My Favorite Lunch

We had leftovers (ham, pasta, meatballs) tonight...busy day of basketball games and a back to college trip. I think I'm busier now than when they were babies!
But I thought I'd share my favorite lunch...I seriously can eat the whole thing, but limit myself to one bowl with a few sneaky bites if there's anything leftover.
My favorite lunch is the simplest thing ever...tuna, shells, & peas...only I used elbows today.




1/2 pound box macaroni, cooked al dente, rinsed with cold water.






drain and flake 1 can tuna, mix with 1/4 or less chopped onion and 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed.






add cooked macaroni and 1 cup mayo, salt and pepper, and mix.





dreamy.

Meatballs & Marinara 101 cause I've got a date

Tonight I have to scoot to Springsteen country to pick up my son from a ski trip. Maybe I'll see Bruce's bad assed, tanned self somewhere along Route 9. Hey, it's happened before...


To feed the masses before I go...

A quick marinara sauce:
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 6 oz. cans tomato paste
1 small onion, chopped (not pictured)
4 cloves, garlic, minced
1 TBSP sugar
2 tsp. salt
pepper
1 tsp. basil leaves
olive oil
Heat 2 TBSP olive oil in a large saucepot, add onion and garlic, heat on medium-low just till softened, about 5 minutes (be careful not to burn the garlic).
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, basil, salt & pepper. Rinse the cans out with water and add to the sauce. Simmer, covered, on med-low for 30 minutes. That's it, good by itself for just a quick sauce over pasta, or you can use it for pizza or other recipes.


For quick meatballs:
1 lb. ground beef
2 eggs
a palmful of Parmesan cheese
a palmful of breadcrumbs
splash of milk
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 tsp. salt
dash of parsley
Mix well and form into balls with wet hands(I keep the faucet running low,wet my hands after every 3 balls). I made 8 extra large balls today, because I'm rushing, and I wanted to change things up a bit.




Next, brown the balls in a non-stick skillet with a good amount of olive oil on med-low heat, turning frequently to keep their round shape...don't walk away expecting to turn them only once, or you will have meatsquares.



Next, I baked off 2 Italian sausages, 1 mild and 1 hot, in a 375 degree oven. Actually you can do this while you are frying the meatballs, but I wasn't that organized.


Add the meatballs and the sausage to the sauce, and cook on low for at least 30 minutes, if you're in a hurry. Mine's been cooking an hour and a half because I'm on here...the longer the better, but it's not necessary, I'm just a freak when it comes to raw meat, especially the ground kind.


Now you can handle the rest, cause I've got a date with the man below...
Before you get your panties all in a bunch, the hubby is coming with me, but, I might add, he likes him just as much as I do. I am proud to be a Jersey Girl!

Bruce Springsteen looks better in a bathing suit than I thought

Easy Saturday

A busy Saturday with a few more people in the house. I wanted something quick and easy, because we were gone most of the day at basketball games. My plan was ham cooked in the slow-cooker, and sandwiches on these potato rolls. I covered the ham with a mixture of brown sugar and mustard, and cooked it all day on low in the slow cooker. My mouth has been watering for these potato rolls, they're really popular in this area.



Later in the day, I noticed I had a jar of Crosse & Blackwell ham glaze leftover from Christmas. After I had added it to the slow-cooker during the last half hour, I decided the ham looked too pretty for just sandwiches, so I made some sides for a more formal dinner. Back to the pantry for some canned sweet potatoes, candied and marshmallowed, and a few roasted red potatoes in olive oil, along with some veggies. We can have the sandwiches tomorrow.

Recession Special

The best deal in town...2 large pizzas, 24 wings, 2! 2liters of Pepsi...$25 with tax...
Mom is a tired ass crab today...musta been the 3:30 am phone call...never mind.


Thank you Erma Deli...now could you stay open past 9pm? You'd get a lot of business, really, from the sports crowd coming back into town from the away games. We really do live in Hooterville.

"Moonstruck" Steak, M&M Brownies,Mac & Cheese, Revisited

None of us are feeling up to par, everyone has varying stages of sniffles, stuffy noses, and coughs. It's no wonder, with all of the running around and late nights we've been having. Comfort food to the rescue! Today I made pan fried steak, "Moonstruck style". "You'll eat it bloody to feed your blood," Loretta retorted to Ronny when he said he liked his steak well done. You can use any cut of steak (I used a T-Bone and a few tenderloins) seasoned, pan fried in a skillet, with butter and olive oil, as rare as you can stand it. For the last twenty-something years, every time I pan-fry a steak I think of "Moonstruck", one of my favorite movies of all time. I can watch it over and over, devouring every scene. On my last visit to my son in Brooklyn, he just happened to show me the "Moonstruck mansion" as we drove through the neighborhood. I had no idea he lived so close, only a few blocks! The house sits at 19 Cranberry Street, Brooklyn Heights, to be exact. If you're ever in New York, head on over to Brooklyn, it is quite charming. Take a walk down any of the "fruit streets", Cranberry, Pineapple, and Orange, then down Montague, and onto the Brooklyn Promenade, it's also where they film the opening credits for "Law & Order" with great views of the Manhattan skyline.
the house a few blocks away...
The New York home made famous by CHER Pic 5176487 - * CHER & CAGE'S...


A side of red sauce pasta would be nice, but that will have to be the next time.
I'm going way off my healthy diet today and breaking out the FryDaddyBaby for:
Sweet potato fries
Regular french fries (for the traditionalist)
Fried mac & cheese...yes, you heard me. I saw it on the menu at the Cheesecake Factory. So easy and an "unbelievable" thumbs up taste test!(leftover mac & cheese, cut in squares, then dipped in flour, egg wash, and bread crumbs, and then fried, deep fried!!! So good!!!
The Prep:

The Final Product:

The one at 2 o'clock looks a little pale in comparison to the dark brown flavorful crust of the others with the gooey cheese filling...truly sinful, but oh so comforting.


M&M Brownies
my version of the Hershey's Best Brownies---I couldn't find a link, so I took a pic of the recipe.

I use 1 cup cocoa, and double the baking powder.


I also add M&M's after I pour the batter in the pan, that way they don't sink to the bottom, and I like my M&M's on top. Yes these are leftover Halloween M&M's, but I'm calling them Mardi Gras M&M's...frugality reinvented. To top them off, I make a small batch of frosting for the top.

again I need a link.
I've spent many years perfecting these...thinking of selling them in convenience stores.

More Basketball, Male Bonding, and Mac & Cheese

Another whirlwind day during the height of high school basketball season. I had a 2 hour dentist appointment this morning, then visited with my mom, and arrived back home at a very late 2:05pm. I prepared this homemade mac & cheese in 25 minutes, along with plugging in my Chi iron, tending the fire, letting the dog out, only to be out the door again at exactly 2:30pm to pick up the player after school. The away game bus was to leave at 3:30, so time was of the essence to have a nutritious snack before he left again for the game. When I arrived at the school, he brought along the other 4 sophomores on the team. I didn't know if anyone wanted my mac & cheese, so I gave them an option-mac &cheese or a snack at WaWa. (a 7-11 type store, only better). They chose my mac & cheese! Back at home, the mac & cheese was done at 2:55, and I had also sauteed up some Little Smokies. Perfect timing, and things were going smoothly when I left the room to iron my hair. I heard the sounds of laughter, joking, and putting each other down, and I felt all warm and tingly with the male bonding going on at the table. Next thing I heard was a whack and a thud, followed by a small tinkle of broken glass. "Emily B. would want you to clean that up," I heard my son say. "Remain calm," I told myself, but I knew they were using paper plates, so I was confused at what the tinkling sound could have been. Down went my Chi iron, and off I went into the dining room.
the culprit...


then the damage...

a broken candle bulb

the little tinkle of broken glass...
No harm, no foul, and it was well worth the hassle of cleaning up. These boys have been friends and teammates since grade school...good stuff, the memories they are making.

Back to the Mac



Standard recipe off the back of the box, with a few jazzes
1 pound elbow macaroni, boiled for 4 minutes
White sauce made with 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) melted in large skillet.
Add 1/2 cup flour, stir and cook till smooth.
Add 5 cups milk, cook and stir till thick & bubbly.
Add 1 tsp seasoned salt (Lawrys), 1/2 tsp regular salt, and pepper.
Add 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, and 1 cup Locatelli Romano cheese (or Parmesan)
Stir till cheeses are melted.
Pour over cooked macaroni in a large bowl and mix well.
Pour into a greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
Top with 1 cup additional shredded cheddar, and 1/4 cup Locatelli(or parmesan)
Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, till bubbly.

What was left after they housed it.

Home Sweet Home & Skillet Chicken Fajitas

Mom, What are We Having? wasn't home at all yesterday. I'm beginning to think I should change my name to Fliesbytheseatofherpants. I was planning on a chicken stir-fry meal, but had to drive Andy to Marlboro (2 hours each way) to the home of his college girlfriend for a ski trip. As I was racing to get back here for a 4:30pm tip-off to a double-header basketball(JV and varsity)game against the #6 ranked team in South Jersey, I knew my stir-fry plan was about to fly out the window. A victory warranted a celebration of fast food at 8pm. I also couldn't argue with a teen who played well and scored 19 points in the JV game. I almost pulled a fast one, and made the stir-fry for the sake of a post, but in keeping it real...this isn't really a cooking blog, it's an honest look of what we eat for dinner everyday. Plus I can't tell a lie...it's almost President's Day!

It's good to be home today to regroup before a road trip again tomorrow. The wood stove has had a roaring fire going all day, and all I want to do is sit in front of it and keep my feet warm. That thing is as old as this house (1974). We almost replaced it with a gas fireplace a few years ago, but I am glad we didn't. It's a lot of work to keep it going, and sometimes I curse at it, but I love the snowy log cabin scene on the front doors!



The house is at a population of only 3 until the weekend. The rest of the fam will be sorry they missed the Chicken Fajitas I am making tonight. I've been making these the same way since the 80's, when the Mexican mother of my next door neighbor in Virginia told me to add a few potatoes in along with the meat. I don't use potatoes in the summer when I make fajitas on the grill, but again, everyone has their own version. This has always been a family favorite, I even taught my mother and sister to make this, which is a stretch,(they rarely venture out of their standard menus). Here we go.



1 chicken breast (boneless skinless) per person
1 potato per person (this is a very large potato)
1 onion, sliced thin (you can use more)
1 green pepper, sliced thin (you can use more, also red & yellow peppers too)
vegetable oil
Mrs. Dash (any kind)
salt & pepper
flour tortillas
shredded cheese
salsa
any other fixings you like

I like to use an electric skillet, but any large skillet is fine.
Slice chicken across in 1/2 inch slices.
Peel and cube potatoes.
Heat 2 TBSP oil in skillet. Add chicken and potatoes, and season the heck out of them with Mrs. Dash, then salt & pepper.
Cook covered on medium heat, stirring a few times, till chicken is almost done and potatoes are getting soft.
Add onion and green pepper. Cook uncovered till onions and peppers are soft, chicken and potatoes are golden.
Heat tortillas in a small skillet, one at a time, and keep warm.
Serve with cheese and salsa, and your favorite taco condiments.
That's it!
I realized in the pic, the potato chicken concoction doesn't look like what you're used to. But I promise the addition of the potato brings a depth of flavor to the filling, as opposed to just stretching out the meat.



I also made a simple mexican rice, and a can of refried beans.

For the rice, again heat a large skillet, and add 1 TBSP oil. Add 1 cup brown rice(white if you like), and saute a few minutes on medium heat till fragrant. Add 2 1/2 cups water, 1 (8oz.) can tomato sauce, salt & pepper. Bring to a low boil, then turn the heat to low, cover and simmer at least 30 minutes or so till rice is done, and liquid is absorbed. (white rice takes only 20 minutes)