The Shady Porch: 01.12

1.30.2012

Jalapeno Cornbread Pancakes and Chili

Jalapeno Cornbread Pancakes with Chili
I made chili the other night and served it our favorite way - over spaghetti. If you haven't tried chili spaghetti, I recommend it! We top ours  with shredded cheddar, onions, jalapeno peppers, and sour cream. It's really delicious. 
However, I recently found
a new way to serve chili and thought it would be nice to change things up...especially since it involved making my jalapeno cornbread, too!

The idea I found was to make chili toppers using a cornbread recipe. These chili toppers were pictured sitting atop the bowl of chili. Brilliant? Sure...but I decided to take it a step further. I used my Jalapeno cornbread batter to make full sized pancakes! We had chili pancakes for dinner tonight! I set out the same toppings we usually have with the chili spaghetti and it was awesome! It was a fun way to serve the chili and it was nice to get a bite of jalapeno pancake in each bite too. My hubby and brother were actually licking their plates...that's right chili on a plate...how weird is that? 

Jalapeno Cornbread Pancakes
Both recipes, my Very, Very Good Chili and the Jalapeno Cornbread have been posted previously, so I won't share the recipes on this post again. To make the pancakes, I prepared the cornbread according to recipe, but instead of baking, I used our electric griddle and fried them. Cornbread pancakes cook the same way regular pancakes do, so watch for the bubbles then flip them. 
To serve, I layered a pancake and then a spoon of chili and then another pancake and then more chili and, finally, topped it with my favorite toppings. It was fun to change up the presentation of our traditional chili dinner! Have you ever changed the presentation of a family favorite? If so, what? How was it received?   

For the original "Cornbread Topper" idea, click here.

Yummy bite of Chili and Jalapeno Cornbread Pancakes
 

** I didn't post a menu this week because we didn't get to fix last weeks menu. We were on the road much of last week due to the "homegoing" of my precious aunt. I thank God that we live with a hope of a reunion one day!


I shared this yummy idea and recipes at - Lines Across My FaceTatertots and JelloMy 1929 Charmer,
The Grocery Cart ChallengeGet Outta My Head, Permanent Posies

1.29.2012

Cheesy Potato Popper Wraps...great as a meal or a snack!

This is dish is ideal to serve at your favorite sports party! These tortilla-wrapped poppers make a great presentation when cut on the diagonal and piled high on a platter next to a bowl of sour cream. Sour Cream with Chives would boost the flavor even more! This dish is so hearty, it can be served as an entree or an appetizer.
Potato Poppers Wraps by The Shady Porch
Cheesy Potato Poppers...perfect for the big game
Cheesy Potato Poppers

Ingredients: 
3 cups frozen, diced potatoes or hash browns (fresh diced potatoes would work well too)
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1-16oz. container sour cream, divided
3/4 cup cooked bacon pieces
1/3 cup green onions, chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 T. melted butter
14 flour tortillas

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. 
Cook potatoes according to package directions (we baked ours
Stir together cooked potatoes, cheese, 1 cup of sour cream, bacon, onions, salt and pepper.


Warm tortillas (a microwave steamer is ideal for this).
Next, spoon mixture into the center of each tortilla and roll burrito-style. 
Brush with butter* and place seam-side down on baking sheet.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. 
Cool for 3-5 minutes, cut diagonally into halves and serve with remaining sour cream.

Cheesy Potato Popper Wraps by The Shady Porch
A hearty appetizer or a meal...Potato Poppers
Refrigerate any leftovers. Serves 12-14, depending on the number of tortillas you use and how you slice them.  *Ours didn't brown as well since we forgot the butter...still tasted great!

I shared this yummy recipe at these great parties! Join me!  - Country Momma Cooks,   

1.27.2012

Chicken Bacon Ranch Panini


The perfect crunchy sandwich with the perfect crunchy side dish.
We love sandwiches at our house! I think a warm grilled sandwich is one of the great comfort foods. (Grilled cheese immediately comes to mind, along with a big YUM!) The  panini is a toasted  Italian sandwich filled with various combinations of meats, cheeses, and usually vegetables.  This particular recipe combines the delicious flavors with chicken, cheddar cheese, bacon, Ranch dressing and Dijon mustard.  It is quick and easy to prepare making it a great weekday dinner choice for busy families!

 
 Chicken Bacon Ranch Panini

Ingredients
8 slices Crusty Italian Bread
4 T. butter, softened
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts


Dijon Mustard or your favorite spicy mustard
Ranch Dressing 
4 thick slices Sharp Cheddar Cheese
8 slices cooked Bacon

Instructions: 
Cook bacon, set aside.
Cook chicken breasts using your preferred method (I usually bake mine or use the Foreman grill, but, today, I pan fried them.). Slice into strips and set aside.
Slice Italian bread - 8 slices needed

To assemble sandwiches - spread Ranch dressing on one bread slice and Dijon on the other. Be generous... the mustard and Ranch dressing combine to become a "sauce" for the sandwich. Arrange chicken, bacon and cheese on the bottom slice and then add the top slice. Generously butter both sides of the sandwich, grill in panini maker, if you have one. If not, (and I do not...) here's how I made mine. I placed the sandwich in a hot skillet, then pressed it with a foil-wrapped cast iron skillet set on top of the sandwich. The pressing helps brown the bread. Next, flip the sandwich, re-set the cast iron skillet, and brown the other side, too. Slice in half and serve immediately with your favorite sides (pickle spears, chips, tater tots or potato salad, etc.)
Recipe from the Tasty Kitchen



Join me at these great parties - I Gotta CreateMade In A Day, Country Momma CooksThe Grocery Cart ChallengeThe Shabby NestMiz Helen's Country CottageHear The BellsTatertots & Jello

1.25.2012

Rock 'N Share #13

Welcome!  This is the 13th Rock 'N Share party and last week was our biggest party yet! THANK YOU for making it a great place to come!!  I can't wait to see what you've crafted and cooked up this week or what you've decorated and repurposed, sewn or photographed too!  

Presenting this weeks Rock 'N Share Features now in the
(There was another tie this week)
Feel free to pick up a Feature button on the sidebar.

  
  These are all  great blogs full of fun projects that you'll find inspiring!
Stop by and say, hi!  They'll make you feel welcome!  
 Congratulations!
Thank You for joining the party!

Now Let's Party!

The only requirement is a link back! (No link back = No features)--- a text link at the bottom of your post, or a Rock 'N Share button (see below)! You may copy and paste the text link provided below onto your blog post, in the event you are not sure how to do it otherwise. The Shady Porch






Please follow The Shady Porch! 
Although, it's NOT a requirement, I would appreciate it & I will always follow back
 **Just leave me a comment, so I'll know!**
I also ask ...
* Everything be family friendly!
* Link up your own projects...something that you've created. Please only post projects new to the Rock 'N Share...no repeats from previous parties!
* Link to a specific post  - NOT your Home page! No Etsy shops or other businesses!
* Mingle! Introduce yourself (comment) on other party projects! Be kind! Make new friends!

I reserve the right to remove links that are in violation of these requests!
**I will be sharing my personal favorites on my Facebook page throughout the week!**
Most viewed posts make the weekly Rock 'N Share Pinterest Gallery!
Be sure to check back each Wednesday to see if you've been featured!



1.23.2012

Saving Money; Cutting Clutter...my quest! #1

Since the new year began I've been thinking about having a recurring post sharing some of the changes I want to adopt in our home. I guess you could call them resolutions, and maybe this idea is to force some accountability on myself. Whatever the motive, I think it will help me stay on target, and, perhaps, someone else will be encouraged to stay on course with their 2012 wish list, too.

Money Saver #1 - Weekly Meal Planning
One of my targets for the year involves budgeting, and one of the areas that has always hindered our success has been weekly meal planning. We don't eat out often, but, when we do, it's usually because I failed to plan our dinners for that week. There is nothing wrong with eating out, but I've found that, if it's a rush decision, we tend to make less healthy choices for the sake of time and, in these situations, we are not thinking of the effect on our budget, either.   

Dinner Menu for week of 1-23 
Chicken Lo Mein with Peanut Sauce
Did you know?  I can make 4 large servings of this 
Lo Mein for the same price our favorite local
Chinese restaurant charges for a single entree.
Dessert will be leftover birthday cake! Yes, yesterday was a +1 day on my age-meter.  
    Here's another tidbit...if you are not into the meal planning but want to save money by taking advantage of your grocer's sales, there is a website that will do most of the work for you! Check out Food On The Table.

    Operation Organization
    I've always believed the adage of "there's a place for everything and everything has it's place." However, this is not in full practice at our house and, as a result, I have pockets of clutter. As with every new year, I wanted a fresh start....so, I've decided to tackle these clutter pockets sooner rather than later. 

    New burlap covered oatmeal containers taking care of the mess!
     

    Clutter Dilemma # 1 - The space above my built-in oven has evolved into a dumping ground for grilling utensils, large kitchen utensils as well as odd pots and pans. I've had this space organized at times but obviously had not tackled the real problem because it always goes back to being a clutter pile. This 'before' shot is embarrassing but is necessary to illustrate my progress in the quest to de-clutter!    

    My Solution -Make a home for all of the large cooking utensils that do not fit in my kitchen drawers and find a new home for the seasonal grilling utensils. I also added more S hooks to the rods so I can hang more of my kitchen wares.

    3 of stages construction  - full sized container, container
    cut in half and finally sliding the top into bottom half for stability

    How I made my utensil canisters for Zero $$:
    1. I took empty oatmeal boxes and cut them to the height I wanted to accommodate the utensils. Then cut a slit in the top portion of the oat container and slid it inside the bottom half to reinforce the new container. NOTE - Our local grocer brand oat boxes actually work better than Quaker brand because the rolled top has a little give but the plastic ring on top on Quaker containers creates a bulge when you slide it into the bottom. 
    2. You might want to put a quick coat of paint on the oat container so the container colors don't show through your material. 
    3. I chose to cover my new canister in burlap since I already had it on hand and my goal was to spend no money on this project. I simply hot glued the burlap to the canister in sections smoothing as I went.
    If I decide to use these containers on the kitchen counter in the future, I would probably  embellish them with ribbon and add a fleur de lis or rooster using a Sharpie marker. 

    Since I hope to make this a regular weekly post, I would love to hear your input. I hope you've found something useful, inspiring or humorous...this makes me think of a Clint Eastwood line from "Heartbreak Ridge" - "You can rob me, starve me, beat me or kill me. Just don't bore me."

    (I'll really try to not do that!)  8D

    Less Mess = Less Stress

    I linked up at these great parties - Nifty Thrifty ThingsFlamingo ToesThe Girl Creative, Homemaker On A Dime

    1.20.2012

    A Field of Poppies - Newsprint & Crayons


    I see so much that inspires me lately that I have trouble deciding what to do first. I like the newsprint canvas art that I've seen with the silhouette of birds or trees so I ripped up newpapers and decoupaged them to the canvas using Mod Podge. This all took place around the holidays and time just slipped away and I got caught up in life and didn't finish it. 
    Art: A poppy field - crayons on a newsprint canvas by The Shady Porch
    A poppy field - crayons on a newsprint canvas
    
    Next thing I know the melting crayon art pieces attracted my attention and I thought I would try making something along those lines. When I went to get a canvas the only one I had was the newprint canvas. So I've married the two and made something comletely different. 

    With the newsprint background I felt that red would pop and that made me think of a poppy field and that's how I got started. I took my crayons and melted the end over a candle and then make my strokes on the canvas. It was back and forth melt crayon, stroke on canvas and repeat. Some strokes were chunky leaving a heavy amount of wax while others were merely a smear, which made it so interesting not knowing what was coming in each stroke of crayon! I created the poppy blooms first and then added the stems. It looked good at this point, but I wanted to add the grassy field and cloudy sky. I created the field using various colors of green crayons and finally the horizon is white and graduates from light blue to dark. 
    
    Art: A poppy field - crayons on a newsprint canvas by The Shady Porch
    Just adding the white horizon at this point...
    I did stage this shot so you could see the work in progress.
    The burlap was thrown in to hide my keyboard and I was
    petrified I was going to catch it on fire! LOL!
    Once the poppy field was complete, I took my blow dryer and did a little melting and it really made the colors appear darker. I didn't want to make it runny or have it bleed, so I did very little with the dryer. 
    I'm happy with the final piece and have to say that it was really fun! A neat benefit of the early newsprint treatment was the Mod Podge sealed the canvas and,  if I got a drip or something that didn't look right all I had to do was scratch it off and there was no evidence it had ever been there!


    1.18.2012

    Rock 'N Share #12

    Wow & Welcome!  Wow, I can't believe this is already the 12th Rock 'N Share party!! I am blown away by that! Welcome Rock 'N Share Partiers! I couldn't do it without you and frankly, I wouldn't want to!! You are an amazing group...blessed with talent, creativity and awesome gifts! You are the party! I LOVE reading your posts and seeing your projects and I know that you inspire me and others too! Thank you for being here and let's do it again!

    Here are this weeks Rock 'N Share Features that are now in the
     Rock 'N Share Pinterest Gallery
    Feel free to pick up a Feature button on the sidebar.
    
    
    
    Pepperoni Pizza Crescents by Mess for Less
    These are all  great blogs full of fun projects that you'll find inspiring!
    Stop by and say, hi!  They'll make you feel welcome!  
     Congratulations!
    Thank You for joining the party!


    Now Let's Party!

    The only requirement is a link back! (No link back = No features)--- a text link at the bottom of your post, or a Rock 'N Share button (see sidebar)! You may copy and paste the text link provided below onto your blog post, in the event you are not sure how to do it otherwise. The Shady Porch

    Please follow The Shady Porch! 
    Although, it's NOT a requirement, I would appreciate it & I will always follow back
     **Just leave me a comment, so I'll know!**
    I also ask ...
    * Everything be family friendly!
    * Link up your own projects...something that you've created. Please only post projects new to the Rock 'N Share...no repeats from previous parties!
    * Link to a specific post  - NOT your Home page! No Etsy shops or other businesses!
    * Mingle! Introduce yourself (comment) on other party projects! Be kind! Make new friends!

    I reserve the right to remove links that are in violation of these requests!
    **I will be sharing my personal favorites on my Facebook page throughout the week!**
    Most viewed posts make the weekly Rock 'N Share Pinterest Gallery!
    Be sure to check back each Wednesday to see if you've been featured!


    Mozzarella Sticks the Easy Way

    Mozzarella Sticks wrapped in egg roll wrappers
    served with marinara sauce
    When out to eat at a restaurant and looking at the appetizers, one that always lands on the want list is mozzarella sticks! We love the crunchy coating and the oozy cheese center that is perfected by the dip in the marinara sauce. We don't make them at home...that is until recently!
    I ran across a recipe on Pinterest...surprise, surprise!  What really caught my eye, besides the tantalizing picture, were the easy instructions! There was no three bowl dipping assembly line needed on this one! They're simply wrapped in egg roll wrappers! How easy is that?! Easy peasy, I say!
    Tucking and rolling the egg roll wrapper
    Mozzarella Sticks

    Ingredients: 12 pieces string cheese
                              12 egg roll wrappers
                              Oil for frying
                              Marinara or spaghetti sauce for dipping

    Directions: Place a piece of string cheese at the bottom corner of one egg roll wrapper and roll up halfway. Now tuck the sides of the wrapper in and continue tightly rolling, moisten the end corner with water to seal.
    Repeat with remaining wrappers and cheese.
    [NOTE- you can easily half the cheese sticks and egg rolls wrappers to make smaller sticks and double your servings]
     In an electric skillet, heat the oil to 375 degrees. Of course, you can use any skillet you like just don't allow the oil to get smoking hot.


    Browning the egg roll wrapped mozzarella sticks
    Fry sticks until golden brown (approx 30-60 seconds per side). Drain on paper towels and serve with marinara sauce, if desired.  Makes 1 dozen.


    I will say that the cheese did not get stringy in the frying time we allowed. The sticks were nevertheless yummy. I would also suggest that you sprinkle a little Italian seasoning and/or Parmesan cheese on the cheese stick and wrapper just before rolling them up to add some of the flavor that's missing by not using the dipping method! We will make these again, because they taste great, and are quick and easy to prepare.   

    About Baking the Mozzarella Sticks** - I did some research on the possibility of baking these...looking for ways to make things healthier...and found that several folks had tried it. It can be done BUT with problems. The egg roll did not brown well in the pictures I found and therefore, did not look appetizing. Apparently the amount of baking time that was needed caused the cheese to run out onto the cookie sheet too. Until the process of baking Mozzarella sticks wrapped in egg roll wrappers is perfected, I'll stick to frying them.

    ** Of course the day after I post this I find a lady that has had success baking her egg roll-won ton wrapped cheese sticks! Here is a link to the recipe and pictures of her baked version!

    Original recipe from Taste of Home

    1.14.2012

    Ranch Crock Pot Pork Chops & Parmesan Mashed Potatoes


    Here's a Sunday dinner that practically cooks itself while you get all the kudos. That's right...just allow the busy cook's best friend, Mr. Crock Pot, do all the work. This is an easy recipe that I've made even easier using some of today's modern conveniences!

    Ranch Crock Pot Pork Chops with Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
    6 boneless pork chops, 1/2 in thick*
    1 packet Ranch Dressing Seasoning
    2- 10 oz cans Cream of Mushroom soup
    4-5 large potatoes, rinsed  
    5 T. butter
    1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
    6 cloves of roasted garlic (roasting directions below)
    1 1/2 cups milk (whatever you normally use, skim, 2%, etc)
    1 t. salt or to taste
    1 t. black pepper or to taste
    *Note - If you buy bone-in chops, be aware that the crock pot will cook the bones out of the chops and you could end up with bones in the gravy.


    Directions - Place pork chops, soup and Ranch seasoning in crock pot and cook for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. While the pork chops cooked, I roasted my garlic.

    How to Roast a Garlic - Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove all of the loose papery skins from the outside of the garlic head, then cut the top off of the garlic, exposing the cloves inside. Drizzle the cloves with olive oil. Wrap the garlic bulb in aluminum foil and place in the oven to bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove from foil and allow to cool for 15 minutes. To remove garlic from skins simply squeeze them out and place them in a bowl (remove any skins that may squeeze out) and mash them with a fork and set aside for later.

    Super Quick Parmesan Mashed Potatoes - Once the chops are cooked. Cut the 4 large potatoes into large chunks (I no longer peel my potatoes now that I've learned that most of the health benefits are in the skin!), and place in a medium-sized steaming bag (such as Ziploc Zip-N-Steam). Cook in the microwave for 8 minutes. If tender (fork test it), transfer potatoes to mixing bowl and mix until potatoes are mashed, then add butter, Parmesan cheese, mashed roasted garlic, milk, salt and pepper.

    To Serve - Scoop mashed potatoes onto serving plate. Place a pork chop on top of the potatoes, then spoon gravy from the crock pot over all. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.  

    Adapted from Food.com.

    1.11.2012

    Rock 'N Share #11

    Welcome to the Rock 'N Share!  
    It's evident by looking at the projects with the most views this past week that 2012 has everyone looking toward saving, sprucing and storage...which sounds like good starting points for this new year! I loved all of these tips and apparently everyone else did too!  

    Here are this weeks Top 3 projects!




    Ideas To Make Life Easier by Alderberry Hill
    Under $10 Door Redo by Space 46


    These are all  great blogs with projects that you'll find inspiring!
    Stop by and say, hi!  They'll make you feel welcome!  
     Congratulations!
    Thank You for joining the party!
    Be sure to get your Rock 'n Share Gallery Button! (sidebar)
    You can see all the inductees to the Rock 'N Share Gallery

    Now Let's Party!

    The only requirement is a link back! (No link back = No features)--- a text link at the bottom of your post, or a Rock 'N Share button (see sidebar)! You may copy and paste the text link provided below onto your blog post, in the event you are not sure how to do it otherwise. The Shady Porch

    Please follow The Shady Porch! 
    Although, it's NOT a requirement, I would appreciate it & I will always follow back
     **Just leave me a comment, so I'll know!**
    I also ask ...
    * Everything be family friendly!
    * Link up your own projects...something that you've created. Please only post projects new to the Rock 'N Share...no repeats from previous parties!
    * Link to a specific post  - NOT your Home page! No Etsy shops or other businesses!
    * Mingle! Introduce yourself (comment) on other party projects! Be kind! Make new friends!

    I reserve the right to remove links that are in violation of these requests!
    **I will be sharing my personal favorites on my Facebook page throughout the week!**
    Most viewed posts make the weekly Rock 'N Share Pinterest Gallery!
    Be sure to check back each Wednesday to see if you've been featured!

    1.10.2012

    Cheesy Ham Pasta...a leftover makeover!


    Cheesy Pasta with Ham by The Shady Porch
    Serving of Cheesy Ham Pasta
    Well, our refrigerator was full of holiday leftovers and I faced a familiar problem - what to do with leftovers that had been really good the first time? I am not a fan of reheat and eat. Most times, I like to take the leftovers and make another delicious meal, something completely different, if possible.  We had leftover ham and I went in search of inspiration, and I found just the thing...Cheesy Ham Pasta!


    My ham had originally baked with a honey mustard glaze so I was a little concerned that the glaze flavor might interfere with the new dish, but after tasting it I felt that it was mild enough that the new ingredients would still win the flavor battle. After all, this recipe has nacho cheese and cheddar, too!

    Ham N Cheese Pasta The Shady Porch
    Pot of Cheesy Ham Pasta
    This recipe is ready in 30 minutes or less and it tastes great! My family really liked it and we all felt like it was a nice change to have a pasta recipe that used ham. If you don't have ham leftovers, I know our local grocer has packaged cooked ham cubes...which I've used when I prepared navy beans (but that's for another time!).

    Cheesy Ham Pasta 
    1 T. butter
    1 T. olive oil
    1 onion, chopped
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    1 large green bell pepper, chopped
    2 cups of cooked cubed ham
    1 (17oz.) bottle double cheddar sauce (Ragu)
    1/2 (15 oz.) jar nacho cheese dip
    1/3 cup milk
    1 (16 oz.) package of fettuccine pasta (we used Dreamfields Linguine)
    Cooking bell peppers and ham cubes



    Directions: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir about 3 minutes. Add green bell pepper and ham cubes; cook and stir 4-5 minutes longer until peppers are tender.

    Cheesy Ham Pasta The Shady Porch
    Cheesy Ham and pepper sauce
    Add pasta to water and stir. Then add sauce, cheese dip, and milk to skillet mixture.  (Tip - use the milk to rinse out the cheese jars so you have no waste!)
    Reduce heat to low, and allow to simmer while the pasta cooks. 


    When the pasta is done, drain and place on a serving plate. Spoon sauce over and serve immediately.

    Original recipe by  @ About.com
    I shared this yummy recipe at these great parties - Sassy SitesPassionately Artistic, Frugally Sustainable, Savvy Southern StyleMarcia's Minutes For MeThe Shabby Creek Cottage, Delightful Order, Creation CornerSimply Designing, Country Mom Cooks504 Main, Flamingo Toes, Homemaker On A Dime,