Curried Black Beans and Rice

This recipe is so so yummy. I just loved it. And it is very filling. The recipe does make a lot of food, so for just the two of us, I would cut it in half. I made it for Dan and I without cutting it down and we had leftovers for about 3 more meals afterwards. I also made it for my family {there were 11 of us there if I remember correctly} and every one of them loved it as well. My grandmother is from Sweden and she has an amazing palette – not picky, she just makes amazing food – so I was really excited when she said she liked it {she loves curry, so I had that running in my favor}. And my two teenage brothers are in this “everything mom makes is yucky” phase, and she tells me that they won’t eat rice. Both of them went back for seconds on this {I did double it for my family when I made it for them}. I’m telling you, it is amazing!

Curried Black Beans and Rice
Cook time: 15-20 minutes
Serves: 4-6 people

Ingredients:
1 T. Oil
1 sm. onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. Curry powder {more or less depending on your preference – I’ve only ever used 1 Tbsp. but that is plenty of flavor for me}
1 lb ground sausage (you can easily substitute beef, chicken, or turkey – I’ve used ground turkey and beef and it’s always turned out great)
3/4 cup chicken broth (or 2-3 boullion cubes crushed in hot water)
2 (16 oz.) cans black beans drained
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups uncooked Rice

Directions:
Rinse your rice and cook as directed in your rice cooker or pot, however you prefer. While your rice is cooking, saute onion in oil with the curry powder. Add sausage. Cook about 5 minutes. Add broth and beans. Cook 4-5 minutes longer. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Crescent Sandwiches

This is a recipe I “made up” one day for lunch. I get really bored of sandwiches for lunch so I like trying to come up with new things I can do. The day I made these I had some crescent rolls in the refrigerator that I needed to use so I came up with this. Really, it wasn’t hard. It’s not like I’m an amazing chef or anything. These are actually really simple but we really enjoyed them.

Crescent Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 tube (8oz) refrigerated crescent rolls {or your own homemade equivalent}
8 slices of sandwich meat or some other pre-cooked variety of meat {I won’t tell you what brand or kind to use – that would be silly; choose something you like}
Mozzarella cheese, cut into small slices
Ranch dressing


Directions:
Open the tube of crescent rolls and unroll them onto an un-greased baking sheet.

Take a slice of sandwich meat, fold it into a triangle and place it on widest end of the crescent roll.

Then add the slices of mozzarella cheese {I cut mine nice and small so they'd fit really well} and roll, starting at the widest end.

Continue with the rest of the sandwiches.

Bake at 350 degrees for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with ranch dressing and vegetables.

Shelf Reliance Giveaway

If any of you are like me, you have a hard time organizing your food storage in an effective way. Shelf Reliance pretty much covers all the bases and really helps with the oraganization stuff {and they have food storage stuff you can use!}. It's amazing. And right now is an option to win a Harvest 72". Go here to enter {you only have til Friday so hurry quickly!}

Twenty minute Simple Skirt Tutorial AND GIVEAWAY!!!!

Twenty minute Simple Skirt Tutorial AND GIVEAWAY!!!! Awesome skirt tutorial. I'm excited to give it a try!

Swirled Dill Rolls

This is the recipe I typically make to go along with the Chicken Piccata. I love these rolls. They are so simple and yummy – and you could easily substitute the canned crescent rolls for a homemade variety if you wanted!

Swirled Dill Rolls
Taste of Home’s Quick Cooking
Prep/total time: 20 min.
Makes: 8 rolls

Ingredients:
1 tube (8oz) refrigerated crescent rolls
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
¼ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. snipped fresh dill {I used dried dill – I start with about a ¼ tsp and add more depending on what I’m after for flavor}

Directions:
Do not unroll crescent dough; cut into eight equal slices. Place cut side down on an un-greased baking sheet. Bake at 375oF for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile in a small bowl, combine the butter, onion powder and dill. Spread over warm rolls.

Chicken Piccata

A friend of mine requested this recipe. I made it when we invited her and her husband over for dinner one night. I didn’t think it turned out as good as I would have liked but that’s because I think there was too much pepper {I have a really difficult time with spicy foods}. I will cut it way down when I make it again. Other than that, this recipe is really delicious. You won’t be sorry you made this!

Chicken Piccata
Taste of Home’s Quick Cooking
Prep/total time: 25 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4 oz. each)
¼ cup butter, cubed
¼ cup white wine or chicken broth
1 Tbsp. lemon juice




Directions:
In a large reseal-able plastic bag, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Flatten chicken to ½ inch thickness; place in bag, one piece at a time and shake to coat.
In a large skillet over medium heat, brown chicken in butter. Stir in wine or broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 12-15 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear. Drizzle with lemon juice.

Next week I'll post the recipe I always make when we have this chicken. You won't be disappointed!

Pita Pockets

I found this recipe at Budget Bites by Tari {which is an amazing resource! everyone go look - you won't be disappointed, I promise!} and I love it! I have pretty much resolved to never buy a pita pocket again because it can't possibly be as good as this was! I had to revise the instructions a little because I don't have a bread machine to mix the dough. I think it worked out fine {though I can't compare to see which is better - sorry}. I'm going to write my instructions for making it without a bread machine {though some will still be the original instructions from Tari} - and because I really want you to go check out this blog, I'm gonna say that if you do have a bread machine, visit the link below and read Tari's instructions for making it. Again, I promise you won't be sorry if you spend even just a few minutes over there!

Pita Bread

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cup milk, warmed in microwave for 1 minute
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour**
1 teaspoon rapid rise yeast**

Directions:
Add ingredients, in the order listed, to your bowl.

Stir the ingredients together thoroughly, about one minute. {This is where it gets interesting!} After about a minute of stirring, take the dough out of the bowl and begin kneading by pulling the in your hands back and forth, as though working with clay {trust me, you do not want to try kneading this like bread on your table - it will be a big mess!}. The dough will be very sticky but you do not want to add extra flour! Just work with it in your hands until it becomes soft and spongy. It takes about 7-8 minutes of pulling and working with your hands; you will be able to tell that the dough is about ready because it will become less sticky. Remember, the dough should be soft and almost spongy. This is about what it will look like:

When finished kneading, place back into mixing bowl {you might want to clean it out just a little first}, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest for 10 minutes (this helps the dough shape easier).

On a very lightly floured surface divide dough into 8-12 balls {more balls = smaller pitas - I made 11 and they were just about too small for us}

Roll each ball into a flat disk about 1/4" thick - if you flour the rolling pin before then they won't stick to it {the flatter they are, the less they will "puff" when they rise}.

Cover the dough and let rise until slightly puffed, about 30 minutes {I discovered that the pitas puffed better if I let them rise on the pan I was going to cook them on - I tried both that method and letting them rise on the table and then transferring them, and they stay nice and fluffy if you let them rise on the pan}.

Place 1/2 of pita rounds on a greased baking sheet {I used an upside down cookie sheet} and bake in the bottom of a 450 F oven for 4-5 minutes, or until bread is puffed {mine were done in about 3-1/2 minutes - you really have to watch them because the dough doesn't really brown, so don't wait for browned pitas- they will burn}. Remove from oven and repeat with remaining dough. When cooled, cut a slit in the side of each pita, fill with your favorite filling and enjoy!

{** Note - Important Note from Tari's instructions: Bread flour and rapid rise yeast are essential to making homemade bread, especially when you are using the bread machine for part of all of the process. These two ingredients help ensure a fluffier product than if you used regular all-purpose flour and a different type of yeast. You can use other flour and yeast, however, you're bread will turn out more dense.}

Lemon Bars

When I was a kid, a couple friends and I decided we would have a "bake sale" to earn some money. When the day approached, I baked and baked and baked all kinds of delicious goodies. My mom helped me find recipes, and I think I can honestly say that I made everything pretty much by myself (I was in my teens . . . so maybe I shouldn't have said "kid"!). Anyway, for that bake sale, my mom introduced me to this fabulous thing called "lemon bars". I had never had them before but I fell in love! I probably ate more of them than I sold - I was officially addicted to lemon bars. Well, since that time, I've lost the recipe I used as a kid. I really honestly can't find it. And there hasn't been a lemon bar recipe that is quite the same. Maybe someday I'll find it's equal {or probably not - it's probably just the "kid" in me that thinks it will never be recreated . . . who knows!}. But in the meantime, I'll enjoy these beauties instead!

Lemon Bars

Ingredients:
Crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Filling:
2 eggs, slightly beaten {I used egg substitute - much better for your heart!}
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons lemon juice {I used freshly sqeezed juice, and the pulp from the lemon - it adds a little more flavor but you would never know the pulp was in there!}
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
Directions:
Cream the flour, butter, and sugar. Press mixutre into 8 or 9 inch square pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 350oF. Cool.
Mix eggs, sugar, salt and lemon juice. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and baking powder; mix. Pour over cool crust and bake 25 minutes at 350oF. Sprinkle siften powdered sugar on top as soon as removed from the oven. Cool thoroughly before cutting into bars.
Note: If desired, 2 Tbls. lemon juice and 1 Tbap. grated lemon rind may be used.
Makes 16-18 bars.

I found this recipe at http://www.aliciasrecipes.com/Recipe/20680/Lemon-Bars.htm

Baked Chicken

This wasn’t {I’ll be honest} our very favorite recipe. Not that anything was specifically wrong with the recipe, I just felt that it needed some added flavor. Unfortunately, I didn't add the pimentos {couldn't find them in the store - I'm sure I just didn't know where to look} so that could have made a lot of difference. I don't know because I have never had pimentos, at least to my knowledge! So I made this without and it really needed something. I added salt and paprika to mine, and that helped, but still more of something was needed - I can't figure what. So please leave your comments and let me know what you think I could do to it. {please excuse all the pictures. I had a little fun with the camera!}

Baked Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
1 can cream of chicken soup

2 c. cooked chicken

3/4 c. mayonnaise
1 tsp. lemon juice {I used about 2 Tbsp. of juice - I'm kinda a citrus fan - and also used the lemon pulp - still wasn't enough for me}
1 c. chopped celery {since I'm not a celery fan I only used about 1/2 cup - was still too much for me}
1/2 sm. onion, diced

1/4 c. chopped pimento {I didn't have any - sad day - this is probably why we didn't love this recipe!}
1/2 tsp. pecan or almond, chopped {I think I put in about a tablespoon - I like nuts!}
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped {I only had two in my fridge so that's what I used!}

2 c. crushed potato chips

Directions:
Mix together all ingredients except potato chips.
Top with crushed chips.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes until bubbly.

I found this recipe at:
http://www.aliciasrecipes.com/Recipe/6316/Baked-Chicken-Salad.htm

Lazy Lasagna

In case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm a "recipe borrower." I love to "borrow" other people's recipes and make them, sometimes "perfect" them to my tastes, and claim them as my own. However, I try to be sure and give credit where credit is due. For example, today's recipe comes from the Kraft kitchen. And if you ever have a recipe that you are just dying to share with me {which I will inevitably post on this blog} please send it my way!
Moral of the story, I'm not very creative. I'm trying though. Actually, I'm working on perfecting a few small things {and when I say small, I really mean small!} Someday you will see a lot more original creations {by moi!} on here. For now, I'm gonna keep borrowing recipes.

Lazy Lasagna
Prep Time: 10 min Total Time: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 container (24 oz.) Low Fat Cottage Cheese
1/2 cup cholesterol-free egg product
2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce {I used more than this - 1 jar + 1 can Garlic & Basil Tomato Sauce - and I wish I would have used even more}
2 cups frozen BOCA Ground Crumbles {I used ground turkey for this - I have a hard time buying "ready cooked" meat when it doesn't take very long to cook my own. And the turkey is a bit healthier than normal ground beef.}
2 cups rotini pasta, uncooked

Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F. Mix cottage cheese, egg product and 1 cup mozzarella; set aside. Combine sauce and crumbles; spread 1/2 onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray.
Cover with layers of pasta and 1/2 of cottage cheese mixture; top with remaining sauce and cottage cheese mixtures. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella; cover with foil.
Bake 1 hour, removing foil after 30 min. Remove from oven; let stand 10 min. before cutting to serve.

Substitute: 2 beaten eggs for the egg product.

Note: this recipe is called "lazy" because you do not have to cook the noodles. I repeat, do not cook the noodles ahead of time. It'll be so quick - you may never go back to regular lasagna! Also, if you're a "two-people" family like we are, I would highly recommend cutting this recipe in half and making it in an 8x8 pan. We even had company over when we ate this dish and we were eating it for leftovers for weeks after! {ok, so maybe not quite that long, but it sure felt like it!}