Thursday, April 2, 2015

Tortellini, Edamame and Smoked Sausage


Not my recipe! But super easy, not expensive and super yummy! My changes to it I put in red. :)

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6 (4)
Ingredients:
1 pound frozen cheese tortellini
1 cup shelled edamame
(I buy the steamables and steam them in the microwave instead of boiling)
1 cup diced red pepper
1 pound smoked sausage (I use the nice stuff, but Bar S Smoked Sausage, cheap and lots of sausage)
1/2 cup Italian dressing (I use 3/4 cup, but I like more on mine)
Method:
1. Set 6 quarts of salted water to boil in a large pot.
2. Meanwhile, chop red pepper and slice the smoked sausage into 1/4 inch-thick rounds.
3. Stir-fry red pepper and sausage together until heated through — about 5 minutes.
4. Add tortellini to boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Add edamame to water and boil for another 2 minutes. Drain tortellini and edamame well.
6. Toss everything together with the Italian dressing and heat through one final time.
Recipe courtesy of family.go.com, photo courtesy of Sioux City Girl Eats 

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Mac and Cheese Add-Ins

Almost everyone, (I know there are a few out there who don't!), loves them some good ole' fashion Mac and Cheese! Some days you just really don't feel like making something extravagant or you just need something quick to feed the kids. Mac and Cheese can be made a few different ways so that everyone doesn't get tired of eating it during the summer. For all these quick little "add-ins", I just use Kraft Mac and Cheese and just make it according to the directions on the box.

A few things I do to spruce up my Mac and Cheese:


  1. Add hot dogs or polish sausage: Probably my favorite. Get your favorite hot dog / sausage, slice it up to whatever thickness you feel like eating, fry it up on a small skillet and add to your mac and cheese. I usually start cooking these right as I start boiling the water and then when they are done cooking I'll throw them in with the Mac as it boils or I'll put a lid on it to keep it warm.
  2. Hot dogs with Mac and Cheese on top! Random I know, and quite a bit messy, but super good!!
  3. Last thing I'll list for now is PEAS! My wife loves having peas added to her Mac and Cheese. You just need to add frozen one about 3-4 minutes before the Macaroni is done boiling, or you can add it separately. It is pretty good I will have to admit.
















What are some things that you have put in your Mac and Cheese to spruce it up?! Leave a comment below!





Sunday, February 12, 2012

Eggs in a Basket

One of my wife's favorites. It's really simple and doesn't require a whole lot of work. Just a little bit of patience. We usually eat about 2 of these each.

Cook on my friends!

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook time: 10 mins

Ingredients:
1 egg
Slice of bread
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Spatula (A firm and thin one is the best)

Heat a frying pan to just under medium.
Take the slice of bread and make a hole in the middle, make sure to make it fairly large,



Add butter until you get the bottom of the pan lightly coated,



Once the butter is melted, add the slice of bread to it and let it cook until it's just barely golden brown on both sides.



Add just a tiny bit of butter into the center of the hole on the pan

Crack the egg, and drop it into the center of the whole, let it cook until the bottom is solid and the bread is more toasted (hint: if you can push it around the pan without and egg white spilling out, then it's done).
Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on it to taste.


Flip it over and let it continue to cook until the other side can be pushed around the pan without spilling any egg white.


Take off and add to plate! When you cut it open the yolk should be runny, but the egg white should be pretty solid.


Enjoy this delicious treat! Me and my wife both enjoy it! A variation I like is adding cheese, add a slice of cheese the size of the whole after you put the butter in the center and right before you crack the egg into it.  I use pepperjack to give it a little bit of spice. You can also sprinkle a little bit of shredded right at the end if you'd like!

Serving size: 1 person


Side suggestions:
Any kind of fruit
Juice

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Potato Bacon Chowder

Thank you to my amazing next door neighbors the Snows, (well, next door to my parents) for giving me an awesome cook book for my wedding! Thank you!

One of my favorite meals that I have ever cooked out of there has been this Potato Bacon Chowder, and I hope they don't mind me sharing it. I'll give credit where it's due! It says it was submitted by Debra Snow. Thank you again!


Cook on my friends!

Prep: 10-15 mins
Cook: 20-25 mins

Ingredients:
1lb bacon, cut into small pieces
1 small onion, chopped
6 cups cubed potatoes     -    (I know this sounds like a lot, but it's actually perfect. Yukon Gold or your favorite potatoes work great!)
3 cups water
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
16 oz Sour Cream
1/2 - 2 c. milk (to desired thickness)

So start out frying the bacon in a pan until crisp and add onion and saute for 2 to 3 mins. (Drain)
       (I do this in a small frying pan, and after draining, add it to a soup pot).
Add potatoes and water; bring to boil
Simmer for 15 - 20 mins or until potatoes are tender, (to your liking).
Stir in soup and sour cream.
Gradually add salt, pepper and milk.
Continue to heat till serving temperature.

Side Suggestions:
Grilled Cheese
Corn on the Cob
Asparagus
Green Beans
Apples
Stuffed Celery

Desserts Suggestions:
Peach Cobbler
Ice Cream
Berry Crepes

Let me know how things turn out for you all! This serves about 4 - 6 people. Honestly, I can eat about a bowl full.


(Sorry about the bad picture, I'll try to take better ones).

The Beginning!

So, I have been married for 8 months now. I do a lot of the cooking because my beautiful wife has to work full time and go to school full time. I love cooking, so I don't mind. I just hate that recipes, cooking shows, always have stuff in them that I never seem to have in my kitchen/pantry.

So here's a blog dedicated to all the dads/moms/students who need to cook quickly, and not have to go shopping everyday, because you can use items that you can keep in your fridge. This will save you time and money. You'll also eat well, if it's not good, I will tell you.

Keep-Calm-and-Cook-On my friends!