Cooking Together

So... The Hubby is off work every Friday. We were watching Food Network while eating lunch. We thought the recipes they were making sounded SO good. We ran to the store, and a couple hours later...
We made Empanadas, Chicken stuffed potato balls and Fire and Ice sauce. YUMMY! And so fun to cook with the Hubby! I LOVED IT! I can't wait to find another recipe he will get excited about, so we can cook together again!

B is for...

For the letter "B" Dinner we ate:

Beef Stew
Breadsticks
Banana Pudding
Blueberry Sparkling Cider

What a feast! What foods do you like that start with B? More to come!

BBQ Burgers

Here are some ideas and recipes to try. We are a burger family. My boys would eat hot dogs and hamburgers every day and night, if only I would let them.

Inside-Out Bacon Cheeseburgers from Kraft Foods

Prep Time: 15 min Total Time: 33 min
Makes: 4 servings

What You Need!
1 lb. ground beef
3 Tbsp. KRAFT Ranch Dressing, divided
4 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, crumbled
2 KRAFT Singles, cut into quarters
4 hamburger buns, lightly toasted
4 lettuce leaves
8 slices tomato

Make It!

HEAT grill to medium heat.

MIX meat and 2 Tbsp. dressing; shape into 8 thin patties. Combine remaining dressing and bacon. Spoon onto centers of 4 patties; top with Singles quarters and remaining patties. Pinch edges together to seal.

GRILL 7 to 9 min. on each side or until burgers are done (160°F).

FILL buns with lettuce, burgers and tomatoes.

Kraft Kitchens Tips
Serving Suggestion
Enjoy this summer favorite with a skewer of grilled vegetables.
Substitute
Substitute 1/3 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese for the Singles.
Storing Ground Beef
Store ground beef in the coldest part of the refrigerator for up to 2 days. (The refrigerator temperature should be no higher than 40°F.) For longer storage, wrap the meat tightly in foil or freezer-weight plastic wrap and store in the freezer. When thawing, place the meat on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator to prevent any drippings from cross-contaminating other foods.
Nutrition Information: Calories 490 Total fat 26 g Saturated fat 9 g Cholesterol 90 mg Sodium
770 mg Carbohydrate 33 g Dietary fiber 2 g Sugars 2 g Protein 30 g Vitamin A 20 %DV Vitamin C 8 %DV Calcium 20 %DV Iron 25 %DV

Best-Ever Hamburgers from Family Fun

1 lb. lean ground beef
4 drops Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. crushed oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
6 hamburger buns, split

Step 1 In a large bowl, combine the beef, Worcestershire, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix well and form the meat into 6 patties. When the coals are hot and evenly distributed, place the burgers in the center of the grill and set the buns, open-face down, to the outside edge. As soon as the buns are toasted, flip the burgers and place a bun top on each. This will help the meat cook through while the bread soaks up juices.

Serves 6.

Set out with your favorite condiments.

Healthy Grilled Burgers from Family Fun

Introducing strong-flavored vegetables is easier if the vegetables are not really seen. Here, the sharpness of watercress is lessened by mincing and combining it with sweet grated carrots.

3/4 lb. ground round beef
1/2 lb. ground turkey
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup tofu
1/2 cup carrots, grated
1 cup watercress, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tbsp. olive oil

Step 1 Place all the ingredients except the olive oil in a large bowl and mix with your hands until well combined. Shape into patties 3/4 inch thick by 4 inches across. Lightly rub each side of the patties with the oil.

Step 2 Heat a grill until very hot. Cook the patties 5 minutes on each side (because of the turkey, they should not be pink). Serve immediately on hamburger buns or rolls. Makes 6 servings.

Step 3 Variation: In winter, use the same recipe to make meatballs. Form tablespoon-size meatballs. In a skillet, saute several at a time until all are brown. Remove and drain off fat. Line the bottom of the pan with 1/2 cup chopped cabbage, arrange the meatballs on top, and cover with 3 cups of good-quality tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer over very low heat for 35 minutes. Serve over pasta or rice.

Great Grilling Recipes

A friend of mine and I were discussing how much we dislike cooking during the summer. For so many reasons. It heats up the house, we want to be out playing in the sun or at the pool, and the everyday reasons of feeling unappreciated. But it does not have to be this way. There are other options.

We are going to start with The Grill! There are so many options. Meats, veges, pizzas, desserts! YES! All this! The BBQ is for more than burgers and steaks. I all ready posted about the Asian Grilled Chicken Rolls. Here are a couple other ideas to get you started.

Italian-Style Marinated Steak from Kraft Foods
Prep Time: 5 min Total Time: 50 min
Makes: 4 servings

What You Need
1/2 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
2 boneless beef sirloin steaks (1 lb.)
1/2 cup A.1. Original Steak Sauce

Make It

POUR dressing over steaks in resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Turn bag over several times to evenly coat steaks with dressing. Refrigerate 30 min. to marinate.

PREHEAT grill to medium-high heat. Remove steaks from marinade; discard bag and marinade.

GRILL steaks 4 to 5 min. on each side or until medium doneness (160°F.) Brush steaks with steak sauce; let stand 10 min. Cut into thin slices to serve. Garnish with grilled cherry tomatoes, if desired.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Serving Suggestion
Balance this grilled steak with smart side dishes, such as grilled vegetables and a mixed green salad for a delicious summertime dinner.

Make Ahead
Place steaks in large freezer-weight resealable plastic bag. Add dressing; seal bag. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in refrigerator, then grill as directed. The meat marinates as it thaws.

Nutrition Information
Calories 230 Total fat 12 g Saturated fat 2.5 g Cholesterol 60 mg Sodium 870 mg Carbohydrate 8 g Dietary fiber 1 g Sugars 6 g Protein 21 g Vitamin A 2 %DV Vitamin C
0 %DVCalcium 0 %DV Iron 15 %DV


Quick BBQ Pork Sandwiches by Kraft Foods
Prep Time: 5 min Total Time: 21 min
Makes: 4 servings

What You Need!
1/2 cup KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce, divided
4 boneless pork chops (1 lb.)
4 slices onion
4 kaiser rolls, split
4 lettuce leaves
1 large tomato, cut into 4 slices

Make It!

HEAT grill to medium heat.

RESERVE 1/4 cup barbecue sauce for spreading onto rolls; set aside.

PLACE chops on grill; brush lightly with some of the remaining barbecue sauce. Grill 6 to 8 min. on each side or until done (160°F), brushing occasionally with remaining barbecue sauce and adding onions to the grill for the last 4 min., turning after 2 min.

SPREAD rolls with reserved sauce; fill with chops, onions, lettuce and tomatoes.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Substitute
Prepare using BULL'S-EYE Original Barbecue Sauce or KRAFT Hickory Smoke Barbecue Sauce.
Substitute
Substitute onion rolls for the kaiser rolls.

Special Extra
Add a KRAFT Singles to each sandwich.

Nutrition Information
Calories 340 Total fat 7 g Saturated fat 1.5 g Cholesterol 55 mg Sodium 870 mg Carbohydrate 42 g Dietary fiber 2 g Sugars 10 g Protein 28 g Vitamin A 20 %DV Vitamin C

I have so many other ideas I will post everyday until I've completed about 10 or 12 more ideas! Then I will move on to other ideas for keeping the house cool, but the food cool too! I hope you enjoy cooking this summer!

Freezer Meals

These are really good recipes, they are restaraunt style dinners. Last night I made Dijon Chicken Noodle Toss. The combination of ingredients isn't exactly what I would have made, but it tasted GREAT!! I started making it at 5:45, and was done by 6:05! How cool, 20 minutes! And my boys ate it without complaining! Jeff didn't complain, but he didn't eat much either. But... There's enough for leftovers another night! Even better. Two nights of dinner for only 20 minutes of work. My kind of cooking.



Tonight I am going to try Zesty Beef Tacos. I am sure they will be fast, easy, and yummy! And... Let's see the ingredients and cost:


Chicken: $2, Crm. Chkn. Soup: $0.94, Sour Cream: $0.66, Ham: $0.70, Rotini: $1.12, Total Cost: $5.42; Servings: 8 That's only $1.47 per serving! Add some fruit and a glass of milk and you have a complete meal! WOW!!! Okay, let's try the tacos now-

Ground Beef: $1.98, Salsa: $1.50, Tomato Paste: $0.53, Taco Seasoning: $0.42, Taco Shells: $1.90, Toppings-Cheese, Lettuce, tomatoes: $3; Total Cost: $9.33; Servings: 6; That's only $1.55 per serving. Add some orange wedges with a yogurt dressing and a glass of milk. You have a complete meal! WOW Again!!! I LOVE THIS!