Hubby hung up his jacket in the entry closet and let out a loud sigh. Was something the matter? Had it been a rough day at work? After all, it was only Monday – far too early in the week to feel that heavy sigh of frustration.
Bring in the New Year with Baked Sweet and Sour Pork Chops
Today marks the start of the Chinese New Year – the year of the Pig. I must confess, I had these easy Asian-Inspired Pork Chops on my meal planner long before I realized the significance of the day and the year. Is it in poor form to consume Pork today? I honestly don’t know. If it is, my deepest apologies to those I may have insulted. Such was never my intention.
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Stove Top Chicken Adobo – Kiddo Style
Recently, Kiddo was in charge of cooking the family meal. On the menu was Chicken Adobo, using our family recipe and the crock pot method – Chicken Adobo – Crock Pot Style. The beauty of Adobo is that you can start out with FROZEN chicken. If you start early in the morning, frozen chicken in the Crock Pot will be just fine. However; if you are not an early riser, forget the Crock Pot method, especially if the chicken is still frozen. A later start in the day, and the Stove Top method is great – sort of a “rush job” if you will, with delicious results.
Roasted Tomato Soup with Fresh Basil and Croutons
When I played around with this recipe it was my plan to include it in my Lenten Season – 45 Days of meatless recipes. But then I realized that today is National Homemade Soup Day, and what better way to say yeah than a big, beautiful bowl of Tomato Soup.
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Catalina Chicken and Sunny California
When I first saw the title of this recipe, I didn’t think Catalina, as in the dressing but rather of Catalina Island. Years ago, Hubby and I spent a Mother’s Day get away on this beautiful island. It is said that visiting Catalina is a lot like visiting the Mediterranean, in that the climate and atmosphere are similar.
We loved the island despite the fact that it rained nearly every day. The one day with sunshine was awesome, with an early morning horseback ride and strolls through the streets of Avalon.
Early that morning we walked from our hotel to the horse stables. As we made our way through the sleepy streets, we saw a man standing alone on the street corner. He was looking out at the bay, and seemed deep in thought. His eyes were an amazing blue, like windows into what seemed to be a very old soul. As we approached, he smiled and we exchanged the pleasantries of strangers crossing paths. As we turned the corner, I glanced back for one last look. His stare had returned to the sea. There was a sadness about him that made my heart ache. I whispered to Hubby who I thought the man looked like. Hubby said he agreed it did look like him, but really? No way.
The next morning, the Today show was setting up for an interview. Robin Williams was promoting his newly released movie “The Dead Poet Society.” Our encounter with a sad stranger on the street the day before had been with Robin Williams.
Hubby and I had promised to return to Catalina one day. It’s been 30 years, and we have yet to visit the island again. If we do, it will be in the off-season, when the island is quiet. For it is in the quiet moments that we can truly connect to our inner selves.
Catalina Chicken
1 envelope Dry Onion Soup Mix
12 oz Jalapeno Pepper Jelly
1 Cup Catalina Salad Dressing
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Black pepper to taste
1 Package Picnic Chicken (4 thighs, 4 legs) skin on
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the dry soup, jelly and Catalina Dressing. Whip with a wooden spoon to blend well.
Season with onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper. Stir to blend and distribute seasoning throughout.
Place chicken pieces into the bowl, making sure all the pieces are well coated.
Cover and refrigerate chicken for several hours to soak in the flavoring. The longer the better.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking pan with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.
Arrange the chicken pieces on the prepared pan. Cove tightly with foil. Bake 30 minutes undisturbed.
Remove chicken from the oven, reduce temperature to 325 degrees.
Remove foil covering, return chicken to the oven and continue to bake for another 25 minutes or until cooked through, checking after 20 minutes. Serve chicken over a bed of steamed rice.
Original Recipe: Myra Byanka at Cook Eat Share
Super Easy Chicken Patty Club Sandwich
Years ago, Hubby, Kiddo and I worked side by side at the same Event Rental Company. Every morning, we packed a lunch to have at work. Every day, we end up getting something from the food truck for lunch and our “lunch” became dinner as the hours spend at work at times were unbelievably long. In the high-season, fifteen hour days were the norm.
One day, Kiddo and I got Chicken Club Sandwiches from Steve’s Truck. Steve’s isn’t a gourmet food truck – everything he serves is either cooked on the griddle or deep-fried. His Chicken Club Sandwich was no exception. Yet, we had to admit, they were tasty. Maybe not healthy, but tasty none the less. And so simple to make.
Super Easy Chicken Patty Club Sandwiches
6 Tyson Chicken Patties
6 Slices Bacon, crisp
6 Slices Sharp Cheddar Cheese (or favorite sliced cheese)
6 Hamburger Buns, lightly grilled
3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
1 Large Tomato, sliced
6 Lettuce Leaves
Cook chicken patties in the oven as directed. While the chicken is baking, fry bacon crisp and let drain on paper towels.
Wipe down griddle, butter buns and toast lightly.
Place sliced cheese on chicken patties, return to oven long enough for cheese to melt.
Spread mayonnaise on toasted buns. Place lettuce and tomato on bottom bun. Top with chicken patty. Top patty with bacon and top bun. Serve.
Cajun Spice Tater Tots
Can we talk Tater-Tots? As I’m sure you know by now, today is National Tater-Tot Day. In San Francisco, there is an actual Tater Tot Festival, small though it may be. While many of us cannot hop in a car, bus, boat or plane and head on over to the City by the Bay for some delicious Tater Tots, we can indulge at home. When Hubby and I first married, one of his favorite foods were tater tots. I gotta tell you, I turned up my nose. After all these years of marriage, the little pressed nuggets of spuds has grown on me. I especially like tater tots that have been well seasoned.
Catholic Traditions and the Feast of Candlemas
As Catholic Tradition would have it, February 2nd is the Feat of Candlemas, also known as the Presentation of the Lord. So please bear with me while I share a little of my Catholic rearing.
Continue reading “Catholic Traditions and the Feast of Candlemas”Celebrate National Tater-Tot Day with a Savory Tater-Tot Casserole
I know it sounds crazy, but sometimes planning out meals for the week is hard. This is especially turn when I don’t feel like cooking anything. At least not at the moment. There are two times when planning can be dangerous. Moments like this, when I’d rather eat out (that gets expensive) and moments when I can feel those creative, gourmet juices flowing (even more expensive!). At times like this, I look to see what the National Calendar says we should be eating. Today is Ground Hog Day, Heavenly Hash Day and Tater-Tot Day. I could be wrong, but I don’t think you are allowed to eat ground hogs. I’m not even sure why anyone would if given choices.
Hash would have been nice, except my guys are working and breakfast on a work-day morning is very rare indeed. I am up early enough to make breakfast. On Saturdays when the guys are scheduled to work, they would rather sleep until the very last moment and then dash out the door. Can’t say as I blame them.
That leaves me with Tater-Tot Day. I had been wanting to try this recipe, so National Tater-Tot day was the perfect excuse.
Savory Tater-Tot Casserole
1 small Onion, chopped
8 oz Cremini Mushrooms
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 pound Ground Beef
2 tablespoons Butter
12 oz Green Giant Steamers Whole Green Beans
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons Flour
2/3 Cup Beef Stock
1 cup Milk
Kosher Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese
1 package {32 ounces} Frozen Tater Tots
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, for garnish
1/4 Cup Italian Parsley, for garnish
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Peel and chop onion, set aside. Rinse and slice mushrooms, set aside
In a large cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking meat into smaller pieces as it brown. Once cooked, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
While the meat is browning, poke holes in the Green Bean bag and steam in the microwave for 3 minutes. Remove from microwave and let cool. Cut into 1-inch pieces to add to onions once cooled
Add butter, onions and mushrooms to the now empty skillet. Saute over medium heat until tender and browned, about 3 minutes.
Add chopped green beans to the onion mixture. Stir to combine.
Add garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce and flour to the skillet, stir to combine. Add chicken stock and milk, stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with kosher salt and ground black pepper about 1/2 teaspoon each, based on taste preference.
Turn heat off and add cooked ground beef. Stir to combine. Top the mixture with cheese. Arrange frozen tater tots on top.
Bake in heated oven for 30-35 minutes until tater tots are golden brown.
Remove from oven. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese and chopped parsley. Serve straight from the skillet.
Original Recipe: Dash of Savory
Spumoni Inspired Baked Alaska
Today is National Baked Alaska Day. I’ve already shared my go-to Baked Alaska recipe, so I needed something a little different. Something special to share with you today. And so it was that last week I went in search of recipes for Baked Alaska to sample. That’s when I saw this recipe from Taste of Home and knew we had to give it a try.
Slow-Cooker Spicy Orange Marmalade Chicken
We eat a lot of frozen Chinese Dinners in our house. Beef and Broccoli, Orange Chicken, General Tso (a Chinese American dish), the list goes on and on. Why frozen Chinese dinners? For one thing, I can cook up several different types of food all on one sheet pan. I line the pan with foil, building dividers into the foil liners to separate the different sauces. Another reason for the frozen dinner is convenience. We love Chinese food, but there’s a great deal of work involved when cooking from scratch. Still, the frozen route was getting old, and processed foods aren’t exactly on my heart-friendly radar. It was time to do a little Chinese cooking from Scratch cooking.
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Polenta and the Feast of John Bosco
John Bosco was born near Castelnuovo in the archdiocese of Turin, Italy in 1815. He was raised by his mother, Margaret, as his father had died when John was a toddler of only two. Saint John Bosco founded the Salesian Society and dedicated his life to the welfare and education of the youth. He is the patron saint of apprentices; boys; teachers; laborers; schoolchildren; students of all ages and (my personal favorite) juvenile delinquents.
Continue reading “Polenta and the Feast of John Bosco”Wing Stopping Lemon-Pepper Chicken Wings
Every year Hubby, Kiddo and I take the short drive over to a neighboring small town to attend their Chocolate Festival in the town square. There are more craft vendors than chocolate vendors, but still it’s a hoot. Plenty of goodies to sample and gadgets to buy. We love small town festivals and street fairs.
Greek Salad with Kalamáta Olives
Did you know that Kalamáta is not only the olive but a city in the south of Greece? There’s even a 13th Century castle and a Byzantine-era Church. Yeah, I feel like a dumb American. I thought Kalamáta was a type of olive popular in Greek cooking. Hey, give me some credit. At least I know enough to know the difference between Sparkling Wines and Champagne.
In our house, we serve up two salads when making a Greek Salad. The first is your traditional salad, the second is the salad minus the olives and Feta cheese. I’m not sure what you would call that, since the latter clearly lacks all those ingredients that make the salad Greek. I suppose a Greek Salad without Greek Olives and Feta Cheese it would be a Tossed Romaine Salad with a Lemony Olive-Oil dressing. Both Kiddo and I are avid olive eaters. We both love Feta Cheese. Hubby not so much. In certain dishes he will tolerate olives, but there is no way this man would intentionally pop a whole olive in his mouth. This doesn’t mean we don’t have Greek Salads. When I make my salad, I simply pull out some of the salad before adding the olives. Then I dress the salads, the dressing is the same, minus the Feta Cheese. If you have non-olive eaters in your house, it’s an easy solution and a delicious win for all concerned.
Greek Salad with Kalamáta Olives
The Salad
1 head Romaine Lettuce
2 Firm Red Tomatoes
1 English Cucumber
1 small Red Onion
1 cup Kalamáta Olives, pitted
Wash lettuce well. Tear leaves into bite-size pieces. Spin or pat dry. Place lettuce into a large bowl or serving platter.
Cut tomatoes in half, core and seed each half. Cut tomatoes into large pieces. Add tomatoes to the lettuce.
Cut cucumber lengthwise in half. Cut each half in half again to create quarter strips. Cut the strips of cucumber width-wise into 1-inch sticks. Add to the lettuce mixture.
Peel and thinly slice the red onion into rings. Break up the rings and add to the salad bowl.
Cut olives in half, toss into the salad mixture.
Toss salad well to evenly distribute the vegetables throughout the bowl or platter. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
The Dressing
3 tablespoons Olive Oil, extra-virgin best
1 lemon, freshly squeezed
1/2 teaspoon dried Oregano
Kosher Salt to taste
Freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
1/2 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
Measure olive oil in a non-reactive container such as a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Squeeze lemon over the olive oil. Add oregano, a pinch or so of salt and the fresh ground pepper.
Shake jar to emulsify the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
Set aside until ready to use.
To serve: Shake dressing well, pour over the salad. Toss to coat in the dressing mixture. Crumble feta cheese over the top and serve.
Looking for more salad ideas? Then check out my Ode to the Salad with everything from Arugula to Winter Salad recipes.
Picante-Marmalade Glazed Chicken Wings
I know, enough with the chicken wings already! This is my last wing recipe (for this week) – I promise. I’ve been reading some of my older easy recipe cookbooks and I keep finding delicious recipes I had forgotten about. Besides, you can never have too many chicken wing recipes or too many choices for finger foods, right? These spicy-sweet wings are just a little different but oh so tasty.
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Welcome to Rosemarie's Kitchen 