Frisco Patty Melt--Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Let's Get Started:

Frisco Patty Melt

Copycat version of Steak 'n Shake

Slightly adapted from here

1 lb ground beef or 1 lb chuck

8 slices sourdough bread

1 tablespoon butter 

2 tablespoons onions diced fine

8 slices American cheese

4 slices swiss cheese

Frisco Sauce-2 versions

4 Tablespoons Thousand Island Salad Dressing

2 Tablespoons Ketchup

or

4 Tablespoons Thousand Island Dressing

2 Tablespoons French Salad Dressing

I made both and we like the Thousand Island and French Salad dressing combo best.

Combine Thousand Island Dressing and ketchup or French Dressing thoroughly, set aside.

Form ground beef into 8 thin patties.

Pan fry to desired doneness, set patties aside.

While patties are cooking, lightly toast all 8 slices of bread.

Drain the excess fat from the skillet, add 1/2 tablespoon butter or margarine to the skillet (medium heat) and add all the onions when butter has melted.

Cook onions 2-3 minutes or until softened, remove and set aside- do not drain skillet.

Place 4 slices of bread in the skillet (or as many as you can at once; repeat the following steps in smaller increments if necessary).

Cook 1-2 minutes, or until the bread is lightly toasted. Flip bread and toast other side.

Remove from the skillet, melt the remaining butter and repeat the toasting with the remaining slices of bread.

Top bottom slices of bread with one slice of American cheese.

Layer one beef patty on top of cheese, then a slice of Swiss cheese, another beef patty, another slice of American cheese.

Distribute grilled onions evenly on all four sandwiches.

Spread top slices of bread with the dressing mixture, and close sandwiches.

Reserve any additional sauce for dipping.

Print Recipe Here



Beer Bread Grilled Cheese Sandwich

So, maybe this isn't all that kid friendly. 

But it sure is yummy!

The recipe for the beer bread is simple.  I highly recommend using a darker beer.  You are going to get much more flavor than if you use a light beer.  If a grilled cheese isn't tickling your fancy, try spreading some honey butter over it. 

Let's Get Started:

Beer Bread

adapted recipe from allrecipes.com

1 (12 ounce) can or bottle dark beer (I used Sam Adams Octoberfest)

3 cups self-rising flour

1/3 cup sugar

Mix all ingredients together...you may have to use your hands.  The bread hook on the kitchen-aid works great too! 

Pour into greased 9 x 5 loaf pan.

Let dough sit for about 30 minutes for best results.  Dough will rise a little and the finished product is lighter.  But you can bake right away if you'd like.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 50 minutes.  About half way through I like to brush the loaf with melted butter.

Allow bread to cool.

Grilled Cheese

Several slices of your favorite cheese

I used fontina and shredded cheddar

2 slices of beer bread

2Tablespoons butter-divided

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Generously butter one side of a slice of bread. Place bread butter-side-down onto skillet bottom and add cheese. Butter a second slice of bread on one side and place butter-side-up on top of sandwich. Grill until lightly browned and flip over. Continue grilling until cheese is melted.

I added a few sauted onions to this one!

Print Recipe Here

Jalapeno Popper Chicken Roll-ups

The idea for these Jalapeno Popper Chicken Roll-ups came to me in the shower.  Most of my best ideas do.  When I made them a few weeks ago I thought they were an original idea.  Thanks to Pinterest , it has come to my attention that

I'm not the first person to come up with this great idea.

Oh well, I'm going to keep taking showers and maybe someday I'll have a brilliant original idea of my own.

Let's Get Started:

Jalapeno Popper Chicken Roll-ups

1 pound of chicken tenderloins

8 ounces of cream cheese

1 (4 ounce) can of diced jalapenos-drained

2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce

Bacon slices (same amount as tenderloins)

About 2 Tablespoons of liquid smoke

toothpicks

Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix cream cheese, diced jalapenos, and Worcestershire sauce together until combined.

You can roast your own jalapenos if you'd like.

Spread about 1-2 Tablespoons of cream cheese mixture over one side of chicken tenderloin.

Use a basting brush to dab a little liquid smoke onto each piece of bacon.  Don't over do it because liquid smoke can be over powering if too much is used.  I dabbed each piece of bacon three times with the liquid smoke.

Roll each piece of cream cheese layered chicken and surround with bacon, secure with a toothpick.

Top the chicken roll-ups with any extra cream cheese mixture.

Salt and pepper as desired.

I baked these for about 25 minutes on 350 degrees F.  Next time I think I will be grilling them. 

Print Recipe Here

Cocoa Chili and my very first award!

I'm so thrilled to announce that I have been award The Versatile Blogger Award! It is absolutely amazing to be recognized by another blogger. 



Dawnie, from The Coach's Wife's Kitchen extended the honor to little 'ol me!  She's got some great stuff on her blog, so head over and check her out. Be sure to tell her congratulations on her upcoming new addition!   

So here is how the award works...I pass it along to 15 other bloggers that I think are  super duper and tell you guys 7 random things about myself. 

Let's Get Started:

Seven Random Facts about Me

1. I'm addicted to Diet Coke.  I always have one....always!  I will leave my house at midnight and run to the store to make sure I have one in the morning, I sleep with one beside my bed, and there is an on going joke that I will be buried with a 12 pack!

2.  I work for a small catering company called The Silver Spoon Cakes and Catering.  My best friend for the last 16 years, Jennifer, owns it.  The days can be long but I love it!  I'm surrounded by food...my obsession!

3.  I'm a real life Army wife, and mother to three children.  We are stationed at Fort Campbell, KY, home of the 101st Airborne Division. We live on post which has it pros and cons. The housing is a little old, my kitchen is so out dated that I will never show you guys a picture! :) But, my children are around other kids that have parents that deploy.  My husband just returned from his 4th deployment so having that support system or common bond for them is worth more than a stellar kitchen. At least that is what I tell myself :).

4. I'm a TV junkie.  I'm positive that I couldn't live without my DVR.  It even has a name...Dave.  I'm a big fan of Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, NCIS, all the CSI's, Modern Family, and so many more.  In the past when my husband has been gone these shows have been my escape from reality or my "me" time.  Oddly though, the only food show I watch is Masterchef (I have a crush on Gordon Ramsey).

5. I have a couple of food related quirks.  I don't like fruit and meat combos, or meat and nut combos.  The thought of it is just weird to me.  The only exception, I think, is tomatoes.

6. I grew up in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.  I've lived in North Alabama, Tennessee, and now Kentucky.

7.  As soon as I log into Blogger to start typing away about something I've made I lose just about all of my confidence.  I type and type and then feel like a complete goofball about some of the things I've said. I tend to get a little long winded at times and then delete the majority of what I've said.  I've found it a little difficult at times to put myself out there. Each time it gets a little easier though.

Now it's time to pass The Versatile Blogger on to some deserving bloggers.

These wonderful blogs are in no particular order.

Drumroll please.......

1. Jam Hands

2. Cookin Cowgirl

3. Cassie Craves

4. Christine's Pantry

5. Flour Trader

6. Big Bear's Wife

7. One Perfect Bite

8. Off The Menu

9. Taking on Magazines

10. Eat. Drink. Love

11.Bake Me Blush

12. My Fiance Likes It So It Must Be Good
13. What Is Cooking Now
14. Steph's Bite By Bite
15. I Heard It's Yummy






Ready for some chili?




I'll keep this short and sweet, considering I've already said so much. This is my adaptation of a previous neighbor's chili recipe. 


It has unsweetened cocoa powder in it!!


Don't worry, it won't taste like chocolate.  In my opinion the cocoa powder gives the chili a rich taste. 
 We love it!  And it's perfect for those chilly days that are on their way! (Hopefully sooner than later)

Cocoa Chili




2 pounds of ground beef-cooked and drained
1 (16 ounce) can of chili flavored beans (do not drain)
1 can (14.5 ounce) petite diced tomatoes
1 small onion-chopped
3 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 Tablespoon butter
2 (8 ounce) cans of tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons Oregano
3 Tablespoons Cumin
1 1/2 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoon paprika
2 Tablespoon chili powder


Add butter and chopped onion to a large pot, cook over medium low heat for about five minutes.  Add minced garlic and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes. 

Add browned ground beef, beans, tomato sauce, spices, vinegar, and cocoa powder.

Stir until combined.  Bring to a slight boil and reduce heat to simmer.  Continue to simmer for about 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Top with cheese, onions, and/or sour cream.

Tex-Mex Chicken Salad

If you are looking for a change from your regular chicken salad, this is it my friends!  It's...it's..it's just down right yummy!  I'm not a fan of mayo so this is perfect for anyone who shies away from chicken salad because of it. It's great served with tortilla chips too!  I usually boil my chicken for an hour or so with a little chili powder and cumin before shredding. 

Let's Get Started:

Tex-Mex Chicken Salad

1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup fresh lime juice, more as needed
Generous pinch ground cumin

3 cups (about 1 pound)  shredded leftover chicken
1/2 cup medium-diced cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup small-diced avocado
2 Tablespoon diced onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tablespoon minced fresh jalapeño with seeds removed (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

---

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, lime juice, and cumin.  Mix well.

In a medium bowl, combine chicken, tomatoes, avocado, onions, cilantro and jalapeño. 

Add sour cream mixture and gently fold all ingredients together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors blend. Before serving, adjust the salt, pepper, and lime juice to taste.

Print Here

Teryaki Chicken Fried Rice

Chicken Fried Rice

Chicken fried rice is a favorite at our house.  My children request it several times a month.  I used to make it the standard way.  With  chicken, rice, veggies, soy sauce, eggs, and a little onion. I'm sure you know it.  It's all over the Internet. It didn't have enough flavor for me.  It just seemed to be missing something and not near as good as the rice you can find at restaurants. After some experimenting I have come up with the perfect Chicken Fried Rice, for us anyway. 

Let's get started:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

3/4 cup teryaki sauce

1 white onion, chopped

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

1 cup of frozen peas and carrots,  (or more if you like)*

3 eggs, scrambled

4-5 cups of cold, cooked white rice

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (or as desired)**

Marinate chicken pieces in 1/4 cup teryaki sauce for at least 30 minutes, longer if you have time.

In a large sauce pan add sesame oil, chicken, and chopped onion.  Cook over medium heat until chicken is no longer pink and onion is translucent. About 10-12 minutes.

While chicken and onion are cooking, place the frozen peas and carrots in a colander and run cold water over them until they are defrosted and soft. * Fresh or canned veggies will work too. Fresh veggies will need to be blanched and the canned veggies, drained.  I've tried all three and my children seem to eat more of the frozen veggies, so I stick with those.  They're weird like that!

Don't forget to scramble those eggs!  I usually scramble them in a seperate small pan and add them to the chicken and onions. But, you can move all of the chicken and onion to the side of the pan, leaving enough room for the eggs and cook them on the other side, then mix with chicken and onion.

Once chicken, onion, and egg are ready add the cooked rice, peas and carrots, 1/2 cup teryaki sauce, white pepper, and soy sauce.  Heat on medium to medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring several times. 

**Soy sauce is one of those things that some people like and some don't, some like more and some like less.  So, add an amount that you feel comfortable with. 

Print Here

Party Chicken

Party Chicken

My mother has made this for years and years. I always request it when I go home for a visit and it's one of my favorite dishes.  It's a great make ahead dish too!  My mother has always let this marinate in the frig for several hours.  I've let it sit in the frig and I've baked it right after making it and I can't tell a difference.  You do have to plan ahead a little because it requires 2 and half hours in the oven.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced lengthwise in half ( to make 8 pieces of chicken)
1 jar dried beef, chopped
8 oz of sour cream
1 (10.5 oz) can of cream of mushroom soup
8 slices of raw bacon
toothpicks
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

In a small bowl mix sour cream and soup together. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Evenly spread chopped dried beef on the bottom of baking dish. If you aren't familiar with dried beef it can usually be found near the canned meat in your grocery store.  On a flat surface lay a piece of bacon flat, place chicken breast half on top and roll together from one end to the other lengthwise. Secure with a toothpick. Place rolled chicken breast on top of dried beef. Once all of the chicken and bacon are rolled and place over dried beef, pour sour cream/soup mixture over each rolled chicken breast. Cover and bake for 2 ½ hours.

Don't forget about the toothpicks!!!

Print Here

Whitney Miller's Oven-Fried Catfish with Fresh Dill Tartar Sauce

I love the TV show Masterchef!  I have a secret crush on Gordon Ramsey....shhh, don't tell anyone!  Whitney Miller was the first winner of Masterchef and just released her first cookbook."Modern Hospitality:Simple Recipes with Southern Charm".  Recently Whitney made an appearance on Masterchef with several of her recipes for the contestants to try and recreate.  This catfish recipe was chosen for all of them to copy.  It looked so good at the time, so when I got my hands on the cookbook I knew it was one of the first recipes I wanted to try. Whitney's cookbook is beautifully illustrated and her recipes really are simple with an obvious southern flare. The catfish was so yummy and very simple to prepare!

Let's get started:

Catfish

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

4 catfish fillets (about 1/2 pound each)

3/4 cup fine-grind cornmeal

3/4 cup teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed freeze dried chives

Pinch of cayenne pepper

2 tablespoon canola oil

To prepare the fish: Pour the buttermilk into a shallow baking dish. Place the catfish fillets in the buttermilk and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 25 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the cornmeal, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon pepper seasoning, salt, chives, and cayenne in a shallow dish or pie plate.

Pour the oil into a large cast iron skillet and turn to coat the bottom. Place in the oven to heat for 6 minutes.

Working with 1 fillet at a time, shake off the excess buttermilk and dredge in the cornmeal mixture to coat.

Place cornmeal-coated fillets in the preheated skillet. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn the fillets and bake until golden brown and crisp, 10-15 minutes (depending on the size of the fillets).

Fresh Dill Tarter Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons stone-ground mustard

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon minced fresh dill

3/4 teaspoon minced fresh chives

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Serve the hot fish with the tarter sauce.

Those are Whitney's bacon wrapped brussels sprouts with the fish and tarter sauce.  See the previous post for that recipe or click on the link provided!  If you like brussels sprouts you are gonna love these!!

Print Here

Simple Baked Ziti

Simple Baked Ziti

I've been making this Ziti for several years.  I believe I got the recipe from allrecipes.com., which is a great site if you want a new one to check out.  This makes a lot so prepare for leftovers unless you are feeding a small army.  It's a great meal to freeze too!  Which is exactly what I did.  My husband is in Afganistan, and my children are spending some time with their grandmother for a couple weeks.  Home alone....the silence has been golden!  A couple of days ago I'm enjoying my quiet time on the couch watching daytime TV and get the itch to cook something.  There's no one here but me and Lord knows my thighs do not need a full pan of baked ziti.  I make it and freeze it....problem solved! 

Let's Get Started:

Simple Baked Ziti

1 pound dry ziti pasta

Salt

1 onion, chopped

                                                              1 pound lean ground beef

2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce

6 ounces provolone cheese, sliced

1 1/2 cups sour cream

8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (or more)

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta and cook until al dente. Should take about 8-9 minutes. Drain pasta of water. Set pasta aside.

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish.

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef and onion together until the beef is no longer pink and onions are tender and translucent. Drain grease then add spaghetti sauce and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Layer as follows into the casserole dish:

½ of the ziti noodles, ½ of the provolone cheese, ½ of the sour cream, ½ of the sauce mixture.

I used Breakstone's Roasted Garlic and Herb for the first time in this dish and thought it was perfect.

I used a four cheese spaghetti sauce but any kind will do.  You can also add extra spices like oregano, basil, or garlic.

Repeat and top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Italian cheese blend works great too.

If you are going to freeze this do not bake, cover well and freeze at this point in the process.

If not,

Bake for 30-40 minutes

   Print Here