Quesidillas on a Sailboat

 

This is another easy prep idea for cruising or camping  as quesidillas can be easily heated up on a griddle, a bbq,  a fry pan or even wrapped in foil and heated over a campfire or in an oven.

Serve with salsa (fresh or from a jar), sour cream and a side salad.

Use rotisserie chicken or grill chicken with seasoning ( chili powder, ground cumin, and dried oregano), grated cheese (monterey jack and cheddar) as the main filling.  Add canned, diced green chilies, avocado, scallions, onions or tomatoes.

Assemble by putting filling on one side of a tortillas leaving room along the edge to prevent spilling out. Fold over into half moon shape.  Grill or warm, cut into serving size and enjoy.

Amy's Summer Bowl

Pictures say it all in this yummy and healthy summer meal! 

This meal can be served using individual large bowls or plates and 

personalized to suit guests' preferences.

Buffet style with prepared ingredients so that diners

 may choose their own combinations.

Ingredients

Meatballs, beef, chicken or shrimp

Rice vermicelli 

Crunchy sliced veggies( radishes, cucumbers, peppers, coleslaw)

Pineapple chunks in cornstarch slurry (can add jelly)

Peanut sauce

Crunchy rice (optional topping)

Peanuts or Almonds (optional topping)

Sweet Corn and Green Chile Baked Flautas

 This is  a vegan recipe but Jenny and Sadie like to add:

Shredded Cheese

Guacamole

Lettuce

Tomatoes

Sour Cream

Salsa

The Lewises usually serve the flautas with Carne Asada that is basically

 a seasoned sirloin steak that is served thinly sliced.

This recipe makes about 12 flautas using standard flour tortillas

Ingredients

Cooking spray

1 tsp olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow or white onion (about 1/2 onion)

2 tsp chili powder

3/4 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

4 to 5 cloves garlic, chopped

3 cups cooked pinto beans

1 -4 oz can mild green chiles

juice of 1/2 lime

1 cup sweet corn kernels

12 flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 400.  Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Heat up the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and throw in the onion.  Cook until the onion starts to brown, about 5 minutes.  Add the chili powder, cumin, salt, and garlic and cook for another 30 seconds and then turn off the heat.

Throw the beans, chilis, and lime juice together in a big bowl.  Mash them up using a potato masher or a spoon until a paste forms.  It's cool if there are some whole beans left here and there: you don't need to spend the whole day mashing.  Fold in the onions and corn and stir.  Your filling is ready.

Using a griddle, your oven or the microwave, warm up the tortillas.  Grab about 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling and spread that in a nice line toward the edge of the left side of one of the tortillas from top to bottom. Then roll that up nice and tight from left to right.  You could even put a small smear of beans toward the other end of the tortilla to help it stay shut.  Place the flauta seam side down on the baking sheet about an inch or two away from its flauta brethren.  Make sure the filling got all the way to the ends and then adjust how you distribute the filling the next time.  Keep going until you run out of tortillas or filling.

Lightly coat them all with cooking spray and bake for 10 minutes.  When you pull them out the bottoms should be golden-if not stick them in for another couple minutes.  When the bottoms look good, turn them over and bake until golden and crispy on both sides, another 5 to 7 minutes.  Serve warm topped with your choice of toppings.

Noodles with Poached Egg, Bok Choy and Mushrooms

 2 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 scallions, trimmed whites and greens separated and thinly sliced

8 ounces fresh shitake mushrooms, stemmed and caps thinly sliced (about 3 cups)

kosher salt

1 medium bok choy (about 4 ounces cut into bite size pieces)

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, plus some for drizzling

3 bundles (about 7 ounces total) somen noodles or any thin wheat or rice noodle

2 large eggs

1.  Bring a large saucepan of water to a simmer.

2.  Heat the vegetable oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the scallion whites and        mushrooms season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 5 to 6 minutes.

3.  Add 3 cups water to the pot with the mushrooms, increase the heat to medium high and bring to a simmer.  Add the bok choy and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute.  Stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil and season to taste with salt.  Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.

4.  Meanwhile, cook the somen in the large saucepan of simmering water according to the package instructions.  Using a slotted spoon, divide the noodles among bowls, leaving the simmering water in the saucepan.  Crack each egg into its own small bowl, discarding the shells.  Swirl the simmering water in the saucepan, creating a vortex by stirring with a wooden spoon.  Add the eggs, one right ofter another, and cook over medium-low until the whites are set, about 3 minutes.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs the bowls of noodles.

5.  Ladle the hot shittake broth into the bowls.  Top with the scallion greens, drizzle with sesame oil and serve.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

 This is the perfect comfort food and can easily be made gluten free by using GF macaroni and GF tomato soup.  The only difficult part of this recipe is it's a bit random for amounts of ingredients.  Only the brave make random recipes.  Amounts are not precise.

Definitely a Grandmaman recipe!

Ethan took on the challenge and was able to decipher 
Grandmaman's recipe and make it his own.  
Not only yummy but a creative "Enjoy the Moment" photo!  Love it! 

Photo and Meal by Ethan 

This is elbow macaroni!

Ingredients

canned tomato soup (usually 1 can) 
elbow macaroni (usually 2 cups dry)
grated cheddar cheese (as much as you want, maybe 1/2 to 1 cup depending on how much you have in the fridge, how cheesy you want it and what your cheese budget allows)

salt and pepper

Optional Ingredients

other types of cheese

Panko bread crumbs (GF or not)

1.  Boil elbow macaroni according to package instructions. Drain.

2.  Spray casserole dish with cooking spray and pour macaroni into the casserole.

3.  Mix in 1 can of tomato soup undiluted and the grated cheese . (sometimes GF tomato soup is already diluted but that should be fine.  Sometimes I add a little water if I think it's too dry. Salt and pepper to taste.

4.  It's ready for the oven now unless you want to put some extra cheese or bread crumbs on top(which can be toasted and/or spiced or not).

5.  Bake in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes for an average size casserole.  If you are doing smaller or larger casseroles adjust the cooking time.  The dish is done when bubbling and/or crispy on top.  

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

 Enjoyed this yummy casserole at the Crowsnest Cabin with Gerry and Kathy.  The perfect meal for a cabin getaway as it can be made ahead of time.  It can easily be made GF by using GF mushroom soup and GF corn tortillas.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 can mushroom soup
• 2 to 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 2 cups (or more) chopped fresh mushrooms
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 fresh chopped garlic cloves
• 4 oz. can green chilies, drained
• 1 tsp. chili powder, or to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• 12 corn tortillas (or flour)
• ~ 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Saute onions, mushrooms and garlic till soft.

Add chili powder, green chilies, salt and pepper and chopped chicken.

Combine sour cream and mushroon soup in a separate bowl.

 Add about a cup (+ or -) of the sauce to the chicken mixture, 

just enough to bind ingredients together.

Spread the remaining sauce in a greased 9 by 13 baking dish.

Divide the chicken mixture among the corn (or flour) tortillas.

Fold sides over filling and place seam side down into sauce.

Spread cheddar cheese over.

Bake at 400° till hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Fried Chicken and Waffles

Thanks Amy for introducing us to Tristan's 

favorite birthday meal at the diner.  Cabin made version.

Fry chicken coated with egg and GF bread crumbs.

Prepare waffles.

Prepare gravy (pkg. gravy works great).

Prepare berries.

Layer on your plate...

Waffle

2 pieces of Fried Chicken

Sliced Berries

Add

Gravy and Maple Syrup

Yummy!  A new favorite for Grandpa!

Turkey Crepes

Thanks to neighbor Pat for this idea to use up leftover turkey. 

Crepe Batter:
2/3 cup flour; 1/4 tsp salt; 1 tbsp sugar; 4 beaten eggs; 1 1/2 c milk; 2 tbsp melted butter.
Sift dry ingredients. Combine eggs with milk, gradually beat into dry ingredients until batter is smooth.   Stir in butter Chill batter 2 hrs.  Brush a small heavy fry pan with butter and heat until a drop of water sizzles.  Pour a small amount of batter (2-3 tbsp.) into pan and tilt pan to form a very thin layer on bottom.  Cook over medium heat until lightly browned on one side.  Turn and brown other side.  Repeat until all batter is used.

Cheese sauce:
2 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp flour; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp dry mustard; dash paprika; dash cayenne; 1 1/4 c milk; 3/4 to 1 cup grated cheddar cheese.
Melt butter, blend in flour and seasonings.  Gradually add milk. Stir and cook until smooth and thick.  add cheese and stir until melted.

Turkey Filling:
1/4 c. finely chopped onion; 1/4 c. finely copped celery; 2 tbsp butter; 1/2 c. chopped mushrooms; 2 c. finely diced cooked turkey; 2 tbsp chopped almonds; 1/4 tsp salt; dash of pepper.
Saute onion and celery in butter until onion is transparent.  Add mushrooms and cook 1-2 min. longer; add turkey, almonds, seasonings and 1/2 cu. of cheese sauce.  Place a spoonful of filling on each crepe and stack or roll.  Place crepes in a greased baking dish, brush with a little melted butter and bake at 400F until heated (about 10 min.)  Pour remaining cheese sauce over crepes when serving .

Makes 12 crepes.

Lunch Wraps

The perfect lakehouse lunch wrap.

Ingredients

Tortilla Wraps (can be gf)

and

Whatever You Have Available

Lunch Meat/Chicken/Leftovers

Grated Cheese

Bacon Bits

Peppers

Onions

Tomatoes

Place ingredients on Tortilla Wrap

Add cheese

Start to wrap

Fold in the sides

Finish by rolling

Grill or barbecue

Kathy's Hash Brown Crust Quiche Lorraine

Hash Brown Crust

4 cups frozen shredded hash browns, thawed (1 pkg of Golden Grill Hashbrown)

2 tsp.  butter, melted

1 beaten egg

1 tsp salt

butter, for greasing

oil spray (or olive oil)

Egg Mixture

4 eggs

1 cup milk (preferably cream, but low fat will also work)

3/4 cup cream

seasoning salt

1 tsp Johnny's garlic spread

options-onion powder, cayenne, red pepper flakes, etc.

1/2 tsp salt

black pepper

Filling

1/2 tbsp butter

6 oz / 180g bacon, cut into large dice (5 or 6 slices)

1 small onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

3/4 cup grated cheese (cheddar or gruyere)

(actually any quiche filling)

Preheat oven to 425F.

Grease pie dish with olive oil.

Hash Brown Crust

Grate the potatoes. Place the shredded potatoes into a colander and rinse for 10 seconds.

Take a handful of the rinsed grated potatoes or the thawed frozen shredded hash browns and squeeze the excess water out, then place into a large bowl.  Repeat with remaining potato.  (You should have about 4 cups)

Add melted butter and salt and mix.

Pour the shredded potato into pie dish and spread over the base and side.

Pat down  until firmly packed.  Bake the crust for around 30 minutes.

Filling and Egg Mixture

Melt 1/2 tbsp butter in fry pan over medium heat.

Add onion, garlic and bacon and saute until the onion is translucent and the bacon is starting to brown but not crisp.

Remove from the stove and set aside to cool slightly.  Place Egg Mixture ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.

Fill Quiche

When the crust is light golden brown remove from the oven and scatter the bacon onion mixture across the base, then the cheese.  Then pour the Egg Mixture in.

Baking the Quiche

Return the quiche to the oven and turn the oven down to 350.  Bake for 25 minutes or until set.  Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Fondue Parmesan

This is a recipe that our nanny, Chantal would make us for a special treat.  

Eating "Fondue Parmesan" made us smile and made us feel special.  She would say 

"Bon appetit!"  

Merci Chantal.

1/4 cup  plus 1 tbsp. butter 

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

2 cups milk

1 tsp. salt

1 egg, beaten

10 pieces of Gruyere Cheese

3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

Melt butter in microwave on high for 30 seconds.

Add flour, salt and cornstarch, blend into a paste and microwave on 

high for 40 to 45 seconds.  

Add milk and egg, whisk until smooth.  

Cook on medium for 2 minutes.

Add gruyere cheese (cut in little pieces) and parmesan cheese.  

Blend until smooth and firm.

Put it into an 8" x 8" greased and floured pan.

Refrigerate around 8 hours.

Cut into squares.  Coat the squares in flour, beaten egg and milk and then bread crumbs.

To Serve

 Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in a 300 degree oven, pan fry or heat in microwave.

Serve on a bed of lettuce.

Can be frozen for later use.