Red Beans & Rice Casserole

This recipe came out of a Mahatma rice package and calls for a package of their Red Beans & Rice, but I prefer Zatarains.

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1 package Red Beans & Rice mix (I used Zatarains)

1 tbsp chili powder

3 eggs, beaten (I used Egg Beaters)

1/3 cup milk

1 lb sausage, sliced (I used smoked turkey sausage)

1 medium diced green bell pepper

1 medium diced red bell pepper

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 large tomato, diced

1/2 cup chopped green onions

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Prepare Red Beans & Rice according to package directions, adding chili powder. Set it aside to cool. Preheat oven to 350. Cook sausage and bell peppers in a skillet. Once rice has cooled to room temperature, combine with sausage and bell peppers. In a small bowl, whisk eggs and milk then add it to rice-sausage mixture. Pour into a greased casserole dish, top with cheese and bake for 20 minutes. Top with tomatoes and green onions.

Southwestern Quiche

From time to time Joe brings home recipes he comes across in the newspaper that he wants me to make for him. Isn't that sweet? Well, you might not think it is, but since I'm enjoying trying out new recipes these days, I think it's wonderful! This is one of those recipes. I've had it for a while now and am just now getting around to trying it out. I have no idea why I waited so long! This makes a lot, so I hope the leftovers are just as tasty! It tasted like chicken enchiladas to me. YUM!

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2 refrigerated pie crusts, thawed (if they were frozen)

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup half and half

2 cups cooked chicken, diced ( I used a rotisserie chicken)

2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese, grated

1 cup cheddar cheese

1 cup salsa with cilantro

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

handful of chopped green onion

sour cream, salsa (optional)

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Preheat oven to 350.

In medium bowl, beat eggs and half and half together with a wire whisk.

Stir in chicken, chips, cheeses, salsa, black beans and salt.

Pour into pie crusts.

Sprinkle pepper over top.

Bake approximately 1 hour, until crust is golden brown and knife inserted into middle comes out clean.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream, salsa and Spanish rice.

Hana sure thought it was yummy!

Valentine Krispies

Make Rice Krispie treats following the regular old recipe found on the box of Rice Krispies. I found Jumbo Multi-Grain Krispies!

I also found strawberry-flavored marshmallows.

Use cute sprinkles top decorate them.

Use a cookie cutter or a sandwich cutter (like I did) to cut them into hearts.

Inside-Out Easter Eggs

Hana loves eggs - as long as they look like eggs. She only likes hard-boiled eggs. She won't eat scrambled eggs. She won't eat fried eggs. She won't even eat my personal favorite, an egg sandwich. She removes the egg and basically munches on a grilled cheese for breakfast. Do I care? Not really. She'll still eat an egg - as long as it's hard-boiled. What I absolutely love, however, is that she only eats the white part. She'll leave the yolk in the bowl. I wish I could do that. I personally love the yolk. It's my favorite part of the egg! Probably because it's the unhealthiest part. LOL So needless to say, we eat a lot of hard-boiled eggs around here. Or Hana does at least! Yep, when she's not begging for oatmeal (have I mentioned how much I'm in love with the fact that she begs for oatmeal?), she's begging for an egg. So I took it upon myself to make them a little more intersting.

1. Boil some eggs. If you don't know how (Like my husband who is a fabulous cook, but can't boil an egg - no really. He adds them to already boiling water! Okay, he did it once, but I'll never let him live it down.) all you do is put eggs in a pan and cover them with water. Once the water begins to boil, set the timer for 15 minutes. They'll be nice and hard-boiled after 15 minutes.

2. Drain off the boiling water and pour in cold water to cool them down so you can handle them.

3. Add a couple drops of food coloring to several glasses of water.

4. Crack the shell of the eggs. A lot. But leave the shell on and in tact. Drop an egg into each cup of colored water and set the timer for 10 minutes.

5. Remove the shell, rinse and enjoy your beautiful eggs!

Yummy!

Deep Dish Mexican Pie aka Taco Pie

A family favorite!
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This recipe makes two pies which usually means leftovers. I assure you that this pie is even better reheated than it is fresh!
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Deep dish pie crusts (2 come in a pack), thawed
1 lb hamburger meat'
taco seasoning (I'm partial to Taco Bell brand)
1 can refried beans (I use fat free)
Rice (I use Litpon Sides Taco Rice); buy two if you want to serve some on the side
tortilla chips (I'm partial to Tostitos Multigrain. If you haven't tried them, you're missing it!)
shredded colby-jack cheese (I use 2% milk)
I also use a handful of chopped cilantro
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Preheat oven to 350.
Cook the rice; set aside.
Cook the hamburger meat and season the meat per instructions on the taco seasoning packet.
Mix the refried beans and the chopped cilantro (if you're using it) into the taco meat.
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Layer in the pie crusts as follows:
meat/bean mixture
tiny bit of cheese
rice
tiny bit of cheese
tortilla chips (crumbled or whole will work)
meat/bean mixture
crumbled tortilla chips
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Bake in the oven approximately 30 minutes or until edges of crust are browned. Sprinkle cheese on top and put back in oven just a few minutes until cheese is melted.
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Remove from oven and let sit at least five minutes before slicing.

Easy Yet Yummy Pasta Salad

1 box Betty Crocker Suddenly Pasta Salad (original)

handful of matchstick carrots

handful of chopped broccoli

handful of diced red onion

Ranch dressing

Prepare pasta salad according to box.

Mix in carrots, broccoli, onion and as much Ranch dressing as you like.

Every time I make this for someone they think I spent all morning working on it, mixing and adding ingredients. They're always shocked when I tell them my secret. Serve some to your friends and keep the secret to yourself!

Pork Chops Fit For My Father

I, like my father, am a pork chop lover. However, I have never mastered the art of cooking a perfect chop...until now. This is a pork chop I would proudly serve my father!

Buttermilk-Brined Pork Chops

2 cups fat-free buttermilk (I couldn't find fat-free so I just used reduced fat)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary (I did not have fresh rosemary, so I used 1/2 tsp dried)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
4 (6-ounce) bone-in center-cut pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large Ziploc bag; shake well to dissolve salt and sugar.
Add pork; seal and refrigerate overnight or up to two days (mine sat for two days), turning bag occasionally.

Remove pork from bag; discard brine.
Pat pork dry with a paper towel.
Sprinkle pork with pepper.
*Heat a large nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add pork; cook 3 1/2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.
This is a delicious way to add buttermilk to your lucky New Year's dinner. As you can see, we enjoyed our buttermilk-brined pork chops with cabbage, blackeyed peas and mashed potatoes. It may have been the second day of the new year, but it was much enjoyed!

*This is what the recipe suggests, I just had my wonderful husband cook them on the grill!