Fruit Salad

Our church is having a special celebration this week called, "Thanksgiving in July". When I think of Thanksgiving and getting together with my family, it bring so many very special memories to mind. My large family gets together every Thanksgiving and Christmas and a few other various times during the year. Out of all of the holidays, Thanksgiving is my favorite. To me Thanksgiving means family. Gathering around the table, catching on everyone's lives, and celebrating our time together. No gifts, no expectations except some great food and even greater company. And speaking of great food, our Thanksgiving meal would not be the same without our fruit salad. It has been a tradition in our family for more years than I can remember. Just a few pieces of fruit and some topping...but those simple things immediately bring out the feelings of love and comfort from our years together every Thanksgiving Day.

I hope that in your family, you have some special something you make that means as much to you as this simple dish means to us.

Fruit Salad

We feed a crowd, but I am scaling the recipe back so it will feed a family of 4. You may adjust the ingredients to suit your own sized family.

2 apples (green or red depending on your preference)

2 navel oranges

1 c grapes (green or red; your choice)

1 c mini-marshmallows

2 bananas

1 tub whipped topping

lemon juice

We normally prepare this dish a few hours ahead of time and store it in the fridge in a container with a lid. If preparing ahead, do not add the bananas or whipped topping until just before serving.

After washing the apples, oranges, and grapes, dry them off. On a cutting board, slice the apples into small bite-sized pieces. We leave the skin on for more texture. Then place the apple pieces into a serving bowl. Next peel and slice the oranges into small bite-sized pieces. Add them to the apples. Then we cut the grapes in half length wise and add them to the bowl. If serving immediately, peel and slice the bananas into small bite-sized pieces and then add them to the bowl. Pour the marshmallows into the bowl. Mix gently. Sprinkle some lemon juice over the fruit and stir. It does not take much juice, maybe a 1/2 teaspoon, then mix the fruit again. Then comes the fun part...add in some large dollops of whipped topping (we use the frozen variety which we thawed earlier). Gently fold the whipped topping into the fruit. Keep adding more dollops of topping until the fruit has a nice white covering. 

Serve immediately. We try not to make too much. The bananas do not keep well for more than a day. Of course we love this simple dish so much that we rarely have leftovers. 

Enjoy!

Steak Fajitas

Stead Fajitas....Will's way!

Yes, my son has sent me another one of his recipes he likes to prepare. I tried this recently, and I must admit, it is delicious!

Will likes to use steak for his fajitas, but you could certainly substitute chicken or pork in place of the beef. He also takes a shortcut and uses the ready to eat grilled steak slices in the deli section of your grocery store. They also have grilled chicken if you wish to try that one. I used a piece of flank steak that I found on sale and gave it a quick grilling until it was medium-rare. That only took 10 minutes or so to do. Then I let it rest for 5 minutes to help the juices reabsorb into the meat so I would not end up with dried meat when I sliced it up into small bite-sized pieces. 

Steak Fajitas

1 pkg soft 8" taco/burrito shells

steak (cut into small bite-sized pieces)

2 large cans mushrooms, drained (or 2 8 oz tubs of fresh mushrooms)

1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped

6 Tbl butter, divided in half

salt and pepper to taste

Provolone cheese (optional, I like a little with mine)

Sauce

1 Tbl olive oil

1 Tbl lime juice

1-2 cloves of minced garlic

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

If the steak is raw, grill it for 8-10 minutes over medium-high heat until the steak is medium-rare. If the steak is cooked, slice into small bite-sized pieces and set aside. 

Heat 3 Tbl of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until melted, then add in the mushrooms. Saute and stir until golden brown. Once browned, turn the heat down to warm.

While you are cooking the mushrooms, heat 3 Tbl of butter in another large skillet. (I cook the onions separately from the mushrooms to give my family a choice...some do not eat onions). Add the onions and saute until golden brown. Once browned, turn the heat down to warm. 

In a third skillet, add in the cooked steak and all of the sauce ingredients and heat over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes. 

Once the meat and the veggies are ready, I heat the tortillas shells. You can heat them for just a few seconds in the microwave on a paper towel. Or, you can use a non-stick pan over high heat and  'pan fry' them for just a second or two per side (be careful NOT to burn them). Then I pile on the steak, mushrooms, onions, and some cheese and enjoy. 

Quick Stir Fry

I love this quick and tasty meal. It only takes 10 minutes to cook!

My family and I love Chinese and Japanese meals. This stir fry is a great time saver! This one also is good for stretching a small bit of protein (meat) to make a meal for 3-4 people. We serve this over rice and I usually serve with a fruit. Last night we had fresh cut pineapple with it! I love the summer fresh fruits.

I had a pork steak left over from the night before. I left it raw to cook with this recipe. The pork steak is an inexpensive steak that has great flavor due to its higher fat content than other cuts. It also stays very tender. You can use beef steak or chicken if you wish. This recipe is versatile and can adapted to most any protein...even tofu!

Stir Fry

1 steak (chopped into small bite-sized pieces)

2 cans Stir Fry mixed vegetables

1 can water cress (chopped)

1 can mushrooms (drained)

1 bottle stir fry sauce (General Tso, peanut sauce, Teriyaki, Szechuan...your favorite)

1 Tbl vegetable oil or peanut oil if desired

I begin by heating a pot of water for rice (10 minute variety). When I put the rice in to begin cooking, I begin the stir fry. 

In a wok or large skillet, bring 1 tablespoon of oil to heat over high. When the oil begins to smoke, add in  your meat. Stir until the meat is halfway cooked (3-4 minutes). Then I add in all the canned veggies. Feel free to add in some fresh chopped onion, bean sprouts, frozen peas...whatever your family likes will most likely work. Stir on high for another 3-4 minutes until everything is heated through. Add in a 1/4 cup or so of the sauce of choice. Stir. You may add in more sauce if desired. Stir for another 2 minutes. 

Serve over rice. 

*You can make this recipe with a leftover piece of meat and it will work just as well, just heat everything all together (except the sauce) so the meat will not overcook. 

Quick and Comforting Chicken Soup

Some days I just need some good old fashioned comfort food. After a long day spent working, running kids from here to there, and 100's of other things in between, I need something comforting and soothing. This chicken soup recipe is made just for those days.

This soup only take 30 minutes to fix and heat. Everything is in my pantry ready and waiting just for these occasions. All I need to do is mix them up, add some spices, simmer, and then sit back and relax with a bowl full of warm hugs. Add in a few crackers and a salad and you have a great meal for the family.

This is also one of those recipes that you can mix and match according to what leftovers you have on hand. You can even use that frozen bag of veggies you have been collecting if you have been following my helpful hints. Just pop it in the microwave to thaw for a minute or two, then add them into the soup. Or this soup is great with just the chicken and egg noodles! That is my favorite way of fixing it. I like keeping it simple with the noodle and chicken. The plus side to this recipe is that it makes enough to have for several meals...one night of cooking and two-three nights of dinner...what could be better than that?

Chicken Noodle Soup (with veggies if you desire)

2 cans of chicken (with the juice) or 2 c cooked chicken

1 bag of extra wide egg noodles

8 c chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of celery soup

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp poultry seasoning

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp thyme

3 Tbl dried parsley

*veggies if desired (corn, green beans, lima beans, carrots, mushrooms...)

I use a very large stock pot. Add all of the ingredients to the pot. When I put in the canned chicken, I take time to break up the clumps of chicken. I prefer to have small pieces in each spoonful instead of a large bite of chicken every now and then. 

Bring to a boil and then reduce and simmer covering the pot with a lid. Stir every few minutes so the noodles and chicken do not stick on the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes. 

Buffalo Pizza...courtesy of my son!

What a special honor I have been bestowed. My son, Will,  has willingly shared a recipe with me. He didn't want to 'blog' for me, but he was very willing to share one of his recipes with me...and with you all. This is one of his favorites to cook. Will says that he and his friends love making this on the weekends when they can kick back and enjoy pizza while playing their games.

This is a real treat for me. I have always tried to encourage my boys to learn to cook. I have invited them into the kitchen with me when I prepare dinner. I try to teach them about cooking but make it seem more like a conversation rather than a school session. I try to make it fun for them while they chop, saute, and mix whatever we are preparing for dinner. Of course the easiest thing to teach them to make was desserts. Who doesn't want to learn to make cookies, brownies, and cakes? But we added in plenty of time on entrees and side dishes to even it out. So over the years they all have become very good cooks in their own right. I love it when they take it the initiative and cook dinner for me. That is the best treat any mother could get from her sons!

This recipe can be made with either 'fresh' pizza dough or one of those pre-made crusts you find in the store. Boboli makes a good one that Will uses at times. He says that he mostly uses the fresh dough since the father of one of his good buddies owns a pizza joint and sends them dough when needed. Nice! 

So I hope you enjoy this Buffalo Chicken Pizza as much as I did when he cooked it for me last night! It is yummy.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

1 ball of pizza dough or 1 pre-made pizza crust

2 c cooked chicken (Will likes the grilled chicken strips by the sandwich meats at the grocery store or a rotisseried chicken)

1 bottle buffalo sauce (Will likes Moore's Buffalo sauce)

2 c shredded mozzarella cheese

1 bottle Ranch dressing

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

On a cookie sheet or pizza sheet that is lightly greased, spread out the pizza dough or place the pre-made crust on the sheet. Then spread a nice amount of the Ranch dressing on the crust (it does not take the entire bottle, just add the amount you wish). Then add the chicken and top that off with the buffalo sauce (the amount of sauce depends on your tastes, but at least lightly cover the pizza and chicken). Lastly, pile on the mozzarella cheese, spreading evenly.

Bake for 12-18 minutes or until lightly browned.

Shepherd's Pie...My sister's way

I am so blessed to have a loving and supportive family. Thank you God for each and every one of them!

Today, I welcome my middle sister, Vicki, to my blog. She is a busy mom like myself and has found some quick and tasty dinners she fixes for her own busy family. I know you will enjoy this one; it is for all you meat and potato people.

Moms can be sneaky too!

Whenever I can I try to get as many vegetables in to my children however I can. This recipe helps me to do that. My child loves meat and potatoes, so I have sneaked in some other vegetables in the mix. He doesn't even complain, he just gobbles it up. Thank the Lord for small miracles; I will take them when I can. 

I remember many days finding spinach tucked into napkins, Brussels sprouts at the bottom of the trash (when the trash is fairly empty it is not hard to see things), and even the dog and cat looking a little fatter from lima beans or squash. I did really try to get him to try different vegetables, but it seemed like the only ones he liked were corn, potatoes, and green beans. How many times can you eat those three things and not go a little crazy? 

So after finding a particularly large stash of limas crushed and mushed and then being used to paint messages on the kitchen table...yes, I was one of THOSE parents who left him at the table until he finished what was on his plate...yea, right...I gave it up. I decided to try to get sneaky. I let him believe I was only feeding him potatoes, when in fact, I had ground up cauliflower and mixed in with the potatoes. He never caught on to that one, so I tried more things. 

Here is one I hope you too find successful!

Shepherd's Pie

2 lbs ground beef

1 small onion (chopped)

1/2 head of cauliflower (broken into small bite sized pieces)

1 can green beans (drained)

1 can of corn (drained)

1 tsp garlic salt

1 Tbl flour

1-2 c beef broth

2 c instant dry potato flakes

1 c milk

2 Tbl butter

I cook the ground beef in a large skillet on medium high until it is half way done. Then I add the onion and cook until done. I do not drain the beef. I add in the flour and stir for a minute to cook. Then I add in the beef broth to make a gravy for the meat. I like to make it a bit runny so when it is served I can taste it with my potatoes. Depending on how much fat is left in the meat, I use up to two cups of broth. You have to eyeball it. I also season it with salt and pepper. 

While the beef is cooking, I microwave the cauliflower for a few minutes in a bowl with some water and covered with plastic wrap. When it is done I drain it and then use a potato masher on it until it looks like mashed potatoes. 

Then in a pot, I bring to a boil the amount of water called for on the instant potato box to make 6-8 servings. Once it boils, I remove it from the heat and add in the dry flakes, butter, milk, garlic salt, and some pepper. I also mix in the cauliflower and make sure the mix stays slightly loose. You may have to use some extra milk after you add in the cauliflower. Eyeball that as well. 

Then in a ungreased 9 x 13 pan, I spread the beef and onion mix as the bottom layer. Next comes the green beans and corn, then top it all off with the potatoes and cauliflower mix.

Bake for 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees until it is golden brown and the juice is bubbling. As my sister likes to say, "It is yummy."

Fond Memories

I want to thank my best friend, coworker, travel buddy, and all around great person, Wendy Harris, for her guest post. She is an amazing and dedicated single mom of two beautiful daughters and an fantastic cook. I hope you enjoy her 'Fond Memories' as much as I have...and the recipe is one you need to try. I am fixing this one tonight!

FOND MEMORIES

When I was a child, my mother worked third shift for a couple of years and that meant my dad had to cook dinners for me and my brother and sister. He was always throwing things together and making stuff up. I’m really not sure how we survived some of the combinations he came up with! (I will never forget when he tried to mix oatmeal and canned fruit cocktail and pass it off as breakfast. Ugh!)

Dad has always made really great soup recipes. He believes you can never have too many veggies in your soup. He would be hard pressed to give you an actual recipe. In fact, I’m sure he has never followed a recipe; he just wings it.

Growing up, we often went to state parks to have picnics. One thing Dad loves to do is to grill outdoors. Since he loves onions and peppers, you can bet most everything he makes will have plenty of both in it. He likes lots of flavor but doesn’t use a lot of salt. We would pack our cooler full of ice, food, and drinks and arrive early for a day of swimming, picnicking, and grilling out, often with friends. We rarely had the usual picnic fare of hamburgers and hot dogs. But it was always a surprise what we would have. We had to wait until it was ready to find out!

Here is one of my favorite foods that Dad concocted:

Sausage and Potatoes...on the Grill

Mild to medium bulk sausage links

Potatoes, scrubbed and sliced thin

Lots of peppers and onions (although I don’t put in the peppers when I make it – Yuck!)

Olive oil

Coarse black pepper

Canned whole or diced tomatoes

Throw everything into a baking pan that is heavy duty enough to go on a grill. Cook until you can stick a fork in the potatoes and it goes in easily. That means the taters are done. Enjoy!

Wendy Harris