Tasty Tuesday and Bidding Farewell to January

Tasty Tuesday is here again...

Today's recipe is for a super quick and easy side dish that will go well with almost any meal.

Seeded Bow Tie Noodles

Ingredients:

8 ounces bow tie noodles

3 Tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon coarsely-ground pepper

Instructions:

1)  Cook noodles according to package instructions, al dente.

2)  Drain water from noodles.

3)  Toss noodles gently with remaining ingredients.  Serves 4.

Today is the last day of January.

It has been a whirlwind month -- a new year, a new President, a new outlook, a new opportunity for change, exploration, and building.  I have been working on inventory organization, improving business practices, setting new goals and doing my best to meet them.  Tomorrow a friend is coming to help me haul many items out for donation and for trash.  Some of the items are big (chairs) so the help is much appreciated.

I did not make any big New Year's resolutions this year.  Instead, I am doing weekly goals, which I am happy to sat I am keeping pretty well so far.  Last year I made one big resolution, and I am happy to say I kept it all year.  It was a major decision having to do with my freedom, well-being, and progress, and keeping it faithfully has certainly been paying off.

Do you make resolutions every year?  How is it going for you?  I have found that keeping the resolutions to a minimum helps me a lot.  Trying to accomplish too much at once is not something I do well.  For me, the small number of weekly goals tends to work better.

I hope you are all having a good week, and that your goals and efforts are yielding good results for you.  

Store is Closed for Christmas and Tasty Tuesday Recipe

Christmas Week is Underway

Since it is too late now to reliably expect packages to arrive at their destinations in time for Christmas, and sales are winding down as people prepare for the holidays, I have closed my eBay store until December 27.  I have a lot to get done around my home, and I have been putting off making my Christmas wreath for my front door, so I want to get that done -- will share photos here when it is complete.  My goal is to handle that tomorrow.  Today is devoted to catching up on laundry.  Thursday I need to put together 2 IKEA carts to use for storage in my studio.  They will both have wheels, so they will offer lots of flexibility on placement as needs change.

For Tasty Tuesday, I have a recipe for an easy main dish meal using chicken:  

Chicken Paprika

Ingredients:

2 pounds chicken parts

2 Tablespoons cooking oil or shortening

1 can of condensed cream of chicken soup

1 Tablespoon of lemon juice (try to use juice from an actual lemon rather than bottled lemon juice)

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Instructions:

1)  In skillet, brown chicken in shortening or cooking oil.  Pour off fat.

2)  Stir in remaining ingredients.  

3)  Cover, and cook over low heat until done (roughly 45 minutes).  Make sure to stir occasionally.

4)  Serve over hot cooked noodles or rice.

Optional add-in items (add in when the soup is added):

* 1 cup frozen peas that have been thawed with hot water and drained.

* 1 small can of mushroom pieces and stems.

You can make this as a very basic recipe, or you can add the additional items suggested, or come up with some of your own add-ins.  It's a simple meal, cooked in one pan, and good protein when the family has a lot going on during the holiday preparations.

I hope to be back tomorrow with some photos of my wreath -- I am making it exclusively with items I found at Dollar Tree (one of my favorite places).

Tasty Tuesday and Brrrr....

Happy Tasty Tuesday, All!

It is COLD here today.  When I left the house to mail packages and run errands this morning, it was Two degrees BELOW Zero Fahrenheit.  The cars made little clouds of steam from their exhaust pipes as they traveled down the freeway -- the kind that turns to ice when it hits the pavement.  It was sunny, though, and driving was okay.

At this time of year (just before Christmas), I wish I could hold things in place for a while to keep Christmas from coming and going so soon.  Every year, the whoosh of time goes faster.

Today's recipe is a simple and tasty one, a side dish / salad to accompany most types of meals, fancy or casual.

Broccoli Bacon Cheddar Salad

Ingredients:

3 cups broccoli florets, cut to bite-size

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/3 cup raisins, either regular or golden raisins are fine

1/4 cup chopped red onion

8 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Dressing Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 tea spoons lemon juice (from an actual lemon if possible rather than the bottled stuff)

Instructions:

1)  In large bowl, combine broccoli, cheese, raisins, and onion.  

2)  In small bowl, combine dressing ingredients.

3)  Pour dressing over salad and toss gently.

4)  Top salad with cooked crumbled bacon and serve.

I hope you are having a good week and that you are enjoying the season.  Stay warm where ever you are.

Making Up for the Lost Tasty Tuesday

Yes, I missed it.  Tasty Tuesday got away from me this week...

So I am setting about making it right by posting the Tasty Tuesday recipe on Thursday.  Because why shouldn't I confuse things once in a while?

First, I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving Day and weekend.  I had a beautiful Thanksgiving -- peaceful, blessed with loved ones, and free of any ridiculous bruhaha.  It was a wonderful day, and that made it easy to get back into my work routine and get things rolling in business again afterward. 

As we head into Christmas time, I will be focusing on recipes that: 1) Make the days a little easier by saving you time and trouble during this busy season, 2)  Offer options for different types of meals or events around the holidays -- such as snacks to accompany favorite movies or games with friends and family, 3) Include a variety of nourishing foods for meals as well as decadent foods for desserts, treats, and sweets. 

Today's Recipe is for Hunter Stew (with Chicken), an easy feast to make in the slow cooker or crock pot so you can plug it in early in the day and enjoy it for your supper in the evening.  

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into pieces of about 2 inches by 1 inch.

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped into pieces about 1 inch square.

1 medium onion, sliced thin.

1 (15- ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained,

1 (14- ounce) jar (about 1 and 1/2 cups) tomato pasta sauce (such as Prego, Ragu, Classico).

1 (8- ounce) can mushroom stems and pieces, drained.

Instructions:

1)  Combine all ingredients in 3 or 4-quart slow cooker.

2)  Cover, and cook on low setting for 6 to 7 hours.

This meal is hearty and healthy and will work very well to feed your family with little fuss or hassle as you are likely busy with a lot of other things this holiday season.

Head over to my Abundant Empress Facebook page to find another recipe for a toasty-cheesy snack for informal nights in the home with the family or when friends stop over.  You can click the Facebook page button on the upper left of this blog.

It's Tasty Tuesday!

This is the first Tasty Tuesday on the new Abundant Empress blog.  I love food; I am a true foodie.  I love to try new recipes, and I love my old-standby recipe collection.  Cooking and enjoying food (especially with friends) is part of my concept of living an abundant life. 

My goal with Tasty Tuesday is to provide recipes and ideas that have some nutritional value, that are fairly easy to make, and that do not require a long list of ingredients.  I don't like making fussy meals, and I am not a gourmet by any means.  I like fixing tasty, simple, and hearty meals, so those are the types of recipes I will share here.

If I have a recipe or if I come across a recipe that I enjoy that is also a specifically "healthy" recipe, I will share it.  I generally try to cook dishes that are on the fairly healthy side, but I am NOT all about the sprouts, the kale, the gluten-free, the fat-free options (and humans need a certain amount of fat in their diet anyway).  

I also share recipes on my Facebook page (Abundant Empress, LLC on Facebook) every Thursday, so if you want more recipe options, you can check that out as well.

Of course, if you have ideas for altering recipes to your taste,by all means go ahead.  These recipes can be followed to the letter or you can play around with them according to your preference. 

Today's Recipe is Chili Beef Pasta

Ingredients:

3 cups uncooked rotini (spiral) pasta

1 pound of ground beef (or you can use ground turkey if you prefer)

1 can of spicy chili beans (such as Bush's or Kuner's)

1 can (about 14 or 15 ounces) diced peeled tomatoes (do not drain)

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1)  Cook pasta according to package directions,  Drain.

2)  While pasta is cooking, brown ground beef or turkey in large sauce pan or Dutch oven (medium-high heat).  Drain.

3)  Add cooked pasta, beans, tomatoes, and chili powder.

4)  Cook and stir for about 3 minutes or until mixture is thoroughly heated.

5)  Top each serving with cheese while hot.

Serves 6

Additional topping options:

Small dollop of sour cream on each serving
chopped oniion
cooked bacon bits
broken-up corn chips

Enjoy!

Sharing a Couple of Recipes

Every Thursday I share recipes on my Abundant Empress Facebook page.  Today I shared two recipes, so I thought I would post them on my blog as well.   In the future, I will try to post a different recipe here on my blog every Tuesday.   The blog recipes will be different from the Facebook recipes.  But because today was a bonus day of two recipes, I wanted to post both of them here.  They are tasty. 

Hi Everyone! It was a golden day here in Minnesota, and the air is getting chilly. I love days like this because I feel energized to get a lot accomplished. And, let us not forget...

It's THursday -- Thyme to Share a Recipe!

I declare it a bonus day today, so I am going to share with you TWO super simple recipes: One is for a lovely spread that you can serve with crackers or veggies at a party (or a Friday movie night, curled up on the couch with your honey, your kids, or your pets, or all of them).

One is for a vegetable side dish that will add nutrition and flavor to many types of lunch or supper meals.

RECIPE 1:

BACON SMOKEY SPREAD

Ingredients:
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled into bits
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Sliced green onion (optional)

Instructions:
1) Combine cheddar cheese and cream cheese.

2) Mix until well blended.

3) Add remaining ingredients.. Mix well.

4) Top with a few crumbles of bacon if desired, also top with small slices of green onion if desired.

5) Chill for about 1 hour.

6) Serve with crusty bread rounds, crackers, or fresh-cut veggies.

RECIPE 2:

ITALIAN STYLE BROCCOLI

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 pounds of broccoli, cut into flowerets
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh lemon will taste better than the jar lemon juice for this)

Instructions:
1) Steam broccoli in large skillet for 5 minutes until crispy-tender.

2) Remove broccoli from skillet, and drain.

3) Pour oil into skillet and add garlic.

4) Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until garlic is LIGHTLY golden -- do not let the garlic brown too much, or it will be bitter.

5) Add broccoli and lemon juice to skillet, Toss gently.

6) Cover skillet and cook for 1 additional minute.

Those are the two recipes for this week. Thanks for checking in.