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Stick to your ribs Steak Tacos

August 6, 2010 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 27 Comments

Last weekend we had some of my old college girlfriends up with their families for a BBQ.

It was the first time we had gotten our families together.

I can’t believe that between us we have 9 kids.

Oh, how times have changed!

Instead of planning after hours parties and heading to the cafeteria to eat away a hangover…

We were discussing what kind of bottles we thought worked best and how many soccer practices a week a 5 year old should have.

Oh how the mighty have fallen…

Well, before the party the hubs freaked out and didn’t think we had enough food.

Really, honey?

Have you met me?

Of course we have enough food.

Yet, off he went to the store to purchase more and he came home with meat…lots and lots of meat.  Needless to say I have about 7 extra steaks in the fridge to use up this week.  Get ready for some steak leftover recipes guys!  Grill a lot of it this weekend…you’ll be glad you did.

dinner Stick to your ribs Steak Tacos

Serves 4  Prep Time: 1o minutes  Cook Time:  15 minutes

1 T canola oil

2 large leftover steaks (you know the one your hubs thought you needed)  If you are a vegetarian you could use portobello mushrooms instead

1 large onion, sliced

1 red pepper, sliced

1 yellow pepper, sliced

1 t garlic powder

1/2 t dried oregano

1/2 T ground cumin

1/2 T ground corriander

1/2 T chili powder

1/2 cayenne pepper

S&P

tortillas

shredded cheese

guacamole

sour cream

hot sauce, this is optional, but I like it spicy!

dinner Stick to your ribs Steak TacosIn a large cast iron skillet heat your oil over medium high heat.  When the oil is hot add your onion and peppers.  Saute for about 5 minutes until they are softened, season with S&P.  Toss in your leftover steak and season with the remaining spices and additional S&P.  Cook until heated through, about another 5 minutes.

Build your taco by laying your steak taco mixture in the middle of your tortilla.  Top with cheese, sour cream, quacamole, and hot sauce.  Need some good guacamole recipes?  Here are two of my favorites…

Tyler Florence’s Guacamoledinner Stick to your ribs Steak Tacos

Barefoot Contessa’s Guacamole

My guacamole is kind of a combo of these.  I’ve made a lot of guac in my day and I’d swear by these two.  YUMMY!!!

dinner Stick to your ribs Steak Tacos

Happy Friday Follow all! Please leave me a note to say you were here and I’ll get ya back over the weekend!

dinner Stick to your ribs Steak Tacos

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Recipes For Kids Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Meatball Sangies

July 23, 2010 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 27 Comments

Sangies…Ahhh, the sangie.  Oh how I love the sangie.  See back in the day, oh gosh, it’s waaaay back in the day now, when I was beating the streets in Beantown during college I used to frequent this great little pizzeria called T. Anthony’s.

It was the best!

The kind of place that kept a tab for you when you didn’t have any money, the kind of place that forgave your tab when you really had no money, the kind of place that can spot your little brother and give him a slice a pizza when he comes to visit you in a snow storm even though they’ve never met him before.

It’s the kind of place where everybody who works there has been there since they were born and everyone knows your name and what you want to eat before you’ve even ordered it.

It’s kind of like Cheers, but with food.

Anyway there was this guy, we’ll call him Tony, and he was this big ol’ italian guy who worked the day shift and he used to get me my coffee and bagels in the morning and he’d make us our sandwiches at lunch time.  I was partial to their chicken salad with honey mustard, OH EMM GEE!!!!  But when Tony would call you when your sandwich was up he’d say “Hey Al, your saaaangwich is ready.”  It was so weird.  And he’d always ask if you wanted “onjuns” on it.  That’s onions to you and me.

So henceforth all sandwiches in college became Sangies.  Even the “Jean Sangie”  in which we not so affectionately referred to the denim sandwich look of denim jeans on the bottom and a denim shirt on top.  Oh jeez, don’t get me going on the fashion choices of the early to mid 90s!  Reverse fit jeans and half boots anyone?  Why did I spend my hot 20s years wearing mom jeans???  Anyone?  Anyone?  Bueller????

Ok, so here it is my recipe to use up those leftover meatballs.  This one’s for you Tony…”Al, your Meatball Saaaangwich is up.  You want onjuns?”

dinner Meatball Sangies

MAma Mia Meatballs recipe

4 hoagie rolls

1 T spreadable butter (or margarine)

2 t garlic powder

1/2 cup marinara sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

basil leaves

dinner Meatball SangiesPreheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Open up your hoagie rolls and spread evenly with butter and sprinkle on your garlic powder.  Toss open faced into your oven for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile heat up your meatballs.  Truth be told I totally do this in the microwave.  It’s easier and faster.  Okay, once their are warm get your bread out of the oven and build your sangie.  Bread, little bit of sauce, meatballs, cheese…repeat.  Place them on a baking dish and stick under the broiler until the cheese gets nice and melty.  Top with basil leaves and serve.  And onjuns if you want.

Thanks Tony!

dinner Meatball Sangies

dinner Meatball Sangies

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Kid Favorite Recipes, Lunch Ideas For Kids, Recipes For Kids Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Leftover Lobstah? Lobstah Salad

June 8, 2010 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 10 Comments

Well you all know about the little celebration I had this weekend with the lobster and lo and behold I actually had one left over!  I know, I know, leftover lobster???  Mon Dieu!  But alas, there was one little guy we couldn’t finish so I tossed him in the fridge and got to make one of the best things known to man…lobster salad!  Sadly, I was not anticipating a leftover lobster so I didn’t have the proper materials on hand and therefore had to wing it…I usually make it with chopped celery and scallions…but this one turned out really really good!


kids lunch ideas Leftover Lobstah? Lobstah Salad

1 cooked 1 1/2 lb lobster

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

2 T diced red onionkids lunch ideas Leftover Lobstah? Lobstah Salad

1/2 pint grape tomatoes cut in half

1/2 romaine heart shredded

Bulkie rolls or hot dog buns

kids lunch ideas Leftover Lobstah? Lobstah SaladRemove all the good meat from your lobster.  My favorite parts are the tail and the meaty part of the claw.  Lay them on your cutting board and chop into bite size pieces.  Place in a medium sized bowl.  Top with onion, tomatoes and lettuce.  Dollop with mayo and fold together being careful not to break up all that beautiful lobster meat.  Mound onto a grilled bun and serve with chips and a pickle.  A better lunch does not exist anywhere on this earth!kids lunch ideas Leftover Lobstah? Lobstah Salad

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Quelle Horreur – Top Ramen???

May 24, 2010 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 23 Comments

Oh yeah, I did it…I know what you’re thinking, first spaghetti tacos and now the wretched Ramen?  Has Ma lost it?  Think of the low nutritional value, think of the sodium content!  I know, I know.  You all know what a crazy week it was last week, GG’s in the hospital and I just wasn’t feeling like Supermom so I folded and gave the chillins some Top Ramen.  I tried, I added some good stuff like protein and veggies, and it’s not like I just tossed the stuff into the microwave and let them have at it on the couch in front of an episode of Sponge Bob.  You know everything said in jest is at least partly true right?  The television was paused in the other room when they came to the table and scarfed it down.  And it wasn’t Sponge Bob, it was Fanboy and Chum Chum…but come on, how do you beat a meal that costs less than $1.50 to make and takes less than 10 minutes to prepare???

dinner Quelle Horreur – Top Ramen???

Serves 4  Prep Time:  5 minutes  Cook Time: 5 minutes

dinner Quelle Horreur – Top Ramen???1 package chicken flavored ramen noodles

1 head broccoli cut into florets

1 leftover pork chop cut into small chunks

In a small saucepan heat 2 cups of water over high heat.  When the water boils add the noodles and cook for 3 minutes. dinner Quelle Horreur – Top Ramen???After 3 minutes turn the heat down and add the seasoning package, the broccoli and the pork.  Allow the broccoli and pork to warm through, about 4 minutes, and serve.  For the record, the hubs and the kids loved this!

dinner Quelle Horreur – Top Ramen???

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Kid Favorite Recipes, Lunch Ideas For Kids, Recipes For Kids Tagged With: , , , ,

Philly Steak N’ Cheeseburgers

May 21, 2010 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 19 Comments

I know, I know you’ve been waiting for all the BBQ recipes from Brady’s birthday party.  Well I can tell you about them, but Ma drank a bit too much vino and forgot to actually take pictures of the food.  So, you’ll just have to trust me when I say the burgers and dogs were great.  The chicken wings and steak tips went really quick and the New England Steamers were amazing.  So now I have all these leftover and what’s a girl to do?  Well I grabbed some prepared burger patties (I know, oh the horror) and sprinkled them with steak seasoning, grilled ‘em up and dressed them to look like a Philly Steak and Cheese Sub.  This ain’t your average leftover burger!
dinner Philly Steak N’ Cheeseburgers

Serves: 6  Prep Time: 20 minutes  Cook Time: 15 minutes

6 burger patties

2 T steak seasoning

1 onion sliced thin

1 bell pepper sliced thin

2 T olive oil

2 T butter

2 T flour

1 1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1/2 t ground nutmeg

S&P

6 sub rolls

Turn on your grill and heat it to medium high to grill your burgers.  Let the meat sit on the counter for about 10 minutes before you put them on the grill.  Sprinkle with steak seasoning and drizzle with a bit of olive oil.  Grill to desired doneness.  Let rest under some tin foil for about 5 minutes.  Meanwhile heat 1 large skillet and a medium saucepan over medium high heat .  Add 1 1/2 T olive oil to the skillet and 2 T butter to the saucepan.  When the skillet is hot add your onions and peppers.  Season with steak seasoning and allow to saute for about 10 minutes or so, until nice and soft.  Once the butter has melted in your saucepan, whisk in your flour.  Cook for about 1 minute.  Slowly stir in your milk whisking constantly.  Bring to a boil then roll the heat back to about medium low and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes.  Season with S&P and grated nutmeg.  Stir in your cheese and allow to simmer on low until your burgers are ready to go.

dinner Philly Steak N’ CheeseburgersSplit a sub roll in half, toast if desired.  Top with burger, pile on your onion and peppers, then slather on your cheese mixture.  Philly Cheese burger style!  I ran out of buns, so the hubs had to settle for a bulkie roll…sorry babe.

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Kid Favorite Recipes, Recipes For Kids Tagged With: , , , ,

Clean out the fridge chicken pot pie

May 13, 2010 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 11 Comments

What do you do when you have a bunch of stuff clogging up your fridge and freezer drawers?  Toss them in a pot, stir ‘em up and cover them with some straight from the freezer pastry dough!  My Ma used to make stew, I make a creamy version then cover it and bake it till it bubbly good and the hubs and kids are in hog heaven.  Give this one a try.

dinner Clean out the fridge chicken pot pie

1 thawed sheet of pastry dough

3 large chicken breasts

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 T butter

4 cups chicken stock

2 yellow onions, chopped

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup medium-diced carrots

1 10 oz package frozen peas

1 10 oz package frozen corn

1 zucchini, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

S&P

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub them with 1 T olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, or until cooked through. Cut the chicken into large dice.  Turn up the oven to 375 degrees.

dinner Clean out the fridge chicken pot pieIn a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and remaining oil and saute the onions over medium low heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Toss in carrots, zucchini, and celery and  cook for two more minutes.  Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add S&P and heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, peas and corn. Mix well.  Pour into a 13×9 baking dish.  Cover with pastry dough.  Cut a few slits into the dough to allow steam to escape.  I like to sprinkle the top with a bit of fleur de sel (or any other course salt) but you can use whatever you like.  Bake at 375 for 1 hour.  Serve with a side salad.  I dare you not to lick the plate!

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Kid Favorite Recipes, Recipes For Kids, Vegetable Recipes For Kids Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
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