tatertots pie

This recipe was passed down to me from my mother. Its been in our family for years and Everyone really enjoys it!! It is very kid friendly and most "big kids" enjoy it too! :))

2 lbs. extra lean ground beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 16oz Sour Cream
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (or more!)
1 pack frozen tatter tots

Preheat Oven For 350 degrees. Grease 13x9 inch pan. Layer the beef on the bottom of the pan, set aside. In a med mixing bowl add sour cream and mushroom soup and mix well. Then layer the mixture on top of the beef, then add cheese. Top with tatter tots. Bake covered for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer, adding extra cheese here if desired. Once cheese is melted you will have One fabulous meal Everyone will enjoy!

the best shrimp cocktail!

Note: The shrimp and sauce may be made up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate. If you can't find shrimp that are de-veined, simply cut through the top of the shell along the vein line (leaving the shell on the shrimp), and remove and discard the vein.

Ingredients

Shrimp:
• 2 pounds deveined, shell-on jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons peppercorns
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 8 (2-inch) strips lemon peel plus 1/4 cup juice, from 2 lemons (reserve the lemon halves that have been juiced)
• 8 cups ice
Cocktail Sauce:
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Combine the shrimp, 4 cups cold water, salt, thyme, peppercorns, bay leaves and celery seeds in a large pot. Cook the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring every so often, until the water registers 170 degrees and the shrimp are just beginning to turn pink, 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Remove the pot from the heat and add the lemon peels, juice and lemon halves that have already been juiced. Cover the pot and let the mixture sit until the shrimp are completely pink and firm, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir the ice into the pot and let the shrimp cool completely, about 5 minutes. Drain the water and peel the shrimp, leaving the tails intact. Refrigerate the shrimp up to 24 hours until ready to serve.
3. For the cocktail sauce, whisk all the ingredients together until combined. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve with the shrimp.

Hawaiian Teriyaki Bowl with Coconut rice and red beans

This recipe is killer for a quick weeknight meal, especially if you have lots of vegetables in your fridge that need to be eaten! I found this yummy recipe on Fav Family recipes. I LOVE coconut rice, and I'm always looking for new recipes to try--this one was a HIT! The rice alone is delicious!

Ingredients:5 chicken tenders or 2-3 chicken breasts

Vegetables in your fridge (carrots, snap peas, broccoli, zucchini, celery etc.)

Coconut rice with red beans (recipe below)

Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce (recipe below)

Olive Oil

Directions:Season chicken with a little salt and pepper and grill chicken tenders in a skillet on medium heat. When the chicken tenders are almost cooked through, sprinkle a large spoonful of the spicy Hawaiian teriyaki sauce over them and continue cooking until no longer pink.

In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 tbs. olive oil. Add vegetables and saute on med/high heat for 2-3 minutes.

Serve: Put vegetables on top of the coconut rice, and top with grilled chicken. Drizzle sauce over everything.

Hawaiian Coconut Rice with Red Beans

Ingredients:

 2 c. long grain white rice

2 1/2 c. water

1 (14oz) can coconut milk (about 1 1/2 c.)

1/2 Tbsp. sugar

1 can red beans, drained and rinsed

Combine all ingredients in a rice cooker. Gently stir it all together so the beans are all mixed. Place the lid on and start the rice cooker. Fluff rice with a fork before serving.

If you don't have a rice cooker... Combine water, coconut milk, and sugar in a saucepan. Stir in rice and beans. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 18 to 20 minutes, until rice is tender. 

Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce:

 3/4 c. Teriyaki sauce (Yoshida's brand is the best but any will do!)

1 tsp. soy sauce

2 tsp. chili garlic sauce

1 tsp. fresh ginger pinch of salt pinch of brown sugar

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

2 Tbsp. cold water

Combine teriyaki, soysauce, garlic sauce, ginger, salt, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Combine cornstarch and water and SLOWLY add to sauce for thickening. You want it to be slightly thicker than the Yoshida's sauce. Allow to simmer for about a minute. Cool to room temperature and serve with your rice bowls. If desired, add more Yoshida's to thicken it.

Garlic knots!!

Garlic Knots from LovetoCookYields 20 garlic knots

For the dough, I use the same ingredients as my pizza dough recipe, but I half the recipe.

1 c. warm water 

1/2 pkg. or 1/2 Tb yeast

 1/2 tsp. sugar

 1/2 tsp. salt 

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 1/4 – 2 1/2 c. flour 

Directions:Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let sit for a few minutes. Add the sugar.Combine the flour, garlic powder and salt in a separate bowl. Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture.Knead for 2-3 minutes and then let rest for 10 min.Take a small pinch of the dough and roll into a rope about 5 inches long and ½ inch thick. Tie the rope into a knot and place on greased baking sheet. Repeat until you have used up all the dough, and your baking sheet is full of dough knots.Let the dough rest in a warm place for 15 more minutes.

Preheat oven to 400° F. Bake for approx. 12-15 min. or until golden.While knots are baking, make garlic coating.

By mixing together the following ingredients:

Garlic Coating:

2 Tbs. Olive Oil

2 Tbs. Butter, melted

4 cloves Garlic, minced (or 1+ Tbs garlic powder)

3 Tbs. Parsley

1 Tbs. Italian Seasoning

Sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, if desired

After removing knots from oven, while still warm, either brush with garlic coating, or place knots in a large bowl and toss with garlic coating.

Subway Sweet Onion Sauce( Knock off but good )

Subway Sweet Onion Sauce

2 1/4 cups corn syrup1/3 cups minced onion1/3 cups red wine vinegar9 tsp. white vinegar4 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar4 1/2 tsp brown sugar4 1/2 tsp buttermilk baking mix1 1/8 tsp lemon juice5/8 tsp salt1/4 tsp pepper1/4 tsp garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and boil for 3-4 minutes.

Let cool and store refrigerated in an air-tight container.

Makes 3 cups

VEGETARIAN CHEESY BROCCOLI SOUP WITH OPTIONAL HAM

This creamy, cheesy vegetarian soup makes the perfect comfort food for wintertime. Serve this thick, hearty broccoli soup up in toasted bread bowls and even broccoli haters will rejoice; throw in some cubed, cooked ham at the end for die-hard carnivores.

Ingredients

• 6 small (individual serving size) sourdough bread boules
• 6 tablespoons butter + 1 tablespoon butter, divided
• 2 cups diced onion (about one large onion)
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups 2% milk
• 2 pounds broccoli florets (about 6 cups)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese plus more for topping
• Salt and pepper to taste

If adding the optional ham

• 1¾ cups diced ham for half / 3½ cups diced ham for all

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Using a bread bowl, cut a circle all around the top of the bread. Cut almost all of the way down to the bottom, but not all of the way through. Carefully lift out the section of bread. Brush the inside of the bread bowl and the inside of the piece you lifted out with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Bake for about 20 minutes until the edges of the bread begin to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
3. In a large stock pot over low heat, melt the butter.
4. Increase heat to medium and add the onions. Saute, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute, stirring constantly.
6. Stir in the flour and continue cooking over medium heat for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
7. Whisk in the vegetable broth and the milk. Stir in the broccoli and the bay leaf. Cook over medium, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered and stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes until the broccoli is tender and the mixture thickens a bit.
8. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool so that it’s safer to puree.
9. Remove the bay leaf.
10. Using an immersion blender, or working in batches with your blender, puree the entire mixture. Return to the pan and return to a simmer over medium-low heat.
11. Add the cheese, stirring constantly until melted.
12. Taste and add salt if necessary and plenty of fresh ground black pepper.
13. If adding ham to half the soup, move about 5 cups of the soup to a medium saucepan. Stir in the 1¾ cup diced ham and warm over medium low until the ham is heated through, about 5 minutes. If adding ham to all, stir in to the soup and heat for an additional 5 minutes.
14. Ladle into bread bowls and sprinkle with additional shredded cheddar cheese. Serve with the “top” of the bread bowl for dipping.

tortillas by shirley sparks

Makes 12 tortillas

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little extra for rolling the tortillas5 tablespoons vegetable shortening, lard or 2 1/2 tablespoons of each (for the most authentic version)3/4 teaspoon salt3/4 cup very warm tap waterDirections

Combine the flour and shortening in a large mixing bowl and work the shortening into the flour with your fingers until completely incorporated. If this isn’t done thoroughly (until no particles of shortening remain visible), the tortillas will have an irregular texture. Dissolve the salt in the water and pour about 2/3 cup over the dry ingredients and immediately work it in with a fork; the dough will be in large clumps. If all the dry ingredients haven’t been dampened, add the rest of the liquid (plus a little more, if necessary). Scoop the dough onto your work surface and knead until smooth. It should be a medium-stiff consistency – not firm, but not quite as soft as most bread dough either.

Divide the dough into 12 portions and roll each into a ball. Set them on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 30 minutes – this makes the dough easier to roll.

Heat an ungreased griddle or heavy skillet over medium to medium-high heat.

Flatten a ball of dough, flour it, then roll forward and back across it; rotate a sixth of a turn and roll forward and back again; continue rotating and rolling until you reach a 7-inch circle, lightly flouring the tortilla and work surface from time to time.

Lay the tortilla on the hot griddle (you should hear a faint sizzle and see an almost immediate bubbling across the surface). After 30 to 45 seconds, when there are browned splotches underneath, flip it over. Bake 30 to 45 seconds more, until the other side is browned; don’t overbake the tortilla or it will become crisp. Remove and wrap in a cloth napkin placed in a tortilla warmer. Roll and griddle-bake the remaining tortillas in the same manner – stack them one on top of the other in the warmer.