Ham & Cheese Croissants

One of my kids' favorite go-to meals is the ham and cheese croissant. It's super quick to make and uses stuff we keep on hand all the time.



Ham & Cheese Croissants
Refrigerated croissant rolls
Deli sliced ham
Velveeta



Lay out the croissant triangles on a baking sheet. Roll up two pieces of sliced ham and place at the top of the triangle. Add a half-slice of Velveeta, lengthwise. Roll up the croissant. Bake for 12 minutes at 350. Voila! Dinner in a hurry.

Twice Baked Potatoes

Twice Baked Potatoes aren't all that tough really. If you can bake a potato and make mashers, then you can do this. The recipe below is pretty rough. I never really measure much when I make my mashed potatoes, so I'm simply listing what I normally throw in.



Twice Baked Potatoes

STEP 1: Bake potatoes
Scrub potatoes. Rub vegetable oil on them and sprinkle with salt. Place directly on the rack in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 1 hour.

STEP 2: Split and cool potatoes
Cut each potato in half, lengthwise and allow to cool for 30 minutes or until cool enough to handle. (If you have asbestos fingers like my grandmother did, then perhaps you don't need to wait the whole 30 minutes.)

STEP 3: Scoop potatoes
Using a regular spoon, carve out the insides of the potatoes, leaving only a little bit and the skin. Put the innards into a large bowl or the bowl of your standing mixer. (That's how I make my mashers.)

STEP 4: Make mashed potatoes!
I simply put the potatoes in my stand mixer, then run the paddle mixer on it for a bit to start breaking them down. Then I add garlic salt, pepper, sour cream, butter, and milk. (Butter first so it melts in the hot potatoes.) I like to add chives too if I have them. Run the mixer until mashers are the desired smoothness.

STEP 5: Fill and coat
Spoon the mashers back into the potatoes, allowing for a generous, rounded mound at the top. (Invariably, there will be more mashed potatoes than will fit, so don't be stingy.) Smooth the tops with a spoon, then roll the exposed mashed potatoes in Italian bread crumbs. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. (You could mix some cheese into the mashers if you wanted.)

STEP 6: Bake!
Place on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

-------------

Yeah, it takes awhile. You practically have to start them after you get out of bed so you can eat them for dinner, but they are SO worth it.

Cheesy Garlic Bread

I have to admit that the frozen garlic bread you can get at the store is absolutely mouth-watering. But as with most things, sometimes it's tastier (and cheaper) to make your own. Good garlic bread doesn't take a whole lot really. I bet you have what you need right this very second.



Cheesy Garlic Bread

Sliced bread or rolls (club rolls shown)
Butter or margarine
Shredded mozzerella or another good, melty cheese
Garlic salt

Split rolls in half lengthwise if necessary. (You can even use sliced sandwich bread if that's all you've got, but I would suggest using the toaster oven to avoid any nasty bread burns.) Spread one side with butter, then shake on some garlic salt.

SIDE TIP: Make your own garlic salt by combining a 2-to-3 ratio of table salt and garlic powder.

Place bread on a baking sheet and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of your bread. You're going for a nice brown on the cheese.

This side dish goes great with any Italian meals, especially tomato-based ones that require the sopping of plates with bread.

Coming up next is a recipe that would be perfect for Cheesy Garlic Bread: Chicken Cattiatore

Quick Tortilla Soup

I love recipes that can be made from food in the pantry, and this is based on one of those. My brother has a recipe for Tortilla Soup that's made entirely from canned items, but this one has a few fresh ingredients added.

Quick Tortilla Soup

Diced veggies (Onions, Celery, Bell Peppers)
Green Chilies to taste (canned are fine)
1 can corn n' peppers
1 can diced tomatoes (with green chilies)
1 can black beans
+ any additional veggies you like for tortilla soup (e.g. zucchini, yellow squash, more corn, etc.)
1 box chicken or beef broth
diced steak or chicken (cooked)
water
Garlic Salt & Garlic Pepper (regular S&P will do fine too)
Cumin
Shredded cheese
Tortilla chips

Sauté diced fresh veggies in the bottom of a large pot or dutch oven. Once softened, add canned veggies (including any liquid), broth, and meat. Add enough water to come up 1-2 inches above the ingredients. Add salt, pepper, and cumin to taste. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Serve hot with crumbled tortilla chips or strips (see previous post) and cheese. We like to put the tortilla chips with some cheese on the bottom, spoon soup over the mound, then top with more chips and cheese.

NOTE: The type of cheese is up to you. Any cheeses with gooey potential will be fabulous--cheddar, Monterrey Jack, "Mexican" blends, even mozzarella.

The Plymouth Fury II

This is a knock-off from a little delicatessen called Firebrand in eastern Colorado. They call it the Plymouth Fury because it has turkey and cranberry sauce in it. (You know, Thanksgiving, pilgrims, Plymouth Rock, etc.) My Junior year of college, I probably ate one of these at least twice a week. Their soup at the Firebrand is to DIE for.

I've knocked-off the Plymouth Fury many times over the years in various incarnations. This is the latest one and the first I have documented.

The Plymouth Fury II

Bread (original uses sourdough)
Sliced deli turkey
Cream Cheese
Cranberry sauce (whole or jellied)
Lettuce (original uses alfalfa sprouts)

Spread your bread or roll or bagel with a generous offering of cream cheese. Both sides please. Arrange the turkey, then top with cranberry sauce and lettuce. (I have to say that the alfalfa sprouts are quite tasty. But I don't usually buy that sort of thing.)

The Fooblog is back! (with Hot Dogs)

I have been doing Project 365 which is a challenge to take one picture a day for one year, and I've been chronicling my efforts on my Project 365 blog. I've noticed that I take a hefty number of images that feature food in some way or another.



So since I've got my camera out already, I'm going to go ahead and bring this blog back after it's lain dormant for nearly four years. After all, I love cooking (and eating), so I might as well share that with the world. Again.

One of my passions is experimenting with food. I'm not a picky eater, and ever since I had the peanut butter and mayo sandwich my friend Ed recommended, I rarely knock a strange concoction until I've tried it. I would ask you to do the same with some of the strange things I might post. ;o)

That said, I do believe I'll start us off with something truly interesting. Follows is a step-by-step recipe for a grilled cheese that just about any kid is going to love. My daughter is one of the pickiest eaters I know, and she ate the entire sandwich with zero reminders to focus on her plate.
----------------------------------------------------------

Dogged Grilled Cheese

Split one hot dog per sandwich into thirds vertically. Grill the slices on both sides.



Butter one side of each slice of bread, two per sandwich of course.



Add some slices of cheese to the unbuttered side of half the bread slices. Velveeta works excellently.




Place the grilled hot dog slices on the cheese.



Top the sandwiches with their other halves and grill as you normally would for grilled cheese. Careful when you flip!



Serve just slightly cooled down because that cheese can get hot and cooling helps the goo congeal. Doesn't it sound delicious already? Congealed goo...mmm...



We served ours with vegetable alphabet soup, and both my kids ate every last bit. I was truly amazed.

Chicken, Black Bean & Tortilla Casserole

Nobody really likes the word "casserole", do they? But they're easy... and often tasty too! So here's a recipe Heath got from work one day that we tried out:

2 chicken breasts (diced)
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. cumin
1 chopped onion
chopped green bell peppers
14.5 oz. can diced Mexican-style tomatoes
3/4 c. salsa
2 15 oz. cans black beans (drained and rinsed)
6 7-inch tortillas
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (mozzarella might be good too)

In a large skillet, brown the chicken with a little garlic salt and pepper, the cumin, and the minced garlic. Add the onions and bell peppers and cook a bit longer.

Add undrained tomatoes and salsa. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in the beans.

Spray a 2-quart baking dish with non-stick spray. Add 1/3 of the chicken-bean mixture to the pan. Sprinkle with a little cheese. Layer three tortillas on top. (I found that if you do a whole one first, then cut the next into fourths and put those with the corners in the corners of the pan, followed by another whole one atop that, then you get complete coverage. Clear as mud? Maybe I'll post an illustration if we get complaints. ;o)

Repeat the process: chicken-bean mixture, cheese, tortillas, then chicken-bean mixture. (Now stop because you've run out of tortillas!)

Top with the rest of your cheese (and a little more if you're feeling sassy). Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. (Needs to have that congeal-factor, like homemade pizza.)

This is a staple meal at our house. Dee-lish!

Ham, Egg & Cheese Sandwich

For breakfast on Sunday, when Mike and Kate were here, I prepared these sandwiches that I've been making for myself for month. They're fast, easy and filling. What more could you want in a breakfast? Almost all the ingredients are in the title!

1 split bagel or English muffin
1 egg
4 thin slices ham (I used pre-packaged sliced ham)
1 slice of cheese (Velveeta works great)
Catalina dressing*

Heat medium skillet (or larger if you're cooking for more than one) to medium-high heat. Drop the egg in and sprinkle with pepper (and salt if you like). Break the yolk with your spatula. Cook the ham slices (stacked on top of one another) next to the egg. Cook for a few minutes and flip. Cook to desired doneness.

Toast the bagel or English muffin. While it's toasting, place the cheese on top of the egg in the pan and put the ham on top of that. This will get your cheese melting.

Drizzle a little Catalina dressing on each half of the bagel. *Now, Catalina is one of the newest staples in our house. But I'd imagine that you can use whatever kind of dressing you like - I bet Ranch would be good; I have also tried Creamy French.

Assemble your sandwich and viola! Breakfast in a hurry!

Angel Hair Pasta ala Weight Family

Here's one I just received from Tricia, one of our Fooblog fans... Sounds fabulous! :o)

---

TRICIA SAID: Try it-you might like it! Made it off the cuff (and the FAMILY went wild), so you'll have to figure out how much this-and-that to use!

1 Package Angel Hair Pasta
2 Med. Zucchini
2 Med. Tomatoes
Sandwich Ham cut into strips (use as much as YOU like)
1 Container Ricotta Cheese
1 Container Parmesan Cheese

Cook Angel Hair Pasta according to package.
Grate zucchini with the fat holes of a vegetable grater.
Add zucchini to Spaghetti for the last three minutes of boiling.

Before you empty pasta/zucchini into strainer, scoop out 1/2 cup of the spaghetti water. (You need this to thicken the cheese).

Put Ricotta and Parmesan in pan, add just enough left over spaghetti water to make a creamy sauce. (You should not need to use the entire 1/2 cup).

Add Pasta and zucchini. Stir. Salt and pepper to taste.

Dice tomatoes. Add tomatoes and Ham to mixtures and heat through. Top with Parmesan and Serve.

Hope you like it! Tricia PS. Love the FOO-Keep it up!

Gale's Lasagna Filling

Tonight I'm making a dish of lasagna. It's always a great way to get rid of your leftover cottage cheese, isn't it? Who cares if it's a week expired - it's getting cooked, right? ;o)

I'm using a modified version of a recipe that Gale, my friend from the office, used for a Ladies Luncheon a couple years ago. The recipe is basically the same as every other lasagna recipe, but for hers, the white filling at the top goes like this:

6 oz. cream cheese
1 c. sour cream
4 diced scallions

This is how I modified it:
8 oz. cream cheese (when it comes to cream cheese - the more the merrier, I say!)
1 c. cottage cheese (ran out of sour cream)
1 beaten egg (just cause that's how I always do it)
drained and squeezed chopped spinach (for added nutrition and to make it look "gourmet")

I used some leftover spaghetti sauce from last night. I made this wild recipe that calls for cinnamon and cocoa powder! There was only about a cup left though, so I added a 14.5 oz. can of Italian-style diced tomatoes and a small can of tomato sauce. It made the perfect amount. Now the lasagna is congealing on the stove until we're all ready to eat.