Shrimp Fried Rice

An ex boss shared this recipe with me and it's become a family favorite. Even though it has shrimp, it's economical as we cut it into small pieces.

I like this better than many of the restaurant Chinese dishes I buy. I also imagine this is closer to Chinese home-style cooking than the restaurant variety. At any rate, it's very tasty and a long time favorite.

SHRIMP FRIED RICE

(12 servings - we are a family of 6 and we get 2 servings each and more from this recipe)

INGREDIENTS

1-2 pounds shrimp, deveined, heads and tails off, cut into small pieces, and uncooked
2-3 slices ham
1-2 eggs, scrambled
4 cups rice, uncooked
1 bunch green onions (optional - I like them a lot, my kids do not)
Oyster Sauce, to taste
Soy Sauce, to taste
Salt, sprinkle
2 Tblsp Peanut or other oil

DIRECTIONS

Cook rice per package directions. Set aside.

Scramble eggs. Set aside.

Meanwhile, dice shrimp, ham, and green onions.

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp, ham, onions in about 1 Tblsp Soy Sauce and Oyster sauce each, until shrimp are no longer pink.

Pour this mixture and eggs into rice. Also add more Soy and especially Oyster Sauces to taste. Sprinkle a tiny bit of salt. Mix well.

Serve warm.



 

Hamburger Sliders

My good friend Linda is dying. I just returned from hospice where a large group of her family and close friends are gathered. We saw her but she slept the entire time because she's on heavy painkillers to make her last minutes bearable. Thank God she can be comfortable. I pray she is.

Linda longed to write a cookbook but never did to my knowledge. It was going to feature her many specially blended Italian-Spanish recipes. Before she got too ill to cook, I used to encourage her to follow her dream. Unfortunately, she didn't get around to it.

I'm so very sorry her dream didn't come to fruition.

I'm heart-sick that soon we'll say our final goodbyes. Today felt like it. I gave her a kiss and told her I love her.

When I got home from hospice and did my mundane chores - folded the laundry, put away the dishes, put new sheets on my bed - I realized Linda hasn't been able to enjoy these little things for years. When my cats and dogs barraged me for attention during my chores I realized she nor her pets will ever have that pleasure again.

One thing my friend was able to enjoy during her long illness was to watch her favorite cooking shows on TV. A couple weeks ago when I was last able to talk to her in person, I interrupted her watching one of those shows.

In a bit I have to make another dinner, then take my daughter to her softball practice. I won't complain that life is boring, that I want more zing and pizzazz. I'll remind myself to enjoy the little things that make up life that my friend won't be able to enjoy anymore.

Two of the things I enjoy doing are writing and cooking, so without further ado, here is today's recipe.

The other day I tried to make White Castle type sliders and wound up with a different, yet awesomely delicious hamburger slider.

I love onions but my picky children won't touch them, so I made two versions - one with and one without onions.

I will definitely make this recipe again and again. And except for White Castles, I've never been a hamburger fan.

HAMBURGER SLIDERS

Makes about 16 burgers



INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 lb ground beef
3/4 tsp All-Season Salt
3/4 tsp Garlic Salt
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1 pound onion, finely diced
1-2 tsp olive oil
16 pack Hawaiian Sweet Rolls


DIRECTIONS:

Mix well ground beef with the salts and pepper.

Divide into 14-16 balls. On a flat surface, flatten balls into small, thin squares.

Make 4 small holes in each patty.

Freeze the patties for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in medium-heat non-stick skillet. Brown diced onions until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

When onions are soft and translucent and patties are ready, place the patties hole-side down onto onions in the skillet. Cook until brown. Flip patties. Cook thoroughly.

When done, place patties on Hawaiian sweet roll. Scoop extra onions onto bun.

Serve with sweet potato fries or french fries or other side.

* If you have onion-haters like I do, skip the onions. You will not need to make holes in the patties nor freeze them. Just cook the square patties. Add cheese if desired. I think these are so tasty, cheese is not needed. This says something, coming from a huge cheese lover.

 

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

A few years ago I lost 90 pounds following Weight Watchers. One of my go to favorites was Spaghetti Squash with spaghetti sauce. It wasn't just low cal and healthy, but really tasty!

I still haven't convinced my family to partake, but I still love it and bake a spaghetti squash for me when I heat up pasta for them.

Like my lasagna, I make it quick and easy by opening a jar of spaghtti sauce.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH SPAGHETTI

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 spaghetti squash, baked
1 jar Prego spaghetti sauce (I prefer mushrooms or meat flavored)
1-2 lbs. Hamburger


DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Cut spaghetti squash in half with sharp knife. Put in oven baking dish. Bake spaghetti squash in the dish until soft, about 1/2 -1 hour.

 

 

 

You may either remove the seeds now or after baking.

Meanwhile, brown and drain the hamburger. Towards end of baking the squash, add spaghetti sauce to the drained meat.


When squash is cooked, remove from oven. Cool enough to touch. Use fork to remove seeds then rake out "spaghetti" (spaghetti-like strands of squash).

Place desired amount of squash on plate.

 

Top with spaghetti sauce.

 

 

It's that simple.

Delicioso!

Skillet Zucchini

I don't know about you, but I'm a full-time working mother and wife. Although I recently moved much closer to work and I don't have a long drive home, I still usually don't want to stand on my feet too long after a long hard day at the day job. I also write romance novels so I don't want to waste all my remaining energy cooking. Thus I prefer to make simple recipes on week nights whereas I'll get more creative and take more time on weekends to cook.

I will admit that since I get home a lot earlier (except this week when I had to work late to make up time for doctor appointments), I'm much more in a mood to cook and I'm having more fun with it than I have in a long time.

What about you?

Did I mention my youngest daughter HATES vegetables? I have to hide them in her food to get her to eat them. Even then, she usually figures out my madness and refuses to eat. Except for potatoes. We call her the "Potato Queen" and "French Fry Queen".

I'm a little picky when it comes to eating veggies, too. I was worse when I was her age although I've always eaten spinach and green beans, especially when my grandma cooked them.

I didn't touch zucchini, egg plant, spaghetti squash, or a number of other veggies until I was well into my adult years. I was absolutely sure I'd hate them and positively gag. Now, I'll fix a spaghetti squash or zucchini just for me.

Here's my favorite zucchini recipe, daresay as yummy (or more so) than Duffy's.

SKILLET ZUCCHINI

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium to large zucchini (per person)
1 pat butter
Lemon juice
Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Rinse the zucchini. Slice off the ends and discard. Cut zucchini in half or thirds depending how long it is. Then slice lengthwise into several sticks. Leave skin on.

Melt butter in large non-stick skillet.

In a bowl, drizzle sliced zucchini with lemon juice. Generously sprinkle with pepper.

Cook in skillet, turning often to brown zucchini. If desired, sprinkle more pepper on as the zucchini cooks.

When the zucchini is browning and softened, remove from heat.

Serve warm.




 

Tuna Casserole

Obviously this is a new blog so I'm still decorating and setting up housekeeping. I will try to post a new recipe every Sunday and Wednesday. Stay tuned for lots of yummy stuff!


I HATE tuna, so it's extremely rare you'll see a tuna recipe from me. I wish I liked it as it's healthy and cheap and my family loves it.

This is the one tuna recipe I can stand. It's also my youngest son's favorite meal which he requested for his last birthday dinner.

I like it because it's budget friendly, quick and easy to make, so it's one of my go to meals. I can stand it because I smother it with cheese, milk, oregano and garlic salt.

TUNA CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS:

1 large can drained tuna
1 - 8 oz box cooked elbow macaroni noodles
16 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
8 oz evaporated milk (regular milk will work in a pinch)
Oregano, to taste
Garlic Salt, to taste
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.

Cook and drain macaroni noodles. Put in large 9 x 13" casserole dish.

Mix well with 1/2 cheddar cheese, all of tuna, and salt and pepper to taste.

Pour on evaporated milk. Toss well again.

Generously sprinkle oregano and garlic salt on top of noodles. Sprinkle with a tad more salt and pepper.

Layer evenly with remaining cheese.

Cover with foil and bake about 30 - 40 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Goes well with French bread or garlic bread.

French style green beans can be added if desired.  I usually omit them due to my husband's request.



 

Tasty Lasagna

It's been awhile since I blogged anywhere about anything and a lot of things have changed. One thing hasn't - I still have to eat to live and I SHOULD NOT be living to eat. Admittedly, I've often been about the second. As the full-time working mom of one husband, four human children, and four furry children still at home, I prefer recipes that are budget friendly (make that as close to zero cents per serving as possible), time friendly, and people pleasing to my picky family, as possible.

Thus, most of my recipes will be quick and easy, probably budget friendly, and sometimes healthy. When possible I'll choose the healthier, cheaper alternatives.

Last night was a birthday party night in celebration of my second oldest child, so it was NOT one of those nights. Instead of thrifty, I chose people-pleasing and made lasagna. When my father-in-law came up to me after the meal and asked skeptically, "Did you make that lasagna?" with the tone of voice he thought I'd bought it and heated it up, my heart dropped. Why did I spend so much money on home-made lasagna to have him think I'd cop out on the home made version? But my kids knew the truth and so do you, so I let it slide.

Even though my lasagna isn't the most budget friendly on the planet, it is extremely tasty and simple to make and so I'd like to share it with you. Because I have picky eaters and a vegetarian friend who sometimes join this, I make two, sometimes three versions of this dish. As I usually make two casseroles to feed my big family (add my oldest daughter, her spouse, and my two grandchildren, plus my father-in-law and friends), that's not a problem.

TASTY LASAGNA

INGREDIENTS:

Lasagna noodles, cooked and drained or precooked (6 per 9 x 13" casserole dish)
1 lb beef or pork, cooked and drained
1 can spinach, well drained, optional
1 - 48 oz container ricotta cheese
8 -16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
1 large jar Prego spaghetti sauce (I LOVE Prego, so I only use this brand and I usually use the meat flavored version except when making vegetarian)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Meanwhile cook and drain lasagna noodles and meat.

Layer each 9 x 13" casserole dish with thin layer of spaghetti sauce. Top with one layer of 3 lasagna noodles. Layer with another thicker layer of spaghetti sauce.

If spinach is desired, spread equally over sauce.

If meat is desired, spread equally over spinach and sauce.

Generously spoon ricotta cheese on top of the last layer. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 mozarella cheese.

Layer with 3 more lasagna noodles. Spread remaining spaghetti sauce over the noodles. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese over sauce. Sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese.

Cover with foil. Bake for about 30 minutes until cheeses are bubbly.

* I make two casseroles, one with spinach and one without, because of my spinach-hating/loving family. When my vegetarian friend joins us, I also make a bread-loaf pan size without meat. I prefer the casserole with spinach even though my veggie hating daughter prefers it without.

 ** Serve with French bread, salad, and dessert.

Our Christmas Eve tradition includes having this dish.

Bon appetit!