Another quick, easy, cheesy, crustless quiche!

The Bob's mom and her fiance stayed with us over Labor day, and I was looking for an easy, no-fuss breakfast for Monday morning. Monday was a work and travel day for them, so I wanted to give them a good breakfast before they hit the road. This was just the ticket, because it was tasty, but filling, low carb for me, and it took all of 5 minutes to throw together while everyone was getting ready. It was also easy for everyone to "graze" and grab when they were ready to eat – equally good hot or closer to room temperature. I served it simply, with just toast and some fresh grapes. For a brunch you could go all out and serve it with some potatoes, and maybe cheesy biscuits or sweet rolls.

You'll need:
6 eggs
3 T Sour Cream
About a cup or so of diced ham – I used the pre-diced, pre-cooked stuff, but you can get fancier if you wish
A good cup or cup and a half of shredded cheese – I used about 2/3 Colby/Jack and 1/3 mozzarella, but it's not exact, just use whatever you like that melts well

Here's how you make it.

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Liberally spray a 9" pie plate (or the like) with non-stick spray.
2. Whisk the eggs and sour cream together. I found it worked best to stir the sour cream a little first, and add the eggs one at a time until it's very creamy. Pour into your pie plate.
3. Sprinkle the ham evenly over the egg mixture. Sprinkle the cheese over all, in an even coating.
4. Bake about 40 minutes, or until the center is set. I checked with a toothpick and when it comes out clean it's good. Top will be slightly browned.

That's all there is to it. Let it sit about 4-5 minutes before cutting, and it should come out in nice wedges for you. It's creamier and cheesier than the crustless quiche I have made before, and The Bob said, "we can have this again." Always a good sign.

Of course you can see that the sky's the limit on this recipe. Change the meat and cheese to your heart's content. You could try it with some sausage and some sauteed vegetables like onion and mushroom. Get creative. I intend to!

This quiche will keep refrigerated a few days and is very good heated through in the microwave for weekday breakfasts. Give it a try.

How to hard boil eggs. Foolproof method.

Hard boiling eggs is one of those little things that seems to stymie many people. But take heart. No one is born knowing how to do it, but it's actually very easy. Here's my foolproof method of hard boiling eggs.

1. Place eggs in a saucepan, and cover with cold water.
2. Put on the stove and bring to the boiling point – and by boiling I mean big, rolling bubbles.
3. Cover and move off the heat, and set a timer for 12 minutes. (The American Egg Board says 15 for large eggs, so maybe my eggs are more like medium size, cause 12 minutes works for me every time.)
4. Run the eggs under cold water until they are cool to the touch, and refrigerate.

That's it! If you can run water and turn on the stove, you have the skills.

Bonus…deviled eggs recipe. I vary this a lot, and so can you, but my basic recipe calls for mayo, sweet pickle relish, a dash of Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper. Cut your eggs in half, scoop out the yellow, and mash them with a fork. Mix in the mayo - I usually go for about the same amount of mayo as I have egg yolks. Then add some Dijon and relish. I use about a 1 to 4 ratio of mustard to mayo. Salt and pepper and then taste it. Adjust as needed to your taste. Then spoon a healthy dollop of the yellow yumminess back into the whites. Sprinkle with a little paprika if you like, and be prepared to take compliments.

You will need to know how to hard boil eggs to make my EXTRA wonderful Scotch Eggs...one of the best party tray recipes ever. Look for it soon!

An easy crock pot Reuben dip for your next carry in

You have the invite to a pot luck, but what to take? A bag of chips or store bought cookies might count, but it looks like you picked them up on the way to the party. (Sometimes that is definitely okay!) You want to put forth a little effort... very little... but take something people will like, and bring home an empty dish at the end of the night.

For our last carry in, I concocted a Reuben dip that elicited raves, and requests for the recipe. This was just one of those crazy ideas I had that worked. And the best part was, The Bob assembled it all, and if he can do it, you certainly can!

Dump into a crock pot or slow cooker:
1 lb. deli corned beef, shredded, then chopped
1 lb. shredded Swiss cheese
1 lb. shredded Mozarella
1 brick of cream cheese
1 regular sized can of sauerkraut (most of the liquid left in)
1 regular sized bottle thousand island dressing

Melt all together on low, stirring occasionally.

Serve this with little rye bread slices, toasted if possible.

If you like Reubens, this has all that flavor, but in a creamy dip consistency. Easy to serve at a pot luck or carry in.

Don't let the elephant watch these peanuts. Super-easy microwaved spiced nuts.

The Bob loves his dry roasted peanuts. There is almost always a jar in the pantry for a quick snack whenever he is craving a little something salty. It wasn't until he opened my most recent purchase and ate a big handful that we realized I had picked up the unsalted variety by mistake. Now we are well aware that unsalted nuts are healthier, but the man likes the salted kind, what can I tell you. These were going to completely go to waste.

Until one evening I saw the jar on the shelf and had a little brainstorm. Why not spice them up? Well, this is a take on a recipe I found on All Recipes. They called them spiced nuts, but really they are more of a sweet snack as prepared by the recipe. And, the original called for pecans, but I thought any kind of nut would work. So I modified it to come up with a sweet and salty combo that Bob and I really loved.

Here's what you need.
1 16 ounce jar unsalted dry roasted peanuts
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 t ground nutmeg (I used whole nutmeg and grated it on a microplane)
1 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t cayenne pepper (optional, and add more as you like...)
2 T water
Kosher salt

Here's how you do it.
In a microwaveable 4 qt. casserole, melt the butter. Stir in everything but the nuts and the salt. Microwave on high for 1 minute, remove, and stir. Add the nuts and microwave 4-5 more minutes, stirring after every minute. I went the full 5. Turn out onto waxed paper, and spread out with a spatula. Sprinkle kosher salt over all, to taste. Let them cool as long as you can stand it, and try them! I stored them in plastic containers and they kept well. But, they didn't last long! Bob took them to work to share with his coworkers and they all agreed that I should make these again. They were so easy, why not!? I think they'll be great around the holidays, and I will try this with all kinds of nuts.

I hate to see food go to waste, so this satisfied my need to use up the nuts, and satisfied Bob's love of salty (and sweet) snacks!

A recipe that elicted a WOW - easy grilled chorizo-stuffed chicken breasts.

I stopped at the store on my way home one night with no ideas in mind for dinner. Probably chicken, but after that I was stumped. I wandered the meat section and ran across some Mexican chorizo, that spicy sausage you see often scrambled up with some eggs. I picked that up, along with a few other things, thinking maybe some sort of Tex-Mex kind of dish might do for the night. What I came up with elicited a WOW from The Bob. He even said "we can have this again," (a sure sign I'm onto something) and even more comments for days afterward. So, if you like chorizo, and are thinking of another spin on grilled chicken, you might want to give this one a try.

For the stuffing:
About 1/4 lb. of chorizo, crumbled and browned, then cooled completely
About a cup of shredded taco cheese, I used the three-cheese blend
1 diced green chile (about a tablespoon) - you buy them in those little cans and these are mild, not spicy
A few diced pickled jalapenos to taste (I used about a tablespoon) this gives a kick, but not too much

Mix all together in a small bowl and set aside.

For the chicken:
2 pretty large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Chili powder to season

To make them:
1. Cut a pocket into each chicken breast - take your knife and make an "incision" into the thicker side of the breast, then runthe knife in and around, until you have a decent-sized pocket
2. Stuff each one with as much filling as will fit, then just pull the pocket closed (you can use toothpicks if you want to, I didn't this time).
3. Season both sides with chili powder to taste (gives them a pretty color).
4. Grill over medium high heat until they're done. Ours took about 10-12 minutes a side.

While it was cooking I made a sauce to pour over. Take about a cup of regular store-bought ranch dressing. Stir together with a handful of cilantro chopped very fine, another chopped green chili, and some chopped pickled jalapenos to taste. This was a delish, fresh-tasting salad dressing for me, but Bob put it over his chicken and he said WOW again.

This could also be baked instead of grilled. I would just put in a baking dish sprayed with some non-stick spray, in a 350 degree oven for about 40-45 minutes or until done.

I plan to make this again, and often. It isn't every day that a weeknight meal gets WOWs. But it turned out well enough that I might bust it out on company some weekend, too.

Let me know if you try it, and what your results are!

Lettuce be thankful for the little things.

I was standing at Target recently, and wandered down the kitchen gadget aisle. And this happens from time to time - I became mesmerized by all the shiny, pretty, colorful stuff. Mostly I am traditional when it comes to gadgetry. I like my mini chopper, but most of the time I just reach for a knife. Every utensil in my drawers closely resembles the utensils used by my mom, and her mom. Nothing fancy.

But a little piece of plastic stopped me in my tracks. A LETTUCE KNIFE?

It had a clear blade and a lettuce green handle. And the card to which it was attached suggested that metal knives cause lettuce to turn brown, while plastic will produce nice, chopped greens that stay fresh looking longer. HUH? I had never heard this before, but I did think back to all the lettuce I threw away because it turned brown and ugly. I know, I know. Most chefs recommend tearing the lettuce into bite sized pieces. But I'm always in a hurry to get the stuff ready, so I chop it.

Anyway, I snagged the knife for about the same price as this one on Amazon and gave it a try.

First, I wondered if it would mash the lettuce because it's not a sharp metal blade, but it sliced through the head of iceberg like it was meant for this job (and it was!). Then I wondered if the claims of fresher-longer were true, and they are. My first try with this gave me fresh looking lettuce for about a week, and then it only had a few brownish areas. This was nothing like the 3-5 day lifespan of lettuce chopped with a metal knife. I have a head of lettuce in the fridge right now that I chopped about 5 days ago that looks like I just bought it.

Sometimes it's the little (cheap) things that make me happy, and this time it came in the form of a plastic lettuce knife. Happy chopping!

Best supporting dish on movie night - twice baked potatoes only not really.

The Bob loves twice baked potatoes, and I love making them for him. Just not when I'm pressed for time. There's the baking, then the scooping, then the mashing, the assembly... and then the baking again. The end result tastes great and makes a great presentation.

But, on our recent dinner and movie night with our friends I did not have the time. Twice bakers would have been great with the super easy baked chicken I was making... What to do?

A while back I experimented with a mashed potato recipe that simulated the yummy insides of a twice baked potato without all the fuss, and was pretty successful. I have fiddled with the recipe until I like it, and call it "twice baked potatoes only not really." You don't get the little potato boat, but for a lot of people that's just the dish the mashed potatoes come in anyway, so it just gets throw out. This is easier, and no waste!

Here's what you need:
1 24-oz package microwaveable mashed potatoes (like Bob Evans)
4 oz. sour cream
1 T (more or less as you like) horseradish sauce (I used Dietz & Watson Hot & Chunky Horseradish Sauce)
1 cup (or so) shredded mild cheddar cheese, plus more for top
1 cup herb flavored stuffing mix
1/2 stick butter, melted

Here's all you do:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl combine everything but the stuffing and butter. Mix well until thoroughly combined.
2. Spread the potato mixture into a 2 quart casserole, sprayed with non-stick spray. Top with a big handful of shredded cheese. Crush and sprinkle the stuffing mix on top, and drizzle with the butter.
3. Bake for about 40 minutes, until bubbling and slightly browned.

Obviously you can use your own favorite twice baked potato ingredients, like bacon or green onions... whatever floats your boat. I added the stuffing mix on top to add a little crunch and texture, and to replace the crispy potato skin. But if you don't like that idea, leave them off. The idea is to create a potato casserole that simulates the flavor of the original dish.

Our movie-watching friends wanted the recipe, so I consider that a compliment, and a success. And a time saver! Give it a try on some weeknight with meatloaf and see what your family thinks!

Starring role for a movie night dinner: super easy baked chicken.

Friday night movie night with friends seemed like a good idea at the time. Tuesday night we decided to invite another couple over for dinner and a movie (3:10 to Yuma (Widescreen Edition)), and I thought I would make dinner. Simple enough, right? As the week wore on, I started thinking it was a mistake. Friday I would still have to work a full day, then I'd have to go home, tidy up the house, and make a good dinner for the four of us, keeping in mind that we'd need to eat relatively early so that we weren't starting the movie too late. Panic set in. How was I going to pull this off without getting stressed or making a ho hum meal.

I did a little research on some recipe sites (All Recipes and Food Network), and got some ideas for a menu. My strategy was to keep it simple, adding flavor and variety without adding to the labor. I settled on what The Bob called "chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans." But I called "Baked Chicken with Cheese and Creamy Sauce, The Most Delicious Green Beans Ever, and Twice Baked Potatoes Only Not Really."

Here's the recipe for the chicken... (Look for the other two recipes in future posts.)

Here's what you need:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Poultry seasoning
1/4 lb. Gruyere cheese, shredded (on the large holes of a box grater)
1 can cream of celery soup
1/4 c. water
About 2 c. herb seasoned stuffing mix
1/2 stick butter, melted

Here's all you do:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a rectangular casserole with non-stick spray. Place chicken side by side in dish (in mine they just fit the pan, touching) and sprinkle with poultry seasoning (eyeball it). Cover the chicken with the shredded cheese, evenly covering all the breasts.
2. Combine the soup and the water and pour over the chicken and cheese. Take a couple big handfuls of the stuffing mix, crush in your hands and sprinkle over all. Drizzle with the butter.
3. Bake for anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half. Mine took an hour and a half, because they were really large chicken breasts. Let them sit for about 7-10 minutes. Serve them up and take the compliments!

This chicken literally took me 5 minutes to throw together and put in the oven. That gave me time to get the "Twice Baked Potatoes Only Not Really" ready for the oven (I put them in the oven 30 minutes into the chicken cooking time). The Most Delicious Green Beans Ever came together on the stove top and cooked away while I freshened up.

By the time the doorbell rang, I had everything under control so we could visit with our friends and have a little appetizer (bar cheese and pita chips... store bought lovelies) while dinner finished up. It was a hit.

Notes on this recipe. You could substitute slices of Swiss cheese for the Gruyere. I intend to use this as a base recipe and mix up the ingredients, but keep the method the same. Cream of chicken, or even cream of mushroom soup would work. I'll use whatever kind of cheese I have on hand - smoked cheddar or swiss would be good. I'm thinking of a Tex-Mex take on this with Monterey Jack cheese and nacho cheese soup mixed with a little salsa. Or an Italian version with mozzarella cheese and a pasta sauce instead of the soup. In my mind the non-negotiables are the bread crumb or stuffing topping and the butter. (No, this isn't exactly diet food, folks!)

No more sweating a Friday movie night dinner with friends when I have something this easy and quick, not to mention delicious, in my arsenal! Try it and let me know if it works for you!

Recipe for comfort - beer cheese-cheese-cheese soup.

A big pot of soup is the perfect cure for a rainy, blah night, but who has time for something that tastes like it's been cooked all day? Not this girl. I need something quick and easy to put together, but something that can simmer on low until The Bob is ready for dinner. This is my take on beer-cheese soup – I took the basic idea from several recipes to come up with my own, and it was delish if I do say so myself.

Here's what you need:
3 slices bacon, diced
1 clove (or so) garlic, minced fine (I used the preminced jarred kind to save time)
1T butter
2T flour
1t dry mustard
1 small can chicken broth
1 cup (or so) half and half
1 12 oz. bottle of beer (I used a Bud, but anything works - the alcohol cooks out)
16 oz. (or so) Velveeta, cut into chunks
1 jar (5 oz.) Kraft Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread with Bacon
1 jar (5 oz.) Kraft Old English Sharp Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread
Salt & pepper to taste

Here's all you do:
1. Cook the bacon in the bottom of a large saucepan until crisp. Remove to a plate to drain and reserve for garnish.
2. Add the butter and the garlic and sauté until the garlic is transparent and flavorful, just a minute or so.
3. Turn the heat down a smidge, and add the flour and dry mustard to the pot. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes until the mixture forms a pretty thick paste.
4. Whisk in the broth, then the half and half, until incorporated. Add the beer and stir. Let this come up to a simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add the jarred cheeses, one at a time, stirring until melted. Add the Velveeta in chunks, stirring until melted.
6. Taste for seasonings, and then simmer on low, stirring pretty often, until you just can't stand it any more! I let mine simmer for about 20 minutes.
7. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the reserved bacon bits, and/or anything you like. Bob topped his with bacon AND croutons.

I thought pumpernickel bread sounded good to dunk into this soup. I cut slices of the bread into strips, brushed with butter and toasted in a 450º oven until they were crispy.

While this soup was delicious on its own, we immediately thought of about 3-4 different things you could do with this as a base. This would be awesome with crab meat and/or shrimp. It would be great as kind of a chowder with a couple of potatoes and some drained corn. Tonight I plan to take some fully cooked chorizo flavored smoked sausage, slice it into disks and add it to the soup.

Experiment with what you like. But, try it this the first time. You will sink down into that bowl of cheesy goodness and it just won't matter what the weather's doing outside.

We never get tired of a good old casserole – especially with tater tots & cheese!

You already know that The Bob is a casserole junkie. I swear if you layered nails and glass in a dish and covered it in cheese and topped it with crushed potato chips, he would lick his plate clean. I think he might eventually catch on to nail & glass casserole, so I guess I will keep looking for easy, cheesy casseroles to make the man.

I came up with this one as a substitute for my Reuben Bake, and it went over pretty well.

Here's what you need:
1 lb. fully cooked, skinless smoked sausage
1 can green beans, drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. Velveeta, cubed
Tater tots (YES, tater tots!)

Here's what you do:
1. Preheat oven to 350º. Spray an 8" square baking dish with non-stick spray.
2. Cut the sausage into 3/4 inch disks and put in the bottom of the pan. Top with the green beans. Spread the soup over top. Top this evenly with the Velveeta. Then (and this is my favorite part!), put tots all over the top. Really pack them in!
3. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the tots are nice and golden brown.

Modify to your heart's content, but for goodness sake, keep the tot! This actually reheated pretty well the next day, so it won't go to waste.

10 Random Tips that Save Time, Energy, and Frustration

After a very busy and eventful summer, I am happy to be back and healthy and ready to start bringing you more ideas, hints, tips, recipes, and rantings.

Here are a quick 10 super-easy tips that you can incorporate to save yourself time, energy, and frustration. They aren't complicated, and they work for me.

1. Say it, don't spray it. To keep non-stick spray from getting your counters sticky, place your dish on the open door of your dishwasher and then spray away. The overspray will just go on the back of the door, which will be clean next time you run the dishwasher.

2. Pick a pepper. Next time you have an extra red, yellow, or green pepper languishing in the produce drawer in your fridge, don't let it go to waste, roast it. When we have the grill going and have an extra pepper, we throw it on, even if we don't plan to use it that day. Put it over the hot part of the grill and turn it every now and then until the skin is mostly black. Put the pepper in a plastic container and refrigerate until you're ready to use it. Then just slip the skin off, take out the seeds and membranes, and slice or chop to use in your recipe. The pepper will keep in the fridge for a few days.

3. In the fold. This may sound like your mom, and if so, I apologize. Fold your underwear. No, I'm not joking. Years ago I just shoved my panties in a drawer willy nilly. I had to paw through the pile to find the color I wanted, and it took more time. Besides that, it was unpleasant aesthetically. I promise you, it only takes 2 seconds to fold a pair of panties (and coincidentally, it takes 2 seconds to fold a pair of The Bob's boxers), and I promise, when you open that tidy drawer you will feel good, and you'll find what you're looking for more quickly.

4. Lost and found. I read cookbooks for fun (I don't think that makes me strange at all!), and, of course, to get ideas. When I sit down with a cookbook I always have a pack of those little tape flags next to me so that when I see something interesting, I can just mark it. That way, instead of getting frustrated wondering, "Now where did I see that recipe," I can just quickly flip to the marked pages.

5. Fill 'er up. Always fill the tank in your car. Now, I know there are people who will play the "gas price lottery" and try and wait until the price is lower to fill up. They just put a few dollars in at a time until they see a price they like. If you're one of those people, more power to you. The way I look at it, if I go back to the station several times a week to put a few more dollars worth in the tank, then it's costing me in time, which is worth something to me.

6. Iron it out. This is one of those tips that is almost so unconscious for me I don't know that I consider it a "tip." But I guess it is. I keep a water bottle next to the iron and ironing board, so I can fill up the iron when it needs it without having to traipse to the sink every time. One 20 oz. water bottle fills my iron up several times. One trip to the sink instead of 5? I guess that is a tip!

7. That's neat. Storage under the sink can be scary. It's deep, it's dark, and there are all those pipes and fixtures and stuff. It is necessary to store things under there, but typically what I did was open the door, grab something quick, and slam it without looking. I hated that! So, a while back I came up with a way to keep it neat and organized without spending a bunch of money. Plastic dish pans, which you can pick up at your local dollar store, make neat under-sink bins and cost a fraction of what the under-sink organizers do. They slide in and out out easily, and keep your stuff from falling over and making a mess. For about two bucks, you can have a neat and tidy under-sink area.

8. Sign here. I have a jacket that I love. THE jacket. It's a shaped, denim blazer-type jacket that fits me to a tee, knows where my elbows go, and never needs ironing. I realized about a year ago, that this jacket was getting more action than any other single item in my closet. And for good reason. It looks good, fits great, and goes with everything. I wondered if there was a problem with the fact that I was wearing this jacket 2-3 times a week with various outfits – one day with a black skirt, white shirt, tights and boots - another day with cords, a long sleeve tee and flats. The answer is NO, there's nothing wrong with having a signature piece, something that makes you feel happy and wonderful every time you put it on. Do my coworkers notice that I wear this jacket a bunch? YES, but it is ME, it reflects my personality and because I mix it up, it always looks new. Get yourself a signature piece, whether it's a jacket, a bag, a piece of jewelry, or a pair of boots. The bonus is, when you're in doubt, you'll reach for that item, and save yourself time and preserve your sanity.

9. Take five. When I get home from work, no matter how I feel, I take five minutes and... do more work! Fooled you, didn't I!? This is no joke. The problem is, at least for me, if I go home and start to relax, I get tired and lose my motivation to do anything. If I take just five minutes to tidy up, put the coffee cups in the dishwasher (or wash them), clear off the table, and swipe down the bathroom sink, I sail into the evening feeling like things are much more in control. After that, I treat myself to a break before making dinner. Since I have done a little work, I'm that much further ahead. This works, give it a try.

10. You're on your way. I've said it before, I'll say it again. One of my top tips of all time is "Clean as you go." Make it a habit and you will always save yourself time in the long run. While making dinner, take the few seconds to wipe down the counter. While doing laundry, take a second to dust the washer and dryer. After you're finished in the shower, spritz it with daily spray. Little jobs can become major jobs if you wait until it's out of control. (I learned this thanks to my high school job at McDonald's. I guess it wasn't a waste of time after all!)

I hope you'll find some of these helpful, and try one or two out to see if they work for you.

Simple Beefy Grilled Onions

This seems too simple to be good. But then again, I am a big fan of simple. To me, some foods just taste better when you allow their real flavors to shine through, not hidden by unnecessary ingredients. At a recent cookout, I had a request for these. They take only minutes to put together, and are nearly foolproof. Another bonus is that they're cheap - it's just onion, beef bullion cubes and butter. Just be ready for your guests to turn greedy and start guarding the platter..

Start with large yellow or Vidalia onions – each one serves about 2 people.

For each onion:
1. Remove outer layer of papery skin, and slice off top and bottom of onion.
2. With a paring knife and a spoon (or a melon baller if you have one), hollow out the center of the onion, about twice as large as a beef bullion cube. Don’t go all the way through the bottom of the onion.
3. Drop a beef bullion cube into the center, and pack with about a tablespoon of butter. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Wrap each onion individually in heavy-duty foil.
5. Grill until soft to the touch. Move to the side of the grill or take off the grate and keep warm until time to serve. They take about 30 minutes depending on the grill’s heat and the size of the onion. Note: you may also bake on a cookie sheet in a 350º oven. Check for doneness after about 30 – 45 minutes. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the onion.

These are delicious with just about anything. We had them with brats and burgers, but I could just as easily see them on a plate with a nice steak, or even a pork loin.

One thing to note is that they really taste best the day you cook them. I tried one leftover and found it to be too mushy after reheating. So, plan to make ‘em and eat ‘em – not that you’ll have much leftover if it’s anything like our cookout!

How to please a dozen hungry campers – extra beefy, extra easy beef stew

Our first big camping trip is over, and despite some interesting things happening (one ER trip, one tick, a case of strep throat, and one tornado warning), we ate well as we always do.

Traditionally one day of our trip everyone is coming and going, and we have guests coming and going, so it's always nice to plan one evening meal that can just cook on low all day and be ready whenever anyone's ready. This year I decided to try beef stew, and it was a hit. I of course use all the help I can get from the store, especially when camping, so I'm not slaving over a hot camp stove all day.

Everyone who tasted the stew loved it. It was beefy, filling and very flavorful.

Here's what you need for a huge pot:
5 lb. boneless beef chuck roast, cut into about 1" cubes
3 big baking potatoes, cut into about 1" cubes
A big handful of baby carrots, or you could use big ones cut into 1" cubes
1 big onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large can beef broth
About 2/3 that can full of water
1 can French onion soup
1 packet beefy onion soup mix
About 1/4 cup flour
Olive oil

Here's how you do it:
1. In a big zip-lock bag, flour the meat, coating it pretty well.
2. Over medium high heat, coat the bottom of your stock pot with olive oil. When it's hot, add your meat in batches, turning frequently to brown. Take the batches out to a plate and loosely cover w/foil until you have all the meat browned. There will be lots of yummy brown bits in the bottom of the pan.
3. Lower the heat a little, add a tad more olive oil and sauté your onion and garlic. Stir to coat and cook until they are translucent.
4. Pour in the French onion soup and deglaze the pan – scraping the bottom to get the brown bits up. Then add the meat back in and stir to coat everything evenly.
5. Add the potatoes and carrots, the can of beef broth, the water, and the beefy onion soup mix. Stir thoroughly to combine.
6. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat. Cook on low, uncovered until the meat is tender and the potatoes are falling apart. I kept it on very low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 4 hours.

Really I should say I knew it was done when no one could resist the aroma any more! I fed 8 people with this one night, and had leftovers for about four people the next night. We served it with buttered bread for dipping up the really beefy gravy.

You could easily make this in your stock pot on the stove inside, but there's something wonderful about making it over a camp stove outside.

Easy and cheesy – my simplified recipe for cheesy potatoes

We spent a lot of this past weekend grillin' and chillin' at home with friends, and while we want to eat well, we don't especially want to make too big of a production out of it. We would rather be sitting around the grill talking and having fun. So when it comes to sides, I always want to do something fast and no-hassle.

Everyone loves cheesy potatoes – they go as well with burgers and dogs as they do with a steak, and this recipe takes all of 5 minutes of prep, so you will still have plenty of time to relax. Check it out.

Here's what you'll need:

1 30-oz package of Ore-Ida® Country Style Hash Browns – the shredded kind (NOTE: I used about 3/4 of the bag – it fit better in my casserole, and I found it kept the dish pretty creamy)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 cup sour cream
Salt & pepper to taste
A couple of handfuls of French fried onions, crushed up
2 T butter


Here's how you do it:

Preheat your oven to 350º. Spray a 2 quart casserole with non-stick spray. Take the bag of hash browns and give it a few whacks to break it up. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the frozen hash browns, the soups, the sour cream and the salt & pepper. Turn this into your prepared casserole. Top with the French fried onions and dot with butter. Bake for about 45 minutes until bubbly and golden on the top.

I am sold on using the cream of chicken for added flavor, but I know other people who use cream of celery and it works just as well. The onion topping gives nice crunch, but also imparts a subtle onion flavor without a single minute of chopping. But, you could try substituting potato chips or crackers.

Give this recipe a try and let me know what your friends and family think!

A comforting meal that is so simple to make – hamburger stroganoff

I know there are times when The Bob and I feel the need to hunker down, and we have had that feeling after the tragedy at Virginia Tech. Watching the non-stop coverage is painful, and we feel for the families and friends of the students and university personnel who are the innocent victims of this horrible crime.

I have a feeling we are not the only ones who need a bit of comforting right now and one way we can comfort each other is through food. It may not be totally logical, but for some reason it works. Last night I put together a super-easy hamburger stroganoff – a yummy, creamy, mushroom-y, meaty feast for the two of us. There are "upgrades" you can make to this meal if you have the time and energy, but I took the easy way last night.

Here's what you'll need:
1 lb. hamburger
Dash of garlic powder
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup half and half (folks, this is not diet food!)
1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
2 teaspoons paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Here's how you do it:
Crumble the ground beef in a deep skillet and sprinkle with as much garlic powder as you like (I used about 1/2 teaspoon, not too much). Brown and drain. Add to the skillet the remaining ingredients and stir until it's all incorporated. Bring up to a bubble and stir occasionally until it's thick and creamy. That's all there is to it.

You can let the stroganoff simmer gently over very low heat while you prepare egg noodles and then ladle a big generous serving over top. It would probably be delicious over mashed potatoes or rice, too. (I did the low carb thing and had mine over mashed cauliflower and it was wonderful.)

The upgrades, you probably figured out, would be to mince a clove of garlic to replace the garlic powder, and of course you can use fresh mushrooms instead of canned if you feel like slicing.

The thing about a dish like this is that, while it has flavor, it's not overpowering. It's bland in a good way – the way Nigella Lawson describes bland – more as a texture that is soothing. Which was the whole point last night.

I hope you try this the next time you're feeling the need to sink down into a bowl of pure comfort.

Four simple grilling tips that save time and dishes

Despite the fact that it doesn't feel much like spring yet, we have begun grilling season at the King house. The Bob is a charcoal junkie, and we both prefer the flavor over gas grilling. I suspect real reason Bob likes the charcoal grill is the Big Fire, and the fact that he can have a couple of beers while he waits for the coals to be ready. Regardless, grilling is a relaxing, fun and no-fuss way of making a delicious dinner, whether it's just a couple of burgers or shrimp and chicken kebabs.

Over the years I have sometimes been surprised at the pile of dishes that winds up in the sink after grilling out. Washing a huge pile of platters and tongs is not my idea of a relaxing evening. So, along the way I have developed a few time- and and dish-saving strategies.

1. Season your meat right on the butcher paper or Styrofoam tray it came in. This works when it's a dry rub, dry seasoning blend, or even just salt and pepper. Then put the package on a clean platter or tray to take out to the grill. When you've got the meat on the grill, toss the packaging and you've got a clean platter ready for the cooked meat. If you can't use the packaging the meat came in, lay down a length of aluminum foil or waxed paper – it will work the same way. This saves you a dish in clean-up, and also helps you avoid any cross contamination.

2. Zipper-seal bags work the same way for marinades. Throw your meat or veggies in a large zipper-seal bag and let them marinate. When they're ready, don't transfer them out onto a clean dish – instead carry the bag and a clean platter out to the grill. Take the food out of the bag and then toss it (and the marinade) and you have a nice clean platter to put the cooked food on.

3. Foil-wrap veggies for a simple side dish or garnish. Instead of pulling out a pan to cook your veggies, lay out a healthy length of aluminum foil and pile them in the center (use a double layer if your foil isn't the heavy-duty kind). We use this technique for asparagus, onions and peppers, corn, whatever we have. Season right on the foil – butter or olive oil and whatever seasonings you like – then wrap them like a package. Toss them on the grill with your main dish and just check them every now and then. We often take the foil pack inside and just pull the veggies out with tongs rather than dirtying another dish. You could also pile the cooked vegetables alongside the cooked meat on your platter.

4. To save on clean up and reduce the risk of cross contamination, keep a few things handy by the grill. A container of disinfectant wipes are great for not only hands, but sticky tongs and spatula grips. A roll of paper towels is better for the occasional drip than a wet cloth or sponge that would hold bacteria. We keep a trash can right by the grill, too, to save steps and keep the area tidy.

So, relax and enjoy grilling out with these ideas that save on cleanup. You just might find that there's enough time for one more beer while dinner's on the barbecue.

Another simple pan sauce, and some thoughts on pantry items

Spring is that time of year when The Bob has many after-work commitments, including baseball practice for a team of 13 and 14 year olds in the Sandy Koufax league. So when he comes home after running the team through its paces, he's usually pretty hungry. Which was the case last night. But, since it's hard to predict his exact arrival time, it is tough to start dinner – or I have to make something that can keep warm indefinitely.

So last night when he hit the door, I didn't really have a plan. I had some thin cut, boneless pork chops that came 6 to the package. The thin cut makes them perfect for a super-fast meal. But what to do with them? I came up with a quick pan sauce with what I had in the fridge, which led me to think about some items to recommend keeping on hand for just such an occasion.

Here's what I did. This is the same technique as for any meat you're going to do a pan sauce with.

Put a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a big, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper the chops on both sides and when the oil is hot, put them in. Don't move them around. My chops were thin enough that I could basically see when they were ready to turn, which was only about 3 minutes. Flip them and cook another 3 minutes on the other side. Remove them to a plate loosely covered with foil (loose is key - you don't want them to keep cooking or they'll turn tough).

Then, from my fridge I pulled out:

Leftover chicken broth, about 3/4 cup
Butter – about 2T
A jar of capers
Dijon mustard – there was about 1T left in the jar.
Half and half
Parmesan cheese, pre-shredded from the deli
A half a lemon I had leftover from making vodka tonics

With the heat still pretty high, pour in the chicken broth. Scrape up the brown bits with a whisk and let it come up to a boil. Add the butter and stir until it's melted. Then dump in the Dijon and whisk to incorporate. Put in about 1 T of capers, or more if you like them, and stir around. Pour in about 3/4 to 1 c of the half and half. Bring back up to a boil and let it go for 2 or 3 minutes, until it starts to thicken up. Add a pretty big handful of Parmesan and stir until it melts and combines. Add a squirt or two of lemon juice and stir.

Put the pork chops back into the skillet, with the juices from the plate, reduce the heat and let them enjoy the cheesy, creamy loveliness of the sauce for about 5 to 7 more minutes, (or until they are done – depends on the thickness of the chops) turning to coat.

That's it! It was ready and on the table with a salad in about 20 minutes. And it was delish! This same exact technique and sauce would work for thinly pounded chicken breasts, too.

This meal reminded me of how great it is to be able to whip something up from staple items on hand in the fridge or the pantry. So here are a few things from this meal, as well as some other ideas, that I intend to keep around for these occasions.

• Half and half - what sauce doesn't benefit from it? A small container keeps for quite a while.
• Chicken broth – if I am down to three cans, it's an emergency. I get mine in cases of 12 from Sam's Club.
• Capers – this one may come as a surprise, but nothing "classes up" a simple sauce like a tablespoon or so of these little, salty treasures.
• Dijon – grainy, smooth, whatever, it all works.
• Parmesan – it's great for toppings, breading and sauces. I even put it in my meat loaf. The tub of pre-shredded Parm is just fine.
• Lemon – this one is harder for me to remember to keep on hand, but it added a wonderful brightness to the sauce, even with just a tablespoon or so. I never, ever use that container of plastic lemon juice – it tastes plastic, too. Better to just leave it out.
• White wine – I didn't use any in the sauce this time, but it is a nice addition. I usually have some Chardonnay around for drinking, and throw it in my sauces from time to time. You could use about 1/2 chicken broth and 1/2 white wine for a little different flavor.
• Sour cream – if I had been out of half and half, I probably would have replaced it with sour cream. To me, it's a good substitute because it adds a creamy consistency. It adds a little tartness to the sauce, giving it a slightly different flavor.

Using this technique, you can whip up a sauce that will taste like it took you much longer than 10 minutes to pull together. And with a few items always at the ready, you'll feel like a celebrity chef!

Super easy weeknight supper – Pizza Bake

You know I love the easy weeknight meals. And you know The Bob loves his ooey-gooey cheesy casseroley type meals. This is a great combination of both. I took inspiration from my Reuben Bake to come up with a simple Pizza Bake – a layered casserole using all our favorite pizza ingredients. I make it like a crustless deep dish pizza and then serve Bob's over toasted Italian bread.

Here's my basic recipe. Vary it with whatever pizza toppings you like!

1 lb. Italian seasoned sausage, crumbled and fried
Pepperoni
Black olives
Sliced mushrooms
1 c. sauce – I used 1/2 jar of roasted garlic pasta sauce
2 c. Shredded mozzarella cheese
2-3 T Parmesan

Heat the oven to 350º. Spray a 9x9 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place in layers the sausage, pepperoni and veggies, then top with the sauce. Evenly sprinkle with the cheeses. Bake about 30 minutes until the cheese is as browned as you like it.

Throw some slices of Italian bread or sub buns in the broiler to toast, then spoon the Pizza Bake over top. Pair it with a simple salad and Italian dressing for a full, super-quick meal.

How simple is that!?

My dinner with t-bone

When The Bob goes out of town and I'm on my own, I try to plan a nice dinner for one (and of course a "cry movie") so that I feel I'm spoiling myself. That situation presented itself recently, and I was in the mood for a Big Steak, spinach souffle and a nice glass of red wine. I encourage you to try this. Cooking for one is no big deal, seriously. You don't have to settle for a TV dinner or a depressing bag of microwave popcorn.

I decided to center my meal around a Big T-Bone. My steak was 1.4 lbs and about 1.5 inches thick! According to the Meatman, the t-bone has a smaller piece of tenderloin than the porterhouse. The cuts from the short loin, including the t-bone, porterhouse, club steak and tenderloin really should not be cooked for long periods of time, but are best either grilled or pan fried, and can also be broiled or sautéed. The trick is to have the heat pretty high, sealing in the delicious juices. I have a great cast iron grill pan, which is almost seasoned to perfection (a few more steaks on it and it will be ideal), so that was my pan of choice.

I have learned this technique from a lot of cookbook reading, as well as watching Food Network, but my mother was actually the first person who told me about it. (See my previous article on this subject here. )

Here is my step-by-step on the biggest t-bone of my life!

1. Drizzle a little olive oil over both sides of your steak and massage it in. Season it on both sides with some grill seasoning and salt and pepper. I used a premade mesquite seasoning, but use whatever you like, or none at all, salt and pepper alone would be fine. Leave the steak out of the fridge, but covered, to take the chill off it. Open your bottle of red wine (I had a decent Zinfandel), and YOU chill for about 15 or 20 minutes. The steak will be delicious.

2. Heat the grill pan over pretty high heat. When you hold your hand over the bottom of the pan for a couple of seconds it should feel HOT. Take another sip of wine and go to the next step.

3. Throw the steak into the pan unceremoniously. Then leave it alone. Watch the previews on your DVD rental, but whatever you do, do not touch this steak.

4. When you see some moisture (blood) coming up on the uncooked side, it should be ready to turn. You should have no trouble with the steak sticking at all; if it resists you, let it go another couple of minutes. Flip the steak and leave it alone. (Check out the sweet grill marks I got on this Big Steak!)

5a. Lower the heat just a tad, to medium. Don't move the steak around, it is fine. When you see some moisture coming to the top of the steak, it should be about medium rare. Leave it just a little longer for medium.

5b. This is optional, but not if you're from my family. Put a pat of butter (not margerine, butter) on the steak toward the end of the cooking time. There's something absolutely decadent about the flavor of the steak with a bit of butter.

6. Refill the wine glass and serve.

This steak was so huge that I got two meals out of it (I made fajitas with the leftovers). And, it did feel like I was totally pampering myself.

A meal for one can be fun and satisfying. Hopefully your movie will be as good!

I did it! I made Hollandaise!

The Bob isn't a huge vegetable fan (with the exception of mashed potatoes), but he will eat his veggies if they are smothered in a luscious sauce. One night he suggested asparagus with Hollandaise sauce and I shuddered.

Hollandaise. The Holy Grail of sauces. Eggs. Butter. Whisking. Double boilers. The danger of separation. Very scary.

So, I will start by describing my first attempt at "egg sauce," which was a disaster. I had read a recipe in The Joy of Cooking for "blender Hollandaise." Well, blenders don't scare me, so I thought I would try that. You were to put two egg yolks in the blender (I used my mini-chopper), with salt, a pinch of cayenne and a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice. Then you were supposed to stream in 1/2 cup of melted butter. My chopper lid is designed to stream in liquids, so I thought this would totally work. And it may have. The problem was I let the butter cool too much and it didn't incorporate. I was devastated.

But Hollandaise is versatile. The ingredients are on hand and cheap. And The Bob requested it. So, I thought I would give it another try.

This morning I had the cookbook at the ready, a pot of coffee made, and the house to myself so that no one would be a witness if it failed again. This time I decided to give the old-fashioned technique a try. The recipe came from "The American Woman's Cookbook," published in 1949.

Here's what you'll need:
2 egg yolks (separating eggs is easy, don't sweat it)
1/2 cup butter – 1 stick
1/4 t salt
Pinch of cayenne (red) pepper

Here's how you do it:
I don't own a double boiler and I don't know many people who do. Put hot water in a saucepan and set a heat-proof bowl over it, making sure the water does't touch the bottom of the pan. Turned on the flame very low. The idea is to have the water hot, but not boiling. Just lift up the bowl every now and then to make sure it's not boiling, and adjust the flame/heat if you need to. Now take your two egg yolks and a couple of tablespoons of the butter and put them in the bowl. Whisk, whisk, whisk. The butter will melt slowly. Keep whisking. When the first bit of butter melts, plop in the next two-tablespoon hunk. Do this with all four bits of butter. When all the butter is in, it should be pretty thick. Now add the salt and cayenne and whisk them in.

I left the bowl over the pan, with the flame turned down VERY low to keep the sauce warm while I made my breakfast. I just gave it a whisk every now and then to make sure it didn't separate. It was a wonderful, lemony yellow color, and the taste was rich, but bright from the lemon juice.

I did it. I made Hollandaise. It wasn't overly difficult, you just neet time, some patience and a careful eye on the heat. The Bob will get a treat the next time I serve asparagus!