Kitchen Makeover!

I am so excited! After 7 years of yearning, I got a new kitchen table!!!!

Before-


I bought this one from Aaron's Rent to Own 7 years ago for $50. It was super used and really beat up. I painted it and recovered the chair cushions and it looked decent for a few years. Then came kids and the seat cushions got trashed and the top started looking horrible. That lead to table clothes and nasty chairs.



After-



It's not the exact one I wanted but we decided we should not throw down $2K for a table until the mini Burnett's are big enough to know how to not ruin it! However, I still love it! It has a self storing leaf and pulls out to 48 X 48! Rock on!

And here is the crew for our first meal:

Opa!

Greek + Salmon = Opa!

I was grocery shopping today and Matt had asked for Peach Mango Salsa Salmon for dinner tonight. As I really didn't want it so while I was shopping I was keeping my open for something to do with the salmon other than the salsa. First I came to the canned diced tomato. I never buy these but they were buy 1, get 1 so I picked up two. I knew I had basil at home so I figured I would get some mozzarella and make a caprese salmon. Then I came to the perogies and noticed they had a new one- feta spinach. Feta instantly set off my greek alert and in a snap I had my salmon recipe

I am not a horn tooter but I outdid myself this time. Matt and Ansley loved it too.


Greek Salmon

fillets of salmon
diced tomatoes
greek olives
feta
basil

Layer in glass casserole dish in the order the recipe states. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 or until done.

Eat up!

(and don't worry- the Caprese Salmon will be served within a few weeks)

Another "Do Over" Success!

Remade the Apple Chicken and it was amazing.

I took all my own advice and marinaded it in apple juice all day. I also cooked it longer at a lesser temp. It was so juicy, nothing like last time!

Ansley and Rylan loved it too!


Here is the orginal post http://the5oclockkitchen.blogspot.com/2010/08/unexpected-inspirations.html

Drunken Shrimp part II

This time it kicked ass! I did the same marinade as the first time but grilled them instead of over-boiling/steaming them. So yum! Glad I got it right this time.

Trust me.....

Okay, you are going to have to trust me on this one.

Preheat the oven to 350. Place raw chicken in a glass casserole dish. Top with one envelope with Liptons french onion soup mix (dry), 1 bottle Catalina dressing,and one can of Cranberry Sauce (use the whole berry one and put it in a bowl and mix it up before you put it on the chicken so it's not canned shape anymore). Cook for 45 min. Serve.

I hate baked chicken but this was amazing. I served it with sweet potatoes and it just tasted like I was eating fall.


To die for.....

ANYTHING you want!

That's what I told Ansley- she could have ANYTHING she wanted for her 5th birthday dinner. What did she choose- spaghetti and raw carrots, "on the side, not in the spaghetti"


Fast forward to the big day. I made an amazing spaghetti with meat sauce. The sauce was to die for with fresh garlic and basil, giant chunks of tomato and tons of meat. I put the plate in front of her (with the carrots on the side) and she crunched up her nose and gave me a look no 5 year old should be able to give.

"What's this?"
"Spaghetti, baby, just like you asked for"
"Not that sauce, I want the red sauce"
"Red sauce?"
"Yeah, like I had at my sleepover"

Turns out she wanted the plain, flavorless can o'tomato sauce. Really? Seriously?


I did win points though with the post dinner cupcakes I made for her and her neighborhood friends.

Beer Cheese Soup

What do you get when you spend a cold day at an amusement park owned by a beer company? Yup, you are right- beer cheese soup for dinner!

This one was semi- homemade. You will have to cut me some slack since I did just spend 6 hours at an amusement park with my husband, a 6 year old, a (2 days shy of being) 5 year old, a fairly new 4 year old and a 9 month old grumpy baby. As usual, I made it up as I went a long. It was good BUT (and there is always a but) next time I will use more cheese and a darker beer.

I made garlic bread sticks with it and they were perfect for dipping. I would love to do sourdough bread bowls but the only ones the store sells are huge. I will have to figure out how to make them myself.

Beer Cheese Soup (the way I will do it next time)
2 cans "Cream of" something- chicken, celery, mushroom, etc (I used mushroom)
2 bottles of beer (Sam Adams Winter Ale or Oktoberfest or something like that)
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp of Worcestershire
1/4 tsp paprika
a little salt, pepper, and whatever else you love
3 cups sharp cheddar
4 slices of bacon, fried and crumbled

Pour cans of soup, garlic, Worcestershire, and seasonings into medium saucepan. Slowly pour in beer, heat on medium heat until simmering. Stir cheese in slowly. Continue stirring until cheese is melted. Pour into bowls and top with bacon.