Stove Top Stuffing - Remade

by Ellie Weightman

1 pkg Stove Top Stuffing mix (these are the 8 oz packets sold in a bulk box of Stove top)

1 cup chicken broth – no salt if possible - homemade is best

1 cup water (or 2 cups of broth and no water)

½ onion, chopped very fine

1 stalk celery, chopped fine

2 tbslp red pepper, chopped fine

2 cloves garlic, pressed

5 tblsp unsalted butter or margarine

In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.  Saute the onions, red peppers and celery in the butter until soft – about 3 – 5 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds.

While the above is sautéing, heat water and broth until boiling. 

When the sautéed vegetables are finished, put the stove top mix in a large bowl.  Pour the sautéed vegetables over the dry mix and stir gently.   Pour the hot water/broth over the dry mix and stir, making sure you get all the mix moist, cover and let sit 5 minutes.

Serve.

You can also put in a baking dish and bake on 350º for 30 minutes without a cover if you like it slightly crunchy.

Ellie's Potato Salad

by Ellie Weightman

2.5 lb red potatoes, scrub and cut into large bite-size pieces

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

3 hard boiled eggs, chop

½ cup celery, chopped

½ cup red onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, mince in garlic press

½ cup lite mayonnaise

1 tsp Dijon country style mustard

1 tsp dried parsley

½ tsp celery seed

1 tsp dried chives

½ tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground pepper

Place the scrubbed, cut up potatoes in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Once the water boils, simmer for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender when poked with fork.

While the potatoes are cooking, mix together in a bowl the celery, onion, garlic, parsley, celery seed, chives, salt and pepper. Add the mayonnaise, eggs and mustard and stir to combine.

Drain the potatoes, place in a bowl and drizzle the apple cider vinegar over the potatoes and lightly stir. Place the bowl of potatoes in the refrigerator for 30-45 until they are chilled.

Once the potatoes are chilled, remove from the refrigerator. Add the mayonnaise mixture and stir well.

Cracker Barrel's Hash Browns Casserole - Copycat

Posted by Jennifer Bertotti


I got this from recipezaar.com; it is a copycat of Cracker Barrel's famous recipe but I made some changes.  We made it with eggs tonight, and it was fantastic! 

Ingredients


2 lbs frozen hash browns (thaw first)
1 (10 1/4 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
8 ounces sour cream
1/2 cup onion, peeled and chopped
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F and spray an 11 x 14 baking dish with cooking spray.  Brown onions if you want before mixing.
Mix the above ingredients together, place in prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until brown on top.  We had to add 15 minutes.  Make sure you stir halfway through.

Spinach Fusilli Salad / Side Dish

by Ellie Weightman - I threw together this recipe one night to use as a side dish with chicken teriyaki, you can vary the ingredients and the amount of servings to your liking.  This serves 2-3 adults as a side dish.

Ingredients:
2 cups dry Spinach Fusilli pasta
Olive oil
2 slices bacon, fry and crumble
10-12 cherry tomatoes, sliced OR ½ whole tomato, sliced
1 garlic, minced
1 tblsp dry minced onion
1 tblsp fresh parsley, chop
1/3 tblsp fresh basil, chop
1/4 tsp fresh oregano
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
In a 2 qt saucepan, fill 3/4 with cold water. Add the dry minced onion, a dash of salt and 1 tblsp olive oil.

Bring to boil and add pasta, prepare as directed on box, drain and rinse to cool (some of the minced onions will stick to pasta – that’s fine.

Combine tomatoes, garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, dash salt and pepper in bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil over the mix and stir to blend. Add in crumbled bacon. Pour on top of cooled pasta.

Other ingredients may be added to your liking or substituted for any of the above. Suggestions: mushrooms, sub can diced tomatoes for the cherry tomatoes, fresh onions, broccoli, etc.

Couscous

Created by Ellie Weightman

Couscous and Beans


Ingredients:


8 oz Couscous
1 small onion, chopped
1 can black beans (14 oz) rinsed and drain
1 tsp dill weed
1 Tbsp parsley
1/4 tsp cumin ground
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp grated FRESH ginger
1 clove garlic (grated)
2 cups chicken broth (heat in microwave for 2 minutes)
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce


Directions


In a large skillet, saute onion in olive oil until golden brown.  Add couscous, ginger and garlic and keep stirring until couscous slightly browned.  Add salt, pepper, parsley, cumin, dill weed, soy sauce.  Add 2 cups broth and the beans.  Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often (may stick to pan).


You can add more or less spices to taste.  I made this recipe up so just play with it.  If you come up with anything else that would be good to add, let me know.  We were thinking of adding corn next time.