A Proverbs 31 Kind of Day

The other day, while visiting with friends over dinner, I noticed my dish had delicious tomatoes tossed in. When I read the menu, it said, "Roasted tomatoes." I've done roasted tomatoes before, but they never turned out like what was having that evening. When my girl cherub and I were working on dinner the other night, I thought I would try for the roasted tomatoes again. The difference between the restaurant and what I had done in the past was simple. I always tossed the tomatoes, whole, with seasoning and roasted. While I do like them this way, what it causes the tomato to do is burst open. Which is fine. Except that affects the texture of the tomato. This time, we made one simple change. We cut the tomatoes in half. Yes, it was a lot of cutting, because all I had where cute little cherub tomatoes. But with two of us cutting, we did the entire pint lickety-split! We loved the end product! Matter of fact, we wished we had done more. ...

I have about two weeks were everyone is home at the same time! My girl cherub is in school, finishing up her finals. My boy cherub is back home from college, before going to his next assignment. Of course, my Mr. is here.  With everyone around the table, our dinners are a little more balanced. By that, I mean we typically have a protein and two vegetables. I must admit, it is kind of nice to have meal balance! Our entire family loves roasted asparagus. When I buy it, I always have the thought of, "will this be enough." It always is, but there is never any leftovers. The other night, I took a few ingredients I had on hand and made a new asparagus recipe. For those of you who are ultra observant, you'll see it is chopped mixed nuts on the asparagus. Even though the recipe title says walnuts. I thought I had walnuts. But I didn't. However, I did have mixed nuts. So that's what I used. Remember, baking is a science but cooking ...

Sometimes I amaze myself! Before Thanksgiving, the Mr. and I headed to the store to grab some necessary groceries. Sweet potatoes must have been a good price, because the Mr. stocked. us. up! He must have thought we were going to feed a small army! When we got home, I realized I already had sweet potatoes. Now -- I like sweet potatoes, but we certainly had a lot of them! I started wondering what to do with the abundance we were experiencing. Trying to think of "meatless" meals, I thought about tacos. I couldn't really sell the family on the option when I offered it. So while they were away, I started cooking. This way, they couldn't complain! It was brilliant on my part, I might add! After peeling and chopping the sweet potatoes, I set out to season and roast them to perfection. After that, the magic happened. At dinner, I told the Mr. and my girl cherub that at a trendy restaurant, these would be called, "Fall Bounty Tacos....

Honestly, the Mr. and two cherubs never tire of pasta. They love it. I, on the other hand, am not so crazy about pasta. It's not a "love-hate" relationship, I would describe more of a "take or leave" relationship. If we are at an Italian restaurant, I search for something that sounds good, and it's never a surprise if I don't order a pasta dish. But let me camp there for a minute . . . pasta is so cheap to serve, but restaurants charge a fortune for it! It drives me c.R.a.Z.y!  Seriously! That really may be the root of why I don't go nuts over spaghetti! That, and it's served as "the cheap food" when you're trying to feed a crowd. Pasta -- my family loves it! Monday night, I'm staring at everything in the fridge and thinking, "what to have for dinner?" Then I remembered the homemade pesto sauce I have stored in the freezer. And the pasta noodles I just purchased. I knew my girl che...

By the looks of the blog, we haven't been eating, but by the looks of my waist-line, that's not the case! While we have certainly had meals between the last post and today, there hasn't been just a lot of time to experiment with new recipes. However, we have made a few new dishes and enjoyed laughter, friends, and family around the table. Now that school is just around the corner for our youngest cherub and we just moved our oldest cherub back to college for dorm living, I hope to resume to blog posting. What that translates for my family is "food!" This summer, we made this easy-to-fix, easy-to-serve salad several times. While the corn growing season may have already passed it's peak, you can still find fresh corn at farmer's markets and your local grocery store. And with just a few simple ingredients, that you probably already have on hand, you can toss this up in no time. What I like about this salad is the flexibility; whether...

As a kid, I totally remember my dad eating radishes. Gross. He would wash them, maybe cut them . . .maybe not. Sometimes he would sprinkle some salt on them . . .or maybe not. But he always said they were so good. I thought, "well, maybe not!" I remember, as a kid, trying a radish. YUCK! It was hot. That's about all I remember about a radish. And that I knew enough to say I didn't like them! Well, that . . . and my dad would always put cut up radish in our salad if he was making the salad. And he normally did. Which means that I had to normally pick them out! As an adult, I have always steered clear of radishes. That was until about a year ago. The cherubs and I stopped at a taco truck. This wasn't a fancy, "all-the-rage," food truck. Let me try that again . . .it is all the rage, in that the food is ah-maz-ing! But it's not one of the popular-kind-of-food-trucks that you see these days. This is one of thos...

By the blog posts, one might think it is a dry spell of cooking around our house. That isn't really the case. However, it is the case of "new" recipes. Sometimes, those "tried and true" recipes, where you don't even have to really think about it, and no one at the table asks, "so, what is this?" are sometimes just easier when everything is feeling like it's spinning 100 miles an hour! Oh, we've been trying new things. And I have the pictures to prove post about it . . . but the "new" recipes are just a little less frequent these days! Unless it was this dinner where I put together 2 new recipes for us to try! Everything was a hit, especially these roasted potatoes. As you know, we adore roasted veggies. In my opinion, they're easier to cook and tastes simply delicious! I paired these potatoes with roasted Brussel  Sprouts and a Greek lemon chicken. It was a winner! I used Yukon gold pot...

How many times have you read that my family loves Mexican food? Honestly, I am not underestimating the power of the love! It is our go-to, quick-fix meal at home. When we go out to eat, we usually choose something with a Mexican flair. And when we say we're craving something, it usually involves chips and salsa. What I have noticed at these newer, "fusion" taco restaurants, and the like, are the simple toppings. Where we are eating, at least, there is less about smothered cheese and gooey sauces. There's more focus on "less is more." Simple flavors. Simple ingredients. Big impact of deliciousness! Which then inspires me to duplicate it at home so that we don't have to digest the high price tag, too! For a school field trip, my boy cherub had to eat at a local restaurant. Not real sure what that had to do with learning Spanish, as everything is in English. But whatever! We did it. After all, it was apart of his grade. ...

I can't even remember what I was fixing but I needed a side dish to serve with it. Oh wait!  Just typing that sentence made me remember what I was making! Ham! Which reminded me . . . I'm going to post my ham recipe! But not right now. Right now, it is about the potatoes. Since I was making a ham, I wanted to have a complete meal. You know, not the one-dish-call-it-good meal. But a meal that resembled thought, and preparation, and time, and love, and all those things! I had some potatoes in the refrigerator. I keep my potatoes there because I don't use them fast enough to keep them in a cute potato basket. Because if I kept them in a cute potato basket, my potatoes would be gross. And unusable. So I keep them cold so they won't get gross so fast. Now, before you start thinking about all the bad things that happen to cold potatoes. I know. The starch changes to sugar. They don't taste the same as if you store them ...

This is a first! I've never fixed eggplant. I've learned enough about it that I could talk about it . . . like it can be bitter, and that it is better if you draw out the moisture from the veggie before you cook it. To my knowledge, I've only eaten it one time, and that was last Fall. But while grocery shopping the other day, my boy cherub said he wanted to try eggplant. So we bought one. Just one. Since I didn't really know what to do with it, or how many eggplants would be needed, we started small. You know -- better safe than sorry! After contemplating the eggplant, I decided to start "safe." I thought an eggplant dip would be our jumping off point. So the other day, I gathered the little eggplant and other ingredients and started cooking. Now!  Don't you know, that later that afternoon, while folding laundry and watching Ina Garte...

I honestly can't believe I haven't shared this recipe. It's not because I make it a lot. Matter of fact, I haven't made it in a very long time. But it is a good stand-by for those Summer dinners. I first got this recipe more than 10 years ago. We were living in Oklahoma City and the Mr. and I packed up the two cherubs and we went on a weekend get-a-way to cook for a "mature" crowd who was having a retreat. There were about 70 "mature" friends that spent the weekend at the lake. The guys fished and golfed. The girls shopped or golfed. At night, everyone sat around laughing and playing games. That's where I learned to play "Jokers!" I've got the best Jokers board around, thanks to a very talented wood-worker friend! As our friends golfed, fished, or shopped, the Mr. and I prepared the meals. 3 meals a day for the weekend. One night we served cole slaw. After we ate, one of the ladies said she had a...

I was really wanting french fries. Deep down in my heart, I love french fries. I know . . . kind of childish, huh? French fries and ketch-up. But on this night, I couldn't really justify going to get french fries. I mean, I " could have; " After all, I was making a very kid-friendly meal. This meal, my cherubs really like . . . and it is really not one of my favorites. Sloppy Joes! My internal compromise was to add french fries! French fries would go perfect with the sandwich. Instead of giving in, I made a very grown-up decision. I decided to make a french fry alternative:  a pan fried potato. Only I would make it better than a french fry! I'd add some grown-up flavor! But not too grown-up, because I still wanted to use ketchup. Confession:  this conversation was really going on in my head! Potatoes with Onion and Green Peppers 1 small onion, chopped 1/2 large green pepper, chopped 2-3 TBSP oil (or bacon grease, if you h...

It is very cold outside. I roasted a chicken for dinner and was trying to think of something "warm" to serve with it . . . besides biscuits! My girl cherub was at dance, so I couldn't get her input. But I asked my boy cherub what veggie he would like. "Peas!  I love peas!" Great -- I'll make creamed peas!  I couldn't believe that I had never made this for my family! His response wasn't filled with excitement! I explained to him that I grew up with my mom making creamed peas. Matter of fact, it seems like my mom made a lot of "creamed" stuff  . . . peas corn beef Ok --- so I can only remember 3 things. But that's kind of alot, right? Meal plan, done! I pick up my girl cherub from dance, and as true to her nature, she asks what's for dinner. I tell her all the delicous stuff; including creamed peas. "Like baby food?"  she asks! NO!  Not like baby food! "Like creamed corn?"...

Does that even go together? Real and Instant? I'm not sure it does! Here's my dilemma: I almost always have instant potatoes. I use it for different recipes and such. I almost always have potatoes; usually red-skinned. I just do not always have enough to make enough mashed potatoes. I'm not real big on instant mashed potatoes for a side dish. I've been known to make them because of the lack of real potatoes in the house. But they're not my favorite. Probably because I don't know how to make "good instant mashed potatoes." But, we are real big on mashed potatoes! Not because I make them alot. I don't. But we do like them! I especially like red-skinned mashed potatoes. They don't taste any different than other mashed potatoes. I just like them. The other evening, for dinner, I made cubed steak with gravy. http://karen-proverbs31.blogspot.com/2011/08/cube-steak-with-gravy.html I had to modify it to mak...

My computer is not available right now. Therefore, I'm improvising. I'm not real good at that if it involves technology! I can (barely) post a recipe without my computer, And adding a picture seems to be out of the question! For now, I'll give the recipe and posts pictures later! There is a burger place that we used to like to eat at. That's before my boy went celiac on us. That lifestyle sure does change things, huh? The last time we were at the restaurant, we saw they were advertising their "new" dessert. DISCLAIMER:  We rarely buy desserts when we are out. REASON:  I'm usually disappointed. REASON:  The desserts are usually over-priced, and in my mind, I can make an entire dessert for the cost of that single serving. That's what I did yesterday. I remembered the concept of that advertised dessert. I remembered that I had left-over roasted sweet potatoes in the refrigerator... Along with ice cream, homemade caramel...

It is Vacation Bible school this week at church. That means many things: By the end of the week, I will be so tired! We come home in the afternoon starving for lunch! My housework doesn't get completed as I like. But, it is a great week!   I love it because I get to work with my boy cherub this week too! That's really fun! Next year, my girl cherub can join us because she will be in the student ministry. That might make me cry. Not because it makes me sad...but because I'm tired and when I'm tired I can cry easily! Today, I needed an easy and quick lunch because I was running out the door shortly after. I saw an avocado in the fridge.... That avocado isn't there now! Yum, yum! Rustic Avocado Salad 1 avocado, chopped 1/2 tomato, chopped, 1/4 of small onion, chopped 1/2 lime Salt Pepper In a small bowl, add the chopped avocado, tomato, and onion.  Add the juice of 1/2 a lime and season with salt...

The red potatoes looked lonely in the bottom of my refrigerator. They did have a friend with them . . . but they got separated! I had plans for both of them earlier. But those plans got thwarted! Now, I had to make a new plan . . . Roasted Ranch Red Potatoes! The Mr. and the cherubs love almost any veggie that I roast. Potatoes are no different! I wanted to add a little zest to those cuties, after all, I had left them in the refrigerator to meat their doom if I didn't make a quick decision! Roasted Ranch Red Potatoes 6 red potatoes (or as many or as few as you need) olive oil 1 or 2 dry ranch dressing mixes (make sure they are gluten free if that's your need!) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and cube red potatoes. Place in a bowl and lightly drizzle with olive oil. You want just enough to coat but not too much to make greasy. Sprinkle the desired amount of ranch mix onto the potatoes.  Toss to coat. Place on foil lined baking sheet an...

I bought frozen, yellow squash when I went to the store last. I'm really not sure why! It sounded good. Odd, huh? I put the squash in the freezer and waited for a reason to cook it. Truthfully, I waited until I found a recipe I wanted to make. Because honestly, I'm not sure that I'd want to eat cooked, frozen squash. I think it would be mushy. I'm not sure -- but I'm just guessing. After a beautiful Spring day on Saturday; one we spent running cherubs to their activities and a great j.v. baseball game, I decided that squash casserole would be great with our dinner of grilled pork loin. Out to the freezer I went to get that bag of frozen squash! My boy cherub especially liked this side dish! This is basically a recipe from Paula Deen, just altered a bit for my preference.  If you want her recipe, which uses fresh squash, then you can find that at Paula Deen.com Squash Casserole 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper (or to taste) 1/4cup sour...

Seriously, my kids are getting tired of sweet potatoes! We are having them at least once a week! First, it's the season for this great vegetable. Second, they're $0.25 a pound! That's practically free! Yesterday, I was trying to think of a vegetable to put with our lunch and I had one lonely sweet potato left. One! What a lonely number! What can one potato do for a family of 4? It can make us happy! I washed it, cubed it, tossed it with olive oil, roasted it, and then crowned it! We all devoured this delicious new side dish! Roasted Sweet Potatoes w/ Brown Sugar Glaze (Slightly Adapted from Pillsbury) 1-3 sweet potatoes, (depending on the number of people you are serving & the size of the potato)** olive oil 1/4 cup butter                         1/4 cup packed brown sugar     ...

Today, we cleaned out the freezer. The big freezer. The one in the garage. It needed to be defrosted, which took a good amount of time since it is in the 30's today! Ice doesn't melt too fast when it's cold enough to freeze! Along with the defrosting came the Mr. being all productive! Like making me create a list of all the things in the freezer. So, I willingly agreed! As a result, we're having for dinner tonight something from . . . the freezer! I surely wasn't planning on having brisket tonight . . . or tomorrow night, or the night after that! I just went to the grocery store yesterday and I clearly didn't buy anything that would be a great side to brisket! However, I remember Auntie Ronda making a BBQ green bean bundle. But we're just eating -- not being fancy tonight, so I took a spin off of her idea and put these ingredients together for our side to go along with our brisket! BBQ Green Beans 2 cans green beans, ...