TheKitchenCookie

Do you ever get tired of the same old salads? This one is a little more unusual but just as delicious as the more common potato salad and others like it.   I was thinking about the time in the past when I was employed at a restaurant and about the food that the diners always raved about and this was one of the recipes they couldn't seem to get enough of. I never would have imagined that it could be good and remember being very surprised when I tasted it to find that I agreed with them!!   Very simple and a lot less time consuming than potato salad, woohoo! And I like that it's a little more out of the ordinary. :)   3 lbs. baby carrots 1 medium sized green pepper, sliced very thin 1 medium sized onion, sliced very thin   1 sm. can tomato soup 1 cup sugar ½ cup olive oil 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper ½ - 1 teaspoon dry mustard   Steam carrots till they are cr...

  If you like spicy and rice in the same dish this will make you happy. I have been enjoying this rice in a variety of ways for the last few weeks and I'm still not tired of it! I love the kick it gets from the red pepper flakes and the chipotle powder and the corn adds just a touch of sweet to it to mellow some of the spiciness. 1 cup Basmatti Rice 1 cup whole Kernel Corn 2 cups water 1½ Tablespoons Butter or Oil 2 teaspoons Dried Parsley Flakes 1 teaspoon Dry Onion Flakes 1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes 1 teaspoon Salt ½ teaspoon Turmeric ¼ teaspoon Chipotle Chili Powder Peperoncini Slices, optional   Place all ingredients except Peperoncini Slices in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Stir and reduce heat to simmer, covered, for 10-12 minutes. Fluff with a fork and enjoy. Makes approximately 4-5 cups.   I have enjoyed this rice in wraps, mixed with Fajita Chicken, Taco meat, in salads, or alone. I ha...

    Do you love Jalapenos? Bacon? Smoked Cheddar Cheese? Then these slightly sweet Pepper Poppers are for you!!   The amount of heat is up to you. Whether you leave in the seeds or take them all out. If you keep them in you will want something cold to drink right after eating one, but in my opinion they are best with most of the seeds in. I like them spicy!   2/3 cup smoked cheddar cheese, shredded 3 Tablespoons Bacon Bits  ¾ cup cream cheese, softened 2 teaspoons brown sugar 1 Tablespoon horseradish ½ teaspoon dried onion flakes Freshly Cracked Black Pepper 12-15 Jalapenos, halved bacon strips for wrapping   In a bowl combine the first 6 ingredients and mix well.   Slice peppers in half (wear gloves) and take out the seeds you don't want and discard.   Stuff the peppers with the cream cheese mixture and wrap with a piece of bacon. Secure with a toothpick. I trimmed a lot of the fat off of the bacon so it...

Brussel Sprouts have always intrigued me and I usually just steamed them and added butter, salt and pepper. They were okay that way but I was never quite satisfied. Yesterday I tried them roasted with White Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil. Much better. Much better! I enjoy the White Balsamic more than the dark because it has a lighter flavor but it was still a bit more tart than I wanted it but I didn't want to ruin it with sugar so I gave it a sprinkle of Stevia and it was just right. Did you know that all Stevia is not created equal? I didn't until my MIL told me so I checked it out. Wow, the real stuff is kind of pricey but it will last long. It takes very little to be effective! 1 lb. Brussel Sprouts, trimmed and quartered (stem and outer leaves and any bruised ones removed) 2 Shallots, sliced thin and separated into rings 2 Tablespoons White Balsamic Vinegar 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil Stevia 1 Tablespoon Homemade Bacon Bits Fresh Ground Sea Salt and Pepper...

    For an easy but flavorful vegetable side dish, these carrots hit the spot. They are also a handy dish for a   potluck . They can be parboiled and cooled in ice water to stop the cooking process the day before the potluck then placed into a crockpot (with the seasonings) on low for several hours the day of. Perfect too for a Sunday morning if you plan to host guests for lunch and want to avoid that last minute rush. Hope you enjoy them!   2½ lbs. fresh baby carrots 1 stick butter ½ cup brown sugar 2 envelopes Ranch Dressing mix or 3-4 Tablespoons Sour Cream and Onion Powder, (can be purchased at bulk food stores)   Cook carrots in a small amount of water until they are crisp-tender. Drain and set aside. Melt butter and combine with brown sugar and dressing mix. Add the carrots and cook and stir over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes or until glazed.   Have a lovely day! ♥Blessings!♥  

When my Mom would make filled eggs when I was young they were often colored with red beet juice to give them a nice color just like this. It was also a job she often gave me as a preteen working in the kitchen. While we enjoy them just plain, this time my memory called for something from the past.☺ I made these a while ago with my new favorite crush. Vidalia Onion Vinaigrette for salads. Have you tasted it yet? You must! It's the best! It adds a lovely flavor to these yummy eggs. Ingredients: 1 dozen hard boiled eggs, peeled, halved, and yolks removed Red Beets in their own juice ¼ cup mayonnaise 1 Tablespoon Vidalia Onion Vinaigrette 1 Tablespoon Sugar 1 teaspoon salt Cover peeled eggs with red beets and juice. Allow to marinate for several hours. Just long enough to give them color on the outside. Cut in half, I used a Pampered Chef Crinkle Cutter. Gently remove yolks and place into a small, shallow bowl. Mash with a fork. Add the other ...

For the last few years I've been buying preseasoned dry pilaf mix in the bulk food section of the local grocery store which I really enjoyed. I thought it would be fun to recreate it from scratch but never really took the time till recently I found a similar recipe at WholeFoodsMarket.com. It tastes just like the mix that I buy and I have the satisfaction of knowing exactly what's in it. ☺ I changed a few ingredients of the recipe to suit my tastes and was happy with the end result. I hope you enjoy it too! Ingredients: 2 Tablespoons light olive oil 1 small onion, diced ½ cup button mushrooms, halved  then sliced thin 2 cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup celery, chopped ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped 1 teaspoon each dried thyme and rosemary 2 cups brown and wild rice mixed 4 cups vegetable broth diced baby carrot, enough to add color diced red bell pepper, enough to add color In a large pot (I used my dutch oven), heat the olive and saute the ...

I don't make mashed potatoes very often for various reasons but when I do they are the very traditional ones I grew up eating as a child with butter, milk, salt and pepper being the main ingredients added. This particular night I decided it's time for a change so I put them through a potato ricer instead of mashing them and added freshly crushed garlic and fresh chives for a different flavor. It was a nice change from our usual ones. I served them with the Delicious Pot Roast . I also used some of the rich broth from the roast to make a delicious gravy for them. They were so yummy! 3½ lbs. Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and quartered 2 garlic cloves, crushed 4 Tablespoons soft butter 1-1½ cups sour cream fresh chives sea salt freshly cracked pepper In a medium sized saucepan, cover the potatoes with water and cook until soft. Drain and press through a potato ricer. Add the butter and seasonings and stir until butter is melted. Add the sour cream and f...

Aaahhhh Grilling Season is Here!! Or at least very much around the corner! I am very happy about this!! Now I can add new flavors to our meals and eat outside, well soon anyway. Today I knew it was supposed to be a little warmer than it has been for a while, not balmy but warmer at least, and I've been hankering for these yummy bites of grilled deliciousness so I wrapped them up and grilled them along side of some Italian Sausages that we had for our lunch as well. Loved every bite I had too! Most of the children eat these but I have one whose tastebuds continue to challenge me to find ways of pleasing them.☺ I don't worry too much though because at his age I was a picky eater and my food wasn't even allowed to touch on my plate! Goodness! one would never suspect that now! All this to say I think he'll come around if I give him time.                         ...