Broccoli and Potato Casserole

So, I forgot to take a picture of this as well, but this is a side dish I like to serve with just steak or grilled chicken. What is nice is you can add any different spices that you like and make it different every time. Sometimes, I make it without broccoli if I have other vegetables.

3 or 4 red potatoes sliced
1 small onion sliced
1 broccoli crown chopped
1 - 2 cups cheese
Salt and pepper
olive oil

Rub a small amount of olive oil on the bottom of a small baking dish. Layer onions, potatoes, salt and pepper, broccoli, then cheese. Repeat until you are at the top of the dish or you run out of ingredients. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Make sure you use enough salt :)

SEPTEMBER Challenge!

Hey Cookers, we have a new topic for September. Now, I know that many of you will be disappointed with my selection, however, I must point out that I'm still a newbie cook and I don't know what the heck I'm doing. With that in mind, our selection will be the September Cooking Light magazine.

Why? Because it's the only magazine I read. Why? Because the last page generally has some good recipes. Why? Because I can't cook without that stupid magazine :)

For those who wish to save their $5, follow this link to the September recipes:

http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking/search/results/1,14413,recipes,00.html?query=september+2008

Ceasar Salad

I forgot to take a picture, but this is a salad dressing that I go to because I will always have the ingredients on hand. It is a variation of our family's Ceasar Salad recipe.

1 garlic clove
1/4 tsp salt
6 tsp Olive Oil
3 tsp Red Wine Vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
juice from half a lemon or 1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Worcestershire
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
fresh ground pepper to taste

Crush garlic with fork in the bottom of the salad bowl. Add salt to help make garlic more mushy. Add all the ingredients, whisking with fork until combined. Add BITE-SIZE pieces of lettuce. Top with a sprinkle of parm and pepper

Roasted Red Pepper Bagel Sandwiches

Hmmmm, this might be the only post this month that you can get the recipe by following a link.

So, the real story behind this recipe, is yes, I had a similar sandwich and decided to try my own take on it. My friend Craig declared it his favorite meal that I made for him. The mini-bagel idea I think came from Amy, so I tried this recipe as an appetizer at Craig and Amy's co-ed wedding shower. Unfortuately, well, that is all I will say about that, but a few tweeks here and there to get the fat under 30% of total calories and Cooking Light came calling. That was truly a great moment. Pictured above is the full-lunch sized version. I added a thick slice of peperoni because Mark was whining about the meat.

Oh, and I guess they are great in a lunch box or on the go snack, but I really don't know who would say such a thing. That's just silly.

B's Spaghetti

This is KAJ's husband B writing. This is my go-to spaghetti. I make this when we want something with a lot of flavor but are short on time. Being from the midwest, we put sugar in everything except our tea, so it has a sweetness in the sauce, and thus our kids love it.

. For our family, we use a half a package or so of spaghetti. We use whole grain because it is fiberrific.

. For the sauce, combine a 26 oz can of your favorite sauce and a 14 oz can of diced tomatos. It's not because it's cheap, I swear. I really think it tastes better from the can...not the jar. I use Hunt's Traditional. It just has more flavor. Then add the following things:

. 2 tbsp olive oil

. 1 tsp garlic powder

. 1 tsp onion powder

. 1 tsp Italian seasoning

. a little salt and pepper

. 1/4 cup of your favorite red wine!

. 2 tbsp of sugar...or less if you don't like it sweet. It really is good though.


Let all that simmer on low for about 30 minutes. I try not to let it get too hot...just enough to let all the flavors come together.

Now, if you are like me and you cannot go one meal without having meat, I recommend adding some Johnsonville Hot Italian Sausage. I just put it in the oven for 30-40 minutes before dinner time. Then I pull it out, slice it and put it on top.

Anyway, this is my first time ever to blog, so I hope you enjoy B's Spaghetti.

Steak Rub

This one is in KGH (Kerri's Greatest Hits). Someone at Mark's work apparently emailed the whole company his recipe, so Mark gave it to me. I didn't really need it because I really enjoyed my family's worsh-she-shire based "whatever smells good" marinade, but I think one weekend, I was out of worsheshire sauce so pulled it out. The only thing: it called for a bunch of spices I didn't have, and after subbing for most of the ingredients, it really was nothing like the orginal. However, the results were bone chewing good...and I am not really a bone chewer. Here is the recipe that I use:

2.5 tsp greek seasoning
2.5 tsp northwoods grill seasoning
2 T garlic powder
1 tsp kosher salt
2.5 T sugar
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp baking soda

Combine and rub on steak of choice and grill. Save any leftovers for next time.

Brownies-2 ways

These are in the "Modified Recipe" category, but I've been making them my way for so long, that I don't remember the source of the original recipes.

#1: Mocha Brownies
(makes 18 brownies)

2 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbsp instant coffee
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees F if using a dark pan). Spray 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray and line bottom with parchment paper.

Melt butter in microwave. Mix in sugar, cocoa powder, and instant coffee. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Sift together remaining ingredients and stir into wet ingredients. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a rack. These are very moist and are usually easier to cut if they are cold.


#2: Candy Brownies
(makes 18 large brownies)
These are monster brownies. I would recommend them as a main course. I've only made them with PB cups and Andes, but the possibilities are endless...

24 candies (e.g. Andes mints, mini peanut butter cups, etc), broken into pieces
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
3 cups sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
5 eggs
2 cups flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees F for a dark pan). Spray 9x13 inch pan and line bottom with parchment paper. Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Add eggs and beat until well-mixed. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture. Spread 2/3 of batter (which will be thick) into pan and sprinkle candy evenly over it. Top with remaining batter. Bake 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Enjoy!