Baked Cheddar-Broccoli Rice Cups

Baked Cheddar-Broccoli Rice Cups 

Ingredients:

1 10 – ounce thawed broccoli
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup white rice
1/4 cup Ranch Dressing
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup grated cheese (any of your favourite kind)
1/2 tsp salt and pepper – to taste

Directions:

Boil rice.
Move cooked rice to a bowl to cool for a minute.
Throw in all the ingredients, but only use 1/2 of the cheese.
Grease a 8 cup muffin tray and make balls accordingly, thereafter sprinkling the rest of cheese on top.
Put in the oven for 25 minutes and bake at 350 degrees – until golden and crisp.

Elven Lembas Bread

Elven Lembas Bread

Preheat oven to 425ºF/220ºC/490ºK

2 1/2 cups of flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 Tablespoons cold butter

1/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Chop butter into mixture with a pastry cutter or knead in with your fingers until you get a crumbly mixture. Add sugar and mix. Add milk and lemon extract and stir with a fork until dough forms.

Roll the dough out about 1/2 inch thick. Cut out 3 inch squares and transfer to a cookie sheet. Criss-cross each square from corner to corner with a knife. Bake for about 12 minutes or until set and lightly golden. Makes 10 to 12.

For Women Over 40...

I don't usually post things other than recipes and DIY stuff on this blog. However, I found this amazing blog written by Linda Holloway
(https://www.facebook.com/linda.holloway.31586/posts/174045222760265)  and wanted to save it. I could have put it in Google documents or Skydrive but I felt the need to share it as well as put it someplace I know I can always go to find it...

As I grow in age, I value women who are over forty most of all. Here are just a few reasons why: A woman over forty will never wake you in the middle of the night to ask, “What are you thinking?” She doesn’t care what you think.

If a woman over forty doesn’t want to watch the game, she doesn’t sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do. And, it’s usually something more interesting.

A woman over forty knows herself well enough to be assured in who she is, what she is, what she wants and from whom. Few women past the age of forty give a hoot what you might think about her or what she’s doing.

Women over forty are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won’t hesitate to shoot you, if they think they can get away with it.

Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it’s like to be unappreciated.

A woman over forty has the self-assurance to introduce you to her women friends. A younger woman with a man will often ignore even her best friend because she doesn’t trust the guy with other women. Women over forty couldn’t care less if you’re attracted to her friends because she knows her friends won’t betray her.

Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over forty. They always know.

A woman over forty looks good wearing bright red lipstick. This is not true of younger women. Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over forty is far sexier than her younger counterpart.

Older women are forthright and honest. They’ll tell you right off if you are a jerk, if you are acting like one! You don’t ever have to wonder where you stand with her.

Yes, we praise women over forty for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, it’s not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed hot woman of forty-plus, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some twenty-two-year-old waitress.

Ladies, I apologize.

For all those men who say, “Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free,” here’s an update for you. Now 80 percent of women are against marriage, why? Because women realize it’s not worth buying an entire pig, just to get a little sausage.

Witchy Cocktails

I realize Halloween is still a few months away but I couldn't resist sharing these spooky-sounding cocktails...

Witchy Cocktails

Here are some witchy cocktails I've come across, which you may enjoy serving at a Sabbat or Esbat dinner. Or sip one while reminding yourself that life need not always be taken seriously.


Black Magic Cocktail

You will need:
2 ounces Blavod black vodka
1/2 ounce Grenadine
Lemon-Lime Soda
A Maraschino Cherry for Garnish

Instructions:
Pour the vodka and grenadine into an ice-filled Collins glass. Fill up the glass the rest of the way with soda. Stir. Garnish with the cherry.


Red Witch Cocktail

1 ounce Pernod
1 ounce Bodka
1 dash Blackcurrant Cordial
1/2 pint Cider

Instructions
Mix Pernod, vodka and blackcurrant in a pint glass. Top up with cider and stir.


Witches Brew Cocktail

You will need:
0.5 ounce Cranberry juice (100% cranberry juice, not cranberry cocktail)
0.5 ounce Sour Mix
1 ounce Vodka
1 ounce Chambord

Instructions:
Fill a highball glass with ice. Add vodka and Chambord. Add a splash of cranberry and one of sour mix. Stir and enjoy.


Witches Tit Cocktail

You will need:
2 1/2 ounce Kahlua Coffee Liqueur
1/2 ounce Heavy Cream
1 maraschino Cherry

Instructions:
Pour the Kahlua into a pousse cafe glass. Carefully float the cream on top by pouring it over the back of a teaspoon. Place a maraschino cherry in the center and serve.


Strega: An After-Dinner Drink

Strega (or Liquore Strega), is an Italian herbal liqueur produced since 1860 by the S. A. Distilleria Liquore Strega in Benevento, Campania, Italy. Its yellow color comes from the presence of saffron in its recipe. Liquore Strega is 80 proof (40%). Among its approximately 70 herbal ingredients are mint and fennel. Strega is considered a digestif, meant for drinking after meals.

Household Products

Who says all recipes have to be edible? 

Here are some great recipes for common household cleaners (thanks to https://www.facebook.com/holly.capron.5)

Windex

Half White Vinegar

Half Water

1 tsp Dawn

Pledge

2 tsp Olive Oil (I used a bit more)

2 cups water

1/4 cup white vinegar

*Citrus fragrance

Febreeze

1/8 c fabric softener

2 tbs baking soda

Rest water

*Lavendar fragrance

Bathroom Cleaner

1/2 c vinegar

1/4 c baking soda

2 liters water

*Citrus fragrance

Reeses Cookie Brownies

Reeses Cookie Brownies

Preheat oven to 350; smoosh refrigerated cookie dough into the bottom of each well. Place Reese cup upside down on top of cookie dough (or an Oreo!). Top with prepared box brownie mix, filling 3/4 full. Bake for 18 minutes! HEAVEN!

Pizza Casserole

Pizza Casserole! 

















Box of rigatoni
Jar of pasta sauce 
1lb Italian sausage
16 oz of cottage cheese
2 oz sliced black olives
12 oz mozzarella cheese
Pepperoni

Cook and drain noodles. Cook and drain sausage. Mix together noodles sauce and sausage. Lay in a sprayed 9 x 13 dish. Mix cottage cheese mozzarella cheese and black olives. Lay over noodles. Top with Pepperoni and bake at 300 for 25 minutes. I added banana peppers but i am sure you can add anything you want.

Baby Corn Dogs

Baby Corn Dogs


Mix up an 8.5 oz box of your favorite corn muffin recipe, divide batter into a mini-muffin pan, add hot dog slices.

Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees.

For a treat, add Jalapeno and shredded cheese.

Strawberry Avocado Kale Salad

Strawberry Avocado Kale Salad with Bacon Poppy Seed Dressing

A little twist of the original strawberry salad recipe gets you a kicked up amazing new version of the salad everyone loves! Try not to love this salad! I dare you!

Yield: 2 SERVINGS

Prep time: 5 MINUTES

Cook time: 10 MINUTES

Total time: 15 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups baby kale {prewashed kind}

2 cups sliced strawberries

1 ripe avocado, sliced

DRESSING:

4 slices bacon

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

Salt & pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Place kale, strawberries and avocado into a large bowl and set aside.

For the dressing, cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and drain bacon on paper towels. Crumble into small pieces and whisk together with remaining ingredients. Drizzle over salad and serve.

Single Cookie in a Cup

For those days you just want to make one cookie...

1 tbsp. butter, melted

1 tbsp. white sugar

1 tbsp. brown sugar

3 drops of vanilla

pinch of salt

1 egg yolk

1/4 c. flour

2 tbsp. chocolate chips

MICROWAVE 40-60 SEC IN A CUP OR BOWL. {single serving} deep dish chocolate chip cookie

Individual Chicken Pot Pies

Individual Chicken Pot Pies

Chicken Mixture

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 cup frozen peas and carrots

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground thyme

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)

Baking Mixture

1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

Heat oven to 375°F

First, start with Bisquick baking mix, milk and eggs. Combine and start with a little less than a tablespoon in each greased muffin cup or use muffin liner

Next add your filling. Add about ¼ cup of the mixture to each cup.

Finally, top it off with one more tablespoon of the Bisquick® mixture.

Bake for 25-30 minutes then pop them out of the pan.

Mini Peach Cobblers

Mini Peach Cobbler Recipe

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

a dash of salt

3/4 cup milk

1 stick of melted butter

brown sugar

cinnamon

1 can diced peaches

Put 1 tsp of melted butter into each regular size muffin tin.

Combine the first 5 ingredients by hand… sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and milk.

Put 2 tbsp of batter into each regular size muffin tin… on top of the melted butter.

Then put 1 tbsp diced peaches on top of the batter.

Sprinkle with brown sugar and then cinnamon. I do a pretty generous “sprinkle”.

Bake the regular size muffin tins for 12 minutes.

Let them cool almost completely before taking out of pan.

Don't forget a dollop of vanilla ice cream...YUM!

Irish Stew with Mint Sour Cream

I was just browsing through some of the older posts and found this recipe. I completely forgot about it. I'm thinking this may have to go on next week's menu :-)

Irish Stew with Mint Sour Cream

12 ounces lean, boneless lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups beef broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 medium onions, cut into wedges
1-1/2 cups sliced carrots
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/2 cup cold beer or water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dairy sour cream
2 teaspoons snipped fresh mint

directions

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven combine lamb, broth, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Skim fat off meat mixture. Add potatoes, onions, carrots, thyme, and basil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes more or until vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaf.

In a small bowl stir beer or water into flour. Stir into meat mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more.

To serve, stir together the sour cream and mint. Dollop each serving with sour cream mixture. Makes 4 servings.

Make-Ahead Tip: Combine sour cream and mint; cover and chill up to 24 hours.

Pumpkin Pie Martini

Pumpkin Pie Martini

From The Coexist Cafe

I just found this adult drink recipe on another blog and HAD to share it! It sounds AMAZING!!!

 Ingredients

 * 1 oz vanilla vodka

* 1 oz pumpkin spice liqueur

* 1 oz Bailey’s Irish Cream

* sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice

Method

In a martini shaker, combine all liquors with a handful of ice and shake until the shaker is frosted on the outside. Take a martini glass and pour the mix into the glass, then top with a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and Sour Chicken

adapted from: Mels Kitchen Cafe

Chicken Breading:
3-5 chicken breast
salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup canola oil

Rinse chicken, trim off fat or extras and then cut into 1 inch cubes. season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken into cornstarch and coat all the way and then into eggs. Heat oil in large skillet. Cook chicken until browned. Place in baking dish. 3 chicken breasts can be in a 9x9 but 5 chicken breasts fits better in a 9x13.

Sauce:
3/4 cups sugar
4 Tablespoons ketchup

1/2 cup white distilled vinegar

1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Whisk until smooth. Then pour evenly over chicken. Turn chicken so the sauce gets on both sides and then put in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. turn chicken and then cook for 15 more minutes.

Great idea!

While cruising through all the posts on Facebook today, I came across this awesome idea...

No more trying to find a good place for the recipe book.

The coolest part is, this person's kitchen is set up exactly like mine so this will work perfectly for me!!!

Today was supermarket day. Time to restock the kitchen and get everything needed for this week's meals. Since it's just Leilani & me this week (Jay is out of town for training), meals will be small but still amazing. I plan to make Lemon Chicken tomorrow night and some Thai Chicken Skewers later in the week. 

Tonight, we're having pork ribs marinated in Pirate's Gold. 

Be sure to check back throughout the week as I'll be sharing some amazing recipes.

Be yourself...

I've put off being myself long enough. I was meant to be in the kitchen...end of story. I've tried so many other things but I always come back to my kitchen. 


Life gets in the way. Life tells me I'm bored and want to do something different. Life needs to shut up and let me be me.


Now, let's start cooking...

Lasagna Cupcakes

Lasagna Cupcakes with Mango Chutney

Amazing little treats you make in your muffin tins!

Can be served as an appetizer or entree!

Quick & easy to make!

Ingredients

Meat Sauce:

·         2 tablespoons olive oil

·         1 (1-inch) cinnamon stick or 1/3 tsp ground cinnamon

·         4 whole cloves or 1/3 tsp ground cloves

·         1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)

·         Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

·         4 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 pound ground beef or ground turkey

·         1/4 cup tomato paste

·         1 (28-ounce can) crushed tomatoes

·         1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus 12 whole small leaves

·          

Ricotta Filling:

·         3/4 cup part-skim ricotta

·         3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for topping

·         1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, plus more for topping

·         1/3 cup mango chutney

·         Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

·          

·         1 package wonton wrappers (at least 48)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For the meat sauce: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until it shimmers. Add the cinnamon and cloves. Add the onion, sprinkle with a little salt and saute until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute longer.

Add the ground beef or turkey, breaking up the clumps with your spoon. Cook until the beef or turkey is no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, 1/4 cup chopped basil, as well as some salt and pepper. Stir to combine and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow the meat sauce to cool, about 15 minutes before building lasagna cupcakes. As the meat sauce is cooking, prepare the ricotta filling.

For the ricotta filling: Stir together the ricotta, 3/4 cup Parmesan, 3/4 cup mozzarella and mango chutney. Season with salt & pepper.

To assemble the cupcakes: Pull out your favorite cupcake pan. If your pan is not nonstick, spray the cups with cooking spray. Place a wonton wrapper in each cup. Don't worry if you're using square ones.

Drop about 1 tablespoon of meat sauce into the bottom of each cup. Then add 1 teaspoon of ricotta filling. Cover with another wonton wrapper, rotating it about 90 degrees so that the corners of the first wrapper and the second wrapper aren't right on top of each other. Repeat this until you've built 3 layers total (wrapper, meat sauce, ricotta, wrapper, meat sauce, ricotta, wrapper, meat sauce, Mozzerella, Parmesan) Finish each cupcake with a spoonful of meat sauce, a little shredded mozzarella and a pinch of grated Parmesan.

Pop them into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. When time's up, resist the temptation to eat them right away or else you'll burn your mouth! Let them rest on the counter for about 10 minutes, and they should slip out of the muffin tin easily. Top with more shredded basil if you like.

Merry Yulemas!

While Lucifer is somewhat unsure of his new look...

Monkey is right at home among the holiday decor!