My Wine List

I love red wines...especially merlot
Here is a list of my fav's that I recommend you to try if you love vino. I will continue to add to this list as I keep falling in love with new favorites!

• Tapena
• 7 Deadly Zinz
• Bitch
• Yellowtail Merlot
• Menage a Trois
• Little Black Dress
• Red Guitar
• Mad Housewife
  
  

Boy Scouts Dinner

A good friend told me about this little throw together and I loved it. This meal is so easy to make and to clean up after, the ingredients are cheap and its delicious.

For 4-5 people
2 pounds of hamburger, raw and shredded
7-8 large russet potatoes, sliced
8-10 carrot sticks, sliced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
salt and pepper
onion salt
garlic salt

This will cook on the grill at about 400 degrees for 45 minutes, flipping half way through

Layer in order on top of layers of tin foil, spray tin foil with cooking spray first
potatoes
half of onion
carrots
season well
raw hamburger
rest of the onion
season well

Fold foil over making sure there won't be any leaks and throw directly on the grill. If you are using more than 1 pound of burger it will be easier to make 2 squares of the tin foil instead of one.

Dad's Famous "Waffer" Dessert

My dad mispelled wafer once and has never heard the end of it...so this is his "waffer" dessert
This is a very simple and sweet dessert...very yummy!

One box Vanilla Wafers, not store brand
1/2 cup Butter
1 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
2 Eggs
One 8 oz Cool Whip
One 20 oz can of Crushed Pineapple (drained)

Combine softened butter, sugar and eggs
Crush vanilla wafers
Place 1/2 of the wafers in the bottom of a 9x13" pan
Put combined ingredients on top of crushed wafers
Put crushed pineapple for the next layer
Sprinkle with remaining wafers reserving a handful of crumbs
Cover with whipped topping
Top with wafer crumbs
Chill in fridge for 2 hours

Enjoy!

Cajun Salmon

This really isn't spicy, but has that cajun taste and great flavor

2 Salmon fillets, skin removed

Cajun seasoning

2-3 Tbs Olive oil

handful of spinach leaves

Coat salmon in cajun seasoning

heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat

Cook each fillet 5-7 minutes on each side

Serve over a bed of spinach

I served this with steamed asparagus and red bell pepper

Steamed over med-low heat 10 minutes in skillet with a little olive oil

Chocolate Crepes

Mix together:

3 eggs, whisk
pinch of salt
3/4 cup flour
2 Tbs cocoa
6 Tbs melted butter
1 1/2 cup milk
Set for 20 minutes
Pour 1/2 cup batter over med-high heat in skillet, cook like pancakes
Top with fruit like berries and kiwi or spread peanut butter on it and add sliced banana

Great for breakfast or dessert...

Aunt Gini's No Bake Cookies

1 3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 stick butter

Combine mixture in medium sauce pan, put over medium heat until it comes to a boil, boil for 1 minute, remove from heat, cool for 1 minute
Add tsp vanilla, pinch of salt, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 3 1/2 cups oatmeal
Stir until well mixed
Drop small balls onto wax paper, let cool for a couple hours.

Yummy!

Lyn's Awesome Salsa

Using a blender combine

14 oz can Hunts Stewed Tomatoes
1 can Mexican Festival Rotel (blue can)
1 tsp fresh cilantro
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Blend
Serve with tortilla chips

Daddy's Potato Soup

6 large russet potatoes
2-4 large carrot sticks, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
4 celery sticks, chopped
5-6 cups milk
Celery salt
salt and pepper
onion salt
garlic salt

Saute celery, carrots, onion in olive oil over med-low heat in skillet for 10-15 minutes
Dice potatoes in bite size chunks, boil in large pan for about 12 minutes, not too soft, just until you are able to softly put a fork through one. Drain.

Add potatoes to a soup pot with carrots, celery and onion. Add milk and seasonings to taste. Put over med-low for about 30-45 minutes until soupy, stir often.

Best Banana Bread

*1 loaf

1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas
1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup nuts

--Mix in order given
--Grease loaf pan
--Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean

Mom's Stir Fry

About a pound of top sirloin beef, it's best to cut this up when it is still half frozen. Cut into bite size chunks, marinate in soy sauce, salt and pepper, garlic salt, onion salt for 24 hours, leave in fridge, stir often.

1 bag Wacky Mac spiral noodles, (the noodles are different colors)
You can either buy your own veggies fresh and chop them up and steam them, or buy a frozen bag of stir fry veggies. Best veggies to use: carrots, onion, asparagus, water chestnuts, red bell peppers, sugar snap peas, broccoli, or any favorite
Cook noodles according to package
Steam veggies over low heat with a little bit of water, or olive oil in covered skillet or wok
Brown beef over medium heat in skillet with juice of marinade
Mix beef, noodles, veggies in large bowl, add 1 Tbs soy sauce, and 1 Tbs of Italian dressing, mix well and serve.

Tuna Stuffed Bell Peppers

3-4 bell peppers, any color but I like red the best
1 cup cooked rice
1 can tuna
1 Tbs sesame oil
1 Tbs salsa
salt and pepper
Minced garlic
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350

Cut tops off bell peppers, clean insides
Cook rice as directed on package
Mix tuna, sesame oil, salsa, salt, pepper, minced garlic in medium bowl. Add cooked rice, mix together, stuff peppers, top with cheese (you can put the bell pepper tops back on when baking if you want)

Bake 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and peppers are soft

Flavorful and healthy

Rosemary Salmon

2 Salmon fillets, skin removed
2-3 Tbs butter
2 Tbs Olive Oil
Rosemary

Brush melted butter on both sides of the salmon
Sprinkle rosemary on salmon
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat
Cook salmon about 5 minutes on each side, until lightly brown

This is great with rice and veggies

Lemon Dill Tilapia

I bought tilapia once and ended up loving it! Sometimes you can find a good price on it, but not very often.

Tilapia Fillets (1 fillet per person)
1 cup flour
2 Tbs butter (you can use olive oil but the fish doesn't get as crunchy)

Heat skillet over med-high heat
Melt butter in skillet
Coat fish fillets in flour, salt and pepper
pan fry until golden brown (5-7 minutes)

I served it with McCormick Lemon Butter Dill sauce...it was delicious

Guacamole

Depends on how much you want but start with this and you can always add more

2-3 large avacados
1 lemon
spoonful of sour cream
large pinch of:
garlic salt
onion salt
garlic powder

Avacados should be dark purplish, and somewhat soft, not brown on the inside
Slice avacados in half, dig out pit with your finger or a spoon, smash in a medium bowl using a fork, stab it then smash it
Add spoonful of sour cream
Season to taste with garlic salt, onion salt, garlic powder
squeese juice of half a lemon, take out seeds
Mix well

Trial and error on the perfect dip but you'll get there...
Serve with tortilla chips or veggie sticks

Simon's 7 Layer

This dip is great for get together parties

Either 8x8 or 9x13 pan. (8x8 will be thicker)

1 can refired beans
1 8 oz tub of sour cream
2-3 large avacados smashed, or quacamole dip
1 8 oz jar salsa
1 package shredded cheddar cheese
1 can sliced olives
1 roma tomato diced

Layer in order given, serve with tortilla chips

Guiness Stew

This is perfect for cold winter weekends...

around a pound of stew meat
6 small red potatoes, chopped bite size
Swanson broth, chicken or vegetable
1 Guiness Draught
3-4 celery stalks, chopped
4-5 carrot sticks, chopped
salt and pepper
crushed rosemary
garlic salt
onion salt
celery salt

Lightly brown stew meat, not completely
In crockpot or slowcooker add in broth and beer, cut up potatoes, celery and carrots add to crockpot. Add meat when browned, season well. Keep on low for about 10 hours, add seasonings through out the day. mmmhhhh....

Chicken Manicotti

Needed:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts , uncooked, cut in thin strips
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 package of manicotti noodles
1 package of mozzarella shredded cheese

Preheat oven 350
9x13 pan, put 1/2 inch of water in pan
Cut chicken strips thin enough to fit in noodles, stuff noodles, place in pan
Pour spaghetti sauce over noodles
top with desired amount of cheese

Bake for 45 minues until cheese is melted
Before removing cut a noodle open to make sure chicken is completely cooked

Chicken Spaghetti

My mother in law gave me this recipe, its a different way for spaghetti...and I love spaghetti!

1 7 ounce package of spaghetti, broken
1 tsp garlic salt
1 medium onion chopped
1 small green pepper, cleaned and chopped
2 tbs butter
1 can cream of chicken or mushroom
1-2 cans chicken, or cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, shredded
1 2 oz jar chopped pimento (optional)
1 cup cheese (any cheese will work)

Preheat oven 350
Cook spaghetti accoring to package, substituting garlic salt for salt
Saute onion and green pepper in butter
Conbine all ingredients except for 1/2 of cheese
Pour into greased 2 quart casserole dish
Sprinkle with remaining cheese
Bake 20 minutes
Serve with salad or garlic bread, serves 4

EZ Strawberry Shortcake

I found this really simple way to make yummy strawberry shortcake, only takes a few minutes too!
1 can Pillsbury Grands Southern Style biscuits
2 pints strawberries, quartered
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 8 ounce container whipped topping
1 cup sour cream

Its best to combine the strawberries and half of the sugar in a bowl and let it sit for an hour

Preheat oven 350
Unroll biscuits, cook according to directions
In a small bowl combine remaining sugar and cinnamon
Place whipped topping in a bowl, fold in the sour cream
Remove biscuits from oven, split in half, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on them
Serve topped with strawberries and a dallop of the whipped topping mixture

Enjoy!

Spicy Beef Stir Fry

Last night I tried this amazing spicy stir fry.
Calls for:
1 Tbs cornstarch
3 Tbs dry Sherry
1 pound beef sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain into strips
Kosher salt and pepper
2 Tbs oyster sauce
2 Tbs sesame oil
3-4 Tbs peanut oil
1 inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
5-7 dried red chiles, halved
1 small onion, thinly sliced
8 heads baby bok choy, halved
pinch of sugar
Cooked rice, for serving

Whisk the cornstarch with sherry, add beef strips, season with salt and pepper, then set aside for 15 minutes
Mix the remaing sherry, oyster sauce and sesame oil
Heat a wok or skillet over high heat until very hot, add 3 Tbs peanut oil, then the ginger, garlic and chiles; stir fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, 1-3 minutes. Transfer the beef with a slotted spoon to the sauce mixture and toss.
If the pan is dry add more peanut oil, then add the onion and stir fry until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the bok choy and sugar, stir fry until wilted, 1-2 minutes. Return beef and any juices to the pan and stir to combine. Serve over the rice.