I Am Back

Whew. It's hard to believe my last post was back on July 18th. What can I say? We've been a little busy!!

For those of you who don't know, we welcomed our baby boy on August 11, 2016 at 1:37 pm.

Maxwell Charles Shartle Marshall was 8 lbs. 4 oz. and 19.5 inches long. He was born with a full head of hair, and we were in love at first sight, including Big "Brudder" (as we like to say) Alex. 

Alex was actually given the honor of naming his baby brother, and he chose "Max." The first time they met was one I had waited 9 months for, and one I will never forget.

His two middle names come from both of this grandpas. Charles is my father-in-law's middle name, and Shartle is my maiden name, and my dad is the last one, so we wanted the name to be carried on in some way.

Max is an absolute joyous addition to our family. We have all adjusted well to having a newborn in the house, and almost a month in, he has yet to wake up his big brother at night, which is good because the day I went into labor, was also his first day of 6th grade, at a brand new school.

It's hard to believe Max will be a month old this weekend, and I am simply trying to treasure every single second. Plus, Alex turns 12 on the 16th....so my boys are growing and I'm looking for the pause button.

So, you can understand why things on the blog are a little slow right now. Sure I'm still in the kitchen making sure my family is fed, but I won't lie, suppers are quick and easy right now, and I'm not really ready to try anything new yet.

This happened to be the last new recipe I did make about 2 weeks before Max was born. It's my take on a dish Alex had at Popeye's Chicken and loved. It's a super simple all in one meal with just enough kick to make it exciting. Add a salad or some fresh fruit on the side and dinner is done.

I promise to get back into the swing of things at some point. But right now baby snuggles are a little higher on my priority list!

 Cajun Dirty Rice

4 c. instant white rice, cooked

1 lb. ground beef

1 medium orange bell pepper, finely chopped

1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped

2 tsp. Cajun seasoning, or to taste

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. dried celery flakes

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

2/3 c. beef broth

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Dried Chives, for garnish

In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown beef with peppers until no longer pink. Drain if necessary. Add rice and mix well. Add seasonings and beef broth. Reduce heat to medium low and cook and stir until liquid is absorbed, about 5-7 minutes. Garnish with chives before serving.

Think Outside the Pasta Box

Here in Indiana we've been dealing with some really stormy weather. We've got floods in towns near to us, and farmers crops probably ruined for the season. It's been hot, humid and wet. But I know for many of you south of us, you're simply dealing with HOT temps. The stifling heat that takes your breath away the minute you walk out the door. On days like that, you want food that satisfies you, but doesn't raise your body temperature any more than it already is.

By now you know how much we love pasta. You know my obsession for it runs deep and if I could eat something every day for the rest of my life, it would be it. But when it's hot and muggy, as much as I love it, I just can't eat it as much as I would like. Or so I thought...until I started thinking outside the pasta box.

Why can't I have the pasta I love, but in a cool, summer inspired salad, filled with garden fresh, crunchy veggies, without a heavy, hot sauce? There is no reason I can't!!! We love pasta salad, so why not just ramp it up to take it from a side dish we love on picnics and at barbecues, to a main dish filling enough for a supper after a long day??!!

Oh.My.Blog! This is crazy good! I can't even describe it. There are no words for just how yummy it is. Seriously, I'm salivating just thinking about eating it again. Oh, and it just happens to make a ton too, so you can feed a crowd, or have it to eat all week long. Add some crusty bread or fresh fruit, and supper is done!

Be sure to keep this one in mind for your upcoming July 4th party! I guarantee it will be the thing everyone takes seconds and thirds of, and then will want the recipe too!

Summer Spaghetti Salad
Inspired by Taste of Home

1 lb. thin spaghetti, broken into thirds

1 (10 oz.) container cherry tomatoes, halved

2 medium zucchini, chopped

2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 (3.4 oz.) can sliced black olives

1 (16 oz.) bottle zesty Italian dressing

1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 TBS sesame seeds,  extra for garnish

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. celery seed

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1 TBS dried parsley, extra for garnish

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook spaghetti until just done. Do not over cook. Rinse with cold water and drain well. In a large bowl combine all veggies and spaghetti. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. In a medium bowl whisk together dressing, cheese, sesame seeds, paprika, celery seed, garlic powder and parsley. Pour over salad. Toss very well to coat. Garnish with extra parsley and sesame seeds. Chill at least 2 hours before serving. Can be made ahead 24 hours and refrigerated until serving.

Shared on The Country Cook

Disclaimer: As a field editor for Taste of Home, I share this recipe with my own thoughts and opinions. I am NOT a paid employee. 

Winter Time Salad

During the winter months, when the snow is falling, the temps are frigid and the days are almost as dark as the night, not only do I miss the warmth of summer, but the foods of summer. The fresh fruits and veggies we get from our garden or fro a roadside stand. The bright colors and perfect flavor they get from the sunny days and rainy nights. My taste buds begin to long for a nice fresh salad, but all the things I love to put into one aren't always readily available in middle of January. So, what's a girl to do?

Well, what about if we take a few veggies that we can find, even in the winter months here in Indiana, and add some extra nutrients, extra flavor and extra texture by incorporating a whole grain! I love the "bite" a perfectly cooked grain can add to a salad. It really gives your teeth something to sink into to, making the mixture even more hearty and filling.

Plus, if you are trying to eat better in 2015, adding whole grains to your diet is a simple and economical way to do it! Let's face it, sometimes eating healthier, isn't very easy on the wallet, but with only a cup of barley, this recipe makes a ton and can feed you for days!

I chose the veggies listed for one simple reason, I had them on hand. But add what you love. I really wish I would have had some cucumber in the crisper drawer that day, because it would have been perfect with this.

Make it for a side dish with a sandwich supper. Pack it in your lunch for work. Any way you serve it up, it's easy, yummy and absolutely doable in these cold winter months when fresh isn't at our fingertips. 

Veggie Barley Salad

1 1/4 c. chicken broth

3/4 c. water

1 c. quick cooking barley

1/2 c. olive oil and vinegar salad dressing

2 tsp. dried chopped chives

1 TBS dried parsley

1 yellow pepper, finely chopped

1 c. chopped cauliflower

1/4 c. sliced black olives

15 cherry tomatoes, quartered

1/3 c. sliced almonds, reserve a few for garnish

Salt and Pepper to taste

Shared on The Country Cook Jan. 23. 2015

Soul Food Saturday

Ever have one of those days where you have thought about what to make for dinner all day? That you have to make it, because it literally has become a craving in the back of your mind by this point? Because you are for sure you have all you need for the recipe you dive in head first without double checking…Yep that was me with this recipe. I’d gotten nearly through and found I was missing a main ingredient! What’s Jambalaya without rice? Well normally it would just be meat, seafood and veggies with a delicious sauce. But suddenly my mind went back to a day of watching one of our favorite shows. Swamp People. Bruce made Jambalaya Pasta. Jambalaya PASTA!!! I was just as surprised to see it as some of you may be just hearing it. I had pasta! This is where the recipe continued, and you get to try something new with me. Grab a fork and bring your best pasta twirling skills, this one is going to be good!

 

 

Spicy Sausage and Shrimp Jambalaya Pasta

 1 TBS olive oil     

1 lb. fresh spicy sausage links, sliced

2 yellow bell peppers,  julienne

2 lb. precooked, frozen salad shrimp

1 medium sweet onion,  sliced

2 tsp. Granulated garlic   

Salt to taste

3 tsp. ground cumin      

2 TBS. flour

1/2 lb. Cooked noodles (I used fettuccine)

In a large skillet add oil and sausage pieces. Stir to coat with oil and cook until browned.  Cover and lower the heat. Cook until sausage is no longer pink. Remove sausages from pan. Then add onions, peppers, and half of seasonings. Sprinkle with a touch of salt. Stir to combine. Cook until peppers and onions have softened.  Add shrimp and remaining seasonings. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer until shrimp is warmed through. Add flour to a small bowl with 1 c. of cooking liquid. Stir to combine and remove lumps. Raise heat slightly till juices are near boiling. Add flour mixture and stir to combine. Allow for mixture to boil and begin to thicken. Add sausages back to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until thickened and sausage has heated through. Stir in cooked pasta.