Eating Dinner With My Family

I made this for the annual Halloween party, but I am posting it tonight as the family and I are on our way to Orlando for a mini vacation and the hubby and I are getting to go to the Party for the Senses!! (Whee and giggle!)  This was well received by all and, as the name promised, easy to throw together.  The original recipe didn't have cucumber.  I think it is better this way.  (even my husband who doesn't like raw tomato liked this one:)  It was light and fresh and going to be a regular item for our cul de sac parties. Easy Feta Dip 1/3 cup olive oil 3 Roma tomatoes seeded and diced 4 green onions sliced thinly 8 ounces feta cheese crumbled (crumbled yourself preferred) 3 teaspoons Cavender's Greek seasoning (I started with 2 and adjusted.  I suggest you do too) 1/2 a large Cucumber peeled, seeded and diced fresh baguette sliced thinly 1.On a large platter drizzle olive oil until you have a thin layer on the entire platter. You may u...

It's Halloween and I am making some dips for our annual cul de sac party but luckily it's also a Thursday and I know exactly what fast/easy/tasty dish to make. The spicy sausage pasta. (The sausage was even on sale!  It's fate!).  The family really loves this!  (and soooo easy!)  I left the cheese off this one and we didn't miss it. Spicy Sausage Pasta  olive oil  smoked sausage  diced onion  cloves garlic, minced  low-sodium chicken broth  Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chiles, Mild  heavy cream  penne pasta  salt and pepper  Monterey Jack cheese, shredded  thinly sliced scallions Recipe and instructions here

So I am still cleaning out my food stores. I was looking through all the recipes I have in my to try file and this recipe sounded yummy and I had everything I needed for it.  It was outstanding!  I loved it.  It was fairly easy too.  I didn't bother with the croutons, instead, I just added all the garlic to the soup and then gave everybody hunks of baguette.  Easier, less oil and still really delicious!  This is going to be a favorite of mine!  It was pretty spicy with the 1/4 tsp of cayenne, next time, I will most likely reduce this amount a bit and let the everyone spice up the soup to the heat level they prefer.  The person who really couldn't take it was the 3 year old.  Really amazing.  I am full but I want more now! Spicy Onion-Garlic Soup With Poached Eggs 3 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil 3 large garlic cloves minced 1 medium sweet onion cut into 1/8-inch dice 1/2 Tsp sweet paprika 6 Cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth 1/4 Ts...

I am still boycotting the grocery, but I found this pin I had for Parmesan broiled tilapia that I happened to have all the ingredients for.  I grated my own parm so it was in thin shreds, I guess you could use the green tube stuff too, but I try to avoid that stuff.  It doesn't take very long to great parm.  I liked the recipe, but I didn't love it.  The kids on the other hand, loved it.  My son was pissed I only made him one piece.  The husband wasn't home for dinner, so I can't give you his opinion.  We had this with some corn on the cob (I just microwaved it) with some compound butter I had in the freezer and a salad with oil and vinegar.  It was a super fast dinner, and while not stellar, a solid 3.5 for me and higher for the kids. Parmesan Broiled Talapia Talapia Parmesan Cheese Butter Mayonnaise Lemon Juice Fresh Dill Pepper (and I added a bit of salt since I use unsalted butter) Recipe and instructions here

Well the smells coming out of the crock pot aren't too bad, so that's a good sign!  It was an ok meal.  I totally didn't write down anything, so this post is worthless.  Sorry!  I threw some chicken quarters in the crock pot with some onion, whole canned tomatoes from the freezer, a chipotle pepper from the freezer and a chopped up onion, and a bit of water, salt, pepper and garlic.  Threw them all in frozen about 30 hours before dinner and cooked them on low.  Took them out, shredded them and served them with some refried beans I made, shredded purple cabbage and sliced radishes I needed to use an the rest of a block of cheddar that I also shredded.  Not fabulous, but it sure cleared up space in the fridge.  I think I will stop posting these improv dishes.

I have had moments of madness before where I decide to clean out the bursting larders I have, but this time I am making a serious effort!.  I refuse to go to the store unless there is a crucial item we don't have.  (you know like milk or wine;)  I am not pinning these recipe, and I felt like I shouldn't even post them, but my husband said why not, so here I am with nothing to say about an all right meal.  I am kind of afraid of tomorrows meal!  I threw a bunch of freezer items (chicken legs, whole tomatoes, tomato sauce, chipotle chilies) in the crock pot and we will be having "tacos" tomorrow.  I am making refried beans just in case!  I do think this combination of items could make a really great dish, but this was me kind of just rummaging through the fridge and pantry and tossing in things that had no other use and needed to be used. Pdoma Pasta 4 ounces of goat cheese (room temp and cut in 1/4 is best) 8 ounces of dried pasta 4 sun-drie...

cheese sticks on the bottom, ground beef on top I have been seeing these wonton wrapped mozzarella sticks all over pinterest, and I was curious but not very hopeful.  Yes, I guess, they made a mozzarella stick of sorts, and the kids did like them alright, but my husband and I thought really bad.  Really, don't bother.  They didn't even hold together that well.  I had my husband go into the freezer for some other type of filling when I was making these, and that was a great call.  I have decided to take a break from shopping for new recipes.  We have lots of busy weeks ahead, and I can't put one more thing in to the pantry or fridge.  I will be playing chopped in my larders.  I may or may not post the recipes.  I don't foresee a lot of tasty dinners, but at least it will be like spring cleaning.  Wonton Wrapped Mozzarella Sticks 8 string cheese 24 wonton wrappers 1 egg mixed with 1 tbsp of water oil for deep-frying salt and...