Feta Cucumber Salad

This is my most favorite summer salad. My kids just gobble this one up! It's also done in under 10 minutes!! It is SO good with Greek marinated steaks & lemon potatoes (we are not Greek, but sure eat like it, lemon juice, Greek seasoning, olives, Feta, mmm, Fetaaa.......). A perfect summer meal!!

2 medium cucumbers
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1 cup crumbled Feta cheese
2 TBSP lemon juice
1 TBSP olive oil
1/8 - 1/4 tsp pepper

Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, remove seeds. Cut cukes into 1/2" cubes; place in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt. Stir in onions. Whisk together cheese, lemon juice, oil & pepper; add to cucumber mixture & stir gently.

Minestrone Soup

I found this on the Kraft website, & tweaked it (adding garlic, of course, & more veggies). It was really good!! The cheese is the best part, hehe. Add lots! My 7 year old hated the kidney beans (but so did my friend who is 33!), yet my 5 year old loved them. If you have haters, add less. I plan to next time. It's a quick recipe (minus the slow cooker part), but taste awesome!!

1/4 cup Italian dressing
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 TBSP minced garlic
19 oz diced tomatoes & juice
1 can of kidney beans, drained & rinsed
20 oz beef or vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 1/2 cups small pasta
Grated Parmesan

Cook onions, celery, carrots, & garlic in Italian dressing for 2 minutes. Put into slow cooker. Add tomatoes, beans, broth, water & seasoning. Cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3 hours. Stir in pasta 10 - 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle Parmesan on before serving.

Chicken Pot Pie

I made this on Monday for supper. G doesn't like so much pastry, so next time, I will just put the filling in a glass pie plate, & use 1 pie pastry on top. Other than that, it was really good! We had this with a Ceasar salad.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 large carrots, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 large potato, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 can of mushroom soup
1 can of milk
pepper to taste
2 pie shells

Dice up chicken & cook until no longer pink. Add veggies & cook about 5 minutes. Stir in soup, milk, & pepper, & heat through. Pour into a pie shell, then place the 2nd shell on top, fluting the edges. Put steam holes in the top. Bake at 350F for 40 - 50 minutes, until golden brown, & the inside is bubbly.

Teriyaki

I made this for supper last night & it was a HUGE hit. I may have to triple the recipe next time!! It's so quick & easy, so it is perfect after sitting in the rink until 5pm!! We had it with rice, & then I bought egg rolls, mmmmm. I want more just typing this out!!

1 lb beef, chicken or pork (I used stirfry beef, it came pre-sliced from the meat department)
1 tsp ginger powder
1 TBSP minced garlic
2 stalks of celery, sliced
3 large carrots, sliced
1 onion cut into chunks
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 TBSP soy sauce

Cook beef until done. Add ginger & garlic & mix together. Add veggies & stirfry until tender crisp. Whisk sugar & soy sauce together in a bowl, & pour over mixture in pan. Stir together. If too runny, I added a tiny bit of cornstarch to thicken it up. Serve over rice. Seriously, the YUMMIEST thing ever!!

So....Bored.....!

Well, not a ton going on. Which is nice in some ways. Also kinda boring! The boys are school right now (I pick Ry up in an hour & a half), so I'm just sort of hanging out, not doing much. I got some new scrap goodies yesterday in PA I'm thinking of "breaking in", but eh. Don't really want to get off the chair, LOL.

The boys & I went to PA with Reanna & her kids yesterday. I returned Garth's shoes (he can get his own next time!), hung out at Wal-Mart, & ate supper (mmm Arby's!). The boys got a new Wii game, they played it a little bit today before school. It is a Summer Package? It has like 7 games on it, volleyball, mini golf, etc etc.

I read A's notes from school this morning (I picked him up early from school & we went from the school to the city). A couple weeks ago, the school did a door decorating contest. His class won!! They won a pool party at the pool in town, but it doens't open until May Long Weekend, so they'll go after that! He was very excited! He also brought home a party invitation, for a friend's birthday that was April 9. Yeah. Brilliant. He still went to that party, the mom called me ;)

Well, I suppose that is my update for now. Nothing major happening this week, just hanging out at home & waiting for ball to start!

Ribs

I got this from my friend, the slow cooker goddess, Carrie. I hope to one day have her make these for me ;)

1 TBSP mustard powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 brown sugar
4 lbs ribs

Whisk together everything but the ribs. Add the ribs & toss to coat. Arrange bone side up. Cook on High 6 hours or Low 10 hours.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Wow. 5 words but indescribily good. I made this last night for a friend that came over for supper. This was the first time I made "real" cheesecake, & not the cheater way with cream cheese & Cool Whip!

Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 TBSP melted butter
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325F. Butter a 9" baking dish, then line with foil or parchment paper. Light butter foil/parchment. Combine crumbs & butter until moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Press into dish & bake for 6 minutes.


Cookie Dough
5 TBSP butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 TBSP sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1 cup chocolate chips

Mix together butter, sugars, salt & vanilla. Add flour, then stir in the chocolate chips. Set aside.


Cheesecake
1 package cream cheese (250g or whatever the foil packs are lol)
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Beat cream cheese & suagr until smooth. Add egg & vanilla. Pour onto baked crust. Drop cookie dough on top. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until set. Melt chocolate chips in a Ziploc bag, snip a tiny hole in the corner & drizzle over the top. Let set 1 hour (or place in freezer for 10 minutes), then cut, cleaning the knife after each cut.

I didn't add the drizzle, I ran out of time, but wow. It is still SOOOO good without it!! So yummy!!!