8 days and no post :(

Sorry everyone! Things have been a little hectic here and have not been on the ball with things! I hope is well with you all! We are good now Khloey is over her little sickness and I am getting over a UTI! This weekend we went to the beach wanted to get a visit in before fall comes! It was great! But I do not think eating a picnic on the beach with a 19 month old was a good idea! Lets just say half our meal we did not get to eat because it was covered in sand! So NEVER again will be eat on the beach lol! At the end of my post I will share some pictures we got!

Weather here has been very pleasant for a little while. But I think that could be ending. Earl is coming very close to our coast and with it being a category 3 I am sure we will be getting some of the effects of it!!

Also be looking tonight or tomorrow night for our favorite home-style potato recipe!







God Bless
Mamma Koehler

Stuffed Bell's

This Recipe has been passed down in my family for years! Easy and so delicious! Bell Pepper's Stuffed with our version of a Spanish rice(southern style lol)!

Stuffed Bell's

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 shallots minced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 1/2 cans tomato soup
1 1/4 cup ketchup
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 cups cooked white rice(leave it just little al dente)
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions:
1. Cook your rice and set aside

2.Prepare Peppers, Cut tops off, Remove stem, and clean inside *Also cut a little bit off the bottoms so when you fill them they will sit steady*. Drizzle with Olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake at 450 upside down for 10-15 Min's or until they are charred a bit on the outside.


















3. While peppers are cooking prepare the meat sauce. Brown Ground beef Drain and set aside. In the same pan saute shallots and garlic for about 3 Min's. *should not have to add any oil because there will be a little left in the pan after you pour out the brown beef*






4. Return beef to the pan along with tomato soup, ketchup, and chili powder. Mix well and bring to a simmer. Turn heat off and add rice. Mix well.






5. Spoon mixture into peppers. Top with cheese. Then top with tops of peppers. Bake at 350 for about 10 Min's or til cheese is melted.




















According to size of your bell peppers this will make 6-10 stuffed peppers! Now I only done three peppers but I still made the full amount of filling so I could cool and store in the fridge for our lunches tomorrow! But if you want only 3-4 peppers I would cut the filling recipe in half!

Cubed Steak & Gravy w/ Mashed Potato's

This is what we had last night! I was going to post it after the Stir Fry but I got too sleepy lol! So here ya go...

Down here in the south Cubed Steak and Gravy = Home Comfort. Its not all that good for you but hey its not like you are going to eat it once a week so allow yourself to indulge every once in a while. A lot of people are scared to cook Cubed Steak. They find that it ends up tough and rubbery. A couple keeps to make sure that does not happen is...

1. When looking at cubed steak you want to see bright red. If there is a lot for white(Grissel) then your going to have a tough time getting that tender. So the least white the better.

2. The Thinner the better. Choose thinner pieces over the thicker ones.

3. Cook Low and Slow.
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Steak & Gravy
Ingredients

1 pd cubed steak(THIN)
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp of salt(+ a little more for seasoning steaks)
1 tsp pepper(+ a little more for seasoning steaks)
1 tsp onion powder
2 1/4 cups of water
Oil for frying

Directions

1. Season steak with salt and pepper on both sides


2. Mix together flour, salt, pepper, and onion powder.

3. Dredge steaks with flour mixture and reserve left over flour mixture.

4. In a frying pan or cast iron skillet heat oil. You want it to come about 1/2 inch up the side of the pan. Fry steaks for 3-5 Min's on each side till golden brown. Set aside on a paper towel.









5. Pour some oil out BUT leave enough in the pan to cover the bottom completely. Add reserved flour and cook till browned stirring it constantly with a fork, wooden spoon, or spatula.





6. Add in 2 1/4 cups of water gradually as you continue to stir until well incorporated. Turn heat to low, add in steaks, cover with lid, and simmer for 30-45 Min's.












After cooking for 45 mins!!! MMM


***After frying up the meat and making the gravy you could put this all in the crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours! And if you done it in the crock pot you could also use a thicker cut of cubed steak sense you are cooking it longer! MMMM***

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Mashed Potato's

Ingredients

5 lbs potato's(Boiled in well salted water and drained well)
1/2 cup half and half
5 Tablespoons of butter
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Directions

1. Peel and Dice Potato's. Place in a pot with cold well salted water. Bring to a boil and boil til fork tender about 10 to 15 Min's. Drain well. Return to pot.


2. Add in Butter and mix with mixer til melted. Add Half and Half and Mix til smooth and creaming about 3Min's. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking! Place on plate and smoother with gravy MM.

Sweet & Salty Stir Fry

Hey All,

I am so sorry for the delay in post's. My daughter has been down with a yucky virus and just now has stopped running a fever and eating a little bit. I hate seeing her sick and when she is sick she wants to be rocked and cuddled (I love the part tho)! But good new she is feeling better and I am hoping she will continue to get better. I have two recipes to share tonight. I will post them in separate blogs tho.


This recipe I am about to share is my take on a Stir Fry. It is a mix between a Lo Mien and a Stir Fry. I found a Lo Mien Recipe I wanted to try along with a Stir Fry I wanted to try. I liked the sweet element I found in the Lo Mien which was the honey of course. Then I enjoyed all the veggies that the stir fry had. So I came up with this recipe! And it turned out amazing! Its a little work but I promise once you eat it you will not be sorry and the Stir Fry/ Lo Miens at the Chinese restaurants will never compare!

***You will Notice in the recipe Red & Green Bell Pepper's! You will not see them in my dish because they were not on sale that week! But if you like Red and Green Bell Pepper please use it cause it just adds another flavor element and is so yummy!***
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Sweet & Salty Stir Fry

4 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast Halves (Cut into thin strips, or chunks)
1 Tablespoon + 2 Teaspoons Honey, divided
3 tablespoons Vinegar (Your choice I use White, you can use Rice Wine, Apple Cider, any you like)
1/2 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce (Divided)
1 1/4 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth *Just shy of a 14.5 oz can*
1 Cup Water
3 Tablespoon Olive Oil (Divided)
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
2 Tablespoon Cornstarch
1 (12 ounce) Package Uncooked Spaghetti
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
2 cups Sweet Baby Carrots *Cut in Strips*
2 cups Sweet Onions *Cut in Strips*
1 Green Bell Pepper *Cut in Strips*
1 Red Bell Pepper *Cut in Strips*
2 cups Brocolli *I used fresh you can also use frozen(just make sure its thawed)*


Directions

1. In a medium, non-reactive bowl, combine the chicken with 2 1/2 teaspoons of Honey, 1 1/2 Tablespoons Vinegar and 1/4 cup Soy Sauce. Mix this together and coat the chicken well. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 1-3 hours. No longer because the vinger will start to break down the chicken and give it a weird texture.










2. In another medium bowl, combine the Chicken Broth, Water, 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, Pepper, remaining Honey, Vinegar and Soy Sauce. Then In a separate small bowl you want to dissolve the cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of the mixture listed above and slowly add to the bulk of the mixture, stirring well. Set aside.


4.Cook the spaghetti just shy of being done, drain and set aside.

5.Heat 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil in a large saucepan over high heat until it starts to smoke. Add the chicken and stir-fry until browned. Then set aside on a plate.*You want them to have a little char on them.*


6. Heat the remaining olive oil in the pan over high heat. Add the Garlic, Onions, and Bell Peppers saute til Caramelized. Add Carrot's, & Broccoli and stir-fry for until tender but with a slight bite and lightly Caramelized. Add the reserved sauce mixture and then the chicken. Simmer until the sauce thickens. Add the reserved noodles and toss gently, coating everything well with the sauce, Cook for an additional 2 to 3 mins so the flavors can get in the noodles.













7. SERVE and ENJOY! MMMM

Good Evening :)

How was everyone's Monday? Ahhh mine was the definite definition of MONDAY lol. Monday - WORST DAY OF THE WEEK! It has just been a what can go wrong will go wrong day. Bout to cook supper Corn Dog's & Waffle Fry's tonight fried in Canola oil. I LOVE CANOLA OIL. So no recipe for ya tonight. But tomorrow check in for my Sweet & Salt Stir Fry Recipe. It has chicken, broccoli, carrots, onions, pasta, and the perfect amount of salty and sweet flavor! I call it a stir fry but its kinda like a stir fry and lo mien mix lol. Delicious tho! I hope everyone has a great Monday and if not lets just look forward to a much better day tomorrow right?

I want to share with you all that Friday I started working for a company called Melaleuca. I would love for everyone to keep me in there prayers that this works our for me. I really need the extra cash so I am hoping it works right for me. If you would like to Know more about Melaleuca's Product please contact me by email at khloeysmomndad@aol.com. They have some great house hold and personal products. Cheaper then the grocery store's and also better for you and the enviroment!

God Bless,
Mamma Koehler!

Cheesy Taco Bake

Hi everyone, is everyone ready to start a new week? I hate the weekend is over but I am hoping for a great week! Well it's time for bed so I am going leave yaw with a wonderful recipe. Maybe try it this week. Very inexpensive and very tasty!

Cheesy Taco Bake

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef (Of course you can use ground chicken or turkey as well)
2 Packets of Taco Seasoning
1 1/2 cups of water
4 oz of Velveeta cheese (1/2 of and 8oz Block)
1 tablespoon of milk
1/2 tsp of Cayenne pepper
1 cup Mexican Blend Cheese
4 Tortilla's

Directions:

1. Brown and Drain ground beef. Return to the pan. Add taco packets, and 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Turn temp to low, cover and simmer for 10-15 mins.









2. In a microwave safe bowl combine Velveeta, Milk, and Cayenne Pepper. Microwave at intervals of 15 seconds until melted.





3. Layer Tortilla, Drizzle of Spicy Velveeta cheese,and taco meat. Top it with 1 cup Mexican Blend Cheese.













4.Back at 375 for 15-20 mins or until cheese is lightly browned on top!