Easy Hawaiian Haystacks

Oh yes. This was my favorite dinner growing up. It's the one I used to ask for when my birthday rolled around. And it may be what inspired me to attend college in Hawaii, I'm not sure. I've actually found a more "gourmet" recipe for Hawaiian Haystacks, but this one is awesome because it's so quick and easy. I love meals where you can build your own pile. The only problem is that I start craving Shave Ice when I eat this, and I don't exactly live near Haleiwa anymore. Sad. This will have to do. Enjoy!

EASY HAWAIIAN HAYSTACKS

The Sauce:
2-3 Chicken Breasts, cooked and chopped

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Chicken Broth

The Toppings: 

Peas
Pineapple
Coconut
Chow Mein Noodles
Almonds
Green Onions
Cheese
Tomatoes

Cook enough rice for your family. I prefer a sticky rice, but do what you must. Mix soup, broth, and chicken in saucepan over medium heat until combined and heated through. Serve over rice and top with your favorite toppings. 

Chicken & Dill Dumplings

This is one of those recipes I was talking about that I would never think to try. But my husband urged me and I'm so glad he did! So in honor of him today, I'm posting this recipe. It's unbelievable. You'll love it. Enjoy!

CHICKEN & DILL DUMPLINGS

3 T. butter
1 med. onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
5 med. carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 (14.5-oz) can chicken broth
Coarse salt and pepper
1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken
thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 T. chopped fresh dill (or 2 tsp. dried)
1 ¾ tsp. baking powder
10 T. milk, divided
1 (10-oz) package frozen peas
 

In a Dutch oven (or a 5-to-6-quart heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid), heat butter over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and thyme. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add ¼ cup flour and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly; season with salt and pepper. Nestle chicken in pot; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make dumplings: In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 3/4 cup flour, dill, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. With a fork, gradually stir in 1/2 cup milk to form a moist and soft batter. It should be just a little thicker than pancake batter and should easily drop from the tip of a spoon. (Add additional 2 tablespoons milk if too thick.) Set aside. Stir peas into pot. Drop batter over all in 10 heaping tablespoons Keep them spaced apart (dumplings will swell as they cook). Cover, and simmer until chicken is tender and dumplings are firm, 20 min.

White Sauce Mushroom Lasagna

This was a new recipe for me. And as I was at the store buying ingredients, I luckily ran into a neighbor in the lasagna noodle section. She told me about these awesome lasagna noodles that you don't have to boil. I'll be honest, I almost didn't believe her. But it's true!! And they're really good. What will they come up with next?

WHITE SAUCE MUSHROOM LASAGNA

9 Lasagna noodles

1/4 c. flour

3 c. milk

1 c. Parmesan cheese, grated, divided

1 c. cottage cheese

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1 (10-oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach (thaw, drain, squeeze)

2 tsp. butter

1 1/2 c. leeks, thinly sliced

2 (8-oz) pkgs button mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/3 c. flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp. oregano flakes

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. mozzarella cheese shredded

Cook pasta according to package directions. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine flour and milk in a saucepan and whisk until blended. Bring to a boil and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in 1/2 c. Parmesan, cottage cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and spinach. Melt butter in a large skillet; add leeks and mushrooms and saute for 7 minutes or until tender. Stir in parsley, oregano, and garlic. Coat 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Spread 1 c. spinach mixture onto bottom of pan, top with 3 noodles, then 1&1/2 c. mushroom mixture. Repeat layers ending with noodles. Top with 1/2 c. spinach mixture. Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and mozzarella. Bake an additional 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Lemon Walnut Cookies

This is my "Uh oh, people are coming and I need a fast cookie" recipe. It comes together so fast, because the base is a lemon cake mix. You add a few things in and "ta-DA!"  fresh cookies. I came up with this "Aly original" recipe when my brother flew in from out of town and we planned an impromptu party. They were a hit! And now I use them every time I'm in a time crunch, or when my husband gets a short-notice cookie-craving.

 

Oh did I mention they're delicious? Yes, because they are. Enjoy!

L

LEMON WALNUT COOKIES

Cookies:
1 box Lemon Cake Mix
1 egg
½ c. butter
¾ c. walnuts, chopped
½ c. shredded coconut

Lemon Glaze:
2 T. butter, room temp
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. hot water
½ tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients together until cookie-dough consistency. Bake 350° for 8 minutes. Top with Lemon Glaze.

Stuffed Pecan Pie French Toast

MmHmm. Who doesn't like French Toast? Okay, I don't really want to hear it, if someone really doesn't, because it's my favorite breakfast. My husband found this amazing recipe and surprised me the other morning. It's definitely a keeper, and so is he!

STUFFED PECAN PIE FRENCH TOAST 

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 loaf cinnamon-swirl bread

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. Heat butter and brown sugar to a boil in small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in pecans. Set aside.

Grease a baking sheet with butter. Place the bread slices on the baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove from sheet and set aside. 

Beat milk, eggs, granulated sugar and vanilla in medium bowl. Dip 8 slices toast into the batter and place on baking sheet. Spread a heaping tablespoons Of the pecan mixture onto each. Dip remaining slices toast into batter and place over nut filling to form a sandwich. 

Bake for 20 minutes or until hot. Sift confectioners' sugar over toast. Serve immediately.

Sweet Salsa Chicken

This is an awesome recipe. My mom found it a couple years ago and it quickly became a family favorite. Especially the Sour Cream Salsa that goes on top. Oh my. I could eat that by itself. Try it, you won't be sorry. Enjoy.

SWEET SALSA CHICKEN

1 pkg. taco seasoning
4 chicken breasts
2 T. oil
1 c. salsa
¼ c. apricot jam
¼ c. water
1 T. cilantro
1 T. lime juice
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained

Cut chicken breasts into bite size pieces. In large skillet heat oil; add chicken and taco seasoning and cook until juices run clear. Add salsa, apricot jam, water, cilantro, and lime juice. Bring to a boil. Stir in beans, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Serve over rice and top with sour cream salsa.

Sour Cream Salsa:
½ c. sour cream
1 tsp. lime zest
1 T. lime juice
3 T. cilantro, chopped
2 tomatoes, seeded & chopped

Swedish Almond Cake

This is perhaps one of the quickest treats you will ever make, but it's also very presentable. Simple is elegance, right? The almond flavoring is so delicious. This is one that I get requests for quite frequently.  Try it out. It's a perfect treat while you relax this weekend. And that's precisely what I'm about to do. Enjoy!

SWEDISH ALMOND CAKE

1 c. sugar
1 c. flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 ½ tsp. almond extract
½ c. butter, melted

Blend, like brownies, not too much. Put in greased & floured pie pan or an 8x8 pan. Sprinkle with sliced almonds. Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Easiest Spaghetti Sauce

Did you know how simple it is to make a spaghetti sauce? Stop buying the bottled kind....right now! I know there are MUCH more complicated and maybe even yummier recipes. But this one is extremely simple and FAST! I'm sure it will save you money too. I like to stock up on the tomato sauce during the case lot sales. Then we're set for a while for spaghetti and pizza sauce (pizza will have to be another day).

Enjoy!

EASIEST SPAGHETTI SAUCE

1 lb. ground meat (hamburger or turkey)

1/2 c. onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

16-oz. tomato sauce

1 T. Italian seasoning (or make up your own combination or basil, oregano, and parsley)

2-3 T. brown sugar

Salt and Pepper

Pasta of choice

Cheese for topping

Brown meat with onion and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix in tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and brown sugar. Serve over pasta and top with cheese.

Chicken Bacon Salad

Here it is. The filling for our pita pockets. This salad is wonderful by itself too. I got the idea from my favorite lunch restaurant. Since I don't work by that particular restaurant anymore, I made my own copy-cat of their pita salad. I've got to be honest though, I actually like mine better.

I mean, look at this...you can't tell me that doesn't look delicious. Enjoy!

CHICKEN BACON SALAD

1 head iceberg lettuce
1 cup chicken, cooked & chopped

 3 strips bacon
½ (10- oz.) package frozen peas 

1 tsp. sugar 

½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
½ c. shredded Swiss cheese (or whatever cheese you have on hand)
2/3 c. chopped green onion
¼ c. mayonnaise
¼ c. salad dressing (miracle whip)

Wash lettuce and dry thoroughly. Dice bacon and sauté until crisp; drain on paper towels. Run hot water over frozen peas and drain. Tear lettuce into bite-size pieces into salad bowl. Sprinkle with sugar, salt and pepper. Add peas, cheese, onion, mayonnaise, and salad dressing. Mix in chicken and bacon. Chill. Toss before serving. Makes 8 servings.

Homemade Pita Pockets

One day I was wrapping up my grocery shopping, my son was on the verge of melting down, and I needed to find JUST ONE MORE THING.  

Pita Pockets. 

Well the melt-down began and I couldn't find the blasted pita pockets. And then it hit me, "I bet I could make pita pockets. Someone has to make them before they get to the store, right?" So I came home and looked for a good recipe. 

Two things happened...

1- I fell in love with this recipe. They are absolutely delicious! And for bread, it's really pretty simple. 

2- I had this epiphany that I can make just about anything. And really that's where this whole, "Some Kind of Delicious" began. How touching, right? Those sweet little pita pockets (sense the sarcasm). But honestly, it has sent me on a mission to see what else I can make at home. And most things taste SO much better when you make them yourself. Things like pita pockets (of course), english muffins, burger buns, tortillas, fortune cookies, peanut butter cups, and even diaper cream or laundry detergent. But I've also learned that sometimes the homemade versions aren't worth the time and effort. And I promise I'll tell you if that is ever the case.

That is NOT the case for pita pockets. They are amazing. Try it. Enjoy!

P.S. Just wait to see what we like to put IN these pita pockets, tomorrow. Mmm.

HOMEMADE PITA POCKETS

1 c. warm water
1 T. oil
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
3 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. dry yeast

Combine first 4 ingredients. Add 1 cup of the flour, along with the yeast, and stir to mix. Add remaining flour and knead to make a soft dough. Lightly oil the top, and cover. Set in a warm place to rise, until almost double (about an hour).

Punch dough down and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into 8 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a 6- or 7-inch circle. As you roll the rounds, set them aside on a lightly floured countertop or table, and cover loosely with a towel. Let rise for about 25-35 minutes, until slightly puffy. (The rounds will still be thin though!).

Preheat oven to 500°. Place 2 rounds, side-by-side, onto a wire rack, such as is used for cooling things. Place rack in the middle of the oven. Bake for 4-5 minutes, until puffy and just slightly browned. (If bread is too browned, it will be dry and not pliable.)

Remove rack from oven and immediately wrap/layer pita breads in a damp towel, to soften. Continue baking the remaining breads, layering them between damp towels as soon as they’re baked. Allow breads to completely cool.

Cut pita breads in half, or split the top edge, and fill as desired. Store pitas in a plastic zipper bag in the fridge for a few days, or place in the freezer for longer storage. To re-warm pitas, wrap them in a damp towel and then wrap in foil. Place in a warm (200-250°) oven for about 20 minutes. Makes 8 pitas (16 halves).

Corn & Black Bean Dip

Today is a momentous day. Okay, maybe not that momentous, but I'm still pretty excited. This is the first appetizer to be added to the blog. It's taken me a while, but I just haven't been to very many parties lately. Come to think of it, why haven't we been invited to very many parties lately? Hmm.

In any case, this is an awesome recipe. People always ask for the recipe when I take it to get-togethers. And when I make it at home, it usually disappears in a matter of minutes. Very very yummy! So yummy in fact, I just planted my own cilantro this weekend to make it EVEN easier to make this dip when the cravings hit.

Enjoy!

{CORN & BLACK BEAN DIP}

Click here for a printable version.

2/3 c. sour cream
½ c. cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 (15-oz.) can corn, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
Juice & zest of 1 lime
Salt & pepper to taste
Tortilla chips

In a bowl combine the sour cream, cilantro, cumin, cayenne pepper, and lime. Stir in corn & black beans. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with tortilla chips.

World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Take a BIG sigh. It's Friday. We made it through the week. And now to celebrate, you should make the World's Best Chocolate Chip cookies. Yes, these are my "other" favorite cookies. 

The chocolate chip cookie was created by an ACCIDENT. That's the best accident I've ever heard of!  Ruth Wakefield created them in 1933 in the Toll House Inn in Whitman Massachusetts. She thought the chocolate chunks would melt in batter and turn into chocolate cookies. Little did she know! In any case, I think I'm moving to Massachusetts, since they've designated the chocolate chip as their state cookie. Good call!

It doesn't really matter where it originated, because I can tell you this is the PERFECTED recipe for chocolate chip cookies.  They are absolutely amazing. Try it...this weekend. No excuses. Enjoy!

Oh wait, a couple side notes about this recipe. This makes a TON of cookies. I usually half the recipe. Also, I usually  just bake a dozen or so and then I form the rest of the dough into cookie balls on a cookie sheet, and put it in the freezer. After they're frozen I pluck them off the sheet and put them in a freezer bag. Then whenever we want fresh cookies, we just cook a few for a couple minutes longer than the original cook time.

Oh! And another thing we like to do is make "skookies" with this dough. I spread the dough into our smallest frying pan to make one BIG cookie and then I cook it in the oven (make sure you have metal handles or you can wrap the handle with foil) and serve it with vanilla ice cream. Oh my word. You're going to love it!

WORLD'S BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

 

4 cubes butter
2 c. brown sugar
2 c. white sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
3 c. instant oatmeal
2 bags chocolate chips
5-6 c. flour

Cream sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla. Beat half flour and oatmeal. Mix well. Add rest of ingredients and mix with a spoon. Drop in golf ball sized balls on lightly greased sheet. Mash slightly. Bake 400° 6-8 minutes.

Cranberry Pork Roast

My husband and I have a hard time saying we have a "favorite" anything....especially when it comes to food. But I do have a favorite restaurant. And in that favorite restaurant, I do have a favorite dish. 

For Mother's Day my awesome husband did research to find a recipe for that favorite dish and he made it for me! It was DELICIOUS! He did a great GREAT job. He so graciously agreed to let me publish his secret. He served this with fried polenta cakes, which I will have to post another day. YUM! 

And who doesn't like a dish done in the crock pot? Honestly, it's easy, AND you get to smell the yumminess all day long. Okay, I take that back. It's not so fun to smell something all day long when you're pregnant. That's never a good thing. Trust me, I know from past experience.  But this....this is something to enjoy. So...ENJOY!

CRANBERRY PORK ROAST 

2-3 lbs lean pork loin

Salt and  pepper

1 (15-oz) can whole cranberry sauce

3 oz pineapple juice

2 T. cider vinegar

1 T. Dijon mustard

2 T. honey

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 T. cornstarch

3 tsp. cold water

Rub salt and black pepper onto pork loin and place in crock pot. Add all of remaining ingredients except cornstarch and water. Turn crock pot on high for 1 hour and then cook on low for 5-6 hours. Mix cornstarch and water in small bowl and add last 15 minutes of cooking time which will help make the gravy. Remove loin onto a serving plate.

Tangy Ranch & Mustard Chicken with Roquefort Wedge Salad

You know when you go to the grocery store and those annoying coupons print out with your receipt? And then you hurry and stuff the wad of paper in your purse (or pocket, for you guys). Then they pile up and after a couple weeks you have a purse full of coupon/receipt balls? And usually they're just used to spit your gum into?

Maybe that's just me.

In any case, luckily I actually looked at one of those annoying print-outs last summer. I was stocking up on mustard and this recipe printed out. It's hands-down one of our favorite BBQ chicken recipes. I highly recommend this to you, especially as summer is quickly approaching.

And just because today is beautiful, and this meal is delicious. I'll give you a "twofer." Here's the recipe for a yummy wedge salad. Nothing can compliment the mustard chicken better, and it's EASY...I repeat EASY.

Go for it. Enjoy!

TANGY RANCH & MUSTARD CHICKEN

2/3 c. prepared Ranch salad dressing
1/3 c. prepared yellow mustard
¼ c. brown sugar
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Mix Ranch, mustard and sugar. Pour 2/3 c. mixture over chicken and marinate in fridge for 30 min – 3 hours. Grill chicken 15 minutes or until done. Serve chicken with remaining mixture.

ROQUEFORT WEDGE SALAD

1 head iceberg lettuce
½ c. Roquefort cheese, crumbled
1 c. olive oil, divided
1/3 c. white wine vinegar
1/3 c. lemon juice
2 tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. garlic salt
¼ tsp. pepper
Garnish: chopped tomatoes, crisply cooked and crumbled bacon

Cut head of lettuce into quarters; set aside. Place cheese in a small bowl; gradually stir in ½ cup oil. Pour into a 1-pint jar. Add remaining ingredients; cover tightly and shake well. Chill for at least 1 hour; shake again before serving. Place 1 wedge of lettuce on each serving plate; drizzle with dressing. Garnish with tomatoes, bacon, if desired. Serves 4.

My Favorite Cookie- Double Decker Peanut Butter Cookies

Today is my birthday, so I get to post one of my favorites in celebration, right? Okay, truth be told, I actually have TWO favorite cookies. But you'll just have to wait for another day to see what the other kind is. 

But this one. Wow. This one is amazing. It further exposes my addiction to peanut butter and chocolate. I made these a few weekends ago and I gained 2 pounds that weekend alone eating these puppies. But don't let that dissuade you from making them! Because I can tell you that they were worth every single ounce I gained. And I worked it right off the next week. So you can too. 

Enjoy!

DOUBLE DECKER PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

¾ c. peanut butter
½ c. shortening
1 ¼ c. brown sugar
3 T. milk
1 T. vanilla
1 egg
1 ¾ c. flour
¾ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. baking soda
1 bag peanut butter chips
1 jar chocolate frosting

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix peanut butter, shortening, brown sugar, milk,vanilla, and egg. Stir in flour, salt, and baking soda. Bake on greased baking sheets for 8-10 minutes. Let cookies cool for a few minutes. Melt the peanut butter chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals (or over a double broiler), stirring in between. Spread the melted chips over cookies, let cool until the chips harden on top of cookie. Frost with chocolate frosting.

My Favorite Chocolate Frosting Recipe:

3 ¾ c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. cocoa
¼ tsp. salt
¼ c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. butter

Combine all ingredients in mixing bow. Beat with electric mixer or with heavy spoon until smooth and creamy; scrape bowl often. If too stiff to spread easily, beat in a few drops of milk.

NOTE: You can probably cut the frosting recipe in half for the cookies, but then you wouldn't have extra to put on your graham crackers. It's your call.

Yummy Chewy Cream Cheese Brownie

Well if the title doesn't get you, maybe the picture will. And if the picture doesn't do it, then the actually thing really will. Those of you who use brownie mixes...SHAME ON YOU! This is so easy and it tastes SO much better. I like the cake-like brownies too. But this fudge brownie recipe is absolutely delicious!

Ready for my brownie history lesson? They think the first brownie was served in 1893 in Chicago of all places! It was served at a hotel for a Columbian Exposition. Columbian...hmm...doesn't that make you wonder what ELSE was in the brownies? I'm just sayin. Anyway, these brownies had an apricot glaze and walnuts. Doesn't that sound yummy? Maybe we'll have to try that someday. 

But for now, I think I'll be enjoying my yummy, chewy brownie and cream cheese frosting. In fact, I believe there is one left that I will go enjoy right now (this is perfect training food for my first triathlon tomorrow, right? Riiight.)

Enjoy!

BROWNIES 

½ c. melted butter
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
½ c. flour
1/3 c. cocoa
¼ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
½ c. nuts (opt.)

Blend butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add eggs. Beat with wooden spoon.
Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Gradually blend into egg
mixture. Bake in a 9 inch square pan at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting: (this makes just a little too much frosting. But I'd rather have a little too much, than a little too little, right?)

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

3 T. butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

Powdered sugar to consistency (hm, I didn't realize this was so vague...let's say around 2 cups, but add more or less to your liking).

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Cheater Tomato Soup

Hey, I get it. We can't always be Dr. Gourmet Chef Extraordinaire, right? But that doesn't mean we can't always "look" like Dr. Gourmet Chef Extraordinaire. 

Case in point. I love Tomato Soup. And I especially love homemade tomato soup. But sometimes I don't have time for such things. And sometimes we need a meal...and fast (I tend to get a little testy when I'm hungry- hey, I'm a "foodie" what do you expect?). So I've learned to "dress-up" my existing can of regular old tomato soup. In fact, I just had my cousin try this the other night and she was quick to compliment my "homemade soup."  Not so, my dear cousin! I just added a few extras for this easy fake-out. You should try it too, and let me know what you add to yours.

CHEATER TOMATO SOUP

1 can tomato soup

1/2 can milk

1/2 can water

1 clove fresh garlic (or garlic powder is fine)

1 tsp. basil (or italian seasoning)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Shredded cheese (I like Monterrey, but cheddar is good too)

Sour Cream

Tortilla chips

Heat soup with 1/2 can milk and 1/2 can water. This makes it creamy, but not TOO creamy. My husband prefers to do a whole can of my son's Vitamin D milk. So let me ask you why he stays so thin, when I'm the one at the gym every morning? Whatever works for you. Mix in the garlic, basil, salt and pepper. For serving, garnish with sour cream, shredded cheese, and crushed tortilla chips.

Good right? Yum!

Hot Wing Turkey Burger

As promised from yesterday, here is the AMAZING turkey burger we put on top our Homemade English Muffins. Wow. I have been a long-time fan of Rachael Ray. I watch her ALOT. And I even own one of her cookbooks. But I haven't made very many of her recipes. I'm not sure why that is. But last week, I saw this on her show and I KNEW I had to make it. She created this turkey burger that was supposed to mimic the taste of hot wings. Oh wow.  It was one of those times when my mouth was watering at the television screen. And boy was she right! This is a keeper. So yummy. Especially on those homemade muffins. Wow wow wow. You gotta try this one for sure.

So this hot wing turkey burger twist on the old reliable beef burger, got me thinking. What other unusual burgers are out there? And where did the burger start? Well according to to my very wise internet sources, They think the first burger was WAAAY back in the 1200's with the horsemen of Genghis Khan. They ate ground meat as they rode on their horses. I won't go into too much detail, but let's just say it didn't sound too appetizing. 

Fast forward to this day and age. We are hamburger fanatics. People are making burgers out of anything from ground beef, to things like ostrich and seafood. Hmm. And the most outrageous thing I found was that there was once a burger sold for $499. This beast weighed in at 185.8 pounds and it took 12 hours to prepare! Oh my! No wonder the restaurant named it the "Absolutely Ridiculous Burger." 

Those are my thoughts on burgers in general. But my thoughts on this Hot Wing Turkey Burger are just. "Wow" and "Yum." Thank you Rachael Ray!

HOT WING TURKEY BURGER 

2 T. olive oil, divided

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 rib celery with leafy tops, finely chopped

1/4 c. onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey or chicken

2 T. fresh dill, finely chopped

1 tsp. poultry seasoning

Salt and pepper

2 T. butter

1/4 c. hot pepper sauce

1/2 c. blue cheese crumbles (I skipped on this for my husband's preference)

4 sandwich-size English muffins, toasted

4 deli slices cheddar cheese

1/4 head iceberg lettuce, shredded

1/4 cup pickle relish

In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil, one turn of the pan, over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery, onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Reserve the skillet. Mix the turkey, dill and poultry seasoning into the vegetable mixture; season with salt and pepper. Form into four patties. Wash your hands after handling the raw poultry.

In the reserved skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the patties and cook, turning once, until firm, about 12 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add the butter to the skillet to melt, then stir in the hot sauce. Add the patties to the sauce, turning to coat. Top each with some of the blue cheese and a cheddar slice. Tent with foil, turn off the heat and let stand until the cheese is melted.

Top each muffin bottom with some lettuce, a patty, some relish and a muffin top.

sources: www.wikipedia.com and www.rachaelray.com

Homemade English Muffins

Whoa. That is all I have to say. These were so delicious! And they really weren't hard to make. Of course, with any bread you make, you have to plan time to let it rise. But it was WELL worth it. Especially when we topped these muffins with our homemade spicy turkey burgers last night (you'll have to be sure to come back tomorrow for that recipe! Oh my!) I highly, highly recommend this recipe. Enjoy!

HOMEMADE ENGLISH MUFFINS 

1 1/4 c. water, lukewarm

4 c. bread flour

2 1/2 tsp. yeast

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2 small egg whites

Cornmeal

In a large bowl mix yeast into the lukewarm water. Sprinkle with a little sugar and let rest until yeast activates (about 5 minutes). Then add baking soda and 2 cups of bread flour. Mix untill smooth. Allow to sit for 5 minutes uncovered. 

In the meantime, in a separate bowl, beat egg whites with a hand mixer until stiff peaks are formed. Fold egg whites into batter. 

Start to add in the rest of the flour, a 1/4 cup at a time. After the first 1/4 cup, mix in salt. After all the flour is incorporated, pour the dough out onto a flat surface. Knead for about 5 to 6 minutes till it becomes smooth and silky (I used my Kitchenaid mixer's dough hook and skipped the kneading by hand).

Add a little oil to a clean bowl and place the dough into the bowl, turning to coat all sides of dough with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until double in bulk (1 hour). 

Pour onto a flat surface. Press to release some of the air from the dough. Using a rolling pin roll out to a 1/2 inch thick. Allow dough to rest for 3 minutes to relax. Using a 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out circles. Place the cut out pieces onto some cornmeal. Sprinkle the tops with more cornmeal. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 45 minutes. 

About 5 minutes before you are ready to cook the english muffins turn on your griddle or fry pan to 350F (medium heat). Fry on one side for about 4 minutes. Then turn over and fry for another 4 minutes. Do this once more for a total of 16 minutes.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

The Best Waffles in the Whole World

I'm almost hesitant to share this recipe, because I love it so much. In fact I make it every week. And then I freeze the leftovers and pop them in the toaster for my son's breakfast every morning. It's awesome! 

This is a family recipe. Kind of random, but my mom found it taped to the inside of the cupboard when we moved into my childhood house. She's used it ever since and now I use it every week!

You'll never need another waffle recipe. Enjoy!

THE BEST WAFFLES IN THE WHOLE WORLD

Sift together:
1 3/4 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt

Add:
2 egg yolks, beaten (save the whites!)
2 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. oil

Gently Fold in:
Stiffly beaten egg whites

Then after I cook all the waffles, like I said before, I break them into individual squares, put them in a freezer bag and freeze. In the morning, I just pop them in the toaster for my son's breakfast. SO much better than store bought waffles, TRUST me.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

This is a recipe from one of my many talented sister-in-laws. It is SO delicious and very quick to throw together. I definitely recommend this recipe, especially for beginner cooks. Although, I do have to warn you, the forming of the meatballs is not for the squeamish. I don't particularly enjoy handling squishy raw meat, but I DO enjoy eating these meatballs. C'mon you can do it! Enjoy!

SWEET & SOUR MEATBALLS

1 lb. lean ground beef
¾ c. rolled oats
2 eggs, slightly beaten
½ c. finely chopped onion
½ c. milk
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
Few grains pepper

Combine all ingredients; mix well. Form into about 12 balls, each about
2 inches in diameter. Place in casserole dish. Cover with sauce (below).
Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes. Makes 6-8 servings, 2 large meatballs
each.

The Sauce:

½ c. brown sugar
¼ c. vinegar
1 tsp. prepared mustard
¼ c. BBQ sauce
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Combine ingredients and blend thoroughly. Heat and pour over meatballs.
Serve over rice.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Chicken & Stuffing Casserole

This was one of those down home comforting casseroles. And it was so easy! It was perfect for the cold, rainy weather we've been having. Enjoy!

CHICKEN AND STUFFING CASSEROLE

1 pkg (6-oz) Stove Top Stuffing mix

2 c. chopped cooked chicken (or turkey)

2 c. broccoli florets

1 can cream of chicken soup

3/4 c. milk

1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

Salt and Pepper to taste

Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions and set aside. Mix chicken and broccoli in a 9x13 baking dish. Combine soup, milk, cheese, and salt and pepper; pour over chicken mixture. Top with prepared stuffing. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or heated through and bubbling.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.