Roast beef and German Butterkase cheese on crusty roll

Upscale Gourmet Sandwich

6 thin slices of Roast beef 
German Butterkase cheese
crusty roll
horseradish or real mayo.

1. Cut the roll and place the horseradish on both top and bottom of the bun. 
2. Place 6 thin Deli slices of Roast beef and 1 nice size slice of German Butterkase cheese. 
3. Repeat for the bottom bun.
4. Microwave 1 min. and immediately fold the top bun in half and secure with frill pick or tooth pick. 
5. Allow to cool. 
6. Do the same for the bottom bun and secure with pic. 
7. This cheese is AMAZINGLY buttery and semi soft. Melts GREAT.. Serve 1 of these with a bowl of piping hot soup and a small salad and you GOT IT GOIN ON!! Butterkase German cheese is sold at Aldi seasonally. Impressive little sandwich that fast and good!

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Spicy!

 

1 pkg real bacon pieces
2 8-oz packages of cream cheese, soft
1 cup of mayonnaise
1/4 jar of jalapeno minced
1 cup of cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup of mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded + a little extra for topping

1. Mix all ingredients together and spoon into pie plate top with more shredded Parmesan cheese
2. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes 

Service with crackers or tortilla chips

Georgia's Tater Tot Casserole

Creamy and delicious!

1 pound ground beef
1 lb. package of frozen tater tots
2 10 oz. cans of cream of mushroom soup (3 cans if you want it extra creamy)
2 cans mixed vegetable
Garlic and onion powder (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. While oven is preheating, brown the ground beef (season to taste as you cook).
3. Drain off the grease.
4. Spread the beef in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
5. Drain the liquid off the vegetables and spread them over the beef.
6. Using a rubber spatula, spread the cans of soup over the vegetable gently.
7. Arrange a layer of tater tots on top of the soup, it will make many rows.
8. Bake uncovered for 50 min
9. Can be served with your favorite shredded cheese on top.

Cindy's Creamed Spinach

This quick and easy dish makes a tasty side!

1. In a non-stick skillet add 2 TB. butter.
2. Add dehydrated garlic and saute on low for a few mins.
3. Add fresh spinach and toss together in to the butter and garlic to coat the spinach well.
4. Add half and half and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and allow to simmer on low till sauce reduces by half.
5. Finish off with a good pinch of Nutmeg.

Enjoy

Cindy's Crockpot Ground Beef Stew

Crock pot is cookin already this morning... Smelling too good! 

1. Starts out with lean ground beef/ 1 pkg. french onions soup mix and blk. pepper.
2. Cook in crock pot on high 1.5 hrs. add flour to the beef and onions. Sprinkle it on top and spread it all around the beef. Making sure there are no lumps and all the flour has been mashed into the pan drippings well.
3. Add potatoes cut bite size/ carrot/celery/beef base (bouillon), French's Worcestershire sauce, water, and Ketchup.

 

Georgia's Pineapple Crockpot Chicken

Here is the recipe my daughter Georgia made...

1. You're going to need: 3 lbs. chicken breast thawed. 20 oz. canned of pineapple chunks. 3 TB. Honey. 1 TB. Soy sauce. 1/2 c. Brown sugar. 2 TB ground ginger.
2. Place the chicken in the bottom of the crock pot.
3. Drain juice off of the Pineapple and reserve the juice.
4. Place the Pineapple chunks on top of the chicken.
5. In a mixing bowl, place the reserved juice, and all the other ingredients and spices in the juice.... Mix well and pour over the chicken and pineapple.
6. Cook on high 3 hrs. or low for 7 hrs.

Serve with steamed white rice.

Cindy's Hooters-Style Chicken Tenders

Dinner tonight is Hooter's style chicken tenders.. This is my recipe for making them.

1. I use boneless skinless chicken breast. Slice each breast into 3 tenders lengthwise.
2. I season my all purpose flour with paprika & red pepper. You will want to taste the flour mixture and you want to see the spices in the flour after you have mixed the spices in well. Taste with your finger wet. Make the sass just right for your taste.
3. Dust the chicken tenders lightly with garlic powder. NOT GARLIC SALT!
4. Place the chicken tenders in the flour mixture and toss gently to coat all sides. Allow them to set in the flour for about 5 minutes before frying.
5. Add your choice of oil to a non stick skillet and bring the oil up to temp. *check the temp of the oil by flipping a small amount of flour on top of the oil after it's been heating about 2 minutes. Use med-high tempurature to fry chicken tenders.
6. Next roll the tenders in the same flour again. Shake off any excess flour and place the pieces in the skillet when cooking temp is reached. Fry till golden brown on each side.
7. While these are cooking prepare the buffalo sauce Hooter's STYLE. To make the sauce I add the my hot sauce to a sauce pan and add 1 TB butter.
8. Allow the butter to melt into the hot sauce. Keep heat on low.
9. After butter has melted add some of the seasoned flour you used to season the chicken. * this sauce is going to simmer for about 3-5 minutes. So don't worry about the chicken that was in the flour. The temps will destroy any issues from the raw chicken.
10. You'll use a large amount of hot sauce in this. When the sauce is to your liking and has thickened some. Dip the hot fried tenders into the sauce while it's hot and place tenders on a rack to allow excess to drip off.

These can be eaten immediately or placed in the crock pot on warm will serving time. Hope you enjoy these as much as my family does. Here's to COOKIN! Have a great day.

Cindy's Tips: A Quick Dinner Salad

A quick dinner salad. Mix a salad of fresh spinach/hard boiled egg, celery, onion, black olives, Pepper Jack shredded cheese and a blend of French dressing with a little Red Wine vinegar and slight oil.

Cindy's Cajun Veggie Soup

Dinner tonight was homemade Cajun Style veggie soup. Simple, but full of flavor! 

1. Started out with Lean ground turkey that I seasoned with fresh spices. Sage, Cajun spice, red pepper flakes, black pepper, Don't salt it till it's finished browning.
2. I mix this all together with my hands and use the tip of a TB. to make meatball like pieces of the sausage.
3. Pan fry this in a small amount of your choice of oil, till golden brown.
4. Add 1 can of veggies and the juice. All together canned product of tomato, corn, okra).
5. Add raw cabbage carrot (I use shredded slaw mix).
6. Add water and chicken bouillon. You can add more of the same veggies for a bigger batch. Just make sure there is enough water to cover the veggies.
7. I also added 4 baked potatoes cut in to bite size chunks.
8. Stir all veggies into the meatball mixture and broth and season to taste with minced dehydrated garlic, minced dehydrated onion, Cajun spice (watch out this is salty.. don't add too much), blk. pepper, and make it as sassy as you taste buds like. I added parsley also.
9. Cook cover with lid ajar, till cabbage and carrots are tender.
10. Serve with hot pepper cheese bread baked and crispy right out of the oven.

Cindy's Sassy Slaw

If your a lover of foods that are a bit sassy, then you'll love this new coleslaw recipe I put together today! So simple and very tasty.

1. Horseradish sauce *go light on this, and adjust to your liking if you really love SASS.    
2. The biggest part of the dressing, is made with Thousand Island dressing.
3. I use shredded slaw mix and those 2 ingredients.
4. Black pepper and mix all together Taste before salting. Salt to taste (lightly, it will become saltier as the dressing marries with the slaw mix).
5. Cover and chill for 1 hr. before serving. EXCELLENT on Sliders of any kind! 

Enjoy

Cindy's Version of Twice Baked Potatoes

Love seafood? Like potatoes? Here's a good one always to change up the traditional twice baked potato.

1. Bake potatoes in oven or microwave till just fork tender. Allow to cool so you can handle them easily.
2. Cut each potato in half lengthwise.
3. Use a spoon to scoop out 3.4 of the cooked potato and place the cooked potato in a bowl. Set the potato shell aside. *Remember to leave about 1/4 inch of cooked potato in each shell.
4. All these ingredients get diced fine, or dice fine in a processor. Celery/small shrimp/imitation crab. If you want to add onion, go lightly and make sure it's diced very fine.
5. Add butter to your skillet and cook on med. high.
6. Add the diced veggies and seafood and sauté all together for 4 minutes.
7. Mix this into all the cooked potato filling you placed into a bowl.
8. Mix well together and add just enough Mayo to pull it together.
9. Add a little bit of Old Bay seasoning, mix and taste.
10. Season to taste at this point and pack into the potato shells.
11. Top with your favorite shredded cheese and pop under broiler till cheese melts and is golden brown.
12. Serve this with your choice condiment or sauce. I prefer Sour Cream/little Mayo/slight Ketchup/good squeeze of fresh lime or lemon.
13. Stir and season to taste. Serve plate side as dipping condiment.

Cindy's Tips: Midori

A little Midori over ice for Christmas... Nothing like chill Midori, it's a liquer that is Honeydew flavored and it's great in a freeze. Smooth, festive color and slow sipping. Try a little Midori with 7up, ice & cherry. If you like crisp/light/melon flavor, you're gonna love this one for sure.

Cindy's Four Cheese Tortellini

Another of Cindy's own...

1. 4 Cheese filled tortellini boiled till tender and then drain it.
2. Place in a non stick skillet with butter that you have slightly browned.
3. Toss to coat and add spinach.
4. Allow to cook on very low till spinach has JUST lost it's bright green color.
5. Add Hellofagood roasted garlic & caramelize onion dip to the skillet and toss together gently.
6. Finish off with fresh grated Parmesan and coarse ground Aldi's steak spices (LOVE THIS STUFF)
7. Last add a good pinch of fresh nutmeg, toss and serve piping hot with Artisan salad.

 

 

Cindy's Tips: A Quick Meal

Fresh sliced Italian bread, mayo, Horseradish cheese w/ shaved Bavarian ham! Zap it and serve warm with a bowl of Italian Wedding soup and fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with a small side salad. That's a meal right there.

Cindy's Tips: Trail Mix

I make our trail mix. Shelled Sunflower seeds, Raisins, Cinnamon Toffee peanuts, chopped coconut , almond slivers. Place in gallon zip bag and toss around to mix well. I also use this in baking sometimes. I just pulse it a few times to break the big toffee nuts down a little. It's excellent in Oatmeal Apple muffins.

Cindy's Tips: Caramel in your Cookies

Want some caramel pieces in your cookies? Use Sugar Babies or Milk Duds.

Cindy's Chop Suey

Serve with Egg Rolls or Egg Foo Young

1. Starts with meat (I use lean pieces of pork steak) cut into bite size pieces.
2. Season with garlic powder, ginger powder, salt and blk. pepper.
3. Dredge in flour. Shake off excess flour and pan fry till browned in your choice of oil. Use 1/4 inch oil.
4. About 5 minutes before the meat is browned enough add 1 large vertically sliced onion, and 1 cup 1/4 sliced celery.
5. Toss with meat and dripping to coat well and add 1.5 cups water.
6. Cover and simmer 5 minutes.
7. Shut off the heat and add drained Chop Suey vegtables, drained bamboo shoots, and drained water chestnuts.
8. Toss to coat all well and add 1/2 c. more water. Also add a little more garlic powder, ginger powder and garlic powder.
9. Toss to blend all the spices.
10. Cover and resume heat at medium. Cook 10 mins.
11. Shut off heat and add Brown Bean Molasses *Asian type.
12. Toss and coat all. If thicker sauce is desired, add 1/2 c. cold water and 3 TBs. cornstarch, 2 teas. sugar and 1 teas soy sauce. Mix all this together till there are NO LUMPS of cornstarch. Bring meat and veggies up to med. temp and add the cornstarch mixture. Toss to coat gently.
13. Serve over steamed white long grain rice. Garnish with La Choy Chow Mein Noodles. Enjoy.

Cindy's Italian Style Stuffed Cabbages

These are great with crispy garlic bread and a small salad.

1. Large cabbage leaves trimmed washed and blanched in hot water for 5 minutes.
2. Remove from hot water and place on clean towel too cool.
3. The filling is bulk Italian sausage and 1 egg, Orzo pasta/rice (uncooked). I use 2 TBs. of Orzo per 1 stuffed cabbage. and just a little Italian bread crumb.
4. Mix well and use 3/4 c. measurement to make the proper size meat portion per serving.
5. Place the filling 2 inches from the edge of the cabbage leaf and roll up like a pocket, tucking edges in as you roll it up.
6. Secure with a toothpick and brown slightly in EVO just until cabbage starts to caramelize on both sides.
7. Cover the stuffed cabbages with your favorite store bought pasta sauce and 1 c. water. Pick any type, except sauce that has a meat flavor. Green pepper, onion, mushroom all work great.
8. Cook in crockpot or electric skillet or stove top. Just make sure you have a well fitting lid to cover while they simmer.
9. Last but not least... cover with 5 cheese Italian blend shredded cheese.
10. Cover again and simmer on low till cheese melts.

Cindy's Sausage Gravy Wraps

All the goodness of a big breakfast in a tasty tortilla.

1. Make sausage milk gravy
2. Make scrambled eggs with green & red peppers and small onion pieces.
3. Use your choice size, flour tortillas.
4. Spread 1/4 - 1/2 c. sausage milk gravy over entire surface of tortilla. Leave a 1/2 edge with no gravy.
5. Place 1/2 c. - 3/4 c. of egg veggie filling and a drizzle more of sausage gravy.
6. Wrap folding 1 end in and place in plastic wrap and foil. Tuck foil ends under
7. Stack in pan/place in oven on 200 and keep warm till serving time.

Cindy's Bacon Grits Breakfast

Grits and Bacon with a side of eggs.

1. Cook grits according to directions.
2. Add crumbled crisp bacon
3. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Served with scrambled eggs with caramelized onions.

Cindy's Own Oatmeal

Delicious and will warm you to your very soul.

1. Add to a bowl of plain hot oatmeal
2. A cap full of vanilla
3. A small amount brown sugar
4. Some raisins, or diced figs/diced plums or chopped dates
5. A heavy pinch of Pumpkin or apple pie spice
6. A little butter
7. A splash of 1/2 & 1/2

Cindy's Favorites: Bacon-Grits Fritters

Occasionally, I find a recipe that is just GOOD and a must share!

Bacon-Grits Fritters

YIELD: Makes about 32

Ingredients

1. 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
2. 4 cups milk
3. 1 teaspoon salt
4. 1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded extra-sharp white Cheddar cheese
5. 1/2 cup cooked and finely crumbled bacon (about 8 slices)
6. 2 green onions, minced
7. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8. 2 large eggs
9. 3 cups Japanese breadcrumbs (panko)
10. Vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Prepare grits according to package directions, using 4 cups milk and 1
2. tsp. salt.
3. Remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes.
4. Stir in cheese and next 3 ingredients, stirring until cheese is melted.
5. Spoon mixture into a lightly-greased 8-inch square baking dish or pan,
6. and chill 4 to 24 hours.
7. Roll grits into 1 1/2-inch balls.
8. Whisk together eggs and 1/4 cup water.
9. Dip balls in egg wash, and roll in breadcrumbs.
10. Pour oil to depth of 3 inches in a large, heavy skillet.
11. Heat over medium-high heat to 350°.
12. Fry fritters, in batches, 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown.
13. Drain on paper towels.
14. Keep fritters warm on a wire rack in a pan in a 225° oven up to 30 minutes.

Serve warm.

 

Make ahead:

1. Prepare recipe as directed through Step 2.
2. Cover and chill in a single layer up to 4 hours.
3. Fry as directed. You may also prepare through Step 2 and freeze on a baking sheet for 30 minutes or until firm.
4. Transfer to a zip-top plastic bag, and freeze. Cook frozen fritters as directed in Step 3, increasing cooking time to5 to 6 minutes or until golden and centers are thoroughly heated.

Source : Southern Living DECEMBER 2010

Cindy's Own Tomato Soup

Gabby has been putting new recipes together since the New Year... Dinner last night was one of Cindy's own recipes. So easy and SO GOOD.

1. Starts out with 1 family size can of condensed tomato soup
2. 1 can of stewed tomatoes cut into bite size pieces (save the juice! Do not drain!)
3. 1 small yellow onion sliced length wise and sauteed in an olive oil and butter blend.
4. After the onion is golden brown and caramelized sprinkle them and the oils with 3 TB. real bacon pieces, some garlic powder, and black pepper to taste.
5. Add all ingredients to the pot of Tomato soup with stewed tomatoes & tomato juice 
6. Add enough water to the pot to make the condensed soup the right consistency for you.
7. Allow to come to a slow rolling simmer and add 2 TB.. butter, and fresh Parmesan cheese.
8. Cover and allow butter to melt, then whisk to blend.
9. Dust with more Parmesan and salt & black pepper to taste.
10. Serve this with a crusty French baguette or seasoned croutons.

While this tastes excellent fixed just that way, you can add fresh spinach and your choice of cooked pasta. . Just remember if your adding some type of cooked pasta, make it 3 to one. 3 parts finished recipe for tomato soup to 1 part cooked pasta. You want plenty of sauce for the pasta.

Cindy's Cajun Jumbo Shrimp Soup

Talk about JUMBO shrimp!!!!!!!! Dinner tonight was a quick one and SO flavorful...

1. 18 jumbo shrimp steamed with 1 lb. of fresh whole okra.
2. Tony Chachere's Cajun spice and garlic powder.
3. Just enough water to cover the okra and I placed the frozen shrimp on top of the okra.
4. Cover the pot and steam till shrimp or bright pink.
5. Remove immediately and plunge into cold water.
6. Allow to cool and peel and de-vein the shrimp.
7. Place the shrimp in a large bowl cover and set aside.
8. Continue to cook the okra till it's tender.
9. Remove okra from the water and drain well.
10. Use kitchen scissors to cut okra into bite size pieces and add to the shrimp.
11. Season shrimp and okra with more Tony Chachere's Cajun spice, and salt and pepper to taste.
12. Open 1 or 2 cans of Campbell's, ready to eat soup "Jazzy Jambalaya" or Campbell's, "Chicken and Sausage Gumbo" Don't add water to the soup.
13. Simmer it all together for just a few minutes till piping hot. Cover till serving time.
14. Serve this with a crusty French baguette. 
15. Enjoy if you be Cajun!

Cindy's Roast Beef and Butterkase Sandwiches

Impressive little sandwich that's fast and good!

Serve 1 of these with a bowl of piping hot soup and a small salad and you GOT IT GOIN ON!! Butterkase German cheese is sold at Aldi seasonally.

1. You will want a crusty roll for this.
2. Cut the roll and place horseradish or mayo on both top and bottom of the bun.
3. Place 6 thin deli slices of roast beef and 1 nice size slice of German Butterkase cheese on the top bun.
4. Repeat for the bottom bun.
5. Microwave 1 min. and immediately fold the top bun in half and secure with frill pick or tooth pick.
6. Allow to cool.
7. Do the same for the bottom bun and secure with pick.

Enjoy! This cheese is AMAZINGLY buttery and semi-soft. Melts GREAT...

Cindy's Roasted Red Pepper Potato Soup

My homemade potato soup with roasted red peppers, spinach & bacon.

1. Use your choice of potatoes. I like hearty bite size pieces in my soups.
2. Use fresh spinach and a jar of roasted red peppers.
3. Remove peppers from jar and chop into bite size pieces, set aside.
4. Wash the spinach and rinse.
5. Place on a towel to drain off excess water.
6. Place enough water to cover the potatoes that are in the pot.
7. Add 1 can chicken stock.
8. Add the amount of chopped roasted red pepper you like and the same with the fresh spinach.
9. Add real bacon pieces.
10. Season with black pepper, slight garlic powder or fresh garlic.
11.  Cover and bring to a boil.
12. Turn down to a rolling simmer and cook till potatoes are JUST FORK TENDER. DO NOT OVER COOK. 
13. When potatoes are fork tender, add 1 cup 1/2 & 1/2 cream and 1/2 cup-1 cup French onion dip.
14. Wisk and serve.
15. Salt and pepper to taste.

Cindy's Stuffed Kale Leaves

Simple and delicious! 

1. Blanch Kale for 5 mins.
2. Remove from hot water and drain.
3. Prepare filling with your of choice ground meat pan fried, onion, cooked white rice, garlic powder, and diced, roasted red peppers.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Toss and then fill leaves, wrap and roll.
6. Secure with toothpick.
7. Use olive oil to pan fry the Kale rolls.
8. Cook for 7 minutes total and roll them often in skillet when browning.
9. Add 1/4 c. water to the skillet, and cover.
10. Braise for 5 minutes on low , covered.
11. Add 1/4 c. Caesar Salad dressing to the pan and whisk the pan drippings together.
12. Roll the stuffed Kale leaves in the pan sauces and then serve warm.
13. Drizzle pan dripping over the kale before serving.

Cindy's Greek Summer Salad

My New GREEK summer salad.

1. Your choice pasta, cooked al dente
2. Diced cucumber
3. Sliced Kalmata olives
4. Grape tomatoes, cut in half
5. Feta cheese crumbles
6. Chick peas
7. Very small amount of red onion
8. Marinated Artichokes, drained and chopped
9. 2 parts plain yogurt 
10. 1 part real mayo 
11. Lemon juice
12. Salt and pepper to taste
13. Toss together and chill till serving time