Spinach and Potato Frittata

I had no meat thawed out and did not feel like waiting. I saw I had a bunch of eggs and decided it was time to try an Italian Frittata! Good choice! Quick, easy and soooo yummy!

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 small red potatoes, sliced
1 cup torn fresh spinach
2 tablespoons sliced green onions
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
salt and pepper to taste
6 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Place potatoes in the skillet, cover, and cook about 10 minutes, until tender but firm. Mix in spinach, green onions, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking 1 to 2 minutes, until spinach is wilted.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together eggs and milk. Pour into the skillet over the vegetables. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until eggs are firm. Enjoy!

THE WINNER! Chocolate Chip Cookie

After trying dozens of chocolate chip cookie recipes, I believe I found the winner! These puffed up like they are supposed to, are gooey inside, and taste unbelievable. I am going to post the recipe as it was written HOWEVER, I would back off of the sea salt to 1/2 teaspoon instead of one teaspoon. ENJOY!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups (12 oz) all-purpose flour *If at all possible, please weigh the flour

1 tsp. smallish-medium coarse sea salt *please do not use table salt, the sea salt gives the cookies a nice flavor and hints of texture. If you only have table salt, use 1/2 tsp. *When using sea salt, you will get small crunchy flecks of salt when you bite into the cookie. If you do not like this taste, go with 1/2 teaspoon of table salt.

1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 cups/16 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips *I use Nestle Toll-House

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until it is nice and fluffy (approx. 5 minutes on medium speed on a K-5). Add both eggs and vanilla and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour until cookie batter is fully incorporated. Finally add chocolate chips until well distributed. The cookie batter should be somewhat thick. Drop about 2 tablespoons of dough or use a medium cookie scoop and plop the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges are nice and golden brown. Remove from heat and allow the cookies to stay on the cookie sheet for an additional 2 minutes. Pick up the parchment paper with the cookies still on top and transfer to a cool non-porous surface. Allow the cookies to cool on the paper for at least 3 minutes before serving.

YUM!

GREAT Steak Marinade!

SENSATIONAL STEAK MARINADE

1/4 c. soy sauce
3 tbsp. light brown sugar
3 tbsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. seasoned pepper
1/3 c. Sprite

Whisk all ingredients together until sugar is properly dissolved. Put steaks in an air tight container, pour marinade over the steak. Marinade for at least one hour on each side. Grill to perfection!

Can also be served as kabobs:
2 green peppers (parboiled)
2 lb. boneless sirloin steak, cut in 1 1/2" cubes
1/2 lb. fresh mushroom caps
Peppers
1 pt. cherry tomatoes
1 sm. fresh pineapple
Combine all ingredients and mix well to make marinade. Put sirloin steak in marinade sauce overnight refrigerator. Turn occasionally. Parboil 2 green peppers, cubed, 1 minute; drain.
Allow meat to come to room temperature. Remove meat from marinade. Pour marinade over mushroom caps, peppers, cherry tomatoes and pineapple. Alternate meat and vegetables on skewers. Grill over medium hot fire 10-15 minutes basting frequently with marinade.

Fried Ice Cream

Peeps, this is way easier than I ever expected! I made this for our Mexican Gourmet night and everyone really enjoyed it!

FRIED ICE CREAM

1 pt. chocolate or vanilla ice cream (can use any kind of ice cream you desire)
1 beaten egg
1/4 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. frosted flakes, crushed
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 beaten egg
1/4 tsp. vanilla
Cooking oil for deep-fat frying
Whipped cream (optional)
Chocolate syrup (optional)
Marachino Cherries (optional)
Mint sprigs (optional)

Place 4 scoops (about 1/2 cup each) of ice cream in a small pan. Freeze for 1 hour or until firm. In a small mixing bowl, stir together egg and vanilla. In a pie plate, carefully stir together cereal and cinnamon. Dip each frozen ice cream ball in the egg mixture, then roll it in cereal mixture. Return coated ice cream balls to pan and freeze for 1 hour or until firm. Reserve remaining cereal mixture.
In a small mixing bowl, stir together egg and vanilla. Remove coated ice cream balls from the freezer. Dip balls in egg mixture, then roll them in remaining cereal mixture. Return to pan. Cover and freeze for several hours or until firm.

In a deep fat fryer or heavy saucepan(I used a sauce pan), fry frozen, coated ice cream balls, 1 or 2 at a time in deep hot oil (375 degrees) for 15 seconds or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Return the fried ice cream balls to the freezer while frying the remaining balls. Serve immediately with whipped cream and garnish with mint, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

SALISBURY STEAK

I found a really good Salisbury Steak recipe if anyone wants to give it a try! I had the whole meal put together while the cookies baked. All done in less than an hour, including clean up.

SALISBURY STEAK
10 3/4 ounces cream of mushroom soup, condensed
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, lean
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs, or cracker crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 onion, finely chopped
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 cup water

I also added some onion soup mix in with the seasonings for extra flavor, with beef it never hurts to kick it up a notch!

Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, combine 1/4 of the soup with remaining ingredients except water; mix well. Shape into 6 patties; arrange in single layer in 13x9-inch or 12x8-inch baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350°F. for 30 minutes. Skim off fat.

In small bowl, combine remaining soup and water; spoon over patties. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes. If desired, garnish with mushroom slices.

Serve with mashed or fried potatoes, green beans (with Catalina dressing) and biscuits!

Peanut Butter cookies with Nutella chocolate spread for desert!

Peanut Butter Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
1.Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2.In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt. Mix well with a wire whisk set aside.
3.In a large bowl, blend sugars, using an electric mixer set at medium speed. Add butter, and mix to form a grainy paste, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add eggs, peanut butter and vanilla and mix at medium speed until light and fluffy.
4.Add the flour mixture and mix at low speed until just mixed.
5.Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. With a wet fork gently press cookies in a crisscrossed pattern. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until slightly brown along edges.

SOUPer Bowl Soup

This soup is so good I couldn't believe that the only seasonings it called for were salt, pepper, and garlic powder! I will admit that the first time I made it ... no one even wanted to try it because they said it didn't look good. Eventually, hunger took over and they had to eat! They all came back for seconds and thirds. Now they ASK me to make it and they call it "THAT" soup. :o) It also is considered a "diet" soup with only 45 calories per cup. I just like all the veggies and the things you can add to it!

Ingredients

1 pound(s) carrots, sliced
3 medium (1 1/2 pounds) onions, chopped
4 stalk(s) celery, sliced
2 large cloves garlic, crushed with press
2 can(s) (28 ounces each) whole tomatoes in juice
1/2 small (1-pound) head green cabbage, thinly sliced
3/4 pound(s) green beans, trimmed and each cut into thirds
1 can(s) (48-ounce) chicken broth
2 can(s) light red kidney beans
1 can black beans
6 cup(s) water
1 teaspoon(s) salt
1/4 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper
1 tbsp garlic power
3 medium (1 1/4 pounds) zucchini, sliced into half-moons
2 bag(s) (6 ounces each) baby spinach leaves

My Additions:
After soup is done, add a couple cooked tortellini and top with shredded parmesan/asiago/romano cheese.

(After soup possible additions)chunk chicken or beef, corn, white kidney beans, chili powder, etc.)

Directions

Coat 12-quart stockpot (or 2 large saucepans) with nonstick cooking spray. Over medium-high heat, add carrots, onions, celery, and garlic; cook 8 minutes or until vegetables soften, stirring occasionally.
Add tomatoes with their liquid, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon. Add cabbage, green beans, broth, water, salt, and pepper; heat to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to high; stir in zucchini and spinach and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.

Nutritional information is based on 1 cup of soup.

Nutritional Information
(per serving)

Calories 45
Total Fat 1g
Saturated Fat 0
Cholesterol 0
Sodium 410mg
Total Carbohydrate 9g
Dietary Fiber 4g
Sugars --
Protein 2g
Calcium --

BBQ Ribs

I have tried several rib recipes over the years and this one by far made everyone the happiest! Take the time to so these steps and I am sure your family will LOVE you for it!

Kansas City Rib Rub
Ingredients:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne
Preparation:

Combine all ingredients together and transfer to an air tight container.

Kansas City Rib Sauce
Ingredients:

1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cayenne
Preparation:

Heat oil in a saucepan. Add garlic and sauté until brown. Add remaining ingredients and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes until thickened.

HOW TO:

First thing, start with a good rack of ribs. Actually start with two. One never seems enough. Once you get the hang of it you can move up to ten, twenty, enough to please the crowd that will gather.:o)

Prepare ribs by washing racks and pealing membrane from the bone side. To remove the membrane, slip a sharp knife under the membrane at one end of the rack and pealing back enough to get a good grip. Try using a paper towel to hold the membrane, then pull. You might need a little practice, but you'll get the hang of it. Once the ribs are prepared, evenly coat with the rub and let sit. You can refrigerate overnight or let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes while you get the smoker or oven ready.

Basting is an option to making ribs. On one hand it will add more flavor to your ribs and can help keep them moist. On the other you can wash off the rub you've already applied. By using a baste (sometimes called a mop) that contains the seasonings of the rub you already used you will enhance the flavor without washing away the flavor you've already added.

Only add sauces at the very end of the cooking process or after you have removed the ribs from the smoker/oven. Sauces can cause burning or excessive caramelization to foods. I will typically remove the ribs, cut them up and then add the sauce. You might also want to put the sauce on the side for people to add as they see fit. Remember, of course sugar burns at 265 degrees F. (129 degrees C.), well below smoking temperatures, but it is best to leave sauces to the end OR you can cook your ribs slow and LOW to ensure the sugars do not burn.

Ham Pot Pie

HAM POT PIE
1 sm. bone in ham
7-9 qts. water
7 med. potatoes, peeled & cut into bite size pieces
3 carrots peeled and chopped
3 stalks of celery chopped

Boil ham in water until it falls from bone. Add potatoes to ham and water, cook until tender. While the potatoes are cooking, mix together:

1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. milk
Blend with fork, divide dough in half, roll out thin on floured board. Cut with knife into 1" strips then cut strips diagonally. Drop 1 at a time into boiling broth, potatoes and ham. Stir when you drop each dough piece in so they don't stick together. Do other half of dough the same. Simmer about 20 minutes.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

My friend Paula wanted me to share these...even though we live to far apart, I can at least share how I made them! :o) Merry Christmas Paula!! I miss you- so hear are some Christmas kisses with PEANUT BUTTER for you and our family! :o)

PEANUT BUTTER BLOSSOMS
1 c. sugar
1 c. butter
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
2 (10 oz. pkg.) Hershey Kisses
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. creamy peanut butter
1/4 c. milk
3 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda

Mix all ingredients above except Kisses. Shape in medium size balls. Roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Place 1 kiss on each blossom, let cool for a few minutes and transfer to cooling rack.

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

Some days,a girl just needs a little chocolate. Today was one of those days...thank goodness to my friend Linda who sent me this yummy recipe!

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well..
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT ! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?
Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake
at any time of the day or night!

Meatloaf & Baked Mashed Potatos

Made this on Sunday and put in the fridge for tonight. Turned out very well! The potatoes were really good and creamy!

30 minute mini meatloaves

1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 small onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1 egg

Total Time: 35 min

1. Heat oven to 450°F. In small bowl, stir ketchup and brown sugar until mixed; reserve 1/4 cup for topping. In large bowl, stir remaining ingredients and remaining ketchup mixture until well mixed.
2. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Place meat mixture in pan; pat into 12x4-inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise down center and then crosswise into sixths to form 12 loaves. Separate loaves, using spatula, so no edges are touching. Brush loaves with reserved 1/4 cup ketchup mixture.
3. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until loaves are no longer pink in center and meat thermometer inserted in center of loaves reads 160°F.

Do Ahead Garlic Mashed Potatos

3 pounds potatoes (about 9 medium), peeled and cut into pieces
6 cloves garlic, peeled
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup whipping (heavy) cream
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper

1. In 3-quart saucepan, mix potatoes and garlic; add enough water (salted if desired) to cover. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer covered 20 to 25 minutes or until tender; drain. Shake pan with potatoes over low heat to dry. Mash potatoes and garlic in pan with potato masher or electric mixer until no lumps remain.
2. In 1-quart saucepan, heat milk, whipping cream, butter, salt and pepper over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted; reserve and refrigerate 1/4 cup mixture. Add remaining milk mixture in small amounts to potatoes, mashing after each addition, until potatoes are light and fluffy. (Amount of milk needed to make potatoes smooth and fluffy depends on kind of potatoes used.)
3. Grease 2-quart casserole. Spoon potatoes into casserole; cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
4. Heat oven to 350ºF. Pour reserved milk mixture over potatoes. Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes or until hot. Stir potatoes before serving.

Special Touch
If you're not serving gravy with the mashed potatoes, try any of these ideas for perking up your potatoes: • Sprinkle 1 cup crushed herb-seasoned croutons over potatoes. • Sprinkle 1 can (2.8 ounces) French-fried onions over potatoes. • Place purchased pesto in a resealable plastic bag; snip off a tiny corner and drizzle pesto over potatoes. • Sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese over potatoes.

Saussage Balls

This is also a PD recipe but she uses hers as an appetizer, we like ours for a meal! I serve them with green beans covered in Kraft Catalina dressing and white rice, Yum, Yum!

SAUSAGE CHEESE BALLS

Ingredients:
2 pkgs. (16 oz. each) Regular Flavor Pork Sausage
16 oz. (4 cups) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)
1-1/2 cups all-purpose baking mix (note: go easy on this ...too much drys up the recipe - when mixture is sticky, you are good to go!)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl; stir well. 2. Form into 1” balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet; bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
3. Remove from oven; cool 5 minutes before removing from pan. Serve with cocktail forks or toothpicks.

Note:
May be prepared ahead and frozen uncooked. To bake from frozen: thaw on baking sheet 15 minutes; bake in preheated oven 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Variation: for firmer texture, add 3 cups baking mix and 2 cups shredded cheese to the ingredients listed above.

Cheeseburger Soup and Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have been making this soup for over 5 years now and the gang still considers it a favorite! It is ok to freeze it and warm up later if you make a larger batch!

Cheeseburger Soup
TasteofHome recipe

Ingredients
1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
4 tablespoons butter, divided
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups diced peeled potatoes (1-3/4 pounds)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups (8 ounces) process cheese (Velveeta or shredded cheddar is ok too)
1-1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sour cream
Directions
1. In a 3-qt. saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside. In the same
saucepan, saute onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1
tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add
broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and
simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
2. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook
and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly.
3. Add to soup; bring to a
boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
4. Add cheese,milk, salt and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from
the heat; blend in sour cream. Yield: 8 servings (2-1/4 quarts).
Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 cup) equals 330 calories, 18 g fat (11 g saturated fat), 59 mg cholesterol, 1,027 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 15 g protein.
© Taste of Home 2009

Wanted to try the recipe to see if they realy were crispy and chewy .... SUCCESS!
Crispy, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from AllRecipes.com

These cookies have a lower chip-to-dough ratio than our earlier favorites and a thicker, softer thing going on than the consummate cookies, to help you differentiate them. But when I’m looking for a classic cookie, kind of like the old school Toll House recipe but better, even, this is what I go for.

As always with cookies, you can scoop, flash freeze and then freeze the cookies until you’re ready to bake them, or to bake a few off at a time. You can bake them straight from the freezer, adding a few minutes to your baking time, of course, or let them thaw out on a tray for a while.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended.

3. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended.

4. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time (for giant cookies) or a tablespoon at a time (for smaller cookies) onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.

5. Bake larger cookies for 15 to 17 minutes, or 10 to 12 minutes for smaller ones (check your cookies before they’re done; depending on your scoop size, your baking time will vary) in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.