How to Make Deep Fried Veggies

Are you ready for a delicious, super fatty treat? Well, you’re in luck, as I’ve got it for you today!

Ingredients:

• Vegetable Oil (enough to fill your pot or deep fryer)
• Vegetables (Zucchini, Squash, Eggplant, Mushrooms, Carrots, Broccoli)
• Water
• Milk
• Chicken Breader ( I use House-Autry Original Recipe)
• Bread Crumbs (I use Progresso Italian Style)
• Spices (Ground Black Pepper, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Lawry’s Season Salt, Tony Chachere’s, Chili Powder, Paprika, and Parsley Flakes)

Directions:
1. Pour your oil into a pot and place it on your burner on high heat.
2. Clean and slice your vegetables (I like mine sliced thin), then put them in a bowl that is filled with water and 1 Tablespoon of Milk.
3. Throw your chicken breader, bread crumbs, and spices (a little of this and a little of that ) into a gallon size Ziploc and shake.
4. Toss your veggies into your breading mixture, a few at a time, then place them into your hot oil.
5. Fry each batch for a few minutes, flipping halfway through, and then place on a paper towel covered surface.
6. Repeat steps until all of your veggies are fried and ready for consumption.

Whatever doesn’t get eaten the first go around, toss in a Ziploc bag and use in a batch of spaghetti or lasagna-SUPERB! My girlfriend, Diana, over in Germany used to make these all the time. Needless to say, I was hooked. SO easy and SO tasty!

Give it a try and let me know what you think…

How to Make Spaghetti Bread

I am attempting to save some money this week, so I rummaged through the kitchen cabinets to see what I could throw together for dinner. I decided on Spaghetti Bread, and realized that this would make a fun post, so I grabbed the camera and took a few shots during the prep/cooking process. I hope that you enjoy.

To make Spaghetti Bread, you will need:

• Frozen Bread Dough (You could also use Fresh Bread Dough)
• Flour
• Spaghetti Noodles (I like Angel Hair Pasta)
• Spaghetti Sauce (I used 2 mini cans of Tomato Sauce)
• ***Hamburger Beef/Sausage/Meat Balls***(OPTIONAL)
• Spices (I use Garlic Salt, Onion Powder, Lawry’s, Tony Chachere’s, and Oregano)
• Shredded Cheese (I use Mexican Blend)
• Parmesan Cheese
• Butter
• Garlic Salt

I thawed out and allowed my bread loaves to rise in the oven at 150 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour. I then boiled my spaghetti noodles, drained, and added my spices and tomato sauce. Then I took the bread dough and rolled in flat on a cutting board sprinkled with flour. Once I had it the size and shape that I wanted, I brushed some melted butter mixed with Garlic Salt onto the surface. Then I dumped my spaghetti mixture into the center of the loaf, covering it with shredded cheese and parmesan cheese. I rolled the sides towards the center, and then rolled it until the loaf sealed together. I placed the loaf onto a greased cookie sheet and baked for about 30 minutes on 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then I sliced it into strips and served. Yummy!

Sorry about my orange photos-I didn’t even think to turn on the overhead light until it was too late.

Have you ever had Spaghetti Bread before? I would love to hear about your experience!

How to Make Tortilla Dogs

Are you ready for a delicious, yet SUPER inexpensive meal? Well, I am here to HOOK…YOU…UP!!! Check your fridge to see if you have these items. If not, it’s time to head to the store…

Ingredients:

• Burrito Size Flour Tortillas
• Hot Dogs (I use vegetarian Big Franks)
• American Cheese Slices
• Butter/Margarine
• Water
• BBQ Sauce

Directions:

1. Boil your hot dogs in a pot of water
2. While the dogs are on the stove, spread butter on the OUTSIDE of your tortillas
3. Place a slice of American cheese in the center of each tortilla
4. When the dogs are done, place them on top of the cheese and roll them up
   (***NOTE: I tuck in the edges on each side to prevent them from getting crunchy)
5. Place each of them in a small casserole dish and bake in a 350 degree oven until cheese melts
6. Remove from dish and serve with your favorite BBQ sauce
7. Enjoy!

What is YOUR favorite Hot Dog dish?

How to Make Fried Carrots

Are you ready for yet another family favorite? Today, I’m going to share with you my super easy method of making fried carrots. I had a hankering for these when I was pregnant with my daughter, and I’ve been making them since. I also make zucchini slices using this same process. Let me know what you think…

Purchase a bag of baby carrots, rinse them well, then cut off the ends. Make sure to choose your smallest/sharpest knife and cut your carrot in half (from top to bottom). Now comes the “fun” part! As thin as you can possibly manage, dice each carrot lengthwise and throw them in a skillet with a tab of butter. Once you have diced up enough carrots to serve as a side dish, place the skillet on the burner at medium heat. Stir occasionally during cooking, and sprinkle with salt and pepper once butter has covered the carrots. Your carrots will shrivel and brown. When this happens, they are ready to serve. The crunchier, the better!

Remove carrots from the skillet, and dab excess butter from them. Dish them up and dig in. I make these with a TON of different meals, from Thanksgiving to Christmas dinner, paired with my Vegetarian Meatballs, and so on.  They are perfect for any meal that goes well with a side of carrots.

How do you like your carrots?

How to Make Sautéed Mushrooms

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE fresh mushrooms! Throw them in a salad, stick them on the grill, pop them on a veggie burger; I don’t care how they come, I’ll devour every last one of them! One of my favorite ways to prepare them is to sauté them. Yum! Makes my mouth water just to think about! So, this is a super easy process, and it makes the perfect side dish to most meals.

So, you will need to purchase a container of fresh mushrooms. If they’re not pre-sliced, slice them from top to bottom. Rinse them, throw them in a skillet with a tab of butter, and spoon in a bit of minced garlic (I buy the kind in the glass jar). Top if off with a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, and stir periodically during cooking. Once they shrivel some, and soak in the juices from the skillet, they are ready to be served. It generally takes about 5-10 minutes (depending on your heat setting).

A lot of people serve them with Steak and a Baked Potato, but you could have these bad boys with a TON of different dishes.

So, there you have it…sautéed mushrooms. What is your favorite mushroom dish?

No-Meat Meatballs

This is my all-time favorite vegetarian dish!!! Everyone that tries these bad boys fall in love and beg for the recipe, including my hubby man until he found out that they were meatless. He had even asked me to make a second batch.

I first had them at the age of 12 and I have been making them since. I have tweaked the recipe slightly over the years to accommodate the food that I had available to me (kind of hard to find a roll of prosage in another country that dines on mass quantities of pork products).

Generally, when I plan out my meatball dinner, I stick to the same side dishes: Hawaiian Sweet Loaf (sliced and smothered in butter), Fried Shaved Carrots, Homemade Mashed Potatoes with Brown Mushroom Gravy, and either Peas (frozen), Broccoli and Cheese, Sautéed Mushrooms, or my Daddy’s Sweet Creamed Corn (check out HERE how to make it). Every once in a while I’ll throw together a salad to go with it.

Normally when people think of meatballs, they think pasta. I suppose that you could use this recipe with a pasta dish, but I associate the flavor as more of a stand-alone entrée as opposed to a topping. I’m pretty sure that you’ll agree with me once your taste buds have the pleasure of trying it out. So, let’s get down to this fantastic recipe…

Prosage Meat Balls

Ingredients:

• 1 large Onion-chopped
• 1 cup Grated Cheese
• 1 cup chopped Walnuts
• 1 roll Prosage, crumbled
• 1 cup Bread Crumbs
• 4 Eggs
• ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder

Directions:

Mix and shape into balls (or use an ice cream scoop). Layer in a greased 9 X 13 casserole dish.

*NOTE:  I generally double up the recipe, so there is plenty for everyone.  In place of a large onion, I use 1 packet of Lipton Onion Soup mix.  I use Mexican Blend Cheese (only use 1 cup or it takes longer to cook), I don’t care for walnuts, so I leave these out.  Instead of a roll of Prosage, I use a bag of Morningstar Farms Griller Crumble (found in the freezer section of your grocery store-green bag). 

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup Ketchup
• ½ cup Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• ½ cup Water
• 1 cup Butter, melted

Directions:

Mix together and bring to a boil in a saucepan. Pour over meatballs. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or more if needed.

*NOTE: I generally cover the bottom of my casserole dish with a thin layer of sauce prior to placing the meatballs in.  Halfway through cooking, I rotate my meatballs and apply a fresh layer of sauce on the top.

What is your favorite vegetarian dish?

1 of our Favorite Dinners

A few years ago, I got a bit food crazy on Pinterest. I ran across SO many wonderful recipes, and of course I HAD to try them all out. One of the family’s favorites is the recipe for Balsamic Roast Beef.  I, personally don’t prepare it with the “gravy” or “dipping sauce.”  I stick to the basic recipe and turn the Roast Beef into sandwiches. I grab a pack of sweet Italian rolls fresh from the grocery bakery, and a pack of either smoked provolone slices or sliced pepper jack cheese. Add a bit of mayo, and side with a pickle spear, some chips, and some hot baked beans…Voila! Dinner is served; it’s a delicious one at that! Let me know what you think…

*Image Borrowed from Add A Pinch*

Balsamic Roast Beef Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cook time: 4 hours, Total Time: 4 hours, 5 minutes, Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

1 3-4 pound Boneless Roast Beef (Chuck or Round Roast)

1 cup Beef Broth

½ cup balsamic Vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 tablespoon Soy Sauce

1 tablespoon Honey

½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

4 cloves of Garlic, chopped

Instructions:

1. Place roast beef into the insert of your slow cooker. In a 2 cup measuring cup, mix together all remaining ingredients. Pour over roast beef and set the timer for your slow cooker. (4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low)

2.  Once roast beef has cooked, remove from slow cooker with tongs and place into a serving dish. Break apart lightly with two forks and then ladle about ¼-1/2 cup of gravy over roast beef.

3. Store remaining gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for another use.

Balsamic Roast Beef French Dip Sandwich Recipe-The “Gravy” or “Dipping Sauce”

Prep Time: 10 minutes, Serves 6-8, Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Balsamic Roast Beef recipe (from above)

1 gravy from Balsamic Roast Beef recipe (from above)

6-8 sub sandwich rolls

Instructions

1. Remove balsamic roast beef from slow cooker with tongs into a serving dish. Using two forks, and pull roast beef apart.

2. Ladle ¼-1/2 cup gravy over roast beef

3. Using a fat separator, separate fat from gravy while cooking balsamic roast beef. Pour gravy into individual dipping bowls.

4. Serve warm

NOTES: If you prefer a more pronounced flavor, once the roast beef has been removed, use a fat separator on the gravy and then pour the gravy into a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until the gravy has reduced by half.

What is your family’s favorite dish?