Saturday, August 5, 2017

Food For Thought

Several weeks ago I started a long needed project - sorting through my binder of printed Pinterest recipes.  Binder is a loose term meaning a two inch, 3-ring binder that had been blown out to over six inches by my shoving anything into it that I've printed and cooked from Pinterest.  Some needed to be made into recipe cards, because I use the recipes frequently.  Some needed to be moved to my "I Cooked That" board and then posted here.  Some needed to be deleted and thrown away.  The long list that follows was the initial tip of the iceberg.

So if you need some ideas for your coming week's menu . . .


I really suck when it comes to side dishes. I'm just not imaginative, but I'm trying to work on it.  That's where these Cheesy Ranch Potatoes come in.  First it's potatoes and cheese.  YUM.  Second, it's super easy.  And they were super delicious.  I use this homemade dry Ranch seasoning.


I've made these Buttermilk Drop Biscuits in the past.  My usual go-to are these Butter Dip Biscuits (which have been made into a recipe card.)  But when a light, fluffy, stand-alone biscuit is what you want, these will fit the bill.  These are also great as a shortcake base.


I made these Angel Food Cake Trifles with Cheesecake Topping and Blueberry Sauce for a gathering of some sort.  The "what for" escapes me at the moment, but they were great!  This would work as a large Triffle, as well as individuals.  The number you get will depend on the number of layers and how big your cups are.  I got servings for 10 and each serving was plenty.


We made this Grilled Stuffed Braciole for the same special gather that I made the above desserts.  I made, or set up, the beef and filling, while hubby did the cooking honors.  It was really good - moist and well seasoned and the filling was delicious.  However, next time I'll use shredded cheese - the middle slices didn't melt as well, and probably use less of, and spread thinner, the remaining stuffing, to make it easier to slice.  The hardest thing was filleting the steak and trying to roll the whole thing up - hence the changes I'll make.


Rice is kind of a "duh" side dish, but sometimes it's just right.  So is this Coconut Rice Take 2.  It's just right.


It's summer, so anything I can do to not turn on the oven or stove and I'm happy to try it out.  Such is the way we came to have this Crock Pot Cherry Delight for dessert.  Cherries, yummy cake-iness.  No oven.  It was all good.


This Oreo Cheesecake Brownie Trifle was also made for a gathering.  Another one I don't remember; we've hosted quite a few this summer.  It was really good.  Creamy and cool and Oreo-y.  The brownie base alone is worth it.  If memory serves, there was nothing left over.


I've made this Crispy Potato Pancake for a number of sides.  It's great for breakfast.  It's great with tomato soup.  It's great as a side to steak, with a dollop of sour cream.


To tell you how long I've had this Chocolate, Cranberry & Oat Bars sitting around, I'd have to tell you that I make them during the school year for on-the-go breakfasts.  So we'll just cut to the chase and say they are great for on-the-go mornings.  Chewy, chocolatey with that bit of cranberry (I've also used dried cherries, but you could substitute any dried fruit) and filling because of the oats.


I love Pretzel Buns - there's just something about the soft, dense dough.  So when I found out how easy they were - well, there are a few steps, but they are all easy - I had to try them at home.  These Pretzle Hot Dog Buns I won't do on a hot summer afternoon, but cool mornings and definitely in the fall and winter they're made all the time.  They are great as is or toasted.  Shape them to fit sandwiches or sausages.


These Vanilla Cherry Chocolate Cookies are a quick, delicious and easy dessert - even if the kitchen is already hot.


Hubby made a run to the liquor store for this Cherry Chiller drink.  My husband loved it.  Me . . . eh.  I didn't like the earthy flavor of the Reposado tequila, though the rest of the drink was bright.  I'd try it with a different tequila next time.

Happy Saturday (aka Menu Planning)

Lori

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