TIP TIME

DRYER SHEET

Have you ever had rice stuck on the bottom of a pot or stuff stuck to a casserole dish?  Instead of sitting there trying to scrub the stuff off here is an awesome tip!

Put a dryer sheet in the bottom and fill it with hot water.  Let it soak for just a short time and TADA.. it instantly is removed!! 

I promise I will post some recipes soon.  I just have been taking it easy since I have been in the United States but soon I will get some stuff up!  Until then I will leave you with some tips!

An oldie but a goodie

Hello,

Doris here. I promised my lovely friend Melissa that I would post some recipes while she is away in the good old land of the USA! I haven't had time to get blogs together and get my pics uploaded. I do have some ideas I'd love to share with you all. Chicken tortilla soup, Pollo guisado (chicken stew latin style). Hilachas which is also good old Guatemalan comfort food, Finally eventually some colorful easy and fun to make rainbow cupcakes. But for now. Since I thought we were looking a bit lonely over here on our Kitchens to Yours ... A previously posted recipe from my regular blog.

It isn't the fanciest of dishes but it's pretty easy to throw together and most of the ingredients I think lots of you may have in your pantry already. I also would suggest to substitute the pasta I choose for any pasta noodle you like of have on hand. Sauce as well make your own or use up that left over jar of regular tomato sauce and just add some spices.

so without further adieu.

Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza Casserole

-1 (19 oz) package sweet, mild or hot Italian sausage
-1/2 pound rotini twists ( or elbow macaroni, bow tie, penne etc.) although I prolly wouldn't use long noodles
-1 jar of your favorite spagetti sauce or home made ( I prefer Bertolli Fire roasted garlic sauce) yummy
-1 (2 oz) package sliced pepperoni
-1 bell pepper diced or chopped its up too you =P
-1 small onion diced
-1 cup shredded four cheese blend
-2-3 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp olive oil
- salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano on hand as well
-parmesean cheese to sprinkle when served
and a casserole dish

(feel free to add any other veggies you like such as mushrooms, olives, tomatoes ...etc ...)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees or those of you in Italy to 200 C. Start off with a non stick skillet. Add olive oil to the pan over a medium heat. Add the onion , bell pepper, and garlic. (also add any other veggies at this point that you are throwing in.) Use salt, pepper, garlic powder to your desired zestyness! Take sausage and add it to your pan. I just took the sausage and squeezed it over the pan and out of the casing for a ground meat effect. You can dice it up if you like and cook it that way. Cook until your sausage is no longer pink. Set aside.

Cook your pasta per your package instructions ... or just throw it in some boiling water with a pinch of salt and a splash of olive oil hehe ... ( oh and please multi task ..you can have this going while you were chopping up veggies hehe ) Drain pasta ..set aside

Take your casserole dish , Jar of Sauce , cheese and pepperoni and the stuff you just cooked and assemble.

Basically you jsut throw it all in your dish and mix it up good ..hehe ... top it with cheese and a few pepperoni's and sprinkle with a bit of oregano.. bake for about 20 mins.

Voila it should look like something like this....




serve nice and hot ...you can have a little side salad and a piece of crusty bread ... ahh ..you really can't go wrong with pasta and cheese lol.



It's pretty good..I think most people will enjoy this and it only took about 35 mins from start to finish.

Italian Beef Sandwiches

I have seen many different recipes for this type of sandwich, so I decided to take a little bit from a few different ones. Mainly from the magazine Better Homes and Gardens Slow- Cooker Favorites. Then I added a few extra things to make it my own!  These sandwiches melt in your mouth.  You cook this in the slow cooker and I think the meat is the most tender meat ever when cooked this way!  My husband, Curtis, absolutely LOVES these! Plus, who doesn't love a recipe that is easy!  I hope you all enjoy them as much as we do!

Italian Beef Sandwiches

Adapted from Slow-Cooker Favorites Magazine, Recipezaar.com, and Allrecipes.com

1 1/2  cups of beef broth

1        3-4 pound boneless  beef chuck roast, sirloin, or rump roast---I always use a rump roast for this

2        0.7 packages of dry Italian-style dry salad dressing mix -- ( Good Seasons is what I use)

2        teaspoons Italian seasoning, crushed

1        teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/2     teaspoon crushed red pepper (we like things hot so I use 1 full teaspoon)

1/2     jar of either mild or hot banana pepper rings, both the peppers and the juice

1       fresh red pepper sliced

some type of crusty rolls - the base has fresh breads everyday and I usually get sandwich baguette rolls or toasted kaiser rolls

cheese slices.. we like pepperjack or provolone

Combine beef broth with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salad dressing mix, crushed red pepper, banana pepper rings and juice of banana pepper rings.  Whisk to combine

Put roast in slow cooker and cover with salad dressing broth mixture.  Cover, and cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 10-12.

When finished, remove beef and transfer to a cutting board.  Shred beef using 2 forks to pull all the meat apart.  Add meat back to the liquid and add the red pepper strips.  Cook for an additional 30 minutes on low.

Add the meat to your toasted bread and add cheese!  We then pop them open faced in the broiler for a few minutes to let the cheese melt and add a little mayo.  Serve with a side of the juice for dipping! YUMMY!  I promise you will fall in love with these tender, tasty sandwiches! 

Tequila Chicken Soup

This soup is pretty good but I am still trying to decide what else it needs!  So, I would use this as the base and go from there!  Let me know if you add anything else to kick it up a notch as Emeril would say!  I use the slow cooker for this soup!  Curtis said the chicken was very moist and I think he would have just ate the chicken without the liquid!

Crockpot Recipe for Tequila Chicken Soup

 1 small onion, cut into 8 wedges ( I cut mine a little smaller)

1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, undrained  (Rotel-mild)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus additional for garnish
1 whole fryer chicken (about 3.5 pounds), cut into quarters
2 cups chicken broth (which is a big can such as Swanson not the Campbell size)
3 tablespoons tequila
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon of cumin

1. Spread onions on bottom of 5-6 quart crock pot
slow cooker.  Add corn, tomatoes, garlic and 2 tablespoons cilantro.  Mix well to combine.  Place chicken on top of tomato mixture.
2. Combine broth and tequila in medium bowl.  Pour over chicken and tomato mixture.  Cover; cook on low to 8-10 hours.
3. Transfer chicken to cutting board.  Remove skin and bones.  Pull meat apart with 2 forks into bite-size pieces.  Return chicken to crock pot and stir.
4. Serve with dollop of sour cream and garnish with cilantro.  I personally add a good bit of cilantro to give the soup more flavor
Makes 2 to 4 servings.

Enjoy!  Melissa

"CRUSTLESS QUICHE"

I say crustless because this type of quiche is not put into a pie crust but has a Bisquick crust mixed in with the filling!  I am not a fan of pie crust and my husband does not like it either so this works for us!  It is great for dinner or breakfast!!  I usually serve it with slow simmered yellow-stone grits!  You know the kind you cook in chicken broth and add cream to while shimmering!?  If you have never made grits that way you truly are missing out!  No instant grits in this house!

  On to the quiche whatever you want to call the thing..

My picture is not the best

CHEESY SAUSAGE BISQUICK "QUICHE"

(you may use bacon, crab, ham, cheddar, swiss, monterey jack,etc type of cheese and any type of veggie such as tomatoes, onions, spinach, etc.. the fillings are up to you!)

FILLING:

1 pound of ground  PORK sausage ( hot or mild)

1 c. of grated cheese (  I use cheddar or pepper jack)

1/2 can of Rotel or diced tomatoes, or 2 fresh diced tomatoes

LIQUID MIXTURE:

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. milk

3/4 c. Bisquick

salt/pepper

Cook sausage and drain.  ( It does not leave much grease so I just put it on a plate with a paper towel to soak up)

Mix sausage, cheese,and tomatoes( or other veggies)  if using them together.  Pour into a greased 10 inch pie pan.  Mix the milk,Bisquick,eggs and s/p together until lumps disappear.  You may do this in a blender if you wish.  Pour liquid mixture over other ingredients.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center is dry and top is golden brown. 

** if using something other than glass you may want to cook at 400 degrees**

Welcome... again!

Just wanted to let you know it will not just be us southern gals anymore!  Our friend Racheal will also be joining our team.

I will get some recipes up in the next few days.  I have a lot of tips I want to share to so I will do that tomorrow!

WELCOME

So, I (Melissa) have decided to start a blog for recipes and kitchen/household tips!  Cooking is something I love doing and I really enjoy trying new things!  So, this blog will have both recipes that I have made several times and ones that I have made maybe once or twice!  I will not be the only one posting on this blog.  I have asked two amazing friends here to add their recipes and tips too!  Doris and Michelle both know how to cook up something good!  I guess it is the southern in us gals! I can promise you that all 3 of our husbands will tell you that they enjoy meal time at our houses! Buon Appetite! Did I mention we are from SC and LA but are living in Italy?!  Yep, you can take the girl out of the south but you can't take the south out of the girl!

I will slowly be redesigning this blog.  I have another blog that I write, a 3 1/2 month old, a husband and house to take care of and friends to socialize with!