Party of 8 For Ramen Noodle Beef Stroganoff

I’m not huge into the Ramen Noodle thing, mainly because they’re straight up nothing but carbohydrates and a high amount of sodium. However, I find myself giving in from time to time because they’re cheap and versatile when you have a lot of people to feed and you’re on a budget.

One of the things I do find myself doing to reduce the sodium content is by not using all of the little season packets that come with the noodles. Instead, I add my own herbs and spices to the dish. In addition like most people do, I add a vegetable and protein to them so that they make a meal. Keep in mind that I simply eyeball my ingredients, so you may need to adjust accordingly. And yes, one of these days, I’ll take a photo of the results. Meanwhile, here is my recipe for:

Ramen Noodle Beef Stroganoff  

Makes 8 servings

• 8 packages of beef or roast beef ramen noodles
• 3 LBS of ground beef
• 2 TBS Onion Powder
• 2 TBS Garlic Powder
• 2 TBS Parsley
• 1 TBS Ground Sage
• 2 TBS Ground Black Pepper
• 8 OZ sour cream
• 4 OZ cream cheese
• 8 OZ Jar or can of mushrooms (drained)
• 2 cups of milk
• 6 Cups of water

Cook ground beef and drain fat. Add onion and garlic powder, parsley, sage, black pepper, 4 packets of the beef seasoning from the ramen noodles, mushrooms, milk sour cream and cream cheese mix and set aside. Meanwhile, cook ramen noodles  in water until tender and then drain. Add beef mixture to ramen noodles and mix thoroughly. Serve immediately.

 

 

Roasted Butternut Squash with Moroccan Spices

So, I decided to use some diced butternut squash that I had in my refrigerator for breakfast. Yep, I'm odd that way. And of course I love researching online for a great recipe when I'm really in the mood to cook. Well, what I found was a great recipe from another blogger called, Kalyn's Kitchen. Here's the original recipe, in which I adapted by sauteing in a pan, since I didn't need to roast the squash.

And despite it's looks, it turned out delicious!  Now it's time to get back to my writing, since the snow storm has been grounded from work away from home!


Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter.







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My Healthy Independence, Kansas Version of Fried Okra

I love okra and during the summer months we see a lot of it here in Independence, Kansas. But, while for the most part it's considered a healthy vegetable, most of us end up dipping into a not so good for you batter and deep frying it into an unhealthy version.

Well, not me! In fact, I can't stand deep fried anything! But it doesn't stop me from loving, and yes eating okra. So, when the Independence, Kansas farmer's market comes around every summer, I make my own healthier version by lightly coating the vegetable in sea salt, cayenne pepper and olive oil. Then, I heat it in a skillet set on medium heat until the okra is tender. The result is a healthy, yet delicious version of fried okra!





Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter and you visit her official website at www.theinsanewriter.com.



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Baked Caribbean Bagel French Toast Recipe

Since tomorrow starts my work week all over again, I'm up at 450am and never really have time to cook anything for breakfast before I head to work. So, generally I pick up healthy breakfast foods at the store that are quick and easy to eat in the mornings.

Last week I chose whole grain bagels for breakfast and found out fairly quickly that a bagel alone is not enough to last me until my break time since both proteins and carbs are a must for me.

So, instead of rushing off to the store to pick up some other breakfast foods, I took the remainder of the bagels and some other produce I needed to use up and turned them into my own recipe for:

Baked Caribbean Bagel French Toast

Here's What I did:

I spread out 4 tablespoons of butter, 1/2 cup light brown sugar and 1/2 cup shredded coconut into a glass baking dish.

Then I mixed together, the juice of 1 Orange, 4 eggs, 1/2 cup coffee creamer, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of nutmeg.


Next I placed the halves of 3 pre-sliced bagels over the coconut mixture in the baking dish.

finally I poured the egg mixture over the bagels, making sure to get the mixture over every bagel slice, covered the dish with aluminum foil and baked it at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.


The dish can be stored in the refrigerator, covered for the next few days and re-heated for a yummy breakfast that isn't plain and boring.


Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter and you visit her official website at www.theinsanewriter.com.



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A Simple Shrimp Salad

As a mom, writer and full-time employee, it's often hard to really find the time to cook a grand meal. And in this weather it's also not the best thing to be cooking in the first place. So a few nights ago I made a shrimp salad that was simple, yet filling and delicious.

You'll need:

• 1 lb salad shrimp peeled
• shredded cheese
• croutons
• 1 avocado, sliced
• bacon bits
• 1 bag of lettuce
• your choice of dressing

I actually had a white win herb marinade that I used for the shrimp, so my salad really didn't need a dressing to complete it. Then all I did was toss the lettuce and shrimp together and topped with the remaining ingredients. Yummy! Serves 3-4.






Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter and you visit her official website at www.theinsanewriter.com.WomenFreebies.com - Enter to Win Royal Secret II Perfume

Spaghetti Sea Salad

I used to make a warm pasta salad that the kids and their dad loved. I named it spaghetti sea salad. It's fairly quick and easy to make and of course cheap! Now keep in mind I just eyeball the ingredients, so you may need to adjust the recipe according to your family's needs.

You'll need:

• 1 package of spaghetti
• 1/2 bottle ranch or blue cheese salad dressing
• 2 cans of water packed tuna, drained
• parmesean cheese, grated

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Add remaining ingredients, mix well and serve. Makes about 4 servings.



Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter and you visit her official website at www.theinsanewriter.com.WomenFreebies.com - Enter to Win Royal Secret II Perfume

I Feel Like Ramen Noodles Tonight

My husband is a huge fan of ramen noodles, me not so much. But, when I feel like being a little lazy with the cooking or we're on a tight budget like we are right now, ramen noodles is what's for dinner!

So to jazz them up I added:

3 packages of beef ramen noodles to-
1 tbsp fresh jalapeno peppers
2 tbsp fresh bell peppers
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tomato diced

Boil noodles and chili powder til tender. Meanwhile cook sausage til done then add peppers and tomato and cook til tender.

Drain most of water from noodles and add sausage mixture. Makes 2-3 servings

What's With All the Dang Sugar???

Hey, don't get me wrong, I enjoy a sweet sugary treat once in a while, but come on! Sugar in homemade soups????

I had some tomatoes that I wanted to use up, so I decided to do my usual and look online for a yummy tomato soup recipe. Every recipe that I clicked on contained sugar!

I guess America is so damn addicted to sugar that it's a must have in everything. Well, this American won't be taking that path. So I'll see you later down the road. In the mean time, I'm on a search for a great tomato soup recipe that doesn't make me go ick!!!

Cooking Up Dinner

I rarely use premixed seasonings. I have found that they contain way too much salt and additives that I can't even pronounce. Instead, I make my own seasonings. It's just as easy and takes no time at all, especially if you make it in larger batches ahead of time.

Tonight I'm making nachos. I can't eat ground beef, so we use ground turkey as a substitute. Of course any really good nachos requires a taco seasoning for flavor. So here is a recipe I came across online that is perfect. If you try it, let me know what you think!

Taco Seasoning (Makes enough for 10 uses)

* 1 tablespoon chili powder
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon paprika
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon sea salt
* 1 teaspoon black pepper

In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container.

Planning Dinner

I always have a weekly menu planned when it comes to groceries. The reason I do this is because it not only saves time, but it saves money. Sure, there are times when I find out that our local Wal-mart here in Independence, KS does not carry the main item I need for a recipe on my list, or like when the family wants something simple like mac and cheese for dinner....... Usually however, the menu idea sticks.

I already have a nice collection of cookbooks when I'm looking for new recipes ideas for my weekly shopping trip, but sometimes I like to search for recipes online. Whether it's doing a search for Italian recipes, for a killer lasagna, or something as simple as a Mexican recipe for a new chicken enchilada casserole or soup, I always end up bookmarking the site for future use.

That way, when the family approves or disapproves of a new recipe, I can either put it in my keep folder to view again or delete it. Simple and easy!

Beef Tongue. It's What's For Dinner.

In an effort to get the kids to try something new and of course to just try something new all together, we're cooking Beef Tongue for dinner. Most people might get a little squeamish at the idea, but it's no worse than pigs feet or beef liver.

The kids however, are already protesting. At least our daughter is.lol She's one of the squeamish which is to be expected, so we'll see how it goes. But, in reality the kids are not used to a lot of foods. At one time in their life they were served on ramen noodles and macaroni and cheese. So I can understand why it's hard for them to try anything but pasta.

The only downfall I have found to cooking beef tongue is that it takes a long time to prepare. To cook beef tongue you have to boil it for at least 2 hours. This really the only easiest way the outer skin can be removed. Once that is done, the beef tongue is sliced and then included in a favorite recipe. I'll be baking the tongue with stuffing and serving it with green beans and mashed potatoes and gravy.

I have been boiling it for about an hour now and it's already starting to smell very yummy.

Turnips. It's What's For Lunch!

A few days we visited our local farmer's market. It's only available on Thursday which sucks, but one day is better than none. We ended up buying a cantaloupe and some turnips. I was impressed because I only spent 50 cents for a gallon size zip lock bag of turnips. Granted, not many people are a huge fan of turnips due to their strong taste, but I am!


So guess what I made for lunch today? Quite obvious from the title, I know.

Turnips with Rosemary and Soy Cheese

4-6 medium sized turnips
2 TBSP of olive oil butter
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 cup shredded soy cheese

Wash, peel and dice turnips. Boil turnips in a medium sized pot for 15-20 minutes or until turnips are tender. Remove from heat and drain water. Add butter and stir turnips gently to coat. Add rosemary and cheese and stir gently to coat. Serve and ENJOY!


P.S. If you're not already. Please support your local farmer's market. They are so much better and most don't contain yucky stuff. Plus you're giving money back to your community which is a very important cause!

Placenta Eatin' MMM MMM Good.....

Nope, the subject of this post's title is not an error. There really ARE people who eat their own placentas after childbirth. And here I thought this was just a practice that only animals do. How the subject even came to light was because, several weeks ago my best friend was reading about interesting practices people do. She pointed out mom's eating their own placentas and then hooked me up with some links and suggested that I blog about it. I started the blog, but then things became really insane around here, so I ended up setting the post aside. Then, a few days ago one of our cats gave birth to kittens and then ate the placenta. Tonight our other cat gave birth to her kittens and did the same.

So now, here I am discussing the ritual of eating placenta. Apparently, eating placenta can help with postpartum depression and hemorrhage. Some websites are even offering recipes for cooking up placenta.

Check Out:

Placenta Recipes from About.com
Placenta Recipes from Mother35Plus
Placenta Recipes from Twilightheadquarters


While it seems to be safe enough that a mother can eat her own placenta, it's not wise to eat someone else's placenta since there can be a high risk of disease such as HIV and Hepatitis.

And while eating placenta may not be uncommon in some households, it will most definitely be uncommon in mine!!!

One final and simply twisted thought....I bet Jeffrey Dahmer is smiling in his grave right now.. YUCK!!!

Progresso Skimpy Soups

Lately, I've been taking soups with me for lunch. They're easy to heat and I love the convenience of them. Last Friday I picked up Progresso's Chicken Enchilada soup. What a big disappointment! The soup barely had any meat or veggies in it and it was bland in taste.

I have had Progresso soups in the past, but this is the first time I have came across a soup that had very little to it. About the only thing Progresso Cheese Chicken Enchilada Soup may be good for is a recipe that is in need of a smile cheese soup. Anything else, it's worthless.

Kids and Dinner

I promised everyone and update on my oldest son. Right now he's being stubborn and refuses to try and walk. He is however, sitting up in a chair which is good news! Now let's hope he's a little less stubborn and starts walking again soon. My other two rugrats are doing fine as well. Just being typical kids.

I decided to get rid of the northern beans that have been in the cabinet for about a month or so. Soooo I made ham and beans for dinner. I'm not much for ham and beans, but the recipe I found actually sounded good and I made some sweet cornbread to go along with it. A new recipe I found as well, so I can't wait to try it. The cornbread is actually made with honey, so I am very sure it's going to be yummy.

Time for dinner and a horror flick!