• Moussaka recipe
    Main Course

    Moussaka

    This was my second attempt at Moussaka; the first, which I made in Spring 2009, was very close to Papa Georges. Unfortunately, I didn’t record the recipe – much to my surprise (horror!). Must have been an oversight. I’m really surprised I didn’t record it – that was utter stupidity.  It was as close to spot on as I’d have expected to be able to come, except the Bechamel sauce. Tried to locate the same recipe online and this one was the closest I could come. Not as good, but we can work with it. The Bechamel sauce was pretty good this time though, with my modifications (based on research).…

  • sweet and sour pour chops recipe for slow cooker
    Must Try

    Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Pork Chops

    4 pork chops 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup ketchup 2 tablespoons minced onion 1 tablespoon lemon juice Add all ingredients to list Heat a large skillet over high heat. Sear the pork chops until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the pork chops to a slow cooker. Mix the brown sugar, ketchup, onion, and lemon juice in a bowl; spoon over the pork chops. Cook on Low until the pork chops are very tender, 4 to 6 hours. From http://allrecipes.com/recipe/219643/easy-slow-cooker-sweet-and-sour-pork-chops/

  • tuna salad recipe made with cottage cheese
    Must Try

    Healthified & Yummy Tuna Salad

    This healthified tuna salad is made with cottage cheese and yogurt, not mayo.  Its supposed to be yummier than your typical tuna salad too.  I shall try soon to see. I think this could be good to make for mom with cottage cheese – extra nutritious for her. Ingredients 1 can tuna packed in water 2/3 cup non-fat cottage cheese 4 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt 1/4 small red onion, chopped finely 1 stalk celery, chopped finely 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard splash of lemon juice fresh or dried dill to taste     Directions

  • 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies
    Must Try

    3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

    Ingredients: 1 egg 1 cup sugar 1 cup peanut butter Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix together 1 cup of sugar and 1 whole egg. Add 1 cup of peanut butter and mix until smooth. Roll the mixture into small balls and place on a baking sheet. Use a fork to press the balls and flatten into cookies. Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until the cookies turn light brown.

  • Slow cooker pork chops
    Main Course

    Slow Cooker Herb Roasted Pork Chops

    Had this dinner tonight (Jan 14, 2016). Chris LOVED this. RAVED about it all through dinner and immediately after!  Said is was so perfectly tender, and packed with delicious flavor. He LOVES my slow cooker too (YAY!) which is cool since he wasn’t looking very happy when I met up with him in the checkout line at Walmart with this in my arms back in the fall. Didnt want me bringing home another kitchen gadget/appliance that never got used. Well, not this one!  Our little slow cooker is in use ALL the time, and he loves what comes out of it!  We had to run out for a quick round…

  • Mongolian Beef Recipe
    Beef

    Mongolian Beef (Slow Cooker)

    Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Melt-in-your-mouth tenderness and fabulous flavor. The second dish I ever made in my beloved slow cooker after first getting it in fall of 2015.  Husband loved it and I thought it was yummy too.  We used to order Mongolian Beef at the Moon Palace back in the day – way back when we lived in the apartment in the late 90s. Those were the days…:) 1 ½ pounds Flank Steak ¼ cups cornstarch 2 tablespoons Olive Oil ½ teaspoons mince Garlic, Cloves ¾ cups Soy Sauce ¾ cups Water ¾ cups Brown Sugar 1 cup grated Carrots green onions, for garnish Instructions Cut flank steak into…

  • Easy Beef Wellington Sauce
    Beef

    Beef Wellington Sauce

    Beef Wellington Bordelaise Wine Sauce (May 2009) This Bordelaise-style sauce is the sauce I use in my Beef Wellington Recipe and is made with mushrooms, red wine and beef broth, along with seasonings.  Its deceivingly EASY, considering it is so incredibly elegant and has the PERFECT flavor as a Beef Wellington Sauce.  Similar to the one Kennedy’s (a local high-end restaurant overlooking the city with killer city-light views at night – sadly the restaurant is no more, but the memories live on of my then not-yet husband (who IS now my husband:) wining and dining me there… aaahhhh, those were the days!) used to serve with Beef Wellington. Easy Beef…

  • Port wine substitute
    Cooking Tips

    Port Wine Substitute

    Every so often it happens that I’m ready to dive into a recipe and I suddenly realize I don’t have a key ingredient – like port wine for instance. Not one to be easily daunted, I’m determined to move ahead with the recipe, knowing there has got to be a suitable port wine substitute (fingers crossed that I’ll have it in the house).  Sure enough, there ARE viable options for a port wine substitute. If you are preparing beef, some say that any sweet red wine could be used as a substitute for port wine, but according to a very reliable source, Cooks Thesaurus, generally speaking, your best options for…

  • Madeira Wine Substitute
    Cooking Tips

    Madeira Wine Substitute

    I discovered some Madeira wine substitute options when I was making a fabulous recipe for Chicken Breasts Stuffed With a Mushroom Duxelle.  Oooh-la-laaa, it was fan-ceee!  Try it out sometime when you are in the mood for an elegant, impressive dinner. Anyway, I thought I’d have to put my menu plan on hold because I didn’t have Madeira wine.  I did some quick research to determine if I had something else in my liquor cabinet that was an acceptable Madeira Wine substitute, and sure enough, I did.  There are actually several options for Madeira wine substitutes, and chances are, you’ve got at least one on hand right now.  In my…

  • Whipping cream substitute
    Cooking Tips

    Whipping Cream Substitute

    In soups, pastas and sauces Heavy whipping cream in soups, pastas and sauces creates a full-bodied flavor and thick consistency while adding unnecessary levels of fat and calories. For a similar consistency and taste in savory dishes, add low-fat cream cheese instead of the whipping cream. At 120 calories and 9 grams of fat per 2-ounce serving, low-fat cream cheese keeps the meal healthier than it would be with heavy whipping cream. Use half the amount the recipe calls for when subbing in cream cheese. To keep the calories even lower, mix 1 percent milk with cornstarch — at a 1-cup to 1-tablespoon ratio –– and use it as you…