there is no S!#T in this cabin freezer...WHAT?? How the hell am I supposed to create something spectacular while I'm trying to keep from fracturing a hip or breaking a leg? What kind of madness am I trying to accomplish here? We will just have to see :) We do have a few groceries in the small fridge to get us through the week like beer, wine, beer oh and did I mention wine? We've also got some eggs, a bag of raw veggies and a few other little tidbits...It's Frittata Wednesday!!! We'll have a vacation drink (or two) and cook!!! This is what I've  got..
              1.  a dozen eggs (you only need as much as you want)       
              2.  cheddar cheese (shredded would be best but I only have the fake cheese food  singles...individually wrapped mind you).
              3. a bag of raw mixed veggies (I think I will only use about a cup total of the broccoli & cauliflower on this recipe but you use what you like)
              4.  approx. 1/4 diced onion (we got a small onion for breakfast and for sandwiches)
              5. "whipped spread" (I think this is their mountain version of margarine but it will do)
              6. salt & pepper
               (cut up pieces of sausage, bacon, or even pepperoni would do gloriously in this recipe)
        This one again is quite easy and takes very little time, got to love these! Moisten the lips then preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat a couple of tablespoons of your "spread" or marg in a med, oven approved skillet (a cast iron pan is really the best for this stuff but of course NO DICE, I've got stainless). When that's sizzlin', toss in the onion. While the onion softens, cut the veggies into small pieces and throw them in with the onion to soften a bit as well. While everything gets familiar in the pan, whip the eggs up with some salt and pepper (for two of us I use about 6 - 8 eggs, leftovers of this recipe are out of this world, even at room temp)! Use the whole dozen if you wish, it's all you kid! I put a couple of teaspoons of water in with the eggs but I would much rather heavy cream or even milk and of course...don't have any!! When the vegetables have softened some and the eggs are whipped up, pour them evenly over the buttery veggies. I ripped the fake cheese into strips and laid them wherever I liked over the top of the egg mixture, if you've got shredded, a good handful should do. Lower the heat and cook for just 5 - 6 mins. Don't stir!! Now carefully place the whole shebang in the oven and cook for about 15 - 20 mins.  DON'T overcook or the eggs will get dry and brown on the bottom.
     Quench the thirst then take your frittata out of the oven, cover with some foil and let it sit for 10 - 15 mins until the center doesn't jiggle any longer. Serve with warm, crusty buttered bread or just by itself...WHO CARES???
    And naturally, this recipe is DERN TASTY.........Bon appetite!!!

       WOW, another Valentine's Day come and gone - Oh well, who gives a flyin' flippola...let's have a drink!   Now we're talking :)   Sticking my head in the freezer this week I discover fish fillets...YEEHA! I do believe we can rock out a recipe in no time with all the jazz I keep around this place.  Tonight, it must be "Something Fishy This Way Comes" (I just kill me :)  I could always batter-up these puppies & fry them but NAAA.      Lemme see what I've got:
     1. 4 lrg Tilapia fillets (any white fish will do) 
     2. 1 (or 2 depending on yer taste buds) .07oz packet of Italian dressing mix, I have Good Seasons
     3. 1 tablespoon capers (don't have capers, no biggy, I just love the twang they provide)
     4. 1 lrg lemon 
     5. olive oil to cook with
     6. Cocktail or tarter sc. if you like that sort of stuff (I LOVE Texas Pete Pepper Sauce on my fish
         but hey that's just me)
Got to wet the whistle - aaahh yes, much better, thanks for asking! Let me just say, this is probably the quickest, easiest recipe you will ever see me put together but that's a good thing
 right?...huh?...huh?     Okay, that's enough of that.
          Drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom of a large non-stick skillet & heat on med. heat
          After it warms up some, toss the capers in & allow them a few mins. to flavor the oil  
          Meantime, sprinkle the dressing mix over both sides of the fish fillets trying to keep the 
              mix spread as evenly as possible (we sure don't want any little fishy left out)!
          Carefully place the fish into the hot pan. Cook approx. 4-5 minutes on each side depending on 
              the thickness of the fillets (don't overcook, you just want the fish white all the way through)
THAT'S IT!! Was I right...well, was I right??? How fast was that! I'm thinkin' some big ol' salty potato wedges or herbed roasted tates would be great with this recipe unless of coarse your trying to be healthy, then you could do roasted veggies instead but for my fat...it's got to be potatoes!!!
  So with another drink, a few gorgeous lemon wedges and a dollop of your fave sauce you will again realize that this recipe is DERN TASTY!!!

     My goodness, Valentines Day is this week - Wahoo - Let's start with a toast!! Oohh yeeaahh, that's much better...feeling groovy :) For this special occasion we should fix something warm & fuzzy  (oooh, that sounds nasty)! The frozen mystery meat we find this week turns out to be 1/2 of a pork tenderloin, well you know what I always say - "1/2 of a pork tenderloin is better than no pork tenderloin at all"! K, so what can we do with this? I've got some teriyaki sc. in the fridge door, a small onion & a few more things I think we can use so...we've got dinner, "Teriyaki Pork with Brown Rice"   
 So this is what I have:
 1. 1/2 of a pork tenderloin (approx. 1lb)
 2. 1 sm onion
 3. 1 sm can of button mushrooms (I would prefer fresh, sliced         mushrooms but ain't got none)!
 4.  3/4 bottle of teriyaki sc. (we don't need all of it)
 5. 2 cups quick cook brown rice (I make my own moist doggy food for my babies cause I don't trust that crap they sell at the store & I use this rice quite a bit)
 6. a little olive oil and margarine for the pan (some pepper is good also but no need for salt except for the rice)
      Let's get cookin' kids... I think we deserve another toast (just sayin)! Now drizzle a few teaspoons of olive oil and a little glob of margarine in a med. skillet and heat on med. heat for a few mins while you slice the onion. When the oil/marg is hot and sizzley (?) throw your sliced onion in the pan and sprinkle in a tablespoon or 2 of teriyaki sc. & some pepper. Toss the onions around, lower the heat to med-low and let them cook until the onions are soft, light brown and caramelized. In the meantime, cook the rice according to the package directions (geeze, that's easy enough right)? While that sits, slice your meat (it will cook faster the thinner the slice) and drained mushrooms (you can leave mushrooms whole if you prefer, they're small). Let's toast again...to love, what a ya say? At this point I would spoon the fabulously sweet, salty onion onto a little plate and set a side. In that same (hot) pan, put your meat & mushrooms in with another small amount of oil, marg & few more "good" tablespoons of teriyaki. Stir this jazz around with a little pepper & cook on med heat until mushrooms are hot & meat is just about done. Now shove the onions back into the pan with the meat, stir it up and cook just long enough to heat the onion through (be careful not to keep the meat on the heat too long...nothing like chewing shoe leather :) Spoon the meat deliciousness  over the rice, top it with a few more sprinkles of teri. sc, pop some champagne (in the name of love of course) and enjoy life! As usual...DERN TASTY!!! Happy Valentine's Day   I LOVE YOU GUYS :)

  So parched as usual, way past time for an adult refreshment! Fill up my glass and OFF WITH THE SHOES!! Now let's try something new this week, something completely crazy & strange...let's make this recipe easy to follow...WOW, this is truly madness!!! Okay, thirst quenched (for now) and it's time to see what's for dinner. This frozen glob turns out to be chicken thighs, awesome - always lots to do with chicken! Too tired to fiddle with flour for frying plus much too messy. I do however have some more bread crumbs, Italian seasoned of course :) I see a jar of pasta sauce in the cabinet and I know there is some kind of cheese in the fridge drawer, if it's not moldy :(  K, it's on..."Chicken Thigh Parm" tonight - YUMMOLICIOUS!     This is what I have:
 1.  6 chicken thighs (I have boneless, skinless but use what you've got...who cares)
 2.  24oz jar of pasta sauce (your fave & you don't need the whole jar unless you like it saucy)
 3.  a little more than 1/2 of an 8oz bag of shredded mozz cheese (I would have preferred provolone   but oh well, tough titty)
 4. Italian style bread crumbs (enough to coat chicken)
 5. salt, pepper & garlic powder to taste
 6. a little olive oil
 7. parm cheese to sprinkle on top (if you don't have parm cheese then your loss, more cheese is  always better :)  A little chopped parsley or basil would be great here too!
      Got it together...good, refill your glass and let's cook!
Drizzle a little olive oil around the bottom of a med skillet and pre-heat pan for just a few mins on med heat. Meanwhile, sprinkle salt, pepper & a little garlic powder on chicken pieces then coat with bread crumbs (I usually do not need to moisten the meat, after it's defrosted, it's moist enough)
Place coated chicken in the heated pan & cook 4-5 mins on each side depending on the thickness of your thighs (hehehe, thickness of your thighs...I crack myself up)
Take a few good swigs of your libation. Now cut into a thicker piece of one of the thighs to make sure it's cooked through. Pour the sauce over each piece of chicken enough to cover. Toss shredded mozz cheese over the top. Turn the heat down to low and cover for a few minutes just long enough for the cheese to melt and sauce is bubbly hot. Uncover, sprinkle parm over the whole mess & dinner done! Eat this by itself or with spaghetti, whatever your pleasure. And as usual, DERN TASTY.  Now MANGIA!!!

Okay, home late and it's hump day...Lord give me strength (and a drink)! Only a half of a small bottle of wine left, WHAT??? Hope is not lost, plenty of ice cold beer in the fridge...aaahh, life is good! So what kind of s!#t can I find in the freezer tonight to help me create a masterpiece? Looks like a frozen brick (I'd say a little over a pound or so) of hamburger meat will be the answer to tonight's dilemma! Now, after a nice big mug o' icy cold beer, lets check out the crap in the cabinet...hehehe, I said 'Crap in The Cabinet' but that's a whole new blog! This would be a great taco night but, no taco shells!!! What the hell, I have a few taco seasoning envelopes in the cupboard and I know I have all kinds of jazz to get rid of in fridge, so it's Skillet Taco night!! We have 3/4 jar of med salsa, a small piece of tomato, 1/2 of a medium onion (might as well use this stuff up before it rots & grows fuzz :) Got a little sharp shredded cheddar cheese left in the bag, I would have liked shredded lettuce but all I have is a bag of mixed salad greens so I'll shred that up and make due. A little light sour cream left and we are actually good to go! Another cold one and we begin...brown the hamburger in a med skillet (with the chopped onion or leave the onion raw for a topping, up to you). After the meat is browned, drain & add an envelope of taco seasoning with 2 or 3 tbls of water. Mix well and cover. Simmer meat for 5 to 10 mins on low. Drink some more beer (a shot of tequila about now would help greatly) and relax! Now, drop a few globs of salsa on top of the meat mixture and spread it evenly over the meat. Sprinkle cheese over the salsa and cover. Remove from heat and let it sit for a few mins until cheese is melted. Uncover and throw the lettuce on top of the cheese then sprinkle some chopped tomato over the top. Serve with a fat dollop of sour cream (if I had blk olives, I would use those also but too bad, so sad)! Dern Tasty again...ENJOY!!!

So Tired, SO thirsty, now it's dinnertime..Uuuggh!

And here it is...another weekday night, another delectable dinner to come up with. Well I'm tired and SOOO thirsty!! Too tired to stop at the store so I must rely on what I already have right here at home. But first and most importantly...WINE! Aaahhh, that's better! Now, back to  dinner! Checking out the freezer, there is always bags of frozen s!#t that I have to defrost before I even realize what the hell it is but oh the magnificent wonders I have concocted with so little & in no time at all. This frozen brick turns out to be leftover Thanksgiving turkey, okay...I got this! I always keep plenty of assorted types of soups, spices and sauce / gravy envelopes on hand just for these situations. It's casserole night!!! (oh my gracious, I'm so amazing :) Time to pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees (as usual) and boil me an 8oz bag of egg noodles which seems to be the only noodles I have on hand. I just can't get over how parched I seem to be this evening,,,MORE WINE! Okay, so to bring the cooked turkey and noodles together let's use mushroom soup and milk. Damn, I have no milk and one can of mushroom soup...CRAP!! I can do this! I do have a few different kinds of soups but the only one I can think that would be best with this gourmet meal must be the cream of onion. So I just smear a glob of butter around the inside bottom and sides of my 10 x 10 casserole dish, pour the hot , drained egg noodles into the casserole dish with the defrosted turkey pieces. Mix the can of mushroom and cream of onion soups in with the noodles and turkey with a little salt & pepper to taste, stir in globs of room temp. margarine (or butter if your fancy) about a quarter cup should do. Spread turkey noodle mixture even in the dish and just for the hell of it, sprinkle some bread crumbs over the top of the whole thing, I only have Italian seasoned on hand so that's what they get! Drink some more, dot the top with chunks of margarine (or butter) and shove it in the oven un-covered. Have another glass of wine, let it cook for 20 to 25 mins and DERN TASTY!!!