Life Happens When We are Busy Making Other Plans.. (Dirty Rice)

Many years ago when my children were younger I came across a simple recipe that the kids loved..  Dirty Rice..  I made it often,  maybe once or twice a month..  it is a frugal recipe,  which as a mom of 4 growing children was a great thing..  well I actually forgot all about it until one day not long ago I had an epiphany and it came back to me.. something quick, frugal and easy that I could cook during the week when I don't have much time,  not to mention everyone LOVED it..  so I began looking for a recipe and think maybe I have found one compatible..  I am also comtemplating going back to a mostly vegetarian lifestyle..  sooo  I could still do it using red beans, black beans, kidney beans or cannellini beans..  very versatile recipe..

Dirty Rice

olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green and red/orange/yellow bell pepper chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef, turkey, chicken or 2 c beans
salt and pepper
seasonings of your choice
2 c rice
4 c beef broth

In a large saute pan heat olive oil,  add the onion and peppers and cook for about 5 minutes..  add the garlic,  saute for a couple of minutes,  add the beef and cook until no longer pink in the middle.. Add the rice and stir,  add the seasonings of your choice.. I like using garlic powder, lemon pepper, steak seasoning, paprika and red pepper flakes..  add the beef broth and stir,  bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally..  serve with steamed broccoli, a salad and bread..  I used white rice with this recipe this time,  but next time I will probably use brown rice..

It's been a while..

I know,  it has been forever since I have written in my blog..  Life, a house, kids, a granddaughter, work and being so tired all I want to do is sleep has been getting in the way..  I haven't really made anything new lately until Saturday..
I invited some friends over for dinner and knew I was going to make a cheesecake,  just didn't know what kind.. I had grabbed some strawberries from the Super T before I left work Friday because they were uber cheap and was thinking about how I could incorporate them into dessert..  I thought about doing the strawberry swirl cheesecake.. but I had done that one before..  I wanted something different and new.. so I thought and thought and started thinking about what goes well with strawberries.. then I thought,  CHOCOLATE...  yes.. I will make a chocolate cheesecake..  so I kept thinking...(I know amazing that my head didn't catch on fire from all the thinking)..  I decided to maybe use cocoa and melted semi sweet chocolate in my regular cheesecake recipe..  so I set out on my Chocolate Cheesecake adventure and it turned out even better than I had hoped it would..  :) 

Chocolate Cheesecake

1 1/2 packs graham crackers, crushed
1 stick butter, melted..

mix together and press into bottom and up sides of a 10 inch springform pan,  put in a 350 degree preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes.. remove and let cool while making the filling

3 8oz pkgs cream cheese, softened.. I use the low fat
3/4 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1/4 c cocoa
3/4 pkg of semi sweet chocolate chips, melted
16 oz low fat sour cream

In a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese until fluffy,  scrape the bowl and then add the sugar and mix until the sugar is dissolved, add the vanilla and the eggs one at a time beating well after each one..  scrape the sides and bottom of bowl and then add the cocoa, mixing well..  scrape again and then add the melted chocolate a little at a time.. scrape the bowl again and then add the sour cream..  beat well, scraping bowl as needed.. esp the bottom,  don't want to miss getting everything incorporated.. Pour into crust and bake at 300 degrees for an hour and 15 minutes.. turn the oven off and then crack the door open and let cool slowly.. after an hour take out of the oven and let cool on the counter another hour,  then refrigerate until ready to add the finishing touches..

Fresh Strawberries
Melted Strawberry Jam or Preserves
Mini Chocolate Chips..

Remove outer ring from cheesecake pan and run an offset spatula between bottom of the crust and the bottom of the pan, loosening around the edges..  hold over a serving plate and carefully place on the platter..  the offset spatula is what makes this an easy process and a really good non stick spring form pan..   cut the tops off the Strawberries (Prewash and dry them) and place them cut side down on the cheesecake until you can't get any more on,  melt the jam or preserves in the microwave and brush over the strawberries liberally,  then sprinkly with mini choc chips and refrigerate until ready to serve..