catch up 2

since being at antlers so much this past year, I have not been cooking like I used to and love to do...so I made a pact with myself that I would try and fit in more cooking and that would also prepare me for April 1st, when we are no longer tied down at that place...
so, I had imagined that for Valentine's Day I would make my version of taco casserole, something everyone in my family loves, incl the princess who is a picky picky princess...but the more I talked of it for heart day, the more I craved it...
I have craved all of my winter dinners that I love so much...so last Sunday, I was talking about it and got Tim involved and to make a long story short, I made it for Sunday night dinner instead of for Valentine's...it was so yummy and we made corn bread to go with it...
my taco cass.
brown some ground beef, add 1/2 pkg taco seasoning mix, then to that add one big can of tomato sauce, one can of sliced black olives, some frozen corn (according to how much corn you like) some crushed up corn chips (again how many you like) and put in
baking pan and top with cheddar cheese...bake at 400 for approx 20 min...then eat...we loved it and knew what we were missing not having made all of our winter meals...
so, then there was the dilemma of what to make for Valentine's and then I remembered what tim's absolute favorite dinner of all times is and so I made it for him and once again, OMGoodness it was delicious...

beef stroganoff...and no big deal, I used the seasoning packet to make it...

sorry to disappoint...

catch up...

for antler dinner last Friday night I made my fried rice (am craving some right now) and I am not sure what I do differently but everyone seems to love it...
for convenience I used Minute rice and made 16 cups (figured to feed approx 35-40 people)...
I then fried the rice approx. 4 cups at a time in small amt of oil, added seasonings such as garlic salt and pepper, stirring constantly till it was like I wanted it to be, added a few splashes of soy sauce, stirred till all was coated (hate when you order fried rice out somewhere and parts of it are white)...added in green onions, some bacon and some frozen peas...and then very slightly scrambled 6 eggs and chopped them up and added them to the rice...
voila...done...
the people I was cooking with made their very delicious marinated chicken and my fried rice compliments their dish very well...
we served and had no complaints, in fact several people asked for seconds...
what was the shinig star was my dessert...I get very tired of the same old same old
cake or just regular dessert and am always on the outlook for a new recipe that will really just blow my socks off and this one sure did and once again everyone absolutely loved it and I now have been craving it for days after...
found the recipe on Southern Plate...

http://www.southernplate.com/2011/04/aunt-sues-orange-juice-cake-from-danielle-dykman.html

it was so delicious and extremely moist (just the way I like my cakes...)hey, maybe I will make it today for home...when I served it at Elks it was still warm and delicious with cool whip on top...

tuna and fondue

so grandma wanted Ross to come see her and Tim and I decided to stay home and while he is gone places, as I have stated before Tim and I eat things that Ross hates...
so Saturday, we had tuna melts...
dinner tonight? tuna melts...y? just cause it felt right...haha...a quick story (I should write a book, huh? cause I always have a story...) at the last hospital I worked at, and OMGosh I loved this job, not everyone can say they had the perfect job, but I really did...when we bought our house out here (we lived in El Segundo) I cried for days having to leave that job...and guess what? everyon...e loved me there...especially my boss, she was always bringing me little presents and getting me raises, etc. too bad I ever left...anyway, Ross would have to drop me off like 1 1/2 hours early in the morning and I would sit in the cafeteria and wait for start time...and I got to know the cook pretty well...an old black man...(his name was Art, see I cannot remember what I had for dinner last night, but can remember his name?) and I had never had a tuna melt before and one day we were talking and tuna was brought up and I said, "yuck" and he said he would change my mind about tuna and he did...best ever tuna melt on a good rye bread...OMGosh to die for...just a funny story that I think of every time I make a tuna melt...

and then Tim's second favorite food ever is cheese fondue and I aim to please so that is what I made...pretty simple recipe and we dip french bread, mini sausages, carrots, celery and the must have is wheat thins...Zoe also loves this dinner...

a very good mac and cheese

http://funwiththefullwoods.blogspot.com/2011/12/baked-mac-n-cheese-with-bacon.html...

oh my goodness, this recipe is definitely a keeper...one of the best mac and cheese I have ever tasted...sides? green beans w/ almonds and the princess made some cheese and garlic biscuits...
everyone dug into it too quick for me to take any pics...sorry

Sunday night dinner

we are at the end of the month and I am trying so hard to use up what we have and only buy if I have to and bare necessities at that...so looking for a recipe for dinner tonight, came upon this one...

http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/sidedishes/bacon-potato-hash/

and I only changed a few things...I added carrots and celery to the potatoes and cooked them together...and Tim and I both really liked it and will make it again and again...not sure Ross cared for it, but, hey, cannot please everyone now can I?

to go with dinner have been wanting to make these muffins for awhile now and OMGosh
are they wonderful? so so so good, more like a dessert tho cause they taste just like a pecan pie...you have got to try these...

http://www.southernplate.com/2008/10/pecan-pie-muffins.html

cottage pie

these 2 recipes have been in my favorite's for awhile now and tonight since it is real rainy and cold, decided to try them...
both recipes, I would change just a little bit but overall am happy with how they turned out...
the first: cottage pie, or shephards's pie (with beef)...never knew that...if it is lamb it is called shephard's pie and if it is beef it is a cottage pie...so, cottage it is...
http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/shepherde28099s-pie-13/...

I thought by adding cheese, sour cream and bacon to the mashed potatoes would add taste, but it still needs a little something more, maybe some garlic???

otherwise I really do like the pie...waiting to see what Tim and hubby think about it...Zoe loved it, she made her own little personal pie with only corn, beef and potatoes...

so for the biscuits, Zoe made them...from this recipe:

http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/breads/bacon-cheddar-bubble-bread/

and they were delicious...you have to try them...so so good...

panera's

can you believe all this time, we have lived so close to a Panera and I have never eaten there? well, one more thing off my bucket list. Tim took us there for lunch,
today since he knew I was not feeling well...cannot get rid of this migraine...
it was pretty good...had baked potato soup and 1/2 of a turkey sandwich...see I love
their cookies, and so had to get one to eat later with a glass of cold milk...