BBQ Hot Dogs

This recipe is not exotic nor is it necessarily healthy, but for me it is comfort food.  It is one of those dishes that reminds me of home and family. 

This is easy to mix up and doesn't take a lot of unique ingredients.   I was salivating with anticipation when I made this.  I had been thinking about fixing this all day and couldn't wait to get my fork into it (okay, I didn't wait, I had to sample it while it was simmering).  These BBQ dogs make a quick supper to warm you up on a chilly evening.

I don't know where the recipe originated, it was something that we had at home when I was growing up.   Give it a try, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

We always had it with mashed potatoes and who am I to mess with tradition!  I will admit that I cheated and used the Bob Evans microwaveable mashed potatoes rather than making them the old fashioned way.




BBQ Hot Dogs

Ingredients:

1 package of hot dogs, your normal brand will do
1 medium onion, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
3/4 cup catsup
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons margarine
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons prepared mustard
1 Tablespoon Worchestershire Sauce

Directions:

Slash hot dogs, but not all the way through.
Brown the hot dogs in a large skillet.  I typically add a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
Simmer 15 minutes until everything is heated through.

Serve with a side of mashed potatoes and a green vegetable.


....and that's What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!

Low Carb Philly Cheese Steak

Who likes Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches?  I do!  But I also like quick and easy meals after work.  I'll let you in on my little secret to a quick and easy plate of goodness! And to keep it low carb, I'm fine with skipping the bread.  But if you just gotta have some bread, then Pinterest is your friend for finding a low carb bread recipe!

 Low Carb Philly Cheese Steak 

Servings 2

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon butter
1/4 cup sliced onion
1 green bell pepper sliced
1/2 pound shaved deli roast beef
3/4 cups beef broth
1/4 teaspoon xanthum gum
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 slices provolone cheese

Directions:

In a medium skillet, melt the butter and add the sliced onion and green bell pepper slices.

Saute until the onions are transparent.

Meanwhile, slice the deli beef into strips.
Add the sliced beef to the pan along with the beef broth, xanthum gum.  Continue to stir and saute until the meat is heated through and the broth thickens into a gravy.

Add the 4 slices of provolone cheese on top and let it melt.

Slide half of it onto your plate and dig in!

....and that's What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Servings 2.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 368
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 19 g	29 %
Saturated Fat 12 g	58 %
Monounsaturated Fat 4 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 99 mg	33 %
Sodium 990 mg	41 %
Potassium 653 mg	19 %
Total Carbohydrate 9 g	3 %
Dietary Fiber 2 g	9 %
Sugars 3 g
Protein 40 g	79 %
Vitamin A	15 %
Vitamin C	86 %
Calcium	45 %
Iron	12 %

Grilled Chicken Shepherd's Pie with Low Carb Cauliflower Colcannon

That's a mighty big name for this recipe and the recipe is somewhat detailed, but it is worth every ounce of effort.  Especially if you love shepherd's pie and are on a low carb eating plan.

I have to show you my newest kitchen gadget that I bought at the class this past week.  It chops garlic and make pretty quick work of 4 cloves!  I love it!  It is so easy and you pop it right into the dishwasher (top shelf for cleanup).  It looks like a cute little robot.

Since the sneak peek photo has some of you anxious for the recipe, I'll not spend a lot of time on an intro, other than this is a low carb version of a recipe I received in an authentic Irish cooking class this past week.  It was a fun class with several tasty dishes, but hands down this one was my favorite.  So much so that I had to alter it for low carb.  The dish we sampled was made with smoked chicken thighs and the smoky flavor came through the dish.  I had grilled chicken breasts in the fridge from earlier in the week that I chopped up and put into this dish.  I also substituted the peas with asparagus and added celery.

This was my first go at making mashed cauliflower.  Up until today, I've not been fan, but this dish has won me over.  

I hope you enjoy the recipe!

Tasty Meatballs

Mama Mia!

That is what you will be saying when you make these for the first time.

If you are looking for a good incredible meatball recipe to try, buckle up and give this one a test drive.

I've always been a meat sauce kinda of gal.  Why?  I can't say really, other that we always had spaghetti and meat sauce when I was growing up.  I've always thought making meatballs was way too much trouble.  Yup, you can see, that I am lazy!  It's easier to brown up the meat and add the sauce.

I know you've all heard the saying "try it, you might like it".  You will be delighted to find that these meatballs really aren't too much work  (okay, maybe a little messy) but they are so worth it and I bet you will agree that they are slap yourself silly awesome!

This recipe is an adaptation of one I had Pinned from Kaye's Low Carb Lifestyle.  Thanks for the inspiration!

Ham Loaf

I've been hamming it up!  Today was all about cooking with ham!

I also made Ham Salad, which will be in a future post, as a result of my "free" Thanksgiving 6 pound, fully cooked ham, that I've had stashed away in the freezer.

I doubled the recipe with the intent of having one for quick suppers during the upcoming week and the second to seal with my Foodsaver and freeze for a later time when I'm not in the mood or just too busy to cook. Believe it or not, that does happen!

I can only recall having Ham Loaf a few times growing up.  I guess because ham leftovers were few and far between at our house.  When we were lucky enough to have one, the entire family devoured it.
We devoured at our house growing up.  Mealtime was focused on eating and not leisurely dining with conversation as there was often work yet to be done before dark.  While this may be foreign to many folks, it is the way I grew up.

I've altered the recipe for the Ham Loaf to fit my low carb way of eating, but I've included the original ingredients beside each item for those of you who want to make the original version.

I just pulled this out of the oven and had to snitch a sample to see how it tasted (quality control you know).  It is yummy! I ate 1/2 the slice while taking the photos!

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breast

Bacon...that's all I need to hear and I'm ready and salivating.
I probably consume more bacon that I should, but what can I say, I love the stuff and it is a staple in my low carb way of eating and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

This recipe was inspired from a picture I saw on Pinterest.  I was looking for something different to jazz up a normal boring chicken breast, and remembered the picture I saw and that was all the inspiration I needed.

The chicken was so juicy and moist, and reheated well in the microwave.  When I took my leftovers to lunch, folks in the lunch room were totally envious!

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breast

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts
2 slices pepper jack cheese
2 slices Virginia Baked Ham
8 slices of bacon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with foil.

Create 4 slits in each chicken breast by diagonally slice the chicken breasts, being careful to not cut them all the way through.

Quarter each slice of cheese and stuff into each of the four slits.
Do the same with the ham slices.  It doesn't have to be pretty, you'll be wrapping bacon around the entire thing, so don't worry.

Salt and pepper each breast.

Next carefully wrap the bacon around each chicken breast, making sure the cheese and ham stay in place, overlapping the bacon ends until you have swaddled the entire chicken breast in bacon.  Secure the top and the bottom pieces of the bacon with a toothpick to keep everything in place.

Add some additional pepper to top off the wrapped chicken if desired.

Place the chicken on the foil lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.  Flip the chicken breast and cook an additional 30 minutes or until the bacon that was on the underside turns crispy.
Add a salad or some nice green veggies as a side and dig in!

....and That's What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!

Philly Cheese Steak Pizza

I love love love pizza.  I could eat it every day.  So I was thinking pizza for dinner last night but also was having visions of Philly Cheese Steak with that tender thinly sliced steak, grilled peppers and onions and creamy cheese.

Then I had a revolutionary idea....I thought why not?  I'll just blend the two ideas together.  This Philly Cheese Steak Pizza is what resulted.

Baked Turkey Salad

It has been a while since I've posted an entry.  You see, I've been undergoing a cabinet refinishing project and unfortunately, I've neglected the blog as a result.  I'm really pleased with the results and I feel a great sense of accomplishment since I did all the work myself.  Not to mention I have a brand spanking new kitchen! 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.  Would I be wrong if I presumed that there are many of you, just like me, who have a lot of turkey leftovers and are wondering what you might do with them to add a little variety rather than nuking the remaining slices?   

Many years ago  a friend of mine gave me this recipe and it is always my "go-to" recipe for post holiday turkey leftovers and if you'll excuse the pun, this salad is delish and always gobbled up!
If you are among my low-carbing friends, this is also a good low carb recipe with only 7 net carbs per serving!

So you aren't a Turkey fan?  Chicken can easily be substituted for the turkey.

Meatloaf Patties

It's a new year and I am among the many folks vowing to change their eating habits and to get more exercise. I've done this before, I can and will do it again but this time I'm determined that those pounds go away and stay away for good!  They are not welcome back nor can they bring their friends.

I started my journey about two weeks ago along with a life long friend.  We are determined to keep each other on track, though our strategies differ somewhat.  I know that I have a weakness for desserts and sweet treats as well as pasta and home baked breads.  I have given those things up for now, but I am looking to learn alternative ways to still enjoy them with different ingredients.
As I find recipes that I try and like, I will share them.

One of the things I do to help myself is to do the majority of my food preparation on the weekend.  I will spend 3-4 hours in the kitchen and cook everything for the week, so all that is needed is a quick warm up.  Keep fresh veggies for munching at hand as well, for those times that I just want to gnaw on something but am not really hungry because those calories can add up fast!!

Last weekend I made meatloaf patties.  These have been perfect for packing in my lunch for work as well as quick suppers this week.  How many of you like cold meatloaf...go ahead raise your hand, it is okay.  I like it too and it makes a great sandwich.

In thinking about the big game day tomorrow and many of you having parties, I thought that these would be great for sliders for a party, so if you are looking for something a little different, get yourself some mini-buns and give this a try.  Obviously, you'd need to make them smaller, but I'm sure they would be a hit.

I have already posted the meatloaf recipe on the blog.  You can find it here.  The only difference is that I measured out my meatloaf mixture into 4 ounce patties and topped them with the following mixture and baked them in the oven in a broiler rack.

Beef Tips and Noodles

Comfort food...Mmm.  We all have our favorites.  This recipe is one of mine and since it was cold day yesterday it seemed like the perfect opportunity to pull out this recipe.  It is not all "from scratch", utilizing canned soup and mixes, but it is easy and tasty.

I made my noodles from scratch, but if you prefer you can buy noodles.

Chicken Pot Pie

Do you like comfort food?  Who doesn't?  I think we all have our favorite dishes that we consider comfort foods.  I find I gravitate to comfort foods, especially when the colder months of the year roll around. Today was one of those days and I am craving one of my favorites, Chicken Pot Pie.

I am a big fan of purchased pot pies, especially the brand by MC that you nuke in the microwave in the box for 6 minutes and presto, dinner!  The only problem is that there just doesn't seem to be much filling.  Don't get me wrong, I like crust as much as anyone, maybe even more than the average person, but come on, is it too much to ask to have more than 5 chunks of chicken in my pie?

I decided to try to do something I've never attempted..make chicken pot pie.  I  do most of my cooking on the weekend so meal prep during the work week isn't a chore that gets pushed to the back burner in favor of something quick and easy, like fast food, which we all know isn't good for us.

Armed with a list and determination, I head to my local grocery for ingredients.  Lucky for me,  they had bone in chicken breasts for 89 cents a pound.  I  bought a family pack that contained 4 huge chicken breasts.  Those were some mighty busty chickens, if you ask me (don't get me started about the hormones they give animals that we eat!).  Anyway,  I cooked all four of them and saved the meat from two of them to freeze and use later in some homemade chicken noodle soup (another cold weather comfort food).

I used frozen puff pastry for the top crust and I was satisfied with the results.  I was a little skeptical since "pie" in my book means top and bottom crusts, but I found that I didn't miss he bottom crust at all on these gems.  I will let you know in advance that you will need to taste and readjust seasonings because I found the basic recipe too bland for my liking. 

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

2 large bone in, skin on chicken breasts
1 large onion
6 stalks of celery, including tops, cut into 4" pieces
4 carrots cut into 4" pieces
1 32 oz. box of low sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary

8 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup carrot, diced
2 medium potatoes, diced
1 cup frozen peas
2 chopped cooked chicken breasts
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon thyme
1 package frozen puff pastry

Directions:

In a large pot, place the chicken breasts and next 8 ingredients.  Heat over medium heat until chicken is cooked through.  I let it simmer on the stove for about an hour, maybe a little longer. 
Remove chicken to a platter and set aside to cool.
Using a colander, strain the contents over a large bowl. Discard the veggies that have been cooked to mush.  They were there to enrich the broth, not to be eaten or incorporated.
Pour the strained liquid into a fat separator.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put the puff pastry out to thaw.
In the large pot, over medium heat, melt the butter.

Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture smells fragrant and nutty.
Slowly pour in the stock, whisking until smooth and bubbly.
Bring mixture to a boil.
Add the onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf and thyme, cooking the vegetables until tender.  About 5 minutes.

Add the potatoes, chicken, peas and salt and pepper and cook until the potatoes are tender, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.

Remove from the heat and cool.  Remove the bay leaf and discard.
Taste (carefully, it is hot) and adjust the seasonings a little at a time to fit your taste. 
I ended up adding a teaspoon more salt and  pepper and  1/2 teaspoon more thyme.

Divide the mixture equally among oven proof bowls.  I used small ramekins (just the right size for lunch), my two small Emile Henry pie plates and a Corning petite pan that I had.  This makes quite a bit. 


Unfold the puff pastry and cut to fit the tops of your oven proof bowls. 
Moisten the rims of your bowls and stretch the pastry over the filling, pressing along the edges to seal. 

Line a cookie sheet with foil.
Move the bowls to the cookie sheet for baking.  These will very likely run over, so the foil will save you on cleanup!






Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.  It should take about 20-25 minutes. 
Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Don't these look delish?

...and that's What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!

Spicy Honey Glazed Chicken

Spicy Honey Glazed Chicken

Ingredients:

2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons olive oil

Rub:

2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

Glaze:

1/2 cup honey
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

Directions:

Combine the Rub spices in a medium sized zip top plastic bag and mix well.

Remove any excess fat from the chicken pieces. Cut them in half and pat them dry.
Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken pieces and rub the good with your hands to coat all the pieces.
Toss the chicken pieces into the bag along with the spices.  Press out most of the air, zip the top closed and work the chicken and spices until all of the chicken pieces are covered thoroughly.
At this point you can refrigerate them to marinate for a while or cook them.

Grill the chicken on both sides until cooked through.
While the chicken is cooking, warm the honey in the microwave so it's not so thick.  Add the vinegar and mix thoroughly. 

Once the chicken is cooked, brush the chicken with the honey mixture.  Watch it closely, turn the chicken and repeat on the other side.    It will smoke and make a mess of your grill, but trust me it is so worth it.

I sliced up some yellow squash, zucchini and onions, tossed them with some olive oil and Mrs. Dash and grilled them along with the chicken for a tasty side dish.

....and that's What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!

Beef and Potato Loaf

As the weather shows hints of fall and turns cooler, I tend to pull out recipes that are "comfort" food, like this meatloaf with potatoes cooked beneath it.  You can easily half the recipe if you feel that this is too much, but if you like leftover meatloaf like I do, you'll want to have plenty for later.

Beef and Potato Loaf

Ingredients:

Potatoes:

6 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Meatloaf:

1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound ground turkey
1 sleeve of saltine crackers, crushed
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup ketchup or chili sauce
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Glaze:

1/2 cup ketchup
4 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a large baking dish with non-stick spray.  I used my Le Cresuet oval pot.
Layer in the sliced potatoes, topping each layer with some of the onion, thyme, salt and pepper.

Crush the crackers finely, I used my food processor to quickly make the crumbs.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, turkey and remaining ingredients. 

Mix thoroughly (I use my hands) until combined and let stand for about 15-20 minutes for the liquid to absorb into the mixture.

Place meat mixture on top of the potato slices.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 60 minutes, adding additional time until done (depends on your pan and the thickness of the meatloaf).

15 minutes before removing the meatloaf from the oven, mix up the glaze and top the meatloaf.  Return to the oven and continue baking for 15 minutes.

....and That's What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!