Coupon and pizza

Ever have one of "those" nights when you have all the ideas for dinner in the world but not all the energy to actually prepare anything? This is what my family calls "gourmet" and I'll have to agree it was a perfect, fun night. Sorry, no actual recipe but hey, we had a coupon! And besides what can be better than a giant mouse, cheap prizes and a salad bar!

Taco Soup

This can be done stove top or crock pot.

1 can kidney beans

1 can black beans

1 can diced tomatoes (sometimes, if I really love my kids, I leave these out)

2 cans tomato sauce

1 can corn

1 pkg taco seasoning

2 c browned hamburger

Dump contents into pot (do not drain any of the cans!). Heat thoroughly. Serve.

Top with (otional):

sour cream

fresh chopped onion

cheese

corn chips

olives

salsa

guacamole

Tonight I made this w/o the tomato sauce. I also used real Taco Bell meat - yum. It is a very forgiving meal. Everyone eats it happily - except the 7 year old, maybe if it had a dollop of ice cream...

Easy Hawaiian Haystacks

*1 can Cream of Chicken Soup and 1 can Chicken Broth mixed together and heated for gravy.
*Add chopped cooked chicken to gravy.
*Toppings:
Tomatoes
Green onions
Celery
Pineapple
Coconut
Chow mien noodles (I didn't have these tonight so I used french fried onions)
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Chopped almonds

Layer everything on top of cooked rice. This recipe is quick, easy and for those picky eaters great because they can choose for themselves what to put on their own haystacks.

Mom's Chicken Salad with Pasta and Grapes

4 cups cooked,cube, cooled chicken

2-3 raw macaroni (cook , rinse in cold water, drain)

1 1/2 cups seedless grapes, halved

1 cup chopped celery

3/4 cup sliced green onions

3 hard boiled eggs, diced

1/2 cup silvered almonds, toasted (add just before serving)

Sauce:

1 1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

2 Tbs frozen orange juice concentrate

1 TBS prepared mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp celery salt

1/8 tsp dry mustard

1/8 tsp paprika

In a large bowl combine chicken, grapes, celery, onions, and eggs/ In another bowl make the sauce, stir until smooth. Pour over the chicken mixture and toss gently. Stir in almonds and pasta, then serve immediately or refrigerate and add the almonds and pasta just before serving.

Salmon Patties

Looking at a bare pantry and a few minutes too late in engaging my brain cells into answering the million dollar question, an old Grandma McCoy stand-by came to mind. Salmon patties.

We purchase canned salmon for our food storage, so it was handy. If fishy isn’t you’re thing, you still might want to give it a whirl.

So let’s start.

2 cans Pink Salmon

2 med. green onions

1 pepper (this is a banana pepper from our garden)

2-3 small cloves of garlic

Bread Crumbs seasoned or unseasoned

Pepper to taste.

It’s important to note that I remove any bones (though they are extremely soft) and skin from the salmon. Super easy to do. This is also the same salmon I use to make my Smoked Salmon Pâté.

Sliced and diced in a bowl; ready for the next step.

Add 1/2 tsp. of liquid smoke and a few good shakes of Cayenne.

Add nature’s glue, two please. Use a fork to fluff everything together. It’s easier than a spoon and flakes the salmon without it turning to mush.

Form into patties about the size of the palm of your hand and place onto a piping hot griddle sprayed with Pam, Crisco… whatever you have handy. Butter would be nice but I’m trying to be good. Grandma would fry them in two inches of oil using her well-seasoned cast iron skillet.

Let them brown, flip and wait some more. In the meantime, go fix a salad.

Grilled sourdough slices, leftover Cucumber-Cilantro relish to top it off and voila. The Poor Mans version of fancy-pants, grilled salmon steaks.

Grandma would also serve with fried mashed potatoes and collard greens. I’ll take the salad, thanks.

Salmon Patties

2 cans Pink Salmon

2 med. green onions

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 med. pepper (green pepper works too) minced

1/2 tsp. liquid smoke

Cayenne and Black pepper to taste

1 cp bread crumbs (more or less)

2 eggs

Mix all ingredients together and form into palm-sized patties. Brown and serve.

Cucumber-Cilantro Relish can be found at P.W. I made the Black Bean Chowder… delicious! Even the Farmers ate it.

Spicy Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Here is a yummy Dinner....

2-3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts - cut into thin strips
8oz Linguine, cooked al dente
3 tsp Cajun Seasoning, divided
2-3 Tbsp Butter
3 1/2 cups half-n-half
2 green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped sundried tomatoes, optional
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste....

Place chicken strips into large ziploc bag with 2 tsp cajun seasoning, toss to cover evenly. In a large, hot skillet place butter and chicken. Saute for 5-7 minutes.
Reduce heat, add half-n-half, remaining cajun seasoning and 1 of the chopped green onions. Simmer UNCOVERED until thick.
Serve over Linguine or any other pasta. Top with additional onion and parm cheese.

Corndogs

12 hot dogs
corn meal batter:
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 c milk
1/4 c oil or melted shortening
1 1/2 c corn meal
1 c flour
1/4 c sugar
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt

Dogs can be halved, quartered or left whole. Growing up we added a Popsicle stick for easy eating, but we didn't tonight. Mix corn meal batter thoroughly, dip dogs and immediately put into hot oil (365 degrees F) for 3 1/2 to 4 minutes. Carefully take out and place on a paper towel covered plate. We used a fry daddy, but we frequently fry in a wok or use a pot on the stove top. This was our first time so they look a little scary, but taste amazing. JP thinks that he will be able to perfect the look next time. Kids loved it, but weren't able to finish all of the breading (they ate two whole dogs though).