Dinner with Dougie, and the Best Ribs Ever

Tonight we had "pig" ribs. They were fantastic - the only problem is I used Pepsi instead of Coke to cook them. Yes, pop is my secret ingredient and WHO KNEW that it wouldn't be fall off the bone scrumptious with the competition???? So, if you make these, believe me when I say COKE is what you need and NEVER EVER EVER NEVER USE DIET!!! (Recipe at the end)

My son lives 2 houses away and works for his dad - they see each other ALL the time. He however rarely just comes over. I don't blame him, when I moved out at his age I lived 4 miles from home and didn't come home for like 3 months. I loved my parents, my little brothers and sisters - there were no hard feelings, I just had too much going on. And I started dating my husband to be and we spent all our time together.

HOWEVER now that the shoe is on the other foot I feel desperately lonely and neglected. "Stop in -I'll make you whatever your heart desires for breakfast, for lunch, for dinner." Part of the problem is I am a "luck of the draw" kinda cook. The last time I cooked for him and his fiance I dang near gave them salmonella (I followed the instructions but still undercooked the chicken by a LOT) So, I don't think she is willing to eat here anymore. Sigh. It makes me sad - but I totally understand - I have chicken issues myself.

TONIGHT I made The Best Ribs Ever and called and invited them over. I am confident in my ribs turning out. Unfortunately She had class but Dougie came, brought my sweet grandbaby and his roommate....YEA! I love me a full table! I love feeding my grandbaby. I love having guests and I especially love having all my children in the same room!!! I know these opportunities will become fewer and farther between and I am so glad I was able to see the gift it was and is.

Here is the recipe that made it all happen!

Best Ribs Ever

1-2 slabs of pig ribs
Steak seasoning
2 litre of COKE
BBQ Sauce

Put the ribs in a foil lined pan (for ease of clean up)
Sprinkle liberally with steak seasoning or just use salt, pepper and garlic
Pour COKE over - cover tightly with foil.
Cook at 270 degrees for 2 hours and 50 minutes.
Fire up the grill, put cooked ribs on grill, baste in BBQ sauce and cook for about 15 minutes - until the sauce gets all yummy!
That's it! Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy!

I linked this to Chatting at the Sky's Tuesday's Unwrapped and Balancing Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday. and Heavenly Homemakers Gratituesday.

Au Gratin Potatoes

These are soooo yummy. Definitely worth the work and time.

Au Gratin Potatoes
6-7 potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
1lb Colby jack cheese - grated
1lb provolone - grated
1 white onion sliced into rings

Soak the potatoes in salt water for 15 minutes. Drain.

Spray (or grease) a pan. Layer potatoes and onions then cheese - repeat at least one more time. Cook at 450 degrees for one hour.

Rice Pudding

What another Rice Pudding Recipe?? Well I had never made it or eaten it before and just had to try.

This recipe has peaches in it - however my kids didn't care for the peaches - I did!

Grease  a rectangular cake pan with coconut oil (or butter - just don't use that nasty Pam)
Cut up 1-2 peaches and layer on bottom. You can put nuts in this.
Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Mix together 1 cup whole raw milk (if you can get it), 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup cooked rice and 2 beaten eggs. Pour over peaches. Cook in a 375 degree oven for about 25 minutes. I am not sure - I might be over cooking but I like it a little dry.

Cucumber Salad

While I realize this is turning into a food blog - I can't help it. This is the best way for me to preserve recipes that I like. Since I have no readers - I can do that if I want to!

Cuke Salad
Peel and slice 2 cukes
Slice 1/2 sweet onion
layer in bowl - salt pepper and sugar each layer.
Mix together about a cup of sour cream, 2TBS sugar, splash of apple cider vinegar and a TBS or so of EVOO. Stir into bowl mixing well. Allow to marinade for at least an hour - the longer the better.

I have been making this for years but I just discovered how much better I like it with a little EVOO and extra sugar in it.
Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy!

Pork Chops - How to use up the leftovers!

Over at my other blog I posted how I made soup, fried rice and BBQ pork all from 5 leftover pork chops.
Very yummy, very frugal, very green and very cheap. Does it get much better than that? I don't think so!
Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Spicy Potato Soup

I posted a yummy crockpot soup over on my new site Frugality and Crunchiness with Christy.
Check it out!
Easy peasy lemon squeezy!!

Chicken Enchilada Lasagna

OK, I have to admit this will be a crap shoot. Sometimes when I make dinners up they are really good and sometimes we have to get carryout. I am hoping for really good. I vaguely remember watching Emeril make something similar - but that was a long time ago, it was late at night, and I don't have a bunch of prep cooks.
Anyhoo, this is what I did...

1/2 chicken breast cooked and cut up tiny - looks like more
2 cups shredded mexican cheese, divided
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4-1/2 cup cottage cheese (I used up what I had)
1/4 cup sour cream
2 TBS or so of cumin
salsa - canned mexican tomatoes would have worked better I think but I don't have any
Green Enchilada sauce
flour tortillas (if I would have had corn tortillas this would be g/f)

Spray a smallish rectangular pan with cooking spray. Mix together everything BUT 1/2 cup cheese, 3/4 can sauce, and tortillas. Put in a layer of tortillas - rip to make fit. Then put half of mixture over and then another layer of tortillas then mixture then tortillas finally top with rest of Enchilada Sauce and cheese. Cover with foil cook @ 375 for 20 minutes, remove foil, cook 10 more minutes.

How I adapted it for Joe:
1 egg, beaten
cheese (rice)
chicken
salsa
cumin
enchilada sauce (I forgot to save some for him - will next time if it is good)
crushed tortilla chips
tortilla

spray a single serving corningware thing with canola spray. Put in 1 tortilla like a cup. Mix the rest and dump in. Cook along side main meal.

Why is this frugal? because I fed 5 people with 1/2 a leftover chicken breast, the rest of some odd bags of cheese, my remaining cottage cheese and sour cream, stale tortilla chips and a can of enchilada sauce I had laying around, and some funky fruit salsa leftover from Dougie's graduation party - I bought nothing new to make it. Love it when it turns out!

here's hoping this is edible!
God Bless,
Christy

update: It tasted delicious but I needed to cook it 30 more minutes, I think I will add a 2nd egg next time to hold it together more, oh and definitely let it stand about 10 minutes to what do you call it? um gel? Joe loved his meal also - he has many food allergies among them milk.

Sushi - yummy!

Here is a picture of the rice seasoning and a sushi rolling mat in case you wanted to see them. I got them at Woo's Oriental Store but I bet you can find them at your local Asian store.

I could live on Japanese food - sushi, sashimi, maki rolls,dons - yum yum yum. My kids also love rolls. (all but Josh and Sylvia but they will eat katsu or teriaki chicken so they love going to sushi) What is a cheap meal for 1 or 2 becomes a little salty for 10 so I taught myself to roll California Rolls - that is right I can make maki rolls but can't hem - hmmm - things that make you say hmmm.

Anyhow, I was thinking a little maki sounded good but didn't have all the ingredients for a california roll but had fresh asparagus, cucumbers and leftover sticky rice. The makings for a delicious roll. I can't explain how to roll but go here and they have good directions.

I will however tell you my ingredients.

1 bowl leftover sticky rice - put a little rice vinegar in - you can add a pinch of sugar but I didn't

Big shake of Wasabi fumi furikake rice seasoning stir into warm rice

1 steamed in the microwave asparagus spear

1/8 cucumber sliver with seeds cut out and skin removed if it is waxy

1 sheet of nori (shiny side down)

oh, and don't forget the wasabi and the soy sauce (g/f of course)

I have always made this with a bamboo sushi rolling mat which you can buy in the oriental section of Walmart by the teriaki sauce.

Lay nori down, top with rice mixture, asparagus, cucumber and roll up. Cut with sharp wet knife, serve with wasabi and soy sauce. Yum!

Happy Eating!

God Bless,

Christy

Cranberry Mustard Salad Dressing

In an attempt to eat less processed foods and use up some odd mustard I have created the following. It is delicious over a green salad. I even added a little to what I loosely call guacamole (avacado, lemon juice, salsa all mashed together)it gave it a great flavor.

Cranberry Mustard Salad Dressing

1/4 cup Cranberry Honey Mustard
1/8 cup honey (I just used a big squirt)
1 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
1/4 cup lemon or lime juice
tsp of organic dulse granules - optional, I just add this to almost everything to get the nutrients from this sea veggie.
1/3 cup water

Blend in the blender, can store in frig for up to 2 weeks.

(this can also be made with regular Dijon just use 1/4 cup of honey and add about a tsp of poppyseeds)

I just made a fantastic salad with sliced strawberries and toasted walnuts with this as the dressing - yum!! If you like feta cheese I bet that would be delish also.

I think I will serve this with a salad when we row Cranberry Thanksgiving!


God Bless,
Christy

Lentil Soup or "Shorabat Addas"

This is a delicious gluten free, vegan soup that also meets my very allergic son's criteria.

2 cups Red Lentils
8 cups of water or broth of your choice or a combo
1/2 tsp of cumin (I use more)
1/2 tsp tumeric or paprika
1 large onion, diced
1-2 cloves garlic minced
2 TBS EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
salt and pepper
juice of one lemon
2 bullion cubes of choice

Wash lentils. Add to broth and bring to a boil, cover for a half hour stirring occasionally. When Lentils are tender, add dry spices and bullion to the pot. Saute onions and garlic in evoo, when golden brown, add to soup. Simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and add lemon juice to pot, stir. Can garnish with parsley and paprika. Serve with lemon wedges on the side. Serves 6-8.

"Porkchops and Applesauce"

Do you remember the Brady Bunch episode where they had pork chops and applesauce?? Me neither, but the saying stuck and my family won't eat their chops without their sauce. Crazy isn't it?
I have a delicious, gluten free, milk free, soy free, beef free recipe that my family loves. I don't know where I got the recipe - I wish I could give credit because this is so good.


Apple Saucy Pork Chops

2 cups applesauce
1/3 cup sugar
2TBS soy sauce ( I use fish sauce from the Thai section of the store to make this g/f and soy free)
1 garlic clove minced
1/4 tsp ground ginger
6 pork chops ( give or take)
2TBS EVOO (calls for butter but this is a great substitute)

In a bowl combine applesauce, sugar, fish sauce, garlic and ginger. Mix well.
Pour into greased 13x9x2 baking disth. In skillet brown chops in oil. Place over applesauce mixture. Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for 30 minutes or until tender.