Red Lobster Cheese Biscuits

I got this recipe from my friend Denise, who is Trent's DREAM WIFE - in the kitchen. She really is an amazing cook!!!

2 c flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 c shortening
2/3 c milk
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c butter
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Mix first 5 ingredients together then cut in shortening (I had no idea what 'cut in' meant... thank goodness for the internet). Add milk and cheese until a soft dough forms. Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 mins at 375 until golden brown. Melt butter and add garlic powder; brush over warm biscuits before removing from cookie sheet.

Summer BBQ

So without a kitchen you have to get creative... The grill is perfect for that! So I made these for Jer a couple of weeks ago and we loved it! I used my rice cooker to make the rice and it was great as well.

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for grates
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks in juice, drained and coarsely chopped (juice reserved)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 pork tenderloin (1 pound), cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 medium red bell peppers, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (from a peeled 1/2-inch piece)
• 1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving

1. Heat grill to medium; lightly oil grates. Cook rice according to package instructions. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk honey and 2 tablespoons pineapple juice; season with salt and pepper.
3. Alternately thread pork and bell peppers onto skewers; season with salt and pepper. Grill, brushing occasionally with honey mixture, until pork is cooked through and peppers begin to char, 10 to 15 minutes.
4. To rice, add pineapple chunks, scallions, ginger, and oil. Season with salt and pepper, and fluff with a fork. Serve kebabs with rice and lime wedges.

Sweet and Sour Crock Pot Pork Chops

I just got this recipe on line and thought 'what the hay' (that's really what I said to myself :) 'I'll try it.' As it turns out, Trent and Haillie really loved it. I didn't add in the brocolli... I wasn't sure if it would be mushy (if someone tries to add it, let me know how it turns out). I also added some onions, just because I needed to use them.
3 pork chops, frozen
1 can tomato soup
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 can water
2-3 cups frozen broccoli

Cook frozen pork in frying pan until browned on all sides.
Add all ingredients to crock pot, including pork.
Cook on low for 7-8 hrs or on high for 3-4 hours.

Serve on a bed of rice.

Mom's Potato Salad

This has surely been a family favorite. My mother always said it would be better if I would just add some purple or green onions. Perhaps you would like that. There aren't too many Spring or Summer occasions where it doesn't show up. Takes a bit of time. Start early...even the night before. Boil your potatoes and eggs and give them plenty of time to cool. Go for it, Jen!

4 potatoes, washed, boiled, cooled, peeled and diced
4 hard boiled eggs, 3 diced and sliced and saved for the top
1 C celery, sliced or diced small
1 C dill pickles, diced
1 or 2 T mustard
Mayonnaise to taste and texture
Celery salt
Salt and Pepper
Top with sliced egg and Paprika and Parsley sprinkle.

Boil potatoes in water until tender...about 20-30 minutes. (These are all estimates. If I make a large salad, I use 6 potatoes and 6 or 7 eggs. Add what you like most. More celery or pickles if that suits your taste.) Boil eggs about 20 minutes. (I have heard that if you put a few drops of vinegar in the water, the eggs will peel better.) When cooled, peel the potatoes and the eggs. Dice and put in a large bowl. Reserve one egg to decorate the top of the salad. Add the diced celery and pickles. Squeeze on some mustard and then a couple of big spoonfuls of mayonnaise. I use the real thing. Stir and add the seasonings. Add enough mayo until it seems moist and tastes good. Just taste and stir. If you like mustard...add more. You will learn as you go. It never turns out the same way twice, but always seems to be popular.
Good luck.

Zucchini Pancakes

This is one of my favorite ways to cook zucchini! It's a recipe from the Barefoot Contessa.

2 medium zucchini (about 3/4 pound)
2 tablespoons grated red onion
2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
6 to 8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
unsalted butter and vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Grate the zucchini into a bowl using the large grating side of a box grater. Immediately stir in the onion and eggs. Stir in 6 tablespoons of the flour, the baking powder, salt and pepper. (If the batter gets too thin from the liquid in the zucchini, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour.)

Heat a large (10- to 12- inch) saute pan over medium heat and melt 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon oil together in the pan. When the butter is hot but not smoking, lower the heat to medium-low and drop heaping soup spoons of batter into the pan. Cook the pancakes about 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place the pancakes on a sheet pan and keep warm in the oven. Wipe out the pan with a dry paper towel, add more butter and oil to the pan, and continue to fry the pancakes until all the batter is used. The pancakes can stay warm in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 10 (3-inch) pancakes.

Request!

Hey All!
Can I put out a request for Jan's Potato Salad recipe... it's Trent's favorite and I think I'm ready to try it! I'd be so grateful!
Thanks,
Jen

Salmon Baked in Foil

I made this for Sunday dinner last night with Brother Jer, Amanda and Papa and we all thought it was pretty tasty. It was super easy and fast to make and super easy and fast to clean up! I got this from my Everyday Italian cookbook (Giada de Laurentis). Giada says this method of cooking in foil (or parchment paper) is a great way to cook any type of fish or even chicken and/or vegetables. I will definitely be making this again!

4 (5 ounces each) salmon fillets
2 teaspoons olive oil plus 2 tablespoons
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tomatoes, chopped, or 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, drained (I used canned tomatoes)
2 chopped shallots (I used green onions)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Sprinkle salmon with 2 teaspoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir the tomatoes, shallots, 2 tablespoons of oil, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.
Place a salmon fillet, oiled side down, atop a sheet of foil. (I used parchment paper.) Wrap the ends of the foil to form a spiral shape. Spoon the tomato mixture over the salmon. Fold the sides of the foil over the fish and tomato mixture, covering completely; seal the packets closed. Place the foil packet on a heavy large baking sheet. Repeat until all of the salmon have been individually wrapped in foil and placed on the baking sheet. Bake until the salmon is just cooked through, about 25 minutes. Using a large metal spatula, transfer the foil packets to plates and serve.