Author: Nicole

Hi thank you for stopping by. I am very excited to have you here. Pull up a chair and have a seat, this is the view from my side of the table.
Recipes

Fiesta Oyster Cracker Mix (Recipe)

Nicole
I love these crackers. Not only are the inexpensive to make but they spicy (not hot) and yummy, and a great grab and go snack for a holiday party. You can use any ranch dressing, but the fiesta ranch adds a nice tangy zip to the crackers. Last Christmas I took these to a holiday party and they were a big hit!
Ingredients:
  • 2 TBS of Fiesta Hidden Valley Ranch Dry Mix
  • 1 bag of Oyster Crackers
  • 1/3 cup veg oil (I don’t suggest Olive oil because it alters the flavor)
  • 2 paper bags (lunch bags)

Directions:

  1. Add oil, and Fiesta Hidden Valley Ranch Dry Mix to a bowl and mix well
  2. Fold in the Oyster Crackers and mix until they are well coated
  3. Evenly distribute the Oyster Crackers into two paper bags
  4. Close your paper bag up well and shake. Shaking every once in a while for a few hours (the purpose of the bag is to absorb the excess oil)
  5. Remove from the paper bags after they have sat for three hours and store in an air tight container. I used this great Rubbermaid container
  6. Enjoy!

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Recipes

Cheesy Cabbage Casserole

Nicole

I made the mistake of  making this casserole as a main dish. I have been trying to incorporate two meatless meals in our menu per week, but I haven’t been very successful. I made this for dinner thinking what a great meatless meal it would be when it truth it would have made a much better side dish. I don’t blame the recipe I blame myself.

As for the dish in general it has a great flavor, makes a great presentation, and doesn’t cost much to make. It smells great cooking, and turned out perfect. As I said before it would make a wonderful side dish for me the word casserole was misleading. Thank you Wildflour for the great recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 2 quarts chopped cabbage
  • 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of celery soup 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 cup packed shredded American cheese or 1 Velveeta cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, less if desired
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup finely crushed butter flavored cracker
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter, more if needed

Directions:

  1. Cook cabbage 5-7 minutes in salted water, drain well.
  2. Combine soup, milk, cheese, salt and pepper in large bowl.
  3. Microwave til cheese melts and is creamy. Stir occasionally.
  4. Fold in cabbage.
  5. Pour into 1-1/2 quart casserole dish.
  6. Mix cracker crumbs and melted butter.
  7. Sprinkle evenly over top.
  8. Bake in 350º over for 30-40 minutes til bubbly.

Recipes

Hammy Cream of Potato Soup

Nicole

I started off making one recipe tonight, and then changed in the middle of chopping. So this was another recipe that has been modified to something I thought might be better, and I was right it’s fantastic. The weather here is nasty! Cold and rainy weather has soup written all over it. This is a very rich and hearty recipe. The flavors work so well together, and it’s just down right good!

Soup Base Ingredients:

  • 4 cups peeled cubed potatoes
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups of beef broth
  • 1 cup thinly sliced carrot
  • 1 cup finely chopped celery
  • 1 cup finely diced onion

Cheese Sauce Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 cups diced ham

Directions:

  1. In large dutch oven, add all of your Soup Base Ingredients
  2. Cook soup base until the vegetables are. Do not drain.
  3. While your soup base is cooking add your flour and butter to a saucepan and begin to whisk to insure you don’t get lumps
  4. Once your butter is melted gradually add your milk while whisking, then add your salt.
  5. Once your mixture is well combined add the cheese and allow it to melt. Don’t forget to keep whisking
  6. Fold in ham.
  7. Gradually add your cheese sauce mixture to your vegetable mixture, and stir well.
  8.  Simmer until ready to serve. Make sure it’s not cooking too high or it will burn quickly.

Recipes

Cheater Cheater Barbequed Chicken Sliders

Nicole
I am notorious for putting dinner off until the last minute. I either forget to take something out of the freezer or time gets away from me, and we are approaching eight pm, and I haven’t even started dinner. Because of those reason I always make sure I have something that I can make for dinner that’s quick and easy and something I can pull out of the freezer at a moment’s notice. I always have stewed or roasted chicken in the freezer. I keep many zip bags with a pound of cooked chicken in the freezer at all times. When I am in a hurry I make barbeque chicken sliders. It’s cheating at its finest but it works, and taste great too! It’s simple, and I have not met a kid yet who doesn’t like them. They really are kid sized. Don’t forget the paper plates for quick clean up. If you are going to cheat why not cheat all the way?

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound of precooked shredded chicken
  • Your favorite barbeque sauce
  • Slider buns

Directions

  1. Add chicken to a medium size pot
  2. Coat with your favorite barbeque sauce (just enough to coat your chicken, not soupy)
  3. Heat through
  4. Add to slider buns, and top with pickles onion, or whatever makes you happy!

Recipes

Spinach-Artichoke Peene

Nicole
I love this recipe especially for our meatless nights. It’s so easy and quick, and it’s just wonderful. I can’t say enough about just how great it is. It’s like Spinach-Artichoke dip on pasta. Yummy!

Ingredients

  • 5 ounce box frozen spinach, thawed and drained
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 small onion, grated
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream 
  • (14 ounce) can water-packed artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
  • 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 lb of peene pasta

Directions:

  1. Heat a deep skillet over medium heat with the oil and butter.
  2. When butter melts, add garlic and grated onion. Saute for 5 minutes.
  3. Sprinkle the flour into the skillet and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Whisk in the broth, then the cream and bring to a simmer
  5. Reduce heat to low.
  6. Chop and separate spinach into pieces then add it to the sauce.
  7. Stir in the artichokes and cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  8. Cook the peene in salted boiling water according to package directions, about 12 minutes.
  9. Drain and toss with the spinach artichoke sauce.
  10. Serve immediately