Its hump day and man I am not in the mood to cook! So thankfully I am pulling out the burgers from the freezer cooking day and grilling. Burgers are easy but they get boring just throwing in the same old ingredients. So we are going to kick it up a notch and make these burgers YUMMO!
Grab a lb of ground sirloin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, bacon crumbles, blue cheese crumbles, toss them all in a bowl and mix together. I like to use my hands so you can get everything mixed in well then shape my burgers from there.
The best part about these burgers is that you have just made a gourmet burger in under 5 minutes!!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Chicken Spaghetti - Tales of Cooking Whole Chickens
First off! I am so sorry I didn't post this last night! Hubby stayed home to help me with the kids while my head continued to pound and I lost track of the day.
When it comes to saving money the easiest way to do that is to find the cheapest products. Right, duh! So when you think of chicken I'm sure most people think of buying boneless skinless chicken breasts but thats actually the most expensive way to purchase chicken. Although it is the easiest and no cleaning involved. I prefer to buy whole chickens, cook them, then freeze the meat. I have MULTIPLE recipes that call for pre-cooked chicken so it is really the easiest way to do this. Bi-lo or Publix regularly has whole fryer chickens on sale for .79 a lb or less! Thats a whole lot of savings!! Especially when you really have to wait once a month for BLSL chicken breasts to go on sale for $1.99 a lb.
So back to the point...
I purchased 4 whole fryer chickens and got to work cooking. 2 I did on the stove in a pot with onions, garlic and a little salt and pepper in a stock pot. The other two I did in the oven with lemon pepper. None of these methods really flavor your chicken but the stove top method was super moist!
Now after cooking I have over 5lbs of meat ready to freeze and use later. Some of this I set aside for my chicken spaghetti. Now for the extra steps...
To save even more money I decided to use the "entire" chicken. Yes, the whole thing! I saved the bones and made chicken stock then I used the insides and neck to make a brown chicken stock! Don't be scared!! These were both VERY simple and not much work.
Chicken Stock
Take out a stock pot and throw in all the bones. Add carrots, onions, garlic and celery. I didn't have carrots on hand but really you can throw anything in this pot. Its really to just flavor the stock. Fill the pot with water to completely cover the bones and set on medium high until it boils then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover for 3 to 4 hours. Once you've let it simmer away for hours strain the liquid and refrigerate!
Brown Chicken Stock
This is something you need to start after you have made the stock because you will use 2 cups of the stock in this recipe.
Take your gizzards, heart and liver pieces along with the next and brown in a little oil and butter. Once brown add 2 cups of chicken stock, a few bay leaves,thyme, salt and pepper then set on medium until it starts to boil then partially cover and turn down the heat to low and let it simmer for 2 to 3 hours. Once its done strain your liquid and refrigerate.
Simple!
Ok I know its time consuming but for the most part its just simmering away on its own with no work from you and your kitchen will smell YUMMY!
Now for DINNER!
Chicken Spaghetti
Ingredients
Spaghetti noodles
2 cans cream of chicken
8 oz shredded cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups precooked chicken
salt and pepper
Cook your spaghetti noodles according to the package. In a bowl combine chicken, soup, cheese, chopped onion, salt and pepper then add spaghetti noodles and mix together. Place in a baking dish sprinkle more cheese on the top and cook for 45 minutes on 350.
To add something extra chop up some green and red bell pepper! ENJOY!!
When it comes to saving money the easiest way to do that is to find the cheapest products. Right, duh! So when you think of chicken I'm sure most people think of buying boneless skinless chicken breasts but thats actually the most expensive way to purchase chicken. Although it is the easiest and no cleaning involved. I prefer to buy whole chickens, cook them, then freeze the meat. I have MULTIPLE recipes that call for pre-cooked chicken so it is really the easiest way to do this. Bi-lo or Publix regularly has whole fryer chickens on sale for .79 a lb or less! Thats a whole lot of savings!! Especially when you really have to wait once a month for BLSL chicken breasts to go on sale for $1.99 a lb.
So back to the point...
I purchased 4 whole fryer chickens and got to work cooking. 2 I did on the stove in a pot with onions, garlic and a little salt and pepper in a stock pot. The other two I did in the oven with lemon pepper. None of these methods really flavor your chicken but the stove top method was super moist!
Now after cooking I have over 5lbs of meat ready to freeze and use later. Some of this I set aside for my chicken spaghetti. Now for the extra steps...
To save even more money I decided to use the "entire" chicken. Yes, the whole thing! I saved the bones and made chicken stock then I used the insides and neck to make a brown chicken stock! Don't be scared!! These were both VERY simple and not much work.
Chicken Stock
Take out a stock pot and throw in all the bones. Add carrots, onions, garlic and celery. I didn't have carrots on hand but really you can throw anything in this pot. Its really to just flavor the stock. Fill the pot with water to completely cover the bones and set on medium high until it boils then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover for 3 to 4 hours. Once you've let it simmer away for hours strain the liquid and refrigerate!
Brown Chicken Stock
This is something you need to start after you have made the stock because you will use 2 cups of the stock in this recipe.
Take your gizzards, heart and liver pieces along with the next and brown in a little oil and butter. Once brown add 2 cups of chicken stock, a few bay leaves,thyme, salt and pepper then set on medium until it starts to boil then partially cover and turn down the heat to low and let it simmer for 2 to 3 hours. Once its done strain your liquid and refrigerate.
Simple!
Ok I know its time consuming but for the most part its just simmering away on its own with no work from you and your kitchen will smell YUMMY!
Now for DINNER!
Chicken Spaghetti
Ingredients
Spaghetti noodles
2 cans cream of chicken
8 oz shredded cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups precooked chicken
salt and pepper
Cook your spaghetti noodles according to the package. In a bowl combine chicken, soup, cheese, chopped onion, salt and pepper then add spaghetti noodles and mix together. Place in a baking dish sprinkle more cheese on the top and cook for 45 minutes on 350.
To add something extra chop up some green and red bell pepper! ENJOY!!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Sudafed Makes For An Odd Mommy
Waking up at 4:30 this morning with a head ache wasn't a good start to the day. I came downstairs at 5:30 and refused to take anything hoping some water would wash it away.
Mistake #1
I climb back up the stairs to whine to D at 7 and crawl back into bed praying for death. Yes, it was that bad. It was one of those head aches that you feel at the back of your skull and in your temples that literally makes you feel like your head is literally going to explode. Finally D comes back in when I was crawling on my hands and knees to get to the bathroom and asks me if I want to take something. YES PLEASE!! ANYTHING!!!
D brings me 2 Advil and a Sudafed Sinus.
Mistake #2
Im pretty sure at this point that I have a migraine from sinus issues however Sudafed makes me loopy and I feel high. This may or may not be a good thing. The boys think its hilarious! I am much more goofy with them albeit slightly sluggish. All in all I am just glad to have the headache gone.
Stay tuned for Tuesday's dinner recipe!
Mistake #1
I climb back up the stairs to whine to D at 7 and crawl back into bed praying for death. Yes, it was that bad. It was one of those head aches that you feel at the back of your skull and in your temples that literally makes you feel like your head is literally going to explode. Finally D comes back in when I was crawling on my hands and knees to get to the bathroom and asks me if I want to take something. YES PLEASE!! ANYTHING!!!
D brings me 2 Advil and a Sudafed Sinus.
Mistake #2
Im pretty sure at this point that I have a migraine from sinus issues however Sudafed makes me loopy and I feel high. This may or may not be a good thing. The boys think its hilarious! I am much more goofy with them albeit slightly sluggish. All in all I am just glad to have the headache gone.
Stay tuned for Tuesday's dinner recipe!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Menu Plan Monday
Apparently Monday is the day for typing.
In my attempt to save money I menu plan. Its the easiest way to save money on groceries and not run out at the last minute getting pizza because I haven't planned for anything and there isn't anything to eat! Since I haven't been updating my blog regularly then you have missed my freezer cookings which has really stocked my freezer. So menu planning should be pretty easy.
Monday - Lemon and Herb Chicken
Tuesday - Chicken Spaghetti
Wednesday - Blue Cheese and Bacon Burgers
Thursday - Italian Meatball Soup
Friday - Pizza
Saturday - Monterrey Melts
Sunday - Appetizer's!
The only recipe that is not something that is in my freezer are the Monterrey Melts and the Italian Meatball soup. All recipes will be posted the day of!
Lemon Herb Chicken is one of my favorite recipes with chicken. From Onceamonthmom.com this is so easy!
Ingredients
2 tbsp. lemon zest
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves, finely minced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2-4 lbs. of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks
2-3 tbsp. melted butter
Thinly sliced lemons, for garnished
Directions:
Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper in a large zipper-lock plastic bag. Seal the bag and shake well to blend. Place the chicken pieces in the bag with the marinade, pressing out excess air and sealing once more. Refrigerate and let marinate for 2 hours. To use this for freezer cooking quadruple the recipe and place in 4 freezer bags then freeze.
Once thawed out or marinated for 2 hours remove chicken and reserve liquid. I like to grill these and bast with the marinade but you can also bake these. To bake preheat your oven to 425 brush chicken with melted butter and bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Halfway through the baking pour remaining marinade over chicken and continue to bake. Once done let rest for 10 minutes covered loosely with foil.
ENJOY!
In my attempt to save money I menu plan. Its the easiest way to save money on groceries and not run out at the last minute getting pizza because I haven't planned for anything and there isn't anything to eat! Since I haven't been updating my blog regularly then you have missed my freezer cookings which has really stocked my freezer. So menu planning should be pretty easy.
Monday - Lemon and Herb Chicken
Tuesday - Chicken Spaghetti
Wednesday - Blue Cheese and Bacon Burgers
Thursday - Italian Meatball Soup
Friday - Pizza
Saturday - Monterrey Melts
Sunday - Appetizer's!
The only recipe that is not something that is in my freezer are the Monterrey Melts and the Italian Meatball soup. All recipes will be posted the day of!
Lemon Herb Chicken is one of my favorite recipes with chicken. From Onceamonthmom.com this is so easy!
Ingredients
2 tbsp. lemon zest
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves, finely minced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2-4 lbs. of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks
2-3 tbsp. melted butter
Thinly sliced lemons, for garnished
Directions:
Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper in a large zipper-lock plastic bag. Seal the bag and shake well to blend. Place the chicken pieces in the bag with the marinade, pressing out excess air and sealing once more. Refrigerate and let marinate for 2 hours. To use this for freezer cooking quadruple the recipe and place in 4 freezer bags then freeze.
Once thawed out or marinated for 2 hours remove chicken and reserve liquid. I like to grill these and bast with the marinade but you can also bake these. To bake preheat your oven to 425 brush chicken with melted butter and bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Halfway through the baking pour remaining marinade over chicken and continue to bake. Once done let rest for 10 minutes covered loosely with foil.
ENJOY!
Chocolate Honey Fudge turned Peanut Butter Fudge
This fudge is from the oh so nice Chocolate book I told you about earlier. I couldn't wait for naps to get started to I put on a movie and got to work. 5 minutes into movie I am gathering ingredients and Conner walks in and announces "Mommy can we eat lunch now, I don't want to watch the movie". So of course I get sidetracked! Lunch made, kids sitting quietly eating and now all I see is JIF peanut butter...
Change of plans people!
My fudge went from Chocolate Orange Honey Blossom to Peanut Butter Fudge!
Where did the Orange Honey Blossom come from you say? Well 2 weeks ago we were in Athens, GA and I stopped at a road side stand and there it was! So Orange Blossom honey was what I had to have!
Meanwhile back in the kitchen I see the JIF along side all of my ingredients and decide to make a change because honestly vanilla and orange honey don't sound all that appealing with peanut butter.
So I get to work starting with 5 table spoons of butter, 1 14 oz can of sweeten condensed milk, 1/4 to 1/2 cup of peanut butter, and 1 lb chopped chocolate.
Stir like your mama taught you over a medium low heat.
Remember we don't want to boil this just get it all melted and yummy!
Keep stirring because as soon as you think you are done a little piece of butter will pop up and scream! I'M NOT MELTED! Ok really it won't scream but you might laugh when you see it pop out of there.
Butter a small glass dish then go back to your nice yummy melted fudge and pour it straight into the dish.
Now for the finale! Take a butter knife and grab some peanut butter then start in a corner and run it in a zig zag through the fudge. I did this several times and although not perfect it works!
Pop that in the fridge for and whole or until solid and your done! Simple!
Change of plans people!
My fudge went from Chocolate Orange Honey Blossom to Peanut Butter Fudge!
Where did the Orange Honey Blossom come from you say? Well 2 weeks ago we were in Athens, GA and I stopped at a road side stand and there it was! So Orange Blossom honey was what I had to have!
Meanwhile back in the kitchen I see the JIF along side all of my ingredients and decide to make a change because honestly vanilla and orange honey don't sound all that appealing with peanut butter.
So I get to work starting with 5 table spoons of butter, 1 14 oz can of sweeten condensed milk, 1/4 to 1/2 cup of peanut butter, and 1 lb chopped chocolate.
Stir like your mama taught you over a medium low heat.
Remember we don't want to boil this just get it all melted and yummy!
Keep stirring because as soon as you think you are done a little piece of butter will pop up and scream! I'M NOT MELTED! Ok really it won't scream but you might laugh when you see it pop out of there.
Butter a small glass dish then go back to your nice yummy melted fudge and pour it straight into the dish.
Now for the finale! Take a butter knife and grab some peanut butter then start in a corner and run it in a zig zag through the fudge. I did this several times and although not perfect it works!
Pop that in the fridge for and whole or until solid and your done! Simple!
Cooking is my hobby, Eating is my Passion!
There are days, like today, that all I want to do is find delicious recipes and make them all. I have already found several in my aimless wanderings of the blogger universe. All require a trip to the store which I don't really have the money to do at this point in time. We just got back from a weekend in Atlanta that was exhausting but fun and of course the boys need to catch up on sleep and that didn't happen this morning so now add grumpy kids with grumpy mom and not so clean house... Well you get a mommy that uses food and cooking to avoid the mess right in front of my face. So lets avoid all of that and get back to FOOD! Let me just start by listing all of these yummy recipes I have found so far!
Japanese Cream Cheese Cake (looks heavenly!!)
Chocolate Honey Fudge (On my to do list for nap time!)
Chocolate Fudge Tart
Boston Creme Pie
Deviled Eggs (don't ask me why)
Italian Meatball Soup
Ok I will spare you from the rest of my list because I know you are getting hungry just reading the names! Did I mention that I happened to have picked up this new book, its heaven in a small little hard bound book! I am literally drooling on the pages so you may not want to borrow it...
Its times like these that I think, am I pregnant?
Oh yea NO, so not pregnant. I just like to eat!
Later today I will post my adventures in making this fudge!! STAY TUNED!
Japanese Cream Cheese Cake (looks heavenly!!)
Chocolate Honey Fudge (On my to do list for nap time!)
Chocolate Fudge Tart
Boston Creme Pie
Deviled Eggs (don't ask me why)
Italian Meatball Soup
Ok I will spare you from the rest of my list because I know you are getting hungry just reading the names! Did I mention that I happened to have picked up this new book, its heaven in a small little hard bound book! I am literally drooling on the pages so you may not want to borrow it...
Its times like these that I think, am I pregnant?
Oh yea NO, so not pregnant. I just like to eat!
Later today I will post my adventures in making this fudge!! STAY TUNED!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Real Or Not Real???
Recently I have been looking at random things online. Yes, its dangerous, I know! I came across a store on Amazon that sells sterling silver jewelery with cubics zirconium that looks REAL! Ok, well it looks real online and so I bought one that looked similar to my wedding band I got for our anniversary last year. It cost me $20 so if it was too good to be true I wasn't out much money. I have worn it for a week now and I feel like there is too much bling on my left hand! Seriously! It LOOKS SO REAL!!
Can you tell which of the wedding bands is real?? I bet you can't!!
This got me to thinking... Why spend $3000 on a real ring? lol Yes, I am really saying that and no I would never know if D had gotten a fake ring although I know it isn't fake and of course I wouldn't request a fake ring over the real thing but when you are a mom of 2 and there is no way I will be able to buy the real thing to match my other wedding band for many many years to come this works perfectly fine!
Check out all of their collections at...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/?brand=Gem%20Avenue&ref_=bl_sr_jewelry&node=3880591
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