My father-in-law loves lamb ribs so he’s always coming up with ways to cook them.  He showed up the other day with a sack full of groceries, prepared to cook just for me!  What a nice surprise to get don’t you think?  Anyways, I sat back and watched him cut, chop and stir until the food was all done and boy did it look delicious.  What I love about this recipe is that it’s a one-pot dish which means I don’t have to spend all evening in the kitchen cleaning up.

The last thing my father-in-law came over to cook was King Ranch Camp Bread.  I think I could get used to this you know.  I keep wondering what he’ll bring to cook in the coming weeks!

INGREDIENTS

• 6 or 7 lamb ribs
• 1 white onion
• 1 1/2 green bell pepper
• 3 med tomatoes
• 1 small head of garlic
• salt and pepper to taste
• water

DIRECTIONS

Cut  lamb ris into chunks and cook in pan for about 30 minutes or so.  While those are cooking, chop up the onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, and garlic.  Now drain ALL the fat from the cooked lamb ribs. There will be quite a bit so make sure to drain them well.  Pour in the onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic and cover with water.   Cook with lid on until almost all the water is gone, about 2hrs.  Remove lid for the last 20minutes of cooking.   Enjoy!

Mom has made this Baked Ziti forever, or it feels like it anyways, and hopefully it will become one of your favorites!  Just looking at it makes me drool!  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 onion chopped
• 1/2 pound ziti
• 1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese (may use less if desired)
• 3 cups (12 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 3 cups bottled spaghetti sauce divided (I use the whole jar)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cloves garlic,minced or about 1 teaspoon of kind in a jar

DIRECTIONS

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES.  Cook ground beef, onion and garlic; stirring frequently. Cook until done then add spaghetti sauce and oregano.  Let Simmer.  In a large pot, cook ziti in boiling water until just barely tender; drain and place in a large bowl.  Mix the ricotta cheese WITH appx.4 ounces OF mozzarella cheese and about 1 cup of the spaghetti sauce with the ziti.  Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan; cover bottom of pan with 1/3 the spaghetti sauce.  Spoon half the ziti mixture into the pan; cover with half OF the remaining spaghetti sauce and half of the cheese.

REPEAT.

Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.  Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until cheese melts and is lightly golden.

Note: serve with garlic toast and salad

Note 2: For a lighter toast version, place toast under broiler to brown then rub in garlic clove to add flavor (see pic)

You’ve seen inspired handbags and clothing but what about gourmet food?  Oh, you better believe it’s out there! In fact, I had THE BEST chef inspired gourmet food line, Beverly Hills Kitchen, today with my family– Beef Bourguignon.  No, this country gal doesn’t have a clue how to pronounce it but that doesn’t matter because it was by far the most flavorful, delicious meal in a bag I HAVE EVER HAD!!!

Yes, I said meal in a bag but before you dismiss, listen up.  I was asked if I wanted to try this out and because I’m game for a meal that’s super easy,  I accepted.  I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting it to taste that good but man did it surprise me.  I can’t even tell you how jam packed with flavor it was.  It tasted like a recipe your grandmother has made for years, from scratch, one that you’ll pass down for generations.  The Beverly Hills Kitchen’s Beef Bourguignon includes prime VERY tender meat, simmered for four hours in a full-bodied red wine sauce with carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, shallots, basil and Dijon mustard…..I can’t even describe it in words.  The spices were just right…it was perfection.

You can buy this at QVC and it comes in 5 8oz packages packed & shipped in dry ice to insure for a cold delivery!  You freeze what you want, eat what you want.  When ready to cook, you simply drop in some boiling water for 10 minutes and viola!  Its done and ready to be served over rice or pasta. We used white rice.  The 5-8oz packages fed our family of 5 with some leftover!

I know that some people cringe at the thought of buying food like this through the mail but I gotta tell ya, it was the best ever and I ain’t lying!  The WHOLE family loved it and we all kept talking about the flavors the rest of the night.  So, if  you can’t make Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon because you don’t have time or you simply don’t have the cooking skills, don’t worry because you make this Beverly Hills Kitchen Beef Bourguignon!!!

SOMETHING FOR YOU!

One box of the Beef Bourguignon 5-8oz packages is up for grabs.

TO ENTER

Leave a comment telling me what chef inspired meal you’d like to see.

Additional ways to enter, leaving each one in a separate comment please.

• Share on any social networking site. If using twitter, be sure to @acowboyswife.
• Subscribe to my newsletter or my blog.

Ends on Oct. 20th. Good luck!

I told you I’d share the Grilled Chicken Penne al Fresco recipe from the Pampered Chef party and I am!  This is a recipe that can be made on the stove or in the microwave using the Deep Covered Baker.  It’s a time saving, delicious, and healthy meal! You can see a few more pictures in my original post!

INGREDIENTS

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
• 3 cups uncooked mezze penne pasta
• 3 cups chicken broth
• ¾ cup dry white wine such as Chardonnay
• ½ tsp each salt and coarsely ground black pepper
• 1¼ cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves, divided
• 1 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (about ¼ cup packed)
• 2 cups diced grilled chicken breasts
• Additional grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• coarsely ground black pepper (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Spray Deep Covered Baker with olive oil using Kitchen Spritzer. Slice garlic into baker using Garlic
Slicer. Add tomatoes. Cover; microwave on HIGH 4-5 minutes or until tomatoes begin to burst, stirring
after 2 minutes. Crush tomatoes using Mix ‘N Chop. Add pasta, broth, wine, salt and black pepper.

2. Return baker to microwave; cover and microwave on HIGH 16-18 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring
after 10 minutes. Meanwhile, coarsely chop basil with Chef’s Knife. Reserve 2 tbsp for garnish. Grate
cheese using Rotary Grater.

3. Carefully remove baker from microwave and remove lid, lifting away from you. Add remaining basil,

cheese and chicken to baker; mix well. Garnish with reserved 2 tbsp basil, additional Parmesan cheese and black pepper, if desired.

Cook’s Tips: An additional ¾ cup chicken broth can be substituted for the wine, if desired.
Any tube-shaped pasta requiring 9-11 minutes cook time, such as penne or rigatoni, can be substituted for the
mezze penne pasta.

To grill chicken in the Grill Pan, season 2 chicken breasts, about 6 oz each, with salt and black pepper. Heat Grill
Pan over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Spray pan with oil. Cook chicken 4-6 minutes or until grill marks appear.
Turn chicken over; cook 4-6 minutes or until center of chicken is no longer pink and Pocket Thermometer
registers 170°F.

Yield: 8 servings

Kitchen Spritzer

Garlic Slicer

Mix N’ Chop

Rotary Grater

I’ve always been a bit hesitant about fish, and after making this pasta and expanding my boundaries a bit, I can’t tell you why. This pasta is amazing. It’s pleasing to they eye and the tongue.

Let me tell you why this pasta is so amazing, the basil adds just a hint of mint, the peppers add a light undertone of spice and the salmon and garlic are a beautiful blend. The grape tomatoes give this dish a surprising burst of roasted sweetness each time you come across one, and the herb Feta.. oh. my. stars. it got all warm and savory and mmmmmmm. I’m drooling just thinking about it. I’m tellin’ y’all, you have to try this. It’s not often that I go into something skeptically and come out a believer.. but y’all…. Nathan ate two huge helpings and I finished off one bowl and then went and nipped a few more bites out of the serving dish. It’s even good served cold for lunch the next day! NOM NOM

INGREDIENTS

• * 2 fresh salmon fillets, roughly 12 oz (frozen works too)
• * a few dashes salt (to taste)
• * 10 oz farfalle pasta, or whatever kind floats your boat
• * 5 cloves garlic, minced
• * roughly 15 to 20 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• * 1 C chopped green onions.
• * 3- 4 Tbsp snipped fresh basil leaves (yes, it must be fresh)
• * 1 tsp coarse ground black pepper
• * 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• * couple of handfuls of fresh spinach leaves
• * a few drizzles olive oil, you choose how much to use
• * 1 4 oz. package crumbled feta cheese. ( I use a garlic and herb blend)

HOW TO

1. Cook pasta according to package.
2. Drain, drizzle with olive oil, cover and set aside. Make sure this stays warm.
3. Meanwhile, drizzle olive oil into a medium high heat pan and toss in about 1/2 of the minced garlic cloves.
4. Cook for about a minute or until the aroma becomes very strong and the garlic starts to soften.
5. Sprinkle the salmon with salt
6. Add the salmon to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Turn the fish occasionally while cooking. Stir in the tomatoes, the rest of the garlic, onions, basil and peppers. Heat through, stirring occasionally. Right before you think you’re done, toss in the spinach leaves just and heat them just enough so they start to wilt. In a large bowl toss together the hot pasta, some olive oil and the salmon mixture. Top with the feta cheese.

About the Author:

Rachel is a 30 year old woman living in South Texas with her husband and two tarnished halo wearing children. She is barely hanging on to sanity by her sorely in need of a manicured fingertips and when she isn’t casting spells with stuffed animals, chasing away dragons with her trusty Dyson or changing dirty diapers: She can be found with her nose in a cookbook, her hand wrapped around a wooden spoon and her mind on the next creation to be lovingly, if somewhat hastily prepared in her kitchen.

I’ve been very overwhelmed lately so I have to give a huge hug and thank you to my mom who stepped in and “submitted” this recipe.  She’s actually the real foodie between us and I hope that one day she’ll start her own blog!

My mom said this is to die for!  It’s a little more work than  some recipes but she insists that it’s a must try.  I think it sounds delicious and hope to make it soon.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup (1stick) butter
• 1 chicken breast, cut into strips (about 1 cup)
• 16 (21-25 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
• ½ cup sliced andouille sausage, casing removed
• 1/3 cup sliced yellow onion
• ¼ cup sliced red bell pepper
• 1/3 cup sliced green bell pepper
• 1  sliced zucchini
• 1  sliced yellow squash
• 1 cup diced Roma tomatoes
• 1 quart Andouille Cream Sauce (recipe follows)
• 4 cups cavatappi pasta
• ½ cup sliced scallion
• ½ teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS

Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat.  Increase heat to medium and add chicken, shrimp, andouille, onion, and bell peppers.  Sauté until shrimp and chicken are just cooked through.  Add zucchini, yellow squash, and tomatoes, cook 2 minutes.  Add andouille cream sauce, toss well and bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat and keep warm.  Cook cavatappi in boiling salted water until as dente: drain well.  Pour sauce over pasta, and toss, pulling shrimp, and chicken to the top. Evenly sprinkle scallion over pasta. Sprinkle parsley around rim of bowl and serve.

Note: Can also add ½ cup crawfish tails

ANDOUILLE CREAM SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• ¼ cup diced yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 3 ounces andouille sausage, casing removed (see note)
• 2/3 cup crushed tomatoes
• 2/3 cup cold water
• ¾ tablespoon chicken base
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons blackening seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup jalapeno-jack cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS

Place oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté 3 to 4 minutes.  Add garlic, stir well, and sauté 2 minutes.  Add andouille sausage and sauté 2 more minutes.  Add crushed tomatoes and mix well to thoroughly combine.  In a mixing bowl use a wire whisk to combine water, chicken base, cornstarch, and cream.  Add liquid to the onion mixture.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer 8 to 10 minutes.  Add blacking seasoning and cayenne and mix well to incorporate.  Add grated cheese to the sauce and blend well.  Allow to simmer until all the cheese has melted, 2 more minutes.

Note: I put the andouille sausage in my mini food processor to grind it up for the cream sauce.

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You might be surprised to know that there was a time when we had to send our kids off to their grandparent’s due to lack of food and money.  It was hard and I never want to revisit that time again but it did teach me something.  It taught me to stock up on the most important & most eaten things and everything else comes after.  It also taught me that you don’t have to go without flavor just because you’re rationing or because you are trying to be frugal.

I’ve compiled a list of tips to help you cut costs on your grocery bill, stock up and still be able to add some flavor to the menu!

Pantry items to have on hand for flavor!  I buy a lot of this at Sam’s Club in bulk and supersized to save money.  Just be cautious and make sure you’re getting a good deal.

• Ground Pepper  (MUCH cheaper at Sam’s than at the grocery store.)
• Garlic Powder
• Ground Cinnamon
• Chili Powder
• Sugar
• Minced Garlic in a jar.  I know, I know..fresh is the best but this lasts longer and has just as much flavor!
• Oil (Olive & Canola)
• Onions (They last a long time and they are inexpensive)

Tips to help you cut the costs on your grocery bill.

• *Cut the beef out. Fortunately, our beef is supplied as part of our income here on the ranch so we don’t have that expense, but if you want to save some money, buy chicken or even go meatless.  Eat more rice, beans, and pastas.  They are more filling anyhow and and easy on the pocketbook even in their super-size, which I recommend.
• *Buy big and in bulk. Like I mentioned above, a regular size can of pepper runs me around $3.50.  At Sam’s Club, I pay $4.00 for almost 3 times the amount!!!  HUGE savings.  This applies to so many things.  Cereal, milk (I freeze gallons of milk all the time), eggs, rice, and pasta.  I know those Quaker Oats Instant packets are handy but try buying a big container of oatmeal and add your own flavors, using fresh or frozen fruit.  It’s just as easy and you can make as little or as much oatmeal for more than half the cost as buying one of those box of packets!
• MAKE A LIST! Something that has reduced my grocery bill is my handy dandy notebook Smartshopper.  Yes you can use a notebook, and that is perfectly fine but I have to say, I LOVE my Smartshopper.  When I need something, I just record it in and print it out.  Having  a list reduces the chances of you buying items you don’t need or not sure if you’re out of or not.  This  can be a huge money saver.  I find that most people lose their list or forget to write it down because you don’t have a pen or paper handy but with the smartshopper, I walk over immediately and add it to the list.

Finally, COUPONS!!! I can’t say it enough people.  Even if you only have a coupon for $.55 off, it adds up over the month/year and can reduce your grocery bills by quite a bit.  I always check out Alyssa for updates on the upcoming inserts in your Sunday paper.  She knows the scoop ahead of the time and can help you determine if it’s worth getting a paper at all or getting 3 or 4!  You can always print coupons, just be sure to check back regularly because they are always adding new ones.

Check out womansday.com for more ideas on cutting costs and recipes to help you save money by not buying premade!

Please welcome my guest poster Amanda!

I LOVE spaghetti! I seriously could eat it every other night! Here is my favorite way to make it fresh and organically! This recipe is for a family of 11, so adjust to your family size.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 16oz boxes of Spaghetti Noodles
• 2# Natural Beef
• Dash Italian Seasonings
• Stock Pan
• Wok Pan
• Food Processor
• Parmesan Cheese

Boil water for spaghetti noodles in stock pan. Put two pounds of natural beef in Wok pan to brown with Italian seasonings and salt.

For the sauce you will need:

• 3 28oz. can of organic diced tomatoes
• 1 clove of organic garlic
• 1 half of organic onion
• 2 pieces of organic lettuce
• 2 tbsp of water
• 2tbsp of natural evaporated cane juice
• 1 tbsp raw honey
• 1 tbsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Put 2 cans of tomatoes, onions, garlic, lettuce and water in your food processor and puree. Pour into Wok pan with completely browned meat. I rinsed out the food processor cup with water as well as the tomato cans into the pan. It is going to be really watery, so you want to bring to a boil and cover so some of the water will vaporize out. Add in honey and olive oil. Boil for about an 30min til sauce is the consistency you like.

Put in last can of diced tomatoes. Add about 2tbsp of natural evaporated cane juice. Bring to a slight boil on high and bring to low. Simmer on low til finished. This recipe tends to be more watery than THICK.

Make sure you set the timer for the noodles, because you don’t want them to get mushy. I cook mine for about 8min at the most. They should come out to be a little hard, but still tender enough that if you pinch them they squeeze.

Put some noodles on your plate, pour the sauce on, and sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top and voila! Serve with your favorite veggies and these breadsticks.

Amanda is an 19yo homeschool college student, columnist and assistant editor for Growing In Grace Magazine and oldest of 8 children. She is chief errand runner, grocery menu maker and shopper, laundry queen, and organizational gal. She enjoys secretary work, site designing, movies, and blogging. She will remain home until the Lord brings her Man of Steel. Find out more at The Daily Planet.

I know first hand how some people tend to react to shrimp and cheese but there are some tasty dishes out there including this one with one of my favorites types of cheese, Parmesan.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound large raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 1-1/2 cups onions, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (16 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 cup fresh asparagus, diced
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup black olives, halved
• 1 pound rotini pasta, cooked and drained
• 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) Wisconsin Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, julienned
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook shrimp in 2 tablespoons of oil for
about 3 minutes or until opaque, stirring often. Remove shrimp from skillet;
set aside.
In same skillet, cook onions and garlic in remaining oil for 3 minutes.

Add tomatoes, asparagus and wine; heat to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer
for 5 minutes. Add cooked shrimp and olives; heat through.

In a large bowl, gently combine pasta, shrimp-vegetable mixture, cheese,
parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers.

Get more cheesy recipes at Eat Wisconsin Cheese

Isn’t slow cooking the best?    This is a wonderful White Chili recipe submitted by a friend of a friend of mine!

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb cubed boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 medium onion, chopped
1 ½ tsp garlic powder (I use ½ tsp crushed garlic)
1 T vegetable oil
2 cans (15.5 oz each) Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth (for a thinner broth, use 2 cans)
2 cans (4 oz each) chopped green chilies
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano (I use the crushed oregano leaves)
½ tsp pepper
1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper depending on spiciness
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
3/4 to 1 cup whipping cream

DIRECTIONS:

In a large saucepan, saute’ chicken, onion, and garlic in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and whipping cream. Serve immediately. Serves 5.

Been told it’s even better the second day.