One Pot Cheesy Kielbasa Pasta

Kim shared this recipe with me after she made it last night for supper and it looked really good.  She made some changes to the original recipe, so I will let you know what was the original.  I made it tonight and I thought it was good, quick and easy..

Here is her version:

ONE POT KIELBASA CHEESY PASTA:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 ring of smoked kielbasa or smoked sausage cut into bite sized cubes
1/2 of a large onion finely diced
2 cloves garlic minced
2 cups chicken broth
1 (10 oz) can tomatoes (she used Rotel blended)
8 oz dry small pasta (I used small bow ties, she used small shells)
1/2 cup milk or heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt and pepper, each
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS
1.  Add olive oil to a 4-5 quart saute pan over medium high heat
2.  Fry the smoked kielbasa and onions
3.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4.  Add chicken broth, tomatoes, heavy cream, pasta and seasonings
5.  Simmer for 15 minutes, or until pasta is tender.
6.  Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of cheese.
7.  Top with remaining cheese and cover until it's melted.
8.  sprinkle with sliced scallions and serve.

(I added some petite frozen peas when I added the pasta etc)

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache and Marshmallow Frosting

We are celebrating my grandson, Kyle's, 12th birthday today.  When I asked him what kind of dessert he wanted he thought a bit and then said, chocolate cake with marshmallow frosting.  Where he thought that up is beyond me, but I came through today and made him a Hershey's chocolate cake with a layer of chocolate ganache and marshmallow frosting from a recipe I found on the internet.  It tastes just like marshmallows too, so I am hoping for a thumbs up!  The candles and decorations will be put on at the party... This cake would be a great Valentines dessert too..especially in cupcake form with a sugared raspberry or cute heart shaped marshmallow on top and served with ice cream even.  Here is how I made it.

Bake a chocolate cake or cupcakes.  I made a scratch one..the Hershey's chocolate cake (recipe is posted on my blog if you just do a "cake" search it will come up.  Let it completely cool.

Chocolate Ganache:
In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of heavy cream to a simmer on medium high heat, remove from heat and add one 12 ounce bag of semisweet chocolate chips.  Let sit 5 minutes and then whisk until smooth.  Pour over cake, or dip cupcakes if you made those into it.  Let set/cool. 

Marshmallow Frosting:
Place a heat resistant glass bowl on top of a kettle with boiling water (not in the water-has to placed like a double boiler would) Add 8 egg whites, 2 cups of sugar, 3/4 tsp cream of tarter all at once into the bowl and whisk it continuously until the sugar has dissolved (1-5 minutes).  Remove from heat and beat with a mixer until stiff peaks form-about 5-7 minutes.  ADD 1 tsp vanilla, stirring it in to incorporate.  Frost or pipe onto cake or cupcakes.

A new banner for my cube at work

I have a "Hanging on a Star" hanger at work outside my cube that I have made different banners for throughout the year..I didn't have a February/Valentine's Day one, so Sunday afternoon and today in the afternoon, I made one up finally.  I will be anxious to hang it tomorrow and take down my snowman one for January..I am anxious for warmer weather and spring to come and this might help seeing it's fresh colors and hope for just that!  I think it turned out pretty..

Chocolate Fondue

At work we celebrate all the birthdays in one given month, and this month was my assignment to do the "treats".  I have been thinking about chocolate covered strawberries and suddenly remembered the chocolate fondue from my "hay days" and went for it for the party.  I found a recipe online and it was easy, chocolately and creamy, so am passing it on.  You can have whatever you like for "dippers".  I had pretzels, almond biscotti, marshmallows, fresh pineapple, strawberries, raspberries, clementine sections, and bananas, but angel food wedges, pound cake, and whatever else you like is an option. I also added some sliced almonds, coconut and sprinkles for adding onto the chocolate.  It seemed like everyone liked it and it was a good conversation dessert.  We were so busy eating that we forgot the birthday song! 

Here is the fondue recipe:

in a heavy saucepan-medium sized, combine the following ingredients:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons butter
1 (14 ounce sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
2 Tablespoons water

Over medium heat melt the above, then add 1 tsp vanilla. 

Serve warm..store leftovers in the fridge.  can be used over ice cream or cake also.

Mongolian Beef Noodle Bowl

One of my coworkers has a daughter who enjoys cooking a lot and sent this recipe to her to try because she liked it so much.  I finally tried it tonight and agree that it's as good as any takeout from a restaurant...very flavorful and pretty fast to bring together.  I makes a family sized portion, or lots of leftovers for lunches and you could substitute the beef for thin sliced chicken or pork and it would be just as good. 

Here is how I made it:

8 ounces of either rice noodles, pad thai noodles or bean thread noodles (I used the bean thread noodles because I had them).  Prepare per package directions. set aside

In a small bowl mix:
1/2 cup low sodium Tamari or soy sauce..I used half and half because I had both.
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
and set aside.


Heat a wok or a large skillet with 1/2 Tablespoon of vegetable oil.  add fairly small portions of
1 lb of stir fry meat, or a flank steak sliced very thin against the grain, lightly salt and pepper and brown and remove from skillet. Then add 1/2 Tbsp more of oil and do more batches, until all is browned and a little underdone.  set aside.

Add 1/2 Tablespoon  of oil again and 5 green onions that have the green parts chopped into 2 inch pieces and the white parts into 1/2 inch pieces.  Then add 3 cups of coleslaw mix and stir until cabbage is starting to wilt.  Add 3 minced garlic cloves and about 1/4 tsp powdered ginger or 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger.  Stir fry another 30 seconds. 

Add the prepared sauce, meat and prepared noodles.  I cut mine a little for easier eating, but not too small.  sprinkle a little more chopped green onion on top for a garnish or even crushed peanuts would be good.

Porcupine Meatballs

Joe requested I make porcupine meatballs for supper tonight and I was glad for the suggestion.  I had a pound of hamburger thawed and sort of in a dead zone in my mind what to make with it.  I found this recipe a lot of people liked and just changed it by adding an egg as some people said they kind of fell apart for them.  Don't overcook them..the sauce will all disappear and that is good with the potatoes..(I made mashed potatoes and peas and carrots and some segmented grapefruit to go with them)  Here is the recipe: I will definitely made them again.

PORCUPINE MEATBALLS:
1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice (I used white)
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lb ground beef (I used lean)
1 egg

Mix these ingredients together.  In a large fry pan, heat 2 Tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil up on medium high.  Form the meat mix into 1-1/2 inch meatballs (I used a small cookie scoop).  The mixture will be wet, but the meatballs will be fine)..brown on one side and then flip them over with a Tablespoon carefully to the other side and brown lowering heat if too hot. 

In a medium sized bowl mix together the following ingredients:
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Pour over the meatballs and slowly simmer for 1 hour. 

Homemade Bird Treat

Dave cut out an article on making a homemade bird treat because he knows how I like to watch the birds outside my kitchen window and other critters that come to the feeder.  It was in the Minneapolis newspaper.  I decided to make it today, but only half a batch to see if they actually like it and it doesn't go to waste.  It's got a lot of kind of non-cheap ingredients.  It's in the freezer right now.  I froze my half batch in 3 takeout style coffee cups that filled them about half full and I'm going to cut slots down the sides once they freeze and punch holes in the top with a string to hang them on the feeder with.  I will post a picture once I've got one of them up.  Here's the recipe:

HOMEMADE BIRD TREAT:
(full recipe as written by the Star Tribune)

1 cup butter or lard-I used butter because I didn't have lard in the house
1 cup peanut butter
1-1/2 cups sunflower seeds-whole
1-1/2 cups chopped nuts-I used peanuts and broke them up
1-1/2 cups cornmeal
1-1/2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup sugar

Mix dry ingredients and set aside.  Melt shortening/butter and peanut butter together, stirring until combined.  Pour melted mix into dry mix and stir until combined.  Press into containers and freeze for 2 hours before filling feeders, then refreeze the rest.  (This is a deluxe mix, so you might want to portion it out slowly)