Grilled Cabbage

My husband loves cabbage - me not so much - so I am always looking for new recipes so I can cook it for him & for me to be able to tolerate eating it. This is a great tasting recipe that I found which includes butter & bacon - what's not to like about that??

GRILLED CABBAGE
1 head cabbage
4 teaspoons butter
4 slices bacon

Spice mix:
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cut cabbage into four wedges.
Place each wedge on a piece of doubled heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Spread cut sides with butter.
Mix spices together in a small container & sprinkle all of the mixture equally over each wedge.
Wrap bacon around each wedge.
Fold foil around cabbage, sealing each wedge tightly.
Grill cabbage, covered, over medium heat for 40 minutes or until the cabbage is tender, turning twice.

Tuna Pasta Salad

This recipe is an oldie but a goodie that I remember my mom making when I was a little girl! It is a great cold pasta salad during the summer months! I make it quite often & take it for lunch throughout the week!

Tuna Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
3 cups pasta, cooked, drained and cooled (macaroni, penne, shell, etc.)
1 12 oz. can of albacore tuna, drained
½ cup frozen peas, cooked, drained & cooled
¾ cup mayonnaise
¾ cup sour cream
2 green onions, finely chopped (or 1 T dried)
1 stalk celery, finely chopped (or celery salt to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, salt and pepper.
Add tuna, peas, onions and celery

Refrigerate 1.5-2 hours before serving. Can also be made the day before!

Grape Salad

I had this interesting salad at a get-together last week & it was SO yummy! It is perfect to take to a pot-luck or neighborhood get-together! I will definitely be making it quite often this summer!!

(photo credit)

Grape Salad

1 ½ lbs green seedless grapes

1 ½ lbs red seedless grapes

8 oz sour cream

8 oz cream cheese

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Topping

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup chopped pecans

Remove stems from grapes and rinse. In a medium bowl, beat sour cream, cream cheese, granulated sugar and vanilla with mixer until smooth. Stir grapes into the cream cheese mixture and place in a serving dish.

Combine brown sugar & pecans and sprinkle over top of grapes (you may also place on the side if you desire).

(To make a more "lighter" version you can substitute lite sour cream & low-fat cream cheese!)

Baked Potato Slices

So simple - I can't believe I didn't think of how to make these sooner?!

Ingredients:
Russet potatoes
butter
bacon crumbles
shredded cheddar cheese
green onion    

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
 
Cut potato into 1/4" slices. Brush both sides of potato slices with butter; place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned on both sides, turning once.
 
When potatoes are ready, top with bacon crumbles, shredded cheddar cheese, & green onion; continue baking until the cheese has melted! Can add a dollop of sour cream also - YUM!

Baked Potato - restaurant style

I grew up thinking that a good baked potato needed to be wrapped in aluminum foil & then baked in the oven. But then I discovered this recipe - Restaurant-Style Baked Potatoes. You know the ones with the crispy, salty skin & are super tender inside?? These are hands-down the best baked potatoes ever!!

Restaurant Style Baked Potato

6 large baking potatoes, scrubbed & patted dry

1/4 cup quality olive oil

1/4 cup coarse kosher or course sea salt

- Poke several holes in each potato

- Place salt in shallow dish, large enough for a single potato to fit

- Lightly brush olive oil over outside of each potato

- Roll each potato in salt (no need to cover, but should be present on all sides of the tater)

- Place in center of oven, directly on the oven rack

- Bake at 375 degrees for 60-70 minutes until fork tender

- Let cool slightly before serving

- Carefully open each potato & serve with butter, sour cream & whatever else you like.

I like to serve mine with a perfectly done filet :)

Homemade Mac-n-Cheese

My friend Michelle asked me for this recipe yesterday & as I was emailing it to her I thought it would be a great one to share on this blog. This is a perfect side-dish to bring to a potluck or neighborhood gathering.

(photo credit)

HT's Mac-N-Cheese

2 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
12 oz sour cream
12 oz cottage cheese
8 oz Velveeta cheese, cut in small chunks
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 eggs, slightly beaten

Cook macaroni according to package & drain. Combine sour cream, cottage
cheese, Velveeta cheese, shredded cheese & eggs. Add macaroni & stir
until mixed all together. Pour into a 2 1/2 quart baking dish. Bake @
350 degrees for 45 minutes or until hot & bubbly.

Mexican Rice

I'm back from vacation all relaxed, rested & ready to get caught up on all the recipes I have been wanting to share with you all!

The first few recipes are going to be ones the girls made on our beach week vacation. It's always fun bringing the girls together, swapping recipes & trying new ones...especially ones from different ethnicity's.

My girlfriend Camille comes from a very large Hispanic family & that girl can make an awesome mexican rice dish & salsa. These recipes are ones her grandmother would always make for family gatherings. 

Camille's grandmother was born & raised in Mexico & has shared many of her own recipes with Camille through the years. Sadly, she passed away yesterday so these recipes Camille has are even more special & cherished now that her grandmother is gone. 

I have been asking Camille for her salsa recipe for years now & while we were making a mexican feast for the girls while on vacation she finally caved & gave me her grandmother's salsa AND Mexican rice recipes. I feel honored to be able to add her grandmother's recipes to my own collection.

 (photo credit)

Mexican Rice 

2T canola or extra virgin olive oil
1 cup long, grain white rice
1 cup water
5 chicken bouillon cubes
small onion, chopped
8oz can tomato sauce
*optional (small tomato, chopped)

First, place rice in a fine mesh strainer & rinse under cold running water until water runs clear. Shake rice vigorously to remove excess water. By doing this step, you remove the starch from the rice so it will not stick. 

In a Teflon coated skillet, heat oil. Drop a few rice grains in & if they sizzle then it is ready. Saute rice in hot oil over medium-hot heat stirring often until golden NOT brown. Set aside.

In a Dutch oven, combine water, chicken bouillon & onion. Bring to a boil. Add fried rice & tomato sauce (& chopped tomato). Stir just enough to mix sauce in - do not over stir! Return to a boil, cover with a lid & then cook on low for 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender & water is absorbed. Fluff rice lightly with a large fork & serve. Makes 2 cups.

Snicker Salad

Peeked your interests, didn't I?

This strange named "salad" comes from my Aunt Denise as she would often bring it when the family gathered for holiday's or birthdays. It is a dee-lish recipe & one I have made often which is always a hit with whomever eats it! Perfect to take to your own family get-together's this summer!

  

Snicker Salad

1 small package French Vanilla instant pudding

1 cup milk

1 8oz carton Cool Whip

2-3 Granny Smith apples, cut into chunks

4 Snickers bars, cut into chunks

Mix milk & pudding; add Cool Whip. Just prior to serving, fold in the apples & candy bars. Enjoy :)

*FYI: this recipe does not do well as leftovers the next day. The apples turn brown & the Snickers get gooey. Usually it is so yummy that there aren't any leftovesr!

Calico Beans

I first tasted this yummy side-dish when I was visiting my parents in South Dakota this past New Years weekend. My mom had made these beans to go with the broasted chicken we were having & got the recipe out of one of her church community cookbooks - which usually contain some pretty awesome recipes by the way. They were SO good & can't wait to make them again for a "potluck" or during our next cul-de-sac get together!

Calico Beans

1 lb hamburger

1 sm-med onion, chopped

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp salt

2 T vinegar

1 can red beans, drained 

1 can pork & beans, do not drain

1 can kidney bean, drained

1 can butter beans, drained

1/2 lb bacon

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp mustard

1 envelope onion soup mix

1 cup water

Brown hamburger & onion together. In a separate pan, cook bacon. Drain meat & bacon grease. Crumble bacon into bite sized pieces. Mix all ingredients together in crock-pot & cook on low for 4-6 hours.