Friday, March 9, 2018

Food for Thought

So the key to catching up on recipes posts is to not menu plan for a couple weeks - no menu, no recipes.  No recipes, no posts to put up.  The downside would be is that you are perilously close to serving up Fruit Loops for dinner.


I'm pretty sure at some point I've posted this Barbecue Pork and Penne Skillet recipe, but in case I haven't, here you go.  We had pulled pork left over and this is an awesome use for it.  The Rotel gives it just enough spice but the sweetness of the BBQ sauce helps off-set that.

I wish there was a photo for these
Crispy-Topped Bacon and Green Onion Baked Beans but I couldn't find one anywhere.  I originally found this recipe after watching Rachel Ray back when she was on Food Network, but couldn't even find the recipe there.  Anyway, I love this version of baked beans - the bacon-y crumbs on top of the beans is amazing.  I use panko rather than regular bread crumbs - they're just crunchier.  I also enhance canned baked beans by adding brown sugar, mustard and onions.  Great anytime of year.



This is another recipe from Rachel Ray's Food Network show -Sloppy Joe DiMaggios.  I'm not a fan of sloppy joes, in general, but these are good.  These I'll eat.  I'm sure it's something about the spices that I prefer.  They are great for feeding a crowd.  I used only one pound of beef, because I didn't read the recipe before thawing, and I can tell you one pound, plus the hot dogs, served 10 people.  I have no idea what a serving using the two pounds would look like.  Crazy big, would be my guess.


We had leftover dinner rolls from another gathering, so looked up more sliders and the winner was these Hot Italian Sliders.  I didn't have roasted peppers so I used tomatoes instead.  Otherwise, what can I say.  Sliders.  Meaty.  Cheesy.  Crisped up butter rolls.


Crock-Pot Mexican Casserole as yummy as it looks.  Beef, quinoa and spices underneath and all gooey on top, though I left the cheese off to serve on the side.


Yes, I played with another chocolate chip cookie recipe and this Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies my family didn't question as much as last week's.  Maybe it was the caramel bits.  Maybe it was the bit of salt on top.  Whatever it was they wanted more!


I was drawn to these Bourbon Bacon Roast Beef Sliders because of the whole "bourbon" part.  Holy cow these were good.  There's a link to the whiskey candied bacon with the recipe.  I cooked it on a rack, instead of flat on the pan, and I chopped the finished bacon instead of using strips.  I like that, you got bits of the bacon in each bite.   


I finally broke down and bought and Instant Pot.  I kinda had to - it was at Kohl's, on sale, plus I had another 30% off, and $10 more savings for buying something for the house, so it was like I had to get it.  These Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches were the first thing I made in it, and I have a feeling it won't be the last.  They were so, so good!  And then you dipped them in the Au Jus and, well, over the top.  I used port instead of red wine, because I had it on hand.  I'm actually craving them now - but it's Friday.  I'll have to make do with eggs, fish and cheese.


I've said before baked oatmeal is the only kind of oatmeal I'll eat, outside a cookie that is.  This Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal a little more crumblier than my other recipes, but just as good.  Lots of chunky apples and bright bites of dried cranberries.  Perfect start to the morning that kept me filled until lunch.

Don't serve cereal for dinner - pick any of the above instead.

Happy Friday,

Lori


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