Red Skinned Potato Salad and some Garden Pictures

I tried a potato salad recipe by Paula Deen last week and we loved it! I've made my Mother's potato salad for years and tried a couple of others, but this Red Skinned Potato Salad is really delicious! In fact, I have potatoes cooking right now as I write this post, to make some more of this yummy stuff! I did change it a little; I cut the recipe in half for starters, in case we didn't like it. I also used some celery and cut down on the green pepper. I'm making the full recipe today since we all loved it and , it was even better the second day, which is the norm for potato salad. In fact, this is my husband's new favorite potato salad! The sauce has the right amount of tang, although I reduced the Dijon just a bit, and it only has 2 tablespoons of mayo! Amazing!

RED SKINNED POTATO SALAD (adapted from Paula Deen
12 cups of diced, cooked new red skinned potatoes
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 large stalk of celery, diced
1/3 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 T. mayo
1 1/2 T. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. salt, I used sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
In a dutch oven or large pot add scrubbed potatoes and enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover pot with a lid and cook potatoes until just tender. Remove potatoes from water to cool. When cool, dice potatoes. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, mayo, Dijon, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper and mix til thoroughly combined. In a large bowl add the diced, cooked potatoes, celery, onion, bell pepper and pour the dressing over all and combine well. Refrigerate for several hours before serving. Enjoy!

I've been taking some pictures of some of my perennials this spring and thought I'd share a few with you. Other bloggers have shared some gorgeous photos of their gardens and we've had so much rain, my flowers are doing quite well! Not the vegetables so much, though. Sigh.

Above, is one of my orange Asiatic lilies- they can really get tall and the flowers can be rather large. I moved them last year, so they'll need to play catch up.

I love yellow Coreopsis! They are so dainty on long stems and they love the sun.

Our front porch is on the north where these Impatiens are growing in pots. I love this salmon shade.

And these yellow lilies have bloomed profusely this spring. I enjoy working around the flower beds; it's rather therapeutic and relaxing, most of the time. But, it's so wet right now that the grass and weeds are growing like crazy and it's hard to keep up. Hope you enjoyed my mini garden tour. Have a great week!

Lynda's Baked Beans

I've noticed that some foods are hard to photograph, especially brown foods, and these baked beans are no exception! But, they are delicious Baked Beans and I've been making them forever, it seems. I didn't have a written recipe for them until our oldest son got married a few years ago and I suddenly needed a recipe for them to follow and all I could do was say, "taste as you go"! So, I finally got it all written out, so that I can pass it on to all our children! These are sweet, smoky and a little spicy, and a great addition to any summer barbecue.

Favorite Baked Beans

4 cans pork and beans (15 ounce cans)

4-6 slices of bacon

1/2 an onion, diced

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 Tbs. molasses

3/4 cup Hickory Smoked BBQ sauce

1 tsp. dry mustard

1/4-1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Cut the bacon in half and brown in a skillet until bacon is crispy. Remove bacon to paper towel lined plate to cool. Drain all but 1 Tbs. bacon grease from the skillet. Into the skillet add the diced onion and cook until the onion is soft and transparent. Remove skillet from heat.

In a large bowl, add the 4 cans of pork and beans, the cooked onion, the bacon that has been crumbled, and the rest of the ingredients. Stir well and pour into a 9x13 inch baking pan and place in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for one hour. Serve warm or cold, they're delicious either way! If you like more spice, or less spice just adjust the black pepper and cayenne. If you prefer not to use bacon, but still want a distinctive smoke flavor, just add 1/2-1 tsp. of smoke flavoring to the beans while stirring up. Enjoy!

Do you like baked beans and if so, do you like them piping hot from the oven, cooled to room temperature, or somewhere in between?

Build Your Own Taco Salad

I've made Taco Salad for years and it has gradually evolved into a build your own salad. I used to mix the whole thing into a large bowl, but when you have a couple of extra picky kids, I couldn't always make it the way I liked if I wanted them to eat! I'm sure some of you have been there! Our daughter, the youngest will eat most things, but her older brothers were so picky growing up. One of them still is! So, the "build your own" idea works well for us. I cook the meat and add seasonings, and chop all veggies and put in separate bowls. My husband and I like ours pretty much the same, except, he won't eat avocado or black olives, so you see my dilemma. I buy the avocado just for ME! I have to eat the whole thing, hehe! Here's how I make Taco Salad;Build Your Own Taco Salad
1 pound lean ground beef- chuck or sirloin
1/2 finely diced onion, optional
Brown the beef and onion in a skillet until done. And I do brown the meat and don't turn it until it has a brown color; I don't like grey meat that isn't allowed to brown! Drain all fat from the skillet. At this point I add spices, or if you prefer, you can use a ready made taco seasoning.
I use 2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp.garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder, (only if I don't use the fresh onion)
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
Stir these into the drained meat and taste the meat to see if it needs more seasoning. Tasting your food as you prepare it is important! And like I said, use a prepared taco seasoning if you wish-I won't judge! :)
As for the rest of the salad, the amounts depend on the size of your family. Here's what I use.
1 head of iceberg lettuce, or a combination of iceberg and romaine, finely chopped
1/2 a red onion or a bunch green onions, finely diced
3 or 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 avocado, diced
black beans, drained and rinsed
fresh or frozen corn, thawed
sour cream
salsa, purchased or homemade
cilantro, if desired
shredded cheese
tortilla chips, I try to buy low salt chips
We start with the chips on the plate first, next the meat, lettuce and tomato, and then whatever ingredients you desire, ending with cheese, sour cream and salsa! Enjoy!
What do you like on your taco salad?

Spicy Tilapia with Pineapple Salsa

This is one amazing meal, full of flavor, color and it's healthy and quick! What could be better? I made this for just 2 of us, but it's easy to make as much as you need. It's a fast weeknight meal, but it's special enough for company too. I did the fish in a cast iron skillet, but it can also be done on the grill with some veggies. The Tilapia is somewhat spicy, but the Pineapple Salsa really enhances the fish and adds such a freshness to the meal that leaves you wanting more! This recipe is slightly adapted from one I found at Cooking Light. Here's what you need;

Spicy Tilapia with Pineapple Salsa

For the salsa you need;

1 1/2-2 cups diced, fresh pineapple ( you may buy the fresh chunks, if desired)

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced

1/3-1/2 cup diced Roma tomato

1/2 cup diced red onion

1-2 Tbs. chopped cilantro

2 Tbs. Rice Vinegar

Mix all ingredients, cover and refrigerate till ready to use

For the Tilapia, you need

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp. dried Thyme

1/4 tsp.celery seed

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. cayenne

Or, you can use some Creole seasoning, INSTEAD of the above seasonings, but I didn't have any, so I had to improvise. But the flavor of the fish was perfect for us. If you are going to serve rice, as I did, start it first. Heat your skillet to medium heat, with 1-2 tbs. of canola oil. Season both sides of the tilapia with the spice mix. When skillet is ready, lay the fish in the pan and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until the fish flakes easily when pierced with a fork. It cooks quickly, so don't leave it to do something else! When done, remove tilapia to a platter. Ahhh, it smells so good, and tastes so good! Serve with the yummy Pineapple Salsa. Here's how I served it;

I spooned some cooked brown rice on the plates and made a bed for the tilapia. Lay the fish on the rice and top with this wonderful salsa. I served it with my Oven Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar, a salad and some good bread. This was a great meal, that I'll make again, many times!

I used to be rather intimidated by cooking fish, but with easy dishes like this, I think I'm getting over it! What's your favorite fish?

California Kabobs

Over the weekend, I decided I wanted to grill some kabobs, but I haven't made them in years. I remembered that Heidi at, Tried and True Cooking with Heidi, had posted a recipe in the last week, so I decided to try them, as they looked especially good! I already had an assortment of veggies, and some sirloin steak in the fridge, so I was set to go. I used zucchini, mushrooms, onion wedges, bell peppers, grape tomato, pineapple and even a little asparagus that I had left. I marinated the meat for about 3 hours and put it on wooden skewers alternately with the veggies and grilled them over a hot grill, maybe 5 minutes per side, some a little longer. They are delicious! The meat was tender and had a wonderful flavor, and of course grilled vegetables are always good. Try them, you'll like them!

CALIFORNIA KABOBS

1/3 cup lemon juice (I used lime juice; I was out of lemons)

2 tbs. oil

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/8 tsp hot sauce (I used 1/4)

3/4 pound steak, cut in cubes

Cut your steak in pieces and put into a large resealable bag. Mix together the rest of ingredients, add some salt and pepper and pour 1/4 cup of the marinade into the bag with the meat.Reserve the remaining marinade to brush over kabobs when assembled. Seal bag and place in fridge for at least 2 hours, longer if you have the time. When ready to grill place steak on skewers along with veggies of choice, brush with the reserved marinade, and grill over a hot fire until done. Enjoy! NOTE: Bamboo skewers need to soak in water 2 hours before using or they will burn!

I served the California Kabobs with baked beans, grilled pineapple and rolls. It was a great summer meal, very tasty and easy to put together. Thanks, Heidi!

Sour Cream Pound Cake

Don't you just hate it when your computer rebels and doesn't do what it's supposed to do? That's what has happened the last 2 days, so I'm really behind getting this posted. I'm sure all of you have posted some tantalizing recipes and I'm anxious to read your blogs! So, I'll get started before this computer decides it wants to shut down again!
This has been my go-to recipe for pound cake for a number of years. It's rich and heavy with a dense crumb and a fabulous buttery and vanilla flavor. I never frost or glaze it, but sometimes I dust a little powdered sugar over it. I got rather carried away this time, but it didn't hurt the flavor at all! I like to serve it with fresh strawberries and blueberries, or some fresh fruit, like peaches. Yum! This great cake was found in an old Taste of Home magazine, so enjoy!

SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE

1 cup butter (2 sticks) softened

3 cups sugar

6 eggs

3 cups all purpose flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large mixing bowl cream butter with sugar and vanilla til nice and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, salt and baking soda; add alternately with the sour cream and beat on low speed until just blended. Bowl will be quite full! Pour batter into a greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 325 for about an hour and 20 minutes or until the cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool cake in the pan for 15 minutes and then remove it to a wire rack to finish cooling. You can get 15-20 servings and served with berries it makes a nice summer dessert when you are having company. This cake can be made the day before you want to serve it. And the berries make it look so patriotic, don't you think? My husband likes to add ice cream or whipped cream to it, which tastes delicious, but that's usually too much for me. Now, I'm going to catch up on some of your posts. Have a great day!

Chicken, Black Bean and Corn Burritos, and a Baby!

I bet I got your attention! No, it's not me who is having a baby, it's my lovely daughter-in-law and we are counting down the days! I realized that I haven't mentioned this wonderful fact yet on my blog, but time is running out and I'm getting soooo excited that I just can't contain myself!This is our first grandchild and I am getting nervous and excited and a little crazy with the idea that she only has 18 days till her due date! Time is fast slipping by and I need to cook and get some make ahead meals in the freezer for them, so I've been racking by brain and scanning all of your wonderful blogs for either freezer friendly food, or things that will be quick for her to make. My DIL will have to go back to work, but she will have about 10 weeks off, so that will be a great help. If you have any advice or freezer friendly food ideas, please let me know in the comments. PLEASE! Whew, I got that out of the way, but seriously, it's getting hard for me to concentrate. But, I do have a recipe for you, a very easy and delicious recipe! It is great for lunch or an easy dinner! These Chicken, Black Bean and Corn Burritos are very versatile, so that you can change around the ingredients according to what you have on hand, or your personal likes.

First, you will saute onion, poblano chili, fresh corn and garlic in a little oil until soft; then add in some diced chicken to brown, or you may use some leftover cooked chicken. When veggies are soft and chicken is done, add some chili powder and cumin to skillet along with a can of drained

black beans. Stir ingredients around until beans are heated through and spices are fragrant. It smells so good! Add some salt and pepper, and you can either add 1/2 cup of salsa to the skillet, or let everyone add their own salsa at the table. On a large 9-10 inch burrito size tortilla, (that have been softened in oven or microwave), place about 1/4 of this mixture. Top this with cheese, sour cream (yes!), salsa, and cilantro. Fold in sides of tortilla over filling and then roll up, enclosing the filling. Oh, are these ever good! Cut in half, if desired; this is enough for 4 large burritos!

CHICKEN, BLACK BEAN and CORN BURRITOS

1 tbs. olive oil

1/2 a large onion, diced

1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 large, boneless, skinless chicken breast half, diced( or you may use leftover cooked chicken)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 ear of corn with the kernels cut off, about 1 cup,( or use 1 c. of frozen corn)

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

4 burrito sized flour tortillas (large)

1/2 cup, or more of salsa

sour cream

shredded cheese

chopped cilantro, if desired

shredded lettuce, if desired

In a large skillet in 1 tbs. oil, saute the onion, corn and poblano pepper for 4-5 minutes until it begins to soften, then add the garlic and uncooked chicken and saute til chicken is done. If using precooked chicken, just add it with the drained black beans, chili powder, cumin and heat through. At this point, you may add the salsa to the skillet, if desired, or you may serve the salsa on the side. I've done it both ways and either way works great. Adding the salsa to the skillet just makes the filling more moist. But if you have someone that doesn't like salsa, you may leave it for the table. Warm the tortillas in the oven or microwave. On a burrito, place about 1/4 of the mixture in the center. Add toppings of choice, such as shredded cheese, sour cream, more salsa, cilantro, etc. Fold in each side of tortilla over the filling. Then roll up to enclose all the filling. Cut in half, if desired. These are so flavorful, but not too spicy. If you prefer more heat, use hot peppers in the filling or a hot salsa. These burritos are delicious served with chips and my Guacamole dip, or my Tex-Mex Rice! Enjoy!

I so enjoy your comments! I appreciate all of you who read my blog regularly and all of you just stopping by every so often. Hope you're having a great week!