Healthy Eating in a Pot

There is nothing nicer than cooking everything in one pot and then letting it simmer for dinner.

My hubby’s favorite way to eat eggplant is to dip it in egg, then in Italian breadcrumbs and deep fry it in my wok in Olive Oil.

 

I love the draining rack on the side which also keeps the eggplant warm till he sneaks in and eats them lol.

The recipe for the pot of yummy is as follows:

1 medium onion diced

3 tbsp minced garlic

1 chopped eggplant

1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1 pound ground beef or turkey

Olive Oil for bottom of pot.

I add the olive oil, onion and the hamburger to brown the hamburger then drain off the excess fat.  I add the remaining ingredients and allow to simmer till everything is cooked thoroughly.  (Takes about 30 minutes)

Today I had a little leftover spaghetti sauce and a few bowtie macaroni’s so I added them to the mixture and stirred well.

Adding a small tossed salad and the meal is complete.  Good for you low cost and yummy.

Happy Eating.

Tammye Honey

 

Oven BBQ Short Ribs

My version at $ 2.39 per pound keeps us on our budget

I can always tell what dishes I have made that my hubby has really enjoyed, as he shows up with the ingredients to those dishes above and beyond the grocery list that I have sent with him on days that I can’t go on the Military Base at Ft. Campbell, KY.

Since I had to stay and meet with prospective vendors for an upcoming fundraiser in our area he went shopping with my list.

This huge rack of beef short ribs is what the extra item was today.  Last time that I made them, he insisted that he was going to hate them because that is a grilling food.

** To explain, my hubby is not one of those “Grilling hubby’s” that you see on television.  If I can’t be out there to guard the food it resembles charcoal when he brings it back into the house.  **

Now if our food looked like these pictures it would be wonderful, However…

See the smoke in this picture… well I can still see the food so this is minor compared to our grill…thank goodness he does turn it down on low but the smoke is still thick…

To make a long blog short I simply cut the ribs and place them in my roaster pan and cover them with a mixture of Slow Simmering Barbecue sauce (Brand I used today was Kraft) and mix it with fresh honey.  I turn the ribs every 15 minutes and bake them on 325 F oven for about 2 hours.  The ribs are well coated in the mixture so they will not be the least bit dry.

He is drooling just anticipating these ribs today out of the oven …

Happy Cooking…

Tammye Honey

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Dessert Time: French Toast Casserole

I realize that I have posted once today for a recipe, however necessity called as hubby ate an entire bag of kit kats last night for snack…he needed something for tonight.  Thought this might be more nutritious than that…

French Toast Casserole

I realize that I have posted once today for a recipe, however necessity called as hubby ate an entire bag of kit kats last night for snack…he needed something for tonight.  Thought this might be more nutritious than that…

I have read in so many cooking sites the past few weeks that this is awesome so I have been watching hubby’s bread supply and just waiting to either bake homemade bread or take his overflow and do something to solve his night time sweet tooth.

This recipe was easier than I thought possible.

1/2 cup melted butter in a bowl

1 cup of brown sugar (I used sugar free pancake syrup instead)

1 tbsp vanilla

6 eggs slightly beaten

1 tsp cinnamon

mix together and add to a bowl of cubed bread (I used about 12 slices)

mix and add to a sprayed casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes, check and if not quite done…sprinkle sugar on top to cause granulation on the top.  Not only does the house smell great, hubby already knows he has a snack for tonight with a big glass of milk.

That was it…  I did have a little Vanilla Sauce left over from the apple pie that I made the other night so I sprinkled that over top.

Simple, easy and tasty.

Happy Eating,

Tammye Honey

Pepperoni Pizza Dip Recipe

Today I was trying to get through my emails and stumbled across this gem of a find and just had to share it… It is exactly all the ingredients that my hubby loves and he can dip it while watching the Super Bowl.  They have an entire list of ideas for the Superbowl so don’t just stop here go check them out… http://www.chow.com/recipes/30624-pepperoni-pizza-dip

Then you can come back and check out this recipe…

 

Pepperoni Pizza Dip Recipe

Difficulty: Easy | Total Time: 30 mins | Makes: 6 to 8 servings

The flavors of pepperoni pizza have found their way into plenty of snack recipes onCHOW, including quick bread and jalapeño poppers. Here, it transforms into a quick dip in the food processor, with pepperoni slices, mozzarella, ricotta, cream cheese, red pepper flakes, and dried oregano. Pile the mixture into a pie plate, top it with more mozzarella and pepperoni, and bake until bubbly and melty. Serve it with toasted breadsticks or garlic bread for dipping and your guests will be shocked by its uncanny pizza flavor!

Special equipment: You’ll need a 9-inch pie plate for this recipe.

See more classic bar snacks turned into Super Bowl dips.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella (about 8 ounces)
• 2 ounces pepperoni slices (about 26 thin slices), quartered
• 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into large pieces
• 7 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese (about 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 ounce)
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 pounds toasted ciabatta, soft breadsticks, or garlic bread, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 375°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Place half of the mozzarella, half of the pepperoni, the cream cheese, ricotta, Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, oregano, and red pepper flakes in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Process until smooth, about 45 seconds (there may still be a few small bits of pepperoni).
3. Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch pie plate and smooth the top. Evenly sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and pepperoni.
4. Bake until the dip is heated through and bubbling around the edges and the cheese on top is melted, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately with the ciabatta bread, breadsticks, or garlic bread for dipping.

Simple and easy to do… That is what I like about it and ready for the crowd in 15 minutes…Awesome.

Happy Eating,

Tammye Honey

Homemade Shrimp Bisque

After reading a fellow blogger’s post this morning, I was suddenly starving and drooling for a homemade soup since it is so cold outside.

Did you say hush… oh you sound just like my hubby…guess you are right…it could be worse, I could be braving the New York State Winter like I used to as I am letting the dogs out in my slippers and sweat shirt lol….

http://rantingchef.com/2013/01/22/soup-roulette/

In case you are wondering what inspired me this morning…. Hey where are you going?

Okay , he is great and has some really great recipes and some great guest bloggers on his site too.  I have even guest blogged there before.  Hurry back as I am about to give you the lowdown on my recipe.

Thanks for coming back, phew…was worried there for a second.

 

Since my allergies are so bad to corn, I use all natural ingredients and fresh ingredients as much as possible in our foods so that I am not running for my allergy medication or even worse, my epi pen.

 

I started my soup with a few simple ingredients that I just happen to have in stock.

 

A medium onion

Some potatoes either red or yellow

Shrimp (Take the tails off)

Daisy Brand Sour Cream

Fresh Baby Carrots

Fresh Celery

Fresh Sliced Mushrooms

Old Bay Seasoning

Paprika (I happen to use the tube however this is fine)

You can’t beat fresh baby spinach

(Had already thrown bag out when I realized I had not taken a picture sorry)

Swanson does make it better for certain with their chicken broth

My Vidalia Chopper is priceless in my kitchen for chopping my vegetables to a perfect size for all of my creations.  It is a must have for every kitchen.  It is quick and easy and super fast cleanup too.

I throw all my ingredients in the pot suited to how much of each item that we prefer as my hubby likes a lot more potato and more shrimp than the average person.  A full bag of spinach and easy on the mushroom, carrots and celery yet enough for flavor.  One to two containers of the sour cream depending on your taste and since my hubby does not like a thick soup I do not add a thickener and do add milk here…by now I am sure you know what milk looks like.  So I did not take a picture of our milk container.  Here would be a great spot to explain the thicker that I do use…I either normally use rice starch or potato starch and just a few teaspoons will do you.

Simmer slowly and enjoy the aroma till the veggies are soft.

Voila… serve in a bowl or to be creative in a bowl of carved bread.

Eat Healthy and enjoy,

Tammye Honey

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Split Pea Soup with Ham Hocks

So yesterday while on the telephone with a friend we were discussing how tight the grocery budgets are that we both have.

http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;

While shopping with hubby, I had noticed how reasonable that fresh from scratch beans are priced.  So I picked up several varieties since at our age of slightly over 21 we require a little fiber in our lives now.

I had picked up a bag of Split Peas and had sent hubby on a quest to get some ham or a pork family relative to put with it… Meeting him there we carried on a discussion of the various varieties of choices and landed with ham hocks.  (if you are a Vegan leave them out and if you do not eat pork then add chicken or turkey)  This is a simple swap out.

They were a very inexpensive choice which were left with a lot of meat in a vacuum sealed bag for less than $5.00 for 4 very large bones.

Before you start saying yuck, how disgusting…think about it…there is lots of meat that you are going to boil off in vegetable broth with a lot of vegetables then throw away the skin and the fat….they are just cooking for the flavor….

Another alternative is to get a pre-trimmed  piece such as this one

These really are closer to pork chops…

If you are Vegan then just place in the vegetable broth, onion, carrots and celery with your split peas and you are totally good to go…

Allow to boil and then let it simmer for a while.

Stir it often.  I leave my lid slightly ajar so that some of the steam is allowed to escape.  The split peas will cook down and the broth will become thick.

Now some people add brown rice, some add potatoes I just add crackers and eat…

For all of you who are Vegan’s the non meat version is great for you

I have a friend (who was on the phone with me while I was making this) who was from England and she said that she was making this but not as a soup…and serving with vinegar and fish and chips.  Just the split peas.

So there you go a few ideas for food on a budget.

While I was blogging I was lucky enough to find these great blogs about the same idea also so thought I would pass them along to you also….

Happy Cooking and don’t forget that if you really use your noodle you can cook on a budget  and eat healthy… our meal came to less than $ 10.00 and I will freeze half of it… we could not eat anywhere for $ 5.00 for two people and guess what?  Even with freezing half we will each have a bowl today also…guess that makes it $ 2.50 for two people… Think we just beat McDonald’s and Wendy’s Dollar Menu since our meal is more nutritious and filling.

Sorry Ronald and Wendy.

Love and Hugs to all and Healthy Eating

Tammye

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Guest Blogger on The Ranting Chef

So happy to be a guest blogger here today…check out this great Chef daily for some really great recipes… The Ranting Chef…Thank You for this opportunity to be a Guest Blogger on Your Site…

The Ranting Chef

Vagabond Chicken

5 Chicken Thighs

2 Red Delicious Apples (Cored, Peeled and Chopped)

1/4 cup of Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese (Kraft Foods)

1/4 cup of Feta Cheese (Athenos)

1/4 Cup of Mediterranean Herb Cheese (Cracker Barrel)

4 cups of homemade bread cubes

2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup of dry white wine (Beechaven is a local winery)

1/2 cup vegetable (or Chicken) Stock

1 tbsp water

1 1/2 tsp potato starch (or rice starch)

My sauce:  1/2 cup dry white wine, 1/2 cup vegetable broth, 1 cup apple sauce (unsweetened) with a generous addition of cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, white pepper, vanilla and honey to taste.  I added the Potato Starch to thicken.

1. Combine apple, cheese, and bread crumbs. Set aside.

2. Flatten chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper to 1/4 inch thickness. Divide apple mixture between chicken breasts, and roll up each breast. Secure with toothpicks.

3. Melt butter or margarine in a 7 inch skillet over medium heat. Brown stuffed chicken breasts. Add wine and 1/4 cup water. Cover. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink.

4. Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Combine 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch; stir into juices in pan. Cook and stir until thickened. Pour gravy over chicken, and garnish with parsley. Serve.

Hope you do not mind the modifications, the taste was great and even hubby liked it all…

Hope you enjoy both his blog site and my recipe….See his original version of this recipe also as mine has been modified due to corn allergies.

Have a delicious day….

Tammye Honey

Rantings of an Amateur Chef

Very few recipes are meant to be static. They are best as they evolve and every different chefs put their own special take on them. I am really happy that today’s guest blogger, Tammye from tammyehoney, has taken a recent recipe that I posted and made it her own. Check out Tammye’s version and check out her site tammyehoney…

My husband is a retired Warrant Officer from the Army.  We were married on 9/9/2009 without realizing the date… We live in a small rural community called Woodlawn, TN which is just outside of Clarksville, TN and Ft. Campbell, KY.  We have a quaint ranch home with a few acres of land that is just enough to keep our two dogs and two cats happy.  (Also our lawn care people who are locals).  We have a fixed income since he has the pension and I am disabled.  Cooking is something…

View original post 504 more words

Daily Prompt: 32 Flavors

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/01/10/daily-prompt-ice-cream/

»

by michelle w. on January 10, 2013

Vanilla, chocolate, or something else entirely?

When I first saw this post it seemed like such a challenge as due to my corn allergy, ice cream is not on my list of foods that I can eat.  Then the wheels began to turn and it seemed like a good challenge to be able to name 32 flavors….

1. Vanilla is wonderful and goes with any dessert.Since it can be in the soft serve or the traditional hard serve this is a must to all menu choices.
2. Chocolate…another all time favorite.Another favorite that is made in soft or the traditional hard serve.
3. Strawberry…Wow I just built a Neapolitan ice cream would that be fair to call that #4 lol.

You rarely see this one in soft serve, perhaps the real strawberries clog up the machine.

4.  Raspberry this is a great flavor as it comes in both sherbert and in regular ice cream.

Then there are all the variations of the raspberry such as black raspberry and raspberry creme.

5. Pistachio This flavor is one of those that you love or hate…

6. Cherry Chip

7. Butter Pecan

8. Coffee

9. Pineapple

10. Chocolate Swirl

11. Mint Chip

12. Orange Sherbert

13. Rocky Roads goes with out saying

I noticed that quite a few companies are now making this flavor

14. Chunky Monkey

This is the one and only to get if you are into Chunky Monkey…I can only imagine lol… Thank you Ben & Jerry’s.

I am exhausted at 14 and feel as if I have gained 20 pounds lol..

So I decided to stop here and suggest that you locate a Ben & Jerry’s in your area to finish the list for yourself…

http://www.benjerry.com/scoop-shops

They have more than enough flavors alone to finish my list for me.  I could cheat and copy them all but it seems like more fun to send you to their shoppes instead.

There is always Baskin Robins

They might also be in your neighborhood…. http://www.baskinrobbins.com/content/baskinrobbins/en.html#

Well I am back to my low caloric sewing project and just the memories of ice cream…

Have a great day and check out what my fellow bloggers had to say on the matter…

Tammye Honey

 

1. Daily Post: 32 Flavors | tel-uh-vizh-uh-ner-ee
2. 32 Flavors [DailyPrompt] « Q the Adult
3. Daily Prompt: 32 Flavors « Gooseyanne’s Blog
4. A Super-Sweet Thank You | beyond back creek
5. For the Love of Cookies and Cream | Ramisa the Authoress
6. Daily Prompt: 32 Flavors « The Eclectic Eccentric Shopaholic
7. A matter of taste « Hope* the happy hugger
8. The Sky Is The Limit | Just Me
9. Glowing Green Goodness | Sorta Ginger: Ramblings of a Quasi-Redhead
10. Which flavour is the best? | Angel Frouk
11. It’s My Opinion « jaschmehl
12. That is not even a question ! « Spunky Wayfarer
13. Daily Prompt: 32 Flavors | Stuph Blog
14. MASH IT UP.. « ayimas
15. A Mint Chocolate Chip Eulogy « charlottesville winter
16. Daily Prompt~ 32 Flavors « The Cheeky Diva
17. Vanilla Life | Sub•scrib•bler (səb-skrĭb′lər) n.
18. Daily Prompt: 32 Flavors (Alana Davis!) « Too Much Music
19. Daily Prompt: 32 Flavors | Daddy’s Naughty Little Girl
20. Flavors | Pigments of Life
21. Daily Prompt: 32 Flavors | Musical Foodie Love
22. I Like Vanilla: Confessions of a Chocolate Maven | mycookinglifebypatty
23. Among 32 favlours the chosen one! | The Nameless One
24. Among 32 flavours the chosen one! | The Nameless One
25. Red Velvet ~ 32 Flavors | Daily Prompt
26. Daily prompt: 32 flavors | LooknWalk

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2012 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The new Boeing 787 Dreamliner can carry about 250 passengers. This blog was viewed about 1,200 times in 2012. If it were a Dreamliner, it would take about 5 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.