Or as my husband refers to it...Scrimp Dimp! My mom has been making this for as long as I can remember. If you're a seafood fan, it's delish. I'm sure you could replace the shrimp with crab if you prefer, though I've never actually done so. Serve this yummyness up with some Ritz or Wheat thins and you're all set!
Serves 10
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pound of small shrimp (AKA salad shrimp)
1 cup of mayonnaise
8 oz of cream cheese
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 .25 oz package of unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup of finely chopped celery
1/4 cup of finely chopped onion
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 drops of red food coloring
1/2 cup of cold water
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat soup, cream cheese and mayonnaise over medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, dissolve gelatin in cold water.
3. Add shrimp, celery, onion, lemon juice and any seasonings you prefer to soup mixture.
4. Add gelatin-water mixture and stir.
5. Add food coloring and stir (dip should turn from white to a light pink color)
6. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Crock Pot Baked Beans
Beans are not typically something that make my skirt fly up. But these beans are so good (and easy)!! Minimal ingredients and the crock pot doing the work make it a great dish to take to a summer BBQ.
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. of ground beef
4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled (or you can use the Hormel bacon pieces in the salad aisle)
1 onion, diced
2 jalapenos, diced (optional)
1 15 oz can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 28 oz cans of baked beans, undrained
1 15 oz can of butter beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup of BBQ sauce
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp ketchup
DIRECTIONS
1. Brown ground beef in skillet.
2. Mix all ingredients in a large crock pot.
3. Cook on low for 6 hours.
4. Serve warm.
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. of ground beef
4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled (or you can use the Hormel bacon pieces in the salad aisle)
1 onion, diced
2 jalapenos, diced (optional)
1 15 oz can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 28 oz cans of baked beans, undrained
1 15 oz can of butter beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup of BBQ sauce
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp ketchup
DIRECTIONS
1. Brown ground beef in skillet.
2. Mix all ingredients in a large crock pot.
3. Cook on low for 6 hours.
4. Serve warm.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Pioneer Woman Does it AGAIN! - Chicken Tacos
I freaking LOVE Ree Drummond - Pioneer Woman. She's amazing. And so are her recipes. Her brother's chicken tacos did not disappoint and I know they will be a favorite for years to come! I scaled the recipe down a bit as it was just my husband and I that I was cooking for. To see the OG recipe and browse all of the other great things her cooking section offers, go here. Give 'em a try and let me know what you think!
Serves 4 (for normal people, my husband and I ate about 4 tacos each though!)
INGREDIENTS:
8 whole Corn Tortillas (small Size)
2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Pieces
Salt, Cumin, Chili Powder To Taste (or Use Taco Seasoning)
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
1 can (4 Ounce) Diced Green Chilies
3/4 cups Finely Grated Cheese (cheddar Or Cheddar/jack Mix)
Sour Cream
Hot Sauce 3/4 cups Thinly Sliced Romaine Lettuce (or Any Lettuce) - *** I didn't use lettuce!!
4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced - *** I used pico de gallo!!
Canola Oil, For Frying Tacos
DIRECTIONS:
*Be careful frying with hot oil!*
Season diced chicken liberally. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for a couple of minutes. Dump in the diced green chilies. Stir and cook until chicken is totally done inside. Turn off heat and set aside.
Have all other ingredients—grated cheese, sliced lettuce, diced tomato, sour cream, and hot sauce—ready.
Also have a plate ready, as well as a stack of five or six paper towels to hold in your hand.
TO FRY
To fry the tacos, heat a couple of inches of canola oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high. Place some chicken in the middle of a tortilla, then fold tortilla in half. Clamp the tortilla shut with a pair of heat-proof metal tongs, then carefully lay the taco—one side down—in the oil. As you lay it in the oil, use the tongs to hold the top side down for a few seconds to form it in place. Once it stays put, repeat with two other tacos. Turn tacos after 30 to 45 seconds, or when each side gets light golden brown (not too brown.)
One at a time, remove tacos from the pan with tongs, holding sideways as you remove them to allow oil to drip out of the sides. Place the taco in the stack of paper towels. Fold the sides and corners around the taco to tightly hold it, then give it three or four shakes to remove excess oil. Remove it from the paper towels and place on a plate. Repeat with other tacos in the pan.
As you continue frying the other tacos, have someone carefully place some grated cheese inside the tops of the tacos (gently pry them open just enough to place the cheese in). Then just let them sit until ready to serve—the cheese will melt as it sits in the warm taco.
To serve, garnish in this order: a smear of sour cream, dashes of hot sauce, shredded lettuce, diced tomato. You’ll need to slightly open up the tops of the tacos to get all the garnishes in there.
Tacos will be hot for a minute or two after frying, so don’t rush into eating! They’ll stay nice and warm for a little while after frying.
Serves 4 (for normal people, my husband and I ate about 4 tacos each though!)
INGREDIENTS:
8 whole Corn Tortillas (small Size)
2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Pieces
Salt, Cumin, Chili Powder To Taste (or Use Taco Seasoning)
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
1 can (4 Ounce) Diced Green Chilies
3/4 cups Finely Grated Cheese (cheddar Or Cheddar/jack Mix)
Sour Cream
Hot Sauce 3/4 cups Thinly Sliced Romaine Lettuce (or Any Lettuce) - *** I didn't use lettuce!!
4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced - *** I used pico de gallo!!
Canola Oil, For Frying Tacos
DIRECTIONS:
*Be careful frying with hot oil!*
Season diced chicken liberally. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for a couple of minutes. Dump in the diced green chilies. Stir and cook until chicken is totally done inside. Turn off heat and set aside.
Have all other ingredients—grated cheese, sliced lettuce, diced tomato, sour cream, and hot sauce—ready.
Also have a plate ready, as well as a stack of five or six paper towels to hold in your hand.
TO FRY
To fry the tacos, heat a couple of inches of canola oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high. Place some chicken in the middle of a tortilla, then fold tortilla in half. Clamp the tortilla shut with a pair of heat-proof metal tongs, then carefully lay the taco—one side down—in the oil. As you lay it in the oil, use the tongs to hold the top side down for a few seconds to form it in place. Once it stays put, repeat with two other tacos. Turn tacos after 30 to 45 seconds, or when each side gets light golden brown (not too brown.)
One at a time, remove tacos from the pan with tongs, holding sideways as you remove them to allow oil to drip out of the sides. Place the taco in the stack of paper towels. Fold the sides and corners around the taco to tightly hold it, then give it three or four shakes to remove excess oil. Remove it from the paper towels and place on a plate. Repeat with other tacos in the pan.
As you continue frying the other tacos, have someone carefully place some grated cheese inside the tops of the tacos (gently pry them open just enough to place the cheese in). Then just let them sit until ready to serve—the cheese will melt as it sits in the warm taco.
To serve, garnish in this order: a smear of sour cream, dashes of hot sauce, shredded lettuce, diced tomato. You’ll need to slightly open up the tops of the tacos to get all the garnishes in there.
Tacos will be hot for a minute or two after frying, so don’t rush into eating! They’ll stay nice and warm for a little while after frying.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce
During my Weight Watcher's plight, I cam across a wonderful website with tons of yummy recipes. I made this one for dinner last night...
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
1 large spaghetti squash
Salt and pepper
1 lb 95% lean beef (I used ground turkey)
1 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
(4 oz) 1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes (I prefer Tuttorosso)
1/4 cup white wine
1 bay leaf
Salt and fresh pepper
**I also added some fresh mushrooms to the sauce**
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400º. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and membrane. Season with salt and bake 1 hour on a baking sheet, cut side up.
2. In a large deep sauté pan, melt butter and add oil. Add onions, celery and carrots and sauté on medium-low for about 2-3 minutes, until soft. Add meat and season with salt. Brown meat and break down into smaller pieces with your spoon. When meat is cooked through, add tomatoes and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Add wine and cook until it reduces a bit, then add bay leaf and cover, reducing heat to low. Simmer at least an hour, stirring occasionally.
3. When spaghetti squash is cooked, let it cool for about 10 minutes. When cool, use a fork to remove flesh, which will come out in spaghetti looking strands. Keep covered and set aside keeping warm until sauce is ready. Serve topped with meat sauce and grated cheese.
For more amazing recipes go check out Gina's website - http://www.skinnytaste.com/
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
1 large spaghetti squash
Salt and pepper
1 lb 95% lean beef (I used ground turkey)
1 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
(4 oz) 1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes (I prefer Tuttorosso)
1/4 cup white wine
1 bay leaf
Salt and fresh pepper
**I also added some fresh mushrooms to the sauce**
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400º. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and membrane. Season with salt and bake 1 hour on a baking sheet, cut side up.
2. In a large deep sauté pan, melt butter and add oil. Add onions, celery and carrots and sauté on medium-low for about 2-3 minutes, until soft. Add meat and season with salt. Brown meat and break down into smaller pieces with your spoon. When meat is cooked through, add tomatoes and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Add wine and cook until it reduces a bit, then add bay leaf and cover, reducing heat to low. Simmer at least an hour, stirring occasionally.
3. When spaghetti squash is cooked, let it cool for about 10 minutes. When cool, use a fork to remove flesh, which will come out in spaghetti looking strands. Keep covered and set aside keeping warm until sauce is ready. Serve topped with meat sauce and grated cheese.
For more amazing recipes go check out Gina's website - http://www.skinnytaste.com/
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
AJ Bump's Carrot Casserole
I first had this recipe when I was a small child (I don't remember it!). The next time was when my mother in law made it. It is SO good. Give it a try and let me know what you think.
Serves 8
A. J. BUMP'S CARROT CASSEROLE
12 carrots
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 large egg, beaten
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups crushed Ritz crackers
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray an 8-by-8-inch Pyrex dish with nonstick spray.
2. Clean and cut carrots into large pieces. Cook them in boiling water until soft. Drain well and mash.
3. Saute onion over medium-high heat in the 1 tablespoon butter or margarine until very soft.
4. In a large bowl, combine carrots, onions, 1/2 cup butter or margarine, egg, salt, pepper and garlic. Mix well. Place carrot mixture in prepared baking dish and top with crackers and cheese.
5. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes.
Servings: 9
Source: A. J. Bump's Restaurant, Freeport, CA
From: the Sacramento Bee; July, 1997
Serves 8
A. J. BUMP'S CARROT CASSEROLE
12 carrots
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 large egg, beaten
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups crushed Ritz crackers
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray an 8-by-8-inch Pyrex dish with nonstick spray.
2. Clean and cut carrots into large pieces. Cook them in boiling water until soft. Drain well and mash.
3. Saute onion over medium-high heat in the 1 tablespoon butter or margarine until very soft.
4. In a large bowl, combine carrots, onions, 1/2 cup butter or margarine, egg, salt, pepper and garlic. Mix well. Place carrot mixture in prepared baking dish and top with crackers and cheese.
5. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes.
Servings: 9
Source: A. J. Bump's Restaurant, Freeport, CA
From: the Sacramento Bee; July, 1997
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Pasta Bake
This dish is the first thing I ever cooked. My Mom got the recipe from a co-worker and tried it. It was delish, and she knew it would be a good thing for me to make on my own, so she passed the recipe along. It's another one of those meals that I've tweaked to make it my own over the years. Enjoy!
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. ground meat (I use turkey for the healthy factor, but beef is fine!)
1 package of pasta (any variety)
1 jar of store bought pasta sauce (any red variety)
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
8 oz. of fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 cups of mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup of white wine
Water
Seasonings to taste (I use garlic powder, salt, pepper and a little bit of red pepper flakes)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375*
2. Brown meat with garlic, onion, and seasonings.
3. Mix meat, mushrooms, uncooked pasta, 1 cup of the cheese, and jar of sauce in a large casserole dish.
4. Fill the empty pasta sauce jar halfway with wine and the rest of the way with water. Pour over mixture.
5. Bake covered for 1 hours.
6. After 1 hour, pull dish from oven. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top and bake an additional 5 minutes.
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. ground meat (I use turkey for the healthy factor, but beef is fine!)
1 package of pasta (any variety)
1 jar of store bought pasta sauce (any red variety)
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
8 oz. of fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 cups of mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup of white wine
Water
Seasonings to taste (I use garlic powder, salt, pepper and a little bit of red pepper flakes)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375*
2. Brown meat with garlic, onion, and seasonings.
3. Mix meat, mushrooms, uncooked pasta, 1 cup of the cheese, and jar of sauce in a large casserole dish.
4. Fill the empty pasta sauce jar halfway with wine and the rest of the way with water. Pour over mixture.
5. Bake covered for 1 hours.
6. After 1 hour, pull dish from oven. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top and bake an additional 5 minutes.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Cheesy Pasta
This recipe was kind of an accident/experiment. Last weekend, we were grilling chicken and needed a side dish. A cheese pasta with a kick sounded good, and this is what came of it!!
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS:
1 package of spiral pasta (I use whole wheat)
5 ounces of Gorgonzola cheese (if this variety of cheese isn't your fav, something like Gouda would be good!)
5 ounces of Parmesans cheese
1 cup of cream
1/4 cup of cooking sherry
2 tbsp butter (I use smart balance)
1 shallot, diced
1 tbsp of red pepper flakes
1 tbsp of dried mustard
1 tbsp of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste (I like A LOT of pepper!)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions
2. Meanwhile, cook diced shallots in butter until soft. Add sherry and stir.
3. Add cream and stir. Let mixture simmer for about 5 minutes.
4. Add cheeses and stir. Stir in spices. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes
5. Drain cooked pasta and place in bowl or back into cooking pot. Pour cheese sauce over pasta and serve immediately.
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS:
1 package of spiral pasta (I use whole wheat)
5 ounces of Gorgonzola cheese (if this variety of cheese isn't your fav, something like Gouda would be good!)
5 ounces of Parmesans cheese
1 cup of cream
1/4 cup of cooking sherry
2 tbsp butter (I use smart balance)
1 shallot, diced
1 tbsp of red pepper flakes
1 tbsp of dried mustard
1 tbsp of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste (I like A LOT of pepper!)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions
2. Meanwhile, cook diced shallots in butter until soft. Add sherry and stir.
3. Add cream and stir. Let mixture simmer for about 5 minutes.
4. Add cheeses and stir. Stir in spices. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes
5. Drain cooked pasta and place in bowl or back into cooking pot. Pour cheese sauce over pasta and serve immediately.
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