Creamy Chicken Cups, Rice, Black Beans, and Coconut Cream Pie/Cake

I found this recipe on face book and decided to try it. It wasn't in my new easy and fast world, but I think it might be a keeper. It would be much faster if you had leftovers.

I took 10( I was cooking for 6 people) medium sized tortillas cut them into the size of a muffin tin, I got 4 circles out of each tortilla (the size of Jake's ramekins). I sprayed the muffin tins, placed the tortillas in the muffin tins being careful to shape and try to make them even, then brushed a little oil over the tortillas, placed them in a 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Take out and place them on a cooling rack.

Meanwhile I roasted 6 chicken thighs, boneless skinless of course, and made a box of spainsh rice. After the chicken cooled, I shredded it, put it in a bowl, added a 1/2 bag of shredded mozzarella, 1/4 cup rice, 2 tbls sour cream, 2 tbls salsa, 1/4 can of black beans, and the juice of one lime. I mixed it all together. Then I placed about 1 tbls. of the mixture in each cup, and topped it with some shredded mexican 4 cheese. I then took it to my sister's placed them on a cookie sheet and baked them for about 5 minutes at 425 or until the cheese was bubbly and heated through.

The recipe called for some chopped cilantro but I didn't add because my sister is allergic. Also for my nephews I only put the chicken and cheese in the tortilla cups. It also called to put a layer of refried beans on the bottom but I decided just to serve that one the side. Serve it with your favorite taco toppings.

I also found this easy recipe for a coconut cream pie on fb last night and just had to try it. It actually makes its own crust.

Coconut Custard Pie
This makes its own crust
2 cups milk 
2 1/2 cups flaked coconut 
4 eggs beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
3/4 cup all-purpose flour or bisquick
3/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons margarine or butter softened

Combine all ingredients mix well and pour into 9 inch buttered pie pan.
Bake at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes or until golden brown and knife inserted in the center comes out clean..

However I do not own a pie pan so I put this into 2, 8 inch cake pans.

Dakota and Jake's Awesome Dinner

It was Saturday so it was Dakota and Jake's turn for dinner and family game night.

So they started out peeling potatoes for their "fancy" mashed potatoes. (I should mention Zach helped too) Yes, he is trying to peel potatoes with a butter knife dressed in his bike helmet and  a scarf as a belt. He insisted on helping.

They did a great job making chicken cordon blu. They pounded out some skinless boneless chicken thighs, added a slice of honey ham, and a slice of swiss cheese. Zach helped Jake mash the potatoes while I gave Dakota a lesson on making gravy. For the gravy we melted a couple of tablespoons of sherry butter(I had made it for steaks a while back) which consist of butter/margarine, parsley, dry sherry, garlic, and other spices, blended until smooth. To that we sprinkled a couple of tbs and let that cook for about a minute, then added about 2 cups of chicken broth, and a tbs of spicy ground mustard. We let that hang out to thicken. Of course these two hate veggies so none was on the menu. I grabbed some squash I had blanched and froze. I placed the frozen squash, in the bag into the microwave and steamed it that way. Dinner was very yummy and fattening. 

For dessert they made an Earl Grey cake. It's a cake batter infused with Earl Grey tea, Jake's favorite tea. It was the first time Dakota has made a cake from scratch and again he did a great job. I only helped getting the cakes out of the pan on this one.

Chicken, Potatoes, and Mac and Cheese

Elena said she had dinner again and I was like ok. I know I should rename this blog cooking with the family, but it is what it is. I went over there and she was done with everything. She made chicken with my squash relish, baked potatoes, mac and cheese and BBQ ribs. I didn't try the ribs but the boys loved them.

Turkey Nachos

Elena called and asked if we wanted to come to dinner, of course my answer was yes. If she cooks then I don't have too. She asked if turkey nachos was fine, I said OK. She cooked some ground turkey added some garlic and taco seasoning. I put some pepper jack cheese on top of the chips heated in the microwave then added the turkey, tomatoes, onion, and olives. It was fast, easy and good!!

Salmon and Mahi Mahi

I never usually buy frozen prepackaged fish. I was at Grocery Outlet and saw these 2 things that interested me. They were Joe's Crab Shack. The first one was ginger sesame salmon with sweet potatoes and snap peas. The second one was Mahi Mahi, with coconut rice, and green beans. Tonight I thought we would try them because 1 I promised to go to Dakota's game and 2 Jake was at a friends house and can't have the sesame salmon. I really didn't believe that these would taste any good but it really surprised me. Te veggies were crisp and tasted really fresh, the rice was good. I am not sure about the sweet potatoes because I don't like them but my sister said they were good. The Mahi tasted really good, it came with a salsa to go over top, my sister and her husband said the salmon was good too. I would definitely but this again. The other plus is that each bag was enough for 2 people and only cost $3.99.

Baked Chicken, Baked Potatoes, and Veggies

So when I left my sister's house last night Zach(age 7) swore he was cooking tonight. He had his menu all planned out, chicken and french fries. I showed up there tonight and Doug was cooking, so I asked Zach why are you not cooking? He said they wouldn't let him cook his chicken nuggets and french fries. I thought it was funny but he didn't.

Doug fixed a pretty good dinner and easy too. He took a packet of  Kraft Mesquite chicken packet, coated the boneless skinless chicken thighs(I left there last night because I took to much for Jake and Dakota), placed them on a cookie sheet, and put them in 375 degree oven for 25 minutes (I think). Meanwhile he put some potatoes in the microwave to "bake". Then I brought over a package of steamed veggies, of cauliflower, snap peas, carrots, and cranberries. I let him cook those to.

Chicken Parm, and Pasta with Spinach and Garlic Butter

Tonight was Jake(17 yrs.) and Dakota's(12 yrs) night to cook dinner as is every Saturday, it is also family game night.

I actually started it last night by making them bread crumbs. They wanted me to buy some but why buy something you can make...right? I took some stale bread cubed it, drizzled it with olive oil, dried basil, oregano, and garlic pepper. Put them on a cookie sheet, and in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Let them cool place them in a zip lock bag and crush.

Tonight they took skinless boneless chicken thighs, dipped them in 2 beaten eggs, then into the bread crumbs, placed them on a cookie sheet that had been sprayed with cooking spray, put them in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes or until crisp. They took them out placed them in a baking dish, covered it with pasta sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan , but them back in the oven until the cheese was melted and bubbly and chicken was cooked through.

Meanwhile they put a pan of water on to boil, cooked a 1 lb of penne. While that was cooking they took a large deep skillet melted some butter(they would not give me the amounts), along with 5 or more cloves of chopped garlic, basil, and oregano,  then wilted a large bag of baby spinach. When the pasta was done, they drained it and added it to the sauce, Toss it together.

The for dessert they made a smore's brownie. First the crushed up 1 package of graham crackers, added a couple tbls melted butter,(no garlic this time...lol) about a tbls sugar, and a tsp of vanilla. They pressed that down in the bottom of a 9x9 pan. They cheated and used a box of dark chocolate brownie mix, they put that on top of the graham cracker crust, put chocolate chips(rice chips) on top of that, put them in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, they took them out and put mini marshmallows on top and put them back into the oven for an additional 5 minutes. Then take them out and let cool slightly( with us we like warm brownies). They topped it with whipped cream before serving.
They made another great meal!!!

Shredded Chicken, Rice, Cheese Enchiladas

I was of course watching a food show (The Chew) and someone made enchiladas. That sounded great since we haven't had them in a long time I had my idea for dinner. I am not like most people and plan ahead for dinner. I decide when I wake up in the morning what might sound good for that day. I am also one of those people that buy the basics and then have to run to the store to get whatever else I need every day or just about. But today I actually had everything I needed(I surprised myself)

I started by boiling some boneless skinless chicken thighs in water seasoned with cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, and garlic pepper. I cooked it until it was falling apart. Then let cool, then shredded it, set aside.

I then started the spanish rice, from Rice A Roni of course(I don't know why but lately I have been using boxed stuff which usually don't), but instead of the water I used 2 1/2 cups of the water/broth that the chicken cooked in.

I opened a large can of green enchilada sauce and poured it in a shallow baking dish/bowl, 1 can sliced olives, and 1 package pre shredded mexican 4 cheese, and some shredded rice cheeses. I had an assembly line set up.

First I dipped a medium size flour tortilla in the green sauce, then put in some shredded chicken, about 1 tbls rice, and some cheese, rolled it up and placed it in the baking dish. Keep repaeating this until you make the amount you need. I did put rice cheese in some them for Jake, then for Zach and Dakota I skipped the sauce and just put chicken in cheese in them. I then topped all of them with red enchilada sauce, cheese, and olives.
Placed them in a 400 degree oven until the cheese is melty and they are heated through about 15 to 20 minutes. Of course that rice cheese just never seems to melt.

Dog Treats

I haven't been feeling very well at all today, so I wasn't going to cook dinner. Again my sister invited me over for dinner, just some Italian sausages. That was fine with me. But I had promised my nephew I would help him make his dog some treats, he is 7 and autistic and if you know me you know I don't break promises!  So I went over there tonight prepared.

You take 1 egg, 1 cup of peanut butter, and 3/4 cup low fat milk, whisk it together until smooth. Then add 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups flour and 1 tbls baking powder, mix until well blended, you will probably need to mix it with your hands at the end (it will be the consistence of biscuits). Roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness, cut into shapes and size you want or need for your dog. Place on a sprayed cookie sheet and put in a 325 degree oven for 20 minutes, take them out and turn them over and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Roast, Potatoes, and Veggies

Tonight my sister said she had dinner and that worked wonders for my new fast and easy dinner every night. It was much easier for me than here. I didn't do a single thing...LOL

I am not sure what marinade she used, although I am sure it was from Lawry's that her marinade of choice. She put the roast in my dutch oven (so look I did help out) along with potatoes, broccoli, and carrots. She put that in a 350 degree oven for 3 hours. It was a very good dinner!

Fish, Rice, and Veggies

I was at Safeway getting water. They had a great deal, a 24 pack for $1.99. I was walking around looking to see what else they had. I found some fish I hadn't cooked yet, swai. Which I just learned is a kind of catfish.

I took the fish put it in a baking dish, poured a marinade of olive oil, lemon juice, lemon pepper, garlic pepper, dried thyme, and dried basil. I covered it with foil, put it in the fridge for about 1 1/2 hours. Then  placed it in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes ( I only cooked it fast because we were at Zach's game, so dinner was late, besides we were hungry).

Meanwhile, I fixed a box of chicken and mushroom Rice A Roni. Then steamed a bag of mixed veggies.

Another simple easy dinner and I actually ate the fish so it must not have been too bad.

Baked Chicken, Potatoes, and Steamed Veggies

Tonight as every night I really like to make things as easy on me as I can. I looked in the freezer to decide what would take the least time or something I didn't have to stand over the stove due to it's way to hot for that.

I found some chicken quarters that already had adobado seasoning on it, so there it was. I put them in a baking pan lined with foil, added a little bit of water, and covered it with foil, put it in the oven for about 1 hour until done. 10 minutes before it was done I removed the foil so it could brown.

Meanwhile, I sliced the potatoes almost all the way through, topped them with some butter, 1 clove grated garlic (1 clove per potato), and some sliced onion (I usually use red onions but this time I used a yellow one since that's what I had), wrap them up in foil, like you would a regular baked potato, I placed them on a small cookie sheet and threw them in the oven with the chicken.

While the chicken rested I put a bag of veggies (cauliflower, snap peas, carrots, and dried cranberries) in the steamer bag in the microwave for 5 minutes. The cranberries gave it a very good flavor, a sweet taste for your veggies.

While things were cooking I took 3 green apples diced them, added 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon, and a little bit of nutmeg grated right over the bowl( I am using nutmeg because I knew Jake would not touch this dessert). I let that sit for about 15 minutes. I then made a pie crust, this is my most feared thing to make. I have never been able to make a decent pie crust. 2 cups flour,  1 tsp salt, 2/3 cups margarine, and 6 to 7 tsp very cold water. Cut the butter into the flour and salt, so it looks like sizes as big as peas, then add the water 1 tsp at a time until the dough is moist and comes into a ball. I rolled it out then use a large cup to cut into circles. Place the apple filling (about 1 tbs) on half of the circle. Fold them over crimp the edges with a fork, place on a cookies sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. poke small holes in the top of the pies, and brush the tops with egg whites. Place in a 425 oven for about 20 minutes or until they are golden brown.

Sausages

Today has been a nice quiet day for us. We started out by going to the farm to feed the steer. We came back and went back to bed. I slept off and on and finally crawled out of bed at 12:30. I was totally shocked! I got dressed, went out to the cemetery to take dad some flowers. After that I went out to the casino (thanks to Henry for letting me use his card to have the free $15 for Father's Day...it would have been taken off his card at midnight...anyway he's not a father and I am!...LOL) I lost it with in about 20 minutes. I then went to Ride Aide to pick up a script and picked up some hair dye, it's way past time to get rid of the dye. I did some laundry, dyed my hair, and not much else.

Jake crawled out of bed around 3 pm. We took Troy to work and decided to go to the store to figure out what was for dinner. We decided we would just fix the sausages we had in the freezer. We picked up some hot dog buns, chips (for Jake, his obsession), and a chocolate cake for later(nice for my diet...oh well I will work it off later).

We came home and threw the sausages in the a 425 degree oven for 25 minutes. I topped mine with some of my homemade squash relish, it's not bad, just a little sweet for me, but it taste just like relish(I prefer the dill relish).

I plan to clean and move the kitchen around later when it cools off.

Tortellini

Since it was Friday it was Jake and Dakota's turn to cook. I had purchased some chicken and prosciutto stuffed tortellini from the deli section at Grocery Outlet for a really good price. They only had to make a sauce to go with it and they did an amazing job!

They started out with 1 chopped onion, and 4 cloves chopped garlic, they put it in a hot skillet with 2 tbs EVOO. They let it cook until the onions were tender. Next they added 16 oz of tomato sauce, salt, and pepper to taste. That's where the recipe they used said to let it simmer for about 30 minutes. Well those two thought it was pretty bland and opened the spice cabinet. They added 2 more cloves of grated garlic, a tbls of dried thyme, 1 tbls dried oregano, and 1 tbls dried basil. They let it simmer for about 15 minutes, then they added 1 cup heavy whipping cream (I told Jake it wasn't a good idea and he would probably be sick later but he insisted, we are however trying him on limited dairy and soy before his next scope). Meanwhile they boiled a large pot of water and cooked 1 lb of ground Italian sausage(if it weren't for the kids we would have  used a spicier sausage).

When everything was done they added it all to 1 pan tossed, then served with a little bit of parmesan  and fresh parsley. It was very good!

They also made a coffee cake for dessert. That was another weird thing about today they used a box cake something we just don't do around here, but it worked and tasted good. A Homemade one would have been much better.

Another Signature Burger

I love putting different things (mostly veggies) into my burgers. It's a good way to get Jake to eat veggies.

Tonight I used 93% fat free ground beef. I added 3 cloves grated garlic, 1 small finely chopped shallot( I just sat here for like 2 minutes trying to remember what that was called...thanks Chiari), salt, pepper, sriracha and a couple of tbls of my squash relish, that way I had the sweet to balance the heat. I made the patties put them on a cookie sheet baked them at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes, about 2 minutes prior to them being done I put sliced pepper jack cheese on top of them so it would get nice and melted.

I put some mayo(made with olive oil) on a sweet onion roll, tomato, onion, some mixed sweet baby lettuces, and some of my relish. I think it turned out pretty good, except it could have used more sriracha.

Blueberry Ice Cream Bars

For the last few weeks Zachary has been bugging Jake to make ice cream with him because he got the new popsicle molds. I had just happened to be watching Food Network this past Saturday and Jamie Deen was making things for a camp out with his son. He made these ice cream bars. They are easy to make and pretty healthy. The recipe called for strawberries but my sister has a lot of blueberries and all the kids like them...yes even Jake.

Zach and Jake took 2 cups maybe a little more blueberries put them in a bowl tossed them with 1/3 cup sugar (I am sure splenda or truvia could be used) and 1 tsp vanilla. They let it set for about 20 minutes so the juices would come out. To a blender or food processor add the blueberries with all the juices in the bowl and 1 cup of vanilla yogurt(they used about 2 cups to make it creamier). Puree until completely smooth. Divide between 6 popsicle molds, place in the freezer for 4 to 6 hours, they left them in the freezer overnight. They were very yummy.

Zach was very proud of what he got to make with Jake.

Baked Salmon, Wild Rice, and Squash

First of all, I found this really good deal on the salmon. It was frozen and at Grocery Outlet. It was an 11oz filet for $2.99. I grabbed 3 of them. Jake has really been wanting it so I thought I would be nice and fix it tonight. Robyn Slye gave me a lot of yummy squash so I thought it would go wonderfully with the salmon.

For the salmon, the recipe was for 2 6oz pieces, So I tripled it for what I needed, but here is the original recipe. In a medium bowl mix together 2 cloves of minced garlic, 6 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tbs lemon juice, and 1 tbs chopped fresh parsley. Place the fillets in a medium glass baking dish, cover with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for about an hour, turning occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 375. Place the fillets in aluminum foil, cover with marinade, and seal. Place the sealed salmon in a glass dish, and bake 35 to 45 minutes, until easily flaked with a fork.

For the side dish I went really easy. I used a box of Rice a Roni, the wild rice one. Then I cut up some squash, layered it in a glass baking dish, put some olive oil, chopped garlic, and covered it with foil. I baked it along with the salmon

Stay tuned tomorrow night for probably dessert only, brought to you by Zach and Jake. They made it tonight but they won't be set until tomorrow.

Cabin in the Woods Burgers

 So I am pretty lazy tonight so I am going to copy and paste the ingredients and directions. I saw this on facebook this morning and thought, I just found what is for dinner tonight. I know I post a lot from Rachael Ray, but most of her recipes are great and affordable! I also gave my sister a break, she's been sick (I probably gave her whatever I had), so I went over and picked the boys for about 3 hours today and they stayed for dinner. Dakota and Jake loved this burger, but Zach wasn't so into it. He just wanted to eat the tater tots. I sent him home with his leftovers and cupcakes if he ate at least 1/2 of his burger.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound thick-cut bacon or black pepper bacon
• 1/4 cup dark amber maple syrup
• 1 1/2 pounds coarsely ground beef chuck
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons grated onion
• 2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
• Coarse salt and black pepper
• EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil or vegetable oil, for drizzling
• 1/2 pound sliced extra-sharp white cheddar, for topping
• Melted butter, for frying eggs and basting burger rolls
• 4 organic eggs
• 4 seed-topped or onion rolls, split
• Directions
• Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place the bacon on a broiler pan or rack-lined baking sheet and bake until the fat is partially rendered, about 15 minutes. Baste the bacon with maple syrup; bake 5-6 minutes more.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. In a bowl, combine thebeef, Worcestershire and onion (grate the onion over the bowl so the juices fall into the meat). Stir in the mustard; season with salt and lots of pepper. Form into 4 patties (making them thinner at the center and thicker at the edges). Drizzle the patties with oil; cook, flipping once, until a nice crust forms, about 7 minutes. Top with the cheese and cook for about 2 minutes to melt
• Brush a nonstick skillet over medium heat with some melted butter. Add the eggs and fry to your liking; season.
• Toast the buns, basting with melted butter. Top the bun bottoms with burgers, bacon, eggs and bun top.
• That is the egg oozing out down the side of the burger. I also added some greens to mine. I also used regular buns due to Jake being allergic to sesame seeds and the boys not liking the onion rolls.
  
  

Homemade Pizza and Cheesecake

I know I haven't posted in a few days but I am not feeling well at all lately. I don't know if it's the heat or just my chiari.

Last night my sister made tacos. They were good.

After dinner I talked Dakota through making pizza dough and his very first cheesecake. He was suppose to make dinner tonight with Jake but Jake left us to go to a pool party.

The pizza dough was a very easy one, 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 2 tbs olive oil,  1 pkg. fast acting yeast, 1 cup warm water. We mixed that together, turned it out on lightly floured surface, kneaded it for about 5 minutes,  placed it in a plastic bag, and let it set until it had doubled in size. Then it went in the fridge overnight. We  doubled the recipe, the recipe above is for a single crust pizza crust.

For the cheesecake I showed him my easy 3 step one. Pre heat the oven to 325 degrees. 2 8oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 eggs, and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix all of that together until creamy. We then let Zach(7) and their cousin Alexia(5) spoon the filling in an already made graham cracker crust. We then baked it for about 40 minutes or til center is set. I loved it when Alexia said I love it here, my mom never lets me help do anything in the kitchen( she's with her daddy this weekend). Cool the cheesecake and refrigerate at least 2 hours, we did overnight.

Tonight, we took the dough out and divided it 7 equal balls. I let each of the kids roll out the dough to the size they wanted it, then put on the sauce and toppings they wanted. Let me tell you the 2 little ones had a blast. I actually think Dakota did too. We placed then on a lightly oiled pan with a dusting of cornmeal. We placed them in a 425 degree oven for about 18 minutes or how crunchy  you want your crust. They enjoyed ever bite of their dinner.

For desert they were excited to eat their cheesecake they had made. We topped it with some caramel sauce(ice cream topping). When I left there tonight they all kept saying thank you to me for letting them make their own food. Alexia asked if she could come over next weekend and help make dinner.

Nachos

So a fast easy good dinner! Elena called and asked if we wanted Nachos tonight, I said sure. She had the chips, cheese, and ground turkey. I picked some extra cheese(nacho and shredded), sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, and an onion. That's it!

Since moving back I think the boys (Zach and Dakota) has fit in great in their new school(the one I work at). Dakota received student of the month after only being there for 1 month, and Zach got a good citizenship award today. I love having these 2 back where I can see them every day. <3

Steak, Baked Potatoes, and Brussel Sprouts

I went to Safeway to get a few things and thought I would see if there were any steaks on sale for this weekend. I found some yummy looking rib-eyes for the adults and some cheaper sirloins for the kiddos. When I got home to put them in the freezer I had forgotten how much things I had bought for the freezer this past weekend so I called my sister and asked if she wanted to have a good dinner tonight. I am glad we are all flexible.

Before going to her house I made some sherry butter (I totally love this) You take 2 heads of garlic (yes that's heads not cloves) cut the tops off so you can see all the cloves, place them in foil, drizzle with EVOO, salt and pepper, wrap them up, and place them in a 450 degree oven for about 30 to 45 minutes or until garlic is soft and roasted. After it't cooled, squeeze the garlic into a blender or food processor along with 2 chopped cloves of garlic, 2 tbs finely chopped flat leaf parsley, 1 tbs fresh chopped thyme, 1/3 cup dry sherry, and 1/2 stick of butter(I think I used more to make it thicker) pulse to make it into a paste. I then refrigerate until ready to use.

I also made a porcini sauce. Start with 1 cup of beef stock and a handful of dried procini mushrooms( I can't find theses at any of our stores so I sub fresh chopped baby portebella mushrooms for them). Place them in a sauce pan and simmer until mushrooms are tender and liquid has reduced about 15 to 20 minutes. Then puree them. Meanwhile in a sauce pan drizzle some EVOO in the pan, add 1 finely chopped shallot, and 2 cloves finely chopped garlic, cook til tender. Then add 2 tbs balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce,  2 tbs dark brown sugar, 2 tsp coarse black pepper, and 1 cup of ketchup. Next add the porcini puree, Simmer this until desired thickness.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. For dinner I stuck the potatoes in the microwave for about 10 minutes. Next steamed some frozen brussel sprouts. Then for the good stuff, I heated 2 cast iron skillets (mine has the grill marks at the bottom, so it looks as if you grilled them). Pat dry the steaks, liberally salt and pepper them, then drizzle with EVOO. Place is a screaming hot skillet for about 5 minutes per side or when meat releases from the pan. After both sides are seared place the pan in the oven to finish steaks, for medium rare cook an additional 8 to 10 minutes. Let the steaks rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting so the juice will redistribute. Serve with the sherry butter and porcini sauce. Jake made a loaf of garlic bread.

It was so good that one the kids didn't fight over dinner and I forgot to take a pic. This is by far Jake and my favorite dinner.

Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes, and Greenbeans

Tonight was Zach and his daddy's turn to dinner. They went simple. Zach helped daddy make the turkey meatballs and helped put them in the oven. Then he helped mash the potatoes and pick out what the veggie was. It was a pretty good dinner, nothing fancy but good.

A Great Dinner and Family Game Night

We had discussed  a few weeks ago that on Saturday night Jake and Dakota would cook dinner and we would have family game night. Well, we have been so busy lately it hadn't happened.Finally tonight it did and they did a wonderful time.

For dinner was a Thai Style Chicken with Basil. Prep for this was cutting up 1 red and yellow bell pepper, 1 fresno chili, 4 large cloves of garlic, and grating 1 1/2 inches of ginger. Cubbing 1 1/2 lbs of skinless boneless chicken thighs.

 To start they brought 2 1/2 cups of chicken stock to a boil in a saucepan along with 2 tbs butter, when that came to a boil they added 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice, returned to a boil and then covered. That cooked on low for about 20 minutes.

For the chicken, they heated 2 tbs of canola oil in a large skillet, then added the cubed chicken, let the chicken cook for 2 minutes before touching it, then stir fry it until done. If the skillet isn't large enough you may need to do this in small batches. Remove the chicken to plate.

Add another tbs of oil to the pan, then add the peppers, garlic, and ginger, cook for about 3 minutes. Then add 2 tbs of soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 2 tbs oyster sauce( it called for fish sauce but I was unable to find it at any of our stores). Add the chicken back in and toss to coat. Then remove from heat add 1/2 cup chopped basil to wilt it, and the grated peel of 1 lime, and the juice from the lime. Garnish with 1/2 cup of chopped basil.

For dessert with Jake's direction Dakota made cream puffs with blueberry custard and a blueberry sauce, all from scratch. He did an amazing job!!!

After dinner we had a great time playing Monopoly Millionaire. Of course the 7 year old autistic kid (Zach) won...go figure.