Grilled Summer Shrimp

It has been a while since I put any recipes on my blog, so sorry. Well, while visiting my Mom in South Florida I wanted to make her something delicious for dinner. She bought a new grill pan and we decided Shrimp would be perfect to try on it for dinner.

Recipe for Grilled Summer Shrimp:

10 large Shrimp
Olive Oil
Italian Saesonings
Paprika
Garlic Salt
Black Pepper
Squeeze of Lime

In a large bowl combine the above ingredients, mix well. Heat pan over medium high heat, place shrimp on pan, allow to cook until shrimp turn pink and have grill marks, turn shrimp over and cook this side until pink as well. Serve over a bed of rice and add a squeeze of lime. So yummy.

The Lunch Lady :)

Tuesday's Tofu Treat

Cut a block of tofu into pieces. Marinate in a mixture of 1/2 c. soy sauce, 1/4 c. orange juice, 1 tsp. minced garlic, 1/4 tsp. sambal  oelek (chili paste), and dash of black pepper. Allow to marinate for 2 hours. In a saucepan over medium heat add a drizzle of olive oil and brown tofu pieces. In another pot cook some spaghetti and green beans until tender. While tofu is cooking add the remaining marinade to a pan and heat on medium high to reduce liquid, add a dash of corn starch and stir while cooking, turn off the heat and add 2 Tbsp. of orange marmelade. Assemble dish however you would like and drizzle with sauce.

Enjoy,

The-Lunch-Lady

Easy Quesadilla

This recipe is easy and very versatile.

Grill an onion in a saucepan, cook some bacon in another saucepan, remove cooked bacon and drain the grease. Add 1 tortilla to the pan with the bacon drippings, top with shredded cheese, cooked bacon and grilled onions, top with another tortilla and cook until golden brown. Remove from pan and slice into quarters. Top tortilla with additional crumbled bacon, a few onions and some sour cream. I cooked some little potatoes and served on the side along with a bowl of blackberries. Perfect late night dinner. Yum Yum!

The Lunch Lady :)

Homemade Queso Dip

Homemade  Queso Dip

In a saucepan over low heat, combine 1c. Milk, 12 pieces American cheese, 1 c. Cream of chicken soup and 1 c. Salsa. Heat until melted and serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

For a spicy dip, add 1 can chopped jalapeños. Enjoy!

The Lunch Lady :)

Pammie's Veggie Burger

I am a fan of Veggie Burgers, always a treat when I eat out. Tonight I was home and has some leftover veggies, so I made a delicious Veggie Burger at home, try it....I am sure you will like it.

In a food processor combine 1/2 baked sweet potato, 1/2 can garbanzo beans, 1/2 can black beans, 1 t. Cumin, 2 T. Minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste. In a saucepan sauté over medium heat 1 box mushrooms (sliced), 1/2 onion (chopped) and 10 cherry tomatoes (halved), add a punch of sugar and sauté until caramelized. Add to food processor, add 1 c. Italian Breadcrumbs, 1/2 canned green beans blend until mixed well. Roll into softball size balls, roll in breadcrumbs, cook in a skillet coated with olive oil over medium low heat 5 minutes in each side. 

To serve heat up a piece of nan bread, add the veggie patty, add shredded lettuce and sauce.

To make sauce: in a saucepan add 3 ozs. Sour cream, 2 T. Feta cheese, sprinkle of garlic salt and black pepper, squeeze of lemon juice and splash of Worcestershire. Heat over low heat for 5 minutes. 

Enjoy!!

The Lunch Lady :)

Cabbage Roll Soup

If you love the taste of cabbage rolls and don't like the bother of making them, then try this soup. It is all the same flavors without the fuss.

The recipe for Cabbage Roll Soup:

In a stock pot add a large bag of cole slaw mix , top with water and cook over medium low heat. Add 1 lb. cooked ground beef, 1 c. rice, 1/2 c. minced dried onions, 1 jar salsa, salt and pepper to taste and 2 T. beef base. If you prefer less spice add a jar of tomato sauce instead of salsa. Cook for about 45 minutes over low heat until cabbage is very soft.

Serve in a beautiful bowl with a side of bread and tossed salad. Enjoy!

The Lunch Lady :)

Back to school Breakfast Sandwich

A great meal to start off the school year. This yummy open face breakfast sandwich is very versatile. Try it, I am sure you will like it.

The recipe for breakfast sandwich:

You will need the following:

1 egg (scrambled)

6 asparagus stalks (sautéed)

4 slices of turkey

4 cherry tomatoes (sliced)

Homemade cheese sauce- over medium heat melt 2 T butter add flour to combine, thin with milk and add 2 slices American cheese, stir until creamy, add salt, pepper and fresh nutmeg to taste.

To assemble:

Place 2 slices of English muffin on a cookie sheet, top each with a little butter, 2 slices of turkey, asparagus, scrambled eggs, tomatoes and top with cheese sauce. Place in 370 degree oven and bake for 12 minutes. 

Enjoy!

The Lunch Lady :)

Summer Tomato Salad

Tomatoes galore....love em'.......made a yummy summer salad. Hope you enjoy!

Recipe for Summer Tomato Salad.

Wash your fresh tomatoes, slice in half, place in a bowl and add the following:

1t. Salt

1t. Pepper

Drizzle with Olive Oli and Red Wine Vinegar

1t. Garlic Salt

1t. Italian Seasonings

Mix well, drizzle with your favorite honey. Stir and allow to sit until ready to serve.

This salad was so delicious and refreshing.

The Lunch Lady :)

Wanna be Greek salad

I have a favorite chicken salad from a Greek restaurant in town, decided to make something similar for my dinner tonight at home, yum!

Recipe is as follows:

On a plate place a layer of leafy lettuce, top with some basmati rice, grilled chicken, olives, artichokes, Parmesan cheese and top with your favorite dressing.

Enjoy your dinner salad and a quiet evening.

The Lunch Lady :)

Steakhouse Brussel Sprouts

For years I have tried to get my husband to eat Brussel Sprouts, 31 to be exact. Tonight, I finally did it. We have a winner of a recipe. Hope you will try it with your family.

Steakhouse Brussel Sprouts

In a large skillet over high heat, brown 1/3 lb. low sodium bacon (cut into small pieces).  Remove bacon and set aside, keep grease in the pan. Add chopped onion and sliced Brussel Sprouts to the pan with the bacon grease and continue to cook over high heat until caramelized. Add the bacon crumbles, squeeze juice of 1 orange, and 1 T coarse ground mustard (or icky mustard according to my daughter-in-law), splash of pomegranate vinegar and 2 T sugar. Stir until all the ingredients are mixed well and serve.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

The Lunch Lady :)

Caregiver Chef Salad

While caring for my mother after her surgery, I needed something easy and wholesome for lunch. Voila, a simple chef salad.

My recipe for Cargiver Chef Salad:

In a dinner size salad bowl, place your favorite greens, top with 1 chopped hard boiled egg, 1 slice Swiss cheese, diced, 2 pieces crumbled bacon, 1/4 c. chopped chicken, 1 piece crumbled blue cheese, top with a delicious balsamic vinaigrette and enjoy!

For a change add some fresh cooked shrimp or sliced steak.

This salad was delicious and gave me the energy I needed to care for my mother today.

The Lunch Lady :)

 

Meatball ala Lo Mein

Tonight I bought some sushi for my husband and needed to make something else for dinner. I had some hamburger ad combined some of my favorite flavors and came up with this recipe. Hope you enjoy!

Recipe for my Meatball ala Lo Mein

In a bowl combine 1 lb. ground beef, 1 egg, 1/2 c. Italian breadcrumbs, 1 T. Chopped garlic, 1 t. Greek seasoning, 2 T. Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste, pinch of nutmeg, 1/2 crushed red pepper flakes, 1 T. and 1 T. paprika. In a large skillet add olive oil to coat pan and heat oer medium heat, cook until meatballs are browned. Drain meatballs on a paper towel, drain grease into a bowl. 

Cook 1 box of pasta.

In te large skillet over medium heat add 1/4 c. water to deglaze, add 1/2 can corn, 1/2 can peas, 1/2 chopped tomatoes, 2 T. peanut butter, 2 T. teriyaki sauce, 2 T. sambal chili paste, 2 T. honey, simmer until heated through. Add meatballs, pasta and 2 scrambled eggs. Enjoy!

The Lunch Lady :)

Winter Stroganoff

Winter winter go away, what to make to keep your tummy warm today? A bowlful of Winter Stroganoff. Try serving this soup with some homemade cornbread. Try it, I am sure you will like it.

My recipe for Winter Stroganoff:

In a stock pot, brown 2 brats (remove the skin), remove meat from pan and allow to drain on a paper towel. Add to saucepan over medium heat add 1/2 each of the following: carrots, celery, onions and potatoes, cook until tender, add 5 c. chicken broth and 1/4 c. tomato paste, cook over low until potatoes are tender. Add sausage, 2 t. Greek seasoning, pepper to taste and 1 can corn. Stir and heat through.

The Lunch Lady :)

Pammie's Egg Cups

After a long day all I wanted was something warm and comforting to eat. I love egg cups so I made these today, try them, they are delicious.

My recipe for Pammie's Egg Cups

Defrost a sheet of puff pastry dough, cut into 12 squares and place each square in a greased muffin cup. Add 1/2 piece of turkey or ham lunch meat, too with shredded cheddar cheese, in a bowl mix 3 eggs, 4 T heavy whipping cream, salt and pepper and 2 T melted butter, mix well and pour evenly into the 12 muffin cups. Place in a 400 degree oven and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and puffed. Serve with some fresh fruit and enjoy!

The Lunch Lady :)

Kitchen Sink Taco

What to do with leftovers? Reinvent and make something scrumptious.

Recipe for Kitchen Sink Tacos

In a large skillet add a handful of leftover meat, I used pot roast, you could use pork roast, turkey, fish, shrimp or chicken. Turn heat to medium low, break up meat in shredded pieces, add 1/4 c. water, 1/3 of a package of taco seasoning mix, 1/4 c. rotel tomatoes, 1/4 c. black eyed peas, 1/4 c. corn, 3T. heavy cream. Stir well and heat through. Fill hot taco shells with meat mixture, add lettuce and shredded cheese. Enjoy!

The Lunch Lady :)

Pammie's Risotto for the New Year

Sitting all alone today watching the snow fall so delicately. The backyard looks like a winter wonderland. This kind of weather always inspires me to come up with a new dish. Enjoy the risotto.

The recipe for my risotto is as follows:

In a large stock pot bring 2 c. water, 1 T. chicken base to a simmer and add 1 c. Arborio rice and cook over low heat, add more liquid as needed. Add 1 c. Pinot Grigio and continue to cook until creamy. 

In a sauté pan over medium low heat add 1 T. butter, 6 pieces bacon chopped up, 10 Brussel sprouts sliced, 3T. water, cook until tender, add 1 can chopped artichoke hearts and 1 c. craisins. Add to the cooked risotto.

Add 1/2 block cream cheese and 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Mix and serve.

The Lunch Lady :)

Chicken Gumbo of Sorts

I needed something simple to make for dinner, Christmas is almost here and still so much to be done. Thank goodness for beans and chicken.

Chicken Gumbo of sorts

In a food processor grind up 2 chicken breasts slightly frozen until minced. I your favorite stock pot over medium heat add 2 T. Olive Oil and minced Chicken, sauté until outside is cooked. Fill pot half way with water, 1 box Zatarans Red Bean and Rice, salt and pepper to taste, 1 can creamed corn, 1/2 c. Barley, 1/2 c. Lentils, 2 T. Garlic salt, 2 T. Onion powder, and 1 T. Chicken base. Cook over low heat until beans and rice are tender.

Enjoy a delicious bowl of soup and have a Merry Christmas.

The Lunch Lady :)

Baby Shower Cake Pops

I made these for my Daughter's Baby Shower. They were a big hit!

To make the cake pops I used a boxed chocolate cake mix, bake as directed, cool and mix with 1/2 can chocolate frosting. Use an ice cream scoop and place on parchment paper, roll each ball until smooth. Dip lollipop stick into meted chocolate and press into cake ball. Freeze until slightly hardened. Dip in your favorite chocolate and decorate.

I also made pumpkin pops using a yellow cake mix, use 1/2 the amount of water and 1/2 the amount of oil and 1 c. Pumpkin 3 T. Pumpkin pie spice and 1 t. cinnamon. Bake as directed, cool, crumble and add 1/2 can cream cheese frosting.

Enjoy!!!!

The Lunch Lady :)

Mushroom and Rosemary Risotto

We wanted something easy and comforting for lunch. Voila!!!!! Here is a simply delicious dish to share with loved ones.

My recipe for Mushroom and Rosemary Risotto:

In a large skillet over medium low heat, add 1 c. Risotto rice, 1 t. chicken base, and 2 c. water, simmer about 20 minutes, stir and add 1/3 c. water continue to cook. In another skillet add 1 T. olive oil and sauté 1/2 lb. mushrooms (sliced), 10 sprigs asparagus (chopped) and 1/4 onion ( chopped) until caramelized. Add to risotto, add 1 sprig rosemary leaves (chopped), salt and pepper to taste, and finish by adding enough heavy cream to make creamy. Stir well, plate and serve.

The Lunch Lady :)

Chicken Cabbage Vegetable Soup

The perfect pot of soup for this cold weather. 

Recipe for Chicken Cabbage Vegetable Soup is as follows:

Fill a large pot 1/3 way with water and heat over medium. Add 1/2 cabbage head shredded, 2 c. Diced chicken, 1 pkg. mixed veggies, 1/2 c. Dried minced onions, cook until cabbage is wilted about 15 minutes, add 1 c. Salsa, 1T. Chicken base, 1 t. garlic powder, 1 t. oregano, 1 t. chili powder, 1 t. dried cilantro, 1/4 c. soy sauce, and salt and pepper to Tate. Heat through and serve. Enjoy!!!!!!

The Lunch Lady :)