Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

I figured today I would hook with one of the old favorites....Tempt my Tummy Tuesdays and Tasty Tuesdays! 

This is one of our very favorite breakfast recipes....and we do breakfast for dinner at least once every couple of weeks. YUM! Hope you enjoy it as well!

ORANGE PECAN FRENCH TOAST

* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/3 cup butter, melted
* 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
* 1/3 cup chopped pecans
* 12 (3/4 inch thick) slices French bread
* 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
* 1 cup fresh orange juice
* 1/2 cup 2% milk
* 3 tablespoons white sugar
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 3 egg whites
* 2 eggs
* 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar for dusting


Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, melted butter, and corn syrup. Pour into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish, and spread evenly. Sprinkle pecans over the sugar mixture. Arrange the bread slices in the bottom of the dish so they are in a snug single layer. I often use leftover bread pieces--it works great.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, egg whites, and eggs. Pour this mixture over the bread, pressing on the bread slices to help absorb the liquid. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, or overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C ). Remove the cover from the baking dish, and let stand for 20 minutes at room temperature.
4. Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Join the others over at At The Well and Balancing Beauty and Bedlam for other terrific recipes!! Have a wonderful day!!

Chicken and Pasta in Brown Sauce

I sure wish I had taken a picture of this great recipe! 

It was a HIT with the family and we all loved it!!  ENJOY!


Chicken and Pasta in Brown Sauce

2 Tbs. Olive Oil
1/2 med. onion, sliced thin
1 1/2 cups chopped leftover Rotisserie chicken (meat, no skin)
3 cups whole wheat penne pasta
2 cups chicken broth
1-2 Tbs. cornstarch
2 tsp. cajun seasoning
2 tsp. black pepper

Boil water for pasta.  Cook pasta to al dente.  While pasta is cooking, saute onion in olive oil until browned.  Add chicken.  Warm through.  Add chicken broth, bringing to a low simmer.  Remove approximately 3/4 cup liquid to a spare bowl.  Combine cornstarch with hot broth and stir, removing all clumps and starting your gravy/sauce.  Return broth/sauce back to pan, simmering on low until thickened.  Add pasta.  Add cajun seasoning and pepper.   Serve.

Honestly, it is simple and delicious!  Not too mention low fat and full of whole grains with the whole wheat pasta.  Good stuff!!

Join others on over at Blessed with Grace! for other tasty Tuesday treats!

Get that Crockpot Going!!

What sounds good this week?  It is fall, y'all!  My favorite time of year!!!

So that means it is CROCKPOT season! 

This week I'm busting out the crockpot and getting going on this recipe for Tuesday!  Think of us all fat and happy around the dinner table tonite.....OK...let's go for happy, minus the fat! ;)

White Chili with Turkey

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey

2 (4 ounce) cans canned green chile peppers, chopped

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

ground cayenne pepper to taste

ground white pepper to taste

3 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans

5 cups chicken broth

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack

Combine the onion, garlic and ground turkey and saute for 10 minutes, or until turkey is well browned.  Add to the crockpot and toss in all the other ingredients, except cheese.  Stir well and cook for 6 hours on low setting.   Top with cheese and ENJOY!!

Join the rest of us on over at Blessed With Grace for another wonderful TMTT!!  Happy Fall Y'ALL!

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!

Just a couple of weeks ago, we had a wonderful little baby shower for my sister-in-law.  Baby Joshua is due to come to us around Christmas so we celebrated a little!!

I made this fantastic fall dip for the occasion.  It is SO.  VERY.  YUMMY!!  It looks great on any harvest table and I guarantee it'll be the hit of any party!  We're having a little Pre-Hallow's Eve party with the boys and their friends on Friday and you can be certain I'll be serving this one! 

Pumpkin Harvest Dip

1 can pumpkin
1 tub whipped cream
2 Cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 pkg. softened cream cheese

Mix well and serve with graham crackers or gingersnaps.  OH YUMMY!

Enjoy this great recipe and many more over at Blessed With Grace! 

Happy Fall Y'ALL!

Fantastic Fall Food

I'm jumping on board with everyone over at Life as Mom for some fantastic Fall Foods.

It doesn't get chilly often here in Florida. Rarely and not for another month or two actually. So jumping into fall foods at this point just seems, well, a bit premature.

However, it IS my favorite time of year. I've got the fall decorations out and am creating things as we speak...err, type. So I'm sticking this wonderful recipe into the crockpot today. It'll give us that wonderful fall feeling and terrific fall tastes. It is YUMMY!



Beautiful Beef Stew
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 pounds cubed beef stew meat
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
4 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons cold water
1 cup frozen peas
Combine the flour, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a resealable plastic bag. Place the beef in the bag and shake to coat.
Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat; brown the beef in the hot oil and remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Add the onion to the remaining oil and cook until browned. Pour the beef and broth into the crockpot. Stir in the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Add remaining ingredients, except peas. Cook on slow for 6-8 hours. Add peas in last 45 minutes. Serve with warm, crusty bread.

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!

Hey y'all! What's cookin' this week?

As fall sets in at our house and the lazy days of summer come to an end, we start spending a bit more time making dinner. Most summer evenings we're looking for the grill or something quick. I get a little....just a little...more domesticated as fall comes around and start cooking more.

Tonite I made this lovely staple and wow, the boys just ate like there would not be another meal later! I was shocked because they finished their plates with zero complaints and not a morsel left. So whenever you have to get "back to basics", try this recipe. Works every time!!

MEATLOAF WITH FRIED ONIONS AND RANCH
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup herb-seasoned dry bread stuffing mix
1/2 (1 ounce) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix
1 (6 ounce) can French-fried onions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine meat, eggs, ketchup, stuffing mix, ranch dressing mix and fried onions.
Shape into loaf and fit into 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
Bake, covered loosely with foil, at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 to 60 minutes, or until meat is thoroughly cooked.

Enjoy this great meal and find lots of other goodies over at Blessed With Grace or Balancing Beauty & Bedlam.

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!!

Here is one of our favorite new recipes. We made these last week and oh yeah, they definitely make it on the weekly menu! YUMMY!!

BUFFALO CHICKEN TENDERS

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into finger-sized pieces
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 egg whites, beaten
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup Frank's Hot Sauce
1/2 cup melted butter
ANOTHER 1/2 cup Frank's hot sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Coat a baking sheet with a nonstick spray.
Soak chicken pieces in 1/2 cup of the hot sauce--just put it all in a Ziploc bag and marinate for about an hour. In a shallow bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. On a plate, mix the bread crumbs with the rest of the garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and salt.
Take marinated chicken out of the hot sauce. Dip and cover the chicken pieces with the seasoned flour. Beat egg whites with 1 tablespoon water, and place egg mixture in a shallow dish or bowl. Dip seasoned chicken in egg mixture, then roll in the seasoned bread crumb mixture. Place on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for about 8 minutes in the preheated oven. Use tongs to turn pieces over. Bake 8 minutes longer, or until chicken juices run clear.

IF YOU LIKE IT REALLY SPICY, coat again in the other 1/2 cup of hot sauce and put back into the oven for about 5 minutes.

My friend over at Blessed With Grace has SO many more wonderful recipes for you to enjoy today!!

Have a blessed day my friends!

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

I've been in a funk lately, cooking wise. Not too inspired, am I....but evidently I like Star Wars characters? Not really...

But I did manage to make some cookies the other day with the boys. And these were DELISH! I found the peppermint chips around the holidays and stuck 'em in the freezer for such a wonderful treat. And they are.

Think Christmas in July, via cookie flavors...

Andes Peppermint Stick Cookies

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla (use the real stuff people--it is SO worth it!!)
2 eggs
1 pkg. Andes Peppermint crunch baking chips
2 2/3 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional).

Blend butter, sugars, soda, baking powder, vanilla and eggs until smooth and creamy. Stir in baking chips, then flour. Add oatmeal and pecans. Drop round spoonfuls onto baking sheet. I ALWAYS use parchment paper and then there is virtually NO clean up! Bake at 300 degrees for approximately 12 minutes. They will be soft with just a bit of crunch to the outer edges but they do not get very brown.

Careful not to overbake because then they are only good crumbled up into vanilla ice cream (hmmmm....wonder how I figured that one out?!)

If you don't eat them all before they cool, they make a great treat for a swim party! Enjoy!!

Head on over to Grace's Mom for more wonderful TMTT treats!!

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!!

I really love food.

Really.

My favorite food?

Bread!

Just about any kind of bread. I love foccacia, whole wheat, sourdough, asiago cheese, straight-from-the-oven white.....oh! Really folks.

I LOVE IT ALL!!

Here is one of my favorite recipes of all time. It's SO very easy and many times, I'll hack off little palm-size chunks and make rolls instead of a loaf. It is absolutely easy-peasy and delicious! Hope you enjoy it!!

HOME MADE BREAD or ROLLS
3 3/4 cups bread flour, divided
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1 teaspoon salt
1 (.25 ounce) package rapid rise yeast
1/2 cup warm water (120 to 130 degrees F/50 degrees C)
1/2 cup warm milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted

In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups flour, sugar, shortening, salt and yeast. Add water, milk and egg. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. I use my KitchenAid mixer with the bread hook for this step. Add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough comes together.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place in greased bowl and turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Dough is ready if indention remains when touched.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half; cut each half into 24 pieces. Form the pieces into rounds. Place the rolls close together in two lightly greased 9 inch round cake pans. Brush with melted butter. Cover and let rise in warm place about 30 minutes or until doubled. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Bake for 12--18 minutes.

Head on over to Blessed with Grace for more wonderful recipes and yumminess...yes that is a word and I love it! Yumminess!!

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!!

Hi Friends!!

Back from vacation finally and slowly trying to timewarp back to 2009! (Remember....parents didn't have internet or cable TV.....such isolation and HEAVENLY!)

Sorry I've left you for so long....I'll try to plan my absences better in the future so you can at least get an update or two. I'll post pics of the trip later when SH gets around to downloading them.

For now, I'll share one of my favorite childhood recipes, which I made for a picnic back home. The boys loved it just as much as I do!! Enjoy!

Watergate Salad (from the Midwest--land of Jello Salads!!)
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant pistachio pudding mix
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, with juice
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
In a large bowl, mix together pudding mix, pineapple with juice, marshmallows, and nuts. Fold in whipped topping. Chill.

Oh YUMM!!

It is refreshing and really wonderful! Reminds me of all our terrific get togethers at home.

Head on over to Blessed With Grace for more great summer recipes and memories! Have a great day my friends!!

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!

I don't post too many recipes for dessert. Because honestly, we don't eat a ton of desserts around here. I know, I know.....blasphemy! But bake a loaf of bread in this house and there will be mutiny. I'm just warnin' ya.

So this is one of our favorite desserts. Tried and true. And guess who makes it? Super Hubby! He is one mean pie makin' fool! This is our favorite by him. He makes it ALL the time when we go places. It makes the girls swoon over him. He loves it. I just giggle and think...Yep, He's MINE!

French Silk Pie
1 pie crust (he even makes that from scratch! Here is a great recipe!)
3 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, cut into pieces
1 cup butter, softened (do not use margarine)
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 pasteurized eggs or equivalent fat-free cholesterol-free egg product
1/2 cup sweetened whipped cream
Chocolate curls

Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Make pie crust. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
In 1-quart saucepan, melt chocolate over low heat; cool. In small bowl with electric mixer, beat butter on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in cooled chocolate and vanilla until well blended.
Add eggs 1 at a time, beating on high speed 2 minutes after each addition; beat until mixture is smooth and fluffy. Pour into cooled baked shell. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving (Very important so it sets nicely). Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate curls. Store in refrigerator.

Here is a pretty photo from AllRecipes.com (my FAV foodie recipe site!). Because we eat ours before any fool has a chance to grab the camera.

Head on over to Blessed With Grace for more wonderful TMTT recipes!! Enjoy!

Use it up!

We're leaving on vacation soon. My WFMW tip is simple and makes sense.

Use Up What You Have!

Meaning, get rid of all the perishable foods in your fridge before you leave on vacation. It gives you a great opportunity to use up all that stuff that needs to be finished. It also means dinnertime will be, oh let's say, very interesting! Tonite we had fresh cucumber salad (Thanks Millie for the lovely cucumbers!) and a cheesy-pasta-ham-leftover rotisserie chicken-black olive-last remnants of the cheesy tortilla dip dish! It was delish if not interesting!!

We've got some fresh veggies such as cabbage, lettuce and tomatoes left to finish. And some cheese. And hamburger meat. It'll be some interesting casserole-type dishes for the next few days. It helps to make smaller portions too. I tend to always cook with leftovers in mind but I don't do that before we leave for any period of time.

We also really watch our spending prior to and after any vacation so this really gets us into the survival mode of our budget. It does not have to be pretty. It is functional to simply use up what you have so you have less spoilage and waste. Empty out that pantry too! This is one time that gives you perfect reason to use up any older items and get to the new stuff in your rotation.

That is what Works For Me friends! Now head on over to We Are That Family for more great WFMW tips!!

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!!

I don't post too many recipes for dessert. Because honestly, we don't eat a ton of desserts around here. I know, I know.....blasphemy! But bake a loaf of bread in this house and there will be mutiny. I'm just warnin' ya.

So this is one of our favorite desserts. Tried and true. And guess who makes it? Super Hubby! He is one mean pie makin' fool! This is our favorite by him. He makes it ALL the time when we go places. It makes the girls swoon over him. He loves it. I just giggle and think...Yep, He's MINE!

French Silk Pie
1 pie crust (he even makes that from scratch! Here is a great recipe!)
3 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, cut into pieces
1 cup butter, softened (do not use margarine)
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 pasteurized eggs or equivalent fat-free cholesterol-free egg product
1/2 cup sweetened whipped cream
Chocolate curls

Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Make pie crust. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
In 1-quart saucepan, melt chocolate over low heat; cool. In small bowl with electric mixer, beat butter on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in cooled chocolate and vanilla until well blended.
Add eggs 1 at a time, beating on high speed 2 minutes after each addition; beat until mixture is smooth and fluffy. Pour into cooled baked shell. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving (Very important so it sets nicely). Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate curls. Store in refrigerator.

Here is a pretty photo from AllRecipes.com (my FAV foodie recipe site!). Because we eat ours before any fool has a chance to grab the camera.

Head on over to Blessed With Grace for more wonderful TMTT recipes!! Enjoy!

Chicken Quesadillas

We LOVE chicken quesadillas!! We have these little beauties just about every single week. It is one of our favorite, frugal and easy dinner menu items. Leftovers are wonderful as well! Enjoy these and then head on over to Blessed With Grace for a bunch more great summer recipes!

Chicken Quesadillas

1 cup shredded cooked chicken
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 (8 inch) flour tortillas
Ranch salad dressing

Salsa

In a bowl, combine chicken, onion, mozzarella and cheddar; set aside. Spray one side of each tortilla with nonstick cooking spray. Place tortilla greased side down on hot griddle. Place chicken on half of each tortilla. Fold over and cook over low for 1-2 minutes on each side of until tortilla is golden brown. Cut into wedges. Serve with dressing or salsa. I always put together a little salad on the side to go with.

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!

It's a crazy week my friends! Here is a quick TMTT recipe that is a classic in our family. Quick, easy, frugal and yummy! Enjoy!!


1 pkg. hot sausage, kielbasa or summer sausage
1 small onion
1 Tbs olive oil
1 pkg. yellow rice mixture

Cut up sausage or kielbasa into bite size pieces. Slice onion thin. Carmelize onion in olive oil. Add sausage. Brown onion and sausage together.

Cook rice according to package directions. We use the yellow rice in the Spainish section of the grocery store. Serve sausage and onions over rice. Yumm!!

Sorry for no picture friends. We ate it all! Have a great Tuesday and visit Grace's Mom for more TMTT recipes and goodies!!

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!

In our house, we are really more chicken eaters than about any other meat. SH doesn't like turkey at all, or pork. So that really limits us to chicken, fish (which I don't like), seafood or beef. And SH isn't much of a beef eater unless it's hamburger. And he likes sausage so I guess I lied about the pork.....OK, he'll eat sausage and not roast or loins or chops. So just go back to the beginning with me and stop at the "we eat more chicken..." part! Jeez.....
This is one of our fav chicken recipes of all time. SH thinks I really can cook when I whip this one up. I won't tell him how incredibly simple it is. I rather like it when he thinks I'm a cookin' phenom! Doesn't it look divine?


Chicken Cordon Bleu
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
6 slices Swiss cheese
6 slices ham
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon paprika
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.
Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm.

Enjoy this fantastic little dish and about the fifty others you can get over at Blessed With Grace! Have a terrific

Tempting Tuesday!

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!!

This is one of my favorite recipes. We especially love these crumbled and added to a spinach salad and even yummier, greens and all the fixin's for a Tex Mex salad. They are really delicious and especially good for you. Did you know that black beans are full of fiber, which is essential in keeping your cholesterol in check? It helps in the bathroom too, if you know what I mean!?! They are excellent for keeping blood sugar levels level and make you feel fuller, longer. Also, they are one of the best foods providing a huge amount of your daily needs of folate. Folate is especially important for child-bearing women in the prevention of neural tube defects, such as Spina Bifida.

So go ahead and enjoy black beans in any form. This is our favorite and it may just become yours too!


(photo courtesy of Photobucket.com)

Black Bean Burgers
1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 onion, cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 egg
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce or hot sauce
1/2 cup bread crumbs
If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. If baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F, and lightly oil a baking sheet.
In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.
In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Then stir into mashed beans.
In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and chili sauce.
Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into four patties.
If grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side.

And just so you know, a fantastic substitute for making your own are these little beauties:


Head on over to Blessed With Grace for other Tempt My Tummy recipes!! And catch me at Blissfully Domestic as well!!

Hot Dog Octopus

One of the boys' lunchtime favorites are "hot dog octopus". Here is the tutorial (wow--my first tutorial!! I'm getting the hang of this Bloggin' thing!):

Take one all-beef hot dog:


Slice a little more than 1/2 way up, making 8 cross-section slices (these will be the 'legs'):


Boil:


Voila! All set up to look like a Octopus, complete with a little shredded cheddar for 'hair' and ketchup!


If you want, head on over to my friend Sarah at I Blame Mom for other wonderful Kid Friendly Friday goodies! Have a good one friends!

WFMW---Pantry Basics

I'm noticing a trend to this blog....it is more food than crafty. Noticing the priorities....I'm just sayin'. So, I thought that I'd put together my thoughts on what makes a good kitchen, great. I love my kitchen and as I've said before, it is where I feel the most at home. I would love for it to look like this. Alas, it does not. It is open like this but does not have an island, or granite countertops, or white-washed cabinet, or.... Okay...I'll stop now.

What I DO have is a fantastic pantry! It is large, walk-in and about 4 shelves tall. It has plenty of room for our kitchen appliances, as well as food items, liquor, some dishes and staples. And I love it. It has a tendency of getting messy as lots can fit in there but right now, it's not bad. I'm working on getting matching storage containers. Right now, we are a mismatch of plastic buckets for our bulk flours, rices and sugars. Anyhoo, what is so very important in my pantry, and any pantry for that matter is a basic list of items. These items will take you from "what's for dinner" to DINNER in no time. I keep staples on hand for just about any sauce for any kind of dish. It takes a long time to build a good pantry. It is too cost-prohibitive to do it overnight or in one trip. But put a few of these necessities on every trip to the grocer and pretty soon, you'll have a perfectly-stocked pantry as well!

Dried Spices:
-Coarse Sea or Kosher Salt -Fine Kosher Salt (a salt grinder can be used to grind the coarse salt if needed) -Whole Black Peppercorns & Pepper Grinder
-Ground Cayenne -Red Pepper Flakes -Ground Cumin -Cinnamon (ground or sticks)
-Bay Leaves -Chili Powder -Curry Powder -Whole Nutmeg -Dried Oregano
-Dried Thyme

Legumes & Grains:
-Rice (White & Brown) -Quinoa or Bulgur(I don't always have these on hand but they are great for salads) -Rolled and Steel-Cut Oats -Dried or Canned Beans (kidney, black, chick peas; dried beans are cheaper and preservative free. Using dried beans instead of canned allow you to use the exact amount you want without letting the rest of the can go to waste. If you don’t have time to soak your beans overnight, you can always boil them for 4 minutes and then let them sit in the hot water for an hour before draining) -Dried Lentils -Nuts like Almonds, Pecans, or Walnuts

Oils & Condiments
-Extra Virgin Olive Oil -Vegetable Oil -Balsamic Vinegar -White Vinegar (esp. important for cleaning!) -Dijon Mustard -Soy Sauce -Mayonnaise (easy to make your own too!) -Almond or Peanut Butter -Honey

Canned/Boxed Goods
-Boxed Chicken or Vegetable Stock (also VERY easy to make on your own--that's another WFMW!) -Canned Tuna in Water -Canned Tomato Paste (or tube of tomato paste)
-Canned Whole Tomatoes -Canned Tomato Puree

The Rest
-Plain Bread Crumbs (can make from toasted bread) -Pastas (mostly whole wheat for us) -Flours (white and wheat) -Baking Soda (For baking & cleaning) -White Sugar -Brown Sugar -Coffee -Tea (no good Southern kitchen would be without!) -A bar of dark chocolate, sweet and unsweetened for baking -Jello -Cornmeal -Agave Nectar (natural sweetener, great for coffee) -Syrup

Go ahead and head on over to Kristin at We Are That Family. I'm sure there are some terrific other foodie tips to go with your newly stocked pantry!! Enjoy!!

Oh My----Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!

Allrighty now friends....this one ROCKS! I made this tasty little number last night for dinner and all the men, SH & boys alike, raved about it! I found the basic recipe on my fav recipe site, Allrecipes.com. Tweaked a bit...cuz this cook always tweaks....and it absolutely rocked! Next time, I will add the water chestnuts and maybe some diced pineapple. OH! How Delightfully DELISH!

Sticky Spicy Chicken

1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger root
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup sliced onion
2 cups large chunk diced tri-colored peppers

1.Mix together brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and hot sauce in a small bowl. I then marinated the chicken in the sauce.
2.Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3.Saute onions until softened slightly. Add chicken strips and brown on both sides, about 1 minute per side.
4.Pour the sauce over the chicken. Add peppers. Simmer uncovered until the sauce thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. (I made double the amount of sauce because we wanted ours very saucy).
5. Serve over rice.

And it is pretty too!!!




Head on over to my friends at Blessed with Grace for more wonderful food finds this Tuesday!!