BBQ Sauce III

Here is another delicious and easy BBQ sauce recipe to try. 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3/4 cup chopped onions
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tsps salt
3/4 cup water
2 Tbsps prepared mustard
3/4 cup ketchup
3 Tbsps worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup salad oil/Olive Oil
3 Tbsps sugar
1/2 tsp pepper

Cook onions in oil.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes or so.

Enjoy!



Jill's Comfort Zone

Potato Soup with Sausage

Hello my devoted readers!  It feels good to me rid of that nasty cold I was fighting last weekend!  I haven't been sick like that all year...glad that's behind me.  I'm not a soup fan at all.  If I do indulge, it must be chunky and not watery.  Since I was under the weather, I knew I needed something other than water, tea, and DayQuil!  Something that would stick to my bones and help fight off whatever it was that had me down.  I've always wanted to try some Potato Soup but just never wanted to make it until now.

I found this recipe in Taste of Home's "Special 10th Anniversary Edition" Family Favorites Recipe book written by: Dorothy Althause, from Magalia, California!  Girl I have to say thank you for sharing your great-grandmother's recipe.  This was truly easy to make and delish!!!!  I must give you and your great-grandmother props.  Gladly to say, two days later I was back to normal.  Thanks again hun!  I added a few ingredients of course.  And I didn't puree the ingredients after it was done cooking.  Oh and forgive me, I forgot to take a picture of the parsley garnish...I was so hungry!  LOL!



Ingredients:

1lb pork sausage links, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsps all-purpose flour
1 can (14 1/2 ozs) chicken broth
1/2 cup water
4 med. potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup milk
1 cup green beans

Chopped fresh parsley

In a heavy skillet, brown sausage over medium heat.  Remove sausage and set aside.  Drain all but 1 Tbsp drippings; saute celery, onion, thyme and salt until onion is tender.  Stir in flour; cook 1 minute.  Gradually add broth and water, stirring until the mixture comes to a boil.

Add potatoes, sausages and green beans (if you like your green beans crunchy like me, add when the potatoes are almost done); cover and simmer 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  In between the 25 minutes, when it starts to thicken a little, add milk and stir. 

 

Tex-Mex Pork Chops

I found this recipe in one of Rachael Ray's magazines a few years ago and gave it a try.  The girls and my friends truly enjoyed it.  The next time I make this I'm going to try it with some chicken or fish. 

Ingredients:

1 small onion, chopped
6 boneless pork loin chops
1 cup salsa
1 can chopped green chilies
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp pepper

In a large skillet coated with butter-flavored spray (I used reg. Olive Oil Pam), saute onion until tender.  Add pork chops; cook over med. heat for 5-6 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.

Combine the salsa, chilies, cumin and pepper; pour over chops.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer until heated through.

Enjoy!







Jill's Comfort Zone

Sauteed Scallops w. Angel Hair Pasta

 I found another picture...same recipe but different pasta.  The picture sucks but I just wanted to give you a visual of the dish.  I will make this again and update with a better photo.

An old foodie buddy of mines by the name of Dodger from MySpace shared this recipe with me years ago when I started experimenting more with scallops.  I use to not like scallops because of the chewy texture until I decided to make them myself.  Then I came to realize that it's not chewy at all.  It was just that they were over cooked.  This dish was an absolutely delish!  Now I'm in the mood for some scallops.  I'm sure I have an old picture floating around on here some where so I'm going to search for it and update later.

 

INGREDIENTS:

*2lbs fresh sea scallops, cut into quarters or bay scallops
*2Tbsps butter
*1/2 cup white wine
*2 Tbsps fresh lemon juice
*1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
*2 Tbsps fresh chives, chopped   
*1/4 tsp garlic salt
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*1/8 tsp white pepper   
*1lb angel hair pasta

Rinse scallops in cold water and drain.  Add butter to large skillet and melt.  Add scallops and cook over med. heat 5 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove scallops using a slotted spoon and set aside.

Cook pasta and drain.

Add wine, lemon juice and chives to skillet.  Cook over med. heat for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add garlic salt, garlic and pepper and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes; remove from heat.  

To serve, spoon sauce over drained pasta, spoon scallops over sauce and sprinkle parsley.
 

Enjoy!






Jill's Comfort Zone

Pleasing Kid Friendly Chili

Mom's are always looking for something quick, simple and delicious to make after a long day.  I'm not big on canned food but it's great to have on hand just in case.  Well one evening it was one of those "Just in case" kind of nights.  I needed something quick to make after I got home from work and I was in no mood to stand on my feet slaving over the stove.  Thankfully I had some can of beans in the cabinet.  The recipe called for condensed tomato soup but of course I didn't have any in my cabinet.  It also called for some instant minced onion...what the heck is instant onions?  LOL!  So I just spruced up some Hunts canned tomato sauce.  
 

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 can (15 to 16 ozs) tomato sauce
1 tomato sauce can water
1 can (15 to 16 ozs) kidney beans, rinsed and drained tomato paste
Onions, chopped
Green and red peppers, chopped
2 to 3 tsps chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions and peppers in a sauce pan with a little olive oil.  Add beef to the pan and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain.  Stir in the remaining ingredients.  Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. 

I served the chili over some jasmine rice.   

Enjoy!




Jill's Comfort Zone

Honey Garlic Chicken

The girls and I was invited to my friends Family Game Night back in January 2012.  We truly had a great time!  There is nothing like getting together with friends and family and having a good time!  This was my first introduction to Kinect.  LOL!  Oh boy was I sore the next morning but it was worth it!  Watching all the children laugh, dance and play...priceless!  Thanks Mr. and Mrs. Coulverson for having us over.  Love you guys!

Everyone brought a few dishes.  Of course I was asked to bring my Baked Macaroni and Cheese and I brought these Honey Garlic Chicken Wings and some potato salad.  Every thing was truly delicious.  The wings are a great party finger food to have at your table. 


Ingredients:

2 bags Wingettes
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup Honey
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 to 3 Tbsps Soy Sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
Green Onions, chopped

Arrange chicken in a baking dish.  Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl except green onions.  Pour over chicken (reserve some marinade for basting and finishing coat later) and turn to coat.  Marinade 40 minutes to 2 hours in the fridge.  Turn on broiler.  Arrange chicken on a broiler pan and place in the oven.  Broil 5 minutes per side, basting occasionally with marinade, or until chicken is fully cooked. 

Remove cooked wings and place in a pan.  Add onion and reserved honey mixture; toss to coat and serve. 

*Make sure you pay close attention to the chicken because it will burn easily. 

Everyone truly had a great time.

Enjoy!



Jill's Comfort Zone

Honey Mustard Dressing

Serves: 16

I actually used this dressing to marinade some chicken wings in before oven frying them.  DELISH!!!!  You can use this for dips, salads or what ever you like.  Trust me, no one will be disappointed!  This dressing is so flavorful! 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup mayo
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
1 Tbsp prepared mustard (Sometimes I use spicy deli mustard)
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp minced onion flakes
Salt to taste

Whisk together all ingredients in a bowl until smooth.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Enjoy!



Jill's Comfort Zone

Beer Batter Fish Fillets

*Update:  I knew I had a picture on my computer some where.  This one is beer battered Tilapia.  Same recipe different type of fish.  As you can see, I've gotten better...the batter is still on!  LOL
I love beer batter fish!  Especially if it's nice and crispy.  Not quite sure where I found this recipe but it was tasty.  When I first tried this recipe the batter came right off the fish as soon as it hit the pan.  I can't remember what went wrong.  So make sure the oil is hot before adding the fish to it.  I haven't dabbled with this recipe in years.  I've found new and improved ones since then.  I'm trying to catch up on posting all my recipes from years ago that I have not posted yet.  So some won't have pictures.  My plan is to revisit a few of these recipes so I can take a picture to add to the blog.  So stay tuned for the picture updates on some of my recipes.  

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
A pinch of cayenne (optional)
3/4 cup beer (I usually use a lager)
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
2 pounds cod fillets (You can use any type of fillet you like.)
2 quarts of canola oil (If I'm frying large amounts of fish, I use peanut oil.  It doesn't burn quickly.)


In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, cayenne, baking powder, and dill.  Add beer, milk, and eggs; mix well.  Place fish fillets in batter mixture, coat well, and let stand for 15 minutes.  Heat deep fryer to 375 degrees.  Place fish in the pan and fry until golden brown.  Cook fish in batches to maintain oil temperature.

Enjoy!


Jill's Comfort Zone

Seafood Lasagna (Christmas Dinner)

There is nothing like spending the holidays with friends and family!  I truly had a great Christmas this past year.  With my mom in town it was like the girls and I hit the lottery or something!  LOL!  My mother spoiled the girls and I way too much.  She surprised me with a new bedroom set, a deep freezer, and much more!  It brought tears to my eyes!  Since I had to work the Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas, I decided to have my big Christmas Dinner that Saturday.  I invited over some good friends to join us for dinner as well.  I still cooked for Christmas day.  I love to entertain and I love introducing folks to new dishes.  I decided to make something yummy for my friends and family.  So I made seafood lasagna amongst other dishes that weekend.  Oh it was a hit!  I took some to work and boy oh boy did they love it!  I have my co-workers wanting me to make some for them and their family.

 
Here's the crew!  My mom in the front, Julius and his lady to the left, Belinda, Kevin, Shamiah and Torrey.  

 
 As you can see, we had a great time!


 
One thing I would do different is saute the scallops first and then add them to the mixture.  After the lasagna was done, I had to pour the juice out of the dish.  I was very juicy.  

**Ingredients for Alfredo Sauce:

3Tbsps butter
2Tbsps olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 med. onion, finely chopped
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mozzarella Cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Melt butter in medium sauce pan with olive oil over low heat. Add the onions, cooking for about 1 to 2 minutes and then add the garlic and cook until slightly brown.  Then add the heavy cream, pepper, Italian seasoning and bring mixture to a simmer. Stir often. Add cheese and simmer sauce for 8-10 minutes or until sauce has thickened and is smooth. 


 
 
 

 When sauce has thickened add the mozzarella cheese and stir until smooth frequently.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

 


 Ingredients for Lasagna:

1 Tbsp butter
1 lb fresh shrimps, shelled and chopped
About 3 to 4 crab clusters
1 lb scallops

2 Tbsps fresh lemon juice
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Lasagna noodles
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 bag fresh spinach, steamed

Put the crab clusters in a large pot and boil with some butter, salt, pepper, and lemon old bay seasoning for about 30 minutes.


After their done, pluck the meat from the shell and put in a bowl.  I had my little kitchen cluster plucker assist me with this task.  I so love her dearly!

 

Preheat oven to 350.  Butter a glass dish with butter.  Combine spinach, shrimps, crab, scallops, lemon juice, and Alfredo sauce in a bowl.  Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling and cook the noodles until tender.  Drain and set aside.

 


I would like to thank my friend, Belinda, for assisting with chopping up the shrimps and scallops for me!  You're the best girlie!!!


Now we are ready to start assembling our dish. 

Spread about a third of the seafood mixture over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.  Top that with a little grated Parmesan cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese.  Cover with noodles and then spread another third of the mixture and cheese over the noodles.  Repeat steps above.  Cover the top with remaining cheeses and Alfredo Sauce mixture. 










Bake on the center oven rack until bubbly and golden, about 35 to 40 minutes.  Let stand before serving.
*Place a dripping pan underneath with a little water in it just in case the cheese drips.



I'm telling you, you will not be disappointed folks.  Truly delish!  I enjoyed my holiday with friends and family!  My girls and I had a beautiful Christmas thanks to my mom!!!  Many Blessings! 



Setting up the table....

Dinner was truly Fabulous!  The menu was delish...a little of old with the new! Besides the seafood lasagna I made: a sausage cheese dip (to go with some tortillas I brought), corn bread, fried chicken, baked mac and cheese, yellow rice, ham, bbq baked chicken, potato salad, wild rice stuffing, greens, yams, and ice tea. I think I'm forgetting a few things!  This doesn't even included all the yummy dishes that I made for Christmas.  My, My, My....  My mom baked some cakes as well.  Oh we had a great time!

 

Jill's Comfort Zone

Garlic Grilled Steaks

This is another one of my all time favorites!  I don't remember where I found this recipe but I've been using this ever since with my own twists.  It's almost time to pull those grills out.  For me, sometimes too much garlic can be overwhelming.  So I use less then what the recipe called for.  Don't be afraid to mix it up a bit and add your on zest to the recipe! 



Ingredients:
- 10 garlic cloves (I only use 4 to 5 cloves)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- Tbsps EVOO or Canola oil
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsps worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- a pinch of cayenne pepper (Optional)
- 4 New York strip or rib eye steaks

Marinade for up to 4 hours or more in the fridge. 

Slap them on the grill and let them go.  Truly nice and juicy! 

Enjoy!


Jill's Comfort Zone

Semi-Jerk Style Chicken

Good Morning everyone.  I needed to take a break with my school work this morning.  So I decided to turn to my comfort's me the most...that's posting some delicious recipes and sharing then with you guys.  I have so much to share with you guys and I am finding it hard to keep up with up dating my blog these days. 

Anyway, I made this back in May of 2006.  I found this recipe I think in one of my Kraft magazines at the time and I truly enjoyed it.  I called this Semi-Jerk because this was far fetch from other Jerk Sauces I have tried before.  By in no means was it the worse either...it actually was pretty good.

Ingredients:
-1 envelope Good Seasons Italian Salad dressing and recipe mix
- 2 Tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp oil
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground thyme
- 1/2 cayenne
- 1 broiler fryer chicken, approx. 2 1/2 pounds, cut up (you can use chicken breasts or wings as well)

Mix all ingredients except chicken in a large shallow dish until well blended.  Add chicken; turn over to evenly coat both sides.  Cover and refrigerate 1 hour to marinate.  Drain; discard marinade.

Preheat greased grill to medium heat.  Grill chicken 40 to 45 minutes or until cooked through, turning frequently.

Enjoy!





Jill's Comfort Zone