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Italian Supper

Stuffed Pasta Shells  & Texas Toast Bruschetta

Dad's Simple Beer Chili

stew meat

1 lb ground chuck

Onions, green pepper, poblano pepper & lots of jalapeno peppers

(the jalapenos were thrown in the pot "whole" not chopped)

 beer

 (he used Bud Light, but I do not have a picture of Bud Light- I think I'm going to use Bud Light Lime in mine)

and of course,

seasonings

(chili powder, dried oregano, garlic powder, pepper)

It doesn't look that pretty

but it sure taste good!

My New Favorite Ingredient

Oven Ready Lasagna ROCKS!

Cheesey French Bread

Before

After

I have just started using my Pampered Chef stone to cook french bread instead of a cookie sheet.

It seems to toast beautifully and evenly.

In the past, I bought the garlic bread already prepared at the store.

The last couple of times I have been buying the plain french bread and doctoring it up myself.

Here I've put some butter, shredded italian cheese (Kraft), some mozzarella cheese, dried rosemary, and drizzled EVOO.

Since I've been splitting it down the middle, no more gooey center.

Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers

This is a combination of PW's recipe from her cookbook and a friend of mine who made up her own.

Ingredients

13 jalapenos

One pkg of bacon ( I used Wright's Pepper Bacon)

1 block of cream cheese - softened

3/4 cup of sharp cheddar cheese - grated

1 green onion (chopped)

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp Lawry's seasoned salt

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

bbq sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil. 

Using gloves, cut each jalapeno in half and remove the membrane and seeds.  Cut the bacon in half.

Combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, onion, and seasonings.

Spoon mixture into the jalapeno, then wrap with bacon.  Brush with BBQ sauce. (I used Jack Daniel's BBQ sauce)

Bake for a hour or until bacon is brown.

Note: You can use any type of sauce you like - even jelly - if you want to mix the savory with sweet.  I almost used one of my Fischer & Weiser products, but my son is a BBQ lover.  I will be trying that soon.

Other variations - PW uses cream cheese, cheddar cheese and green onions - no seasonings - I bet those are just as delicious. I just have to use cumin and cayenne pepper anytime I can get away with it.   My friend puts shredded chicken in hers - just using a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket. 

Hellmann's Taste Test

At Home Taste Test

I received this in the mail today

I couldn't tell the difference !

I'm pretty picky about mayo, and I only use REAL Hellmann's.

I will buy a small jar of the new "Light" but remain skeptical.

Tasty Treats

I have never heard of Tastykakes until I read Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.

So, I was in Walmart and saw these, and of course,

had to have them!

Unfortunately, these are just a little too sweet for my taste.

Although, I do not think that Stephanie Plum eats sugar-free!

Fischer & Wieser

Back in December, I posted about the Pomegranate Mango Chipotle sauce..

Well, I am so excited.

 I received an email from Fischer and Wieser.

They read my blog (wow) and offered to send me samples

All I had to do is go to their website -www.jelly.com and choose at least 3 of their sauces or jellies

(isn't that the cutest name for a website.. how lucky that they were able to get that domain name!)

Of course, it was so hard to just choose 3!

So...

I chose 4!

They arrived just in time for Christmas. 

So far,

 I've served the Four Star Black Raspberry Chipotle Sauce over cream cheese.

It's delicious, of course

I have used the Mango Ginger Habanero before to marinate chicken breast for fajitas.

It's awesome!

I have several ideas for the Jalapeno Peach Preserves that do not include cream cheese.

Like PW's biscuits from The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook.

OR

 jalapeno cornbread - cooked in a loaf pan, sliced and warmed up on a griddle of butter..

(I saw a variation of  this on Diners, Drive-In and Dives!)

They also included recipe cards that I can't wait to try.

My aunt was asking where she could find them.  She lives in Fredericksburg so I sent her to the Fredericksburg winery. 

Feeling a little stupid because this company is

IN FREDERICKSBURG....

DUH!

You do not have to go to Fredericksburg to purchase these products.
Just go to the cute website I mentioned above, and there is a Store Locator. 
I've seen them here locally in Dallas at various grocery stores that I shop at.
Please try them.. you will not be disappointed. 
You do not have to be a gourmet chef. Most of the sauces are awesome poured over a block of cream cheese.

Rachael Ray's Zucchini Spaghetti with Saffron Sauce

The STAR ingredient of this dish.

Just a pinch (or 2 in the case) will do ya !

This was my first time to cook with Saffron.

I bought it at the Penzey's Spice store off Preston/LBJ in Dallas.

(I love that store)

Zucchini makes this dish healthy...

6 tablespoons of butter do not... **sigh***

Cooking the zucchini in EVOO

Melting the butter in the serving dish before adding the pasta, saffron sauce and zucchini

This dish warmed in my oven on 170 degrees

(this is the lowest temperature for my oven)

No I-talian dish is complete without

freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano

Zucchini Spaghetti with Saffron, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Butter and EVOO

It's a very light tasty pasta.

The zucchini was very flavorful!

Click here to go to Rachael's site for the recipe.

City Boy, Country Living

Isn't he cute in the "mud" boots?

They aren't his...

mud is not his thing...

he's a Gap Guy

but

he's a Good Guy

helping his Grandpa...

... move this big A.. bay window

to that small barn

through that mud

Now, you might be thinking...

my, that sure is a purty winder to be putting in a barn..

and you are right..

it's a $4000 bay window that my stepmom bought from Home Depot for

$300

yes... $300

It was a special "order" that was "ordered" in the wrong color

So Home Depot was stuck with it

They tried to sell it for $1500

Then when no one would buy it

They called her and took her offer!

Just goes to show that "bargain" shopping pays!
Especially if you need a bay window in your barn!

P.S.  The bay window is NOT for the barn. It's for their house ... some day... when she expands... some day...