Mom and Dad's Diner

I have been ridiculously absent lately.
I dearly apologize.
My main blog has been calling and I am very sorry.
Can you ever forgive me?
Maybe after making this you will . . .

You will need:

A crockpot!
1 onion
3 cloves of garlic
4lb. rump roast
2 tsp. salt (*1 1/2 Kosher)
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2tsp, ground thyme, rosemary (one or the other is fine)
3/4 cup red wine (or marsala, I prefer the latter)
3 tbls. flour
1/8 cup water, 1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce or A-1)

Do this:

Chop the onion and garlic, put in the pot and place the roast on top.
We good?
Season with salt, pepper, rosemary & thyme
Pour in the wine (take a sip, if you’d like)
Cover and cook on the High setting for about 5 hours, or until tender
Remove roast to a serving plate and wrap in aluminum foil.
Measure 2 cups of cooking liquid into a saucepan.
Stir together the flour and water and stir it into the cooking liquid.
Bring to a boil, stirring, reduce the heat and simmer for @10 minutes.
Slice the pot roast and serve with gravy.
Be sure to make some MASHED!
Go New Orleans!

Dad

Tags: Beef, crockpot, easy, Super Bowl

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I made this the other night on a whim and it was very tasty.
And easy!

You will need:

2-3 lbs boneless chicken breast
1 pkg Good Seasons Basil Vinaigrette (prepared)
1 bag  Stacy’s Pita Chips
(put in a processor and finely crumbled)

Marinate the chix for as long as possible in the Good Seasons dressing.
Dredge in the crushed Pita chips.
Place in a glass baking dish (sprayed with PAM)
and bake at 375 for 45 minutes.
Remove and toss 1/2 cup of the cheese of your choice on top and
broil until browned.
Serve to smiling, hungry guests.
(serves 6)

Tags: chicken, crunchy, easy, Italian, main course

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This is a recipe that needs no intro.
Want a side dish that goes with meat, fish and poultry?
Look no further.

Noodle my Noodles

8oz egg noodles, cooked
2 tbls. butter
2/3 cup cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan (or Romano)
fresh cracked pepper and Kosher salt
1 tbls. Good Seasons Italian dry salad mix

Cook pasta and drain.
Stir in butter to coat.
Add cream, parmesan and dressing mix to taste.

Now and then, I butter a casserole dish, add the noodles and sprinkle with more parmesan. (ritz crackers work too)
Broil until a light brown.
Great as a side dish, almost as good as a meal.

~Dad

Tags: appetizers, awesome, easy, good eats, Side Dish

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This is a recipe I haven’t made in some time.
I will say that it is so damn tasty that you could eat a bowl of it with some decent crackers.
This stuff is awesome on hotdogs, burgers, pasta, potatoes and just about anything else you
can think of.
Just make sure you make enough!

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Brown 3 minced onions, 3 minced celery stalks and 3 minced cloves of garlic
in 3 tbls of olive oil.
Add 2+ cups of crushed tomatoes (canned works fine) and cook for 5 minutes.
Add 1/4 cup of vegetable oil, 1/2 cup of cider vinegar, the juice of two lemons,
3 tbls dark brown sugar (or honey), 1 cup of Ketchup, 2 tbls prepared mustard,
2 tbls Worcestershire sauce, 1 1/2 tsp salt, pinch black pepper, cinnamon & cayenne pepper.
Simmer and stir until well blended.
About 20 minutes.

Variations:
Hawaiian: to 1 cup of sauce add 1/2 cup of crushed pineapple, drained
and 1 tbls of Kikkoman Soy Sauce

Relish: to 1 cup of sauce add 1/2 cup of pickle relish, drained
and 1 tbls of mustard

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One thing that never goes to waste around here is mashed potatoes.
Meals have been had with just a warm bowl of them and a ladle of gravy.
It’s comfort food of the highest order but no one in this house ever makes them except me.
(that’s intentional, I think)
There’s no great mystery to mashed potatoes and I welcome any ideas you readers may have.
This is a basic recipe folks and I expand on them whenever I feel the need to be creative.
(serves 5-6)

You will need:

4lb. Idaho or Russet potatoes
1 stick of butter (I never said they were healthy)
1/2 – 3/4 cup sour cream
2 tbls. salt (celery salt is  nice for a change)
1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 cup of milk or light cream

Peel potatoes and quarter.
Place in large pot with cold water and heat on high.
When water comes to a boil, turn down slightly and put timer on 20 minutes.
Make sure the spuds don’t boil over.
Drain and add back to pot.
Add butter and spices and mash for 2-3 minutes.
Add sour cream and milk (or light cream)
and mash to desired consistency.
Sample for taste and sample again.
Ask spouse or children to taste. (Everyone will be glad to lend a hand here)
Adjust spices according to your preference.

Enjoy,

Dad

Tags: mashed potatoes, Side Dish, Thanksgiving

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This recipe was from an email to my daughter, Sarah, from my wife, Pamn
The dish came out great and the email is priceless. (spacing courtesy of me)
The recipe is awesome and the video has some nasty cuss words.
Sorry.
YouTube can be fickle and leave you no options.

Enjoy, folks

~Dad

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1 lb. boneless chicken

1/4 cup melted butter

1 clove garlic.minced

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (not 13 like originally posted!)

1/4 tsp salt

pepper

In a skillet melt butter and add garlic
Cook 2-3 minutes (Don’t burn the butter-Low heat)

Discard garlic

Combine bread crumbs, cheese, salt and pepper mixture in a bowl
Dip chicken pieces in mixture
Place in shallow baking pan
Pour butter over chicken pieces

Bake @ 350 for about 40 minutes or until fork tender

Sweet baked potatoes are best when they are cooked @ 400 for 1 hour or so
You could put those in 1st @ 400 for  about 45 min.
Then lower the oven temperature to 350 and put in the chicken for about 40 minutes
Check a piece of chicken (cut it) to make sure it’s done (White-no pink)
Feel the potatoes -they should feel kind of soft. (Don’t burn yourself)
I usually make more chicken than this-all the measurements are approximate
If you like more cheese then put more.
I usually don’t throw away the garlic because I like it.
If you are throwing it out , leave it in larger pieces-
if you want to use it ,
then chop it really small.(Watch your fingers)

Good luck!  Love, Pamd  Panm  Pamnd  Mom

(Sorry, Pamd, the other video didn’t allow embedding.)

Tags: chicken, humor, main course, profanity, video

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Just a break from recipes.

~Dad

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I’m beginning to realize there are 1,000 ways to make Cinci Chili.
Scour the net and you will find 10X that many recipes.
That said, I’m putting my own up here culled from years of recipe tasting.
This one is requested often by the girls and Pamela.
If you’re visiting from Texas you may want to go elsewhere as I use kidney beans.
Sorry, folks.
The recipe I’m posting yields 8 servings.
I usually double it.
And let me tell you, it’s usually gone in two days.
A few tablespoons of this stuff with a slathering of mustard on a grilled hot dog is
the foodstuff of the Gods.
Trust me.

You will need:

1 – tbls vegetable oil
3/4 cup of chopped onion (Vidalia, preferably)
2 lbs of decent ground beef
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. ground clove
2 bay leaves
1 tbls. cocoa
2 (10.5 oz) cans Beef Consomme
1 (15oz.) can of tomato sauce (not flavored with basil or oregano!)
2 tbls. cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3-4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
2 tbls. good habanero hot sauce
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained
Grated Cheddar Cheese
Diced Vidalia onions
1 lb. Linguine

Here’s the deal:
*Heat oil in a large saucepan over Medium heat.
Add onion and minced garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 6 minutes.
*Add beef and cook, breaking up if necessary with a wooden spoon, until browned.
*Add  remaining ingredients (except for the Cheddar cheese, Vidalias & kidney beans!) and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
(if you want to thicken this thing up, mix 2 tbls of flour with 4 tbls of warm water and add to the mix)
*Add kidney beans and simmer on low for another 30 – 45 minutes.
*It’s best if you refrigerate this overnight . . .  if not . . .
*Remove bay leaves and reheat gently over a medium heat.
*Serve over hot, drained linguine.
*Top with shredded cheddar and diced Vidalia onions.
Enjoy!

~Dad

Tags: Chili, main course, TexMex

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Mom has been making this for a gazillion years.
This is an old recipe that has transcended time.
Got some nice and tart apples?
Go for it.

You will need:

6 cups (6-8)  apples, cored, peeled and sliced
2 tbls flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
Mix all ingredients together.
Place in 2qt. casserole.
Sprinkle with Crisp Topping.
Bake at 375 degrees until bubbly, about 45 minutes.

Ridiculous Topping:

1 cup Flour
1 cup brown sugar (1/2 cup dark, 1/2 cup light)
1/2 cup Quaker oats
1/2 cup butter (call it a stick)
Mix together dry ingredients.
Cut in butter until crumbly.

*top with vanilla ice cream, fresh whipped cream or warmed carmel (or all)
to reach TOTAL diabetic Nirvana

Tags: Apple Crisp, dessert, Fall recipes, incredible, Pamela, sweets

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Maureen has been on my ass to post this sucker ever since I put up
Pamela’s Baked Bay Potato recipe last week.
FYI- I tend to make this a bit differently everytime
but for some reason it always comes out the same way.
I’ll never figure that one out.
Just know that this behemoth of a loaf is usually gone in two days.
I know, that’s just wrong.
Hot or cold, this stuff is just ridiculously tasty.
Make sure you have some crusty Italian bread for sandwiches the next day.

You will need:

1 lb – decent ground beef
2 lbs. – fresh ground pork (the fresher, the better)
1 (+) cup of bread crumbs (may need to add more depending on the consistency)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (plus 1/2 cup more for a bit later!)
3 – eggs
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tbls. decent Italian salad dressing
1 healthy splash of Worcestershire sauce (steak sauce)
3/4 cup of Pastene crushed tomatoes (any quality tomato will do) (+ 1/2 cup for later)
2 tbls. Italian Seasoning (combo of  dried basil, dried oregano, dried garlic & dried parsley)
4 cloves, fresh garlic, minced
2 tsp. salt
1, maybe 2, tsp. fresh cracked pepper ( I always go for two)
2 cups Shredded Mozzarella (save for recipe instructions)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (@205 Celsius)

Mix all ingredients, except for the Mozzarella cheese, in a bigass bowl.
Don’t mix for too long,  just combine the ingredients.
Take a sip of vino or beer and get out the biggest glass baking dish that you have.
(It has to be sizeable)
Place half of the meat mixture in the dish and pat down until it’s even.
Spread half of the shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
Take a sip of vino or beer.
Add the other half of the meat mixture and press down lightly
so the surface is flat and all the cheese is covered.
Spread the other 1/2 cup or so of crushed tomatoes on the top of said meatloaf
and sprinkle with the 1/2 cup of Parmesan/Romano cheese.
I usually sprinkle a bit of Italian seasoning on the top of that.
Place in pre-heated oven and bake, uncovered  for @ 1 hour. (be sure to check that it doesn’t burn!)
The loaf should be bubbling in the middle and all around.
Remove from oven and cover with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Place in oven for 5 minutes to melt cheese.
Turn on broiler and broil until cheese is browned and bubbly.
Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
Serve with mashed potatoes or THIS.
A simple tossed salad dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
will round out the meal.
Pour more vino or beer and enjoy.
Here’s lookin’ at you kid . . .

~Dad

Tags: easy, family, Italian Meatloaf, main course

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