Tasty Tuesday: Lemon Garlic Chicken and Sticky Coconut Chicken

We are a house of chicken eaters, so I love trying new flavors and ways to cook up chicken. I saw this recipe a few weeks ago on Money Saving Mom and knew I had to try it. While checking out the recipe I found another recipe that looked yummy, Sticky Coconut Chicken.


My plan was to grill about 6 chicken breasts in the lemon/garlic marinade, but decided I would divide it between the two and same some for later.


Lemon Garlic Chicken- from Mel's Kitchen

Juice of 1 lemon, approximately 3 tablespoons
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic, about 2 medium cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound chicken breasts 

Combine all marinade ingredients. Place chicken in a ziploc bag and pour marinade over chicken. Seal bag and place in fridge overnight. Grill (or cook in frying pan). Serve with sides of your choice or cut into bite sized pieces and add to desired recipe (I’ll be sharing a few with you soon). Note: If you cut your chicken into smaller, bite-sized pieces and then marinate it, you can get away with only letting it marinate for 5 or 6 hours instead of overnight.

Serving with roasted parmesan red potatoes and green beans.

Sticky Coconut Chicken-original recipe from Mel's Kitchen. I changed my version just slightly based on what I had on hand.

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup canned coconut milk
1 Tbsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp. roasted red chili paste
Mix all ingredients together and marinate chicken for at least 1 hour or longer. Grill on barbecue.

Glaze:
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
pinch roasted red chili paste

While the chicken is grilling, bring above ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until mixture is reduced and thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Be patient because it takes a little while. But once it starts getting really thick, immediately take it off the heat! Glaze both sides of chicken the last few minutes of grilling and serve chicken over rice.

Serving with stir fry noodles and veggies. 

Tasty Tuesday: Crescent City Pot Roast

So, I'm a southern girl and as any good southern girl knows one of two things must be cooked for Sunday dinner: pot roast or fried chicken. I haven't fried chicken in close to 10 years. Oh not because I don't like it, but because it doesn't like me (and it would offend my friend Ricardo the Rooster who lives in Downtown Ocean Springs). However, the one thing I have cooked many, many times over the past several years is the Pot Roast from Robert St. John's cookbook, Deep South Staples or how to survive in a southern kitchen without a can of cream of chicken soup. Just typing this my mouth is watering. So glad I'm making this for dinner tonight!

Pot Roast
2 1/2-3 lb beef shoulder roast
1 T Kosher salt
2 tsp. black pepper
1 T. steak seasoning (I use Montreal steak seasoning)
1/4 c. Bacon grease or canola oil
1/2 c. flour
2 cups onion, diced, plus 1 large onion cut into wedges
1/4 tsp. thyme
3 c. beef broth, hot
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
3 carrots, peeled and cut into quarters
2 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Season the beef with kosher salt, pepper, and steak seasoning. In a large heavy-duty skillet, heat the bacon grease over high heat. Brown roast on all sides and place in a roasting pan. Lower heat on the skillet and add olive oil and flour to make a peanut butter-colored roux. Add diced onions and thyme and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes. Add hot beef broth, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and stir until smooth. Pour liquid into roasting pan with the pot roast. Cook 2 hours. Remove foil and add carrots. Return to oven and cook uncovered for another hour. Remove, add potatoes, and cook for 1 more hour.

Serves 8

Tasty Tuesday: Quick Cheap Treats

With two little girls running around the house (plus multiple other kids coming and going on a daily basis), trying to meet a budget, running this blog, teaching classes, homeschooling, etc. money and time are at a premium so I am always looking for quick, cheap snacks for the kids.


I shared a few of those cheap treats a few weeks ago, like microwave popcorn in a brown paper sack, homemade chex mix and pudding pops. Well here are two more to add to that list: chocolate banana bites, and DIY Energy bites!


**Now I did find these recipes online, but the versions you see here are my take on the recipe. A link is provided to the original.


Frozen Chocolate Banana Bites original recipe from (never home) maker
2- bananas (firmer bananas hold together better)
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/3 c. peanut butter


Melt the chocolate chips and the peanut butter in 20 second intervals in the microwave; making sure to stir after each session. Peel and cut the bananas into 1/2-1 inch discs. Dip in chocolate lay on wax paper and pop them in the freezer until firm.  Place in resealable bag or container and store in the freezer for a quick, cool treat.


DIY Energy Bites from Food Doodles
1/2 c. peanut butter or other nut butter (I used a 50/50 mix of peanut butter and nutella)
1/3 c. honey
1 c. old fashioned oats
1 c. shredded coconut
2 tsp. vanilla




Mix the nut butters, vanilla and honey together. You may need to put it in the microwave for about 10 seconds to soften it up and make it easier to stir. Add in all other ingredients; pop in the fridge for about an hour. Roll into balls; store in a resealable container in the fridge.

Tasty Tuesday: Apple Salad

Have company coming and you need a quick dessert? The ingredients for this Apple Salad are easy to keep on hand and pretty inexpensive. Plus adjust it just slightly (less snickers, reduced calorie/sugar cool whip) and it's not too bad on the diet!

I love Google for images when I failed to snap a picture!

Apple Salad
3 Granny Smith Apples
3 Red Apples (not red delicious, look for jazz or honey crisp)
3 Snickers Bars
Handful of peanuts (optional)
1 container Cool Whip


Chop apples  (do not peel) and Snickers. Mix with cool whip and peanuts. Chill; serve within a few hours.

Menu Monday

Monday
Breakfast- cereal
Lunch- grilled cheese, fruit snacks, milk
Dinner- Hot Dogs, mac and cheese, green beans

Tuesday
Breakfast-Muffins and fruit

Lunch- pb&j, banana bites

Dinner- Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

Wednesday

Breakfast-toast & fruit

Lunch- pizza

Dinner- Chicken Satay and Sweet Chili Noodles

Thursday

Breakfast- cereal

Lunch- ham & cheese, fruit

Dinner- Italian Ribs and Rice

Friday

Breakfast-waffles

Lunch- Grilled Cheese

Dinner- (Mother's Night Out) Dad's taking the girls out to dinner!

Saturday

Breakfast- cereal

Lunch- ham sandwich

Dinner- Grilled Pizza

Sunday

Breakfast- cereal or muffins

Lunch- at my Mom's for Allyson's birthday

Dinner- I usually don't cook on Sunday nights, we eat leftovers.

Thrifty Thursday: Cheap Treats Made at Home

I saw this neat idea for homemade popcorn over at The Frugal Girls and got me to thinking about cheap treats to make at home. So here you go! Quick, thrifty ideas to feed your family after a long day of school or just for a great snack!



Homemade Microwave Popcorn from The Frugal Girls

• 1/3 cup Popping Corn
• 1 brown Paper Bag {lunch sack size}
• 1 piece of Tape
• Salt {optional}
• Melted Butter {optional… and delicious!}

Pour popcorn in bag, fold top closed and tape shut. Place bag in microwave flat with folded side facing up. Pop until there are about 5 seconds between each pop. Varies for each microwave but I would guess about 1 1/2-2 minutes. Pour in your bowl then add salt and butter to your liking!

Chex Mix

1 stick (1/2 c.) butter
1 1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
4 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 2/3 c. Rice Chex
2 2/3 c. Wheat Chex
2 2/3 c. Corn Chex
1 c. salted mixed nuts (optional)

1 c. mini pretzels or pretzel sticks (optional)

1 c. cheese its (optional)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Heat butter in large shallow roasting pan in oven until melted. Stir in seasoned salt and Worcestershire sauce. Add Chex and nuts. Mix until all pieces are coated. Heat in oven 1 hour, stir every 15 minutes. Spread on absorbent paper to cool.Microwave Directions: In large bowl, melt butter on High 1 minute. Stir in seasoned salt and Worcestershire sauce. Add Chex and nuts/other additions. Mix until all pieces are coated. Microwave on high 6 to 7 minutes. Stir every 2 minutes.
For hot and spicy variation, add 1/2 teaspoon chili powder and 1/4 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce. Follow same directions.

For MANY other chex mix ideas head over to Chex.




Pudding Pops


Make cook and serve pudding per directions. Pour into popsicle molds or paper cups(insert plastic spoon or popsicle stick) and freeze for about 4-5 hours.

All images courtesy of a Google search!

Tasty Tuesday: Fall Apart Chicken

I've had this recipe for several years but I don't remember where I found it! I'm bad about that. Guess I should start writing it down, because I would imagine there are other good recipes in that location.


Fall Apart Chicken


1 can cream of chicken soup
1 block cream cheese, softened
3 chicken breasts
1 stick butter or margarine
1 pkg. Italian dressing
1 can water


Put chicken, butter and seasoning in crockpot. Cook on low for 3 hours. Add soup, water and cream cheese. Cook for 3 more hours. Remove chicken; shred and add back to crockpot. Serve over rice.

Tasty Tuesday: No Cook Eggless Ice Cream

Nothing says summer like the sound of a churning ice cream machine filled with the delicious goodness of homemade ice cream! My family for several generations has made the uncooked version that means having raw eggs in the ice cream. Just one problem, as good as it tastes it completely grosses me out to find a piece of egg in my ice cream. 


No worries, help is on the way! Like I said it just grosses me out to have raw egg in the mix and I'm not about to feed that to my children so I went on the hunt for an eggless ice cream mix. After many searches and failed attempts I got the recipe below. Don't ask where it came from, because I do not remember. All I know is no eggs were harmed in the making of this ice cream!



No Cook Eggless Homemade Ice Cream 
Makes 1 quart


1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (5 oz.) can evaporated milk
2 T. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. whole milk


Mix it all together and pour it into your ice cream mixer. Layer ice and rock salt then crank it 
up. Delicious! You could add other ingredients to change the flavor such as crushed oreos, butterfinger or chocolate syrup.

Want to get the kids involved? Pour 1/2 c. of the mix into a quart size ziploc bag and seal up tight. Fill a gallon size bag about half full with ice and add salt (table salt will work but you have to use a lot).  Put the smaller bag inside the gallon bag and shake with all your might for 5-7 minutes or until ice cream is firm. **I made this with my 8 year old a few weeks ago and she had a blast! I would suggest wrapping a towel around the bags because they are VERY cold!

Tasty Tuesday: Crockpot Creole Daube

I LOVE to cook! Cooking in any form is one of my favorite past times. I am always trying out new recipes I find online or in cookbooks(you should see my collection) or come up with on my own. Testing them on my family and unsuspecting guests! (I know, how nice of me right!?)  There have been major flops and failures like the instant oatmeal muffins a few weeks ago (yuck!).  Then there are the ones that you hit out of the park that go on to the regular rotation of meals. Creole Daube is one of those recipes. 


I've heard of Daube before. According to Deep South Dish daube was a staple in the Point Cadet area here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast but has waned in popularity over the last generation or so. I did a little research on Daube, a French term, with the recipe (or something similar) being brought to this area by French settlers in the 1700's when Mississippi was part of the Louisiana Territory.


I also enjoy trying out foods that are indigenous to the area. I have a dislike of chain restaurants(thanks to the hubby), where no matter what city I'm in the dishes from restaurants like Applebee's will always taste the same. Over the last 10 years it was the hubby's influence that changed my opinion of chain restaurants and encouraged me to look locally for the mom & pop places that will serve food you can find no where else.


So with all that said, when I found the recipe on Deep South Dish I had to try it! Now, I'm not one to follow recipes exactly as written. Isn't that considered a mark of a true chef? I sure hope so! Otherwise I'm just screwing these recipes up. Below you will find MY recipe for Crockpot Creole Daube. If you would like to see the recipe it's based on check out Deep South Dish.

Creole Daube
-will feed a family of 6 easily! We ate half and I froze the rest.


1- small/medium roast (a cheap cut is fine)
1 large onions, chunked
1 large green bell pepper, cut into stripes
2 T. minced garlic
1 large can whole tomatoes (I used San Marzano style), chop up as you pull them out.
1 small can of tomato sauce
1 pinch of sugar1 cup water
2 beef bullion cubes
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste1/2 teaspoon Tony Cachere's 


You ready for the really difficult directions? I'm not sure you can handle this....................


Put EVERYTHING in the crockpot at the same time and cook on low for 6 hours or until the roast is falling apart. Pull out the roast and shred up. Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles, garlic bread and maybe a salad. 

Printable version

Tasty Tuesday: Mardi Gras Pizza

We LOVE pizza at the House of Collums! Delivery gets too expensive, and I try not to buy the prepackaged stuff very often. So necessity (and not wanting all the preservatives) forced me into finding a dough recipe.  This is one of our favorite pizza ideas, Mardi Gras Pizza! This same type of pizza is served at Old Venice Pizza Co. in Jackson, MS and a bbq sauce version at Tom's Extreme Pizza in Ocean Springs and Gautier. We love both versions so much we make our version at home!


Here's my recipe: Makes 2 small pizzas


Mardi Gras Pizza
1-recipe Everything Yeast Dough
1 small red(purple) onion, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1small yellow bell pepper, diced
andouille sausage, browned (amount depends on how much you want!)
1/2-1 block cream cheese, softened
mozzarella cheese
garlic salt


Prepare your dough as directed; bake until lightly browned. Remove from oven and spread cream cheese on top. Then sprinkle peppers, onion and sausage on top (as much or as little as you want). Top lightly with mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of garlic salt. Bake a second time until cheese it melted.


*When using prebaked dough (like Boboli) start by topping with cream cheese and then proceed as directed. 

Tasty Tuesday: Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

Photo courtesy of Google..because I can't seem to snap a picture!

This is one of my favorite busy weeknight meals. Super easy and takes little preparation. I try to keep some precooked, shredded chicken in the freezer for days like this when I need something quick.

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

1- small box of spaghetti

2 c. chicken, cooked and shredded

2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded and divided

1 can cream of chicken soup (or make your own like me)

1 c. milk

dash salt, pepper and garlic powder

Cook your noodles; drain. Combine chicken cream of chicken soup,milk, seasonings and noodles together; add in one cup of cheese. Place is greased13x9 casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cheese on top is melted and bubbly.

Tasty Tuesday: Blueberries!

Blueberries! Bluebees! Boobees! Those are the names they are called by the little ones running around here. They love their blueberries! It's blueberry season here in South Mississippi. We spent Sunday evening at my grandparents picking blueberries to hearts content. Allyson ate more than she picked!

In honor of all the blueberries here is my tried and true Lemon Blueberry Scone recipe.

Lemon Blueberry Scones

2 1/2 c. flour (you could use 50/50 whole wheat and white if you want)
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. butter
3/4 c. half and half
zest of one lemon
1/2 c. blueberries (frozen works best)

In a bowl combine all the dry ingredients; cut in butter until it makes crumbs (like when you make a biscuit). Add half and half, lemon and blueberries.  Mix gently! Put contents on a floured surface and knead lightly until dough comes together. It will be flaky. Pat out until about an inch or so thick. Cut into triangles like a pizza. Bake for 15 minutes or until slightly browned at 375 degrees. These freeze really well too. Freeze on cooking sheet before storing in a freezer bag.

Icing:

1 T. lemon juice

1/2 c. powdered sugar

2 tsp. water (DO NOT USE MILK or you will have buttermilk!)

Mix the water in 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Spread on scones while still warm.

Tasty Tuesday: Everything Yeast Dough

This is a repost from my other blog, Mostly Homemade.


We love pizza at my house. Matter of fact I think most of us could eat pizza for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There's just one problem pizza is expensive! Even the cheap pizza gets expensive when you are at the end of your two week pay period (can I get an Amen?!)

I've been playing around with making my own pizza dough for a few months. I've used boxed mixes, the bread machine and more. You name it and I've probably tried it. Finally I have found a fool proof recipe that turns out great every time and is super versatile. 

Everything Yeast Dough

1 T. fast acting yeast (by my measurements 1 of the little pouches is equal to 1 T.)
2 1/2 c. flour (you could do a mix of whole wheat)
1 tsp. turbinado or regular sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 c. warm water (I just let my tap run for a few minutes to get it nice and warm)

Mix the yeast with the water; mix all dry ingredients together. Stir in water until dough starts to come together. Dump onto floured surface and knead for just a few minutes until dough stays together well. Makes two small pizzas, or wrap small pieces around little smoked sausages or cut hot dogs, or cover with pepperoni and cheese then roll up jelly roll style to make a Stromboli or simply cut into strips for bread sticks.


For the Stromboli and bread sticks I slather the outside with butter when I pull it out of the oven and then sprinkle garlic sea salt and Parmesan cheese on top! YUM! Also, I don't put the pizza sauce on the inside. Instead I put it in a little bowl and serve it as a dipping sauce.

First Recipe is posted at Mostly Homemade

I just posted the first recipe over at Mostly Homemade! Slow Cooker Beef Stew (tonight's dinner) is ready!

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Fall is my absolute favorite time of year! The weather, the visiting, the weather (wait I said that already) and all the baking that comes with the holidays.  I can't take credit for this recipe (except for passing it on) but I don't know who to give credit to either because I've had it for so long I don't remember where I got it from! I do know it was not Paula Deen because I was making a long time before she made ooey gooey butter cakes famous!

Photo courtesy of My Baking Addiction

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Crust:

1 Yellow cake mix 

1 egg

1 stick butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix above ingredients with electric mixer. Pat mixture into lightly greased 13 x 9 pan. I usually spray my fingers with some Pam or use butter and pat down and slightly up the sides.

Filling:

1 pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 stick butter or margarine, melted

1 (16 oz.) package powdered sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

Beat cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, butter and beat again. Add remaining ingredients; beat again. Spread over crust. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. The crust will be browned but the middle will still look jiggly. Don't worry it sets after cooling.

Waffle Iron French Toast...and lots of extra bread

UPDATE: As I said before I froze 4 slices as a test run. We pulled them out this morning and put them in the toaster. They turned out great! I think they may have been even better today getting toasted in the toaster. So for future reference Waffle Iron French Toast is a good make ahead freezer meal.


So the other day I went by the local Bread Discount Store and bought this HUGE bag full of day old bread for $4. You know me! I can't resist a deal! I froze the majority of it and will just sit out one bag at a time to thaw when we need it. The bread comes out fresh and soft.

After keeping out 2 loaves for immediate use, giving away another 15 loaves and freezing 15 more...I still had 4 loaves left. I asked on the HOC Facebook page for ideas about uses for this extra bread. I got a lot of great suggestions like homemade croutons, french toast, bread pizza and garlic bread. All great ideas!

I ended up taking one whole loaf and making grilled cheese sandwiches for the freezer. Butter both pieces of bread, add some cheese and lay the made sandwiches on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Place in the freezer for about 2 hours, then wrap in waxed paper and place in freezer bag.

I'll be making croutons later today with another loaf.But the gem of all was breakfast this morning! Waffle Iron French toast! I used my "new to me" waffle iron found via Freecycle to make french toast! It was delicious! I'm going to try freezing a few slices to see how it goes.

Here's my recipe totally made up as I went along!

Waffle Iron French Toast

1 egg

1 cup milk

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 c. brown sugar

8 slices of bread, your choice

Whisk all this together. Dip bread on both sides. Spray waffle iron with non-stick spray. Place as many slices as your waffle maker will hold; cook about 3-5 minutes. Top with butter and syrup.

Comes out crisp on the outside and soft on the inside! Yum!

Recipes: Bama Steak Sandwiches from Southern Plate

I love cheap and easy.............dinners! What's wrong with you people!?


Our homeschool group hosts a Mother's Night Out once a month and I am part of a Bunco group once a month, so I am always on the lookout for quick, easy dinners that the hubby can come home and serve to the family without fuss(and you know I didn't pay full price for it!) This recipe from Southern Plate fits that mold perfectly!

My interpretation of Bama Steak Sandwiches from Southern Plate(click the link to view Christy's step by step preparations and her recipe)

1 package Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Slow cooked roast beef

1/2 Cup Mozarella Cheese

2 tsp. Olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

3-4 Tablespoons Dale’s Sauce 

Po boy buns

Chop up meat and veggies. Heat skillet with olive oil. Saute onions and bell peppers until almost tender. Add meat and sauce to taste. Saute until liquid cooks off and veggies are tender with meat heated through. Place on buns with a little cheese and........hold on I'm wiping off the keyboard got a little drool on it........Eat!