Mexican Vermicelli

My husband has a subscription to Western Horseman magazine and the day it comes in the mail, he reads it from cover to cover. I think he has an inner cowboy that is begging to be released.

Anyway, it's not at all uncommon for him to tear recipes out of his magazine and leave them on the counter or the kitchen table (subtlety is his gift) in hopes that I'll take a hint and add the recipe to our menu rotation.

I made this for him several weeks ago and he loved it. The kids didn't love it, and I thought it was okay, but he asked me to make it again, and I like to keep him happy.


Mexican Vermicelli

2 Tbsp butter
1/2 lb vermicelli
1-1.5 lbs ground beef
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp chili powder
dash of garlic powder
2 cups diced onion
2 cups celery, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1 pound can stewed tomatoes or diced tomatoes
1.5 cups whole kernel corn (I used frozen)
1 cup water
sliced or grated cheese--any kind

In large skillet or stockpot, brown vermicelli in butter, breaking into small pieces (I think it would be much easier and less messy to break the pasta BEFORE you started browning it!). Stir in meat and brown, draining excess fat (I didn't follow directions; I added my beef that had been previously browned, frozen, and thawed). Add remaining ingredients and blend. Cook on stovetop over low heat for 25 minutes. Prior to serving, cover with cheese and allow it to melt.

*I think I ended up adding an extra can of stewed tomatoes and some more water. Your finished dish should be of a casserole-like consistency. I also omitted the celery and used way less onion than it calls for!

Julie's Soft Sugar Cookies

Okay...I decided to be nice and share this instead of keeping it all to myself!


Soft Sugar Cookies

3 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 400. Mix flour baking soda and salt. In separate bowl, cream butter. Add sugar, egg and vanilla. Beat well. Add sour cream and half of flour mixture. Beat, scraping bowl. Add remainder of flour mixture.

2. Roll on lightly floured surface. (I usually do about 1/3 of mix at a time). Roll to 1/4 inch thickness. (Note....these are pretty thick cookies which is one of the reasons they remain so soft). Cut with cookie cutter.

3. Place on cookie sheet 1-2 inches apart. Bake about 8 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool.



Frosting

2 cups powdered sugar
2 TBSP butter
1/4 tsp Almond Extract
6-8 tsp milk for spreading consistency (4-5 tsp for piping consistency)

Mix Well!

Enjoy!

Julie thinks that one reason these are so good is the almond extract in the frosting. I concur.

Menu Plan 3.5.2010

So...

I decided to link things again because it helps ME find things quickly. Also, all of the meals are ones that I can make on top of the stove without turning on the oven. Something wacko started going on with my oven this week. And seeing as how we just replaced the kitchen faucet and garbage disposal (also this week) we're really not jazzed about replacing the oven. So...cooking on the stovetop it is!

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1. Basil chicken (don't be impressed, it's a boxed Macaroni Grill kit I got *cheap* w/coupon)|salad|bread

2. Pork and black bean chili|rice|sour cream

3. Pizza--takeout, not homemade

4. Grilled burgers|sweet potato fries (I buy Alexia brand frozen sweet potato fries)

5. Fajitas|black beans| fixings

6. Dallas tacos

7. Grilled brats|hot dogs (I'll be gone when my fam has this. It will likely be accompanied by all kinds of junky sides). smile.

8. Mexican vermicelli (I will post the recipe later this week. It's a new recipe that John loves).

9. Baked potato soup|cornbread

10. Beef stir fry|rice

11. Spaghetti|bread|salad or green beans

12. Buttermilk pancakes|sausage

13. Chicken broccoli fettuccine|salad

14. Pesto chicken and pasta| salad| bread

Menu Plan 2.19.2010

I'm still too lazy to link, and I also haven't figured out the side dishes. That's on my list for this afternoon so I can get my grocery list together. We'll be eating at church on Wednesday nights--Lenten soup suppers--so I'll have one night a week to have a break from cooking!

1. Skillet penne w/spinach and sausage

2. Chicken noodle soup

3. Lemon Chicken (on Kelly's recipe blog)

4. Pork and black bean chili

5. Baked potato soup (It's a Southern Living recipe and I don't have it on this blog)

6. Slow-cooker beef tacos (I linked so I could find this recipe again!)

7. Roast chicken

8. Meatball minestrone

9. White chicken chili

10. Meatloaf/mashed potatoes

11. Homemade pizza

12. Spaghetti w/meatballs

13. Grilled pork chops

Menu Plan 2.5.2010

Again, if you see something that sounds good, use the search box in the top left corner to find the recipe. I've lost the love for linking all these recipes in my post.

1. Pulled pork sandwiches/chips/corn on the cob
2. Mexican vermicelli (J clipped this from Western Horseman. If it's good, I'll post the recipe).
3. Pot roast/mashed potatoes/green beans/rolls (Will's bday dinner request)
4. Hamburgers/sweet potato fries
5. Susan's breakfast casserole/biscuits
6. Beef stir fry/rice (didn't eat this from last meal plan!)
7. Grilled brats/chili dogs (bratwurst was B1G1 free again)
8. Pinto beans with tomato, bacon, & cilantro (another meal left from last meal plan)
9. Poppyseed chicken/rice/green veggie or salad
10. Fajitas/guacamole/cilantro rice
11. Beef stew/cornbread
12. Chicken Eden Isle/peas/rolls
13. Spaghetti soup/salad
14. Super bowl night appetizers: wings, sausage balls, buffalo dip (don't think I have a recipe for that on the blog), Mississippi Sin Dip

Menu Plan 1.22.10

My friend Carol asked last week if I was ever going to post a menu plan again.

Why, yes. Yes. I am.

I got off track late last year. Not with menu planning (oh, ya'll know I'm too type A to go very long without a plan) but with posting. I just got tired of linking all the recipes.

So...I'm not adding links this time. If you see a recipe you want to try, you can do a simple search of my blog to find it.

Oh, and did you know today is National Handwriting Day? Indeed it is. So here's my handwritten menu plan. Hope y'all have a great weekend!

Bunco Recipes

It was my turn to host Bunco last night. It seems to be the tradition in our Bunco group to send out the recipes for the appetizers/snacks afterwards. I've gotten SO many great ones in the few years we've been doing this. So, since I'm tying these out for my Bunco friends, I thought I'd share them with you too!

Bunco Snacks

Mississippi Sin Dip

Seven Layer Mexican Dip

Fresh veggies w/Hummus

Reese's cookies

Rolo Pretzels

Whimzie's White Chocolate Popcorn aka "Crack"

Mississippi Sin Dip

(from Melanie aka BigMama)

Mississippi Sin Dip

1 loaf french bread
8 oz. container of french onion dip
4 oz. can green chiles, drained
1 package of bacon bits
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened

And yes, all this cheese makes it seem very fattening, but think of all the calcium!

Plus, the bacon bits provide some protein.

Anyway, cut out top of french bread and scoop out insides. Mix all other ingredients together in a large bowl. Put the dip inside the loaf of french bread and put the top of bread back on. Wrap the whole thing in foil and bake 1 hour at 350. I personally love this served with Fritos Scoops, but it would be great with crackers too.

This was SOOOOOOOOO good. I baked it in the bread, but I think you could probably just bake it in a bowl. And I didn't put the top back on it because we ATE IT!

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Seven Layer Mexican Dip

1 can refried beans

1 envelope taco seasoning

1 carton guacamole dip (mine was 12 oz)

8 oz sour cream

1-2 cups salsa

grated cheddar cheese

chopped green onions

sliced black olives

Mix the beans and taco seasoning together and spread in a round platter (with a lip--probably should be 1/2 inch deep) or in a 9x13 dish.

Spread the guacamole dip on top.

Follow with a layer of sour cream.

Pour the salsa on and spread.

Cover with grated cheddar.

Top with green onions and black olives.

You could even add lettuce or tomatoes too.

Scoop with tortilla chips or fritos.

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Here's my recipe for Hummus

I like it with triscuits, sliced red pepper, carrots, chips, etc.

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Rolo Pretzels

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Whimzie's White Chocolate Popcorn/Crack

white chocolate almond bark (or white chocolate)

microwave popcorn

( 2 1/2 squares of white chocolate almond bark (or white chocolate) to 1 bag of m/w popcorn OR

1 package of white almond bark to 5 bags of m/w popcorn)

Pop popcorn per directions. Put popped corn in a big container. Melt your chocolate per directions on package, stirring occasionally. Pour over the popcorn, stirring until it’s all covered. Pour popcorn onto wax paper that you have taped lightly to countertop. Spread, let cool and set, Break up any chunks and it’s ready to enjoy.

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Reeses' cookies

1 tube Pillsbury peanut butter cookie dough

1 bag mini Reese's peanut butter cups

mini-muffin tin

Unwrap 24 mini-Reeses (take off the paper cup liner too) and set aside. Pinch off dough, roll in 1-inch balls and place the dough balls in muffin tin. Bake according to directions on tube of dough. Immediately after pulling the "cookies" out of the oven, smash a Reeses into each cookie. Let cool in the muffin tin for awhile so they don't break when you pull them out.