Corn Bread

I was doing a theme of hot dogs for my daughters 2nd birthday party which led me to try homemade corn dogs. The corn dogs were fantastic but the recipe called for self rising corn meal and not much of it.  While I was reading the package I found this recipe tried it and it is a great quick and tasty corn bread to finish off a weeknight dinner. This recipe is right off the #auntJemima self rising corn meal mix pkg.

3 Tblspns vegetable shortening (why not try bacon grease)
2 cups aunt Jemima self rising white corn meal mix
1-2 tblspns sugar  (i go with 2)
1 egg beaten (i have forgotten egg in past still good)

i add
2 tblspns butter melted to paint top of corn bread when out of the oven

preheat oven to 425
use 10 inch oven proof skillet (cast iron)
put shortening in pan/skillet
mix dry ingredients
mix wet ingredients
combine ingredients
melt shortening in pan tilt to coat and pour extra into rest of ingredients
whisk ingredients together for 1 minute
pour into hot pan and place pan into oven
bake 20 - 25 minutes till touthpick inserted comes out clean
i paint 2 tblspns melted butter on top once out of oven

Garden fresh pasta Recipe

I always buy whole cut up chickens which inevitably leads to leftover pieces that serve no other purpose than to make a stock or flavor a sauce.  Leftover chicken pieces was the inspiration for this great #gardenfresh pasta recipe.

In addition to making sauces on the stove top, when time is difficult, I like to make a sauce by roasting in the oven.  My 5qt "Le Crueset" pot works perfect either way!

Ingredients:
leftover chicken and or meat bones etc!
2 carrots diced
1 small zucchini diced
3 cups Roma tomatoes halved
1 medium yellow onions diced
2 cloves garlic
1tspn salt
1/4 cup flour

3 cups water
1 tspn chicken bouillon
Parmesan cheese
fresh black pepper

Roast Chicken or meat pieces for 30 minutes @ 350
add tomatoes, carrots, onions, zucchini, & salt  *(probably garlic too, once I am sure it wont burn)
roast an additional 30 minutes
remove pot from oven place on stove over medium heat add garlic
when garlic is fragrant add flour mix in continuing to cook for one minute
add water and bouillon and bring to a boil scraping the bottom to get off juicy bits
turn heat to low & simmer for 1 hour, remove bones, serve over your favorite pasta w/fresh black pepper & Parmesan cheese

*My garden produced very small ripe Roma's, therefore i did not want to skin and de-seed all of those little tomatoes to keep the sauce sweet.  So, I added extra carrots to increase sweetness, and did not add peppers or roast garlic in oven because they could add bitterness.













Mushroom, onion, & swiss Steak Fajitas

Walking through @Sam'sclub trying to come up with dinner ideas can be dangerous.  This past Sunday the wife, kids & I visited @ToysRUS & @Samsclub with near perfect behavior in two stores i wasn't going to risk the third, a grocery store.  The multiple options and pkg size can make one meal shopping intimidating but I like to buy items that I can use for multiple meals.  I bought: 4lbs Skirt steak, 1 pkg of 4 portabella mushrooms &, 2lbs @JarlsbergUSA cheese I used half of the ingredients for the fajitas. 

1 pkg medium burrito shells
2lbs skirt steak
2 garlic bulbs
1 large yellow onion sliced 1/4" keeping ring chunks in tact 
2 portabella mushrooms
olive oil
Lawry's Season salt
fresh ground pepper
1lb shredded jarlsberg cheese (next time 2/3rd jarl chz & 1/3 Gorgonzola=creamy w/a bite)

season steak w/season salt & pepper refrigerate until 30 minutes before placing on grill
pre heat @webergrills kettle grill for 30 minutes
remove tops of garlic bulbs  paint w/olive oil roast on indirect heat for 1 hour rotating @ 30 minutes
remove garlic from grill make sure cloves push right out and are smearable set aside
paint portabella mushrooms w/olive oil brown both sides & roast for 10 minutes until soft
while roasting portabella on indirect heat add steak and onions to grill with steak going to hot spot
searing both on each side for 5 minutes. Oops, dont forget to paint olive oil on onions!
remove all from grill slice steak and mushrooms, break rings of onion lose
(skirt steak more tender if sliced against grain)

with warmed shells smeared w/ a garlic clove or two create your fajita
eat and enjoy