Tuna Macaroni Salad

I felt like something cold and simple, and this hit the spot. Might have some spinach on the side for extra nutrition, might not. This makes a TON of food, 6-8 servings, so you may want to halve it. There are some cool tweaks suggested on the food.com page, such as adding onion or cheddar cheese, bacon bites or granny smith apples... sky is the limit, though today I'm keeping things simple.

http://www.food.com/recipe/simple-tuna-pasta-salad-64320#activity-feed

• 12 ounces macaroni cooked, drained and cooled under cold water
• 10ounces (2 cans) canned chunk albacore tuna, drained
• 1cup chopped celery
• 1cup frozen green peas, cooked in the microwave per directions
• 1 cup light mayonnaise (this amount is an estimate, you'll need enough to make the salad creamy to your preferences. One cup was perfect for me)
• salt and pepper to taste

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole

I'm trying this recipe for the first time today, sticking it in the crockpot overnight! Tge reviews were pretty mixed so I'm not sure what we'll get... hoping for a good result!

http://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2012/01/crockpot-breakfast-casserole.html

INGREDIENTS

• 1 dozen eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 3-4 tablespoons salsa verde
• 1 package of frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (1 lb 10oz I think?)
• 3 links hot italian sausage, casings removed, crumbled, cooked and drained 
• 2 small onions - diced
• Maybe a half cup of kale - enough for one layer
• 3 cups shredded cheese (I used mozzarella and cheddar because we had it)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (approximately)
• 1 tsp salt & ½ tsp of pepper (Plus some more sprinkles of salt and pepper for each layer of hash browns)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Grease the whole inside of the slow cooker very well with softened butter. 
2. Beat 12 eggs until well blended.
3. Next, beat in milk, salsa and seasonings. Set aside.
4. Layer potatoes (I suggest to season each potato layer to taste.....a small pinch of salt and pepper) and sprinkle ⅓ of the onions.
5. Next sprinkle ⅓ of the sausage.
6. Last but not least, top with 1 cup of cheese.
7. Repeat this layering 2 more times to have a total of 3 layers....ending with cheese. I put one layer of kale on too of the second layer of potatoes, then covered it with sausage and onions and cheese.
8. Take your egg mixture and pour over layers. Cook for 7-8 hours on low or until eggs are set. We plan to turn it on low at 10pm and switch it to warm at 6am. We'll see how it goes.... 🙏🏻

It turned out well! A bit greasy but flavorful. Brown around the edges but not burned. I could go for more egg and less potatoes next time, maybe less cheese, maybe more veggies. Will probably make this again for a big family event.

Salsa Leonor

This is an award winning salsa recipe named after Anna's maternal grandmother Leonor. Her father David makes killer salsa! Hope you enjoy it.

SALSA  LEONOR   RECIPE

Ingredientes               Quantity       

Stewed Tomatoes            42 oz.  ( Three cans of 14oz each)  Chill  before using

(speeds serving time)   

Cilantro                Two bunches

Green Onions                Six

Garlic                    Four cloves

Yellow Onion                Six ounce

Jalapeno                Three or Four

(Habanero)           (Can be used to add heat as desired)

Salt, Kosher or Reg            One Tablespoon

Pepper, fresh                 One Teaspoon

Olive Oil                Two Tablespoons

[ This recipe does not freeze well.   Fresh, seeded, tomatoes may be used for a fresher taste]                   

Carrot cake!

Yummay!!! I combined these two recipes, sort of, to make my own mini carrot cake with cardamom. I couldn't taste cardamom or white chocolate at all, mainly just general carrot cake, raisins and cream cheese frosting, but it was dang good!!! Would certainly revisit this. Maybe when I'm feeling cardamom cake I can leave off the icing and raisins, and do a melted white chocolate drizzle/glaze instead.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/cardamom-spiced-carrot-cake-with-white-chocolate-cream-cheese-icing-recipe-1918500#!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/carrot-cake-for-two-3363934

"If you avoid baking a cake because there aren't enough people in your home to help you eat it, then we have the solution: Make just one slice. We've scaled down a regular recipe so you won't be stuck with leftovers." Well, I think this is not really "for two" but it is a smaller amount of cake. We got 4-6 servings out of it, depending on how much cake you can eat. This makes a LOT of frosting so we ended up tossing some, even after making a two layer cake with ample icing.

Ingredients

Cake:
    2/3 cup all-purpose flour
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
    dash salt
    1/2 cup white sugar
    1 large egg, at room temperature
    1/4 cup vegetable oil
    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    2-3 carrots, grated (about 1 cup)
    2-4 Tbsp chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
    2-4 Tbsp raisins (optional)

Frosting:
    8 ounces whipped cream cheese, at room temperature
    1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature
    1/4 cup white chocolate chips
    3/4 cup powdered sugar
    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions

For the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9-by-2-inch round cake pan, or a pie baking dish by oiling with butter, then adding 2 Tbsp flour and rolling it around to coat. Tap out any excess flour. If using nuts, toast the pecans/walnuts on a small baking sheet until lightly browned and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop. If using raisins, plump by putting in a coffee cup with boiling water for 5-10 minutes, then drain. This plumping is optional but I like the improved texture and taste.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt in a small bowl. In another bowl, mix the sugar and egg and beat with a fork until well combined, then add the oil and vanilla and beat with the fork. Add half of the dry to the wet ingredients and gently stir together with the fork until just combined, then add the second half of the dry ingredients and repeat. Fold in the carrots, raisins, and pecans/walnuts.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 20 minutes, then turn it out of the pan and let it cool completely, right-side up, on the rack, about 1 hour.

For the frosting:
Mix the cream cheese and half the butter together (in a food processor if you have one) until completely combined and smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape the bottom and side of the bowl. Microwave the other half of the butter and the white chocolate chips for 15 seconds, then mix well with a fork. Repeat if needed until white chocolate and butter are completely incorporated, then add this to the cream cheese butter mixture and mix well. Add the powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time by pouring into a strainer to sift out any lumps. Mix well then add the vanilla, and process until just combined.

To assemble:
Cut the cake into 4 even wedges, as if you were cutting up a pie. Frost the top of each wedge with about 3 tablespoons of frosting (an offset spatula helps spread the frosting evenly). Stack the frosted wedges directly on top of each other on a serving plate, resulting in a 4-layer slice of cake with frosting between the layers and on top. Completely cover the curved back side of the cake with the remaining frosting, and leave the 2 remaining sides open. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Cut the wedge in half, and serve.


Notes from Dan:
I only did a 2-layer cake because stacking it so high and trying to cut it seemed intimidating, and for my purposes unnecessary. The pie dish gave a curved edge, which is harder to frost in a pretty way, but it worked just fine. I forgot about refrigerating it at the end, so the icing stayed quite soft, which was fine by me! Yum.

Coleslaw stir fry a la Ms. Annetta

I'm sad that I no longer work with Miss Annetta, because we used to hang out in the lunch room and talk about cooking and music. She taught me that a bag of coleslaw mix from the grocery store could be used to make a quick and delicious stir fry. Why do all that shredding yourself?? I combined her instructions with this recipe I like from budget bites, and it's tasty every time. I enjoy this one with onion and bell pepper as well as the cabbage and carrots from the bag. It's a little greasy but pretty quick and good. If you have ginger garlic paste handy it's even quicker.

https://www.budgetbytes.com/2016/08/beef-cabbage-stir-fry/

 (Dan's version below)

Ingredients

STIR FRY SAUCE

• 1/4 c soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (I use a lot less than budget bytes called for, too greasy/sesame for me)
• 1 Tbsp sriracha*
• 1-2 Tbsp brown sugar (aka 1 scoop, I eyeball it)
• 3-5 cloves fresh garlic, crushed and minced
• 1-2 Tbsp fresh peeled grated ginger
• 3 green onion, sliced 
• white vinegar, a splash (maybe 1 teaspoon?)

STIR FRY

• Half a bag of coleslaw mix (or ~3-4 cups shredded cabbage and carrots)
• 1/2 bell pepper, thinly sliced, whatever color you prefer
• 1 small onion, diced or thinly sliced
• ½ Tbsp vegetable oil or other neutral cooking oil
• 1 lb. lean ground beef (or ground turkey, or ground pork. Use 1/2 lb if you prefer it less meaty)
• Salt and pepper to taste

GARNISHES (optional)

• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 Tbsp sriracha 
• Additional sliced green onion

Instructions

1. Prepare the stir fry sauce first. In a small bowl stir together the soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, green onion, garlic, ginger, vinegar, and brown sugar. Set the sauce aside.
2. Prepare all the vegetables so they are ready to go when you need them.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot add the cooking oil and ground beef, and season to your taste with salt and pepper. Cook the beef , breaking up into small pieces, until well browned and no longer pink (about five minutes). Then remove from the pan into a small bowl lined with paper towels to drain some of the fat. 
4. Add the vegetables to the skillet and turn to coat - continue to stir and cook until bright and slightly wilted (or fully wilted, if you prefer). Return the beef to the pan, and stir in the prepared sauce. Mix well and cook until heated through and flavors have mingled, another 2-4 minutes. 
5. To serve, spoon the stir fry mixture over a bowl of steamed rice, and top with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a drizzle of sriracha.

Notes

* 1 Tbsp sriracha makes a medium-spicy stir fry. You can also use more, or add chili paste if you prefer it more spicy, and if you don't like spicy, start with 1 tsp sriracha instead. The sriracha adds flavor as well as heat, so I don't suggest skipping it all together.

Tomato Spinach Crustless Quiche

I made some modifications to this recipe, made it crustless, and switched out some of the half and half for lowfat cottage cheese, because this was the lower calorie option. Honestly it's hard to go wrong with quiche! Eggs, cheese, and whatever else you've got typically turn out pretty darn good. The garlic, spinach, and tomato in this one gave it a really nice Tuscan feel. It was a bit moist for my taste, so I might do more eggs/shredded cheese, and less half and half/cottage cheese next time, for a firmer texture. I had grape tomatoes so that's what I used, but bigger ones would be easier and just as good.

Adapted from: http://www.food.com/recipe/spinach-tomato-and-feta-quiche-33454#activity-feed

Ingredients
    2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
    5 large eggs
    1/3 cup half and half
    1/3 cup lowfat cottage cheese
    1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
    10 grape tomatoes, thinly sliced
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    1 green onion, thinly sliced
    salt and pepper to taste

Directions
    Preheat oven to 325 F
    Butter or oil the bottom and sides of your pie pan.
    Spread the shredded cheese onto the bottom of the pan.
    Pour the olive oil into a saucepan and, when it is heated, throw in the spinach and cook until wilted. Alternatively, put it in a glass tupperware container, cover and microwave for 1 minute, then stir. Usually that is enough to wilt it. If not, sprinkle with a little water and put it back in for another 30 seconds.
    Spread the wilted spinach over the cheese.
    Beat the eggs, garlic, green onion, cottage cheese, salt, pepper, and half and half together.
    Pour over top of the cheese and spinach.
    Place tomato slices carefully on top of the quiche.
    Bake at 325 F for 55 minutes.

Lemon Madeira Cake

I have made this twice now, and I really like it. Not too sweet, very crumbly, simple and delicious. Goes well with coffee or tea, you can make a glaze/icing for it, or not. For a small one in a loaf pan I halve the recipe, for the full recipe I used an 8x8 square pan. I also used some orange zest and juice since I had an orange handy, and the mixed citrus flavor was nice.

Adapted from: https://www.nigella.com/recipes/my-mother-in-law-s-madeira-cake

Ingredients:
    16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter (softened)
    1 cup white sugar (plus extra for sprinkling)
    grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
    3 large eggs
    1 1/3 cups self-raising flour
    2/3 cup all-purpose flour


Directions:

1. Prepare your baking dish with a coating of butter, and then put in about 1 tablespoon of flour and coax it around until the whole inside surface is covered.
2. Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
3. Cream the butter and sugar, and add the lemon zest.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, with a tablespoon of the flour for each (optional to add flour along with the eggs, deduct this from total flour if you do it this way).
5. Then gently mix in the rest of the flour and, finally, the lemon juice.
6. Sprinkle with white or turbinado sugar (about 2 tablespoons) before it goes into the oven, and bake for 1 hour or until a cake-tester comes out clean.
7. Remove to a wire rack, and let cool in the tin before turning out.

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Breast

This garlic parmesan chicken breast recipe is almost too simple to post, but I will, because I really like it. It goes well in tacos and other recipes that call for tasty boneless chicken as a base as well.

-       1. Put boneless chicken breast in a big sturdy Ziploc and smash it on a solid countertop with a solid item like a small skillet, metal waterbottle, or meat tenderizer if you have one of those. It should be about ¾ of an inch thick, with the same thickness all over to the extent that is possible. I just smash it until it stops changing shape, it will get pretty flat. 

-        2. Sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese (powdered kind)

-        3. Saute seasoned-side-down in a cast iron or other nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, in about 2 Tbsp of olive or vegetable oil. If you like it super flavorful, season the other side as well once you get it in the skillet. Give it about 3-4 minutes a side, flipping once. It should get a nice brown or golden brown if the heat is high enough and you leave it alone!

Sesame Ginger Pork Bites

 I adapted this recipe for some yummy pork bites! http://allrecipes.com/recipe/83117/asian-pork-tenderloin/?src=rss

Ingredients
    1/3 cup soy sauce
    2 Tbsp sesame oil
    2 Tbsp vegetable oil
    2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
    2 Tbsp brown sugar
    3 green onions, chopped
    4 cloves garlic, crushed/minced
    2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and grated
    1 1/2 tablespoons Asian chile paste
    1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
    splash of white vinegar (maybe 1 Tbsp?)

    4 boneless pork chops, or 1 fat-trimmed pork tenderloin (1 1/2 - 2 lbs) chopped into bite sized cubes


Directions
Pour into a medium bowl the soy sauce, sesame and veggie oil, and Worcestershire sauce. Then whisk in brown sugar until dissolved. Add green onions, garlic, ginger, chile paste, vinegar and pepper. Add the cubed meat to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover dish, and refrigerate at least 8 hours, preferably around 24 hours.

To cook the meat I removed it from the marinade, removing excess but without patting totally dry. In a cast iron (or other nonstick) skillet over high heat I seared it several minutes on each side, stirring and flipping occasionally, until well done. I try to leave it long enough to get a nice brown sear in several places.






The original recipe called for cooking it in the oven, so follow these directions if you choose: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Transfer pork with marinade into an aluminum foil-lined baking pan. Roast in a preheated oven 25 to 30 minutes. Remove, and let stand 5 to 10 minutes before carving.

Goes well with rice and steamed broccoli!