Make It Yourself Monday

***This was supposed to post yesterday but I didn't double check it and so it's a day late. Sorry!***


So I'm bringing back Make It Yourself Monday...at least I'm going to try. Can't blame a girl for trying right? Ok for this installation I am going to post a recipe that I tried last night. I pulled a generic stuffed pasta recipe off the web and it sounded a bit bland and had no veggies in it so with a little magic we have a recipe that will stay in my recipe binder.

May I present to you the Old Battle Axe's Stuffed Pasta Shells. I know - I know this plating is amazing. Gordon Ramsay would declare me The MasterChef (my second favorite show - my first is this) if he saw this. Watch out Lynn you ain't got nothin' on me. It kind of looks like dook on a plate but trust me it is super tasty. 

Ingredients: 

1 large box of jumbo pasta shells

1lb ground beef

1lb sweet italian sausage

1lb spicy italian sausage

1 yellow onion - diced

2 cloves garlic

10 oz frozen or fresh spinach chopped finely (if frozen make sure to thaw and squeeze out extra water)

1 small can of diced black olives

1/2c. seasoned bread crumbs

1 egg beaten

2 jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce ( I used tomato basil)

3 - 4 cups or so of shredded mozzarella

1/2c. parmesan cheese

1Tbspn parsley flakes

1. You can either crock pot this meal or cook it in the oven. If you cook it in the oven preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a lasagna dish. If not get your crock pot out and lightly grease sides with some olive oil. Get a large pot out and boil the water for the pasta. Cook pasta according to directions. Rinse and set the shells aside on a plate or cutting board. You don't want the pasta shells to stick together. 

2. Brown all the meat on medium heat and use your spoon to chop into small pieces. Drain and place 1/2 of the meat in a container for later date (I usually brown twice the meat I need and freeze the second half for later in the week for another recipe - bolognese, spaghetti, any easy to make italian meal). 

3. Throw in your onions and stir well. Once onions are translucent go ahead and throw in the garlic, bread crumbs, parsley flakes, olives, spinach, and lastly the egg. Take off the heat and set it next to the crock pot. I then add  about 1 cup of cheese and mix well. If you're dairy free, make sure to scoop out about 1.5 cups of meat before you mix the cheese in and set aside. 

4. Open both jars of sauce and set aside next to crock pot. I place all my shredded mozzarella in a bowl next to my crock pot. The idea is to have everything ready next to the crock pot because once you start stuffing the shells your hands get really dirty. 

5. Place a thin layer of sauce in your crock pot or lasagna dish. Stuff shells with meat mixture and make a single layer in the crockpot or lasagna dish. Place some sauce on top and a layer of cheese. I then go ahead and stuff more shells making a second layer. Then topping that with sauce and cheese. Do this until you run out of shells and sauce. Since I'm the only one that is dairy free in my family - I made a dairy free side  for me and a cheese side for the rest. 

6. If you're baking in the oven - cook for 30 minutes. If you're cooking in the crock pot - either low heat for 4-6 hours or high heat for 2 hours. 

This is an easy meal that can be frozen also. Next time I make this, I'm going to make one for the freezer in my foil lined lasagna dish. You can also add extra veggies like mushrooms, carrots, or celery - all diced. 

Hope you enjoy the recipe. Hope it makes sense. If you have any questions please leave a comment and I'll try to answer it. 

Make It Yourself Monday!

I am currently making these for my daughter. I am saving half for myself and cutting the other half for my monkey.

Baby Banana Bread Sticks

10 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon butter
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large bananas)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 9 1/4 by 5 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan with 1 teaspoon of the butter.

Puree the bananas, sour cream, eggs and vanilla in a food processor.

Sift the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fixed with a whisk attachment. Add the remaining 10 tablespoons butter and mix on medium-low speed until blended, about 30 seconds. Add the banana mixture in 3 batches, scraping the sides of the bowl and mixing on medium speed between each addition. Fold in the nuts.

Pour into the loaf pan. Bake until lightly browned and bread bounces back to the touch, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, cut into sticks. Spread sticks out on a cookie sheet and bake at 150 degrees F for 1 hour or longer until the sticks are hard and crunchy. Store in a tightly covered container.

Make It Yourself Monday

Ahhh another week. Today is a fresh new day and I feel like making some bread. My favorite bread to make is Challah (pronounced Hallah) bread. Here is a recipe yo try this week!

Bistro Challah Bread Recipe Courtesy of Caprial Pence Show: Cooking Live Episode: Caprial Pence

4 teaspoons active dry yeast 1/3 cup sugar 1 cup warm water (about 110 degrees) 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 3 eggs 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 cups flour 1 tablespoon salt Place the yeast, sugar and warm water in a mixing bowl. Stir and let stand for about 10 minutes, until creamy and foamy. Add the melted butter and eggs and mix well.Combine the flour with the salt. Add it to the yeast mixture, 1 or 2 cups at a time, until it forms a soft dough. Place the dough on a well-floured board and knead until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place the dough in a large, well-greased bowl, then flip the dough over to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let stand in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Punch the dough down, form it into a loaf and place in a greased loaf pan. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool before slicing. I myself like to bread the Challah bread. It comes out looking beautiful. While I haven't done the 5 strade bread - I usually do the 3. Next time, with the help of this video, I will do the five strand. I also combine one egg white with 3 tablespoons of water and brush the top of the bread before I put it into the over to get a beautiful crust on top.

Make It Yourself Monday!

Ladies and Gentlemen it is Monday again and we are going to make something new. Since I have had to cut my tomatoes before they were ripe due to wind damage and rotting, we shall eat Fried Green Tomatoes. I found this recipe on Food Network.com
It seems to be mighty tasty doesn't it?

I have always wanted to cook this since I saw the movie Fried Green Tomatoes with Mary Loiuse Parker and Kathy Bates. So I am finally doing it - more than 10 years late but better late than never. Did you like that movie? I can't remember if that movie was any good or not. Guess I will have to watch it again.

Again Sorry I have been out of the loop for so long. I am back now and can't wait to make this recipe. Let me know if you try it and what you think. I will post my thoughts tomorrow.



Crunchy Fried Green Tomatoes with Fresh Tomato Salsa

2 pounds green (unripe) tomatoes (about 4 medium)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
5 cups cornflakes (about 6 ounces)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Accompaniment: fresh tomato salsa, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut tomatoes into 12 (1/2-inch thick) slices. In a shallow bowl, whisk together flour, salt, sugar, and cayenne. In another shallow bowl, whisk together egg and milk. In a third shallow bowl, coarsely crush corn flakes with hands. Working with 1 tomato slice at a time, dredge in flour, shaking off excess, and dip in egg, letting excess drip off. Coat slices with corn flakes, pressing them to adhere, and arrange slices in 1 layer on a baking sheet.

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat until foam subsides and fry 3 tomato slices until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. (Be careful not to let coating burn.) Transfer tomatoes to paper towels to drain. Fry remaining tomato slices in remaining butter and oil in same manner. On another baking sheet arrange drained tomato slices in 1 layer. Bake tomatoes in middle of oven until tender and hot, about 4 minutes.

Serve tomatoes topped with salsa.

Make It Yourself Monday -

Here we are again - another Monday. I hope the weekend went well for everyone. At our house we were catching up on some much needed sleep and trying to veg out as much as possible.

So on to Make It Yourself Monday. Since we did a recipe last Monday today we will try something crafty. I stumbled upon Craftbits.com. It is a great source for home-made projects that anyone can do. Today I am pulling off of their list and we are going to make Dammit Dolls. Since I don't have pictures of the dolls I have made and given away to someone in need - we will use theirs.

What you will need:

Calico or felt
Wool or doll hair
Toy filling or rice
Sewing machine or hand sew
Felt pens or embroidery thread

These dolls are great fun and a funny gift. They will help relieve the stress of your loved ones and put a smile back on their face in no time. You can squeeze, throw, or hit the doll to relieve all your worries.

1. Take your felt and draw a doll shape onto it - you can use the shape below. It doesn't have to be perfect. Now cut that shape out.

2. Hand sew or sew with a sewing machine the two pieces together. If you want to use rice - it would be best if you used a sewing machine so you don't have pieces of rice flying around. Leave a two inch opening somewhere so you can turn the doll inside out ( use a dull pencil or the end of scissors to get all the edges out)- or if you like the look of the stitching - leave as is.

3. Through the opening fill with - cotton balls, rice, doll stuffing, or a mixture of two. Something to give the doll shape and form. If you would like to add some dried lavender flowers that would be great so when you or your loved one is whacking the doll on the desk puffs of lavender will come out to help aid in your relaxation.

4. Now hand stitch the opening closed using a back stitch to ensure nothing will come out. Add some facial features, hair with yarn, clothes, a bow, or whatever kind of decorations you can think of and viola! You have yourself a Dammit Doll.

Make It Yourself Monday - Chicken Buk Choy Soup

Today I am starting a weekly project. Every Monday I will post something online that you viewers can make yourself. It could be food, crafts, soaps, lotions, anything. I will start out simple and try to post easy instructions and when I can, post pictures.

Today's Make It Yourself Monday is about food. The weather is a little dreary today and I am not feeling all that great so I am going to make Chicken Buk Choy Soup. It is my favorite Asian Chicken Soup so far. It warms be up and tantalizes my taste buds. The base of this recipe comes from the book The Chinese Kitchen by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo. I have adjusted only a few things here for my family. If you are looking for a great Chinese cook book- this is the book to buy.

For the Marinade:
2 tpsns Soy sauce - I like Dark soy
2 tspns Oyster sauce
1 tspn Grated ginger mixed with 2 tspns gin
1 tspn Sesame oil
1 1/4 tspn Suger
1 tspn Salt
pinch of Ground pepper
1 tblspn Cornstarch

3/4 Lean skinless boneless chicken breasts cut into 2 inch strips
5 Cups Chicken Broth
One 1 -inch think slice of ginger smashed to release flavor
1 Bunch Bok Choy cleaned separated and cut into 1/4 slices
2 Tblspns peanut oil

In a large bowl combine the marinade ingredients and all chicken. Let sit for at least 15 minutes or longer

Place broth and ginger in large pot, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add Buk Choy stalks, stir, and return to a boil. Lower heat to medium and cook 5 minutes until stalks become tender. Turn heat back up to high and add the leaves, stir, and return to a boil, cook for 2 more minutes. Add chicken and marinade, stir to separate slices. Return to a boil, add gin, and stir well. Add peanut oil, stir. Turn off the heat and stir. Serves 6