Document Our Nightly Dinners to Cut Down Spending

Broccoli Frittata

• 4 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups frozen broccoli florets, steamed and well drained
• 1 cup chopped plum tomatoes, drained
• 1-1/2 cups coarse toasted bread crumbs
• 10 eggs, beaten
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup grated Havarti cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a heavy skillet, melt 2 Tbsp. butter in 2 Tbsp. olive oil until slightly foamy. Add garlic and broccoli and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until garlic is fragrant. Add bread crumbs and cook and stir 2-3 minutes longer. Set aside.

In another oven proof skillet, melt remaining 2 Tbsp. butter over medium heat and spread to coat bottom of pan. Season eggs with salt and pepper and pour into skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, then top with vegetable bread crumb mixture, tomatoes, and Havarti cheese. Stir gently, then transfer pan to oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes until eggs are set and beginning to brown. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Marinated Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 2 cups honeydew melon balls
• 2 cups cantaloupe melon balls
• 2 nectarines, sliced
• 2 cups halved strawberries
• 1 cup blueberries

Preparation:
Combine honey and water in small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add lemon and orange juices and cool completely. Place all fruits in large bowl and pour cooled marinade over all. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Bread Sticks were from a refrigerated roll. Baked on 350 for 14 minutes.

Crockpot Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 large onions, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 10 oz. pkg. frozen corn
• 2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup picante or taco sauce

Preparation:
In a heavy skillet, saute onions in the olive oil until tender, stirring frequently. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes longer. Add cumin and cayenne pepper, and whatever other spices you might like. Cook for two minutes longer.

Mix all ingredients into a 4-5 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low about 10 hours. Serves 8-10

Carrot Pineapple Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 8-oz. can crushed pineapple, well drained, reserving juice
• 2 carrots, coarsely grated

Preparation:

In large bowl, sprinkle gelatin over reserved pineapple juice and let stand 2-3 minutes. Then pour sugar and salt on top of gelatin. Pour boiling water over all and stir until sugar and gelatin are dissolved. Add lemon juice and stir to blend. Add pecans, pineapple, and grated carrot. Pour into 8” square glass baking dish. Cover and chill 4 hours until firm. Cut into squares to serve and top with a bit of mayonnaise.

Cheese Crackers

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. dried chives

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, combine butter and cheese. Mix together until well blended. Add flour, salt and chives to butter mixture and mix until blended. Form dough into 1” balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten balls using the bottom of a drinking glass. Prick each cracker several times with a fork. Bake crackers at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes until very lightly browned around the edges. Remove to a wire rack and cool.

Ranch Chicken Loaf

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup ranch-flavored tortilla chip crumbs
• 3 Tbsp. salsa
• 2 Tbsp. ranch-flavored salad dressing
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1 lb. ground chicken

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, tortilla chip crumbs, salsa, salad dressing, chili powder, and cumin. Add chicken and mix gently but thoroughly. Shape into loaf on slotted baking pan or broiler pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour, until internal temperature registers 175 degrees F. Cover with foil and let stand for 10 minutes. Slice and serve with sour cream and more salsa.

Asparagus

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. asparagus
• water to cover
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• dash white pepper

Preparation:

Wash asparagus and trim ends by snapping them. The asparagus will break at the point between the tender tips and the tougher ends. Place in wide shallow saucepan and cover with cold water by 1/2”. Place on high heat and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and simmer for 5-6 minutes until asparagus is bright green and just crisp-tender. Drain thoroughly and return to pan; add butter. Heat over low heat until butter melts and coats asparagus.

Tortellini with Edamame and Smoked Sausage

Ingredients

• 1 pound frozen cheese tortellini
• 1 cup shelled edamame
• 1 cup diced red pepper
• 1 pound smoked sausage
• 1/2 cup Italian dressing

Directions

• Set 6 quarts of salted water to boil in a large pot.
• Meanwhile, chop red pepper and slice the smoked sausage into 1/4 inch-thick rounds.
• Stir-fry red pepper and sausage together until heated through—about 5 minutes.
• Add tortellini to boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add edamame to water and boil for another 2 minutes. Drain tortellini and edamame well.
• Toss everything together with the Italian dressing and heat through one final time.

Baked Fish, cream cheese wantons, and house salad.
I baked each piece of fish individually wrapped in tinfoil with 2 TBS salsa on 400 for 15 min. For wantons I used pre made wanton wraps, put a dab of cream cheese in the middle, folded and deep fried them. The Salad was left over from lunch.

Grandpa brought pizza over for dinner tonight.

A tasty chicken casserole recipe made with packaged long grain and wild rice, along with seasonings, mushrooms, and chopped vegetables.

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 chicken breast halves
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup dry white wine or sherry
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 medium onion, quartered and sliced
• 2 ribs celery, sliced
• 12 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 package (6 ounces) Uncle Ben’s Long Grain and Wild Rice
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 1/2 cup slivered blanched almonds

PREPARATION:
Put chicken breast halves in a large skillet with water, wine, salt, pepper, curry powder, onion, and celery. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Remove from heat and strain, reserving the broth. When cooled enough to handle, remove meat from bones, discarding skin. Cut into bite-size pieces.

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat; saute mushrooms until lightly browned.

Cook rice mixture with seasonings according to package directions, using the reserved broth as part of the liquid for cooking the rice.

Combine chicken, mushrooms, and rice in a large 3-quart casserole. Combine sour cream and soup; blend into chicken and rice mixture. Top with the slivered almonds. Cover with lid or foil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes longer. Serves 8.

• 18 corn tortillas
• 2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1 1/2 c onion, chopped
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 cup sliced black olives
• 4 1/2 cups tomato sauce
• 2 cups water
• 2 TBS corn starch
• 3 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Cut tortillas into wedges. Fry meat and onion in a pan until done. Drain grease. Mix all ingredients into a large bowl. Put ito a large cake pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

• 2 strips of bacon
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup tomato, chopped
• 2 cups zucchini, sliced 1/4” thick
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 2 cups whole corn, drained

Fry bacon, remove from pan and set aside. Add onions and saute until soft. Add everything except the bacon and corn, cook until tender. Add in corn and cook until hot. Top with fried, crumbled bacon.

• 3 lbs chicken
• 2 TBS creamy peanut butter
• 2 TBS chocolate syrup
• 3 TBS Chili powder
• 1 c. tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup peas

Step 1: Wash chicken pieces and remove skin. Place in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove broth and add back 1 2/3 cup of broth to pot.

Step 2: Mix all except peas in pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook about 25 minutes. Add peas and cook 5 more minutes.

• 1 cup long grain rice
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 TBS parsley, chopped
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce

To make: Heat 2 TBS oil in a fry pan. Add rice, saute about 15 min. Add onion and garlic and saute until rice is golden brown. Add all other ingredients, mix, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 2 (6 oz) cans solid white tuna (well drained)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise (or use more if desired)
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 large celery rib (finely chopped)
• 2 green onions (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (finely chopped)
• seasoning salt (to taste)
• ground lemon pepper (to taste)
• 4 slices Sour Dough
• 4 tomato slices
• 4 slices Swiss cheese
• Butter (for cooking)

Step 1: In a bowl combine tuna fish, mayonnaise, lemon juice, celery rib, green onions, and parsley. Add seasoning salt and lemon or black pepper to taste, and mix well.

Step 2: Compile the sandwich by layering a slice of bread, then the tuna mixture, some Swiss cheese, then tomato’s followed by more Swiss cheese. Butter a slice of bread and lay it on top of the sandwich (butter side up).

Step 3: Heat your skillet or griddle on medium heat. Place the sandwiches butter side down into your skillet. Lightly butter the slice of bread that’s facing upwards. Cook for a few minutes until nicely browned (watch them so they don’t burn) and with a spatula flip sandwich over and cook on the other side until it’s browned. Remove from pan and serve immediately.