New Granddaughter Chloe has arrived

Well I have not had anytime to sit at the computer and just post , to let everyone know I am fine.  My son and daughter in law had their first little bundle of joy on Wednesday Morning!  Her water broke at 4 in the morning the day before so it was a long haul to get to the amazing and precious results.  Chloe was 8.34 lbs and is the most perfect little angel! I would love to post more, but I wanted to at least share some pictures. Enjoy! God Bless!

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Spaghetti and meatballs, with homemade sauce

We had a great holiday weekend, Happy hours, Dinners, and a dinner party hosted at our place for 12.  I also painted a mural for my Granddaughter Chloe, and my Husband helped prepare her room for her.  I was certainly looking forward to a nice relaxing evening tonight. So believe it or not I asked my family what they would like me to cook for them.  Lo and Behold, an easy meal was anticipated. They asked for Spaghetti and meatballs.  What better way to make this a bit more gourmet, I made my own sauce, as well as homemade meatballs of the meal. I also like to use fresh shredded parmesan instead of the mass produced bottled kind.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4-6

12 oz dried spaghetti noodles

1 lb. ground hamburger meat

2 small onions, diced

1/3 cup bread crumbs (I used flavored Italian)

2 eggs, beaten

14 1/2 oz. diced tomatoes

2 tsp. tomato paste

1 1/2 tbsp. dried basil

5 cloves minced garlic, divided

1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

Grated parmesan cheese for sprinkling

2 tsp. sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl combine the meat, onion, bread crumbs, oregano, eggs, and 1/2 the garlic. Once all the ingredients are incorporated form 1 1/2″ balls and place on a baking sheet. Bake the meatballs at 350 for 15 minutes.

While meatballs cook, place a medium stock pot over medium heat and combine the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, basil, sugar, and remaining garlic and let it simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions and combine with the sauce and meatballs. Sprinkle with grated parmesan and serve.

This was a quick meal, and everyone enjoyed it. Serve with a bit of French bread.

Bon appétit

A Saturday in DC with my Sweetheart!

Just a montage of Pictures from our outing in Dc, We had a great lunch in China Town and then we did the Crime & Punishment Museum.  Had a great time enjoy the pictures!!

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Crockpot Chipotle Lime Chicken with Red beans and Rice

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 3-6 hrs

Yield: 6

 

2lbs chicken thighs

1/2c celery chopped

1 medium onion chopped

1 1/2c carrots chopped

3 limes

1 14.5oz can of tomato sauce

½ a can of Chipotles in Adobo sauce (add more or less depending on how spicy you like things)

A handful of fresh cilantro roughly chopped

2 avocados

 

Place the onions, celery, and carrots in the bottom of your crock pot. Remove the skin from the thighs before placing them on top of the vegetables. In a medium bowl combine the tomato sauce, chipotles, the juice of the 3 limes, and cilantro before pouring the mixture over the thighs. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.

 

Remove the thighs and vegetables from the pot, arrange them on a serving platter, and top with diced avocados.

 

Serve with red beans and rice.

 

 

 

Red Beans and Rice

 

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25-30 minutes

Yield: 6

 

2 14.5oz can of red beans

2 cloves of garlic minced (pantry)

1 medium onion minced

¼ fresh cilantro roughly chopped

1 tbsp olive oil (pantry)

Salt and pepper to taste

 

In a medium pot heat the oil over medium high heat before adding the onions to sauté for 3-4 minutes before adding the garlic. Sauté the onions and garlic for an additional 2 minutes before adding the beans and cilantro. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 20-25 minutes.

 

Serve over 2 cups of cooked white rice (pantry).

 

Lasagna Yep it’s that easy!

1 box no bake noodles

2 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes

1 14.5 oz tomatoes sauce

1 lb ground beef

1 med onion chopped

3 cloves garlic minced

8 oz ricotta cheese

8 oz mozzarella

¼ c parmesan cheese

3 tsp sugar

3 tbsp fresh basil chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Brown the beef over med high heat add the garlic and onions just before the meat is browned completely allowing them to cook with the meat for at least 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, the sauce, basil and 2 tsp of the sugar (helps with the acidity)

In a 9X11 baking dish layer the sauce, noodles, ricotta beginning with the sauce and ending with the sauce. Top with the cheese bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until the cheese is browned.

This was a pleasure not just the second time it was re heated but the third as well.  A great leftover or lunch at work!

Coca-cola Ham Shank

Ham is a unique meat product in that there are many different ways it can be processed, packaged and labeled. Grocers stock canned hams and spiral-cut hams, and offer bone-in, boneless, cured, smoked and fresh varieties. That doesn’t even begin to mention the different regional varieties such as Smithfield and cuts such as prosciutto. No matter which flavor and type you prefer, they’re all great sources of nutrition.

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I served this with a baked sweet potato and salad. Use the leftovers for the previous quiche =)

Cook the ham according to the directions, whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over the ham 20 minutes before the end o fthe cook time. Was very moist and flavorful. YUMMY

You would be amazed at how much less it costs to creat your own salad rather than buy bagged!

References

• USDA Nutrient Values: Ham

Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Quiche

Quiche lorraine was originally an open pie with a filling of custard with smoked bacon or lardons. *It was only later that cheese was added to the quiche lorraine. The addition of Gruyère cheese makes a quiche au gruyère or a quiche vosgienne. The ‘quiche alsacienne’ is similar to the ‘quiche lorraine’, though onions are added to the recipe. The bottom crust was originally made from bread dough,but that has since evolved into a short-crust or puff pastry crust that is often baked using a springform pan.

Today, one can find many varieties of quiche, from the original quiche lorraine, to ones with broccoli, mushrooms, ham and/or seafood (primarily shellfish). Quiche can be served as an entrée, for lunch, breakfast or an evening snack. The origin of quiche lorraine is rural and the original quiche lorraine had a rustic style: it was cooked in a cast-iron pan and the pastry edges were not crimped. Today, quiche lorraine is served throughout France and has a modern look with a crimped pastry crust. The current version of quiche lorraine served in France does not include cheese. Unlike the version served in the United States, the bacon is cubed, no onions are added and the custard base is thick.

As we all know we can make this any way we want, adding what we want.  I made mine with bacon, ham and broccoli.  It was wonderful the first and second time around.  I made enough for two deep dish quiches. The recipe calls for the making of one, just double if need be.

1 store bought deep dish pie crust

5 large eggs

1 c milk

¾ lb cooked cubed ham (I used leftovers from the ham we had previously)

½ lb cubed cooked bacon

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese

Garlic minced (to taste about 2 tsp)

Salt and pepper

Bake the pie crust at 350 for 9 minutes remove but keep the oven on. Soften the broccoli by steaming for 15 minutes. Cook the bacon and when almost finished add the garlic. Whisk together all of the eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Throw together the ham and bacon, layer on the bottom the pie pan, top with broccoli and add the egg mixture to about ¾ full. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the egg is firm.

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Serve with a side salad.  Bon Appétit

*found info on Wikidepia

Blessed Life!

I love my home life and family, and I like nothing more than being around my friends! I am enjoying all life has to offer and I know how Blessed we are in our life today and how set we are for the future.  Our retirement will be fully funded, we will have no worries and I will be able to retire early, this is an amazing thing to look forward to.  I start my golf lessons again this year and I am going to do the cancer run in May!

My Daughter Meagan and her BF Josh together 6 years

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephane and I at Founders Hall for our Friends Wedding!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Husband and Daughter in Tennessee on the Devils tail.

We have so much to be thankful for especially this year!  Our Granddaughter will be joining us soon (brings a smile to my face every time I say that) I will be free of credit card debt and no longer will be a slave to debt! THAT feels excellent! We are planning a cross-country motorcycle ride; we are going to see countless wonderful things natural and manmade! Some of the stops so far, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Badlands, New Mexico, Texas,  Colorado, Memphis (have to see Elvis’s house) we will also be going to Ballybunion, Ireland this year! Traveling and seeing the world, does not mean we are dreadful people who squander to make our lives look enhanced; it means we have the ability to do what we want without harming our family or creating debt for ourselves.  Anytime you have to go into debt to do what you want you are working away from a debt free life and into a hole.  I myself will not go there any longer!  Anyway, my hubby won’t stop talking about how happy he is and how much we have to look forward to and to plan.

I just wanted to share and I will certainly blog the trips with plenty of pictures for all to see.

Stephan MacKenzie and I at Kobe!

Pasta Carbonara

I was so very busy today, ended up getting home very late and really needed to make a quick meal.  Pasta Carbonaro is very filling and quick to make.  I made it home with a very short amount of time to make dinner before it was getting to late to do so. I will certainly keep this on the books for another meal in the future.

You will need fettuccine 1 box

1 medium onion thinly sliced

1/2 lb bacon cut into 1/4 inch strips

parmesan cheese 1/3 cup dry

2 cups frozen peas

1 cup heavy cream

3 egg yolks

optional parmesan cheese shredded to top the dish

optional green onion for the garnish

Boil the pasta as directed on the package

Meanwhile in a large skillet cook the bacon on med high heat, just before the bacon is done cooking add the onion and garlic and cook for an additional 2 3 minutes. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot, add the peas.

Whisk together the heavy cream, egg yolks, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

Add the bacon mixture to the pasta and pour the egg and cheese mixture while the pasta is still hot.

Bon Apettit

Pork loin & roasted veggies with mashed potatoes

For tonight’s meal we have a 1.5 lb pork loin, I used a store bought rub for chicken with garlic onion and I added rosemary and cilantro to as well. Leave the loin in the refrigerator overnight after using the rub and sealing tightly in a plastic wrap. As a side note, pork is low in sodium and rich in protein, also a great benefit from pork is it is chock full of iron great for people suffering from anemia.

I had left over beans and carrots so I decided to roast them as well with some oil and salt and pepper. Very simple and quick. The method of roasting brings out the natural sweetness in vegetables and intensifies their natural flavors. Roasted vegetables are just more enticing to our vision, taste and smell. Most veggies take a little time to cook and are best served while they still have a little bite, rather than soft all the the way through. This is true for all green vegetables.

My daughter does not like the fact that I wash and scrub the potatoes before cooking while still leaving the skin on. I told her it was healthier but she just cannot get over the fact that it seems dirty. In the ancient times, potato skins were peeled before cooking so that the potato would be cleaner, and consequently healthier; however, it has been discovered that leaving the potato skins intact can add nutrients to a meal. The potato, as well as the skin, is great sources of vitamin C, vitamin B6, copper, potassium, zinc, and protein, but neither naturally contains any fat, cholesterol, or sodium. If you are worried about chemical sprays that the crops use to keep away pests , then simply buy organic, which I prefer either way, especially if you have growing children.

As you can see from my rant above I will be making mashed potatoes with the skin on.

For the potatoes I use garlic minced (3tsp) salt pepper and three eggs.  Once potatoes have been removed from the heat and drained incorporate all the ingredients and use an electric mixer to combine.

Bon Appétit