HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!

My Dad would've been 88 years old on January 14, 2011. I fixed one of his favorites, Shrimp Quesadillas with Guacamole and sour cream. I also made Shortbread Cookies in honor of his Scottish heritage.

The next day, my Mom, sister, 2 nieces and I all visited the cemetery. It was a somber day, but we enjoyed each other. It's not often we all get together.

We love you and miss you very much!

Happy Birthday Dad!
We love you and miss you very much!

Quick Italian Fix.

I love Italian food, but was led to believe it takes hours to prepare. Not true, my quick fix Manicotti is fast, easy, and delicious!
I make a marinara I call Pantry Marinara, it comes from ingredients I keep as pantry staples. In a saucepan combine a 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes with a half teaspoon each, salt, black pepper, onion powder and one teaspoon garlic powder and a tablespoon of Italian seasoning. Adjust these seasonings to your taste. You can add a can of sliced mushrooms if you'd like. Simmer until it reaches the consistency you like.
Boil 8 manicotti noodles until al dente, drain and cool.
Mix 15 ounce tub of Ricotta, 16 ounces of shredded Mozzarella, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan and 2 eggs. Season with salt, pepper, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Pipe cheese mixture into noodles and arrange in a 9x13 baking pan. Top with marinara, cover with foil and bake at 325 for 30 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with more shredded Mozzarella and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes. Cheese will be melted and bubbly. Serve with tossed salad and cheesy garlic bread.

More Butt.

My Mom makes meat pies out of "whatever's in the icebox", so I figured I'd try them with the butt. I just took some of the pork butt and chopped it up, I added some spices, some of the pan juice, and shredded cheese. I then put the mix in pie crust and baked it until it was golden. I used chili powder and pepper jack cheese, so the addition of sliced avocado and a dollop of sour cream was just the ticket. Use your imagination and enjoy the versatility of this wonderful and inexpensive cut of meat!

Chicken Fried Chicken.

This is my favorite way to fry chicken! Take boneless chicken breasts and pound them out to tenderize and even them out. Season with salt and pepper. I do a triple dip because my favorite part is the crust! For 2 breasts, make an egg wash out of 1 egg and 1/4 cup of milk in a pie pan or similar dish. In another pie pan put 1 cup of flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Take the breasts and dip them in the flour then the egg, repeat 2 or 3 times ending with the flour. Fry the coated breasts in oil turning once or twice until golden. Serve with cream gravy.