Green Beans with Sautéed Peppers & Mushrooms

Green Beans with Sautéed Peppers & Mushrooms

Sometimes it's the most simplest of recipes that get a lot of attention when we entertain.  This is a quick and easy side dish that compliments just about any meat type.  

Personally, I like having these beans as a meal on their own, especially on those days when my husband is away and I'm not in the mood for a hearty meal.

Whatever your choice, you can't go wrong.

Baked Pita Bread with Spinach, Mushrooms and Goat's Cheese

Baked Pita Bread with Spinach, Mushrooms & Goat's Cheese

I spent the day working in the garden, turning soil, trimming plants and attaching supports to the tomato plants.  Oh, how I cannot wait until it's time to start enjoying the fruits from all this labour!  This gardening thing is starting to wear me down.  

The day went by so quickly and before I knew it, it was almost time for dinner and I hadn't taken anything out of the freezer or gone to the grocery store.  Now what can I make that's quick and easy?

I  browsed through the fridge and pantry and pulled out an onion, mushrooms, spinach, goat's cheese and Greek pita.  This took less than 5 minutes to prepare followed by another 10 to 15 minutes in the oven.  You could always skip out on the baking, however, I won't.  I like pita while it's warm and crunchy.  It just gives comfort to the meal!

Rice with Mushrooms

Rice with Mushrooms

Fridays are usually seafood night in our home.  Last Friday, we grilled calamari and shrimps on the barbecue, steamed up some brussel sprouts and cooked some rice with sautéed mushrooms.

Dinner was delicious!  Especially the rice.  I cooked the rice per the package instructions and then mixed it with sautéed onions and mushrooms to give it a scrumptious taste.  

Back in the day, I used to wash the mushrooms and then peel them, however, not too long ago, I was watching the Food Network and learned that one should NOT wash mushrooms.  Just peel them before slicing and cooking.

Pasta Sauce

Pasta Sauce

Pasta is always a favourite in our home and my famous meat sauce is one that everyone seams to love.  I'm often asked for this recipe and have therefore documented my original version below.

Over the years of making this sauce, I've been known to cut back or add an ingredient to give this sauce a different flavour.  The possibilities are endless!  Some family members enjoy their pasta saucy and others like just a little sauce as illustrated, but the one thing that everyone loves is a handful of grated Swiss Emmenthal Cheese sprinkled all over.  

Try sprinkling some fresh chillies overtop to give this dish a bite.

Flambéed Mushrooms

Flambéed Mushrooms

My husband decided to bring a little of his talent to my blog and made these mushrooms as a side dish on Easter.  My cousin was the camera man and they had a little fun bonding in the kitchen while preparing this dish.

Serve on its own or over a bed of rice.  Yum!

Note:  When flambéing, let the flame burn out on its own.  It doesn't take long for it to extinguish.  Just turn the pan slightly on its side and the juices will put out the flame.

Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage Rolls

There are so many different ways to prepare the filling for your cabbage rolls.  Do you prefer pre-cooking the ground meat and rice prior to filling?   If yes, be careful not to overcook the meat.  There isn't a right or a wrong.  It's a matter of personal preference.  

No matter which method you choose, just be sure to remove the vein from the centre of each leaf before forming a roll.  The first time I made them, I had not performed this step and boy oh boy were those cabbage rolls ever tough to eat.

A quick tip is to freeze the cabbage as a whole and then pull apart the leaves as it defrosts.  I was amazed to see this really works.  No need to boil.  Just be sure to remove those centre veins.

Chicken a la King (made with turkey)

Turkey a la King with Homemade Noodles

Normally, Chicken a la King is made with "Chicken",  This is not the case in the illustrations below.  I substituted the Chicken with Turkey.

While it was very tasty, I definitely like this recipe better with Chicken.  I believe using a whole chicken is best, as it incorporates the different textures and flavours of the white and dark meet.

While Chicken a la King is usually served in a pastry shell, I serve mine with homemade noodles on the side.

Economize and use the remaining chicken broth in a chicken soup.