Hamburger Noodle Skillet

This was SUPER easy...and tasty too!

3 slices bacon
1/2 an onion chopped (my onion was kinda big)
1 pound lean ground pork/beef/turkey
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
2 green peppers chopped
1/4 cup chili sauce
1 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
3 cups noodles, uncooked (we used tri-color rotini)

In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp; eat bacon if you want or toss it :) I ate mine! Add onion to the bacon drippings; cook until tender. Add ground meat and brown. Stir in tomatoes, green bell pepper, chili sauce, salt, and a dash of pepper. Add the uncooked noodles. Cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, or until noodles are tender.

I am serving mine with some yummy french bread.

easy peasy!

Jamie

Improvising a Panini

Well, I don't own a panini press but I was really really really in the mood for a Panini...so I improvised...

I used the cast iron frying pan as the press and the cast iron grill that you heat up on the stove top to get the lines and grilled panini effect I was desiring.

Basically, I cut up some amazing simple Focaccia bread, spread olive oil on the outside, pub cheese on the inside, added some fabulous pepper turkey breast and red onion and then grilled it to perfection.

It was amazing. Between my husband and I we ate every last bit of it up. I think it would have been even better if I'd added tomato...otherwise I was totally happy with this meal. And quite proud of my improvisational skills too :) I served some strawberries on the side and that was the extent of this meal...just perfect!

Jamie Willow

Garlic

Is the secret ingredient for this week. We are starting easy here, but garlic is an often used but overlooked ingredient. It is an essential minor part of lots of cuisines, but is also a wonderful ingredient on its own. I don't often use it as a main ingredient, but I have two recipes that really bring out the unique features of this herb. One I have already shared, the other will be linked to this post.

Garlic has many amazingly beneficial properties, amongst these are manganese, Vitamin C, Selenium, Vitamin B6 and on top of all that garlic also acts as a natural Anti-Inflammatory and an antibacterial and antiviral agent. Makes smelling a little garlicky a lot more attractive right??

So, here is what I would like you to do. In a separate post, write out a recipe featuring or just containing garlic. Link up this original post for easy tracking and label it Recipe Roulette. I will post the secret ingredient on thursdays.

Guacamole. Patty's Way.

5 ripe avocados
1 white onion, finely chopped
2 serano peppers, seeded and finely chopped
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
3 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and pepper to taste
A squeeze of lime to taste


Remember that much of this is done to taste because of the fresh ingredients. So just adjust to your taste!

Mash the avocado. Add the chopped onion, cilantro, lime, tomato, garlic, salt and pepper and mash some more. Depending on how spicy you want your guacamole to be, add half of a pepper at a time. We usually use two, but we like some spice in ours.

Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation from the air reaching it. That makes for a not so pretty guacamole dip. Refrigerate until ready.

Enjoy!

I usually put our guacamole in a Molcajete (Adobo Grill). It's the way my Mother always served it, and I like the look that it gives. Mine is currently in storage (it won't be out until February...booo)

I can't wait to move to a new place so I can serve my guacamole in it! Doesn't it give it an authentic look?

Green Beans with Pepper & Onion

I'm often looking for a new way to spice up vegetables, although we like them all just steamed too. I made these green beans last night, they were delicious!



Ingredients:
1 lb fresh Green Beans
1 Tablespoon Butter And 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1 cup Chopped Onion
1/2 - 3/4 cup Chopped Red Bell Pepper
1 cup Chicken Broth
1/2 - 3/4 tsp Kosher Salt (or 1/4 - 1/2 tsp Regular Table Salt)
Ground Black Pepper To Taste

Directions:
1. Snap or cut the stem ends of the green beans.
2. Add oil and melt butter in a skillet over medium low heat. Add garlic and onions and cook for a minute. Then add green beans and cook for a minute until beans turn bright green.
3. Add the chicken broth, chopped red pepper, salt and black pepper. Turn heat to low and cover with a lid, leaving lid cracked to allow steam to escape. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until liquid evaporates and beans are fairly so3, yet still a bit crisp. (You can add more chicken broth during the cooking process, but letting it all cook away will help the onions and peppers caramelize.)

YUM!

Cooking...

We had steak and roasted baby potatoes too. (Also salad, not pictured.)


(I can't take credit, this recipe is from the amazing PW.)

Avocado & Chicken Salad

This is one of my favorite summer lunches. I don't have an exact recipe.

Avocado & Chicken Salad

1 Avocado

1 can of Chicken Breast

Mayo

chopped Celery

Curry Powder

Pepper

Chicken Salad:

Put 1 can of Chicken Breast in a bowl. Mix in a (2-3) of spoons full of Mayo. Mix in Curry Powder to taste. Add chopped Celery to mixture.

Place cut up Avocado on a plate. Top with Chicken Salad mixture. Add pepper to taste.

Pico de Gallo.

Pico de Gallo

1 white onion, finely chopped
4 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
2 serano peppers, seeded and finely chopped
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Tons of lime juice
Salt to taste

This is the amount I use for dinner. It's pretty easy to make huge batches for pot lucks too. Pico de gallo is very popular in Mexican culture because it goes with so many dishes and because it is so quick and easy to put together. I love to put it on top of quesadillas, carne asada tacos, and just munch on it with tortilla chips. When Anthony gets home from work, he'll ask me to whip up a batch so he can have it pre dinner. It's his favorite appetizer. :)

Enjoy!
Patty