Parmesan Roasted Asparagus

This was not for dinner tonight, I took the kids out for pizza.  Saturday night I cooked, but didn't share, so tonight I will.  We had breaded pork cutlets, tortellini and Parmesan Roasted Asparagus , it was quite the dinner for a Saturday night.  My friend Amy, made dinner for me after Margot was born.  She included the asparagus with her dinner and I immediately asked for her recipe and have been making it since.  It is a great side with any dish.  My kids will even eat it.  Well Meredith and Margot, hmmm maybe my kids are just weird. Thanks Amy Thieling for the recipe!

Parmesan Roasted Asparagus

1 bunch of fresh asparagus washed with the white ends chopped off

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Parmesan Cheese (I used it right out the container, I'm sure fresh is good too)

I literally throw the asparagus into a large boil, pour some olive oil in with it and salt and pepper, mix it all by hand.  I then lay it out on a baking sheet. Sprinkle it with more salt, pepper and LOADS of Parmesan cheese.  Bake it at 350 for 10-15 minutes.  I tend to do 15 or more because I like it crunchy.  

Josh and I give it two thumbs way up.  A great healthy and delicious side dish in no time!

Meredith and Margot give it two thumbs up.

Noah....let's just say he will eat the carrots!

***I'll share my pork cutlet recipe another day!

Josh's Creole Jambalaya

Okay first I want to tell  you that I promise this recipe is damn good.  Some of the best Jambalaya I've ever eaten.  And I'm picky, real picky.  I like the red, mushy, creole jambalaya.  That's my favorite.  My mom always made a brown jambalaya that was good, but never what I loved....like at Acme.  And unfortunately I'm about 2 hours away from the nearest Acme, so the only thing to do is perfect your skills at making your own jambalaya.  This recipe is better than Acme.  I promise.   I have to confess I'm not one to try and perfect recipes, but my husband is.  The first time he made it, he loosely followed a recipe out of Chapelle High School's cookbook, but this one is all his own.


Today I convinced him to get his recipe down on paper for me, and internets here it is, just for you.   A little bit about Josh, he is not a native New Orleanian.  He's originally from Memphis, land of the barbeque.  He had only been living in New Orleans about 6 months when I met him and he knew he wasn't going to call it home.  I promised to love him forever and move away with him, if he learned to boil crawfish, cook gumbo and make creole jambalaya.  I'd say I turned him into a New Orlean's boy.  And if he promised to move me home one day.  So here my friends is what's for dinner at our house....well dinner at the pool.  It makes a lot, so we invited our jambalaya loving friends to have some too.  So make sure you plan on feeding several or freezing it for another night.


Josh's Creole Jambalaya


2 packs of thin Conechah  smoked sausage
1 Rotisserie chicken from the grocery deboned and in small pieces. (White meat only)
2 cans of french onion soup (10.5 oz each)
4 cans of beef broth (10.5 oz each)
2 cans of tomato sauce (15 oz)
4 cups Mahatma rice
2 sticks margarine (or butter)
1 sm container of freshly chopped creole seasoning (typically found in produce section)
Tony Cachere's seasoning

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sauteing the chopped creole seasoning with a little butter (Not the 2 sticks used above) while you cut the smoked sausage.  Add a little Tony Cachere's, salt, and pepper if you like.  It may take a little while if your 3 year old wants to help cut with his dinner knife.  Then put the sausage in the seasoning to brown.  While stirring occasionally, take the meat off the rotisserie chicken.  My wife only likes the white meat so I just use that but you can do both white and dark meat.  Then when the seasoning is soft and sausage is browned, start adding the chicken, 1 can of tomato sauce, 2 cans of beef broth, Tony chachere's seasoning, 2 cans french onion soup, and uncooked rice.  Put pats of butter on top and place in the oven for 90 minutes.  Remove it see how it taste, then add the remainder of beef broth & tomato sauce and stir.  Put it back in the oven cook for an additional 20-25 minutes.

**If you use Uncle Ben's rice, your jambalaya will be finished after 90 minutes without adding the remainder of the beef broth and tomato sauce.  If you use Uncle Ben's rice it won't be a mushy jambalaya, it will be looser rice.  My wife, she likes mushy jambalaya.

From the peanut gallery...

DELICIOUS!  Everyone ate, some had seconds, and everyone took some home.  

Take a look at....

For all of you following me here, I'm guessing it's because you like to cook or like an idea of something different to cook for dinner.  Well I wanted to share another foodie blog with you.  My best friend Jaimie's.  Hop on over to From Jaimie's Allergy Free Kitchen and read her fabulous recipes.  And look back on her old ones.

Jaimie is my very best friend and my old college roomate.  Somehow we managed to live on opposite poles of the country, however our friendship has remained.  I may not talk to her daily or weekly or sometimes not even monthly, but when I do it's like we pick up right where we left off.  Surprisingly we both love to cook and share recipes....alot.  It  is so surprising considering the only thing we could cook in college was Mac-n-cheese.  Or maybe that's the only thing we felt up to cooking.  Anyway Jaimie is a fantastic cook and I make lots of recipes.  She also bakes really well, which I do not.

Love you Biv!

Bowtie Chicken Pasta

I ran across this recipe a couple of years ago in Japser County Relay for Life cookbook. It's a local cookbook for a county here in Mississippi.  Yes say Mississippi  all drawn out, I do.  Anyway it was a good one, one I've made repeatedly; for my family, for dinner parties and upon lots of birthday dinner request, by Meredith and Josh.  It was orginally submitted by a woman named Brenda McHan.  I don't know her, but it's her recipe and it's good.  Josh's favorite.  I changed a few things, so here is my version.  I served this with frozen corn, because the kids like it frozen, they can tell the difference from the stuff in the can....me too.

Bowtie Chicken Pasta

1 pkg bowtie noodles
1 pkg of real bacon pieces (usually for salads)
1 pkg fresh mushrooms sliced
2-3 seasoned grilled chicken breast chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 stick of real butter (I used salted)
1 cup shredded cheese (I'll used mild or sharp depending on what I have)
1/2 tsp pepper (it calls for white, but I used black)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 T dried parsley

I dice and then cook my chicken breast in a little olive oil, seasoned with Tony's.  While the chicken is cooking, cook the pasta in a large pot.  Drain and return to the pot.  I then remove my cooked chicken and saute the bacon and mushrooms in a little butter in the same pan.  I then melt my butter in a large measuring cup, pour in my cream, add the pepper, garlic powder and parsley to it as well.  Once the mushrooms are done, I pour the chicken, mushrooms & bacon, cheese, as well as the cream/butter mixture into the pot with the noodles and mix it.  I normally do this right as the noodles are finished and it melts the cheese nicely.


From the peanut gallery.  Josh LOVES this. 

Meredith gave it....

Noah at first said it was "TERRIBLE!" and gave it...

When I asked him why he said..."because I love cooked cheese sam-ich mamma!"  And then he took another bite and said..."no I give it dis"

So there you go....try it... Let me know what you think!

I'll never serve just tacos again...Taco Salad!

This fall my oldest, Meredith, is cheering for her elementary school.  She practices two times a week from 5:30-6:30.  Planning and cooking a meal have become extremely difficult with this added to our schedule.  So on Mondays and Wednesdays I'm looking for easy dinners and quick fixes because our dinner time has just moved up to 4:45.  She doesn't get home until 7 and that's way too late for everyone here to eat.  So with our new schedule in mind I did some creative planning.  The kids love tacos, cheap and easy.  I don't.  I don't find it filling and don't get all the "good" toppings since it's just usually me and kids on taco nights.  This week at the grocery though I saw Aztec Taco Salad Shells and it looked yummy so I picked up a pack.  I also grabbed some Wholly Guacamole snack packs (they were the perfect portion for a taco salad topping) and  a container of sour cream.  And I have to say tonight's taco night was a big treat and super easy.  I also made queso with some chips.

Taco Salad
Aztec Taco Salad Shells (they come in packs of 4)
1lb ground sirloin
1 taco seasoning packet
shredded lettuce
sour cream
salsa
shredded cheese
guacamole
tomatoes and black olives (if you children can stand them on the table, mine cannot)

Cook your taco shells and taco meat as directed.  Lay all the fun toppings on the table and let everyone go at it!  Josh, Meredith and I devoured ours.  Noah had 2 soft tacos instead.  Margot ate hers and a pack of guacamole...a girl after her mamma's heart.  Dinner was different, easy and a huge success.  Taco night may be come a weekly thing!

This guacamole is delish Mamma!

Baked Breaded Chicken & Vodka Pasta

I was craving vodka pasta so there you go.  I served it with breaded baked chicken (my own recipe), sliced fresh cucumbers and the worlds best yeast rolls.  Delish if I must say so myself.  It's not  your typical weekday meal, but it's so easy it could be.


Breaded Baked Chicken

4 chicken breast
Italian Style Breadcrumbs
Parmesan Cheese
Wishbone Italian Dressing
Pam cooking spray

Slice your chicken in halves to make them thinner.  Lay cut pieces in bowl of Italian Dressing.  Mix Breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese together, equals parts.  Dredge each chicken through the breadcrumb mixture.  Lay on a  greased baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Vodka Pasta with Tomato Sauce

2-3 T butter
1 small onion finely chopped
1 28oz can or (2) 13.5oz cans of petite diced tomatoes
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup vodka
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Chop onion.  Saute the onion in the melted butter for 7-8 minutes or until it is translucent.  Pour in the tomatoes and cook on low-medium heat for 25 minutes, stirring frequently.  Boil your pasta as directed.   Measure your cream, pepper flakes and vodka into one measuring cup.  Turn the heat back up on the tomatoes and dump the cream mixture in.  Bring it to a boil for 2 minutes to cook off the vodka.  Serve it over the past and sprinkle with Parmesan.


** I think you could totally omit the vodka and it would be good.  However I LOVE vodka pasta.  This recipe is orginally from Chris Jordan, she posted it with pictures over at Ordering Disorder.  I miss her over there.


The entire family gave the chicken 2 very enthusiastic thumbs up!
Meredith & Josh gave the vodka past a raving review and 2 thumbs up.
Noah hates tomatoes so he only ate a few noodles, however he ate enough chicken to fill him up.
Margot ate it all.

Frozen Pizza....no I'm not kidding

This am at the gym I was chatting with a good friend about dinner tonight, I know exciting stuff.  Anyway I discussed my plans, which were originally hamburger steaks, but since Josh was on call it was now spaghetti.  That's my typical go to dinner for call.  Easy to make, easy to clean and the kids gobble it up.  I make my own meatballs and they love them.  She mentioned that on her call nights dinner is really quick and easy.  Three minutes prep, Easy mac in the microwave.  So I got to thinking....why do I slave over a stove on call nights.  Thanks my friend....tonight I did not.

Dinner
Frozen Pizza
Frozen Corn
Sliced Cucumbers and Ranch dip

Dessert
A 100 calorie mini ice cream sandwich for the kids.  I hate ice cream

Everyone gave it all a very ENTHUSIASTIC TWO thumbs up!  In fact Meredith said she gave it ten.  So there it is, what was for dinner.  Josh has his pick of a few lean cuisines, sadly we have no leftovers from the previous two nights.

Shrimp Scampi of sorts

I happened to have some frozen peeled, boiled shrimp on hand.  Shrimp that my 5 year old begged for.  So that's where the cooked shrimp came from, but you can easily do this with uncooked shrimp, you just cook them in the butter sauce.

Shrimp Scampi
1 lb of peeled shrimp (totally guessing on this.  I had about 3/4 of a zip-lock full)
1 1/2 sticks of butter
2 T lemon juice (I'm guessing I just poured)
1 T of minced garlic
1 pack fresh sliced mushrooms
parsley
Vermicelli pasta

Cook your pasta, and good lord don't make it mushy!  While your pasta is cooking melt your butter on the stove top   Throw in mushrooms and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes.  Throw in your shrimp.  I threw in boiled shrimp.  If it was raw shrimp, I would have thrown this in before my mushrooms and cooked my shrimp thoroughly first.    Pour in some lemon juice.  Simmer about 10 minutes or until it's time to eat.  Throw in about a tablespoon of parsley and mix it.  I then dumped the shrimp and shrooms into the pot of cooked and drained vermicelli and mixed well.  Sprinkle Parmesan on top and serve it to the hungry hooligans.

I served this with fresh sliced cucumbers and caramelized carrots....I'll post that recipe soon!

Meredith (5) gave this a very enthusiastic 2 thumbs up!  She requested a big bowl of seconds.
Noah (3) gave it two thumbs up and cleaned his plate....he loves butter!
Margot (1) wanted to feed herself, mostly carrots, mushrooms and a few noodles made it to her mouth, but she ate it.
Josh - gave it 2 thumbs up as well.  He thought it was good.  Not excellent, but good and better than olive garden.  He's a tough critic

Mexican Chicken

Tonight I threw a few things together and named it Mexican Chicken.  I believe I've ran across a similar recipe before, but I couldn't find it and these were ingredients I had on hand.


Mexican Chicken
4 chicken breast
2 jars of salsa (any brand, I used 2 smaller jars)
1 can of black beans (rinsed and drained because they looked gross not rinsed)
Cheddar cheese (I would have used Mexican blend if I had it)

I halved my chicken breast into thinner slices to cut down on cooking time and because we like it that way.  Lay them in a 9X13 baking dish.  Pour the salsa over it.  Dump the black beans on top and spread them out.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Remove and sprinkle cheese on top, I used a lot.  Bake for 10 more minutes.

I served this over white rice and with a side of corn on the cob.  Voila'

Meredith (5) gave this 2 thumps up
Noah (3) ate it but complained about the black beans
Margot (1) gobbled it up when she wasn't gnawing her corn on the cob
Josh (30something) gave it an enthusiastic two thumbs up.
It's a keeper

The Reason Behind the Madness

I didn't start this blog due to the overwhelming amounts of free time I have.  Quite the contrary.  I started it because with three small children, car lines, dancing, tennis, and life; I barely have time to get food on the table.  However, my kids eat home cooked meals really well.  They will turn down fast food for a meal or sandwich at home....ANY DAY!  So what kind of mom would I be not to bring a quick, easy and nutritious dinner to the table.  Well I can at least try to be that kind of good mom....although some days I fall short.

My other reason for doing this is I LOVE to cook.  Really I do!  I just wish I had more time to do it.

These recipes are things I found, some I've thrown together, staples in our house, but mainly things my three kids (ages 5, 3, and 1) eat.  And often ask for seconds.  It's basically what we had for dinner that night.  I'll update it every night I cook and if it's a repeat, I'll link back to the original.  Then after a year of so, I'll hopefully "slurp" my blog into a cookbook and hell maybe you will even want one too!

Welcome!