Creamy Hash Brown Potatoes

So, funny story. I recently tried going to meal-planning/grocery buying every two weeks, instead of every week. Of course I forgot a few things and still made multiple trips to Meijer, but that's not the point here. The problem is that my stack of recipes for the week was quite a bit higher than usual. So, when I see a recipe on the floor in the kitchen, I assume it's from that stack, not the stack of all my recipes.
Silly me, I shouldn't have made that assumption. Turns out, it was a recipe I had looked at but decided against, as there was another similar recipe that looked better--which I had bought the whipping cream for. Now, to find a use for that whipping cream before it expires...
Thus (isn't that such an amazing word?), when I placed the hash brown recipe on the table for Nate to make, I didn't look too closely at it. And... this was part of our dinner!

*It tastes better than that. Promise. It just looks funny. :) *

Creamy Hash Brown Potatoes
32 Ounce frozen hashbrown potatoes
10.75 Ounce condensed cream of potato soup, undiluted
2 Cup shredded colby-jack cheese
1/4 Teaspoon pepper
dash salt
8 Ounce cream cheese

Instructions:
Place all ingredients except cream cheese in a greased 3-qt slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 3 1/2-4 hours or until potatoes are tender. Stir in cream cheese, set on low. Heat until cream cheese is melted.

Serves: 6
Calories: 169


It's really not the taste I was going for, but it works. I would say that it needs something to make it smoother-milk, etc. It had a very strong cream-cheese flavor. Other than that, we both liked it. (Definitely went well with venison steaks!!)

The recipe was easy to cut in half.

You know the drill--comments are love.

Kielbasa & Broccoli Linguine

When I first starting cooking by myself, I followed recipes precisely. It said to add 3/4 cup, I added 3/4 cup-evened with a knife, if needed. The recipe called for corn, I added corn. Cook for 35-40 minutes? If it involved meat, it would be 40 just to make sure it was done--but not a minute more!
Now that I've cooked (quite) a bit more... let's just say that I play with my recipes a lot. :)

Kielbasa & Broccoli Linguine
(original from Cooking for Two, but adapted)


4 Ounce uncooked linguine
1 Cup broccoli
1 Cup corn
1 small carrot, chopped
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
1/4 Teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 Teaspoon salt
1/8 Teaspoon pepper
3/4 Cup milk
3/4 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 Cup kielbasa, cut into 1/4" pieces

Instructions:
In a large saucepan, cook linguine according to package directions, adding the broccoli, corn, and carrot during the last 7 minutes of cooking.
Meanwhile, in another saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flower, thyme, salt, and pepper until well blended; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheese.
Drain linguine and vegetables; transfer to a serving bowl. Add kielbasa and sauce mixture; toss to coat.

Serves: 6
Cook Time: 30 m
Total Time: 30 m

Calories: 291

This is another basic meat & pasta recipe. The original called for ham, & different veggies. Well, I wanted kielbasa, and I don't like cauliflower. So... this is what I made! It turned out pretty well; the sauce was delicious. Both Nate & I loved it, and I definitely plan on making this again!

Hash Brown Sausage Bake

I love breakfast foods. One of my favorite things it to have 'breakfast for dinner'--something we had growing up a few times. I'm sure Mama did it as an easy meal, but I LOVED having french toast, bacon, eggs, etc. for dinner. Amazing.

Unfortunately, Nate's not as fond of that. (Crazy boy.) With my recent hypoglycemic diagnosis, I am trying to actually eat breakfast (not that I wasn't before. cough.), so I am getting in 'real' breakfasts most days now. But, I still crave that breakfast-at-dinnertime occasionally. This is one of the recent recipes I've tried, which fit the bill. :)

Hash Brown Sausage Bake
(TOH)


20 Ounce frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/3 Cup butter, melted
1 beef bouillon
1 Pound pork sausage
1/3 Cup chopped onion
1 Cup cottage cheese
3 eggs, lightly beaten
4 Slice American cheese, chopped

Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine the hash browns, butter, and bouillon. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a greased 10" pie plate. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. In a large bowl, combine the sausage mixture, cottage cheese, eggs, and American cheese.
Pour into crust. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

Serves: 8
Serving Size: 1 slice
Yields: 8 slices
Prep Time: 15 m
Cook Time: 1 h 15 m
Total Time: 1 1/2 h

Calories: 291

(So, I probably shouldn't have had my red-striped potholder in the picture. Oh well.)

Opinions: Nate liked it better than the other hashbrown-for-crust recipes I've tried. Quite a bit more, actually. I also think that the inside wasn't ALL egg was a bit selling point for him, too. I liked it--it's not very healthy, but it is yummy.
I will admit, I was nervous about the cottage cheese. (Another 'yuk' from childhood.) The texture/look has always been horribly off-setting for me, but I wouldn't have even known it was here if I didn't make this myself. :)

So... make again? Yes! Nate says not often, but definitely a repeat.

Chicken Rice Dish

I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but I never liked rice growing up. I can't remember ever trying it, but I was POSITIVE I hated the stuff. However, I'm finding now that I'm all grown up and actually listen to my mama (not that I didn't listen to you before Mom!!), I like rice. I like it quite a bit, actually. Put some rice, chicken, whatever veggies sound good at the time, and a few seasonings in a dish, and I am a happy camper.

The basis for this recipe came from TOH, but I definitely played with it already. And of course, it's very versatile. Want peas & carrots instead of asparagus & carrots? Just change it! I think the last time we made this, it was actually broccoli & carrots. Whatever you like!

Chicken Rice Dish
(TOH)

6 Ounce rice
2 Cup asparagus, trimmed and cut
2 Tablespoon butter
3/4 Pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 Clove garlic
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1 Medium carrot, cut into 2" chunks
2 Tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions:
Cook rice and asparagus/carrot separately.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the chicken, garlic, and salt in butter until chicken juices run clear. Add the lemon juice. Combine rice, vegetable, and chicken mixtures.

Serves: 4
Serving Size: 1 1/4 cup

Calories: 247
Cholesterol: 54 mg
Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Protein: 20 g
Carbohydrates: 29 g
Sodium: 668 mg
Fiber: 2 g

So, opinions: Both Nate & I LOVE this recipe. I love the splash of lemon, but I think I want to add another seasoning too. Maybe rosemary?
Many plans to make it again. Maybe with kielbasa next time... who knows. ;)


*FYI, I am trying to get back in the habit of taking pictures of recipes too! As I post older recipes, I won't have them, but I will for the ones we have tried recently.*

As always, comments are love!

Purses For Sale

This July, I started posting some of my purses/bags/scarves on Etsy. This is something I had been considering doing for awhile, but was reluctant to spend the money to get it started. (Fabric, cost of posting on Etsy, etc.) However, with encouragement from a friend who was also in the process of starting her own business (Hello, Kiyona from Ahlanna's!), and encouragement/permission from my husband, I got started!
Now, I have quite a few purses available on my Etsy -- Beautiful Serenity! Go check it out for the items that are available for sale, here are some shots of my favorites!

Gotta love this button!


This is my purse! I LOVE the color combo!






I love scarves. Easy to knit, warmy, comfy...


Inside shot of the bags made special for the ladies of Ahlanna's.


Bag recently made for Mama.
Close-up of the fabric/the button... I love buttons. :)

I sew/craft for many reasons -- the biggest reason being that it's fun. I love matching and coordinating fabrics, playing with buttons and ribbon...and seeing the look on someone's face when you give them something special for them, something that they love, or that purse that they just have been eyeing!

Go check out the Etsy, and let me know what you think! If you have ideas, questions, suggestions... email me!

I also do special orders--if you are interested, just email me at serenakathleen@gmail.com!

Cookie Dough Truffles -- aka Happy Birthday Mama!

So, my Mama's birthday is today. (Happy Birthday Mama!) And in case you either don't know her, missed the references in my previous posts, or both--she's basically amazing. Mama & Grandma were the ones who taught me to cook, and taught me to enjoy cooking--especially when it's for other people!

For Mama's birthday, I had to do something special. I'd seen this recipe, and couldn't resist trying it. With the plan that, if it failed, I would make her something else a week late. I never said it was a good plan. Anyways, they were successful!

Cookie Dough Truffles
The Village Cook


1/2 Cup softened butter
3/4 Cup light brown sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
14 Ounce sweetened condensed milk
2 1/4 Cup flour
1/2 Cup milk chocolate chips
Coating:
12 Ounce milk chocolate chips
1/2 bar paraffin

Instructions:
In a mixer, combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, and sweetened condensed milk. Slowly add the flour. Hand-mix in the 1/2 cup chocolate chips.
Chill dough for 15 minutes or more, until easily forms into small balls. Place balls on wax paper on a cookie sheet, and place in the freezer for 1 hour or until hard enough to dip.
In a double boiler, melt 12 oz chocolate chips and paraffin. Dip the balls with a toothpick in the mixture, or using a spoon. Also may drizzle balls with the chocolate.
Store in the refrigerator.

Serves: 53
Serving Size: 1 truffle
Yields: 53 truffles

Calories: 92

I made some variations from the original recipe, and this is already adjusted for those variations. For the original, check out the website above! I stumbled across this, and will definitely be checking out that site for more amazing-ness!

If you don't have a double-boiler, I'm not sure how well this would work--I've never done paraffin wax in the microwave. However, if you don't have a double-boiler, you really should invest in one. Especially for things like buckeyes. Life is happier with buckeyes, and other things dipped in hardened chocolate. Grandma actually traded me buckeyes for some of these truffles. Mmmm... it's buckeye season...
Oh! Sorry. Truffle Recipe! So... the original called for shortening and not paraffin, but I prefer to have anything like this with paraffin. Not using it makes the coating too soft for me. But, that's personal preference!

Opinions:
So far, I've only heard positive things! We gave Mama hers on Friday at my little brother's football game (GO CATS!!), and she loved them! I think they are a bit too sweet, and won't make them very often. Nate's main comment was that I should use a little less paraffin wax next time; he thought they were a bit waxy.

Also, FYI-truffles that have only been drizzled on, not dipped, will stick to the container/each other.

So - the ultimate question: would I make these again? Most definitely! However, only when I am able to give most of them away! Too sweet for girls with blood sugar problems. :)

As always, comments are love. (And bribery, for those wanting truffles this holiday season! hehe!)

Back...Again

I am a terrible journal-keeper. Atrocious, really. I have the tendency to write regularly for awhile, then forget or get too busy to write for a few months. (Or more.)
Clearly, I have transferred that habit to my blogging. However, I am going to make a point to do better! Especially when considering that not blogging means that I am not recording any of my recipes in Recipe Manager, which means that I am likely losing some of my recipes. TRAGIC!

So, here I am, back at it.

Tortellini With Mushroom-Wine Sauce
(Unknown...)

2 Cup chopped mushrooms
14.5 Ounce diced tomatoes
1/4 Cup water
2 1/2 Tablespoon beef broth or dry red wine
2 Clove garlic
1/4 Teaspoon salt
Dash dried rosemary
Dash crushed red pepper
4.5 Ounce frozen tortellini
Parmesan

Instructions:
In a small slow-cooker (approx 2 quart), combine mushrooms, undrained tomatoes, water, red wine/beef broth, garlic, salt, rosemary, and crushed red pepper.
Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 4-6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-3 hours.
If using low-heat setting, turn slow cooker to high-heat setting. Stir tortellini into sauce. Cover, cook for 30-45 minutes more.

The original recipe called for refrigerated ravioli. I had frozen tortellini that needed to be used, so I substituted. :-D If you would like to used refrigerated ravioli/tortellini, only cook for 20 minutes after adding.

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 15 m
Cook Time (if on low setting, with frozen tortellini): 6 h 45 m
Total Time: 7 h

Nate's opinion: Good, wouldn't mind having it fairly often.
Serena's opinion: Nathan gets the leftovers. As in, I barely tolerated the first serving I had, made Nate eat all the leftovers for lunch, and will very happily make myself something different the next time I make this for him. I am not a fan of tomatoes, but I thought this was worth a shot anyways. Needless to say, the tomatoes were too much. And I thought the tortellini was horribly dry, but I don't think I liked this kind previously anyways.

So... will I make it again? Yes, but I will cut it down smaller, and make something else for myself! Making two separate dinners might sound time-consuming, but it isn't too bad when one is a crock-pot dinner. I do the same thing when I make Nate chili. And yes, I fully acknowledge that I am a horribly picky eater. I am trying to work on it! I keep trying things with tomatoes, but I just can't seem to get over it. However, I refuse to not make something that Nathan really enjoys because I don't like it! I'm picky, not selfish. hehe!

As always, comments are love!