Archive for the ‘Friday Foodie Feature’ Category
Hello Friends and Happy Fri-Yay!
It is now officially Spring so this is going to be the last of the heavy Crock Pot meals. It’s time to start eating lighter as we begin to shed the layers of clothing.
This Friday Foodie Feature was made before St. Patrick’s Day which is why I didn’t cook Corned Beef and Cabbage on Monday – too much red meat is not good for you.
Ingredients:
- Beef Brisket
- Medium Onion – sliced
- Liquid Smoke 1/2 tsp
- South African Smoke Seasoning 1/4 tsp
- BBQ Sauce
- Red Potatoes – 4-5 small diced
- 1/4 cup water
Place brisket in resealable bag rubbed with South African Smoke seasoning, refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hours.
Spray Crock Pot with cooking spray for easier cleanup. Pour in Liquid Smoke and water, then add the brisket.
Pour in entire bottle of BarBecue sauce, add onions and potatoes, cover then cook on low 6-8 hours depending on Crock Pot style.
I sauteed some cabbage in Olive Oil sprinkled with pepper to complete this end of the winter meal.
This delicious dinner for 4 was plenty with leftovers for the next day. The tender beef brisket was shredded and used to make Tex Mex Burritos.
Next week’s feature will be a lighter fare and is also perfect for a Cinco de Mayo celebration.
Don’t forget to come back at 6:00 p.m. for the Weekend Wind-Down Party, I am sure there will be plenty of Spring recipes being shared.
Stay Blessed – No Stress in 2014!
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Hello Friends and Happy Fri-Yay!
I don’t know about you but I am still dragging from last week’s change to Daylight Saving Time, I need a nap! This week’s feature is another non-Crock Pot dish, but that doesn’t mean I’ve abandoned them, as a matter of fact one of them is home cooking dinner right now.
and the recipe is on the back of the jar.
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless chicken breast – I used 2 packs of tenderloins
- 1 jar Ragu Cheese Creations Creamy Mozzarella Sauce, divided
- 1 cup Italian seasoned dry bread crumps
- 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
- 1 Tbsp. basil leaves / Italian seasoning
Pour 1/2 cup of Mozzarella sauce into a bowl ~ coat chicken with sauce and then with dry bread crumbs.
Place coated chicken into 13×9 baking pan, spray with cooking spray for easier cleanup. Bake in preheated oven 450 degrees for approximately 15 minutes.
Spoon remaining sauce around chicken in the pan, bake another 5 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly done.
I cooked a package of Knorr Pasta Sides for chicken which complimented this dish perfectly as would a side of mac n cheese!
This was another family meal that my men loved and no leftovers!
Top cooked chicken with tomatoes and Italian seasoning for an easy breezy mid-week meal.
Stay Blessed – No Stress in 2014!
*Don’t forget to come back at 6:00 pm for this week’s #WWDParty where I’m sure there will be some great St. Patrick’s Day recipes and crafts!
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Hello Friends and Happy Fri-Yay!
Today’s Foodie Feature is not a Slow Cooked meal, but a tasty
Turkey Lasagna made with JennieO Ground Turkey.
Ingredients
- 1 package Jennie-O Lean Ground Turkey
- 1 Jar of spaghetti sauce, divided
- 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 cup total of chopped peppers, carrots and onions
- 1/4 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red peppers
- 1 container of Ricotta Cheese (15 oz)
- 1 package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 3 cups Italian blend shredded cheese
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 12 lasagna noodles, cook and drained
- 1 tsp minced garlic (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 ~ and spray baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Cook turkey until well done then pour in 1/2 jar of spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, add peppers, carrots, onions, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions and lay flat onto wax paper.
Mix ricotta cheese, spinach, 2 cups of shredded cheese and egg. Place 6 noodles in pan, and spread mixture on top of each noodle, then add ground turkey mixture.
Cover with remaining noodles and spaghetti sauce then top with Parmesan or additional shredded cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and then bake an additional 15 minutes or until sauce is bubbly.
I served with Garlic Texas Toast and a Marinated Roasted Red Pepper for a tasty Friday night meal for my men.
Here’s a coupon to help you save on your next purchase of JennieO Ground Turkey.
Stay Blessed – No Stress in 2014!
4 Comments
Hello Friends and Happy Fri-Yay!
Today there is a twist to the Friday Foodie Feature which I think you will like. It’s a party – that’s right a P * A * R * T * Y and you are cordially invited to attend the first Weekend Wind-Down Party!
You can link up now or wait until this evening when you get home from work. The party is casual so you can kick off your shoes, turn on the Crock Pot, relax and then share… share… share!
The house rules are simple, you can link any post and it will be featured on 8 different blogs. We will each choose several features from the link up each week to highlight the following week! We will also be pinning features to Pinterest as well as social media shout-outs! So link up, visit others and have fun!
This Simple Home @
DeDivahDeals @
Snippets of Inspiration @
A Ranch Mom @
Mendez Manor @
A Living Sacrifice @
Mustard Seed Mommy @
Moms Who Save @
If you are joining the party, please copy this button and add it to your blog.
Now let the party begin with today’s Friday Foodie Feature
Slow Cooked Spinach Ziti
I had been thinking about making this dish for quite sometime and hubby kept asking if I wanted him to make it (baked) in the oven. I said, “nope, I want to slow cook it.” He didn’t think the uncooked noodles wouldn’t get done in the Crock Pot but they did and he loved it.
Ingredients
-
1 1/2 lbs of ground turkey/chicken/beef
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2 jars of Spaghetti Sauce
-
medium onion – diced
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2 cloves of garlic – diced
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1 package of frozen spinach
-
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1 package of Mozzarella and Shredded Parmesan Cheese
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Brown the ground turkey and dice the onions and garlic. Remember to turn on stove’s blower while cutting onions for no tears.
Add the two jars of spaghetti sauce, diced onions and garlic then stir to mix ingredients thoroughly.
Spray the Crock Pot with cooking spray for easier clean up.
Cover the bottom of the Crock Pot with the meat sauce, then begin layering the pasta, spinach, and Ricotta cheese, repeating until you’ve reached the top of the Crock Pot but you can use less if you want.
Add a few dollops of Ricotta Cheese
Sprinkle with Mozzarella Cheese
Sprinkle the final layer with Parmesan Cheese, cover and cook on high 4-5 hours or low 8-10 hours, or until pasta noodles are soft.
Stir to thoroughly mix all ingredients and to ensure noodles are soft. Sprinkle with more Parmesan Cheese, cover and let sit for an additional 5 mins before serving.
We definitely had more than enough for two meals, I even froze half to be used next month.
Invite your family and friends to the first
Weekend Wind-Down Party!
31 Comments
Hello Friends and Happy 1st Fri-Yay 2014!
Today’s Foodie Feature is a 4 ingredient 40 minute meal ~ Shrimp Alfredo
Ingredients:
- Ragu Cheesy Sauce – 1 Jar
- Thin Pasta – 1/2 box
- Broccoli – 2 crowns
- Shrimp – small raw, deveined, tail off
Place frozen shrimp in a steamer pot or double boiler (fill bottom pan with water) – cover and steam on low heat until shrimp turns pink.
Rinse and cut stems from fresh broccoli. Steam or microwave if you prefer tender broccoli crowns.
Boil water and cook pasta according to box directions, or for approximately 7 minutes.
Drain but do not rinse pasta and return to pan.
Add broccoli crowns
Pour in entire jar of Ragu Cheesy Sauce, adding a little water to the empty jar, shake and pour into pan. Stir to mix ingredients thoroughly and cook on low for an additional 7-10 minutes to heat sauce and soften broccoli crowns.
Seasoned only with a little black pepper this made for an easy breezy meal and was a big hit with my men.
Stay Blessed ~ No Stress in the New Year!
15 Comments
Hello Friends and Happy Fri-Yay after Christmas!!!
Today’s Friday Foodie Feature is
Slow Cooked Boneless Beef Ribs & Bean Soup
This recipe would definitely be something to fix during your time off from work. It’s an easy-breezy-no-stress-fix-it and-forget-it hardy meal.
Ingredients
Boneless Beef Ribs or any cheap cut of beef
1 large can of Tomato Sauce
1 large can of Diced Tomatoes
1 medium onion – diced
1 bag of dry beans
seasoning of choice
Cooking Spray
Rinse beans in cool water and strain then dice onion into bite size pieces. Spray Crock Pot with a cooking spray for easier cleanup.
Layer ribs and sprinkle with seasoning of choice, I crushed a Knorr’s Cilantro Bouillon Cube over mine.
Top with diced onions
Add beans and cans of tomato sauce and diced tomatoes
Stir slightly
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4 hours – depending on Crock Pot Model. Needless to say, the house was smelling delicious and my men loved it!
I think this might be my new favorite Crock Pot soup, what is yours?
Linking up with the Northeast Bloggers Network for the
Five on Friday (there ARE 5 ingredients in this recipe) blog hop and Pin It Link Party.
Have a blessed day and be a blessing to others – Smooches!
14 Comments
Hello Friends and Happy Fri-Yay (the 13th)!
Today’s Friday Foodie Feature is Kale & Black Eye Pea Soup
Sunday I purchased a container of CutnClean Kale from Safeway to be used in my salads for the week. However, after hearing the weather forecast for more snow I decided to use it to make a Crock Pot soup with Black Eye Peas.
In the winter, my grandmother used to make the best homemade vegetable soups using ingredients she already had in the refrigerator, freezer or pantry. So in keeping with tradition I used some leftover celery stalks, an onion, garlic, carrots and Bouillon cubes to make this soup.
Ingredients:
- Dry Black Eye Peas – 1/2 bag
- Kale – 1/2 package
- Celery – diced
- Carrots – diced
- Onion – diced
- Garlic – diced
- Bouillon Cubes (2)
- Water
- Olive Oil
- Black Pepper
- Smoked Turkey Necks (optional)
Mama Midget (yes that was her name), never used measuring cups or spoons so neither do I especially when using the Crock Pot. I just throw in what I have or think is enough.
Rinse and drain 1/2 bag of dry Black Eye peas
Add 2 Bouillon Cubes to 3 cups of hot water
Pour Olive Oil into Crock Pot just enough to cover bottom
Chop onion, garlic, carrots and celery and add to Crock Pot
Add Kale and sprinkle with Black Pepper
Pour in Bouillon Stock, adding more water to cover all ingredients if necessary
Stir and if desired add Smoked Turkey Legs or Necks
Cover and cook on low 8 hour, high 4 hours – depending on Crock Pot model. Don’t forget to make some Skillet Corn Bread!
Nothing beats walking into the house on a cold and snowy day to the smell and taste of “good ole homemade soup”!
I miss you Mama – RIP!
Do you make any of your mother’s/grandma’s favorite recipes?
Come on over and join in on the Family Friday Link Up Party!
24 Comments
Hello Friends and Happy Fri-Yay!
This week’s Foodie Feature is Slow Cooked Oxtail Stew
Oxtails or tails of cattle is a very popular dish in *South Africa and this bony, gelatin-rich meat is usually slow-cooked. In our Delaware home as soon as the weather cools Oxtails are definitely on the menu-of-must-haves and this is how I slow cook mine.
Unfortunately the cost of Oxtails in the grocery stores can be outrageous which is why I stalk Dutch Country Farmer’s Market to get them!
Ingredients:
- Oxtails 6-8 pieces
- Vegetable Broth
- Ground Ginger
- Brown Sugar
- Vegetables: Onions/Celery/Parsley/Carrots
- Canned or Fresh Tomatoes – optional
- Garlic fresh or minced
- Oxtail Seasoning
- Dry Beans or Lentils
- Flour
- Olive Oil
Put Oxtails into a plastic bag and pour in enough flour to coat, adding as little or as much of the Oxtail Seasoning, Ground Ginger and Brown Sugar according to your tastes. Seal bag and rub all dry ingredients onto Oxtails.
Pour in just enough olive oil to cover bottom of a pan, heat on low and add coated Oxtails turning to brown on all sides.
In the meantime, chop and dice veggies
I also added a little Curry to the browning Oxtails, however, this is optional.
Remove browned Oxtails from the pan, then rinse the lentils or beans. Coat inside the Crock Pot with cooking spray for easier clean up.
Put in the Oxtails…
…add lentils or beans
…top with sliced and diced veggies
Pour in 2 containers of broth or use water seasoned with Beef Bouillon Cubes – enough to cover all ingredients
Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 depending on your Crock Pot/Slow Cooker
I had to work late and none of my men took pictures so I don’t have the finished product, but trust me it was good! You can add any vegetable or potato or omit the beans and serve over rice. No matter how you make it, it’s oh so good and filling especially on a cold winter’s night!
What is your favorite Slow Cooked Stew?
* This post was written only a few hours before Mr. Mandela’s death
RIP “Giant for Justice”
26 Comments
Hello Friends and Happy Fri-Yay!
In today’s Friday Foodie I am featuring the Grand Opening of the Middletown African Market located on 725 North Broad Street. Owners Abena Mansah and Kwaku Duah are recent transplants from the Bronx, by way of Ghana. In partnership with other family members they also owned an African Market in Yonkers, NY.
During their many visits to family and friends in Delaware they were often asked to load up the car with food items to bring with them. These visits also highlighted the need for a place to purchase authentic African and Caribbean foodstuff. However, in not finding anyone who was interested in doing so they decided to take a leap of faith and left New York to open the Middletown African Market in the Middletown Square Shopping Center.
Abena and Kwaku along with their son came to visit Delaware, fell in love with Middletown and never left, “we love it here”, says Abena, “the people are friendly and the school district is wonderful”.
The Middletown African Market hopes to meet the needs of the large African population in Delaware so they no longer need to travel to Philadelphia or as far north as New York. The Market’s shelves are fully stocked with African and Caribbean food items, clothing, music, movies, jewelry, beauty and novelty items.
Freezers are stocked with smoked fish, turkey, chicken, beef, cassava and other root vegetables. Long shelves contain canned meats, fruits, vegetables, bags of rice, wheat, potatoes, dry beans and snack foods. Authentic oils, spices, canned goods as well as fresh Sweet Yams and Plantains are available.
Kente Cloth, Waist Beads, Kufis, and beauty products including lotions with Shea Butter and Coconut Oil, Black Soap, shampoos and conditioners are neatly displayed across the back shelves.
Saturday’s Grand Opening was both exciting and lively with many customers, both African and non-African shopping, sharing and filling their baskets with food items to be used for Sunday’s dinner.
Middletown African Market accepts all major credit cards, EBT and is open Monday to Saturday, 9:00 am to 8:00 p.m., closed on Sunday.
Abena offered to teach me to cook a few authentic African meals, so expect to see them showcased in a future Friday Foodie Features.
Have a wonderful day – Smooches!
22 Comments
Hello Friends and Happy Fri-Yay
This week’s Foodie Feature is another 4 ingredient, 40 minute meal created with Kraft Recipe Makers. It was an easy breezy mid-week meal that my men enjoyed and got me out of the kitchen in less than an hour!
Ingredients:
Kraft Recipe Makers Chicken Bruschetta Pasta
Wacky Mac Pasta
Chicken Breast
Parmesan Cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions without the salt
While pasta is cooking, cut two chicken breasts into thin strips
Coat pan with Cooking Spray and cook chicken until done and no longer pink, then add 1/2 bottle of Simmer Sauce
Drain pasta and add to skillet with remaining Simmer Sauce and stir lightly
Top with Finishing Sauce and Parmesan Cheese, cover and cook on low heat for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Enjoy this family meal made with Kraft Recipe Makers!
Come back and let me know if you tried it, have a fantabulous day – Smooches!
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