tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78443714902957611122024-03-08T04:51:11.359-08:00Cajun MirepoixYou can take the girl out of Louisiana.. but you can't take Louisiana out of her kitchen!dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-89671995086432532472010-12-28T15:27:00.001-08:002011-07-17T13:45:53.700-07:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">After much hair pulling I have decided to only have ONE blog.... food, family, infertility, life, product reviews & gift guides can now be found at: <a href="http://www.dreamersalcove.com/">Dreamer's Alcove</a></span><br />
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</i></b>dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-46876879777607272262010-10-15T14:29:00.000-07:002010-12-28T14:22:31.775-08:00Broccoli Shrimp Casserole<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_pXVlMGVfO2A/TLjSN-uXIqI/AAAAAAAAAeA/eibn6cM3qHc/s320/shrimp+casserole+ed2.jpg" width="320" /></div><br />
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<ul><li>1 lb shrimp</li>
<li>1 tsp paprika</li>
<li>1tsp mrs dash</li>
<li>1/4 tsp cayenne</li>
<li>1/2 tsp Tony's</li>
<li>2 tsp tomato chicken bouillon</li>
<li>1 cup rice</li>
<li>2 1/4 cup F/F chicken broth</li>
<li>12 oz bag frozen broccoli cuts</li>
<li>3 tbsp olive oil </li>
<li>1 cup frozen seasoning "blend" of choice (onions, bell pepper, celery, carrots)</li>
<li>1tsp chopped garlic (1-2 cloves)</li>
<li>1 can F/F cream of chicken</li>
<li>8oz shredded colby jack cheese, DIVIDED</li>
</ul>OK this seems like a lot but bear with me it was SO simple!<br />
<ol><li>Preheat your oven to 325.</li>
<li>Peel and de-vein your shrimp. I was using 51-80s so I cut them in 3. This is up to you and also depends on the size of your shrimp. Put your shrimp in a bowl that has a lid, add the dry seasonings- paprika, Mrs. Dash, cayenne, seasoning salt, & bouillon. If you can't find tomato chicken bouillon, check your "ethnic" foods aisle. I usually find it with the other Mexican seasonings. If not, use chicken boullion. Not a huge thing here.</li>
<li>Put the lid on the bowl and put it aside if you are cooking NOW, but you can fridge it for 1-2 days if necessary.</li>
<li>Put your rice and the broth in a pot with a lid. Bring it to a boil. Put the lid on it and set it to simmer. Don't touch it for 25 minutes. At all. Don't open the lid. Don't stir it. Leave. It. Alone. Trust me. Until I did this I ruined every pot of rice I touched. Incedentally if anyone knows how to cook a pot of BROWN rice... I'm all ears!</li>
<li>Throw the whole bag of broccoli in the microwave and hit 5 minutes. It doesn't matter if it's regular and not "steamable" I promise.</li>
<li>Heat the olive oil in a non stick skillet over medium and saute the seasoning blend and garlic until it is tender. Add the shrimp and continue cooking 3-5 minutes until the edges begin to curl. Add the cream of chicken soup and stir it all together.</li>
<li>Pour your cooked rice into a 13x9 casserole dish and stir in a hand full of the cheese. Pour the shrimp mixture over it <br />
and mix it all together well. Spread remaining cheese over the top and loosely cover with aluminum foil. Bake 25 minutes, uncovering the last 5 to brown the cheese.</li>
</ol><b>SERVE WITH:</b><br />
Garlic bread. YUM!!!<br />
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<i><b>Download the single page printer-friendly HTML version </b></i><i><b><a href="http://www.4shared.com/document/ykcFfpsR/BroccoliShrimpCasserole.html">HERE</a>!</b></i>dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-60700296005636685322010-10-01T10:33:00.000-07:002010-12-28T14:22:51.277-08:00Mexican 2 ways in 2 days!<a href="http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/dragondreamer-tmp/food/Mex2in2.png"> CLICK HERE FOR INGREDIENTS & PICTURE until I get it transferred over :)</a><br />
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Night 1: Nacho & Tacos!!<br />
Layer it! Wrap it! Do it however you want!<br />
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I like to season my taco meat with <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/taco-potion-19-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">Alton Brown's Taco Potion #19</a>. Use what you like.<br />
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<strong>Night 2: Mexican Pasta!!</strong><br />
~ Saute your leftover onions.<br />
~ Add in the leftover meat and a jar of salsa.<br />
~ Simmer on low while you cook your pasta to al dente.<br />
~ Drain pasta and add into sause mixture.<br />
~ Serve with a sprinkle of cheese, dollop of crema, and a side of chips for some crunch!<br />
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Simple but OH! SO! YUMMY!<br />
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<img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/dragondreamer-tmp/blogger/foodsiggy.png" />dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-69123992440792762152010-09-27T10:33:00.000-07:002011-07-08T02:21:39.629-07:00Lumpia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/dragondreamer-tmp/food/lumpiacard.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/dragondreamer-tmp/food/lumpiacard.png" /></a></div><br />
Directions<br />
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In a large bowl, combine the meats, shrimp, carrot, onion, red bell pepper, and garlic. Mix. Gradually blend in the eggs, soy sauce, black pepper, salt, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and cilantro (if using). Mix with your hands so it is combined well. Do not overwork the meat though. Just mix until ingredients are evenly distributed.<br />
Lay 2 damp (NOT SOAKED), warmed dish towels on a large work surface. Place the opened wrappers between them to prevent drying.<br />
Lay out the spring roll wrapper on a flat surface. (I just lay it on top oft he damp towel.) Scoop about 2 Tbsp. of the meat mixture place it down in the center of the wrapper. Pat meat to form it into a line. Make sure the meat is no thicker than your thumb.<br />
Take the bottom of the wrapper (nearest you) and fold it towards the center. Then take the left and right fold them towards the center as well. Roll it like you are making a cigar. Moisten the edge of the wrapper with a bit of water to seal. Place under the damp towl, seal edge down, to prevent overdrying before cooking. Repeat the procedure for the rest of the wrappers.<br />
Heat 1" of canola oil in a heavy skillet to 300-325°F over medium heat.Pan fry 3-5 lumpia at a time so that you will not bring the oil temperature down too much. Turn with tongs every 2-3 minutes until golden brown all over. Approximately 6-8 minutes.<br />
Drain on paper towels.<br />
Cut in half and serve with a sweet & sour sauce, Asian sweet chili sause, or malt vinegar for dipping.<br />
Alternately, these can be made ahead and frozen. Lower heat and fry while frozen being careful to cook meat through before serving.<br />
<img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/dragondreamer-tmp/blogger/foodsiggy.png" />dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-78040431013540023212010-09-20T10:30:00.000-07:002010-12-28T14:22:51.285-08:00Beer braised pulled porkMy oven is STILL broken so I decided to try my hand at a crock pot pulled pork today. I My husband is in love and plannin on bringing a pot full to the next UFC gathering.. LOL!<br />
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Remember: Most recipes you can adjust things to your taste, but don't be afraid to try something new!<br />
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<strong>Ingredients</strong><br />
<ul><li>2 lb pork roast (trim excess fat & cut into chunks)</li>
<li>Tony's or seasoning salt (enough to rub on meat)</li>
<li>1 c beer (steal your hubby's beer before he finishes it the night before!)</li>
<li>1 large onion, diced</li>
<li>1/2 c brown sugar</li>
<li>1/4 c mustard</li>
<li>1/4 c honey</li>
<li>1 pack real bacon bits or 1/2 lb bacon fried & crumbled</li>
<li>1 c bbq sauce ( I used my leftover sauce from the Cheyenne Burgers</li>
</ul>Directions:<br />
<ol><li>Toss it all in a crock pot and stir until combined and pork is well coated.</li>
<li>Cook on high for 6-8 hours.</li>
<li>Shred with 2 forks before serving on hamburger buns or crusty rolls.</li>
</ol>I served it with a homemade potato salad and like I said the hubs devoured it!<br />
<img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/dragondreamer-tmp/blogger/foodsiggy.png" />dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-25415895417339459362010-09-16T10:29:00.000-07:002010-12-28T14:22:51.289-08:00Bobby Flay's Cheyenne Burger - Round 2!!A lot of the ingredients were in the pantry and the burger itself is a full meal! If you need a little "more" try thin sliced red potatoes in the oven with rosemary, garlic, some s&p, and a little butter!<br />
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Use Bobby Flay's Cheyenne Burger Recipe @ Food Network<br />
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I followed his recipe FOR THE SECOND TIME TONIGHT!! I even made the BBQ sauce recipe. When I told the fam I was making this again I got "OOoooh! YES!!"<br />
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My changes:<br />
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I used lettuce and tomato, and he didn't.<br />
I used a white cheddar.<br />
I used light brown sugar, which may be why my BBQ sauce is lighter than his. I actually keep most of these ingredients in my pantry, so I had everything in his sauce recipe other than the dark brown sugar and molasses so I used another 1/2T each of honey and light and called it good.. it was AWESOME! BUT VERY SPICY!<br />
I used regular milk for the onion ring batter, not buttermilk. Didn't have any. (OH THE SHAME!) Just put a 1 tablespoon vinegar and whisk well if you like that tangy taste.<br />
Those of you who don't know Bobby Flay's cooking, he likes it hot! This was great!<img src="http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/dragondreamer-tmp/blogger/foodsiggy.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket">dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-45140439269577372882010-09-12T10:25:00.000-07:002010-12-28T14:22:51.293-08:00Absolutely No Bake CheesecakeLast weekend my oven stopped working. Maintenance had to order a part for it so the cheesecake I planned on making for Labor Day was a no go. NOT HAPPY!<br />
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I'm literally starving for cheese cake... So I made this recipe today!! It's not a "traditional" cheesecake... but it's close enough to satisfy me for now LOL!<br />
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Absolutely No Bake Upside-Down Cheesecake<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
<ul><li>16 oz softened cream cheese</li>
<li>1 can sweetened condensed evaporated milk</li>
<li>1 sm package of vanilla pudding mix</li>
<li>1 cup milk</li>
<li>1/3 c powdered sugar **OPTIONAL**</li>
<li>2 cups of your DRY favorite cookies (no cremes, fillings, etc) crushed</li>
<li>3 tbsp butter</li>
</ul>Directions:<br />
<ol><li>Blend cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk on high for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy.</li>
<li>Stir pudding mix into milk until mixed and add into cream cheese mixture, blending again until smooth.</li>
<li>THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!! Stick your finger in the mix (LOL!) and taste for sweetness. If you want it a little sweeter, blend in the 1/3 powdered sugar.</li>
<li>Refrigerate 1-3 hours until it firms up.</li>
<li>Meanwhile, in a non-stick skillet, melt butter and stir in cookie crumbs, cooking over medium heat until crispy and dry (like a crumbled pie crust...IF YOU HAVE AN OVEN you can press this into a pie crust before instead of heating and bake at 35o for 15-20 minutes.)</li>
<li>Serve cheese cake filling with crumbs spooned over.</li>
</ol><ol></ol><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/dragondreamer-tmp/blogger/foodsiggy.png" />dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-4838029047602848132010-09-03T10:21:00.000-07:002010-12-28T14:22:51.297-08:00Crockpot Chicken StewI'll detail this later but for now, here is my crock pot chicken stew for Angela♥<br />
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
<ul><li>2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bite-sized pieces</li>
<li>2 cans cream of chicken soup</li>
<li>4 medium red potatoes, washed & diced</li>
<li>1/2 cup frozen chopped seasoning blend or onions</li>
<li>6 cups of your favorite veggies (corn, peas, mix veg, broccoli, spinach, carrots, etc. Literally ANYTHING you like!)</li>
<li>1 qt chicken broth</li>
<li>Seasonings to taste (I've used mrs. dash, italian seasoning, salt, pepper, Tony's, etc)</li>
</ul><em><strong>TIP:</strong> Cut all veggies into similar sized pieces for even cooking</em><br />
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<strong>Directions:</strong><br />
<ol><li>Put everything in your crock pot and put it on high for 6-8 hours.</li>
</ol><strong>OPTIONAL:</strong><br />
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<li>Add in 1-2 cups minute rice during the last hour</li><br />
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<li>Add in 1/2 cup softened cream cheese, sour cream, or milk right before serving to make it creamy. (<em>DIVINE!!</em>)</li><br />
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<li>Add 1/2 c water & 2 T cornstarch (slurry) in the last 1/2 hour to thicken if you prefer a thicker stew.</li><br />
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<i><b>Download the single page printer-friendly HTML version HERE!</b></i>dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-15163572269513543042010-07-22T20:29:00.000-07:002010-12-28T14:22:51.302-08:00Broccoli Rice Chicken CasseroleSimple to make, since most of it is done in the microwave. If you have leftover chicken and/or rice it's even FASTER!<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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<div> </div><ul><li>2T olive oil </li>
<li>1 cup frozen seasoning blend</li>
<li>1 lb chicken cut into bite-size pieces</li>
<li>10 oz bag broccoli florets</li>
<li>3 cups cooked (leftover?) rice</li>
<li>1 can cream of chicken soup</li>
<li>1 chicken soup can of lowfat milk</li>
<li>8 oz shredded or cubed American cheese</li>
<li>Seasonings & fresh herbs to taste</li>
</ul><br />
<div> Directions: </div><ol><li>Saute seasoning blend and chicken in olive oil until vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through. </li>
<li>Put broccoli and a few tablespoons of water in a microwave safe bowl and microwave 5-7 minutes until tender (or use the steamable bags to save a dish). Drain water from broccoli, mix in rice, herbs, and salt/pepper to taste.</li>
<li>In another (larger) microwave safe bowl add soup, milk, and cheese & microwave 5-7 minutes until cheese is melted, stirring occasionally.</li>
<li>Combine all ingredients in the cheese mixture, tossing to coat evenly.</li>
<li>Allow to sit 5-10 minutes to absorb all the cheese mixture. It thickens up like a grown up mac & cheese!</li>
</ol>Goes great with a side of garlic bread!<br />
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<a href="http://moms-diner.blogspot.com/2010/07/meal-plan-thursday.html">This week's Meal Plan</a>dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-14049928417656143502010-07-22T20:17:00.000-07:002010-12-28T14:22:51.306-08:00Meal Plan ThursdayThis week I continued cooking some things out of my old blog posts, some that I never blogged about after doing the meal plan.<br />
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Thursday (7/22) - Broccoli Rice Chicken Casserole<br />
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Friday (7/23) - Burgers on the grill at a friend's house<br />
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Saturday (7/24) - Beefy Potato Hash<br />
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Sunday (7/25) - Taco Salad<br />
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Monday (7/26) - Tamale Pie<br />
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Tuesday (7/27)- Cowboy Stew<br />
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Wednesday (7/28) - Left over night!!dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-76290840739056056882010-07-20T20:15:00.000-07:002010-12-28T14:22:51.310-08:00Crema Beef & PastaI took my old <a href="http://moms-diner.blogspot.com/2010/03/what-burger-wednesday-italian-beef.html">Beef & Pasta</a> recipe and jazzed it up with the leftover mexican crema.dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-68942638098445084842010-07-18T20:13:00.000-07:002010-12-28T14:22:51.329-08:00Quickie!! Beef FajitasSo while shopping at Sam's we got this bag of <a href="http://www.johnsoulesfoods.com/">John Souls Foods Fully Cooked Restaurant Quality Beef Fajitas</a>. Just click the link.. you'll see why I got it. It was a sampler and OOOOooohhh man was it tender!!!<br />
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So we cooked it according to package directions.<br />
Greated some Oaxaca cheese.<br />
Browned some onions.<br />
Warmed some tortillas.<br />
Slapped them all together.<br />
Dipped it in Mexican Crema.... <br />
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and YUUUUM!!!!dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-32654847446121585192010-07-17T18:54:00.000-07:002010-12-28T14:22:51.333-08:00Tortilla Soup - revisitedWe loved this stuff from a friend's blog that <a href="http://moms-diner.blogspot.com/2010/02/am-i-really-back.html">I blogged about before</a> so we had it again. YUM!!!<br />
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Except this time I sautéed the chicken & seasoning blend then tossed it all in the crockpot on high for 4 hours while we went shopping (school clothes)! The chicken was melt in your mouth when we got home!dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-14159393199930190502010-07-16T13:58:00.000-07:002010-12-28T14:22:51.338-08:00Mom's Shepherd's Pie<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: top;"></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">2pk box of sour cream & chives instant potatoes</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">1 cup chicken broth</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">1 1/2 cups water</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">1 1/3 cup milk</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">1/4 cup Italian Dressing</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">1 lb. Extra-lean ground beef</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">1 cup frozen seasoning blend</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">1 cup frozen peas*</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">1 cup frozen corn*</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">½ cup frozen spinach*</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">1 large carrot, sliced on an angle (or use store bought sliced!)*</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">2 T fresh chopped parsley or 1 t dried</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">1 cup chicken broth</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Salt & pepper to taste</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">1/3 cup shredded cheese (I used… colby jack LOL)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">(**** or your favorite vegetable mix)</span></li>
</ul><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><b>Directions:</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: top;"></div><ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Combine potato flakes, 1 c broth, water and milk in a large microwaveable bowl.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Microwave, covered with wrap, for 5 minutes. Set aside.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Put carrot in another microwaveable bowl with a little water. Microwave 3-5 minutes until tender.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Heat dressing over medium-high heat. Add meat and seasoning blend. Sautéing until meat is browned.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Add, reduce heat & simmer until almost tender.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">In a large oven-safe skillet ( I use cast iron), warm together ¼ cup of light oil and 2 heaping table spoons of flour.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Stir frequently until it starts to color, whisk in 1 c broth and enough water to create a not-too-thin gravy.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Mix vegetable/meat mixture into gravy and smooth down.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Spoon potatoes over mixture, leaving little peaks (they’ll brown pretty).</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350° until cheese melts and peaks brown.</span></li>
</ol><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><b>GO VEGETARIAN!</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Omit meat and add beans, tofu, or more hearty veggies like zucchini and other squash! Use vegetable broth in place of chicken.. VOILA!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: top;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Pictures soon!!</span></div>dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-15095986176022172792010-07-15T21:51:00.000-07:002010-12-28T14:22:51.342-08:00That's the plan Thursday!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i48.tinypic.com/2mmejqo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="76" src="http://i48.tinypic.com/2mmejqo.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And boy have I got some deals for you!!! I cireated a 4 week meal plan and went shopping. Everything for 4 weeks (other than milk, bread, eggs type stuff that I'll replace weekly) and I also bought some gifts and other assorted things and my whole bill came to $272!!! I'm guessing I spent a little over $50 per week!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This week we'll have some things out of my old blog posts, some that I never blogged about after doing the meal plan. I will this week, I promise!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>Thursday - Dinner Out! 35 Chinese Restaurant, Chapel Hill, NC YUM!!!</li>
<li>Friday - <a href="http://moms-diner.blogspot.com/2010/07/moms-shepherds-pie.html">Mom's Shepherds Pie</a></li>
<li>Saturday - <a href="http://moms-diner.blogspot.com/2010/07/tortilla-soup-revisited.html">Tortilla Soup</a></li>
<li>Sunday - <a href="http://moms-diner.blogspot.com/2010/07/quickie-beef-fajitas.html">Beef Fajitas</a></li>
<li>Monday - Dinner out! Village Diner Buffet GREAT PLACE!!!!</li>
<li>Tuesday - <a href="http://moms-diner.blogspot.com/2010/07/crema-beef-pasta.html">Italian Beef &Pasta</a></li>
<li>Wednesday - Left over night!!</li>
</ul>dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-50066863027728205442010-04-16T11:03:00.000-07:002010-12-28T14:22:51.346-08:00Mexi-Vegi-Chicken.... Tortilla Soup???I wanted "Mexican" food tonight. Tacos, nachos, burritos... SOMETHING.. but I didn't want to run to the store to get ingredients. Digging through the freezer I found... vegetables. Lots of them. We're veggie eaters here. Now while I could live on a meatless veggie soup, George isn't so happy about meatless eating.. but I had chicken, too!!! No potatoes.. what to do????<br />
<br />
Here's what I came up with:<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Mexi-Vegi-Chicken Tortilla Soup</span></b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<br />
<ul><li>1/2-1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced</li>
<li>2 T olive oil</li>
<li>1 lb frozen cut broccoli</li>
<li>1/2 lb frozen mixed veggies</li>
<li>1-1 <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1/2 </span>c <a href="http://www.pictsweet.com/rechelpdetail.shtml#seasoningblend">frozen seasoning blend</a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>(I've been asked what this is :-) follow the link to see!)</i></span></li>
<li>1 T powdered chicken bouillon OR 3 c chicken broth</li>
<li>1 T ground cumin</li>
<li>1 t paprika</li>
<li>1 t chili powder</li>
<li>1 t Mrs. Dash <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(yes, I was just throwing things in at this point)</span></i></li>
<li>1 t garlic powder</li>
<li>1 chipotle in adobo, mashed to paste <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(optional- add more, less, or none to taste)</span></i></li>
<li><i>1 sm can of tomato paste</i></li>
<li>3-6 c boiling water <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(3 if you use broth, 6 if you use bouillon)</span></i></li>
<li>2-4 large tortillas, cut into 1" squares and lightly browned</li>
</ul><br />
<b>Directions:</b><br />
<br />
<ol><li>Set crock pot to hi for 6 hours or preheat a large soup pot on the stove.</li>
<li>Lightly season chicken and brown in olive oil</li>
<li>Add all ingredients (EXCEPT TORTILLAS) to pot.</li>
<li>Simmer on low for 3-4 hours or cook on high in crock pot for 6.</li>
<li>Add tortillas in the last 5-10 minute sof cooking on the stove, last 1/2-1 hour on the crock pot, or just add to bowl.</li>
</ol>Serve with sour cream.. sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro.. YUM!! It was so good.<br />
<br />
BUT remember.. it is SPICY from the chipotle!!! If you don;t like spicy skip it or start with 1/2 a pepper.dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-8884461981628640732010-04-14T21:24:00.000-07:002010-12-28T14:22:51.350-08:00yummmy<span new="" roman?,="" serif;?="" style="font-family: Georgia,;" times="">so tonight I was organizing the freezer and found a tub of cookie dough I had forgotten about.</span><br />
<br />
<span new="" roman?,="" serif;?="" style="font-family: Georgia,;" times=""></span><br />
<br />
<span new="" roman?,="" serif;?="" style="font-family: Georgia,;" times="">So I did this:</span><br />
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><span new="" roman?,="" serif;?="" style="font-family: Georgia,;" times=""><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/dragondreamer-tmp/food/cookies/cookie-dough.png" /></span></a><br />
<br />
<span new="" roman?,="" serif;?="" style="font-family: Georgia,;" times=""></span><br />
<br />
<span new="" roman?,="" serif;?="" style="font-family: Georgia,;" times="">After about 13 minutes they looked like this:</span><br />
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><span new="" roman?,="" serif;?="" style="font-family: Georgia,;" times=""><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/dragondreamer-tmp/food/cookies/cookie-baked.png" /></span></a><br />
<br />
<span new="" roman?,="" serif;?="" style="font-family: Georgia,;" times=""></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span new="" roman?,="" serif;?="" style="font-family: Georgia,;" times="">Gorgeous right? I thought they needed more so I did this:</span><br />
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><span new="" roman?,="" serif;?="" style="font-family: Georgia,;" times=""><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/dragondreamer-tmp/food/cookies/cookie-frosted.png" /></span></a><br />
<br />
<span new="" roman?,="" serif;?="" style="font-family: Georgia,;" times=""></span><br />
<br />
<span new="" roman?,="" serif;?="" style="font-family: Georgia,;" times="">But this looked even better:</span><br />
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><span new="" roman?,="" serif;?="" style="font-family: Georgia,;" times=""><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/dragondreamer-tmp/food/cookies/cookie-bite.png" /></span></a><br />
<br />
<span new="" roman?,="" serif;?="" style="font-family: Georgia,;" times=""></span>dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-9660788659219338992010-03-25T21:21:00.000-07:002010-12-28T14:22:51.354-08:00Throw it in Thursday - Mexican SkilletI don't know what else to call this.. I've made it before, but I don't think I blogged it. Bad Anne!<br />
Anyway it is neat simple and YUMMY!!! One pot folks! That's it!<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<ul><li>1 lb lean ground beef or turkey</li>
<li>1 tbsp cumin </li>
<li>1 c frozen seasoning blend</li>
<li>2-3 cloves or 1 heaping teaspoon of minced garlic</li>
<li>2 cups of beef broth (or 2c hot water & 2 bouillon cubes)</li>
<li>2 cups of your favorite salsa (or 16 oz diced tomatoes)</li>
<li>3 cups uncooked pasta ( I used wheat penne)</li>
<li>1-2 cups fiesta/mexican blend shredded cheese</li>
</ul><br />
<b>Directions:</b><br />
<ol><li>Brown burger, veggies, and seasonings.</li>
<li>Add broth and salsa, and bring to a simmer.</li>
<li>Stir in uncooked pasta. Add water to just reach the top of the pasta, if necessary.</li>
<li>Simmer 7-10 minutes until pasta is al dente.</li>
<li>Stir in cheese and serve with sour cream.</li>
</ol><br />
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Simple and YUMMY!dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-44024314102241027542010-03-24T14:18:00.000-07:002010-12-28T14:22:51.359-08:00What-a-burger Wednesday - Italian Beef & PastaMy darling husband is somewhat against tomato based sauces. This has effectively ended my go to meal- spaghetti. He'll eat it red sauces, but he doesn;t enjoy them. So, what's the point?<br />
<br />
On another hand I have a friend in TN that is pregnant with twins, and tomato sauce just isn't appealing to her right now. So I asked for some ideas. Her mom had done this a few days ago, and I'm sure I didn;t do it quite right, but it came out good.<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<ul><li>1 cup frozenseasoning blend </li>
<li>2-3 garlic cloves, or 1 heaping teaspoon of minced garlic</li>
<li>splash of olive oil</li>
<li>1 lb lean ground beef or turkey</li>
<li>1/2 tsp Original Mrs. Dash seasoning</li>
<li>1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning</li>
<li>1/4 tsp dried basil*</li>
<li>1/4 tsp dried thyme*</li>
<li>another splash of olive oil </li>
<li>salt & pepper to taste </li>
<li>1 lb whole grain pasta in your choice of shape. I used spaghetti.</li>
<li>4 beef bouillon cubes</li>
</ul><b>Directions</b><br />
<ol><li>Saute frozen seasoning blend and garlic in olive oil for a few minutes.</li>
<li>Add in ground meat & brown breaking into small pieces. </li>
<li>Drain any fat from meat if necessary and return to pot.</li>
<li>Add dried herbs and.another splash of olive oil.</li>
<li>Stir well to distribute herbs and oil.</li>
<li>Cover and reduce heat to low</li>
<li>Meanwhile prepare a pot of water for boiling pasta, add boullion cubes and 1tsp of salt.</li>
<li>When boiling add pasta (breaking if you prefer) and cook until al dente, as per package directions.</li>
<li>Do not pour pasta cooking broth out, but drain pasta by using a slotted pasta spoon and add to meat mixture.</li>
<li>Toss to combine, adding a few ladles of pasta cooking broth to add moisture.</li>
<li>Serve with garlic bread and if you prefer add more broth to individual bowls.</li>
</ol>Carbs & Protein... perfect comfort food!!<br />
<br />
Even Mr. Picky loved this and Kaelyn ate two servings. I also meant to add some peas into the dish and forgot.. NEXT TIME!!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>*Note: If you use fresh instead of dried herbs, use 3-4x more and add them at the end of thge cooking process.</i></span>dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-54838565109746352102010-03-23T11:29:00.000-07:002010-12-28T14:22:51.362-08:002 Tips for TuesdayToday's tips will be ways to entice children to eat new foods:<br /><ol><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Don't assume they won't eat something</span>- The might like it and not know it. Just explain that it is something new and they need to TRY it. And if they don't like it, wait a while and give it a try again.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Include them</span>- Even the smallest children can help in the kitchen.. washing fruits ^ veggies, carrying boxes of pasta or canned/frozen foods to the counter. Find something age appropriate they can do. they will be proud and have a sense of accomplishment and WANT to try their meal!<br /></li></ol><a href="http://moms-diner.blogspot.com/2009/10/meal-plan-monday-october-12.html"></a>dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-79045463480963122512010-02-10T10:42:00.000-08:002010-12-28T14:22:51.366-08:00Feedback!How do you like the new site so far? Leave a comment & let me know!dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-59921586500031024952010-02-10T09:50:00.000-08:002010-12-28T14:22:51.370-08:00Healthy Choices on a DimeComing soon! How to get healthier fare into your diet without breaking the bank!dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-43983766474374719942010-02-10T09:48:00.000-08:002010-12-28T14:22:51.373-08:00Product ReviewsComing soon!dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-65847991963287940552010-02-10T02:05:00.000-08:002010-12-28T14:22:51.377-08:00What is What-a-burger Wednesday?Wednesday is burger night. I have class Wednesday night so dinner has to be filling, fast, and easy to clean up. What can be better than burger? Now that's not to say that we're going to eat a burger every Wednesday, but there will be burger IN the recipe for Wednesdays.<br /><br />Tonight? Crock Pot Red Beans & Rice. These have to be started the night before so the house already smells great!!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Crock-Pot Red Beans</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(start this the night before for the perfect pot!)</span><br /><br /><ul><li>1 lb Camilla's Red Kidney Beans (I just LIKE these better)</li><li>1/2 tablespoon Salt ( I know it sounds like a lot, trust me)</li><li>1 lb lean ground burger (turkey or beef)<br /></li><li>1 cup frozen Seasoning Blend</li><li>1 lb lean sausage (try"Healthy Choices" turkey), sliced in 1/2 moons<br /></li><li>Seasonings (Tony's, pepper, salt, garlic powder) to taste</li><li>Lots of water</li></ul><ol><li>On the stove brown ground burger and seasoning blend until meat is cooked through and crumbly.</li><li>In crock-pot add beans, salt, and all meat & seasoning blend.</li><li>Add enough water to generously cover by at least 2-3 inches.</li><li>Cook on low setting for 10 hours (overnight)</li><li>After it returns to warm (in the morning), re-add enough water to cover by 1 inch.<br /></li><li>Taste for seasoning. You'll probably find that with the large amount of water and ingredients that the salt is a faint background taste. Add your favorite seasonings as necessary.<br /></li><li>Cook on high for 4-6 hours to ensure flavors blend and beans are tender.</li></ol>Serve over rice :)dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7844371490295761112.post-1014127356671039192010-02-09T15:00:00.000-08:002010-12-28T14:22:51.381-08:00Yes, I am a real Southern girl. No, I do not like my greens.Yes, I am a TRUE Southern girl. No, I do not like my greens. Sorry, Granny Maw.<br />
<br />
I was recently discussing the benefits of greens with my husband (who has recently become a work out guru and is loving his new physique...as am I **wowzers**) The problem is that I don't like most greens. Real greens.. not just green food. Spinach, Kale, collard, mustard greens. I can toss a few baby spinach leaves in my salad, and served in foods that have flavor, I can eat it cooked. That is why this family (other than Lili, the guinea pig, who will eat any green) rarely gets greens.<br />
<br />
If you have followed the blog, you may remember <a href="http://moms-diner.blogspot.com/2009/08/chicken-florentine.html">this recipe</a> that had even my friend's children yumming on spinach. The pic however is Kaelyn LOL! I tryu to sneak it in when they aren't looking but now they all know I do it and they eat it.<br />
<br />
So today I created a green soup. Yes, green. And it is sooooo good! I added about 5 oz of frozen spinach, which in the spinach world is quite a bit. It takes a LOT of spinach to make a pound because it wilts so much.<br />
<br />
try this.. with or without the spinach. either way you will not be disappointed.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mom's Diner Original - Green Soup</span><br />
<ul><li>2 tbsp oil<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_pXVlMGVfO2A/S3MLRpaRbzI/AAAAAAAAAYE/5gkg7yK6ifw/s1600-h/P9100141e.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436701572968050482" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_pXVlMGVfO2A/S3MLRpaRbzI/AAAAAAAAAYE/5gkg7yK6ifw/s400/P9100141e.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 400px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 287px;" /></a></li>
<li>3 medium carrots diced</li>
<li>1 cup frozen Seasoning Blend<br />
</li>
<li>2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces<br />
</li>
<li>3 medium potatoes, washed, peeled, & diced<br />
</li>
<li>6 cups low-sodium chicken broth<br />
</li>
<li>6 oz frozen corn (1/2 12 oz bag)</li>
<li>6 oz frozen peas (1/2 12 oz bag)</li>
<li>5 oz frozen spinach (1/2 1o oz block)</li>
<li>2 cups frozen chopped broccoli or florets<br />
</li>
<li>1/2 tsp dry rosemary</li>
<li>1/4 tsp dry basil<br />
</li>
<li>Salt, pepper, Tony's seasoning to taste</li>
</ul>OPTIONAL<br />
<ul><li>1/2 cream or 2% milk</li>
<li>4 oz fat free cream cheese (1/2 8 oz block)<br />
</li>
</ul><ol><li>Heat oil in a soup pot and saute' carrots & Seasoning Blend until tender. </li>
<li>Add chicken and saute' until opaque.</li>
<li>Add potatoes and chicken broth and simmer until potatoes begin to get tender then add frozen vegetables, herbs, & seasonings.</li>
<li>Simmer 30-45 minutes until chicken and potatoes are fully cooked through and vegetables have warmed through.</li>
<li>If you wish, put optional ingredients (cream & cream cheese) in microwave for 1-2 minutes to warm & soften. Briskly whisk together and add in just before serving (use a seive if you don;t like little bits of floating cream cheese. the fat free doens;t melt is quite as readily as original).</li>
<li>DO NOT BOIL AFTER ADDING THESE INGREDIENTS.</li>
</ol>Serve with garlic toast or crackers (if you forget the toast like I did)<br />
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Side note: Keebler Garlic Butter Club Crackers are to DIE for!</span></div></div>dragondreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024341520480575814noreply@blogger.com0