Happy July 4th and why not make your table as beautiful as the fireworks above? Check out these ideas to make your table as worthy of the “oohs and aahhhs” that the fireworks are!
Red, White and Blue Jell-O Treat
Red, White, and Blue Brownie Pops
Beef Rolls with Zucchini, Peppers and Carrots
I am NOT a gourmet cook but these were SO easy to make and I think they turned out quite “fancy”!!
Ingredients:
Medium thick boneless steaks ( I used some thin/inexpensive cuts of beef and by marinating over night turned them nice and tender!)
1 Zucchini
2 Carrots
1 Green Pepper
Optional: Onions
Marinade of Choice ( I used Worcestershire sauce, pepper and salt)
Olive Oil
Pepper, Salt for seasoning
Directions:
- Marinade Beef over night.
- Slice Carrots, Zucchini, Green Peppers and (optional) onions. Into long, thin slices.
- Cut meat into strips about 2-3 inches wide.
- Lightly sauté the vegetables until a slightly soft in olive oil over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place 2-3 of each type of veggie on the edge of the beef and roll the beef around it. Secure with a toothpick or skewer.
- Place meat rolls back in the pan where veggies were sautéed- put the seam side down first.
- Cook to your preferred level of doneness (I gotta have mine welldone!), turning to cook each side caramelizing the meat on the outside.
*Optional serve with this Balsalmic Glaze. I served mine with Spicy Rice and black beans!
Tin Foil Chicken
I am always looking for meals that mean less clean up for me so this Campfire Chicken (in the oven) is perfect!
Ingredients:
Split Chicken Breast
Carrots
Onions
Corn on the Cob
Tomatoes
Potatoes- peelied and quartered
Seasonings of choice (I used a garlic & herb seasoning)
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil or margarine
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash, peel, slice carrots, onions and tomatoes. Break cobs of corn in half. Peel and quarter potatoes.
Place large piece of foil down on rimmed cookie sheet. Create a large bowl out of foil. Drizzle with olive oil or smear margarine onit.
Place chicken on it and vegetables of choice in foil bowl. Drizzle more olive oil (or place pad of margarine) on top of chicken and vegetables. Season to taste and salt & pepper. Place a second sheet of foil on top and roll all 4 sides tightly to create a packet. Try to leave a bubble of air above the chicken. Please on cookie sheet and put in the oven.
Bake in oven at 400 degrees approximately 45 minutes. Test chicken before serving.
Easy Scotch Eggs
My dad came home form an Irish Tavern raving about the Scotch Eggs he had eaten and he said that my mom would love them. So she decided to try and make them herself.
They were easy to fix and were delicious.
You will need:
4 hard boiled eggs, shelled
1 lb sausage (any flavor of your choice)
Panko bread crumbs
1 raw egg
Flour
Directions:
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Tortilla Encrusted Tilapia
This Tilapia was a huge hit with my husband! I found several recipes online that called for things we didn’t have so I improvised using item in my pantry and freezer!
Ingredients:
4 Tilapia Fillets
1 bag Tortilla Strips for Salads- crushed
2 limes (sliced)
1 jalapeno or chili pepper (personal preference) seeded and chopped.
Dried Cilantro
1/2 tsp Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Ground Cumin
1 egg, beaten
Directions:
Mix crushed tortilla strips, cilantro, chili powder, chopped peppers and cumin.
Dip Tilapia in egg an then dip into coating mixture. Press to get crumbs to stick.
Bake in 375 degree oven until fish is done (approx. 15-17 minutes)
Serve with limes to squeeze juice over fish.
Bum’s Green Salad Recipe
Bum’s Green Salad
My mom is a huge salad fan but she gets a little bored so when she pulled this together with what she had on hand- she called me and said it was the absolute best salad she has had! It’s called Bum’s Green Salad because her grandchildren have named her “Bum”.
Ingredients:
1 bunch of Romaine lettuce ripped into pieces
1 green bell pepper chopped
1/2 red onion diced
4 hard cooked eggs sliced
2 Roma tomatoes diced
1 large cucumber diced
Additional Optional Toppings:
Sliced mushrooms
Sliced black olives
Bacon pieces
Feta cheese
Directions:
Toss ingredients together, adding any optional toppings. Top with favorite dressing and serve with crusty bread.
Leftover Makeover: Chicken & Black Bean Nachos
Using up leftovers is always an adventure in my house! You never know where that left over steak will show up (tacos anyone?) or the extra corn (rice pilaf?). I use odds and ends of several dinners to come up with a new dish but this is a favorite in my house because it doesn’t seem like dinner but fills us up! I usually serve this with fruit salad or a regular salad that we eat as it bakes!
Ingredients:
Leftover chicken (grilled, roasted, even boiled)
Black Beans (I use leftover)
Tortilla Chips
Sour Cream
Cheese of choice (we use Mexican Blend Shredded)
Salsa
Green Chile Peppers
Optional toppings: jalapeno peppers, diced tomatoes
DIY Beef Lo Mein
I had a craving for Chinese food the other day but didn’t want to shell out for take out when I had a huge stockpile so we whipped some up at home!
Ingredients:
2 pkgs Ramen Beef Noodles
1 bag frozen stirfry vegetables (you can use fresh broccoli, carrots, onions, etc)
2 lb. Beef Strips
3 tbs. Soy Sauce (I recommend lower sodium version)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Oil
Crispy Noodles
Pistachio Crusted Tilapia with Spicy Mayo
My local Dollar Tree has a freezer section and it can hold some amazing bargains! You can see all the Dollar Tree deals here.
Don’t you love a dinner that you can make on a dime? To make this tasty Pistachio Crusted Tilapia, all you need to do is run to your local Dollar Tree store. It should have everything you need to make the tasty meal you see here! In no time you can have a dinner for two that tastes great and keeps a little cash in your pocket. Take a look!
Easy Chicken Alfredo
I love Chicken Alfredo and wanted to try making a sauce from scratch. I scoured the internet and combined a few recipes to make it the way I like it (really cheesy) It was SO good that I had the leftovers for breakfast! This recipe made enough for 4-6 depending on how saucy you like it!
Ingredients:
4 tbs. butter
1 tbs. olive oil
2 garlic cloves- minced very fine
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup mozzarella
12 oz Fettuccine Noodles (cooked)
2 chicken breasts
Pan Spray (I used olive oil spray)
Pepper
Salt
Oregano
