Rosie's Speedy Jambalaya

Here is another recipe I made a few days ago because I craved a spicy, jambalaya. I got home from class at 5:40 a few days ago, so I needed a quick, throw together meal that tasted great. It has only a few ingredients so it whips up really fast and best of all, it didn't get my husband's "Who Hash" moniker - something he calls a dish that I make up and throw together and is usually a mish-mash of leftovers. (I think this word should be added to the new Webster's dictionary).

For this, I used the most-used appliance in my house; my Wolfgang Puck rice cooker, that I got from The Shopping Channel here in Canada. I use it a couple times/week and it NEVER lets me down - perfect rice every time and best of all, no burnt, warped, destroyed saucepan that someone forgot to turn off after the rice boiled dry. You just add the rice, water, seasonings, oil and push a button and forget about it for about 20 minutes. My kind of wonderful!

You can make all kinds of things in this rice cooker like macaroni and cheese etc. It is a real timesaver. The only bad thing is that I do not have a proper storage place for it (my kitchen is tiny) so I have to store it under the bench seat of the banquette in our eating nook. When I need to use it, I have to climb on all hands and knees under my kitchen table to retrieve it from it's hiding place. Oy veh!

Here is the recipe:

Rosie's Speedy Jambalaya

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1 package Uncle Ben's Spanish style rice.  (it has a lot of great flavour)

1 can of red kidney beans - rinsed and drained

1 can mixed peas and carrots - drained

6 mild Italian sausages - uncooked

1-2 tsp. olive oil

That's it!!!!

I have made my own jambalaya in the past using plain rice and adding my own seasonings like paprika and garlic and onion powders and while that turned out very good too, this has just a bit more of intense flavour and is very good and so easy.

Place the Italian sausages into a saucepan of water and boil for 15-20 minutes. This will cook the sausage as well as remove some of the fat. At the same time, prepare the rice in your rice cooker per package directions. I added a bit of olive oil to the rice and water and also the can of kidney beans, to soften and cook them. I made the whole package of rice as I made a large batch of jambalaya.  (Have I told you I love leftovers?) 

The rice and sausages should be ready at about the same time. Once the sausages are cooked, remove them from the water and slice them into bite size pieces. In a large skillet, brown the sausage until just golden. (No need to add oil to the skillet as the sausages are greasy enough). Once browned, add the cooked rice and the can of peas/carrots to the skillet. Mix all together and you are good to go. A little sprinkle of Sriracha sauce in your bowl, turns this dish up a notch. (My son's favourite condiment for the moment)

Side note: I never usually buy canned peas and carrots - usually fresh or frozen. I just happened to have them in my pantry as I was planning to make a lot of  easily digestible soups for my husband since he recently had his gallbladder removed. It turns out I didn't need to do that - he is back to eating like he's still got the gallbladder of a teenager (burgers/fries).  I didn't need them after all so decided to use them in this dish.  Since they are already cooked, just warming them in the skillet with the rice, was enough. There you have it. A fast, easy, delicious meal in about 20 minutes. I pride myself on trying to get dinner on the table by 6:00 regardless of how I do it!!!!

(Even if that means take-out, sandwiches or even cake. Yes, I have had cake for dinner. Don't judge me!)

Always,

Rosie

Rosie's Golden Graham Snack Bars

Hi all:

It seems I am always having cravings for something and when that craving hits, watch out! I have to have it, find it in a store or make it and eat it. It becomes so compelling, I have to figure out a way to have it, right then and there. Does anyone else get these cravings? Anyways, I don't really like store-bought snack bars - you know the kind; oats, chocolate chips, frosting, fruit etc. etc. etc...... They are just too sweet for my liking and I always feel guilty eating them because eating 1 just isn't satisfying enough and I would NEVER eat 2, so I wanted something a little more substantial and satisfying that just might be a little (only a little) healthy.  Enter my new recipe for Rosie's Golden Graham Snack Bars.

I intended to use broken up pieces of Graham crackers (I am sure that would also work) but I opted for Golden Graham cereal instead. It just seemed a little easier. Yeah, maybe it's not the healthiest option, but these bars are fantastic and just maybe, you might overlook that too! (You could try adding some quick oats in place of some of the cereal. It would add some fibre and cut down on the sugar)

Here is the recipe in all it's delicious Golden Graham Glory!

Rosie's Golden Graham Snack Bars

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1/4 c. Margarine or butter

1 large package miniature marshmallows (about 8 cups?)

8 cups Golden Graham cereal

1/4 c. Milk chocolate chips

Approx. 1/2 package regular Craisins

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Approx. 3 handfuls of cashews

Approx. 3 handfuls of raw pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds(I forgot to add these to this batch)

You make these like Rice Crispie Squares, so in a large Dutch oven or saucepan, melt the butter and add all the marshmallows. Stir on med/low heat until all the marshmallows are melted. Remove them from heat and add the vanilla and the chocolate chips. You now have a whole heap of ooey, gooey chocolately goodness in that saucepan. Don't be tempted to take a spoon and sample it!

Stir in all the Golden Graham cereal, the Craisins and the cashews. Stir quickly, as once the mixture cools, it gets really sticky and is harder to spread.

Spread this mixture into a large, greased baking pan or casserole dish (Approx.9x13).  Let cool and cut into squares. I guarantee this will be a hit and best of all, your kids will love them for their school lunches. You never have to buy those expensive snack bars again! Sure, my recipe maybe isn't the healthiest thing on this planet, but your kids are getting vitamin C from the Craisins and lots of protein from the cashews and vitamins from the pumpkin seeds and YOU control the ingredients.  

This recipe would also work well with almonds, or pecans (you know everyone is talking about eating some type of nut every day for heart health). Oh, I just thought of something I forgot to put into the recipe!  I was planning on putting shelled pumpkin seeds in it as well, to ramp up the "healthy" factor. (You know we live our pumpkin seeds here in this household). That would make them even better and healthier. You can buy them in bulk in specialty stores or even in your local grocery store.

Give this recipe a try. The chocolate chips temper the sweetness of the marshmallows and make these very delicious.

Happy days.

Rosie

Thanksgiving Dinner

Hi all:

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I made a small dinner yesterday, for just the three of us since the rest of the extended family was getting over colds. We didn't want to risk picking up the bug, so we had a small, quiet dinner just for us.

I bought all the fixin's on Saturday and quite frankly, decided to do everything the fastest and simplest way possible. If I am having a bigger crowd (there are usually 9-12 of us) I make everything from scratch, including my own gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing etc. This year though because there was only three of us, I opted not to go for the standard turkey and all that cooking one entails.  I decided on fast and easy options. Here they are and I have to admit, surprisingly, the meal turned out really good and best of all, there are still leftovers for today. Yeah! I don't have to cook again today.

I bought a frozen Butterball boneless turkey breast. It cooks from frozen at a low temperature (325 degrees) for 4 hours, but mine took about 3 1/2 hours. I added 1/2 a chopped red onion and a little water to the pan as well as chopped garlic to the top of the turkey breast. It smelled great while it cooked and was quite moist when it was carved.

I also bought a package of frozen Butterball dressing. I have never tried this before and was pleasantly surprised. I usually make my own from scratch using day old bread cubes, onion, celery, seasonings etc. but  I let his thaw out a little and then put it into a covered casserole dish to bake. It was quite tasty and didn't need any more seasoning. The potatoes were easy enough. I just bought a bag of Yukon Gold (best potatoes) and peeled, boiled and mashed them with some butter and milk. How hard is it to make mashed potatoes? I also made simple steamed Brussels sprouts. I love them - no one else does but I make them anyways. They are so healthy and the family ate them anyways.  Now the cranberry sauce, I felt a little guilty about. I like to make my own from fresh cranberries with a little orange zest and/or orange juice and usually only buy a can for my sister when her family comes over, but I didn't even feel like making my own, so I opted for canned Ocean Spray instead. No one else eats cranberry sauce in my house, so I opened the can just for me but it goes so fabulously, with a leftover turkey sandwich. Yum.

Finally, I also felt quite guilty about the packaged gravy. I never use packaged gravy mixes; I always make my own with pan drippings but since this type of turkey breast doesn't yield a lot of drippings (that's why I added a bit of water) I added what there was to a package of Knorr turkey gravy and whisked them together. It turned out really good. Usually, I find gravy packages are too salty and don't taste realistic, but this Knorr gravy was very good. I will definitely buy it again to use "in a pinch".

Overall, our dinner turned out really well, considering how little effort it required. I highly recommend these products next time you are pressed for time. And because these dishes were so fast and easy, I think I just might be making turkey dinners more often throughout the year. Sometimes I get quite a craving for turkey dinner and all the fixin's and now I know I can occasionally whip up a dinner without a lot of fuss.

While cooking, I enjoyed a glass of this pink champagne to which I added a splash of St. Germaine liquor. The St. Germaine gives it a sweet, slightly floral flavour and is a very good compliment to the champagne.

Okay, I might have had a little more than a splash and I maybe had 2 glasses of champagne, but really the St. Germaine does add a nice extra layer of flavour.

Even though there were only 3 of us, I insisted on using the old silverware I bought on Ebay. It makes every meal feel special.

This is the tablecloth I used. (No, I don't iron. Who does these days?)  Isn't it pretty? I didn't take a picture of the table all set, but I might recreate it for another post. I used my everyday dishes but they are still quite pretty.

Happy turkey day everyone.

Rosie

Pretty in Pink

My sister and I went to a really fun evening last weekend. For the ticket price of $20/person, we went for a night out to our local Arts centre for a painting party. It was a wonderful evening!

The gallery room (where there was a showing of oil paintings on the walls) was set up really beautifully with about 17 large artist's easels in the centre and small round tables with linen, crystal and China surrounding the easels. We were welcomed at the door and given our table number and were ushered in to the bar where we could have wine or beer. All of the supplies were provided; canvas, acrylic paints, paint brushes, water buckets and once we had a few sips of our cocktails, we began to paint whatever inspired us.  While we began painting, hostesses served antipasto/charcuterie to our tables that included; Brie, goat and Gouda cheeses, fresh baguettes and crackers, grapes, strawberries, pate, salamis and a beautiful fig sauce.  It was all truly outstanding. We had a lot of fun and vowed to come again with a few of our friends. What a great way to spend a Saturday night.

I had been thinking a lot about ballerinas lately; pointe shoes, tutus and pink ribbon and decided to paint a picture with this theme in mind.

Here is the picture I painted. I started out thinking the colours were too dark when I first applied them to the canvas, but once the paint dried, the colours became a little washed out. Regardless, I hope you like it. The colours are really a very soft pink, but show up more peachy in this light.

A second painting I painted, showing what is really underneath all that crinolin.

( Please do not use these images for your own use without my permission. These are my own original paintings and as such, are copyrighted under my name.)

I hope you like them.

Rosie

"Hen on Nest"

Hi all:

I was out and around today and dropped into a church thrift store and found this adorable little dish for 25 cents, which I thought would look cute on my kitchen windowsill.  I have always loved these vintage chicken dishes and this one is so cute. It is about 2  1/2" long and I believe, is a salt cellar.

Since I have always loved these, I think I might start collecting them. I just have no idea where I will put them!! Space is tight here. I barely have room for my vintage cups and saucers.  (I love anything vintage.)

How cute!!  Let me know if any of you collect things like this. I would love to hear.

Rosie

Rosie's Bachelor Baked Salmon

Hi all:

I haven't written a post for a while as I am back at school and it has been really busy again after the long summer holidays.  I am enrolled in Music History and Private Lessons for the trumpet and am also having to practice the piano daily, to bring up my skills to where they once were 3 years ago. I also need to take 3 more semesters of Class Piano and after not playing for three years, I have to relearn all the fingerings for the Major scales as well as the Natural, Harmonic and Melodic minor scales.  Let me say, it is really hard trying to remember all those fingerings, especially when it changes with ascending and descending Melodic minor keys. Yikes!! Who came up with that anyways?

The "Cottage" has been closed up for the summer but hopefully we can make one last trip up there in the Fall. It is so beautiful up there during Wine Festival season. Some many wineries, so little time!!

Having said all of that, I wanted to share my latest recipe with you. I just improvised this tonight and let me say, it was very moist and tasty. Here it is for you to make and enjoy.  I really think I should have my own cooking show. That has been a secret wish of mine, since I was 6 or 7 years old.  I used to watch cooking shows on TV and make my own concoctions in a bowl using my mom's spices and water. I would stir it all up and pretend I was explaining how to do it, to a studio audience.  Move over "Galloping Gourmet"!  Does anyone remember that cooking show? He used to drink wine while he cooked on TV; not a bad idea! I do that myself!  Here is the recipe:

Rosie's Bachelor Baked Salmon

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(BTW, I call it "Bachelor Baked" since anyone WITHOUT cooking skills, can make this recipe. Sorry to all the bachelors out there!)

1 large salmon fillet (I used wild sockeye)

1/2 lemon

150 gm of cooked shrimp (about 1/2 pound)

Fresh dill weed

3-4 Tablespoons red pepper jelly

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Spray a large casserole dish with olive oil cooking spray. Rinse and pat dry, the salmon fillet and lay it in the casserole dish.

Sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper. Sprinkle a few sprigs of dill, ripped up, onto the salmon. Add the cooked shrimp to the top of the salmon. Squeeze lemon juice onto the salmon and also add 3-4 Tablespoons of red pepper jelly. I used  Palmalito brand Jalapeño Pepper Jelly. Simply spoon out the pepper jelly and spread it over the salmon and shrimp. Drizzle the entire salmon with olive oil, cover with aluminum foil and bake at 325 * (degrees) for about 30-40 minutes, until cooked all the way through. The salmon will be very moist and flavourful as it actually poaches in its own juices. 

Add some boiled new potatoes and some baby carrots and you have a great meal. (And the sauce works well on top of the potatoes too)  No fuss, no muss, and so simple, ANYONE can do it. If you want to impress your significant other with your culinary skills, this is the recipe for you!!

Enjoy!

Did you notice the dings in the jar lid? I had to really whack it, to open it.

Bon apetit! (I just said this in my head, like Julia Child)

Rosie

Meatballs in Mushroom Sauce

Gee, I really have been on quite a "cooking kick" these days, posting all the meals I have been making. Suffice to say, I like cooking but more importantly, I like eating!

I made this meatball meal last night. It is so easy and delicious. I usually make my own meatballs from scratch using ground beef (chicken or turkey would also work) and other ingredients but this time, I bought store-made meatballs, ready to cook.

Here is the shortened version if using store bought meatballs. Below that, is MY recipe for my homemade meatballs. Both work well in this recipe. It is the delicious, easy sauce that really is the star of the dish.

Rosie's Meatballs in Mushroom Sauce

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Store bought meatballs - preferably fresh ( if frozen, thaw first)

1-2 Tablespoons butter (yes, I have been on a butter kick lately)

200 grams sliced mushrooms (I bought pre-sliced but you can certainly slice your own)

1 can Evaporated milk

That's it!!! Now, I used to cringe at the very mention of the words Evaporated milk. I hate the tinny taste and I always remember my Dad putting it in his coffee. I would always ask for a taste of his coffee when I was little, but the tinny taste really bothered me. Don't worry about that here though. It makes a perfect sauce for anything. Since it is really only reduced milk (ie. some of the water has been taken out of it, hence the name Evaporated milk) it is a wonderful base for many sauces. Trust me. It tastes much better when used in cooking, than if used straight out of the can.

Here are the steps to that perfect mushroom-y meal:

In a large non-stick skillet, brown the meatballs until golden. (No need to use any fat at this point as the beef will provide that, once browned.)  Turn and brown the other side. 

The browner, the better! Once browned, remove the meatballs and set aside.

Add 1-2 tablespoon butter to the same frying pan and sauté the mushrooms until golden.

Once the mushrooms are golden, add 1 can of evaporated milk and simmer. Add the meatballs back into the milk/mushroom sauce.

Keep simmering the meatballs until they are cooked all the way through. Turn them occasionally, to keep them moist on all sides.

The simmering will further reduce the sauce and will make it so tasty. Watch that the milk doesn't boil over even when simmering, as milk has a tendency to do that.

Of course I added it on top of some leftover cooked quinoa! Rice would also do nicely, as would pasta.

Add a salad and you are done.

Here is my own original recipe for tasty meatballs: ( and if you have the extra time to make them)

Rosie's Tasty Meatballs

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1 - 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 red onion - minced very fine

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon yellow prepared mustard

2 handfuls breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 Tablespoon Worchestershire sauce

1-2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes - to taste (careful - these make them spicy!)

2-3 handfuls shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

1-2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Other chopped herbs if desired but not necessary (basil, oregano, cilantro, chives etc.)

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix all together with your hands. You may need to add more breadcrumbs if the mixture is too wet. Roll the meat mixture into balls and use for Rosie's Meatballs in Mushroom Sauce recipe above.

That's it!!! You can thank me after you have cleaned up every last remaining morsel of sauce with that last hunk of bread. And I won't tell if you lick your plate. It's that good!!!

Enjoy,

Rosie