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Barbecue Mushroom Sandwich

July 22, 2009 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
mushrooms

mushroomsWhat You Need:

1/4 C ketchup
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
4 garlic cloves
1 tbsp onion, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
8 large Portobello mushrooms, sliced 1/2 inch thick
4 onion slices, 1/2 inch thick
8 slices whole wheat bread

How to Make It:

Heat the grill to medium temperature.
In a small mixing bowl whisk together the ketchup and brown sugar until the brown sugar has dissolved.
Mix in the soy sauce, garlic, onion, and cumin.
Evenly brush the mushrooms and onion slices with the barbecue sauce.
Grill the mushrooms and onions 10 minutes or until tender, turning often.
Toast the bread slices on the grill 2 minutes per side.
Brush a little of the remaining barbecue sauce onto one side of each slice of toasted bread.
Arrange a slice of mushroom and a slice of onion onto four slices of bread.
Place the remaining 4 slices of toasted bread on top to complete the sandwiches.

Filed Under: Dinner Ideas, Grilled, Lunch Ideas, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Celebrate the USA at the Beach

July 4, 2009 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
beachfood

beachfoodGoing to the beach on the 4th of July can be a blast for the family. Planning the meals can be one of the biggest hassles. One of the best things to have on hand for the beach, 4th of July or not, is zippered baggies. Make sure you stock up on all different sizes for the different things you might want to prepare to eat!

Coolers and ice are a must for a great day on the beach! Keeping your food fresh and safe can be a hard task but can be done. 2 separate coolers are a good idea; keep one for drinks and one for food. Place the drinks in the cooler and cover with ice to keep them cold. Food, on the other hand, can prove to be a bit trickier. Some great ways to keep food safe are listed below.

Try to keep opening the food cooler to a minimum. This prevents all that cool air from escaping. Take along a portable grill and you can have steaks, burgers and even potatoes cooked on the grill if they are prepared correctly before going to the beach.

Prepare your hamburger patties before going on your beach trip and put a piece of foil or saran wrap between them so they don’t meld together. Place in a zip bag and remove right before grilling. Place the extra fixin’s, like onions, pickles, and tomatoes in a baggie before transporting them. Buy a separate set of condiments so clean up is easy and if you need to throw them away it doesn’t mean you have to replace them at home.

Steaks can be fixed the same way. Pre-season your steaks at home before leaving and place in a Ziploc bag and grill to your heart’s content. You can even put your steaks in a marinade and they will travel great in a baggie.

Place your potatoes in a foil pouch with some onions and mushrooms and place above the ice to store. Remove right before you put them on the grill. But remember they take about an extra 10 minutes to cook longer than your steak.

Chips at the beach can become stale very quickly! So instead of chips why not try to take peanut butter stuffed celery with raisins on top. Or how about a relish tray stored in zip bags, like carrots, broccoli, and celery. Nuts are also a great beach treat. Peanuts, walnuts and almonds can be a great snack for the kids and adults. Go nuts and have a great 4th of July and be safe!

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Barbecued Hot Potatoes

July 1, 2009 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
red-potatoes

red-potatoesWhat You Need:

2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 yellow onion, peeled and cut into chunks
1 tbsp bacon drippings
1/2 C of ketchup
1 tbsp red pepper sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp pepper

How to Make It:

Cover the potatoes and onion chunks with water in a large pot.
Place the bacon drippings, ketchup and red pepper sauce into the pot and stir until well blended.
Add the sugar, salt and pepper and blend all the ingredients together well.
Position the pan over high heat and allow the water to come to a brisk boil.
Turn the heat to medium low and cook the potatoes in the sauce for 25 minutes.
Turn off the heat under the pan and allow the potatoes to rest in the sauce for 30 minutes.
Most of the liquid should be absorbed into the potatoes.
Turn the heat to low under the pan and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally or until the mixture bubbles.

Makes 8 servings

The red pepper sauce can be adjusted to suit your taste or can be left out completely if you prefer. Be sure to let the potatoes stand in the sauce to give them flavor and their red tint.

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Fabulous Fourth Finger Foods

June 25, 2009 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
bluefireworks

bluefireworksWho needs forks when it comes to the 4th of July? Some of the best things to eat you can eat with your fingers. Grab them on the run to the next throw together softball game with the family or as you are going to push the kids on the swing set. Just grab and go food is some of the best you can find.

Hot dogs are always a favorite on the 4th of July. Wrap a package of hot dogs in a package of crescent rolls and fix like the package says. Serve with a favorite barbecue sauce, ranch dressing or even the reliable standby of ketchup. Great to eat on the run and the kids will love them!

Serve this next treat with some blue cheese or ranch dressing and some celery and you have a hit on your hands. Take some chicken nuggets and fix like the package says. Toss in barbecue sauce or some hot sauce and serve!

If pita bread is a favorite with your family, try these tasty little treats. Combine a package of Italian dressing mix and cream cheese and place on a slice of pita bread. Slice a cucumber and pat dry. Place cucumber slices on top of the cream cheese mixture and top with another slice of prepared pita bread. Cut like a pizza into triangles and serve!

How about Mexican finger foods? There are a couple of great ideas. Mix together some taco meat and place a spoonful inside some Scoops. Add some sour cream, tomatoes, and cheese and these are bite sized delights! Using the same taco meat mixture, place some cheese and a couple of spoonfuls of meat into pre-softened tortilla shells then roll. Spread with oil, place on a cookie sheet in a 350F oven and cook until they are crisp.

Vegetables also make great pick ‘em up and eat ‘em food. Slice a zucchini into thin slices. Add your favorite seasonings like lemon pepper, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Fry in oil in a skillet until brown on both sides. After each group, wipe the skillet out so the zucchini doesn’t turn black while cooking.

Olives and cheese are the main ingredients for the next 4th of July treat. You will need a jar of olives, sharp shredded cheese (2 cups), 1/2 pound of margarine or butter, and 1 cup of flour. Using a food processor, combine the butter and cheese and process until smooth. Add flour (about 1 cup) and blend well. Dough should be about 1/4 in. thick after rolling, cut into squares (2 in.). Place olive in the center of square and close. Bake at 350F until crisp on a baking sheet. Remove from oven, cool and eat!

Tortillas aren’t just for Mexican food. Take a flour tortilla and spread with a mixture of 2 tablespoons applesauce, cream cheese (1/2 package) and 1 teaspoon of thyme. Place a slice of turkey on each one and roll. Place in the frig after wrapping with plastic wrap for about 2 hours. Remove, slice and you have a wonderful treat that is cold and refreshing.

As you can see, the 4th of July doesn’t have to be a lot of hard work but can be an enjoyable day that you can spend with family and friends celebrating our independence! Eat and enjoy!

Filed Under: July Fourth, Summer Cooking, Today's Kitchen Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s a Yankee Doodle Dandy Picnic

June 20, 2009 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
redchekeredtablecloth

redchekeredtableclothPicnic season is at hand and so are family reunions. The 4th of July is always a great way to show off your culinary skills. Recipes don’t have to be hard and time-consuming to be a great mouthwatering delight. There are several ideas for a white, red and blue theme that are simple and quick to make.

Desserts are a great idea for easy. All you need is a white cake mix, some blueberries, some strawberries and some vanilla frosting to make a great tasting and great looking cake that looks like a flag! Simply bake the cake, frost with the vanilla icing, use the strawberries for the stripes and the blueberries for the stars in the corner.

Cupcakes are a great hit with the kids as well as adults, and clean up is a breeze. Using a cake mix and muffin liners, bake your favorite flavor. Using vanilla icing, simply divide and add blue and red food color to some. Frost your cupcakes with the different colors. For added pizzazz, buy sugar glitter in red, and blue and sprinkle on top. Bet these are one of the desserts to go first.

For the kids, freeze some red and blue Gatorade or powerade in ice cube trays. Mix these and real ice into a clear cup and add some lemon lime soda and the kids will be happy for hours.

Potato salad is one of the favorites at any gathering; especially home-made potato salad. Try using white, blue and red potatoes and don’t skin them. Cut into bite size pieces and add your eggs, onions, pickle relish and your favorite salad dressing and mix. Now you have a very colorful but tasty treat that everyone will love!

Bacon burgers are a great idea for the grill. Simply add Worcestershire sauce, and onions to your hamburger before cooking. Wrap bacon around the burger and grill for about 5 minutes on each side. Remove from the grill and add your favorite toppings. For something different, try adding avocado slices, barbecue sauce, A-1 sauce or even salsa to your burger for a different taste sensation.

Festive Fajitas are also a great taste for the 4th. Simply grill your favorite steak and slice thin, add some yellow, green, or red bell peppers and onions to a flour tortilla and presto, fajitas for any season. Add salsa, guacamole, lettuce and tomato and even shredded cheese and your favorite dressing and BAM what a meal.

Not Fried Fried Chicken is another great choice and really easy to make. Simply dip your chicken pieces in some milk and seasonings and cornflake cereal and bake. It takes about 40 minutes in a 425F oven. Not only does it taste great but it is healthier than real fried chicken. Add your potato salad and some sliced tomatoes and dinner is ready!

Need a start up for the day? Try making Four Fruit Salad Delight. Simply dice some apples, slice some strawberries, clean some blueberries and slice some bananas and mix with a mix of lemon juice, mint and honey or just add some whipped topping and serve.

What a great way to celebrate our nation’s independence! Be independent and creative and try some of these wonderful ideas for the 4th of July or any day for that matter!

Filed Under: July Fourth, Today's Kitchen Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Patriotic Foods to Tickle the Taste Buds

June 18, 2009 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
patriotic-cupcakes

patriotic-cupcakesFood for the 4th of July doesn’t have to be the tried and true. Try making something white, red and blue for your family picnic or gathering! There are some really great ideas out there to make your picnic a patriotic favorite.

Salads are a great choice for a picnic. Not only are they usually easy to make, but they are also great for a hot summer day. Try a tomato salad for your red food. Take cherry tomatoes and also some coarsely chopped firm tomatoes and add some chopped parsley and some basil. Toss in a large bowl with some extra virgin olive oil and you have a great summer salad.

How about potato salad with a twist? Boil ½ pound of blue potatoes with the skins on until they are done but not squishy. Slice a couple of green onions, 3 stalks of celery, 1 tablespoon of parsley flakes and add to the potatoes. For the dressing, add ¼ cup of vinegar and 2 tablespoons of mustard and gently stir into the vegetables. Blue food done easy!

Pineapple Cream Cheese Salad is a summer treat for everyone. The biggest can of crushed pineapple and drain the juice from it and place in a large measuring cup…add water to equal 2 cups. Heat the water and juice mixture until it boils and then add a package of jello. Make sure to dissolve completely. Remove from heat and add the crushed pineapple and refrigerate until syrupy. While refrigerating that mixture, mash 16 ounces of cream cheese and blend with a blender into the pineapple mixture. Add 1 cup of nuts and ½ pint of whipped cream and blend well. Chill in a 9 x 13 pan then serve your white salad to all your friends and family.

How about an appetizer or finger food for the family on the 4th? All you need is some “red “apples, walnuts, cream cheese and bleu cheese. Take ½ cup of walnuts (chopped), ½ cup of crumbled bleu cheese, 3 tablespoons of softened butter, and 1 small package of cream cheese (8 ounces), and mix together. Chill for 3 hours in the refrigerator; spread on apples that have been sliced and cored, for a delicious mouthwatering treat.

Cheese balls are always a favorite. If you serve this with blue tortilla chips, you have a great blue and white food to serve on Independence Day. You need an 8 ounce package of cream cheese, 1 small onion that is finely chopped, 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1 package of crumbled bleu cheese (4 ounces), and some English cheese. Blend together into a ball and chill overnight, and then serve with the tortilla chips.

Now we move on to the main course. Soften several tortilla shells the microwave. Dip in enchilada sauce. Place dipped shell on a plate and add a layer of browned ground beef then some shredded cheese. Repeat until you have 3 layers then add a fried egg to the top and BAM a meal to be remembered!

The 4th of July is not only for chicken and burgers, try this delicious fish recipe and you will have everyone eating out of your hands. Take ¾ cups of blue cornmeal with ½ teaspoon of salt, and 2 garlic cloves or the equivalent in garlic powder, and some jalapeno peppers finely chopped. Fry in a skillet with a little oil until the fish flakes and eat until you are full! What a great change of pace!

Pork chops are a great choice for the 4th also. Using a crock pot, place 6 pork chops in the pot and cook for a couple of hours. Add celery soup (2 cans) and 2 cans of mushroom soup and leave in the crock pot a couple more hours and you have your “white” meat dish available. The pork gets so tender it basically falls apart without any help with a knife!

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