Lia's Clam Sauce

Lia has taught me how to make the simplest and yummiest Clam Sauce

it's almost sinful to have something this yummy be so easy

make it for company they'll think you spent hours cooking
when really you spent hours having fun!

ingredients your cupboard should always have on hand

onions go into a lg saute pan

add the butter slowly saute over med low heat

when onions are translucent

add the clam juice simmer for a few minutes

then the clams

I like chopped clams Lia likes minced

add oregano be sure to rub it between your hands to release the flavor

if Lia isn't looking sprinkle in a few red pepper flakes

 and if she still isn't looking

 just a splash of white wine

ready for the noodles

I like to let the noodles finish cooking in the clam sauce

absorbing great flavor

ENJOY!!!

Clam Sauce Lia’s

1tbs olive oil
1 lg onion
sauté
add 1 stick butter
3 chopped garlic

1 bottle clam juice
lots of oregano rubbed between hands to release flavor

1 can minced clams

1pkg fettucine, cooked according to package

(Red pepper flakes)

the sloppier Joes are the better tasting they are

You want a great Sloppy Joe? Then you must make Rachael Ray's Super Sloppy Joe
                                                          even if you have to adapt it just a little
                                                                                    

 

there is one thing Rachael does that I haven't seen done before

 oh boy does it take these Sloppy Joes to awesomeness

 

 

mix  brown sugar with the Montreal Steak seasoning

set aside for just a second we're getting to the good part

 

 

spread the ground beef in the preheated skillet

 pour the brown sugar mixture over the meat and continue to cook

 

 

all that brown sugar and seasoning caramelizes on the ground beef

making it the most awesome Sloppy Joes, 

thank you Rachael for this method of Sloppy Joe cooking!

 

when the meat is brown

add onions & peppers, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce 

 

 

add tomato sauce & paste

or

use spaghetti sauce it works just as awesome

and I didn't have to open a can of tomato paste 

 

simmer 5 minutes

put American cheese on squishy white rolls

 

 

scoop onto squishy soft white rolls

we were raised on squishy white rolls

 

 

Enjoy!!!

 

Sloppy Joes

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
1 1/4 pounds ground beef sirloin
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon McCormick brand Montreal Seasoning

1 medium onion, about 1/2 cup chopped
1 small red bell pepper, 1/2 cup chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups spaghetti sauce -I was out of tomato sauce
American cheese- optional

4 hamburger rolls, split, toasted, and lightly buttered or straight up squishy white rolls
Three Bakers makes a great Gluten Free white roll that soaks up all the juices
or
Make my Sour Cream Biscuits

Directions

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and meat to the pan. Spread the meat around the pan and begin to break it up. Combine brown sugar and steak seasoning. Add sugar and spice mixture to the skillet, stirring, continue cooking. When the meat has browned, add onion and red peppers to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, peppers, red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce with meat for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and paste to pan, or if spaghettis sauce is what you have go for it. Stir to combine, reduce heat to simmer Sloppy Joe mixture 5 minutes longer. Using a large spoon, pile sloppy meat onto scoop onto squishy soft white bread or toasted, buttered bun bottoms and cover with bun tops.

Rachael Ray used:
2 cups tomato sauce & 2 tablespoons tomato paste 
but I was out of tomato sauce so I used
2 cups spaghetti sauce and didn't open a can of paste for just 2 tablespoons
Rachael's Super Sloppy Joe Recipe

 

How often after a cook out do you have extra ground beef, extra rolls and you just don't want another burger!! 

 

Sweet Potato Chili

it's  so goooood Noone will ever know it's also healthy😆

Inspired by Stephanie at 365 crockpot blog

you can make the chili in the crockpot or on the stove.

Sweet potatoes come in many sizes

the first time I made this with 2 sweet potatoes it was over loaded, I had to add extra beans, extra tomatoes, it was

a mess, a yummy mess!

I measured how much sweet potato 

now it's a regular  for lunch or dinner

toss the sweet potato, onion, bell pepper in the slowcooker

yellow or red pepper would make a prettier plate

of course I  only had orange

add tomatoes and beans 

red or black beans both work great

Luther doesn't  like red beans- I don't know why he just doesn't

today we are using black beans

add seasonings & water, stir

cook on low 6-8 hours depending on the size you chopped the sweet  potatoes and how mushy you like it.

on the stove simmer for about 1hr.

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato  Chili

Ingredients

1 lg sweet potato, peeled and in 1-inch chunks about 2 cups worth
1 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney or black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 -1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional if you want heat
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
1 tsp cumin

Directions

Use a 5-6 quart slow cooker. Put the peeled and chopped  sweet potato in the slowcooker. Add diced onion. Follow with the bell pepper, can of tomatoes, the beans, garlic, and seasonings. Pour in water. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the onion is translucent and the sweet potato is fork tender.  Cook longer if you like it to mush a little giving a thicker sauce.

You can put all the ingredients in a large saucepan, simmer 45 minutes until potato is fork tender. 

I like heat I add 1 1/2 tbs. chili powder.

Serve with tortilla  chips, cheese, sour cream, & or avocado.
All depends on how healthy you feel like being😉

Strawberry Basil Martini

Fresh Strawberries Fresh Basil could life get any better........

Muddle the strawberries and basil add a little vodka

oh yea baby life just got better!!!

Strawberry Basil Martini

I love basil I use it in my favorite food group

the martini!

 

 the lemon didn't want to squeeze into the photo shoot

strawberry basil martinis are good ;0)

 

Homemade Muddler & Cocktail Shaker

my shaker was stuck shut tight

I wasn't giving up

 

 

strawberries in the jar start muddling

vodka shooters make great vases & muddlers

 

add the basil

 

vodka next

hmmm photographers a little tipsy .............

squeeze of lemon and ice

shake - shaking chills it while blending

a good martini is well chilled

 

strain into a chilled martini glass

ENJOY!!!!

Strawberry Basil Martini

Ingredients:

6 fresh strawberries, cored and sliced
6 basil leaves
2 oz of simple syrup 4 oz vodka
squeeze of 1/2 a lemon
Ice

Directions:

 Grab your favorite shaker; add muddle strawberries, chilled simple syrup, and basil leaves together
 Add lots of ice,vodka and shake.
Strain into it into your martini glass, garnish with a basil leaf.

Basil VodkaI'm trying infused basil vodka by Tori Avey  I'll let you know in about a week how it tastes, If this works just think of the places we can go...............

Lemon Basil Martini
Cucumber Basil Martini
Vodka Watermelon

So simple so easy oh so delicious Sour Cream Biscuits

So simple so easy oh so delicious Sour Cream Biscuits

biscuits are supposed to be really easy to make but all that cutting in of the butter

what makes these biscuits even easier to make than most is you do not have to cut in the butter

 

A gluten free flour blend like King Arthurs or my Gluten Free Flour Mix works

just as good as any All Purpose Flour

 

 

Mix the ingredients together then drop batter onto baking sheet
You can fuss over their shape if that makes you happy

I like the way all the bumps brown crunching the surface

with the soft insides

 

These are great fresh out of the oven or packed in a lunchbox

 

 

Easy Sour Cream Biscuits

 24 biscuit or 12 rolls

Ingredients 

3 1/2  cups  flour

2      tsp           baking powder

1      teaspoon      baking soda

1/4  teaspoon      salt

 3      cups    sour cream

 2     eggs

Directions

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Add sour cream and eggs, do not overmix.  Grease a cookie sheet and drop by spoonful to make 24 biscuits.

Bake at 400 degrees 17 minutes for biscuits or 25 minutes if you make rolls.

NOTES   

Herbed Biscuits:

1 1/2 teaspoons dried herb leaves, such as rosemary, basil or thyme, or Italian seasoning

 

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits:

Mix into batter 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 ounces)

Melt together 2 tablespoons butter & 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, brush over warm biscuits

 

You may also shape them like hotdog buns.

Or grease english muffin rings spread batter in them for a more uniform roll.

 

If using Brown Rice Flour instead of a gluten Free flour blend add 1 teaspoon xanthum gum.

 

Also substitute almond flour for 3/4 cup of the flour. 

 



 

Pasta with Chicken Thighs

Dinner, I’m hungry no one has gone shopping I’ve got 2lbs of chicken thighs in the fridge that were supposed to me marinated and frozen since the grill was still 2 blizzards under snow.   Why can’t I pass up a good deal, now what to cook tonight ?

Google chicken thighs and hope something edible comes up!! 

 

 

Awesome The Pioneer Women has a recipe looks like little work and I have everything to make it!!!  I love her recipes even though one was a flop I still love her cooking. 

The Pioneer Women's Penne with Chicken Thighs



Her Baked Ziti   I’ll put that under flops but first I want to find one I can flip.  I used to make one called lazy Lasagna if only I could find that recipe…….

 

I need to get back to dinner if I want to eat tonight.

 

This recipe was perfect - fix it and forget it, I really needed to get laundry and dishes done, yes dishes did I mention I was behind on chores.

 

 

This recipe is great done in that must have Dutch Oven, brown the meat in the pan add the Spaghetti Sauce, ingredients, pop in the oven walk away until it’s time to make the pasta.

My chicken thighs were boneless and honestly I wouldn’t make this recipe with Bone on Thighs to messy.  I had ½ jar of Basil Pesto and added that it really took the jarred sauce up a notch. 

 

 The Large onion is when I realized size does matter I chopped my large onion  whoa that’s a lot of onion I measured it, it over flowed 1 cup almost 2 cups of onion -

go back to the Pioneer Women’s page I’m guessing that it’s about ½ -3/4 cup of onion in the pan so that’s what I used I wasn’t making onion sauce after all.

 

 

 
Pasta with Chicken Thighs
 
Ingredients

2 lbs boneless skinless Chicken Thighs, trim the fat

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 whole Large Onion, Diced (remember size matters)
Make that ½ cup onion diced
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 jars (24 Ounces Each) Spaghetti Sauce
Basil Pesto- about ¼ of a cup
Fresh Basil – if you have it I didn’t
S&P to taste
Parmesan Cheese, For Sprinkling

16 ounces, Penne Tinkyada Gluten Free is my favorite
or  1 spaghetti squash

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or dutch

oven over medium-high heat,. Brown chicken thighs quickly on both sides until golden
brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a separate plate.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon grease/oil. Add onions and garlic to pan and stir around to

cook, about 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in spaghetti sauce, stir to heat. Add chicken thighs
back into the sauce. Cover and place pan in the oven for 1 1/2 hours, slowcooker on high 2 hours, or simmer on the stove, on the stove

Cook the pasta according to package instructions.  You can toss the pasta in the sauce with thighs or place pasta on plate cover with sauce and 1 chicken thigh.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Enjoy! 

 

Easy Peanut Sauce with Noodles

Peanut Sauce with Noodles  is just the easiest 5 minute dish to make

that seems like you slaved for hours

I have 3 go to favorites for Peanut Sauce 

Let's make the straight up Peanut Sauce
It's great for a quick lunch or fancy side dish it's really simple, flexible, changing it to your own taste. 
it is the same method for the Orange Peanut Sauce

 

 

Gather Ingredients
forget to add red pepper flakes to photo
add ginger to photo shoot even if it isn't in the recipe

 

Mix  ingredients right in your measuring cup

 more or less water depending on how creamy you like it
different brands/styles does change the texture. 
Natural Peanut Butter tends to make a thicker sauce

 

I like it HOT!!!

it looks curdled before it comes together
warm water helps it blend faster

 

patience keep stirring

it will look creamy ooey gooey goodness in a minute

 

seeee creamy deliciousness

pasta is cooking
ok I forgot to photo the rice sticks cooking
I improvised

 

yummm I love broccoli with Peanut Sauce

 

 

It’s great with broccoli, greenbeans, carrots, shrimp, chicken, cut up left over steak.

 kitty was the last one seen with the shrimp - bad kitty 

The second recipe Orange Peanut sauce I love the citrusy flavor
the orange juice brings to the dish

my son tells me peanut butter - orange don’t go together in his world

for him I make Peanut Sauce

 

Experiment - make it the first time for yourself
try adding veggies and meat. 
The best food is food made how you like it.

 

Peanut Sauce for Noodles

Serving Size  : 4    Preparation Time :10 min

¼ cup teriyaki
2 tbs rice vinegar
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cloves crushed the jarred stuff works just fine
¼ cup water
¼ cup peanut butter

8 oz dry pasta if using the rice sticks I would double sauce

Directions

Mix first 6 ingredients together, when you first start mixing the sauce will look lumpy almost curdled just keep whipping until it gets nice and creamy.  Pour over cooked pasta. Enjoy!!

The Orange Peanut Sauce recipe is very flexible

the first set of measurements I listed make one serving
the second set of measurements
are meant to be made with the 8oz pkg of  Kame rice sticks to feed a crowd.

 

 Orange Peanut Sauce

Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :10 min

 1      tablespoon    peanut butter
 1      tablespoon    orange juice, frozen concentrate
 1      tablespoon    balsamic vinegar
orange zest – optional
dash    red pepper flakes
1.5 oz rice stick - I use Thai single serving soup, cook the noodles without the broth packet

Directions 

Mix first 5 ingredients together, when you first start mixing the sauce will look lumpy almost curdled just keep whipping until it gets nice and creamy.  Pour over cooked pasta. Enjoy!!

Serving Size  : 4-6    Preparation Time :10 min

 1/2      cup  peanut butter
 1/2      cup  orange juice, frozen concentrate
 1      tablespoon    balsamic vinegar
orange zest -  optional
½ tsp    red pepper flakes
8 oz rice sticks

Directions

Mix first 5 ingredients together, when you first start mixing the sauce will look lumpy almost curdled just keep whipping until it gets nice and creamy.  Pour over cooked pasta. Enjoy!!

Hints:

Kame rice sticks are sooo thin they suck up all the sauce fast
don't even try to break the noodles in half
unless you want rice sticks flying around the kitchen

I make double the sauce when using rice sticks instead of regular pasta

The third Peanut Sauce is adapted from the 365 slowcooking blog spot Tofu In Peanut Sauce CrockPot Recipe .  I have made it with the tofu but prefer it with diced chicken breast I also found it very thick and add water.  I don’t have Margarita Mix and if I don't have a lime I used white wine.

 Chicken In Peanut Sauce CrockPot Recipe

1 lb diced chicken breast
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 T soy sauce
3 T white wine
1/2 t ginger
2-3 cloves of chopped garlic
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes - I like at least 1/2 tsp
½ cup water
whole bag of baby spinach

 Directions

Add peanut butter, soy sauce, white wine, water, ginger, garlic and pepper flakes to crockpot stir it around. In a fry pan brown the chicken then add to crockpot.   Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours. 15 minutes before serving, stuff the entire bag of baby spinach inside, cover, stop peaking really walk away, give it a chance to wilt. Serve with rice.

Or watch daughter put crock on high and pace around the kitchen asking-  is it’s ready yet? how much longer? - isn't that the same question she just asked!!   It really needs the time to let the flavors come together.