Basic Cooking Tip of The Week

How to make mashed potatoes:

You will need one good size russet potato per person. In a large pot boil enough water to cover potatoes. Peel potatoes, if you like the skin you can leave a little on. Chop into about 2 inch pieces. Add to water, boil until tender enough for a fork to pierce potato easily. Drain, put potatoes in a stand up mixer, back in pan or a large bowl. Now the rest you do by your taste. Add butter, milk, salt and pepper. If using a stand up mixer, use the paddle, and turn on low. If you don't have a stand up mixer you can mash potatoes in a large bowl with a potato masher. Or you can use a hand held mixer. Beat or mash potatoes and other ingredients until smooth. Taste them once smooth and add extra butter, milk, salt or pepper as needed. Enjoy!

Cheesy Tot Chicken Casserole

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces and cooked

2 carrots peeled and diced

1/2 onion diced

1/2 head broccoli cut into small pieces

2tblsp flour

2c milk

2tblsp butter

4oz velveeta

1c cheddar cheese

25 frozen tater tots

2teas thyme

Make It:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat a small saute pan to medium heat, spray in some pam, add carrots and onions. Cook over medium low heat until softened. Add chicken stir to combine, keep over heat until chicken is warm. Meanwhile heat a saucepan over medium heat add butter, once butter is melted, add flour stir for 30 seconds to cook flour a little. Add milk whisking constantly, once combined cook over medium low heat until slightly thickened(about 5 minutes). Add velveeta stir until velveeta is melted. Pour chicken mixture into a 9x9 casserole dish, sprinkle thyme over it, add broccoli. Pour cheese sauce over chicken mixture, stir to combine. Sprinkle cheese on top. Then cover with tater tots. Bake for 20-25 minutes until tots are golden brown. Enjoy!

Menu for September 14th -20th

Monday- Shake and Bake drumsticks, Mashed potatoes, Summer squash saute

Tuesday- Pizza(homemade or take out), Green salad

Wednesday- Steak tacos, Red pepper strips

Thursday- Cheesy tot chicken casserole, Fruit salad

Friday- Steak stir fry, Rice

Saturday- Birthday party

Sunday- Patty melt, Sliced tomatoes, Corn on the cob

Dessert of the week: Ice Cream Sundaes

Basic Cooking Tip of The Week

How to make a pork loin chop

Preheat oven to 375. Preheat an iron skillet or basic saute pan to medium high heat. Season chop with kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, and granulated garlic to taste(feel free to experiment with the seasoning to get them the way you like it). Put in pan and brown, 4 minutes per side. Put on an oven safe dish, place in oven and cook for 20 minutes. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Guacamole Burgers

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef to make 4 patties or 2 depending on how big you like them

1 avocado pitted and mashed in a bowl

4 slices swiss cheese

Sliced red onion

Hamburger buns

Condiments of choice

Make It:

Form patties and put back in refrigerator until time to cook. Preheat bbq or cast iron skillet to medium high. Slice onion and mash avocado, prep any other veggie or condiment you choose to use. Put patties in pan or on grill, cook 4 minutes per side(for medium) cook longer for more well done, add cheese turn off heat and cover till cheese is melted. Grill buns a minute or until lightly toasted. Serve with onion and avocado. Enjoy!

Chicken Spaghetti Skillet

I usually make pasta two times a week, we only eat half a box per meal. So I cook a whole box with the first meal. Then use the rest for the second meal.

Ingredients:

1/2 box spaghetti

2 chicken breasts cut into small pieces

1/2 head cauliflower(precooked in boiling water until softened, or steamed)

1/4 c. white wine

1/4 c. chicken broth

1/2 red onion diced

Salt, granulated garlic and pepper to taste

1c. shredded parmesan

Make It:

Heat a large pot over medium heat, add chicken cook until browned. Add onion, and cook until softened. Add cauliflower, broth, wine and seasonings, stir and bring to a simmer(medium amount of bubbles). Cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add spaghetti, stir, cook until heated thru. Add parmesan stir to combine. Enjoy!

Pot Beans

Ingredients:

2 cans chili beans

1 can baked beans

1 bell pepper diced

1/2 onion diced

1 tblsp garlic

1 jalapeno diced(optional)

1 tblsp cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teas. crushed red pepper

Make It:

Heat a large pot over medium low, spray with cooking spray, add bell pepper, onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Cook until softened, stirring occasionally. Add beans and seasonings, stir to combine. Bring to a low simmer(small amount of bubbles) cover, cook for thirty minutes stirring every ten minutes. Uncover and cook another fifteen minutes. Enjoy!