Easter dinner

                                           Easter Dinner

Easter is one of my favorite holidays. I don't really love all the prep of egg dying and such but I love  the spirit that comes with Easter and all it means. I also love all the food that comes with it. Every year I make a ham and cheesy potatoes. The sides can vary from year to year but this year I think was one of my new favorites especially the rolls. I looked online at several options this year and even tried my first pintrist recipe ever and I didn't have an epic failure :) The only thing that would have made this dinner more special was if my honey was here with us...but we will have many more together after this.

This year as I do every year I buy a pre-sliced ham with a glaze packet. I just follow the package directions. I ended up cooking it in a browning bag left over from Thanksgiving because I ran out of foil of course! But the bag worked great. I pulled it out of the bag the last 10 min and glazed it and baked it a few more mins to set the glaze.

 

 Cheesy Potatoes

30 oz bag of frozen hash browns

1 can crm of mushroom soup

1 small container of sour cream ( or half a big one)

1-2 Tbs grated onion

lots of shredded cheese

salt and pepper

Start by using a fine cheese grater and grate some onion into a large bowl. I like to grate the onion instead of having chunks of onion in the potatoes. You only need a table spoon or so because it is strong with the juice. I have also used dried onion or just left it out all together. Add all the rest of the ingredients into the bowl and mix together. Pour into a 9X13 pan and cover with foil.

Bake at 350 for 35-45 min if the hash browns are thawed or 45-60 min if they are still frozen. I just put it in the oven with the ham and if the ham cooks at a lower temp just cook the potatoes a little longer. You just want it to be hot and bubbly. I like to take off the foil the last 15 min and add extra cheese on top.

Rosemary Thyme Dinner Rolls

I got this recipe from the Pioneer woman and I added the thyme. These are absolutely amazing!!! I will be making these over and over again...I think I may have eaten 4 this night! I added the link for the step by step. Btw it starts off with frozen rolls!! Sooo easy

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/10/buttered-rosemary-rolls/

I finished off the meal with a peach cobbler which I got the recipe off pintrist. I just recently signed up and this was my first recipe from there, however I had to change a few things so I guess I really cant stick to a recipe:) 

Peach Cobbler

1 to 1 and a half large cans of sliced peaches drained

2 sticks of butter melted

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

2 cups milk

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

fresh grated nutmeg

fill the bottom of a 12 in cast iron skillet ( or 9x13 pan) with the sliced peaches. top with melted butter. Sprinkle on the cinnamon and nutmeg.

mix together the other ingredients and pour over the peaches.  Bake at 350 for 30-45 min or until the sides are crispy and the top is firm.

I topped this with fresh whipped cream however my phone died so I didn't get a pic and there was no way I was waiting to eat this. This makes a lot so be sure to have friends over or be prepared for left overs!

Last recipe I will post from Easter is my deviled eggs. Now I like to keep them simple. I planned on making a full dozen but when I opened the carton the kids had eaten some of the eggs so I only made 8 whole eggs so 16 deviled eggs.

Deviled Eggs

8 hard boiled eggs

3-4 Tb mayo

 1-2 tsp spicy mustard

creole seasoning

Separate the egg whites and yokes, then get yourself a cute helper like I had to smash up the yokes with the mayo and mustard.

Fill the eggs with the yoke mixture. I always seem to over fill them so I only ended up with 14 deviled eggs. Sprinkle the tops with creole seasoning. I also had help with that from my helper. A few ended up pretty well seasoned:) 

This was actually a pretty easy dinner to make. I just made it in stages but it didn't require too much prep or standing over a hot stove. I hope you try some of these recipes. Enjoy

Creamy Shrimp Pasta

                                   Creamy Shrimp Pasta

So every so often I like to create new dinners and this is one. So I made this up as I went along tonight and it actually turned out amazing! 

Creamy Shrimp Pasta

20 oz shrimp

1 small onion

1/2 red bell pepper

2 cloves garlic or squeeze garlic

1 bunch of asparagus

1lb pasta

1/4 cup grapefruit juice/ or lemon juice 

8 oz  cream cheese

butter/ olive oil

salt and pepper

red pepper flake

Finely chop onion, bell pepper, and garlic and saute in a mix of butter and olive oil for about 2 min. add salt, pepper, and red pepper flake.

 






wash and cut off woody ends of the asparagus. chop in about 1 inch pieces and add to the pan.

 

Cook about 2-3 min, add juice and then add the shrimp.

 

In all honesty I forgot to buy lemons and grapefruit juice was all I had in the fridge but it worked. It just needs a little acid to help cut the fat. fresh lemons would probably be way better :) Also I didnt realize the shrimp I bought still had the tails on them but it still tastes the same.

 






Cut cream cheese into small pieces and add to the shrimp when it is cooked through.

 

once the cream cheese is mixed in and completely melted add the shrimp and sauce mixture to the cooked pasta and mix thoroughly. I used bow tie pasta because that is the kind my daughter picked out at the store.

 


Im sure I will try this recipe again and mix it up differently and tweak a few things but this is a easy meal to change up the meat or veggies and make new flavors. I hope you enjoy and try new things with this as well!

Sheppard's Pie

                                          Sheppard's Pie 

 

This is a meal that I always have everything on hand. It is quick and easy and always a hit. This meal takes me back to childhood and now its a favorite of all my kids.

Sheppard's Pie

1 lb ground beef

1 onion

2 cans tomato soup

1 can cream mushroom soup

1 can green beans (drained)

mashed potatoes about 5-6 cups

shredded cheese

salt and pepper

Brown the meat with chopped onion and salt and pepper.

drain off any extra fat. add the soup and green beans and mix through.

 

while all this is cooking make mashed potatoes (I used instant this night but if you feel like making homemade its even better but I was going for fast and easy) Pour meat mixture into a 9x13 pan. top with mashed potatoes.

 

 


smooth out the potatoes kinda like your frosting a cake and then load on the cheese!!! Bake at 400 for 20-30 min or until bubbly and the cheese is browned.

Little tip...you may want to put it on a cookie sheet just in case it bubbles over. My hubby and boys love to pour hot sauce on this but I like it just as it is or maybe with a little extra pepper but that's it!!!

Tomato Mac

                                          Tomato Mac

 This is on of my all time favorite leftover remake dinners! I don't know about you but I always make a ton of spaghetti sauce when I make it so I always have leftovers.Tomato mac is simply a mix of mac and cheese and left over spaghetti sauce. I made it a little" fancy" this time because everything is better with a little extra cheese sauce! I first started making this when I would cook for my mom's daycare many years ago and I have continued to make this for my family ever since.

Tomato Mac:

2 boxes mac and cheese (any brand)

3-4 cups left over spaghetti sauce (check previous posts for recipe)

White sauce topping:

3 Tb butter

3 Tb flour

2-3 cups milk

1 cup parm cheese

salt and pepper

this is the way I store my left over sauce in the freezer.

Cook mac and cheese noodles in a large pan, while noodles are cooking reheat the leftover sauce. My sauce was in the freezer so I just put it in the microwave until it was heated through. Once the noodles are cooked, drain the water and return them to the pot.  Add cheese packets and mix through. next add the left over sauce and mix until combined. At this point it is perfectly lovely to eat and we eat it at this point most of the time with just a little parm cheese on top. 

 

However if you want to take it to the next level...pour this into a large casserole dish and top it with the cheese sauce!

Melt  butter and flour in a small sauce pan, cooking for just a few min to take the raw flour taste out. then slowly whisk in the milk and bring up to a boil until nice and thick. add salt and pepper and stir in cheese.

 

Pour cheese sauce all over the tomato mac and pop it into a really hot oven or under the broiler.

 Everything is already cooked you basically just want to brown up the top of the cheese sauce so it gets nice and bubbly.

That's all there is to it!!! easy peasy...like I said before this is the "fancy" version of tomato mac, if you choose to just make it without the white sauce it is still delicious! I hope you enjoy one of our favorite standby meals.

Banana Cake

                                       Banana Cake

This is an amazingly moist, rich cake. While eating this make sure to have a cold glass of milk at the ready!!! This is a recipe I got from a great friend named Andrea while I was living in Guam. I actually forgot all about this cake, which sounds crazy once you have tasted it, but I had until I came across in while looking through my old recipe box. This is super easy and another way to use up ripe bananas besides just making banana bread:) I hope you give it a try!

Banana Cake:

1 yellow cake mix

3 eggs

1 cup water

1/3 cup oil

2-3 ripe bananas

1/2 cup brown sugar

1tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

make cake according to box instruction adding in brown sugar, then stir in mashed banana, cinnimon, and vanilla. Bake in a 9x13 pan. Bake at the temp the box instructs. If for some reason you dont have a yellow cake mix you can make a yellow cake from scratch and it works exactly the same it just takes a little more work :) after the cake is done cooking let rest for 5-10 min and then while the cake is still warm pour brown sugar glaze over the cake and then let cool for at least 20-30 min. I personally love to eat this while its still warm but you can have it at any temp you like. 

Brown sugar glaze:

1 stick butter

1 cup brown sugar

1tsp vanilla

1/4 cup milk

2 cups powder sugar

In a small sauce pan melt butter and brown sugar. cook until it comes to a boil, then add milk and take off the heat. Add vanilla and powder sugar and stir till smooth. pour over cake and spread out smoothly. Try not to lick the spoon while the icing is still hot...cuz it is hot and will burn your tongue...not that I would know:)

This cake is very rich so be sure to share with others:) If you want to make this into a layer cake it works well with two round cake pans as well. I have made it both ways and I prefer the large one layer only because it is easier. So the next time you have ripe bananas I hope you give this a try!

Roasted pork tenderloin with spicy cream corn

Pork Tenderloin with Spicy Cream Corn

This is a recipe that I have been making for years now. I adapted this from a Rachael Ray recipe but changed a few things to suite my tastes a bit more. I usually just buy a packaged pork tenderloin that is already marinated but feel free to make your own. This night I chose the mesquite flavor.  I just follow the  direction on the package for roasting the pork.

Spicy Cream Corn

1 medium onion

1 red bell pepper

1 jalapeno

16 oz frozen corn or 5 ears fresh corn cut off the cob

2-3 tbs flour

1 cup milk

1 cup chicken stock

handful chopped cilantro

Dice onion, pepper, and jalapeno and saute in a olive oil about 2tbs and a tbs of butter. cook for about a min or so and then add corn, salt and pepper. Cook another 4-5 min or until onions are tender.

 
Next sprinkle with flour and continue to cook for another min. Whisk  in chicken stock and milk. ( you can use a mix of these two or all milk or all chicken stock or chicken stock and heavy cream, its really up to you and how creamy you want it.) Bring corn up to a simmer and then lower the temp to med/low for about 5 min or until thickened.  Finish the corn by adding chopped cilantro and take off the heat.

 

I like a lot of cilantro but you can add as little or as much as you like. If you are not a huge fan of it you can add chopped parsley or a mix of both. *note, this is not very spicy because I seed the jalapeno but if you want it spicier you can add 2 jalapenos or keep the seeds in it.

Mashed Potatoes

Potatoes

butter

sour cream

salt and pepper

milk (optional)

peel and dice potatoes, throw into a large pot and cover with cold water. cook on high until desired tenderness. drain potatoes, and return to hot pot. Add butter and smash away. next add salt and pepper and sour cream.  I have no measurements for this recipe because its all about preference.  you can add some milk if you want it thinner but I usually keep mine pretty thick. 

 

This is a recipe I always seem to forget about..and then I will make it and think " I really need to make this more often"  :)  I like this in the summer too and then I will grill the pork on the BBQ. I hope you enjoy this one!