I had some sweet italian sausage cooked in the fridge and was looking to make something yummy for my 2 year old...I raided the pantry and come up with this recipe...my little man ate it up!!!
Pasta, Blackbean and Sausage Dinner
1/2 lb sweet italian ground sausage
1 cup wagon wheel pasta
1 can blackbeans drained and rinsed
1 cup milk; separated
1 tbsp flour
2 tbsp butter
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste
1. Cook the pasta according to package. Cook the sausage in skillet until done; drain and set aside (mine was already cooked).
2. When pasta is done and drained, shake 1/2 cup milk and flour in a gravy shaker (or mix together in a bowl) until smooth. Heat butter and milk/flour mixture to boiling (med heat - don't scorch) let boil for 2 min or until thickened; add the pasta and the other 1/2 cup milk stir til coated.
3. Add the cheese and sausage; stir until cheese is melted and serve.
If you make this...let me know how it goes!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Slowing Down!!! The Results So Far...
I noticed some interest in this subject...so I'll post how it is going thus far. As I commented, when I slow down my day can turn into chaos with a quickness...so I am still tweaking the "slowness" of slowing down.
I found out the hard way that there are some things that I HAVE to get done (e.g. unloading the dishwasher) or I feel completely overwhelmed by dinner time. So, I am attempting to identify which things I MUST rush around to get done and which things can wait...so I can slow down and be in the moment...
I'll keep ya'll posted!
I found out the hard way that there are some things that I HAVE to get done (e.g. unloading the dishwasher) or I feel completely overwhelmed by dinner time. So, I am attempting to identify which things I MUST rush around to get done and which things can wait...so I can slow down and be in the moment...
I'll keep ya'll posted!
Health Care "Insurance" Reform Bill - BOHICA
Well, appearantly a new wave of fervor is rising to get HR 3200 passed ASAP. This makes sense because the Democrats appear to be in danger this election year of losing their filibuster "buster" numbers. I have even heard that they are planning to use reconciliation (any means necessary) to get it through...this is concerning to me - because I have been reading the bill and albeit it is the old 2009 version there is a Commissioner in there who has WAY to much power!!! Also, Congress has vowed to post the new bill 72hrs before it goes for a vote...where are they going to post it? Their opencongress.org link is broken (at least to me).
I plan to continue reading the old bill...I saw a side by side comparison to the old bill and the new bill and the changes they are making are not what is concerning to me... I'll let ya know what I think!
I plan to continue reading the old bill...I saw a side by side comparison to the old bill and the new bill and the changes they are making are not what is concerning to me... I'll let ya know what I think!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Sausage & Rosemary Risotto
This also got an unsolicited "this is good" from my husband so highly recommend it!
Sausage & Rosemary Risotto
1.2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 med onion, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1lb pork sausage (I like sweet italian ground)
1 1/2 cups aborio rice (risotto)
3 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 cups fhot water
4 oz apple juice
3/4 cup parmesean cheese
1. Heat oil and butter in large deep pan. Add the onion, garlic and celery cook for 2min.
2. Add the thyme, rosemary and sausage; cook until sausage is cooked/brown; remove sausage (leave onions) drain on paper towel in bowl.
3. Add aborio rice to onions stir to coat in oil; stir constantly for 2 -3 min until translucent. Add the apple juice and cook until reduced (about 1 min).
4. Gradually add hot chicken broth one ladle at a time until rice absorbs each addition. Increase heat to med so liquid bubbles. Add hot water one ladle at a time until rice absorbs each addition. Cook 20min or until all broth/water is absorbed and rice is creamy.
5. Toward the end of cooking, add sausage back to rice and heat through.
6. Remove from heat and add butter; mix well, then melt the parm cheese in...serve immediately.
Sausage & Rosemary Risotto
1.2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 med onion, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1lb pork sausage (I like sweet italian ground)
1 1/2 cups aborio rice (risotto)
3 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 cups fhot water
4 oz apple juice
3/4 cup parmesean cheese
1. Heat oil and butter in large deep pan. Add the onion, garlic and celery cook for 2min.
2. Add the thyme, rosemary and sausage; cook until sausage is cooked/brown; remove sausage (leave onions) drain on paper towel in bowl.
3. Add aborio rice to onions stir to coat in oil; stir constantly for 2 -3 min until translucent. Add the apple juice and cook until reduced (about 1 min).
4. Gradually add hot chicken broth one ladle at a time until rice absorbs each addition. Increase heat to med so liquid bubbles. Add hot water one ladle at a time until rice absorbs each addition. Cook 20min or until all broth/water is absorbed and rice is creamy.
5. Toward the end of cooking, add sausage back to rice and heat through.
6. Remove from heat and add butter; mix well, then melt the parm cheese in...serve immediately.
Recipe: Healthy as You Wanna Be!
I made this the other night and found that it is a great recipe to substitute stuff to make it easier/faster or healthier... I got an unsolicited "this is really good" from my husband who is NOT demonstrative - so must share!
Chicken Enchilada Lasagna
1 can (10oz) enchilada sauce or homemade Ranchero Sauce (recipe at the bottom)
1/2 cup Thick'n'Chunky salsa or homemade Salsa (recipe at the bottom)
2 cans (12.5oz) chicken, drained or 1 large rotisserie chicken, cubed (4 cups)
1/2 sour cream or you can make your own, but I don't know how...
2 tbsp dried chopped onion & Chives or 1/2 cup chopped onion (or green onions)
2 tbsp taco seasoning (1 oz pkt) or 1/8 tsp chipolte chili, 2shakes chili powder, 1shake cayenne
8 corn tortillas (cut in 1/2) or 8 homemade corn tortillas (recipe at the bottom)
2 cups pkg shredded mexican cheese or shred your own colby-monterey jack (8oz)
2 cups tortilla chips or you really need to use these to make it taste right
1 can diced tomatoes, drained or 1 cup chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp sliced black olives or ???
5 shakes dried cilantro or fresh sprigs of ciliantro
1. Heat oven to 375degrees F; spray a 13 x 9 (3qt) glass dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix enchilada sauce and salsa (reserve 1/4 cup of mixture). Add chicken, sour cream 1/4 cup onions (or 2 tbsp dried onion) and taco seasoning, mix well.
3. Spoon reserved 1/4 cup enchilada/salsa mixture in bottom of glass dish. Arrange 8 tortillas on the bottom of the dish, overlapping as necessary.
4. Spoon 1/2 chicken mixture over tortillas, sprinkle 2/3 cup cheese over it; repeat layers. Cover with foil.
5. BAke 30 - 35min until hot.
6. Layer tortilla chips, tomato, black olives, 1/4 cup green onions (or chives) and remaining 2/3 cup cheese over top.
7. Bake uncovered for 5 min until cheese is melted, let stand 10 min before serving.
8. Garnish with cilantro springs or dried cilantro.
Enjoy!
Homemade Ranchero Sauce: (from Cooks.com)
1 (8 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained & shredded
2 (8 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
1/2 c. diced onion
1 sm. bunch cilantro, minced or 1/2 tsp dried cilantro
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. minced garlic
Mix all ingredients together for a hotter sauce add 1 minced jalapeno pepper; for smooth sauce use blender/food processer.
Homemade Salsa: (from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Speedy-Homemade-Salsa/Detail.aspx)
1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1. In a food processor, combine all ingredients; cover and process until chunky. Transfer to a small bowl.
Homemade Corn Tortilla Recipe: (from http://www.cooking-mexican-recipes.com/corn-tortilla-recipe.html)
Makes 10 to 12 tortillas (6 to 7 inch)
•2 cups Maseca Corn Masa Mix
•1 tsp. sea salt
•1 1/4 cup hot water plus 2 to 3 tablespoons
•1 tsp. shortening
Make the Dough
Mix the masa harina (corn flour, not to be confused with corn meal) and salt in a medium sized bowl. Measure 1 1/4 cups of boiling water and the shortening into a separate pan or bowl. Stir until the shortening is melted. Pour this mixture into the bowl of corn flour and mix with a fork. When the mixture is cool enough to touch (a couple of minutes) mix the dough with your hands. The dough will probably be a little dry. Add hot water one teaspoon at a time until the dough stays together and doesn't crumble apart. Knead the dough for one or two minutes. Play with the consistency by adding more water if needed. What you want is a dough that is moist enough to stay together but not too sticky.
Make Golf Balls
Pinch off some dough and roll into smooth round balls (golf ball size) with your hands. Masa for tortillas is not like pie dough so don't worry about over handling it. I would suggest covering the dough you're not working with, with either plastic saran wrap or damp paper towels to keep the dough from drying out while you are making golf balls. Flatten the ball a bit in the palm of your hand. Did I mention that you should be pre-heating a cast iron or comal pan over medium high to high heat. Now's the time. And don't put anything in the pan like shortening or Pam. You don't need it.
Pressing The Dough
If you don't have a press yet, you can simply roll out the dough with a rolling pin. Just make sure you cover the dough with plastic, as per these directions . If you are using a tortilla press, first get yourself a Ziploc type bag. Sandwich size or gallon size will work. I like to use this type of plastic because it is thicker and easier to work with. Cut it in half so you have two separate pieces. Lay one piece on the press and then place the slightly flattened dough on top, a little bit closer to the hinge of the lid like in the picture. Cover the dough with the second piece of plastic and close the lid to flatten the tortilla.Carefully peel the top piece of plastic from the tortilla. Lift the tortilla and the bottom piece of plastic from the press and place it in your hand, dough side down. Now carefully peel the bottom piece of plastic from the tortilla. I did not have any problem with the dough sticking to the plastic. If you do, it probably means your dough is too wet. Try adding a sprinkle of corn flour and kneading the dough a bit more.
Cooking The Tortillas
Place your tortilla in the preheated cast iron pan or comal and cook for 45 seconds to a minute then turn over and cook for another 45 seconds or longer.
Place cooked tortillas in foil and cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm. Store tortillas in a Ziploc bag in the refrigerator for several days.
Chicken Enchilada Lasagna
1 can (10oz) enchilada sauce or homemade Ranchero Sauce (recipe at the bottom)
1/2 cup Thick'n'Chunky salsa or homemade Salsa (recipe at the bottom)
2 cans (12.5oz) chicken, drained or 1 large rotisserie chicken, cubed (4 cups)
1/2 sour cream or you can make your own, but I don't know how...
2 tbsp dried chopped onion & Chives or 1/2 cup chopped onion (or green onions)
2 tbsp taco seasoning (1 oz pkt) or 1/8 tsp chipolte chili, 2shakes chili powder, 1shake cayenne
8 corn tortillas (cut in 1/2) or 8 homemade corn tortillas (recipe at the bottom)
2 cups pkg shredded mexican cheese or shred your own colby-monterey jack (8oz)
2 cups tortilla chips or you really need to use these to make it taste right
1 can diced tomatoes, drained or 1 cup chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp sliced black olives or ???
5 shakes dried cilantro or fresh sprigs of ciliantro
1. Heat oven to 375degrees F; spray a 13 x 9 (3qt) glass dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix enchilada sauce and salsa (reserve 1/4 cup of mixture). Add chicken, sour cream 1/4 cup onions (or 2 tbsp dried onion) and taco seasoning, mix well.
3. Spoon reserved 1/4 cup enchilada/salsa mixture in bottom of glass dish. Arrange 8 tortillas on the bottom of the dish, overlapping as necessary.
4. Spoon 1/2 chicken mixture over tortillas, sprinkle 2/3 cup cheese over it; repeat layers. Cover with foil.
5. BAke 30 - 35min until hot.
6. Layer tortilla chips, tomato, black olives, 1/4 cup green onions (or chives) and remaining 2/3 cup cheese over top.
7. Bake uncovered for 5 min until cheese is melted, let stand 10 min before serving.
8. Garnish with cilantro springs or dried cilantro.
Enjoy!
Homemade Ranchero Sauce: (from Cooks.com)
1 (8 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained & shredded
2 (8 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
1/2 c. diced onion
1 sm. bunch cilantro, minced or 1/2 tsp dried cilantro
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. minced garlic
Mix all ingredients together for a hotter sauce add 1 minced jalapeno pepper; for smooth sauce use blender/food processer.
Homemade Salsa: (from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Speedy-Homemade-Salsa/Detail.aspx)
1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1. In a food processor, combine all ingredients; cover and process until chunky. Transfer to a small bowl.
Homemade Corn Tortilla Recipe: (from http://www.cooking-mexican-recipes.com/corn-tortilla-recipe.html)
Makes 10 to 12 tortillas (6 to 7 inch)
•2 cups Maseca Corn Masa Mix
•1 tsp. sea salt
•1 1/4 cup hot water plus 2 to 3 tablespoons
•1 tsp. shortening
Make the Dough
Mix the masa harina (corn flour, not to be confused with corn meal) and salt in a medium sized bowl. Measure 1 1/4 cups of boiling water and the shortening into a separate pan or bowl. Stir until the shortening is melted. Pour this mixture into the bowl of corn flour and mix with a fork. When the mixture is cool enough to touch (a couple of minutes) mix the dough with your hands. The dough will probably be a little dry. Add hot water one teaspoon at a time until the dough stays together and doesn't crumble apart. Knead the dough for one or two minutes. Play with the consistency by adding more water if needed. What you want is a dough that is moist enough to stay together but not too sticky.
Make Golf Balls
Pinch off some dough and roll into smooth round balls (golf ball size) with your hands. Masa for tortillas is not like pie dough so don't worry about over handling it. I would suggest covering the dough you're not working with, with either plastic saran wrap or damp paper towels to keep the dough from drying out while you are making golf balls. Flatten the ball a bit in the palm of your hand. Did I mention that you should be pre-heating a cast iron or comal pan over medium high to high heat. Now's the time. And don't put anything in the pan like shortening or Pam. You don't need it.
Pressing The Dough
If you don't have a press yet, you can simply roll out the dough with a rolling pin. Just make sure you cover the dough with plastic, as per these directions . If you are using a tortilla press, first get yourself a Ziploc type bag. Sandwich size or gallon size will work. I like to use this type of plastic because it is thicker and easier to work with. Cut it in half so you have two separate pieces. Lay one piece on the press and then place the slightly flattened dough on top, a little bit closer to the hinge of the lid like in the picture. Cover the dough with the second piece of plastic and close the lid to flatten the tortilla.Carefully peel the top piece of plastic from the tortilla. Lift the tortilla and the bottom piece of plastic from the press and place it in your hand, dough side down. Now carefully peel the bottom piece of plastic from the tortilla. I did not have any problem with the dough sticking to the plastic. If you do, it probably means your dough is too wet. Try adding a sprinkle of corn flour and kneading the dough a bit more.
Cooking The Tortillas
Place your tortilla in the preheated cast iron pan or comal and cook for 45 seconds to a minute then turn over and cook for another 45 seconds or longer.
Place cooked tortillas in foil and cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm. Store tortillas in a Ziploc bag in the refrigerator for several days.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Slow Down!!! Be Happy!
I am not a morning person, but I am up early every morning. So, I like to get up get a cup of coffee and wake up before my son. Everyone I know thinks this is crazy and sometimes I think it is too, but I want to be in a good mood in the mornings and this is the only way I know to do it.
In order to get everything done and have the time to wake up - I find myself rushing around - half awake, in order to relax and have some me time. Does this make sense? So, do I get up earlier?
NO! This morning I decided to just SLOW DOWN. This is not as easy as it sounds for me. I asked myself - does the me time make me in a good mood or does just being awake make me in a better mood... I slowed down and enjoyed just being awake. I concentrated on just being in the moment...I took my time making the coffee, turning off the alarm etc and I am in a pretty good mood!
So, now I am wondering how much other stuff I do in a day, in order to get ready to relax or have fun or be happy...today I am going to try to slow down all day and see what happens. I'll let ya know how it goes...
In order to get everything done and have the time to wake up - I find myself rushing around - half awake, in order to relax and have some me time. Does this make sense? So, do I get up earlier?
NO! This morning I decided to just SLOW DOWN. This is not as easy as it sounds for me. I asked myself - does the me time make me in a good mood or does just being awake make me in a better mood... I slowed down and enjoyed just being awake. I concentrated on just being in the moment...I took my time making the coffee, turning off the alarm etc and I am in a pretty good mood!
So, now I am wondering how much other stuff I do in a day, in order to get ready to relax or have fun or be happy...today I am going to try to slow down all day and see what happens. I'll let ya know how it goes...
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
I Cartooned Myself!
Well, that was 2hrs I will never get back, but it was pretty fun! What do ya'll think...does it look like me?
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