Biscuits and Italian Sausage Gravy are a favorite treat. Comfort food for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Find out about my secret ingredient!
Lunch
Scramble Burger
Scramble Burger omelets are a delicious and easy choice, whether for breakfast or dinner. Can’t think of what to make? Make a Scramble Burger!
Easy and Delicious Tuna Quesadillas with Corn Tortillas
Tuna Quesadillas, made with corn tortillas, are a quick and tasty snack or lunch. This is not your usual tuna sandwich!
Lentil Soup with Cilantro – A Lenten Soup Supper
Steamed Molasses Brown Bread
Steamed Molasses Brown Bread is easy to make, low fat, and does not require yeast. You don’t even need a loaf pan or an oven. It’s made in a coffee can on top of the stove!
Deviled Eggs in the Instant Pot – Quick and Easy
Deviled eggs are a treat in our house, and making them perfectly in the Instant Pot is so quick and easy, it will amaze you.
Crab Balls – The Month of Burgers
Crab Balls
I have always liked crab balls, ever since my mother used to buy Mrs. Paul’s Frozen Crab Cakes when I was a little kid. As I grew up, I realized I could make them myself and used Zatarains, which had a lot of salt, so I decided to make my own and do better.
These make a great appetizer or a light lunch with a salad or chips. When I made this, I threw a thinly sliced potato in the fat and made potato chips.
How to Blind Bake Crust for Quiche
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You may have seen a few recipes here for quiche, but I don’t think I’ve ever really emphasized how important it is to blind bake the crust. If the crust is not blind-baked before, the quiche will be runny and the crust will be soft and raw tasting. If you’ve had quiche and didn’t like it, that’s probably why.
Meatloaf Stuffed Potato Balls with Dragon Sauce
Meatloaf Stuffed Potato Balls with Dragon Sauce
One of my favorite things is to go to Porto’s in Glendale and get Papas Rellenas (Cuban Potato Balls). They are very tasty and make for a quick bite. One day, I had leftover meatloaf, and leftover mashed potatoes, so I decided to try my hand at making them. It’s pretty simple, and a good way to use up your leftovers. You could use other stuffing, I just happen to really like my Three Pepper Spicy Meatloaf.
A few words about mashed potatoes
Please use real ones, not the ones in the box, or the ones that are already made. Take a little time to make mashed potatoes. I usually use one medium-sized potato per person, unless I want extra for something like this, and then I add an extra potato. For this recipe, you will need to peel the potatoes. Unpeeled potatoes are great, but the peels would get in the way when trying to keep them shaped correctly. I cut my potatoes in half lengthwise, then cut each half into quarters. I keep the cut, peeled potatoes in cold water until they have all been prepped, this keeps them from turning brown. Rinse the potatoes and put them in clean, salted water. Always use a good amount of salt in the water, about a half a teaspoon per potato. Bring the water to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to medium. Check the potatoes at about 15 minutes. They are done when you can easily stick a fork or tip of a knife in them. Don’t let them get overcooked, or you will have a soggy mess. Drain them in a sturdy colander immediately so they will stop cooking. I like to add butter at this point and mash them with a masher so the butter really gets in there, then I add milk and depending on how fluffy I want them, I either whip them by hand or use a stand mixer.
Meatloaf – It’s all up to you!
To make this you will need about 2 cups of left over mashed and a few slices of left over meatloaf. You can use your favorite meatloaf recipe, you are not tied to mine. You can even use – gads! – store-bought meatloaf if you like it.
The Dragon Sauce
You don’t have to have a dip for these, they’re good plain. But, if you like an extra zip, please try this Dragon Sauce. If you don’t like spicy foods, then you could always use Ranch or onion dip if you wanted. This is one of those recipes that’s really up to you. Use what you enjoy!
Summer Bean Salad with Lemon Mayonnaise
Hellman’s Mayonnaise in California
What!!!!! What did you say? Hellman’s Mayonnaise in California? Well, actually, no it was Hellman’s Sandwich Spread in Glendale, California.
Spane and I were at the 99 Cents Only store on our way to visit Alexandria’s Archives’s President, and stopped at the store to get a Danish or something, and I spied these jars of Hellman’s. I was amazed, and then found a jar of Bestfoods next to it. I couldn’t help take a picture, considering that I will probably never see the two brands together in the same place, unless I take it upon myself to start rock climbing or something. Don’t get your hopes up, folks, this was a jar of Hellman’s that will expire in August, 2014, just a few weeks after this post. So, no, we won’t be buying that.
I have to say I was flabbergasted when I found Hellman’s in Glendale. I told Spane that the jar was very, very far from home. Hellman’s is typically not sold west of the Rocky Mountains, where Best Foods is sold. The ingredients on both are the same, while some people prefer Best Foods because it is perceived to have a more tangy flavor, more vinegar. Wikipedia has an interesting article about the history of the popular condiment.
Mayonnaise is a great starter for sauces, including my Summer Bean Salad with Lemon Mayonnaise. It also has a host of other uses, but we will talk about those another day.