Meal in a Skillet/Tried It

After a few requests to return to foodie posts on this blog, I've decided to take the leap again and get out the recipes. This time, I'm going to try some new ones from cookbooks and online sources as well as testing those new products I find in the store. I will not be endorsing anyone, just trying to keep meals and snacks interesting.  

I introduce from Pinterest, 

Sausage, Pepper and Rice Skillet

Yes, I  have to admit it. I spend my fair share of time perusing Pinterest. And of course, not all things found there are what they claim. Recipes are no different. 

1. But  it was cold outside
2. I wasn't leaving the house
3. Everyone in town the country seems to have the flu
4. I am determined to use what I have in the pantry til payday.

So.....Pinterest had a good idea from another blog. There are a lot of good food blogs out there by the way. And I felt it was pretty reliable after reading through the recipe.  

Other than a few alterations in the recipe for my own personal taste, I present this entry in the 'Tried It'-sphere.

alterations included:

Cook rice in chicken broth first.

Only green peppers since that's what we had.

Extra onion.

 Left out the parsley. 

And FYI, I highly recommend learning how to use regular rice, not the minute variety. You get much more for your dollar not to mention way better flavor and texture.

And since I was gifted this beautiful Heirloom Recipe book, I've hand-written the card and photographed it for you. 

Enjoy!

Pad Thai/Friday Flavor

Back in December, on a visit to Lawrence, Kansas to have dinner with the eldest, we were whisked away to a little hole in the wall place on 'Mass'(local slang for Massachusetts Street).

Rachel is using chopsticks, something I've never mastered. I on the other hand apparently text with my third finger. So why can't I master those chopsticks?? And do you get more of those Pad Thai noodles per bite on a fork or with chopsticks?? I'll tell you what(inserting local dialect here), that is a very important question because they are to die for!!
So since our town doesn't have such restaurant choices as Zen Zero, we three made it a goal to find a way to make this dish at home.

I present first, The Ingredients 

Not shown in any particular order.

Here's the recipe on the package:

We substituted chicken. 

We also eliminated lime juice and bean sprouts. 

Our local grocer's produce section had bean sprouts with mold added. 

I hope they read this.

And just think they are opening a new store next month.

So on to better things like seeing it all fall into place.

Woks are pretty fantastic by the way.

Add a couple egg rolls and some sweet chili sauce and you my friend have just been 'schooled' in how to have it at home!

Bacon. That Is All /Tasty Thursday

Tasty Thursday

Yesterday we decided to try to replicate a recipe from Papa Finnell.

Bacon is the main flavor enhancer.

Bacon is always a main flavor enhancer.

 But to go with that meal plan, we had some Farmers Market goodness boiling and steaming simultaneously. Keeping the kitchen heat down.

Adding to the less heat theme, we grilled the brats. 

Just the plain beef brat variety for this meal.

Wilted lettuce is for the bacon. Or for vegie lovers, the bacon is for the lettuce.

Anyway, we'll share the recipe and hope you'll try it sometime.

Have a great Thursday!!

After All, Tomorrow is Another Day/ Tasty Thursday

A perfect bundle of flowers from a perfect little girl!

This was my birthday greeting on Friday.

I certainly felt a little better about turning a year older with such a lovely bouquet.

Thank you Miss Emmi and family!

Continuing on with the trend for beautiful things, my sister made a very thoughtful choice when she picked this gem up at the Warsaw Heritage Days. The crème de la crème of craft shows in the state of Missouri. I didn't attend this year, but maybe I would have discovered what sister was up to if I had?? Everything works out the way it should!

 A trip to some local Antique shops was my choice for birthday shopping. I lucked into a bargain on vintage flour sack fabric at a favorite haunt of ours, Chelsea's.

Can't find this at Walmart.

But my favorite find was this 1932 children's cookbook. It claims to "Teach children to cook successfully. 

Take a look inside!

Here's the table of contents. Such cute recipe titles. It even shows a proper table setting!

With a bouquet of flowers naturally :)

My question to you is, What is this ingredient spelled "fladousing"???

Effie Jean Carter, I wonder if you're still out there to translate?

I have a feeling this mystery will go unsolved on this Tasty Thursday.



Italia in Nashville

One thing in life that is a constant is Food. No matter who you are, you gotta eat. So Linking up with this Tasty Thursday Challenge is pretty appealing.

Since this is not a Thursday, I'm going to show you what I ate prior to last Thursday in Nashville, Tennessee. We ate at a little 'hole in the wall' in East Nashville where they served gluten free pizza. My husband and daughter hooked up with a G-Free app on their phones and proceeded to find directions to Italia. They were extremely pleased with their pizza. We have tried many, many G-free pizzas to date and they both were in awe at how good this was. That makes Momma happy to see her brood content with dinner. :)

But I have to tell you about the Gyro dinner. OMG!!! I like to died and went to heaven!

Pictures don't do it justice. But here is one where I'm halfway through the meal.

Gyros like this don't come along everyday. This was authentic, delicious and left me sad all at the same time. Sad because I won't find Gyro meals like this where I'm from. It's usually very thin slices and not nearly such generous portions. And the Basmati rice had sautéed tomatoes, onions and peppers all mixed in. Very flavorful combination. Of course there was the traditional cucumber sauce and pita bread. Nothing was left to add to this plate but my fork and knife.

When the owner spoke to us, I told him he needed to move his place to Missouri. He said he used to live and work in St. Louis. But didn't own a restaurant there at that time.

I say it's time to start one there. Better yet, one in Sedalia.