There are not many people that I know of that do not have a package of hot dog franks in their refrigerator. Here are a couple of ways to jazz up a boring hot dog or use up left over hot dogs.
Day 1- Hot Dog Melts
Ingredients
Hot Dogs, slit lengthwise
Bacon slices (as many as the number of hot dogs you are using)
Hot Dog buns (as many as the number of hot dogs you are using)
Cheddar cheese slices
1/4 c. mayo
2 TBS sour cream
1 TBS Hot sauce
1 TBS Dijon mustard
1/2 Tbs Honey
Salt and Pepper
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, combine mayo, sour cream, hot sauce, honey and mustard. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill in refrigerator. Place a slice of cheese in each slit of the hot dog. Tear the slices to fit. Wrap each hot dog with a slice of bacon securing with toothpicks. Place on a line baking sheet and cook for about 10-12 minutes until bacon is crisp. Place the hot dog in a bun and smear with mayo sauce.
Day 2- Hot Dog Tenders
The pancake mix makes these "tenders" fluffy like a corn dog. If you don't have Parmesan cheese on hand, its ok. You can omit it and it will still taste good. Instead, add 1 tsp of salt instead of the 1/2 as stated below. You can use this recipe to make easy chicken tenders or even sausage for breakfast.
Ingredients
2/3 pancake mix
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 egg beaten
3 Tbs butter or margerine - melted
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. In a large Ziploc bag, place pancake mix, cheese, garlic, salt and paprika. Seal and mix well. Cut hot dogs in half length wise. Dip hot dog into egg and then into dry mix. Place hot dogs on baking sheet. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake 10- 12 minutes turning half way through. Since hot dogs are already cooked, you are only looking to bake until the crust is browned. If you are making chicken tenders, you will want to cook them for 14-16 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
Easy Olive Spread
I made this for a wedding shower. I made tea sandwiches out of it. You could do the same, use it as a dip with crackers or spread on a toasted baguette. It could even be good as a spread for a sub.
Ingredients
8 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 c. finely chopped olives
1/4 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
Olive juice
Mix all ingredients together. Add juice to help make a smooth consistency. It should be 1-2 Tbs.
Ingredients
8 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 c. finely chopped olives
1/4 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
Olive juice
Mix all ingredients together. Add juice to help make a smooth consistency. It should be 1-2 Tbs.
Onion Dip
I made this dip for my best friend Sarah's wedding shower. It is really easy and very yummy!!!
Ingredients
Ingredients
2 large yellow onions
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
Directions
Cut the onions in half and then slice them into thin strips. Heat the butter and oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions, cayenne, salt, and pepper and saute for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 more minutes until the onions are browned and caramelized. Allow the onions to cool.
Meanwhile, mix cream cheese, mayo, and sour cream together with a mixer on low until smooth. Stir in onions and serve room temperature.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Crunchy Stuffed chicken w/ cauliflower mash
Ingredients
**3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 small onion diced
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 one small box of frozen spinach, thawed (cut the box in half with a sharp knife while frozen)
1 tsp of each salt, pepper and garlic powder
1 c. crushed regular potato chips (you can use tortilla chips or whatever you have on hand)
1 bag frozen cauliflower- thawed
1/2 c. warm milk
Butter or margarine to taste
*** Usually chicken breasts come in a package of 3 or 4. For these recipes you will need either 3 large chicken breasts or 4 smaller ones.
Coat the bottom of skillet with oil. Cook onions over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook 3-4 more minutes. Meanwhile, drain thawed spinach thoroughly and add to a small mixing bowl with cream cheese. Add onions and mushrooms to cream cheese with salt, pepper and garlic. Mix well. You will be stuffing two of the chicken breasts and reserving the other two for round two recipe. Make an incision on one side of chicken starting about 1/2 inch in. Make a large pocket without going all the way through the chicken. Stop 1/2 inch before the end of the chicken. Repeat for second breast. Place an even amount of stuffing in each breast. Drizzle all four breasts with a small amount of oil and lightly season on both sides with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Take the two stuffed chickens and coat on both sides with potato chip crumbs. Place all 4 breasts in skillet on medium high cooking 5-7 minutes on each side. Un-stuffed breasts will cook faster then stuffed. Cool un-stuffed and reserve for round two recipe.
Cauliflower Mash-
** This dish definitely has a different texture then regular mashed potatoes but you still get good flavor and less guilt!
Steam cauliflower in a medium saucepan with 1/4 cup water. Leave the lid on to steam over medium heat. When cauliflower is tender drain and return to saucepan. Heat up milk in a saucepan or microwave. Add a small amount of milk and begin to mash cauliflower like you would potatoes. Continue to add milk until mash is the consistency you like. Add butter, salt and pepper to taste
Round 2- Easy Chicken Potpie
Ingredients
Reserved chicken- diced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can mixed vegetables
1 can diced potatoes
1 serving pancake mix- prepared as package instructions
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a small baking dish with non-stick spray. Mix all ingredients together in bowl minus the pancake mix. Prepare pancake mix and spoon over the top of the casserole. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top becomes golden brown.
**3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 small onion diced
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 one small box of frozen spinach, thawed (cut the box in half with a sharp knife while frozen)
1 tsp of each salt, pepper and garlic powder
1 c. crushed regular potato chips (you can use tortilla chips or whatever you have on hand)
1 bag frozen cauliflower- thawed
1/2 c. warm milk
Butter or margarine to taste
*** Usually chicken breasts come in a package of 3 or 4. For these recipes you will need either 3 large chicken breasts or 4 smaller ones.
Coat the bottom of skillet with oil. Cook onions over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook 3-4 more minutes. Meanwhile, drain thawed spinach thoroughly and add to a small mixing bowl with cream cheese. Add onions and mushrooms to cream cheese with salt, pepper and garlic. Mix well. You will be stuffing two of the chicken breasts and reserving the other two for round two recipe. Make an incision on one side of chicken starting about 1/2 inch in. Make a large pocket without going all the way through the chicken. Stop 1/2 inch before the end of the chicken. Repeat for second breast. Place an even amount of stuffing in each breast. Drizzle all four breasts with a small amount of oil and lightly season on both sides with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Take the two stuffed chickens and coat on both sides with potato chip crumbs. Place all 4 breasts in skillet on medium high cooking 5-7 minutes on each side. Un-stuffed breasts will cook faster then stuffed. Cool un-stuffed and reserve for round two recipe.
Cauliflower Mash-
** This dish definitely has a different texture then regular mashed potatoes but you still get good flavor and less guilt!
Steam cauliflower in a medium saucepan with 1/4 cup water. Leave the lid on to steam over medium heat. When cauliflower is tender drain and return to saucepan. Heat up milk in a saucepan or microwave. Add a small amount of milk and begin to mash cauliflower like you would potatoes. Continue to add milk until mash is the consistency you like. Add butter, salt and pepper to taste
Round 2- Easy Chicken Potpie
Ingredients
Reserved chicken- diced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can mixed vegetables
1 can diced potatoes
1 serving pancake mix- prepared as package instructions
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a small baking dish with non-stick spray. Mix all ingredients together in bowl minus the pancake mix. Prepare pancake mix and spoon over the top of the casserole. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top becomes golden brown.
Poor Man's French Onion Soup
The only thing you have to be careful with in this recipe is the amount of salt you use. The beef bouillon is already loaded with sodium. French onion soup is traditionally made with Gruyere cheese but most of us don't have this lying around so you can use Parmesan or Mozzarella. If you use Parmesan, go extremely light with it since it is already so salty.
Ingredients
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 small onion sliced into thin strips
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. oil
Gruyere Cheese
Toasted french bread ( You can also use left over buns that have been toasted)
Heat butter and oil in a medium pan over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until onions are starting to caramelize (turn brown). Remove from heat. Some an even amount of mixture into serving cups or bowls. In a medium saucepan, bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Add bouillon cubes and stir until the are dissolved. Pour broth into serving dishes. Do not add bread until right before serving. It will start to break down. Place toasted bread or bun on the top of the bowl and cover with cheese. Heat from the soup will help melt the cheese.
Date Night/Game Day
Every once in a while you have to step up your game and cook to impress for a date night at home. The go to standard is usually a steak of some kind. Everyone has there favorite way to prepare a steak so I won't even try and convert you to my way. I will, however give you a great easy side dish to go along with those steaks.
***** Cook an extra small steak or reserve part of a steak for the round two recipe.
Round 1- Steak and Not So Ordinary Baked Potatoes
*** Cook potatoes in oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Poke potatoes with fork all over and wrap in foil. You can also cook potatoes in the microwave.
Creamed Corn Filling
1 can creamed corn
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp dried parsley leaves
Heat ingredients in saucepan on medium heat until well blended.
Chili Filling
1 can chili (No Beans! It's date night!!!!)
4 oz cream cheese
1 tsp cumin
Heat ingredients in saucepan on medium heat until well blended.
Creamed Greens
1 can (14 oz) Already seasoned mixed greens
1/4 heavy cream
Drain greens and add to saucepan with cream. Heat on medium and cook until liquid is reduced by half. A little under 5 minutes.
Round 2- Game Day Steak Pizza
*** This is something that you can make any way you like. I use a piece of french bread. If you don't have it on hand, you can use hotdog buns, hamburger buns, or tortillas.
Ingredients
Reserved Steak- sliced as thin as possible
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs oil
1 Small onion sliced into strips
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup cheese- mozzarella works best but you could also use cheddar
Steak sauce or BBQ sauce
Heat butter and oil in pan on medium heat. Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes. Lightly sprinkle with salt. Add mushrooms and cook for another five minutes. Remove from heat.
Spread bread with your favorite steak sauce or BBQ sauce. Layer with steak and onion mixture. Top with cheese. Bake on a non-stick baking sheet at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese is completely melted.
***** Cook an extra small steak or reserve part of a steak for the round two recipe.
Round 1- Steak and Not So Ordinary Baked Potatoes
*** Cook potatoes in oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Poke potatoes with fork all over and wrap in foil. You can also cook potatoes in the microwave.
Creamed Corn Filling
1 can creamed corn
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp dried parsley leaves
Heat ingredients in saucepan on medium heat until well blended.
Chili Filling
1 can chili (No Beans! It's date night!!!!)
4 oz cream cheese
1 tsp cumin
Heat ingredients in saucepan on medium heat until well blended.
Creamed Greens
1 can (14 oz) Already seasoned mixed greens
1/4 heavy cream
Drain greens and add to saucepan with cream. Heat on medium and cook until liquid is reduced by half. A little under 5 minutes.
Round 2- Game Day Steak Pizza
*** This is something that you can make any way you like. I use a piece of french bread. If you don't have it on hand, you can use hotdog buns, hamburger buns, or tortillas.
Ingredients
Reserved Steak- sliced as thin as possible
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs oil
1 Small onion sliced into strips
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup cheese- mozzarella works best but you could also use cheddar
Steak sauce or BBQ sauce
Heat butter and oil in pan on medium heat. Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes. Lightly sprinkle with salt. Add mushrooms and cook for another five minutes. Remove from heat.
Spread bread with your favorite steak sauce or BBQ sauce. Layer with steak and onion mixture. Top with cheese. Bake on a non-stick baking sheet at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese is completely melted.
Veggie Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
2 large bell peppers
1 small squash- small dice
1/2 cup diced mushrooms
1/2 small onion- diced
1/2 c. un-cooked minute rice
1/2 c. chicken stock ( veggie stock or beef stock ok)
12 c. parmesan cheese
1 Tbs paprika
Salt, Pepper and Garlic powder
*** I used my dutch oven but you can do this in a normal pan and transfer to a baking dish to put in the oven.
Pre-Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat the bottom of a frying pan with oil. Heat over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes add mushrooms and squash. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cook for another 5 minutes. Turn heat up to medium- high. Add uncooked rice and cook for 3-4 minutes until rice has become slightly golden. Add stock and cook rice until done. Remove mixture to a mixing bowl. Add paprika mix then add 1/4 c. of cheese and mix. Cut the tops off the peppers and remove seeds and ribs. stuff meat mixture into peppers and top with remaining cheese.
Place peppers in dutch oven or baking dish add 1/4 c. water or stock to bottom of dish. Cover and bake for 15- 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and peppers are tender.
2 large bell peppers
1 small squash- small dice
1/2 cup diced mushrooms
1/2 small onion- diced
1/2 c. un-cooked minute rice
1/2 c. chicken stock ( veggie stock or beef stock ok)
12 c. parmesan cheese
1 Tbs paprika
Salt, Pepper and Garlic powder
*** I used my dutch oven but you can do this in a normal pan and transfer to a baking dish to put in the oven.
Pre-Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat the bottom of a frying pan with oil. Heat over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes add mushrooms and squash. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cook for another 5 minutes. Turn heat up to medium- high. Add uncooked rice and cook for 3-4 minutes until rice has become slightly golden. Add stock and cook rice until done. Remove mixture to a mixing bowl. Add paprika mix then add 1/4 c. of cheese and mix. Cut the tops off the peppers and remove seeds and ribs. stuff meat mixture into peppers and top with remaining cheese.
Place peppers in dutch oven or baking dish add 1/4 c. water or stock to bottom of dish. Cover and bake for 15- 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and peppers are tender.
Veggies Au Gratin
At this time of year, zucchini and squash are widely available and CHEAP! Many people eat these vegetables a lot during the summer so eating them can become a little boring. This is a very easy dish and a great new way to enjoy these summer staples. Through out the year, you can take the same basic concept of this dish and apply it to all types of different vegetables.
Ingredients
1 small squash- sliced in rounds
1 small zucchini - sliced in rounds
1/2 small onion- chopped
2 TBS butter
1 TBS flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt, pepper, and garlic powder
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray small baking dish with non-stick spray. Arrange slices in baking dish alternating vegetables. Drizzle oil in a small sauce pan to coat bottom and heat over medium heat. Add onions, slightly salt and cook for 5 minutes. Add butter and allow to melt slightly then add flour. Mix flour and butter to cook. This should form a paste like substance. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes so that the flour taste cooks out. Slowly whisk in milk and continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Bring sauce to a light simmer and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Go light on the salt; the cheese is already very salty its self. Congratulations!! You just made a bechumel (white sauce). Not that hard is it? Traditional bechumel has a little nutmeg in it. I know tons of people who don't like nutmeg but if you do, go ahead and add a very TINY TINY about. A little goes a very long way with nutmeg. Lightly season vegetables with pepper and garlic powder then pour sauce over them. Back un-covered for about 20 minutes until sauce is bubbly and starts to brown. Wait about 5-10 minutes before serving so sauce can set-up.
Ingredients
1 small squash- sliced in rounds
1 small zucchini - sliced in rounds
1/2 small onion- chopped
2 TBS butter
1 TBS flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt, pepper, and garlic powder
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray small baking dish with non-stick spray. Arrange slices in baking dish alternating vegetables. Drizzle oil in a small sauce pan to coat bottom and heat over medium heat. Add onions, slightly salt and cook for 5 minutes. Add butter and allow to melt slightly then add flour. Mix flour and butter to cook. This should form a paste like substance. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes so that the flour taste cooks out. Slowly whisk in milk and continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Bring sauce to a light simmer and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Go light on the salt; the cheese is already very salty its self. Congratulations!! You just made a bechumel (white sauce). Not that hard is it? Traditional bechumel has a little nutmeg in it. I know tons of people who don't like nutmeg but if you do, go ahead and add a very TINY TINY about. A little goes a very long way with nutmeg. Lightly season vegetables with pepper and garlic powder then pour sauce over them. Back un-covered for about 20 minutes until sauce is bubbly and starts to brown. Wait about 5-10 minutes before serving so sauce can set-up.
Ground Beef Dishes
I created this tab at the request of my good friend Barber. His request was for recipes that were made with cheap ingredients. I have done a little more and did two recipes that share the same main ingredient. Also, these are made to serve 1-2 people depending on how big of a serving you like. Just enough for the bachelor!!!!
Day 1- Spicy Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
1 Tbs oil
2 Large Green Bell peppers
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion- chopped
1 cup cooked rice (1/2 c. uncooked rice and 1/2 c. water or stock)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. chili powder.
1 tsp Hot Sauce
1/2 c. grated pepper jack cheese
Salt and Pepper
Pre-Heat oven to 375. In a large frying pan add oil and heat over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sprinkle with about 1/4 tsp of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add ground meat, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook until meat is brown. Meanwhile, cut the tops off of bell peppers and remove seeds and ribs from inside.
***Pour half of the meat mixture into a mixing bowl and the other half to a storage container to cool. When mixture is cool, cover and refrigerate. This meat mixture will be used for another recipe.
When remaining mixture has cooled for about 5 minutes, add rice, chili powder, hot sauce and 1/4 cup of the cheese. Mix. Divide mixture into the two bell peppers. Place peppers in a small baking dish. Cover peppers with the rest of the cheese. Add a 1/4 cup water or stock to bottom of baking dish. Place peppers in dish and cover with foil. Cook for 20 minutes.
Day 2- Easy Sheppard's Pie
Ingredients
Reserved meat mixture from above
1/4 c beef stock
1 can mixed vegetables- what ever you like
***2 servings prepared mash potatoes
*** Dried potato flakes are a great staple for any bachelor's pantry. If your feeling wild, try different flavored variations of the flakes. If your feeling like a culinary expert, make your own mashed potatoes.
Pre- heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a small baking dish with non-stick spray. Add meat mixture and stock to a large and heat to a small simmer. Add vegetables and cook 2-3 minutes until veggies are heated. While mixture is cooking, prepare mashed potatoes. Make sure that you season them with plenty of salt and pepper. Transfer meat mixture to baking dish. Cover mixture with potatoes in an even layer. Use a fork to "rough up" the potatoes to form peaks. Cook for 20 minutes or until peaks become slighlty browned.
Day 1- Spicy Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
1 Tbs oil
2 Large Green Bell peppers
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion- chopped
1 cup cooked rice (1/2 c. uncooked rice and 1/2 c. water or stock)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. chili powder.
1 tsp Hot Sauce
1/2 c. grated pepper jack cheese
Salt and Pepper
Pre-Heat oven to 375. In a large frying pan add oil and heat over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sprinkle with about 1/4 tsp of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add ground meat, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook until meat is brown. Meanwhile, cut the tops off of bell peppers and remove seeds and ribs from inside.
***Pour half of the meat mixture into a mixing bowl and the other half to a storage container to cool. When mixture is cool, cover and refrigerate. This meat mixture will be used for another recipe.
When remaining mixture has cooled for about 5 minutes, add rice, chili powder, hot sauce and 1/4 cup of the cheese. Mix. Divide mixture into the two bell peppers. Place peppers in a small baking dish. Cover peppers with the rest of the cheese. Add a 1/4 cup water or stock to bottom of baking dish. Place peppers in dish and cover with foil. Cook for 20 minutes.
Day 2- Easy Sheppard's Pie
Ingredients
Reserved meat mixture from above
1/4 c beef stock
1 can mixed vegetables- what ever you like
***2 servings prepared mash potatoes
*** Dried potato flakes are a great staple for any bachelor's pantry. If your feeling wild, try different flavored variations of the flakes. If your feeling like a culinary expert, make your own mashed potatoes.
Pre- heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a small baking dish with non-stick spray. Add meat mixture and stock to a large and heat to a small simmer. Add vegetables and cook 2-3 minutes until veggies are heated. While mixture is cooking, prepare mashed potatoes. Make sure that you season them with plenty of salt and pepper. Transfer meat mixture to baking dish. Cover mixture with potatoes in an even layer. Use a fork to "rough up" the potatoes to form peaks. Cook for 20 minutes or until peaks become slighlty browned.
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