- Susan's Musings

Roasted Eggplant Parmesan – Plus a couple of simple low carb recipes with Eggplant!

Low Carb Meals, Side Dishes, Susan's Musings, What's Cooking? No Responses »

Sep 162015

Eggplant is my new vegetable. In fact, I love it so much it’s more like dessert. I don’t know why I had never tried it before. Now that I eat low carb, it is one of my favorite vegetables. The other two favorites are cauliflower and zucchini. They make great substitutes for cauliflower mac & cheese, pork fried rice and zucchini spaghetti.

Version #1 is a meal that serves 8. It can be adjusted for fewer servings.

Versions #2 and #3 are for a simpler snack or side dish. Version 2 tastes great, but Version 3 with egg is so much better!

Version #1 – The Real Eggplant Parmesan

This will serve 8 people, so adjust for fewer servings.

Equipment:

9″ x 13″ casserole

Ingredients:

1 or 2 eggplants, depending on size. You would need 2 slices per serving.
1 cup grated parmesan
1 or 2 eggs, beaten
1 lb. ground beef
1 26-oz. jar of spaghetti sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups ricotta cheese (I prefer whole, but you can use low fat)
Italian spices (Italian seasoning and/or oregano)
salt and pepper

Directions:

Peel and slice eggplant in 1/2″ slices, dip in beaten egg, then dip both sides in grated parmesan cheese. Lay out in a single layer on parchment paper on a sheet pan. Roast at 400 for 20 minutes, turning halfway through.
Meanwhile, brown ground beef in skillet, drain.
When eggplant is finished, remove from oven and lower oven temp. to 350.
Spray a 9″ x 13″ pan with cooking spray. Put a small amount of spaghetti sauce on bottom of pan, then layer with half of the roasted eggplant slices. Top with half of the spaghetti sauce, then spread the ricotta evenly over the top of the sauce.
Spread ground beef over the ricotta. Hmm, I might just add the meat to the sauce and layer like I do lasagna. Your choice. 🙂
Then layer with remaining eggplant, top with remaining spaghetti sauce, then mozzarella.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Let set for 5 minutes.

Version #2 – Simple Roasted Eggplant Slices with Parmesan Cheese

This makes a great snack or side dish.

Peel and slice eggplant in 1/2″ slices, lay them out in a single layer on parchment on a sheet pan, spray with either spray butter or olive oil, and sprinkle with grated parmesan. Bake at 400 for about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on thickness of slices. They came out a bit thinner in the photo below, but they were delicous!

Baked Chicken with Green Beans and Sliced Eggplant

Version #3 – Roasted Eggplant Slices topped with Tomato and Mozzarella Cheese

These are like small pizzas. You can add any toppings you like, such as pepperoni, sausage, ground beef, mushrooms, etc.

Peel and slice eggplant in 1/2″ slices, dip in beaten egg, then dip both sides in grated parmesan cheese. Lay out in a single layer on parchment paper on a sheet pan. Roast at 400 for 20 minutes, turning halfway through. Then, top with sliced tomato and shredded mozzarella. Lower oven temp to 350 and roast for additional 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is melted.

Roasted Eggplant with Tomato and Mozzarella

Roasted Eggplant Chips

Eggplant chips make for a really nice low carb snack, or as a side dish with any meal. This time, I sliced the eggplant as thin as I could, approximately 1/8″ thick, using my Deli-Pro Slicing Knife. I love this knife because you can slice most things evenly, such as lunch meat, tomatoes, bread, and eggplant. Just set the dial for the thickness you want. I would have used a mandoline slicer but the eggplant is a bit too big for it.

Pork Loin Chops with Green Beans and Roasted Eggplant Chips

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

Low Carb Meals, Pasta Recipes, Side Dishes, What's Cooking? No Responses »

Aug 212015

I came across this recipe when I was trying to find recipes that substituted cauliflower instead of rice or potatoes. Check out my recipe for Cauliflower Pork Fried Rice. It never occurred to me that it could be used as a substitute for macaroni.

You see, I have Type 2 Diabetes, and a very low tolerance for foods high in carbohydrates, especially pasta and rice. Even the smallest amount of these starchy foods with spike my blood sugar into the 200’s. That’s pretty high considering a normal blood glucose reading should be between 70 and 105. Anyone who counts carbs, whether they have Diabetes or not, knows how difficult it can be to eat certain foods. It’s so much easier when we can find a substitute that is just as satisfying.

A little bit of info about cauliflower. A small head of cauliflower equals 1 to 1-1/2 pound of cauliflower, or approximately 1-1/2 cups chopped. One medium head will be 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 pounds, or 3 cups chopped. A large head will yield approx. 4 to 6 cups of florets. One 10-ounce package of frozen cauliflower will equal 2 cups chopped. The following recipes assume a large head of cauliflower equals 4 to 6 cups chopped florets.

I found two ways to make cauliflower Mac & Cheese, and they are both delicious. The first recipe is so much better, though. It is thick, creamy, browned and bubbly. Yum!

The second way is for when you just don’t have the time to go through all of that. And, it really is good. So, without further ado, here is my twist on Cauliflower Mac & Cheese.

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese – Preferred Oven Baked Method:

Allow about 15 min. for prep, and 20 to 30 min. to cook. Yields 6 to 8 side dishes.

Ingredients

Kosher salt, as needed for boiling water, plus 1/2 teaspoon
1 large head cauliflower; cut florets into small pieces
Vegetable oil spray
1 cup heavy cream
2 ounces cream cheese, cut into small pieces
1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar, put 1/2 cup aside for topping the casserole
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
Equipment: 8 by 8-inch baking dish

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water with salt.
Cook the cauliflower in boiling water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and press as much water out as possible. The original recipe said to place between several layers of paper towels to dry, but I find that to be too time consuming and really not necessary.
Spray the baking dish with vegetable oil spray.
Transfer the drained cauliflower to the baking dish and set aside.
Heat the cream and cream cheese in a small saucepan, on low heat, then whisk in mustard until smooth.
Stir in 1-1/2 cups of the cheese, salt, pepper and garlic, and stir just until the cheese melts, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove from heat, pour over the cauliflower, and stir to combine.
Top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake until browned and bubbly hot, about 15 minutes. Serve.
This dish is very rich and cream cheesy. I would suggest serving as a side dish, rather than as a meal in itself. However, as a meal in itself, I bet it would be great with some added chopped ham.

Bon appétit!

This recipe was inspired by

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/cauliflower-mac-and-cheese-casserole-recipe.html

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese – Stove-Top Method:

Quite sometime ago, I purchased this Hoosier Hill Farm Cheddar Cheez Powder from Amazon. I bought it solely for making regular macaroni and cheese, hoping to simulate the name brand stuff, if you know what I mean. 🙂 This cheese powder totally eliminates having to buy the pre-boxed mac & cheese, and is a real cost savings. I like it with mini penne, when I make it for the rest of the family. just cook 1 cup of elbow macaroni (or mini penne), drain, then add 1/4 cup of butter or margarine, 1/4 cup milk, and 1 tbsp. of the cheese powder, and mix well.

So, last night, while I was making hot dogs with regular mac & cheese for the rest of the family, I decided to try the cheese powder with the cauliflower.

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese – Stove-Top Method:

Allow about 15 min. for prep, and 10 min. to cook. Yields 6 to 8 side dishes.

Ingredients

Kosher salt, as needed for boiling water
1 large head cauliflower; cut florets into small pieces
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Hoosier Hill Farm Cheddar Cheez Powder
salt & pepper, as needed
1/8 tsp garlic powder (optional)
1 tbsp flour (optional for thicker sauce)*

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Cook the cauliflower in boiling water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and press as much water out as possible. Return drained cauliflower to pot.
Add butter and stir until melted. Add cream a little at a time until you reach desired consistency. Then, add cheese powder, mix well and serve.
OR
* Melt butter in small saucepan, add flour and stir until thick. Whisk in milk and cheese powder until smooth. Pour over cauliflower and mix well.

Bon appétit!

Cauliflower Pork Fried Rice

Low Carb Meals, Pork Recipes, Side Dishes, What's Cooking? No Responses »

Jul 222015

Do you know how many calories and carbohydrates are in a cup of rice? First of all, the box of Minute Rice shows that one serving is 1/2 cup. A 1/2 cup of Minute Rice has 170 calories and 38 grams of carbohydrates (Yikes!) Who eats 1/2 cup of rice? Usually, it depends on whether you eat rice as a full meal or as a side dish. Not me, I can eat pork fried rice by the quart. Let’s see, a quart of rice is 1360 calories, or 304 grams of carbohydrates. Good grief, 304 grams of carbs is more than six days worth of carbohydrates for me! No wonder I got myself into this predicament. Oh, well, it just reinforces my decision to change the way I eat.

When I eat pork fried rice it reminds me of my childhood Summers at the amusement park, where they had this fabulous little walk-up Chinese Food stand. Anyway, I blogged a little about that here.,

Again, I digress.

So, onward and upward. I am trying to make healthier choices when deciding what to eat, but at the same time I don’t want to feel like I’m missing out on my favorite foods, like pork fried rice. In this case, the healthy choice is using cauliflower instead of rice. I’m not a big cauliflower eater. I’ve had it roasted with olive oil, and I like it raw with a dip, but that’s about it. The next thing I want to try is cauliflower mashed potatoes.

I’m going to show you the few changes that I made to my Pork Fried Rice recipe. Please excuse me for copying the main recipe because I’ve only made a few changes.

I usually make this when I have an extra pork chop, but it would also be good with chicken, beef or shrimp. You can also add whatever vegetables you choose, such as broccoli, shredded carrots, or peppers. I usually only add small peas. In this case, I left out the peas because they are not carb-friendly. The combined flavors from the garlic, green onions, ginger, and the addition of sesame oil, rice vinegar and soy sauce, makes it oh, so good!

Ingredients:

3-4 Tbsp vegetable oil
A few drops of sesame oil (optional)
1 pork chop, cooked or uncooked, and cut into 1/4″ pieces
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
1-1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger (I use a fine grater)
3-4 green onions, chopped (white and light green parts)
1/2 large head or 1 small head of cauliflower (comes out to about 1-1/2 to 2 cups when grated)
Your choice of vegetables (broccoli, carrots, peas) (Optional)
2 eggs, scrambled
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar

Directions:

First, remove leaves and pull apart florets from half of the head of cauliflower. Add to colander and rinse. I then cut those in smaller chunks to fit in my food chopper. Or, you can use a box grater to grate the cauliflower. I was surpised at how well the chopper (or food processor) grated the cauliflower. It was so easy, and it looks just like rice. You don’t even have to cook it!

In a wok or large skillet, over medium high heat, add 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil and sesame oil. Mmmm! I love the smell of sesame oil!

If uncooked, add pork and cook 5-6 minutes until cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Lower heat to medium, heat up a little more vegetable oil, add onion and saute for about five minutes, until translucent. Then, add garlic, ginger, and green onions. Cook about 1 minute.

I store my ginger in the freezer and grate as needed

Add cauliflower rice to skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Let the rice get crispy, about 2 minutes. This is when you add your vegetables; broccoli would be good, and stir.

Move rice to the side and add eggs, scrambling them and working into the rice mixture as you go. You might need to add a little more oil.

Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, and cooked pork. Toss together and serve.

Add soy sauce

Add cooked pork

Check out my posts, My Journey to a Healthier Low Carb Way of Life, and Cauliflower Mac & Cheese.

Printable recipe without images:

Cauliflower Pork Fried Rice

Directions:

First, remove leaves from cauliflower and rinse. Pull apart florets from half of the head of cauliflower. I then cut those in smaller chunks to fit in my food chopper. Or, you can use a box grater to grate the cauliflower. I was surpised at how well the chopper (or food processor) grated the cauliflower. It was so easy, and it looks just like rice. You don’t even have to cook it!

In a wok or large skillet, over medium high heat, add 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil and sesame oil. Mmmm! I love the smell of sesame oil!

If uncooked, add pork and cook 5-6 minutes until cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Lower heat to medium, heat up a little more vegetable oil, add onion and saute for about five minutes, until translucent. Then, add garlic, ginger, and green onions. Cook about 1 minute.

Add cauliflower rice to skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Let the rice get crispy, about 2 minutes. This is when you can add your vegetables; broccoli would be good, and stir.

Move rice to the side and add eggs, scrambling them and working into the rice mixture as you go. You might need to add a little more oil.

Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, and cooked pork. Toss together and serve.

How to Microwave and Eat a Meal from a Chinese Take-Out Box

Pork Recipes, Side Dishes, What's Cooking? No Responses »

Jan 252015

Now, I’ve been eating Chinese take-out since I was a little girl. In fact, whenever I order pork fried rice, it brings me back to the early 1960’s, where I found the best ever pork fried rice at the Salisbury Beach amusement park in Salisbury, Massachusetts. It has been my mission to find a pork fried rice that can compare to that little Chinese take-out stand at Salisbury Beach. I haven’t found one, yet, but I have come close.

Not the one from my childhood, but still brings back happy memories

In the early 60s, we spent a few Summer vacations at Salisbury Beach. It was in a small coastal town named Salisbury, Massachusetts, just south of the New Hampshire border. It had one of the best Amusement Parks, second to my favorite, Paragon Park in Nantasket Beach, MA. My favorite attraction of all at Salisbury Beach was the Scrambler. The operator would let me ride it as many times as I wanted without having to buy a ticket; I could ride that thing all day.

Salisbury Beach Fun-A-Rama

The Scrambler Ride

Salisbury Beach Funland

At the time, my mother was working at the Kon Tiki Lounge in Salisbury Beach. They used to have some of the best celebrities come to visit and perform. I’ll never forget the time my mom let us in to see Bobby Vinton sing Roses are Red. That was so cool!

Anyway, I digress big time! I started to post about the cool trick I learned to do with a Chinese Take-Out Box with the metal handle. You know the one I mean, right? This trick has probably been around for generations, but I just found out about it recently. Every now and then, I would prefer to just pop the container into the microwave, but because of the metal handle, it can’t be microwaved. I was afraid that if I tried to remove the handle, the whole thing would fall apart. So, I would have to find a plate or bowl, scoop out the contents of the container onto a plate, which is just one more plate to clean.

One day, it might have been on Facebook, I saw a post about how to convert the take-out box into a microwavable plate. When the handle is removed and the box opened, it flattens out into a heavy duty paper plate! Unbelievable!

Chinese Take-Out Box with Handle

Opening a Chinese Take-out Box

Unhook handle from the box flaps

Voila! Instant microwavable plate!

Check out my recipe for Pork Fried Rice – Click Here

Oven Roasted Potatoes

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Aug 272014

Oven Roasted Potatoes I love potatoes! Doesn’t everyone? There are so many different ways to cook potatoes. My youngest loves mashed potatoes, especially when I make them with the “mashed potato machine”, which is my stand mixer. They come out so smooth and creamy…Yum!

But, I get tired of having to take out the stand mixer all the time, so sometimes I mash them by hand. I even cheat sometimes and buy the pouches of Idahoan Butter & Herb Mashed Potatoes, they are so good!

Anyway, I digress.

Every once in awhile, depending on what’s for dinner, I’ll make my oven roasted potatoes. These are especially good when I’m making BBQ chicken or pork chops, or just about anything that doesn’t require a sauce or gravy. We prefer mashed potatoes when I make gravy.

Ingredients:

4 medium potatoes, cut into chunks or wedges (I use Russet or Idaho if peeled, or unpeeled red potatoes)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
Basically, whatever spices you want to throw in there.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.

Peel and cut potatoes into wedges. I usually cut each potato in half, and then cut 4 to 6 wedges from each half. The larger the chunks, the longer it will take to bake.

In a large bowl, mix oil and spices. Toss cut potatoes in the mixture and lay out on greased baking sheet. Bake for approx. 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown on outside and tender on the inside.

Serves 4.

Bon Appetit!

I give these 5 stars because they are so good. However, my youngest son doesn’t like anything other than french fries or mashed potatoes, so I had to lower the family rating.

Family Rating: Five Smileys

Amazon.com Widgets

Spiral Vegetable Slicer Review

Cookware, Kitchen Gadgets & Utensils, Side Dishes, What's Cooking? 1 Response »

Aug 222014

Paderno World Cuisine Tri-Blade Spiral Vegetable Slicer

I have to say, this is the one kitchen gadget that I have the most fun with! When I first got it, I grabbed every vegetable I had that could be sliced. Apples, cucumbers, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and zucchini.

The first thing I did was slice up some ribbon sliced apples and cucumbers. You could end up with one very long spiral cucumber. What I do is make a 1/2″ deep slice down the length of the cucumber, so when I used the slicer the cucumber slices weren’t too long. You can also cut them afterward, with a knife or scissors.

I actually prefer to use my Victorio Apple and Potato Peeler/Slicer when I’m peeling and slicing lots of apples, but for a quick slicing job I hand peel the applies and use the Paderno slicer because clean-up is so much easier. The slices are very thin compared to the 1/4″ slices from the Victorio.

Another great use is to make no tears diced onions. Spiral slice a whole onion using the large chipper blade (same as curly fries), throw the long curly onion in a zipper bag and freeze it. Next time you need some diced onions, grab the bag and start pressing it. This will break up the onions into small pieces.

I also made baked curly fries, using the largest chipper blade. I’m sorry I didn’t take photos, but the next time I make them I will. They come out a bit thin, but they are ohhh, sooooo good! You just have to be careful not to overcook them, turning them several times in the oven. I might even try soaking them in water first, or deep frying them.

I also want to try slicing onion straws with the small chipper blade.

I will be experimenting with the spiral slicer for a very long time. I will post recipes when I do.

It took me awhile to get to the zucchini because neither my husband nor I have ever bought a zucchini. I’ve never cooked zucchini, and I didn’t even know what a zucchini looked like. I mean, I had an idea. It resembles a cucumber, right?

When my husband stopped at Kroger to pick up a few things, he called to see if I needed anything. I asked him to pick up a zucchini. I wanted to try out my new vegetable spiralizer so I could make zucchini spaghetti. He didn’t sound too thrilled about that. Anyway, he kept me on the phone while he walked through the produce department looking for a zucchini. I told him it looks like a cucumber. I told him to get one that was straight and not too bent so it would fit the spiral slicer. He found what he thought was zucchini, but he didn’t see any labels on the produce shelf. So, he came home with, not a zucchini, but an English cucumber! It was long and skinny, different than a regular cucumber. Oh well, I’ll get the zucchini next time I go shopping.

English Cucumber

Finally, when I went shopping a few days later, I picked up two small zucchinis, easily identified by the label in the produce section. I guess my husband wasn’t wearing his glasses that day. 😀

This is what a zucchini realy looks like! You can tell by the knobby ends.

The spiral slicer leaves about a half-inch piece at the end of the zucchini, so leave the knobby ends on the zucchini when placing it on the spiral slicer so that you don’t waste any of the zucchini. After spiralizing two small zucchinis, I dropped the zucchini noodles into boiling water with a lot of salt for a couple of minutes to soften it a little. Some like it crunchy, but I wanted it to resemble the texture of spaghetti pasta. The dryer the noodles, the longer it will have to boil.

Zoodles of Noodles

I then rinsed and drained it in a colander for about five minutes. This process shrunk the zucchini considerably, so two zucchinis only made one serving. That was okay because this was a test for me to try before serving it to my family. I would suggest buying two small or one large zucchini per person. I then rinsed the salt out of the zucchini and drained it again (without pressing it).

While I had regular spaghetti boiling for the rest of the family, and spaghetti sauce simmering in a pot, I heated up some olive oil in a skillet, added some minced garlic, and tossed the zoodles into the skillet for a couple of minutes. I served it in a bowl topped with spaghetti sauce.

At first, it reminded me of Chinese food. It didn’t taste like spaghetti pasta at all. But, as it turned out, I absolutely loved it! I couldn’t get enough. I went back to the kitchen, gathered all the zucchini scraps leftover from the spiral slicer. It leaves a core and the ends, plus the peelings. So, I chopped those up and sauteed them in oil and garlic. Next time, I will not peel the zucchini, the zucchini peels tasted great, too!

Zucchini Spaghetti
This tastes so much better than it looks!

Clean-Up Is A Breeze!

When given a choice of whether to use my Paderno slicer or a mandolin, or food processor, I choose the Paderno when I can. The clean-up is so easy. Just make sure you clean it right away, before the vegetables dry up and clog the blades. Other than the blades, the slicer is all a smooth plastic that is easy to clean. I use a tooth brush to clean the blades, but the Paderno slicer is dishwasher safe, too.

Note: I bought the Paderno World Cuisine A4982799 Tri-Blade Plastic Spiral Vegetable Slicer, and that is exactly what is pictured here. I noticed that there are now several cheaper versions of the slicer, and I cannot verify whether they are the actual Paderno or imitations. I can only recommend the Paderno Spiral Vegetable Slicer because that is what I have, and I love it!

Pork Fried Rice

Pork Recipes, Side Dishes, What's Cooking? No Responses »

May 282014

I usually make this when I have an extra pork chop, but it would also be good with chicken, beef or shrimp. You can also add whatever vegetables you choose, such as broccoli, shredded carrots, or peppers. I usually only add small peas. The combined flavors from the garlic, green onions, ginger, and the addition of sesame oil, rice vinegar and soy sauce, makes it oh, so good!

Ingredients:

3-4 Tbsp vegetable oil
A few drops of sesame oil (optional)
1 pork chop, cooked or uncooked, and cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
1-1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger (I use a fine grater)
3-4 green onions, chopped (white and light green parts)
A handful of frozen peas or sugar snap peas (or both)
1/4 cup diced frozen or cooked carrots – optional (I sometimes use canned peas and carrots)
1-1/2 cups cold cooked brown or white rice (I use either Minute Rice or long grain white rice)
2 eggs, scrambled
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar

Directions:

In a wok or large skillet, over medium high heat, add 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil and sesame oil.

If uncooked, add pork and cook 5-6 minutes until cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Lower heat to medium, heat up a little more vegetable oil, add onion and saute for about five minutes, until translucent. Then, add garlic, ginger, and green onions. Cook about 1 minute.

I store my ginger in the freezer and grate as needed

Mix in rice and turn heat to medium-high. Let the rice get crispy, about 2 minutes. Add peas and carrots, and stir.

Mix in rice, stir until crispy, add peas and carrots, and stir

Move rice to the side and add eggs, scrambling them and working into the rice mixture as you go. You might need to add a little more oil.

Move rice to the side and add eggs

Stir eggs into rice

Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, and cooked pork. Toss together and serve.

Add soy sauce

Add rice vinegar

Add cooked pork

Pork Fried Rice

Printable recipe without images:

Pork Fried Rice

Ingredients:

Directions:

In a wok or large skillet, over medium high heat, add 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil and sesame oil.

If uncooked, add pork and cook 5-6 minutes until cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Lower heat to medium, heat up a little more vegetable oil, add onion and saute for about five minutes, until translucent. Then, add garlic, ginger, and green onions. Cook about 1 minute.

Mix in rice and turn heat to medium-high. Let the rice get crispy, about 2 minutes. Add peas and carrots, and stir.

Move rice to the side and add eggs, scrambling them and working into the rice mixture as you go. You might need to add a little more oil.

Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, and cooked pork. Toss together and serve.

Cheesy Spanish Rice

Beef Recipes, Chicken & Poultry Recipes, Side Dishes No Responses »

Jun 262013

I made this earlier today because I wasn’t sure exactly how long it would take to make it. It came out so good I couldn’t stop munching on it. I added the cheese later when I reheated it, and it was even better. But if you want to save some calories, it tastes great without the cheese. I served this with beef burritos and enchiladas.

I’m usually terrible when it comes to cooking rice. It always comes out too mushy. This, however, is tender and moist, not mushy.

Serve on the side with burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, or tacos. If you want to make a full dinner out of it, add ground beef or cooked chicken, and corn or baby peas. Continue reading »

Cucumbers, Peppers and Onion Salad

Side Dishes No Responses »

Jun 042013

My husband found this recipe from Hillbilly Recipes on Facebook. I changed some of the measurements and came up with the following:

Ingredients:

2 or 3 large or 4 small cucumbers* (peeled, unpeeled or striped) and sliced thin.
1 large sliced red onion, separated into rings
1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 tsp salt
2 cups white vinegar**
2 cups cold water**
1/2-1 cup sugar***
1 tsp celery seed or celery flakes
1 tsp red pepper flakes or cayenne

In large bowl, mix cucumbers, onions, peppers and salt; set aside.

Put vinegar, sugar, celery flakes and pepper flakes in a pot on low heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add cold water and stir. If using Splenda, do not heat. Just whisk until dissolved.

Place all veggies in large mouth canning jars (2 quarts or 1 half gallon jar)

Pour liquid mixture over veggies to cover. Add additional equal parts vinegar and water if necessary.

Makes 1/2 gallon (64 oz.) Store in refrigerator. The longer it sits in the fridge, the better it tastes! Will keep up to 2 months.

There are so many variations of this recipe on the Internet, you can pretty much use whatever you want.

Instead of white vinegar, try apple cider or red wine vinegar.

*Please note that the original recipe from Hillbilly Recipes on Facebook called for 4 cucumbers. I think you only need 2 or 3 large cucumbers, or 4 small ones. I used 4 large cucumbers and had a lot left over. dancing pickle I first filled an 80 oz. jar, and then I kept the rest in a bowl without the liquid and ate them with vegetable dip – those were very yummy, too!

**This recipe is for two quarts or one-half gallon (64 oz.). If you need more liquid, add equal amounts of vinegar and water to cover. I used an 80 oz. jar (I buy the large jar of Mt. Olive whole pickles), so I added an additional 16 oz. of liquid. So, for an 80 oz. jar I used approx. 3 cups vinegar and 3 cups cold water.

***Use a smaller amount of sugar (or substitute with granuated Splenda), or leave it out entirely. The original recipe called for 1-1/2 cups of suger (yikes!) I used 1 cup of sugar with 6 cups of liquid (for 80 oz. pickle jar) and my husband thought it was too sweet. I loved it! So, start with a 1/2 cup of sugar. It needs to be dissolved first, so if you need to add more suger, pour off some of the liquid from the jar and add to pot with sugar and reheat until dissolved. If using Splenda, do not heat, just stir with whisk until dissolved.

Use green, orange, yellow or red peppers, or leave them out entirely.

Try adding tomatoes, thick-slices, chunks or grape tomatoes.

Photo provided by me 🙂

Bon appétit

Family Rating: Five Smileys

Please come back and comment if you try this recipe!

Easy Microwave Corn-on-the-Cob – husks and silk slide right off!

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Apr 202013

I found this video some months ago and couldn’t believe I had never tried this method of cooking corn on the cob. It’s so easy! You need something to grab the hot corn and squeeze the husks off. I use the Ove’ Gloves, just like Ken in the video. He sure is a cutie!

Last night I made BBQ chicken and corn on the cob. I remembered this video I had seen awhile back, so I searched for it on youTube.com. It’s easy to find, but I wanted to post it here, too.

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