Tuesday, October 30, 2012

STEAK FAJITAS






Ingredients:
Steak strips
Chopped green onion
Grated cheese (I use low fat)
Avocado
Shredded cabbage (optional)
Shredded Lettuce
2 or 3 sliced sweet bell peppers
1 small Chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter
No Bake Tortillas from Costco
Brown Rice
Green Chile Taco Seasoning
Tomatoes, optional

Directions:
Cook steak in a pan on the stovetop until it is well done, using steak seasoning or cracked bell pepper. 
Chop green onion
Fry each tortilla separately in a sauteuse pan turning when bubbles appear on the top.  Store each tortilla in a tortilla container.
Slice sweet bell peppers, chop onion, sauté in butter until vegetables soften.
Cook Cous Cous as directed, if desired.
Cook brown rice as directed.
Slice avocado
Serve all separately.  Then create your fabulous Fajita.

Ingredients

Sliced Sweet Bell Peppers

Green Onion

Frying the Tortilla

Ready to Turn

All Done

Chopped Onion

Sauteing Bell Peppers

Ready to Serve the Pepppers

Steak Strips

Sauteed Onion

Ready to Serve

Ready to Wrap Up

Wrapped Up and Ready to Eat

A crunchy Fajita with a Corn Taco Shell Inside

Monday, October 29, 2012

CHEESE STUFFED MANICOTTI




Ingredients:
1 Package Manicotti (from Raleys, Nugget or Winnco)
Or 1 package Lasagna Noodles (boil, drain, cut in half, then spread cheese mixture onto noodles and roll up.)

Cheese Stuffing
1 (15 oz.) container Ricotta Cheese
1 Large Container Cottage Cheese ( I use low fat, small curd)
2 (2 Cup) Package Mozzarella Cheese (I use low fat)
½ of an 8 oz.  (4 oz.)container of grated Parmesan Cheese
1 bunch parsley leaves (finely chopped)

Meat Sauce:
2 pounds Hamburger Crumbled and drained
2  Jars Beritolli four cheese Marinara Sauce
Season with Garlic Powder, Italian Seasonings, etc. Fresh chopped basil, fresh minced garlic, etc.

Topping:
1 cup shredded cheddar/jack Cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Snip the leaves off the parsley and finely cut them (or use an electric food chopper)
Boil Manicotti as directed.  Drain and let cool on waxed paper.  Insert a plastic spoon in each Manicotti so that they do not stick to themselves.
In a large bowl, combine the Cheeses for the stuffing.  Add parsley and stir in.
Brown and crumble the hamburger.  Drain grease.  Add the Tomato Sauce and Season.
Put enough of the meat sauce in the bottom of a Lasagna Pan to lightly cover the bottom (so the manicotti does not stick)
Stuff the Manicotti with the cheese mixture by hand or by using a very small spoon (I use a baby spoon)…I have found that using my hands works much better.  Or, sometimes I use some kitchen shears and cut a single seam into the manicotti.  Then I spread the cheese in it and roll it up.  I place it in the 9” X 13” seam side down.
Place each manicotti in the lasagna pan over the light layer of meat sauce
Cover the manicotti with the remaining meat sauce – to be sure that the pasta is covered (otherwise it will dry out during baking)
Sprinkle the meat sauce with the cup of shredded cheddar/Jack (or whatever cheese you have)
Cover with Foil and Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees or until it hot all the way through.

Ingredients

Parsely

Basil

Chopped Herbs

Cheese Mixture

Adding the Basil to the Sauce

Draining Manicotti

Manicotti cooling - with plastic spoons in them.

A seam cut in these

Meat Sauce Lining Bottom of Dish

Adding Cheese Sauce to Manicotti

Rolling up the Manicotti

In the Pan ready to Cover with Sauce

Ready to Bake

Just Out of the Oven

Plated and Ready to Serve


Sunday, October 28, 2012

PIZAZZ PARTY MIX





Ingredients:
1 (13 oz.) box Honey Nut Chex cereal – or Rice Chex or Corn Chex
1 (12 oz.) box Golden Grahams
1 (7 oz. ) bag shredded coconut
1( 4 ounce) bag slivered almonds
1 cup pretzel sticks
1 ½ cups butter (3 sticks)
2 cups sugar
2 cups corn syrup
1 cup mini baking M&Ms (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 4 baking stones or baking sheets with parchment paper. with Combine Chex , Golden Grahams, coconut, and almonds in a large mixing bowl.  Stir to combine.  Spread on 4 cookie sheets.  Bake for 5- 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Remove from oven and put back into the  In a large sauce pan, cook butter, sugar and corn syrup to the “soft ball” stage…about 234 degrees on a candy thermometer.  Pour over cereal mix and stir until all is well coated.  Pour onto 4 large baking sheets or baking stones lined with parchment paper.  Let cool a little, then stir in the M&M’s.  Stir every so often as it cools so that it does not become one large clump.  Store in an airtight container.

Ingredients

Ready to Bake


Corn Syrup, Sugar and Butter

Baked  and with Corn Syrup mixture poured over it

With M&Ms mixed in


Ready to Serve


BUTTERFINGER, PEANUT BUTTER & CHOCOLATE COOKIES




Ingredients:
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ¾  cups all purpose Gold Medal Flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
crushed Butterfinger Candy Bars (about 5 crushed 2.1 oz. Butterfinger Candy Bars)
1 cup chocolate chunks
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper.
Cream butter and sugars in stand or electric mixer until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add peanut butter and mix until combined. Add egg and vanilla, beating until well combined.
Add flour and baking soda to the mixer then add 1 ½ cups crushed Butterfinger and chocolate chunks mixing until just combined. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart and with tines of a fork, press criss cross marks into the cookie.  Sprinkle with crushed Butterfinger crumbles. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until baked through. Let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
Makes 2 dozen cookies

Ingredietns

Dough

Ready to bake

Just Out oF the Oven



Ready to Serve