Beefy Potatoes (And I'm Not Just Talking Muscles)

Hi folks!

This time  I have no witty story, but I do lament that I didn’t have actual beef to put in this. If I did, it would have been absolutely perfect! Then again, look at these pretty pictures and tell me that it doesn't look perfect! I dare you!

(Before Cheese)

(After Cheese)

 Beefy Potatoes
2-3 Servings

 Ingredients
- Two Red Russet Potatoes
- One Sweet Onion - 3 Mushrooms
- 4-5 Clove of Garlic
 - ½ of Mozzarella Cheese
 - 2.5 Cups of Beef Broth
- 3 Tbsp of Sweet Baby Rays Original BBQ
- 3 Tbsp of Worcestershire Sauce
 - Frank’s Cayenne Pepper Sauce (To Taste)
- Mrs. Dash (To Taste)
 - Salt and Pepper (To Taste)

Step One: Slice vegetables to your liking.
Step Two: Mix Beef Broth, Sweet Baby Rays Original BBQ, Worcester Sauce, Frank’s, Mrs. Dash, Salt and Pepper in a large bowl. Add vegetables. Make sure everything is evenly coated and then put in baking dish.
Step Three: Put dish in an oven preheated to 450 degrees. Bake until everything is tender ( between 20-40 minutes, depending on the oven and depth of your baking dish).
Step Four: Add cheese. Put in oven for approximately another minute, until cheese is melted.

 Serve with bread to dip in the sauce. Eat with a spoon to get full flavor.

Enjoy!

Other Suggestions: ADD BEEF, carrots, broccoli, add flour before Step Four if you want a thicker broth (more of a gravy than a broth).

Grilled Chicken Wrap

Some days we all want something home cooked, but that does not mean we have time to pull out several pots and pans to slave in a hot kitchen. Honestly, who really has any time these days?

This latest recipe is something home cooked with out the hard labor, which was nice especially since I actually cooked it while I was in the middle of cooking several other things. It’s quick, simple, easy clean up and tasty. Who could want more?

Grilled Chicken Wrap
2-3 Servings

2 Chicken fillets, season to your taste
½ of a red pepper
½ of a green pepper
½ of an onion
3 tortillas (Or however many are needed, in my case there was enough for 3, but my tortillas were tiny.)
Shredded Cheese to taste

Step One: After seasoning the chicken, grill it until it is finished cooking. Feel free to cut open the chicken to check how done it is, since later on the chicken will be cut apart anyways.

Step Two: While the chicken is cooking, slice the vegetables. I sliced enough for two pieces of each vegetable per tortilla, but again, if you have bigger tortillas feel free to add more of each vegetable.

Step Three: When chicken is done and cooled enough to touch, slice the chicken and divide between the tortillas. Add the vegetables, followed by the cheese. Finish wrapping the tortilla, use a toothpick if desired to hold it closed.

Step Four: Place back on the grill to warm and melt the cheese. If there’s enough cheese, it will hold the tortilla closed and the tooth pick is no longer needed. Serve with a dipping sauce that compliments your seasonings.

If you have time: Saute or grill the vegetables as well.

Also try: adding other vegetables, seasoning the tortillas, other meats, marinating the chicken.

Mustard is Evil

I hate mustard. Plain and simple. Never have liked, never thought I would, but lately some recipes have opened up my mind to the possibility of maybe, perhaps, kind of sort of liking mustard. Not plain mustard, mind you, but the wonderfully flavored mustards.

This recipe uses an amazing mustard my boyfriend and I found at the Michigan Renaissance Festival this year. The company, Garlic Festival, is aptly named considering the wide variety of garlic based products they have: seasonings, salsas and dips, marinades, sauces, pickled garlic, and of course, garlic mustard. This particular garlic mustard, is a garlic jalapeno mustard that is quite amazing.

The following recipe uses that mustard, though any other mustard can be used as a substitute.

Garlic Jalapeno Mustard Chicken
2 Servings

2 Chicken Fillets
4-6 Tablespoons of Garlic Jalapeno Mustard
4 Medium Sized Carrots, Sliced
1 Onion, Sliced
Minced Garlic to Taste
Oil or butter for the pan

Step One: Marinate chicken in the mustard for about an hour at least (I really just rubbed the mustard on the chicken and let it sit for a while to soak up some of the flavor.).
Step Two: Heat pan with oil or butter, than add the chicken fillets.
Step Three: Once the chicken fillets have started cooking, add the carrots a few minutes after. Add the onions one the chicken fillets after about half to 3/4s cooked through. Add minced garlic when desired (it all depends on how strong you want the garlic flavor and how well you want the minced garlic cooked).
Step Four: It is finished when the chicken is cooked through, the carrots are soft, and the onions are translucent.

Serve with extra mustard for dipping on the side.

Things to add: Salt/Pepper (this is a definite, I’m fairly certain a touch of both work have done the recipe wonders), other vegetables, more jalapenos.

Fried Apple and Onions

I know what you’re thinking. Who in there right mind fries apples? With onions, of all things! First off, I never said I was in my right mind. Secondly, when visiting Greenfield Village the other day, that’s what the reenactors where about to make for dinner, so our old timey ancestors thought it was a great idea apparently.

While my mother and I did not get a chance to stay and watch how they cooked it, we assumed that we could figure our how to fry’em up! While they are surprisingly tasty, it is an unusual taste compared to what modern taste buds are used too. The onions become slightly sweet and the apple’s sweetness is cut down a bit, but it shines through the onion and bacon grease taste. Hope you enjoy this little experience as much as we did!

Fried Apple and Onions
1 to 2 Servings

1 medium sized apple, sliced (I used a green apple, because that is what we had handy)
1 medium sized onion, sliced (I used a sweet onion, because that is what we had handy)
1 tsp margarine
1tsp bacon grease

Step One: Melt margarine with bacon grease.
Step Two: Add apple slices
Step Three: Once apple slices are appropriately half way cooked, add onion slices.
Step Four: It is done when apples are cooked through and onions are translucent.

I served it with bacon since I do not have random bacon grease sitting around for recipes.

Things to add: Salt/Pepper, sweet spices, savory spices, maybe garlic. Honestly, however, I think it would be better to keep this recipe as simple as possible considering the odd mixture of apples and onions to begin with.

Simmered Green Beans

Recently I cooked my current boyfriend a lovely dinner of chicken and broccoli bake (Step-by-Step Comfort Food from Confident Cooking) with simmered green beans on the side. They worked well together, if only because they both used chicken broth, garlic and some form of onions.

Now granted this was my first stab at simmered vegetables, but I think they turned out extremely well (and so did he). Considered yourself forewarned, now onto the recipe!

Simmer Green Beans*
2 to 3 servings



- 1 Can or approximately 16 oz. of Green Beans (I used french cut, but any kind will do. Fresh is generally best though, just ignore the fact that I used a can. )
- 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth
- Minced garlic to taste
-2 teaspoons chopped onions (or to taste)
-Salt and Pepper to taste

Put ingredients into a pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer until onions are translucent and beans are well flavored. Also keep in mind the amount of broth you would like kept with the beans. Personally I simmered it until the broth was almost gone, leaving just a slight amount to pour over the served beans or to dip other foods in.

Things you could also add: Ham, Turkey, Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Other Greens, Bacon (Everything is better with Bacon)