Valentine's Dinner

Valentine’s Dinner

This was always a family favorite with the kids. It got its name because we went to a Family Valentine's Dinner given by our church about 20 years ago and it was served as part of our meal. I got the recipe from the person who made it and adapted it since the original had mayonnaise as an ingredient. My husband refuses to eat anything with mayonnaise, so I changed it up with a bit with extra sour cream. The name Valentine's Dinner just stuck and that is what the kids asked for when they wanted it. It works really good for a quick and easy potluck dish!

Place in to bottom of a greased 9x13 baking dish:
        1        can Tender Bits or moch duck, cubed

                        or 1-2 cups homemade gluten, chopped

Sprinkle with:

         2       Tbsp. brewers yeast

Top with:

         1-2    15 oz. can green beans,

 In separate bowl mix together:

         1       can mushroom soup

         1       cup sour cream

         1       Tbsp. lemon juice

Pour over green beans.                                    

Top with: 

         mashed potatoes -

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Bake at 350 degrees until heated and bubbly. Serve hot.

         

Asian Pineapple Cashew Fried Rice

I am not going to be really specific on ingredient amounts for this recipe. There is a lot of room for flexibility so add what you want. It really is fun to make just the way you want it.  

 Saute any type of vegetarian meat chunks you want to use in olive oil and chopped onions. 

Scramble 2 eggs (salted to taste) or egg whites in a pan and set aside. 

 In a large pan or wok place frozen mixed vegetables. Start to heat on medium heat.  

 While it is heating, keep adding ingredients. 
Add pineapple chunks (I cut my pineapple chunks in half) I used a better part of a can. 

Add a handful or two of roasted cashews. (I cut mine up a bit).  
        
Add a bit of pineapple juice to help steam the veggies. 

Heat until veggies look like they are almost cooked.

 Add cooked rice. ( I made mine in a rice pot) 
           2 cups Jasmine Rice 
           4 cups water
              salt to taste

This time I used white Jasmine sometimes I use brown rice. It is all good. 

Add 1 package SunBird Fried Rice Seasoning Mix 
     (This one was Hot and Spicy. I get them at the grocery store in the Asian food aisle or at a general Asian market. They are about a dollar. )

Add oil as desired to fry the rice. This time I used olive oil. 

Add other Asian spices if desired. 
       I like ginger powder, five spice powder and ground star 
       aniseed powder. I got these at an Asian market. 
Add soy sauce if desired.

Mix it all together covering the rice evenly. 
Add salt to taste after all your spices are mixed together. 

Add in the scrambled eggs and fried veggie meat. 

Heat everything. Serve hot. 

Homemade Spreadable Butter

Homemade Spreadable Butter

I decided to make my own spreadable butter so I played around with a few ingredients and this just works prefect every time. 

Mix together in a small bowl:

     1/2 cup (1 cube) salted butter at room temperature
     1/2 cup olive oil

I used a KitchenAid hand mixer, but sometimes I just mix it with a fork or spoon if the butter is very soft.

Just starting. 

 Keep mixing until it is smooth. 

Pour into a sealed container and place it in the refrigerator. 

It might seems a bit on the runny side at first, but it sets up beautifully in the refrigerator. 

All done! It is quick and easy. 

Fast and Easy Vegetarian Spinach Cheese Manicotti

Cook according to pkg. directions - set aside:

          1        box  manicotti noodles - about 14 pasta shells

Mix together in large bowl:

          2        cups ricotta cheese

          ¼       cup parmesan cheese

          2        Tbls. dried parsley

          ½*     tsp. salt - *add 1 tsp. if spinach and egg are added.

          ¼       tsp. pepper

         1-2     cups mozzarella cheese, shredded  -plus extra for top.

         1        10oz. frozen spinach (thawed and drained well) - optional
         1         4oz. can mushrooms - optional

         1        egg - optional

Now here is the secret trick that makes manicotti fast and easy! 

Split each cooked pasta down the side and stuff with filling mixture. That is it... simple and easy. 

 I decided that trying to stuff this kind of tube shaped pasta was ridiculous. It takes forever to try and shove cheese mixture into cooked pasta tubes! It occurred to me that no one would know the difference if I just split them open and sealed them up again. So far no one has figured it out, they just like the fact that I make it more often.  

Place "stuffed" manicotti noodles close together in a single layer in a greased 9”x13” pan.

Pour your favorite Marinara Sauce OR Homemade Red Sauce*  over all.

Bake  at 350 degrees covered for ~ 40 minutes.

Sprinkle on top:   

         1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated.

Bake  ~15 more minute, uncovered until bubbly. 
  I actually put my cheese on before I start any baking and just bake it completely. The package directions have you do it this way so I added them here just in case there is a good reason for doing it. I personally don't like fussing with hot dishes in the middle of baking.   

*Homemade Red Sauce  - mix together

1   26½ oz. can/jar spaghetti sauce

1   14 ½ oz. can tomatoes, peeled, diced

1    tsp. basil

¼   tsp. oregano

¼   tsp. black pepper

¼   cup water