Living In Grace

Aloha Tiki Tiki Chcken

We lived in this little out of the way  place 30 minutes from Los Angeles growing up. Well, it was out of the way back then- rumor has it that the first time my folks drove out there to look around, they thought "Who the heck would live all the way out here?"

Now?

It "the " destination suburb for all those looking to work in LA< but live outside the big city.

But, back then, we had one store, a five and dime and a hardware store.

Oh, and McDonalds.

When I was 20, the grocery was running a contest for a trip to Maui. My mom faithfully entered it multiple time when she went it to shop- I entered it one time on a whim.

Once,

And guess who won!

My parents decided we were all going, so they paid an upgrade for a third person. Dad and I fell in love with it, and started making plans for me to move there when we got home, and for them to retire there.

Needless to say, we had some big plans, great conversations but none of it ever came through.

What i did take away from the trip, other than a great pair of earrings and some even better memories, was the love for the flavors of  the islands.

In cruising blogs a few weeks ago, I came across this simple recipe that embodies everything fruity and yummy, and island-like. Unfortunately, I don't remeber the name of the blog I saw it on- so if it was yours? Let me know in comments and know I'm eternally grateful.

Aloha Chicken

Chicken pieces of your choice - I use boneless, skinless thighs
1 quart Pineapple juice
2 cups brown sugar
Pineapple rings
Rice

Marinate the chicken in the pineapple juice and brown sugar over night.Or, throw it otether in the fridge first thing in morning if you forget- like I did.

About an hour before you're ready to eat, fire up the grill and BBQ the chicken slowly . Turn it the least amount possible to seal in those juices. Just before they're done, toss the pineapple rings onto the top shelf or coolest part of your BBQ for a minute to grill.

Serve  the chicken over rice, topped with the gripped pineapple rings.

Eat island style with no silverware, seated on the floor with some Don Ho playing in the background.

Enjoy!

For more great recipes visit Saturday Stirrings.

More Summer Goodness in a Bowl

TO ENTER THE GREAT MOVIE GIVEAWAY ... JUST SCROLL DOWN WHEN YOU'RE DONE!

You've come to expect easy, cheap and yummy from me .... and I appreciate it. Of course, growing up I would be appalled if I was known for being easy and cheap, but ...

Anyway.

Today, I bring you another wonderful hand-me-down recipe from Aunt Sandy. Anyone here notice a trend?
She taught me this recipe when I was about 15, and then passed the torch to Kati this past October when she was 14.

Ah, the legacy we leave for our children.

So, gather up the supplies and prepared to fall in love with ..

(drum roll please, and abit of trumpetal fanfare  wouldn't hurt either)

Aunt Sandy's Pink Lady Salad

1 lrg Cool Whip, softened abit (We love it with Extra Creamy, but Low Fat if awesome as well)
1 lrg and 1 small Cottage Cheese (your choosing)
1 large or 2 small Peach Jello (really any fruit flavor will do)
1 can Sliced Peaches, drained oh so well and cut up (If you use strawberry jello- tr strawberries or bananas)

Grab a bowl, and add the Cool Whip and whip it a bit with a fork to smooth the consistency.

Add the Jello powder right out of the packet(s) and give it a good stir to mix it up.

Add the cottage cheese, again giving a good stir to mix.

Finally fold in the fruit of your choosing. Always drain, drain, drain any canned fruit so it doesn't get all soupy.

I've added chopped nuts, but they tend to get soft and mushy. YOu can serve them on the side and add at the time of serving.

Chill for an hour or so to set up and Voila!

Another easy summer salad.

For more amazing recipes, visit Saturday Stirrings over a Fiddledeedee's place ...

Saturday Stirrings - Easy, CHEAP Strawberry Yumminess

Another great edition of Kelli's Cheap Frugal Ideas!

Summertime means no cooking. NO! COOKING! NO! HEAT!

To preserve the needed funds to maintain our house temperature at a cool 70 degrees, we eat more cheaply cheaper more efficiently in the summer.

Priorities people. Priorities

This is a snack/dessert that John created right after we were married, and we lived on it for a few years.

Simple. Cheap. Cool.

My kindof recipe.

Strawberry Fluffy Yumminess

1 container Cool Whip
(any knid)
1 large Strawberry Yogurt
(any brand)
Strawberries, if desired
(Fresh is better if in season. If frozen, that completely. If you put them in frozen, it will make this runny and watery as they thaw. And that is just gross)

Mix the Cool Whip and the Yogurt in a large bowl. Fold in strawberries, if using.

Eat from bowl with spoon, sharing only if necessary.

**For dessert- throw it all in a pre-made graham cracker pie shell.

Two! Two! Two recipes in one!

For more great recipes like this ... visit Fiddledeedee's Saturday Stirrings!

Fluffiness Can Be A Good Thing ...

Fluffiness can be a good thing, when not being used to refer to my thighs.

But, when you're talking Saturday morning pancakes?

Bring on the FLUFF

As I venture out into the world o'cooking from scratch more, and it's a scary, scary journey, I'm learning ways to improve upon my failures as a cook. My family can duly chronicle my cooking misadventures (most of which ended up in ordering in pizza).

Lately, I've been taking on breakfast foods. I have somewhat conquered crepes and waffles.

Now, the big battle.

Pancakes.

Buttermilk pancakes.

Without real buttermilk.

(cue scary music)

Da da dun...........

And so, my fellow foodie-challenged friends, I give you ...

Yummy, Fluffy Goodness in the Form of a Pancake

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated      sugar (or Splenda)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup melted butter

PREPARATION:

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and soda.

In another bowl, whisk together **buttermilk and milk, egg yolks, and melted butter. Blend into the dry ingredients just until all ingredients are moistened.

** Interrupting this recipe recital o bring you this 'well known to everyone but me factoid' about buttermilk: Since most of us don't keep buttermilk in the house, simply add 1 T of vinegar or lemon juice to each cup of milk. Set aside of a few minutes, and Voila! Buttermilk.

Beat egg whites in another bowl until stiff peaks form. This is where the fluffiness lies, hidden, waiting to release it's yumminess to the world.

Fold into the batter until well incorporated.

Preheat and spray a skillet lightly with cooking spray (or use can use a wee bit of oil or butter).

Pour a 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake, leaving a bit of space between for expansion.

Check the underside after a few minutes by lifting the corner of the pancake, If it's nicely browned, flip that puppy over and give side two a chance to tan.

Preheat your oven to 220, and put the each set of pancakes on an oven proof plate to keep warm while you continue to cook.

Marvel at how light and fluffy these pancakes are.

Think of me, and smile.

Saturday Stirrings - The easiest side dish ever

Summertime is approaching, which means I DON"T WANT TO USE THE OVEN.

See ya in the fall, baby. Don't let the potholder hit you on the way out.

Around here summer means lots of cold sandwiches, and easy fixin's off the BBQ. The thing that COOKS OUTSIDE! and DOESN"T! HEAT! UP! MY! HOUSE! and HUBBY! IS! RESPONSIBLE! FOR ! CLEANING!

I like to have easy, throw together side dishes on the cheap and this is one of my favorites.

Let's call it Marie's Easy Peasy Coleslaw, shall we!

(Get a pen and paper, you may want to take notes).

1. Get two bags of pre-shredded cabbage from the refrigerated produce section at the store.

2. From the same refrigerated section of the produce area, grab one bottle of Marie's Coleslaw dressing.

3. Drive home.

4. Get a bowl and dump it all in.

5. Mix.

6. Serve.

7. Relax.

Ta-da!

You're welcome.

For more great recipes. visit Fiddledeedee's Saturday Stirrings.

Sour Cream Waffles

In a pinch, ok, when I'm too lazy to go to the store and we've run out everything in the house ... this is one of my go-to meals. I always have everything in the house to make them, and these seem to be lighter and yunnier than most waffle recipes I've tried..

If you can, throw some eggs together, in whatever style you like, and enjoy!

Sour Cream Waffles

1 cup whole milk
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch kosher salt
(You can also add pecans, blueberries, strawberries, chocolate chips or whatever you please)

Heat waffle iron. (If you don't have a waffle iron, this batter makes great pancakes as well!)

 

Combine wet ingredients and whisk well to combine. 

Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl and form a well in the center. Add the wet mixture to the well and fold in with the dry. Don't worry if there are a few lumps.

(If adding anything fun extras, lightly fold them in at this point)

When iron is hot, spray lightly with non-stick spray.

Spoon 1/2 to 3/4 cup of batter onto the center of the iron and cook until a golden brown crust forms (about 5 minutes).

Heat the oven to 220 degrees, and put the waffles on an oven-proof plate for warming while you finish cooking the batch.

I serve with eggs and whatever fruit we have laying around. Easy peasy!

For s'more great recipes, visit Fiddledeedee's place!

 

Saturday Stirrings ...

This is a weekend of forced relaxation.

Comfort food.

Forgetting about the 50 pounds I've lost.

Life is sweet.

In honor of that, I'm pulling out a favorite comfort foods recipe of mine. This comes from my dearest friend in the whole, wide world .. known around here now as Aunt Sandy.

She first made this tempted me drew me in with this recipe when I was about 15 (yes, there was indoor cooking way. back. then.), and was kind enough to give up cough up the recipe when she was visiting in October.

SCORE!

And so, without further ado, I give you the BEST! DARN! SIDE DISH ! YOU! WILL! EVER ! MAKE!

Aunt Sandy’s Cheese Potatoes

 

• 6 medium potatoes – Boil until slightly firm;      cool, peel, grate
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 cup of Cream of Chicken soup
• 1 pt. sour cream
• 2 cups grated sharp cheese
• Corn flakes
• 2 tsp. melted butter

 

Boil potatoes until slightly firm; cool, peel (I don't even peel them. just scrub the living heck out of them), grate.

Combine butter, Cream of Chicken soup, sour cream, and cheese in a saucepan, heat, and blend.

Combine all ingredients in a casserole dish.

Cover with 2 to 4 handfuls of corn flakes.

Melt 2 teaspoons butter and pour over corn flakes.

Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Prepare for adoration.

For more great recipes, visit FiddleDeeDee!

Bev's Chili Burritos .... ROCK!

As you know, we spent 14 hours on the road yesterday.

Needless to say, I got basically nothing accomplished today.

Well, I did come this close to death and being a headline in the Kingman Daily Miner this evening ... but that story will have wait.

I've been wanting to try this recipe that I found at Bev's place forever, and tonight was the night for something yummy and easy.

So, my friends ... I give you Bev's Chili Burritos :)

ENCHILADA STYLE CHILI BURROS

1 1/2 lbs ground beef (can substitute ground turkey)

1 box brown gravy mix

2 - 10 oz cans enchilada sauce

1/4 cup chopped onion

3 Tbsp cornstarch

1 cup (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup water

1 - 4 oz can chopped green chilis

8-10 flour tortillas, plate size

3 Tbsp water

In a large skillet brown and drain the ground beef. Add to it the gravy mix, 1 cup water, enchilada sauce, chilis, onions. Heat to boiling. Immediately reduce to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat. Pour mixture through strainer, separating sauce from meat mixture. Divide meat mixture between tortillas, one scoop on each. (I added alittle cheese inside as well. We love our queso around here).

Roll up tortillas, place seam side down in a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with Pam.

Place reserved sauce in saucepan on stove. Heat over low heat. Mix cornstarch and water together, pour into sauce. Cook til sauce is thick and bubbly, stirring constantly. Pour sauce over enchiladas. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve on individual plates with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes (use canned diced when out of season), black olives, sour cream and salsa as toppers.

Nice side dish is spanish rice, or fruit cup.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I tried to take a picture before hand, right out of the oven.

 

But, the troops were hungry and served up while I was away from the table.

 

So, I give you ....

What's Left.

Not much.

For more great recipes, visit Fiddledeedee's Saturday Stirrings!

Because Winter is Only Here for 5 More Weeks ...

I'm a firm believer that cooking is an art I will never master. So when I accidentally mangle create a recipe that actually works, I hold on to it.

Tight.

I'm also a firm believer in the crock pot. Mainly becasue I like to throw stuff in and forget about it, mostly because I'm, well, lazy.

Anyway.

We love chili around here, and I've been messing with a basic recipe for awhile now and it seems to be pretty good (ie the kids will actually ask for it). truly  a milestone in my opinion.

Without further ado, I present to you ...

Mamma's Cheap, But Rockin' Chili

4 cans Chili Beans (I use the generic brand from WalMart)
16 oz. can Tomato Sauce
16 oz. water (just fill the tomato sauce can when empty)
1-2 pounds cooked ground chuck (we like a really meaty chili, so I use 2 pounds. 1 will do just fine)

Spices:
1/4 cup chili powder
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp. dried oregano 
1 tsp. paprika
3 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cayenne pepper (we like it HOT!, but you can use less)

And the secret ingredient:

1/4 c. sugar or Splenda (or a matching amount to the cayenne pepper you use)

And now, the hardest part.

Dump everything into the slow cooker, set to LOW.

Take a rest, you've earned it.

When fully rested?

Stir the pot.

Then leave it alone for 3 hours.

About 20 minutes before you're ready to eat, throw together some cornbread. I make it with Jiffy.

You know, from scratch.

Cause I'm all lazy and stuff.

To serve: take a piece of cornbread and put it in the bottom of a bowl. Top with chili. You can top with cheese, or whatever tickles your fancy.

Stir it all up and enjoy.

This will feed a small army, or a family of four with leftovers. It freezes beautifully.

As Close to French Cooking as I'll Ever Get

As requested, here's the recipe for my Idiot Proof, Even I Can Make Them, Strawberry Crepes!

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CREPE BATTER:

8 eggs
1 c. milk
8 tbsp. water
16 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt

FILLING:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 tbsp. cottage cheese
1/4 c. sugar (or an equal amount of Splenda)

SAUCE:

2 c. fresh strawberries (or frozen unsweetened & thawed)
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/3 c. sugar (or an equal amount of Splenda)

Batter:

Beat eggs, milk and water. Add flour and salt, beat just until smooth. Lightly oil a crepe pan or medium skillet (I used a non-stick pan, and had no need to oil it). Heat pan over medium heat. When pan is hot spoon 1/2 cup batter into pan and rotate pan to spread evenly. When edges of crepe are browned, turn crepe onto a plate. Spoon 2 tablespoons filling into each crepe and roll. Arrange crepes seam side down on plate.

Filling:

Place cream cheese, cottage cheese and sugar in mixer. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

Sauce:

Coarsely chop strawberries (I bought pre-sliced frozen strawberries, so skipped this step completely). Add lemon juice and sugar. Toss lightly.

Important: Top with strawberry sauce right before serving to avoid  crepes getting "mushy".  Top with a bit of whipped cream, if you so desire.

Makes 12 crepes.

Prepare to be worshiped and adored.

You're welcome.