Valentine's Day Dinner Menu

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
I found these really super cute heart shaped ramekins. On sale. At the grocery store of all places. I made chicken pot pies for dinner. Some people wanted peas - others green beans. We also had pears and I made some heart shaped pie crust cookies from the leftover crust. I made more dough than I needed. I also gave each boy his own little box of chocolates and Russell a big box. They were all very happy with their dinners. Surprisingly - they ate the majority of their dinners. I thought it might be too much. Next year I think I will make individual meatloaves with mashed potatoes....

Macaroni Ratatouille Soup

I have made this a few times for our family. I found two recipes I likes parts of and combined them from recipezaar to make one I liked. This is the end product. We like this served with french bread, french bread rolls or bread sticks.
**No rats or mice were used in the making of this soup. :)

Macaroni Ratatouille Soup
1/2 lb sausage
1/2 lb hamburger
1 medium onion, chopped

Brown meats and onion until meat is cooked. Drain. Add the following...
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp oregano
1 small - medium eggplant, peeled and diced
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1 qt tomatoes OR 2 14 oz cans
1 qt beef stock OR 2 14 oz cans
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 TBSP minced parsley OR 1 TBSP dried parsley
1/2 cup uncooked macaroni

Add remaining ingredients except pasta. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour. Add macaroni. Simmer for about 15 minutes more or until pasta is tender. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

2008 Christmas Dinner

Christmas Dinner this year was just our family. Our extended family couldn't make it over with the snow and ice on the roads. We had a delicious time by ourselves though. This year we had a brown sugar glazed ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, homemade cranberry sauce, beets (the unpickled kind), corn from our garden, beans from our garden, homemade stuffing, homemade rolls, homemade freezer jam and butter. For dessert we had apple pie, pumpkin pie and banana cream pie.

German Chocolate Cheesecake

German Chocolate Cheesecake
This recipe was made for Russell for his birthday. He loves German Chocolate Cake and he loves a good cheesecake. So why not combine them? I found a really super yummy recipe by Swan Valley Tammi at recipezaar. I used her cake recipe and my sister Lynda's Coconut Pecan Frosting recipe. It is very similar to the 'zaar recipe.

1 box German chocolate cake mix
2 8 oz each cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten

Prepare cake batter according to package directions; set aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar. Beat until smooth. Add eggs and beat just until combined.
Pour half the cake mixture into a greased 9x13 pan. Gently pour cream cheese mixture over batter. Gently spoon remaining batter over top, spreading to edge of pan.
Bake at 325 degrees F for 70-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.

Coconut Pecan/Walnut Frosting
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 cubes butter or margarine
1 1/4 cups coconut
1 1/4 cups chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
1 tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring often. Boil for about 8 minutes or until thickened. Cool then frost cake.
Store cake in the refrigerator.

Stir-Fried Shrimp and Mushrooms

This is another recipe I made for the December Aussie/NZ recipe swap 2008. The chef is NurseJaney from Maryland, USA. The ingredients are simple, the flavors are simple as well. I took the liberty of adding additional veggies as I was already making another stir-fry for the boys! They hate mushrooms - which was perfect for Russell and I! A stir-fry all to ourselves? Amazing!

Stir-Fried Shrimp and Mushrooms
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used thawed frozen shrimp - as I have never actually deveined them - I wouldn't know what to do....)
3 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup green onion, sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
cooked rice

Saute garlic in oil. Add any hardy veggies like carrots, green bell pepper and zucchini. (This is what I added.) Saute for a little bit then add mushrooms and green onion. Add chicken broth and let the veggies kind of steam. I added the shrimp just before serving since it was already cooked. We served this with wild rice. So tasty!

Oreo Milk Shake

Oreo Milk Shake
I made this recipe as a pressie (Australian term for present) for the December 2008 Aussie/NZ recipe swap. The chef is Charlotte J in Iowa, USA. The original recipe calls for regular Oreos. I figure it's Christmas time. I used mint oreos and it went over really well! The possibilities....many!

12 oreo cookies (generic work just as well. I know.)
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
2 TBSP chocolate syrup

Chop or coarsely break cookies. Place milk, ice cream and chocolate syrup in blender container. Add chopped cookies and blend on high speed until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

Serves: 4

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken
I love bacon. I was wanting something with bacon and chicken together and found this at taste of home. The boys weren't too keen on it - BUT Russell and I loved it! So - it's definitely a keeper at my house. The ingredients are very minimal too!

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 8 oz carton spreadable chive and onion cream cheese
6 bacon strips

Flatten chicken to 1/2 inch thick. Spread 3 TBSP cream cheese over each. Roll up chicken breasts. Wrap each roll-up with a bacon strip. Place, seam side down in a greased 9x13 pan. Bake, uncovered at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until juices run clear. Broil 6 inches from heat for 5 minutes or until bacon is as crispy as you like it.