Can Frozen Fish Be Inspirational?

Last night was one of those evenings.  You know the type - nothing planned for dinner, you're tired and worn out, don't want to spend the time or money to go out to eat, but still want something tasty, hearty, and - oh, yeah! - simple.  Good luck, right?  Well, thankfully I had been grocery shopping a few days earlier so the fridge and pantry were well-stocked.  I had a bag of frozen cod fillets that had been in the freezer for awhile, and remembered seeing a recipe that looked tasty in a book I had read recently.  So, out came the cod and I spent less than 10 minutes prepping for a dish that turned out to be one of the tastiest that I have had in some time!

It looks so fancy, and yet it was practically effortless. 

Gone, But Not Forgotten

I sure have been AWOL for awhile, haven't I?  School has been pretty intense, and between the holidays and a couple of nasty bouts of illnesses in the family I haven't had much time to devote to my blog.  That doesn't mean I haven't been cooking, however, and I have a slew of tasty recipes to share now that I feel like I have my feet back under me!  So, here's a little bite to whet your appetite...


Blueberry Pie 

1 pkg refrigerated Pillsbury pie crusts
5 t flour
5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (if frozen, thaw and drain)
1 T lemon juice and some lemon zest
1 1/2 T butter or margerine
2/3 c sugar

*Line a 9" pie pan (I use a stoneware pie pan, for the flakiest crust) with one of the premade pie crusts.  Yes, I can make pie crusts, but to be perfectly honest, the Pillsbury ones are so much better than mine! LOL!

*In a large bowl, gently toss blueberries with flour, lemon juice and zest, and sugar.

*Pour berries into prepared crust.  Cut the butter or margarine into small pieces, and dot them all over the top of the pie.

*Top the berries with the other pie crust.  Seal the edges of the two crusts well, trim them up if they need it, and crimp the edge so it looks pretty.  With a sharp knife cut several slashes in the top of the crust, to release steam while it bakes.  This will help keep your pie from exploding - always a good thing!  Note: the blueberry juices may boil out of your pie and spill onto the bottom of the oven.  Put a cookie sheet lined with foil on a rack under the pie, and cleanup will be a breeze. 

*Bake at 425*F for 35 minutes or so, until the pie is a beautiful golden color.  Check it part way through, and if the edges are getting too brown you can tear strips of aluminum foil and wrap them over just the edges, to keep them from burning.

*Enjoy it warm or cold, plain or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Italian Beef Sandwiches

Hot and messy, spicy, flavorful, yummy... There are so many words to describe this delicious sandwich!  It's so easy to prepare, as its another crock pot recipe, and it turns out really well no matter what type of roast you use. 

Best Ever Stew

No, really, it is the best ever!  I don't typically like stew, but I'm in love with this version.  It's not quick or easy, but it is definitely affordable (especially if you can buy the stew meat on sale and freeze it), and tastes so good!  It would be hard to stop eating if it wasn't so filling.  I've made it with a variety of meats - from pork to beef to venison - and it works well with all of them.  Although it is rather time-consuming, it sure is worth the wait!

One Potato, Two Potato...

... and fifty pounds more!  Yep, that's right.  This week I came into fifty pounds of russet potatoes, thanks to a surplus after the church's food bank distribution day.  Today, we were finally able to deal with all of them.  

I'm not a fan of canned potatoes, so although a friend of mine processed and canned around a dozen quarts, that just doesn't appeal to me.  Besides, I'm running out of space for jars (we've got to get some shelves built in the garage...)!  I decided to pull out my favorite potato recipes, go ahead and slice the potatoes as required for the recipes, then simply freeze them. 

Simple Decadance

Ever have one of those days?  You know what I mean - you wake up feeling tired, nothing goes right and half-a-dozen things go wrong.  And that's before you've even left the house!  Sometimes, after a day like that, the only thing to do is take a break, unwind a little, and indulge yourself.  For me, that typically involves chocolate.

Now there are lots of different ways to get your chocolate - cakes, cookies, cheesecakes, chocolate-covered fruit, ice cream... the list could go on forever.  Most of those options, however, require quite a bit of time in the kitchen, or a trip to the grocery store, or both.  So what do you do when you (or if you're feeling benevolent, your family) need a treat? 

Tortellini Soup

I know, I'm on a soup kick with my recipes!  I promise, it's not going to be soup every day, that's just what I'm fixing a lot of lately.  Funny how cooler weather makes me want soups, stews, and chili...

I am always amazed when I fix this soup.  It is incredibly simple, but tastes so good!  My husband raves over it, and always says that each batch is the best I've ever made, even though I don't change a thing.  This soup is great for company, but is also a wonderful "comfort food" after a long day.