Skillet Spanish Rice Lunch ~or~ Football Snack Dip

Does anyone remember the blog Mennonite Girls Can Cook? Boy I miss their weekly posts. As soon as I saw this Skillet Spanish Rice I thought it would make a great hearty munchie for watching football on Sunday. And yes it did:@) Ideally, this snack dip would be served with the large 'dipper' Fritos corn chips. Here, north of Philly this weekend, I couldn't find a bag??? So I served mine with tortilla chips, still very good, but in a perfect world the Fritos... The beauty of this recipe is, it's easily cut in half, or you could serve some for the game and save some for lunches during the week. And while I haven't tried it yet, I'm guessing this freezes pretty well too. 

Don't hesitate to give this a try folks, there's a bit of wiggle room with the recipe... I couldn't get a green zucchini at my Walmart, subbed a grated yellow squash. And the green peppers were pretty sad looking, so I subbed jalapeno. MGCC added some shredded cheese to the top of theirs too.

Skillet Spanish Rice -from Mennonite Girls Can Cook

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 C uncooked long grain rice

28 oz can diced tomatoes with juice-I used petite diced

8 oz tomato sauce

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp thyme

S&P to taste-it does need salt folks

1 C shredded zucchini

1. Brown ground beef, breaking up as it cooks, pour off fat.
2. Add everything except zucchini, cover with lid and simmer on low for 20 minutes.
3. Stir, add zucchini and cover again. 
4. Cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Note: I had to add a little extra water to help my rice thoroughly cook.
5. Sprinkle with cheese if desired, and serve with corn chips.

Eat well, any way you serve it, and have a happy day:@)

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Curried Beef Stew with Cauliflower and Peas -Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

I like curry powder and am always looking for new ways (to me) to use it. I decided to make this Curried Beef Stew with Cauliflower and Peas while our weather is still on the colder side. I adapted a stove top recipe to use with my ♥Instant Pot Pressure Cooker, the meat was extremely tender. Also had some cauliflower in the fridge and thought it was a different ingredient for stew, but knew it goes well with curry. This calls for a substantial amount of curry powder, love the vibrant color and big flavors in of this unique stew!

Recipe easily cut in half.

Curried Beef Stew-heavily adapted from Taste of Home

up to 1 lb stew meat-I always cut back on meat

S&P

vegetable oil or olive oil-if using

1 C water

large onion, chopped

2 large potatoes, cubed, aim for one side to be about 1/2" thick

2 large carrots, sliced, about 1/2" thick

half of a head of cauliflower, cut into large florets

large clove garlic, sliced

2 Tblsp curry powder

2 bay leaves

2 tsp soy sauce

1 C water

2 Tblsp A/P flour

2 tsp Beef Better Than Bouillon (can sub beef broth for water and Bouillon)

frozen peas, about 1/2 C

S&P to taste

Cooked rice for serving-optional

1. My stew meat was frozen, I added it, S&P and 1 C water to vessel. Set to 48 minutes, manual release.
2. Alternately: If your meat is not frozen you can use the saute function and brown it in oil before cooking for 48 minutes as above.
3. Add vegetables (except peas), curry powder, bay leaves and soy sauce to pot.
4. Stir flour into water (or beef broth) and add to vessel. If using water, add Better Than Bouillon.
5. Set timer to 3 minutes (4 if you like soft vegetables), manual release.
6. Remove lid, stir in peas, let sit for a couple minutes until thawed and heated through.
7. Add S&P to taste, serve with rice if desired.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Shells with Alfredo Sauce

I tucked this recipe away a while ago... These Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Shells are a nice dinner for when you have some extra cooked chicken to use up. The original recipe also used frozen broccoli for added ease. I had fresh and just steamed it for about 7 minutes. I found a can of Prego Alfredo Sauce at Dollar Tree, so that was a no-brainer. While stuffed shells might take a little time to put together... Um, what else do we have going on in these Covid pandemic days folks??? I say, why not have some fun with dinner tonight:@)

What I did differently:

I made *half a batch* and poured the extra sauce into the bottom of the baking dish.

I also didn't have enough parmesan to measure out, so I just sprinkled some on top.

Then put it under the broiler after baking for a couple minutes to brown up a bit.

I'm giving this my zucchini label, sub zukes for some/all of the broccoli. Because... Well, it's zucchini season:@)

Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Shells-from Taste of Home
16 oz jar Alfredo sauce
2 C frozen broccoli, thawed, chopped-I used fresh, steamed
2 C diced cooked chicken
1 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C parmesan
21 large shells, cooked, drained and cooled

1. Mix everything except shells.
2. Spoon mixture into shells.
3. Place in sprayed 9 x 13 pan, bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until heated through.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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Pineapple, Ham and Noodle Casserole

I had some leftover ham in the freezer and thought this Pineapple, Ham and Noodle Casserole would be a great way to use it up... I'm glad I gave it a try! This would also work well with one of those $2-ish little Hatfield oval ham steaks. While the original recipe would be perfect with a side of steamed broccoli, I cut the meat back by half and chose to add some frozen peas to mine. What makes this casserole a little different is, the pineapple is a major ingredient and it adds great flavor. Oh, and... if you're so inclined, it's ~really good~ with a little hot sauce on the side too:@)

I didn't have breadcrumbs so I crushed some Ritz crackers for the topping, and omitted the other Tblsp of butter.

I also turned the broiler on for a minute or two at the end.

Pineapple, Ham and Noodle Casserole-adapted from Taste of Home/Dole
2 C dry wide noodles
1/2 C celery, diced
2 Tblsp butter, divided
8 oz cream cheese, cubed
3/4 C milk-I used Half and Half
2 C cooked ham, cubed
2 (8 oz) cans crushed pineapple, drained-I had chunks and cut them into smaller pieces
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt-I didn't use this
dash of pepper
1/4 C dry breadcrumbs-I used cracker crumbs

1. Cook celery in 1 Tblsp butter until soft.
2. Stir in cream cheese and milk until melted.
3. Stir in ham, pineapple, Worcestershire, salt and pepper.
4. Pour into ungreased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.
5. Melt remaining butter in skilled, add breadcrumbs, lightly toast crumbs.
6. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of casserole.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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Crock Pot/Slow Cooker Pork Roast -Trisha Yearwood Recipe

I made this Slow Cooker Pork Roast using a sirloin pork roast and have to say it turned out great! This is one of those dinners that smells wonderful cooking for hours on a cold day and I do look forward to making it again. The easy (and very flavorful, love the addition of lemon) gravy is a nice little bonus too. It's not too late to give this a try for Oktoberfest/Crocktoberfest folks, or... Any ole Sunday dinner. I think you'll be happy you did:@)

May I suggest serving with German Red Cabbage with Apple-here.

Oh yea, we are hearty eaters here at Pig In Mud:@)

Approximately 2 lbs of pork takes about 6 hours on low.

Crock Pot Pork Roast a Trisha Yearwood Recipe-from Sparkles of Yum
2.5-3 lb pork roast, trimmed of fat
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tblsp vegetable oil
2 C chicken broth
2 Tblsp lemon juice
1 Tblsp soy sauce
3 Tblsp cornstarch-or other thickener for low carb

1. Sprinkle pork with salt.
2. Mix dry spices and rub all over pork.
3. Heat oil in skillet and brown meat on all sides.
4. Place pork in 4-6 quart slow cooker-just make sure the Crock Pot is big enough to hold everything.
5. Mix broth, lemon juice and soy sauce, pour over meat.
6. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours-I used low.
7. Remove meat from vessel and cover with foil.
8. Pour liquid from vessel into 2 C measuring cup. Skim fat off of top. Measure 2 cups of liquid, adding water if necessary. 
9. Pour 1 1/2 C into sauce pan, stir cornstarch into reserved liquid, then add to pan. Heat, stirring frequently until gravy is thick and bubbly. 
10. Add S&P to taste.
11. Slice pork and serve with gravy.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Grill Pan Roasted Italian Salad Dressing Marinated Dinner -Chicken, Zucchini, Green Pepper & Onion

Nothing new or ground breaking here folks, just a reminder that this Italian Salad Dressing Marinated Chicken and Vegetable Grill Pan Dinner is the easiest way to make a very flavorful meal in minutes. It's a win-win because as we enter August, we're using the grill so the kitchen doesn't heat up, and it cooks quickly so ~we~ don't heat up too much outside. Gotta love it:@) Add any vegetable you like to grill, I used the readily available summer trinity... Zucchini or yellow squash, green pepper and onion.

If you want to make things fancier, this would be a great shish-ka-bob too.

Grill Pan Roasted Italian Salad Dressing Marinated Chicken and Vegetables
Chicken breast, boneless and skinless, cut on the diagonal approx 1/2-3/4" thick, and then into 1" chunks
Vegetables, cut into approx 1" bite size pieces-I used peppers, onion and zucchini
Your favorite Italian Salad Dressing-We like Good Seasons
Fresh black pepper
Salt to taste

1. Place grill pan on grill and light grill.
2. Add everything (I held out the zucchini until step 3, that's totally my preference and you could add it now), to large bowl or disposable zip top food bag. Cover liberally with Italian dressing, add a few hearty grinds of pepper, and let sit while grill heats up.
3. When grill is hot add zucchini to bowl/bag and stir well.
4. Pour everything into grill pan, spread out into one layer if possible. 
5. Close lid, lower heat to medium high and set timer for 5 minutes.
6. Open lid and give everything a stir.
7. Close lid and set timer for 4 minutes. *Note: if everything looks wet and seems to be steaming more than roasting I raise the heat higher.
8. Cook until chicken is done.
9. Sprinkle with Kosher salt before serving if desired.

Eat well, stay cool and have a happy day:@)

Heinz 57 Chicken, Zucchini and Pepper Shish-Kabobs

I love it when I'm looking for a little inspiration and something at the store jumps right out at me:@) These Heinz 57 Chicken, Zucchini and Pepper Ka-Bobs were adapted from a recipe on the back of the bottle called 57 Glazed Chicken. They are tangy, extremely flavorful, and the taste of this steak sauce is truly different than BBQ sauce, this might just become a new family favorite for grilling season! It would probably be really good with pork too.

I aimed for brushing the sauce on only the chicken but have to say...

It's pretty darn good on anything it touched, and you ~do~ want to make sure it touches the onion:@)

The recipe on the bottle of Heinz 57 I bought at Dollar Tree:

Heinz 57 Chicken, Zucchini and Pepper Shish-K-Bobs

1. As grill heats up:
2. Cut chicken, peppers and onions into 1" chunks. I cut the zucchini into 1/2" thick slices then cut them in half.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with lemon pepper seasoning, mix well.
4. Thread chicken and veggies onto skewers.
5. Oil grate and grill over medium high heat for 4-6 minutes. 
6. While kabobs are cooking mix 5 oz bottle Heinz 57 with 2 Tblsp honey. They suggest setting half aside to serve with meal, I just brushed it on the kabobs.
7. Flip kabobs, grill for a couple more minutes, then liberally cover meat (and veggies if desired) with sauce. Cook until chicken is done.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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Rice with Sweet Peppers and Ham -Instant Pot Pressure Cooker or Stovetop

This Rice with Sweet Peppers and Ham is a nice easy meal that's flavored with thyme and is really great served with hot sauce-if your crowd's into that sort of thing:@) I chose to make it in my pressure cooker but the original recipe is for the stove top. My only other changes, I cut everything into bigger chunks and did add more peppers than called for. This was a very nice meal and great way to use up some leftover ham from the freezer.

Rice with Sweet Peppers and Ham-adapted from NY Times
1 Tblsp olive oil
1/4 C onion, small dice-I made mine larger and used more
1/2 C green and red bell pepper, small dice-I made mine larger and used more
1/4 C ham, 1/4" cubed-I made mine larger and used a lot more
1 C long grain rice
1 1/4 C water-didn't seem like enough... I used 1 1/2 C for the pressure cooker
1 small bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme
S&P to taste
1 Tblsp butter-I forgot to add this

Pressure Cooker:
Use saute function, add olive oil, onion and peppers. Cook for a couple minutes, add rice and thoroughly coat rice with oil. Add ham and cook for a minute. Add water, spices and pinch of S&P. Seal PC and use rice function. Automatic release, add butter, fluff and serve.

Stove Top:
Heat oil, add onion, peppers and ham, cook until wilted. Add everything except butter and cook for 17 minutes or until rice is done. Add butter, fluff and serve. I still think you'll need more water... just sayin.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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Adobo and Lime Grilled Turkey Tenderloins with Asparagus

They were forecasting our first 75 degree Saturday and I told everyone at work I'd be grilling! And boy, these Adobo and Lime Grilled Turkey Tenderloins with Asparagus were a very nice way to fire up the grill for the first time this season:@) I kept it very simple, literally using nothing more than Adobo seasoning, lime, pepper and some olive oil. In a perfect world my asparagus would be a little thicker, but for $1.49/lb... I'll gladly use whatever's available. If you haven't tried turkey tenderloins folks, they are very nice and grill up beautifully. I used a grill pan for this meal, but this cut of meat is perfect for kabobs too.

I think this flavor combination would also be great with chicken or pork.

The Adobo seasoning I used:

 Adobo and Lime Grilled Turkey Tenderloins with Asparagus
1 lb turkey tenderloins, cut diagonally 1/2 thick by about 1" long
1 lb asparagus, cut into pieces
zest of whole lime
juice of half of the lime, reserve the other half
1 1/2 tsp Adobo seasoning
1 Tblsp olive oil
several hearty grinds of black pepper
vegetable oil for grill pan

1. Place turkey and asparagus on counter.
2. Grate lime zest into bowl, squeeze half of the lime into bowl, add Adobo seasoning, olive oil and pepper, stir.
3. Add turkey and asparagus to bowl, mix well with marinade and set aside.
4. Place grill pan on grill and heat to medium high.
5. Rub grill pan with vegetable oil, toss turkey and asparagus into pan, spread out into single layer.
6. Cover and grill medium high for 5 minutes. 
7. Open cover, stir, try to get second side of meat placed towards flame to char. Set timer for 3 minutes or cook until desired level of doneness.
8. Remove from grill, let sit for a minute then squeeze the other half of the lime over meat and asparagus.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Super Easy Weeknight Pasta Fagioli Soup

Every once in a while a recipe on a label catches my eye, and this Pasta e Fagioli Soup from Hunt's did not disappoint! This is a hearty soup that's very flavorful, and nice and filling. It's seriously easy and cooks up quickly, the thing that takes the longest is browning a couple slices of bacon. (And once again I did save a few crumbles to add to the top for the picture... And forgot about them... ugh.) But I think you get the idea:@)

The sauce I bought.

I had a bag of standard mixed vegetables in the freezer, peas, string beans, corn and lima beans.

The recipe:

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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January Little Red Truck & Four of My Favorite Soups for Cold Weather

I decorate with some snowmen in January and decided we'd do a little ice fishing with the Little Red Truck:@) The snowman has a mother of pearl glaze which works well with the iridescent glitter on the frosty tree from Dollar Tree. A cheerful little coffee table vignette embracing the cold winter weather!

And it has been cold here in Philly lately folks...

Cold winter weather calls for hot, comforting soups:@) 

I picked four from the archives to share (in no particular order):

French Onion Soup for One
Such a nice meal, takes a little time, but worth it.

Ham, Navy Bean and Tomato Soup
This is ~the~ bean soup I'd been looking for, big robust flavor and very hearty!

Stuffed Pepper Soup
Fast and easy, a nice way to simplify a dinner classic.

Rustic Cabbage Soup
Old pictures from 2011, but a great soup! I seriously have to make this again soon:@)

There are 52 posts with the soup label on Pig In Mud, you can find them by clicking here,
or in the Recipe Index up top, or see them all at a glance on my Pinterest Board.

Stay warm, eat well, and have a happy day:@)

Chicken, Zucchini and Stuffing Casserole

I have a little counter top oven for times I'm just making something small or when I don't want to heat up the big oven because it's hot outside. It came in handy the other day for this Chicken, Zucchini and Stuffing Casserole. I had yellow zukes from my planter, a green one from my son's garden and have had this recipe saved for just such an occasion... It was well worth the wait:@)

Now, I'm sure this is ~amazing~ with 3/4 C butter...
But I chose to cut back a bit and used 1/4 C butter and 1/2 C water. 

Just may have saved myself from adding one more dimple to my butt:@) 

I've added the sausage label, I think you could easily sub any type of sausage in this recipe.

Chicken, Zucchini and Stuffing Casserole-adapted from Taste of Home
1 package (6 oz) chicken stuffing mix
3/4 C butter-I subbed some water
3 C diced zucchini, approx two 8" good sized ones-aim for around  1/4-1/2" dice
2 C cooked chicken
10 oz can cream of chicken soup
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/2 C chopped onion
1/2 C sour cream

1. Mix stuffing and butter (and water if using) in large bowl. Set 1/2 C aside.
2. Add and mix everything else. Pour into sprayed 11 x 7 baking dish.
3. Sprinkle with reserved stuffing.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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Polynesian Kabobs with Turkey Breakfast Sausage and Water Chestnuts-Outdoor or George Foreman Grill

I love finding recipes calling for unusual ingredients...  Breakfast sausage on a shish-ka-bob? If you're looking for something really different, don't hesitate to toss some of these Polynesian Kabobs on the grill! I used my George Foreman and that worked great. Because I was cooking for myself... I added some onion and jalapeno to the skewers:@) It's the addition of freshly grated nutmeg to the basting sauce that really makes these kabobs special folks.

I knew I had a can of water chestnuts, but they were sliced instead of whole... Whole would be best. Jimmy Dean Sausage and pineapple can even be found at Dollar Tree.

Leftovers? Serve over rice and call it lunch!

Polynesian Kabobs-from Taste of Home

8 oz can unsweetened pineapple chunks

14 oz turkey breakfast sausage links, thawed and cut in half

8 oz whole water chestnuts, drained well

large red bell pepper, cut into 1" chunks

2 Tblsp honey

2 tsp soy sauce

1/8 tsp nutmeg-freshly ground would be ideal

dash of pepper

1. Alternately thread sausage, veggies and pineapple onto skewers.
2. Mix honey, soy sauce, nutmeg and pepper in small bowl.
3. Grill over medium heat 6-8 minutes on each side or until sausage browns up. Baste with sauce while grilling. *If using George Foreman Grill, turn and move skewers from back to front every couple minutes.

Fire up the grill of your choice and have a happy day:@)

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Quick Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Dry Great Northern Bean Soup with Stewed Tomatoes and Diced Ham

Even though it was a work day, I still had time to whip up a quick batch of Dried Great Northern Bean Soup with Stewed Tomatoes and Diced Ham using my ♥Instant Pot Pressure Cooker. Total cooking time was about 45 minutes (that includes time to pressure up and natural release pressure down), not bad for no-soak dried beans! One of the things I like best about this recipe is, it's a great use for leftover ham meat. It simply gets heated up in the soup at the end of the cooking time. There are only 7 ingredients and the flavor gets a nice boost from using stewed tomatoes:@)

Quick Great Northern Bean Soup with Stewed Tomatoes and Diced Ham
1 C dried great northern beans, sorted and rinsed-I get them at Dollar Tree
15 oz can stewed tomatoes
1 can water
2 tsp dried minced onion
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt
leftover diced ham, as much as you have or would like

1. Add everything except ham to pressure cooker.
2. Set to manual 27 minutes, let er 'rip.
3. Allow pressure to come down naturally. Check beans for tenderness. If necessary cook at additional 1-2 minute increments using automatic release until tender.
4. Stir in ham and allow to heat through.
5. Serve with hot sauce if desired.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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Curried Pork and Orange Kabobs -George Foreman or Outdoor Grill

I saved this recipe for Curried Pork and Orange Kabobs as soon as I saw that they added chunks of orange to the skewers, loved that different idea! While it calls for a naval orange I used a clementine... Why? Say it with me now... Because that's what I had on hand-right. The directions really don't say what we're supposed to do with the orange once it's cooked, so I tried it three ways: I ate it whole with a piece of meat and that was good. I took a bite of the flesh of orange with some meat and that was messy but very good. And finally, I squeezed the orange juice over the meat and discarded the rest, that was very good too. This would be a fun recipe if you have an abundance of nice big colorful peppers:@)

I used my George Foreman Grill and that worked out fine. Substituting chicken for the pork would be a nice idea too. 

Leftovers? Serve over rice, just squeeze the OJ over everything. Or, wrap in a tortilla with a little sour cream and cheddar cheese.

Curried Pork and Orange Kabobs-from Taste of Home

1/2 C canola oil

2 Tblsp minced dry onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1-2 Tblsp curry powder-I used 1 1/2

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp coriander powder-I didn't have this

1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin, cut into 1" chunkss-I had boneless pork chops

1 large sweet red pepper, cut into 1" pieces

1 large orange or yellow sweet pepper, cut into 1" pieces

1 small onion, cut into 1" pieces

1 naval orange, cut into 1" chuncks

1. Mix oil, onion, garlic and spices in bowl, reserve half for basting later.
2. Add meat, veggies and orange to oil mixture, let sit for a few minutes, then thread onto skewers.
3. Grill kabobs, covered, over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until cooked through. Basting frequently with reserved oil mixture during the last 4 minutes of grilling.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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2 Ingredient French Dip Beef Au Jus-Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

Some days we just need an easy no-brainer for lunch or dinner but still want something hot and hearty... I'm not sharing anything new or earth shaking here, just a reminder that when you need a ~very tasty~ sandwich that pretty much takes care of itself you can't beat this 2 Ingredient French Dip Beef Au Jus! Just beef, I used chuck roast this time, and dry onion soup mix. Cooking it in a pressure cooker is perfect because you don't lose any of the liquid, read: more for dipping:@) I added a little too much *cough* horseradish to my sandwich, provolone cheese would be a nice addition too.

 My small batch ratio is up to 1 lb beef-1 envelope of soup mix-1 cup water.

If that's too salty for you, add more beef broth.

Leftovers? Lucky you:@) Use the meat and broth as the starting point for any soup that sounds good.

Clarification: An Instant Pot is just the name brand of an electronic pressure cooker. 
So any recipe with that in the title will work in any electronic pressure cooker.
My ♥electronic pressure cookers and mini Zo bread maker♥ are my all time favorite kitchen toys. 

2 Ingredient French Dip Beef Au Jus

1 lb beef, any cut you'd like, chuck is great, and this is perfect for inexpensive London broil shoulder roast too

1 envelope dry onion soup mix-I've used Lipton, Aldi and Walmart brands, they're all good!

1 C water

     1. Put everything in pressure cooker vessel, seal, select high pressure for sixty minutes. Allow natural release.

     2. Shred meat with fork, serve on sturdy rolls with au jus for dipping.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

White and Red Rotel Turkey (or Chicken) Chili

Blog Update: As I scroll through old posts or notice something I really enjoyed I'm adding a "darn good" label to the recipe. This will be a collection of recipes I highly recommend. And wow, this White and Red Rotel Turkey (or Chicken) Chili is on the list! Super simple, comes together quickly, it's ubber creamy and very nicely flavored. This is smoother and milder than our family's regular robust red kidney bean chili so in my book, that makes it a totally different meal. I can't wait for the boys to try this one:@)

My changes:

• I added a drained can of Rotel (I like the Walmart brand) instead of canned chiles. Use regular or mild-you know your crowd:@)
• I used half and half. 
• Can use some/all great northern beans.
• Didn't have cilantro, sprinkled in some dried parsley.
• *Condensed soup substitute = Tblsp flour + 1 C milk + 1 chicken bouillon cube

White and Red Rotel Turkey (or Chicken) Chili-adapted from Taste of Home
2 C cooked turkey (or chicken), cubed
(2) 15 oz cans white kidney/cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
*10 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/3 C milk-I used Half and Half
10 oz Rotel, drained -or- 4 oz can chiles, drained
1 Tblsp dried minced onion
1 Tblsp chopped fresh cilantro-I just sprinkled in some dried parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp oregano
Sour cream for serving if desired-I did not use this

• Mix everything except sour cream, bring to light boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Serve with sour cream if desired.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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Great Northern Bean Stew

Always searching for more bean recipes... I was intrigued when I saw that the recipe called for bulk breakfast sausage and just had to try this nice hearty Great Northern Bean Stew on a snowy Saturday. No doubt this will fill you up, using mostly pantry items, and I have to say it was very good! It might be a little prettier if we go to the work of rolling the sausage into little meatballs-ah, nah... But I say all of the flavors in this rustic stew play well together! If you love beans and cabbage, this recipe is a no brainer folks.

I made half of the recipe but used the whole 15 oz can of beans.
Also chose regular diced tomatoes over petite for some extra bite.
This begs to be served with a bottle of hot sauce and a nice crusty cornbread:@)

Great Northern Bean Stew-from Taste of Home
1 lb bulk/tube breakfast sausage
1 C chopped onion
28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
15 oz can great northern beans, drained and rinsed-can easily add more
2 C chopped cabbage
1 C sliced carrots-I made thick julienne
1 Tblsp white vinegar
1 Tblsp brown sugar-I added a little more, some times you just need it...
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp hot sauce
2 Tblsp minced fresh parsley-I did not have this
Hot sauce for serving-my suggestion

1. Brown sausage and onion. Drain fat if necessary.
2. Add everything except parsley, bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook approximately 45-60 minutes or until veggies are tender.
3. Stir in parsley and cook five minutes longer.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Turkey Curry Stew and my first foodie crush of 2018

Happy New Year Everyone! I didn't plan on posting this meal but this tasty little Turkey Curry Stew was too good to leave the recipe to my memory for the next time, and yes, there will be a next time:@) Nothing culturally authentic here folks, just lots of picking and choosing from a few different recipes and deciding to make a thick, hearty stew on a ~very~ cold day. If you're looking for something a little different, you might enjoy this colorful stew.

 As for my foodie crush... I'm lovin' this 98¢ Lemon & Pepper Seasoning from Walmart!  

I've picked up inexpensive lemon/pepper mixes before but they've all had a very artificial lemon flavor, this one is very nice. 

I see this seasoning working it's way into lots of different posts this year.

Turkey Curry Stew-my best questimates, I winged this one-but loved every bite:@)
Cooked turkey (or chicken), approx 1/2-3/4 C
1 Tblsp olive oil
hearty 1/2 C chopped onion
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 medium carrot, juillenne
1 small jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed and diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 + 1/8 tsp curry powder
couple hearty shakes of ginger powder
couple shakes of turmeric
1/2 C water
medium-large potato, peeled and diced
1/2 tsp chicken bullion
1 C coconut milk, mixed well, plus 2 Tblsp to mix with cornstarch
1 1/2 Tblsp cornstarch
1/4-1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning-to taste, use this as your salt and pepper
1/4 C frozen peas
Cooked white or brown rice for serving

1. Cook onion, celery, carrot and jalapeno in oil for about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in garlic, add curry powder, ginger powder and turmeric, stir for one minute.
3. Add water, potato and chicken bullion. Bring to light boil, reduce heat, cover pot and simmer until potato is just about tender.
4. Add 1 C coconut milk, season with lemon pepper seasoning and bring to simmer. 
5. When potato is cooked stir in turkey and peas. Mix 2 Tblsp coconut milk with cornstarch and thicken stew. Add more coconut milk or water if too thick and add more lemon pepper seasoning if needed.
6. Serve over hot rice.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

2017 Favorites -Reader's Choice and Mine

Happy New Year Everyone! I can't believe we're at the end of 2017 already, time sure does fly! I hope you have your good luck food of choice tucked safely away in the fridge and corks ready to pop (or a nice cuppa to keep you warm and cozy). I wanted to share a few of my favorite things from the year and the number one ~very surprising~ most viewed post. Here we go:@)

My favorite, must-make-again-soon bread: Carrot Onion Dill, for bread machine or oven.

My favorite main dish was a toss up between: 

Baked Buffalo Chicken Nuggets and Great Northern Bean Sloppy Joes

I've been asked a few times what is your favorite spritz cookie recipe? 

Well ~as of this moment in time~ I have to say it's the Shortbread Spritz.

They do truly melt in your mouth, don't hesitate to try them folks:@)

This was a very good year for thrift store finds! 

I love everything I brought home but these three things (for $15 total), which all happen to be Christmas themed, 

are my favorites (I think...).

Vintage Tablecloth, Snowman Blow Mold and Ceramic Tree.

And finally, what was the number one most viewed post for 2017 at Pig In Mud?

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wait for it...

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Believe it or not... Curry Lime Popcorn!!!

The most viewed post of the year always seems to surprise me! 

I'd like to thank each and every one of you that takes time out of your day to visit Pig In Mud.

As I enter my 8th year of blogging, I appreciate you, and your kind motivation, more than you will ever know.

Wishing everyone a very happy, healthy and wonderful 2018-enjoy every day:@)