Granny Rant's Buffalo Hot Wings

The recipe for these wonderful hot wings is coming soon. (I forgot to document the measures last time I cooked them.)

Don't know when I'll ever get around too measuring-out this one for posting so here's the ingredients:

Franks Original Hot Sauce
Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
2 Tlbs melted butter
1 tsp. chopped (fine) fresh basil
  

Free Rant Veggie Meat Lasagna

1/2 cup- broccoli (florets)

1/2 cup- zucchini (diced)

1/2 cup- red onion (diced)

1/4 cup- Borden's Half & Half

1- 24 oz. jar of Barilla Mushroom and Gralic Montanara sauce

1- 15 oz. container of ricotta cheese
(you may want to double the ricotta)

2 cups shredded mozzerella cheese (divided)

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 lb of ground sirloin or ground chuck. (optional)

1- 8 oz. box of no cook lasagna

Cooking spray of choice

(For this recipe an 8 inch x 8 inch square baking dish was used)

Pre-heat oven to 375°

Bake 30-35 minutes until top is lightly brown and sauce is bubbling

Total cooking time is approximately 60 minutes

Sauté veggies in skillet until tender (but not translucent); pour jar of Barilla Montanara (this is how it’s spelled on the jar) into medium size sauce pan and simmer on low-warm heat. Add ¼ cup half & half and ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese; stir together well. Stir in veggies and simmer for about 15 minutes. Place ground sirloin (or chuck) in skillet and brown, stirring often (you don’t want meatballs in this sauce). Add browned meat to sauce and simmer for about 10 more minutes.  Spray baking dish with cooking spray of choice; place lasagna in bottom of dish and begin layering. First spread  veggie meat sauce over lasagna, distribute ricotta as evenly as possible and sprinkle mozzarella over ricotta. Repeat layers until dish is full. You should use the remaining cup of mozzarella to top the final layer. Place in oven when layering is complete and bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and serve. 

Watch for new recipes: they're coming soon

Been dabbling around with hot wing sauces and a couple really good Mexican treats. It's a busy time right now for me with completing my final class for my BSIT program so things are little hectic at the present time. However, there will be some new blogs posted in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for some yummy fun food.

Chili to Brag About: great for topping nachos

2lbs- ground chuck or sirloin (can be substituted with chicken or turkey)

½ cup celery chopped fine (optional)

1 cup diced green peppers

1 cup diced red peppers

1 cup diced (or chopped) red onion

2- 15oz cans of Frijoles Nergos (black beans) un-drained

1 to 2- 15oz cans Contadina tomatoe sauce (or brand of choice)

2- 10oz cans Ro-Tel diced tomatoes (original)

2Tsp- cumin

2Tsp- chili powder

1tsp- oregano

1 tsp- crushed red pepper

1tsp- ground red pepper

1tsp- minced garlic

1tsp-salt


Place ground meat in Dutch oven and fill with water until ½-3/4’s full. Cook over med-heat until meat is done and no longer pink. Make sure the meat separates (you don’t want meatballs in this chili). While meat cooks prep veggies and place them together in one bowl- set aside. Drain meat the hard way leaving about ¼ of the water in the pot.

Once water is drained add black beans, tomatoe sauce, and Ro-Tel diced tomatoes, toss in the bowl of veggies but don't stir yet, add seasonings and then stir until everything is mixed together well. Cook over med heat for about 25 minutes, let simmer, and serve. You can top it with shredded cheddar cheese to give it an extra touch from the southwest.

Season Starter Rigatoni Pasta Salad

1- 16oz box of Meullers Rigatoni (or brand of choice)

1 cup Genoa salami (cubed)

1/2 cup Honey Ham (cubed)

1 cup zucchini (quartered & sliced - 1/4" thickness)

2/3 cup yellow summer squash (quartered & sliced-
      1/4'' thickness)

2/3 cup diced green bell pepper (packed lightly)

2/3 cup diced orange bell pepper (packed lightly) - Do Not Substitute

1/2 cup diced red onion

1- 12oz jar of Naturally Fresh Coleslaw Dressing

2 TLBS  butter or equivalent

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (just plain cheddar)- optional

1/2 cup grape tomatoes (halved)- optional


Cooking time: 12-15 minutes
Total time: 20-25 minutes
Chill time : 30 minutes


Note: This recipe will lose flavor if chilled for more than an hour; don't hold it overnight.


Cook rigatoni according to directions on package, adding 2 TLBS of butter to boiling water. Once pasta is cooked to desired tenderness, remove from heat; place in strainer, adding ice to chill pasta to keep it from over cooking. When pasta is cool (no longer steaming) place in large mixing bowl; add next seven ingredients. Toss veggies into pasta and add slaw dressing. Toss pasta again until dressing is blended evenly.

If you want to give it an extra touch, top with shredded cheddar and place halved grape tomatoes on top.

Final Note: If you cannot find Naturally Fresh Coleslaw dressing in the produce section in your area, you'll want to look for one that contains ground mustard seed. If you can't find one, don't worry, just plain ol' slaw dressing will work.


  ©2012, Frances L. Sunday

Granny Rants' Broccoli Cheese Casserole

1 lb.  Broccoli florets or one large head of broccoli (cut florets from stalk; don’t use stalk)

1- 10 ½-12 oz. can   Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup (heart healthy)

¼ cup mayonnaise

1/8 cup milk

2 eggs (beaten)

1 two cup package cheddar cheese divided; use either mild or regular (not sharp)

1 med. yellow onion halved and chopped (can be substituted with sweet onion)

1/8 cup walnuts (chopped very fine)

French’s fried onions (3 oz –up)

1 pinch paprika

Use

8’’ × 8” casserole dish (recipe doubles fine for 33×23×5 cm casserole dish)

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375°

Preps in 15 minutes

Total cooking time 40-45 minutes

Boil broccoli just until tender (fork should go through the stalk portion smoothly) don’t overcook (broccoli should be bright green).

Place cream of mushroom soup, mayonnaise, milk, ¾ cup of cheese in mixing bowl; add chopped onion. Wisk together until blended; add beaten eggs last; blend into the mixture; Set aside.

Spray casserole dish with Pam (or cooking spray of choice), drain broccoli and place in casserole dish; spoon mushroom soup mixture over broccoli- evenly. Once all the mixture is used, sprinkle the top with a handful of remaining cheddar, paprika; dust with walnuts 10- 15 minutes into baking but do not remove casserole from oven (leave dish on rack).  Bake until casserole is bubbling and lightly browned (about 25 minutes); sprinkle a handful of fried onions on top casserole when casserole is brown and bake just  long enough to brown fried onions (only 2-3 minutes: they cook fast).

Remove from oven and serve.

Note: this recipe is a favorite that most people will enjoy!

Free Rant: summer pepperoni tri color pasta salad

1-12 oz. box of Mueller's  Tri Color Rotini

8 oz. - Kraft Creamy Italian Dressing (can be substituted with zesty italian)

1- 2.25 oz. can of sliced black olives (chopped)

1-6 oz. whole pepperoni (slice in ¼’’ slices; quartered)

1 cup diced zucchini (1 med. zucchini)

½ cup diced roasted red peppers

Note: you may also add 3/4 cup grape tomatoes halved

Prepare rotini according to directions on box; add 1 teaspoon salt and two tablespoons butter to boiling water before adding pasta. Once rotini boils to desired tenderness, remove from heat, drain and rinse with cold water, place about one cup of ice on pasta, and mix in gently to keep pasta from overcooking. Once the pasta cools, place it in med/large size mixing bowl and add next five ingredients. Toss pasta to mix ingredients together well, being careful not to damage pasta; chill and serve.

This recipe preps in about 20 minutes.

Granny Rants: Taco Burritos

½ cup diced zucchini

1 med. red onion (diced or chopped)

1 lb. ground chuck (can be substituted ground turkey or chicken)

1 cup of water

1 packet of Taco seasoning (brand of choice)

1 package of 8 inch flour tortillas

(Garden mix lettuce, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream for topping)

Place ground chuck in 12 inch skillet over medium to medium high heat, toss in diced zucchini, and red onions, stirring occasionally until meat is brown. Once meat is brown, drain excess grease; add taco seasoning and 1cup of water (add water a little at a time so the mixture doesn't become to soupy). Stir in seasoning and reduce heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Then place flour tortilla in the center of a dinner plate. With large serving spoon, scope a heaping spoonful of the meat mixture from skillet and place in the center of tortilla. Fold the tortilla starting from the sides outside-in. Next flip the bottom of the tortilla up to overlap the folded sides and roll the burrito over so folds are on the bottom side against the plate. Place the plate in the microwave for 30 seconds (to warm the tortilla), remove and top with garden mix lettuce, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.

This should make about four burritos; you can always double it to make more...Enjoy!

Granny Rants: Tri Color Pepperoni Pasta Salad Too

Test portion:

½ cup yellow bell pepper (chopped)- 1  yellow bell pepper

½ cup green bell pepper (chopped)- 1 green bell pepper

½ cup green onion (spring onions-chopped)-1 bundle spring onion

½ cup red onion (chopped)-1 medium red onion

1 - 8 oz. package of Homel sliced pepperoni (separated)

6 oz. (1/2 of a 12 oz. jar), Marie’s All Natural Creamy Italian Garlic (usually in produce section)

½ box (of 6 oz. box) Mueller’s Tri Color Rotini

2 Tlbs - real butter

½ teaspoons-  salt

Total prep time 15-20 minutes

(This recipe does not hold and should be served when prepared)

Prepare Tri Color Rotini according to directions on box; add 2 tablespoons real butter and ½ teaspoon salt to boiling water before adding pasta. Place chopped yellow bell pepper, chopped green bell pepper, spring onion and green onion in salad bowl (together) and set aside. Boil rotini until tender, drain and cool (using ice). After rotini cools, place in small -to-medium mixing bowl; add ingredients from salad bowl, 6 oz. of Marie’s Creamy Italian Garlic, and 8 oz. of sliced pepperoni (separated). Toss pasta until everything is blended evenly and serve.