Lazy Lasagna

Lazy Lasagna

Frozen (or fresh if you prefer!) ravioli (I used both cheese and meat varieties)

left over spaghetti sauce (or canned)

cottage cheese 

eggs (beaten)

shredded mozzarella cheese

Spray a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Pour in a small amount of spaghetti sauce.

Lay out a layer of frozen ravioli in the sauce.

Mix together cottage cheese and eggs. (1 egg per cup of cottage cheese)

Pour a layer of this mixture over the ravioli.

Add a layer of spaghetti sauce.

Repeat layers.

Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake @ 300-325* for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until hot and bubbling.

This will cook more quickly if the ravioli is fresh or thawed.

I am claiming to have invented this recipe... I was looking to empty the freezer of on-hand items and had a few ravioli in two bags- one of meat and one of cheese filled ravioli. I had leftover spaghetti sauce, and a half a carton of cottage cheese that was nearing its expiration date. Lasagna came to mind, so I went with it!

The beauty of this recipe over regular lasagna is that I can make a small casserole dish of it and serve it for one meal. With my regular lasagna recipe.. I need company!

Rosemary Chicken and Potatoes

Rosemary Chicken and Potatoes

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" strips (or 1 per person)

5 medium potatoes (or 1 1/4 per person)

olive oil

minced garlic

minced fresh rosemary (or dried)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Microwave the potatoes until done. Cut into cubes.

Saute the chicken breasts in olive oil until lightly browned.

Remove chicken from skillet, or push to one side.

Add potatoes and minced garlic to oil in skillet. Allow to brown, then turn. Add rosemary, and return chicken to skillet. Brown potatoes and turn again. When potatoes are nicely browned, it is ready to serve.

Daniel thought it would be good to add the chicken to our tossed salad, serving the potatoes (and side dish of corn) separately. It was very tasty!

"Swiss Chicken Casserole"

Swiss Chicken Casserole

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1 can cream of chicken soup

4 oz. sour cream

6 oz. milk

4-6 slices swiss cheese

1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained

1 box chicken seasoned stuffing/ dressing crumbs

1/2 stick (2 oz.) butter, melted

* 1/2 cup french fried onion bits

Now, shall I present the recipe as I made it, or as we decided later it would of been better?

The original recipe:

Spray a casserole dish with cooking oil.

Place the thawed chicken beasts into the dish.

Lay a slice of swiss cheese over each.

Combine the milk, sour cream, and cream of chicken soup.

Pour over top of chicken.

Mix together the melted butter and the dry stuffing mix.

Layer over the soup mixture.

Bake @ 350* 50 minutes, or until the chicken is done.

*********

The guys all voted I NOT make this recipe again, though I thought it was very tasty. I had fully intended to add the * french fried onions to the stuffing mix, but forgot.

I had toyed with the idea of cubing the chicken breasts, rather than leaving them whole. Dan suggested this as we ate, both of us agreeing it would of improved the overall flavor of the meal.

It is VERY simple, and was pretty tasty. My boys tend to dislike swiss cheese and also sour cream in anything. If you like them, give this recipe a try! If you do choose to cube the chicken, the cooking time should be reduced!

Fried Okra with Parmesan

Fried Okra with Parmesan Cheese

1 bag of breaded Okra (we always use "Stillwell" brand, but whatever you prefer!)

(OR bread your own fresh sliced okra with some corn flour seasoned with salt. Simply toss the sliced fresh okra with the seasoned flour. You may use egg beaten with milk to dip the okra in before breading, if you like a heavy batter.)

Oil for deep frying

Grated Parmesan Cheese (I use it from the shaker can, feel free to use fresh!)

Soul seasoning (a blend of spicy seasoned salt... see my Essential Pantry List)

Heat the oil. When hot, deep fry the okra. When it is golden brown, remove from oil. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle immediatly with grated parmesan cheese and soul seasoning.

We had been eating some fried ravioli sprinkled with parmesan cheese, when I decided to fry up the okra while the oil was hot. The parmesan was on the paper towels, and some got on the okra. It was sooo tasty, we added more parmesan, and our new dish was born!

Brats with Sauteed Peppers and Onions

Not long ago, our old grill gave up the ghost... having lived a long and happy life of about four and a half years. Today we got a new one!

We broke it in with grilled brats.

Beer brats are our favorite. Cheese brats are also good.

Grill them until they are nice and browned!

Meanwhile, in a small amount of olive oil, sautee a slivered sweet onion and some bell pepper strips. I prefer red, yellow, and orange bell peppers, but at $2 each, that isn't happening! Green peppers are fine!

Serve on hot dog buns or regular bread. Garnish with mustard, dill relish, sauerkraut... any topping you like!

Salmon Patties

I haven't forgotten I have a food blog here. We just tend to eat so much of the same-old same old stuff, I seldom have anything new to post. I haven't made Salmon Patties in awhile... and after reviewing we had had chicken/ pizza /bby beef/ chicken /beef tips/ chicken/ pizza/ chicken .... I was looking for something else!

Mr C had been on a diet for awhile, and one of the staples was the small pouches of albacore tuna, or salmon. He went off the diet, and I had quite a few packets of salmon in the cupboard. These patties are so fast and easy to fix, I recommend getting your side dishes ready before you even START these.

Salmon Patties

4 (2.6 oz) packets of salmon

15 crushed Ritz Roasted Vegetable Crackers

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup minced onion

1/3 cup minced bell pepper (I had yellow, red, and green chopped- in the freezer)

1 teaspoon lemon juice (and some lemon zest if you use fresh lemon)

1 tablespoon  (to taste)Tabasco brand chipotle pepper sauce

Mix ingredients well, allow to sit 5 minutes. Form into patties. They will be very soft!

Cook on lightly oiled skillet over medium heat, until lightly browned. Turn. Flatten slightly. Cook until lightly brown and set.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Makes about 7 patties.

Spinach Salad Soup

This is a recipe from my 3 year old son Tyrel.

First, while Mama is occupied washing something (Kimber's hands maybe? I don't remember).  Start fixing your own salad from the ingredients that Mama has on the table for lunch. In this case, spinach for spinach salad. Once you have the right amount in your bowl, get the salad dressing (Vidalia Onion, yummy!) and fill you bowl so that the salad now resembles soup.

Just two simple ingredients, and almost no time at all!

So yes, Becky again.

Tyrel did that the other day. When I turned around and saw what he had done, I just mixed all of our salads into the dressing...and still had way too much, but it was tasty. :) Tyrel asked me why I was mixing all of our bowls of salad together, I told him that it was because he had got too much and I was redistributing so it didn't go to waste. He replied with "Yeah, I spilled it because I'm a boy and that's what boys do, right Mama?"

Where does he come up with these things?