Easy Pea-sy Salad

1 can of peas, drained but not rinsed (or a small package of frozen peas, thawed and rinsed)
3 sticks of Colby-Jack cheese, chopped
1/4 cup diced yellow onion (or less, I really like onion!)
1 to 1 1/2 tbsp mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

Mix it all in a bowl and enjoy! What a yummy lunch on a hot summer day. Eat indoors, of course, that Texas sun will spoil mayo in no time! =)

Pork & "JuiceCous"

I usually shy away from the barbecue or teriyaki flavored pork tenderloin I see at the store and just stick to lemon garlic, but the last time I went to the store they had a very intriguing flavor: pomegranate basil. Yep, that's right, pomegrantin! LOL It sounded so yummy to me that I just had to have it. But once I brought it home it sat in the fridge for a couple of days and then I made a home for it in the freezer. I was intimidated! What in the world do I serve with it? Then a "friend" of mine - it's funny I say friend because she has no idea who I am, but I feel as though I know her and her family very well. You see, I follow her blog just like you guys follow my primary blog www.watchherasshegrows.blogspot.com. So a while back I was reading her latest entry, which just so happened to be a recipe for what she calls JuiceCous. It sounded so delicious! Then it hit me: This would go wonderfully with that pomegranate basil pork tenderloin! And what a hit it was! My family practically fought over the leftovers! Are you curious? I know you are...

JuiceCous (courtesy of MckMama's blog www.mycharmingkids.net)
(this is the way I made it)
I bought a box of Near East brand couscous and basically followed the directions on the back, but instead of just adding 2 cups water or broth, I added 1 cup water and 1/2 a cup of carrot juice and 1/2 a cup of orange juice. Once cooked, I then added craisins, garbanzo beans and lots of Joe's homegrown cilantro. That's it. And it is delicious. Joe cooked the pomegranate basil pork tenderloin out on the grill, sliced it up and served it right alongside MckMama's JuiceCous. What a perfect combination.

Courtney's Taco Soup

1 lb hamburger meat
Taco Bell brand taco seasoning
1 packet dry ranch
1 can Ranch-Style Beans with jalapenos
1 can butter beans
1 small can white corn
1 can yellow hominy
handful of chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
shredded Colby-Jack cheese

In large soup pan, brown hamburger meat with onion & season with taco seasoning.
Add all beans and veggies, be sure to add their juices too!
Mix in half of the cilantro as well as the dry ranch and enough water to fill the pot close to the top and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
Ladle it into bowls and sprinkle cheese and fresh cilantro on top. Goes great with tortilla chips, Frito's, cornbread and even white rice!

Two-Egg Sandwich

You know those mornings when you wake up hungry? Or those mornings when you wake up needing comfort food because you had a bad evening/night? This is the sandwich for those mornings.

butter cooking spray or butter
2 eggs
mayonnaise (optional, I use Hellman's light)
salt & pepper
slice of cheese (I use Kraft 2% milk American)
approx 1 tbsp shredded cheese (I use 2% milk Mozzarella)
2 slices of **Nana-fresh bread

Spray a small skillet with butter cooking spray (or grease with real butter) and heat (medium).
Beat 2 eggs in small bowl and add salt & pepper to your liking.
Pour eggs into skillet and let cook in one solid piece, turning only once to cook the other side.
I like to put mayo on on side of my bread. I know, I know, but if you like mayo, you'll love this!
Cut the egg so that it will fit perfectly on the bread and sprinkle shredded cheese on the biggest piece.

Place smaller egg pieces on top of the cheese and cover them with cheese slice. Place on one slice of bread (if you used mayo, place egg on mayo'd side - yes, it makes a difference!). Leave stove top on.

Put the other slice on top to create a sandwich and place the sandwich back into the skillet to brown top and bottom.

As Joe Joe the dog-faced boy would say: "Make sure your mama's not around because this sandwich is so good it'll 'make you want to slap your mama!'"

This sandwich goes really well with Cheetos, or better yet, Flamin' Hot Cheetos! (I know, what happened to the diet?!)

**Nana-fresh bread: Nana ALWAYS has the freshest bread! By Nana-fresh bread I mean bread so fresh that only Nana could have picked it off the shelf!

Peanut Butter Gravy

Take 1 teaspoon of your favorite brand of peanut butter and mix with 2 teaspoons hot water. Mix well. Pour over 1 cup of dry DOG FOOD. Sure to make your doggy smile! I know my doggy loves it.

You didn't think it was going to be for human consumption, did you? I guess instead of pouring it over dog food, you could dip crackers in it if you like! (barf)

Courtney's Crumpet Sandwich

1 egg

1 diced mushroom

1 tbsp diced tomato

dash of Louisiana Hot Sauce

1 tbsp diced red onion

1 tbsp mozzarella cheese

dash of garlic salt

dash of cracked black pepper

2 crumpets

Saute mushroom, tomato and onion until soft. Beat egg, add sauteed mixture, Louisiana Hot Sauce, cheese, garlic salt and pepper. Cook in greased skillet until cooked through, turning once (kind of like a pancake). Toast crumpets and create sandwich. If you like, serve with hashbrowns (My Irish, potato-loving husband and I prefer Betty Crocker's Seasoned Skillets).

Jessica Simpson's Chicken & Dumplings

I found this on another blog. Supposedly, this is a recipe by Jessica Simpson. I have made it, and it is delicious!

3 rolls of reduced-fat croissant rolls
1 small rotisserie chicken, skin discarded and meat removed from bones
1 can of reduced fat cream of chicken soup
1 can of reduced fat cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of low-sodium chicken broth
salt
pepper
*I added a small can of peas and carrots

Preheat oven to 400F. Roll out the cans of croissant sheets and separate into diamond shaped sections. Place a small handful of chicken on each diamond, fold dough over and press ends together to create dumplings. Cut up any excess dough into strips. Line a 9x13" baking dish with one layer of dumplings. Pour can of cream of chicken soup over the dumplings, followed by the can of cream of mushroom soup, and chicken broth (and peas and carrots). Place strips in a crisscross pattern on the top of the dumplings and soup mixture, season dish with salt and ground black pepper and bake until the dumplings are tender and cooked through, and the top is bubbly and brown. Approximately 30 minutes.