“Cooking is an observation-based process that you can’t do if you’re so completely focused on a recipe.” – Alton Brown
I love this quote because this is my genuine heartfelt belief for all cooks! You have to be willing to experiment. Also, it fit perfectly with today’s recipe! I had a couple avocados in the fridge that needed to be used, so I decided to make some guacamole! Dave & I love to experiment in the kitchen so I said, let’s play around and come up with a unique recipe! So that’s what we did, and of course I am going to share this with all of you, my wonderful Dragonfly friends.
Our Favorite Recipes
Ingredients: Yields 2 cups of finished product
2 to 3 ripe avocados peeled, pitted, and chunked
1 Package of guacamole seasoning
¼ cup shredded taco style cheese or similar
¼ cup jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 TBSP minced fresh garlic
2 TBSP red onion, minced
2 TBSP minced fresh cilantro
½ tsp each fresh ground pepper & pink Himalayan salt
¼ cup garlic parmesan cream cheese- see recipe at side
Directions:
Take cubed guacamole and place in a medium sized bowl; add all ingredients one at a time in order as listed, blend thoroughly after each added ingredient.
Serve immediately with chips.
Cover and refrigerate any extra.
Garlic Parmesan Cream Cheese: Take 1/4 cup whipped cream cheese and add 2 TBSP grated parmesan cheese and 2 tsp fresh minced garlic; blend until evenly mixed!
This is great as a dip for bread sticks too!
Get new recipes delivered to your inbox.
If you enjoyed this blog, please LIKE, Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!
If you aren’t following me on Facebook & Instagram go on over & give a LIKE & Follow me for daily tips & tricks for your home & garden!
All text and images on this site are copyright of For Dragonflies And Me. Unless otherwise noted, you may not use this content without written permission.
“Cooking is not difficult. Everyone has taste, even if they don’t realize it. Even if you’re not a great chef, there’s nothing to stop you understanding the difference between what tastes good and what doesn’t.” – Gerard Depardieu
This is, next to all my soups, Dave’s favorite food! I love cooking for my family and those I love. I know I get that from my grandmother, mother, and aunt. They all cooked with passion… with love. I am grateful everyday I had such wonderful mentors both in the kitchen and with the display of love.
Here is my super easy and incredibly yummy Lasagna recipe. I prefer to use my homemade Marinara recipe, although of course you can use your favorite jarred sauce as well. Enjoy friends!
Our Favorite Recipes
Ingredients: Yields 8 servings
16 cooked lasagna noodles
8 cups of marinara sauce or a total of 64 ounces- about 3 to 4 jars of sauce, extra doesn’t hurt.
6 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
1 pound lean ground beef OR Italian ground sausage, cooked and any grease drained
1- 8 ounce package of cremini mushrooms, sliced thin
28 pepperoni slices
1 small red onion, diced
2 fresh gloves of garlic minced OR 2 tsp jarred
2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1- 15 ounce container of Ricotta cheese
1 egg
¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
½ tsp fresh ground pepper
½ tsp pink Himalayan salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley
If you’d like to make this recipe extra special from scratch, head over to my delicious Marinara Sauce Recipe! You won’t be disappointed!
PRO TIP: Be sure to use the ripest tomatoes for the richest flavor!
Do you have any favorite items you’d like to add? Here are a few more suggestions:
Diced green and red peppers
Thinly sliced Roma tomato’s
Sliced Italian brats
Onion slices
Olives
Pepperoncini
Bacon
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
1. Fill a large stock pot about ¾ of the way full and bring to boil.
2. While water is heating, in a large skillet add oil, ground meat, minced onions, sliced mushrooms, and garlic; fry making sure the meat is crumbled; when done, drain off any excess grease. Set to the side.
3. When water is at a full rolling boil, add lasagna noodles one at a time until they are all in; gently press down on the noodles with a large spoon to make sure the noodles are completely submerged, being careful not to splash up water. Cook following package directions.
4. Once noodles are fully cooked, carefully drain them into a colander; run cold water over them until they are able to be handled without burning your hands.
5. In a 9x13x2 baking dish pour about 2 cups of the sauce onto the bottom of the dish; layer noodles across bottom cutting to fit.
PRO TIP: Even if the noodles are still a bit on the hard side, don’t be concerned. While the lasagna is baking, the noodles will absorb the sauce and they will be perfect.
6. While meat is cooking and water is heating prepare the Ricotta:
Take the ricotta cheese and place in a medium sized bowl and add the egg, all the seasonings, and the ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese; blend thoroughly. Set aside.
7. Take the ricotta cheese mixture and carefully spread it onto the first layer of noodles, trying not to shift them.
8. Repeat with another layer of noodles and pour 2 cups of sauce over them; spread until completely covered.
9. Add 2 cups of the shredded mozzarella cheese & 1 cup of the parmesan; next layer the cooked ground meat & mushroom mixture.
10. Next layer the 28 slices of pepperoni- there should be 4 across and 7 down.
11. Add the saluted mushrooms and then cover with 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, and the last cup of parmesan.
Get new recipes delivered to your inbox.
12. Repeat with another layer of noodles and 2 cups of sauce and remaining cheese.
13. Cover the lasagna with non-stick foil wrap, and place the baking dish on a cookie sheet. Place in a preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes; remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.
Serve this with my delicious bruschetta or garlic knots or delicious Italian bread you purchased at your local farmers market… enjoy!
If you enjoyed this blog, please LIKE, Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!
If you aren’t following me on Facebook & Instagram go on over & give a LIKE & Follow me for daily tips & tricks for your home & garden!
Added bonus: You can go to my blog at www.fordragonfliesandme.com to purchase my original cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats and Treats. The cookbook has almost 1000 recipes on almost 500 pages! Check out the Cookbook Testimonials while you’re there!
Happy Day, Jean
Copyright Policy
All text and images on this site are copyright of For Dragonflies And Me. Unless otherwise noted, you may not use this content without written permission.
Whether I add steak, chicken, or shrimp my family is thrilled when I make Fajitas. Of course you can add any protein you’d like, but these three are our favorite. This is a super easy yet incredibly decadent meal to make. We like to have rice with our fajita’s, and the boys actually like to put that in the fajita! As always the possibilities are only limited to your tastes & willingness to experiment! Enjoy friends!
Our Favorite Recipes
Ingredients: Yields 6 to 8 12” fajitas.
3 to 4 pounds Sirloin Steak-You can interchange with chicken or shrimp or make it with all 3. Adjust proteins to be equivalent to the steak.
8- 12 Inch soft tortilla shells
2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
4 TBSP salted butter, divided
2 Packages Old El Paso Fajita Season Mix
2 medium to large green peppers, deseeded & sliced lengthwise
1 large or 2 medium red onions, sliced lengthwise
1 clove fresh garlic, minced OR 1 tsp jarred
1 large or 2 small jalapeno peppers, deseeded and cut into rings
2 cups Mexican style shredded cheese
Sour Cream
PRO TIP: Using sirloin steak makes for a more enjoyable meal. Typically stew & fajita meat is cut from the round steak which tends to be a bit tougher a cut. If you choose to use round, then I suggest marinating it in a simple marinade overnight or at least 4 hours.
Other topping ideas:
Jalapenos
Tomatoes
Guacamole
Rice
1. Trim fat off steak and cut into ½ inch wide by 2 inch long strips.
2. In a frying pan or skillet add 1 TBSP of the olive oil, 2 TBSP of butter and fry on medium heat until the meat is about medium well, about 7 to 10 minutes; stir frequently. Add 1 package of the seasoning mix about 5 minutes into the cooking; blend in well. There should be a bit of pink so the meat remains tender along with some juice.
3. While meat is cooking, slice peppers & onions; place veggies along with garlic into another frying pan with 1 TBSP of the oil, 2 TBSP butter, and the other package of seasoning mix; mix well. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes on medium heat covered, stirring occasionally. We like veggies both on the crisper side & a bit charred, so adjust time to how you like your veggies.
4. When veggies & meat are cooked, set aside.
5. Take 4 flour tortillas and place offset of each other on a clean dish towel; roll the towel from the corner until fully wrapped, tuck the ends under and place in the microwave for about 30 to 45 seconds to warm. Use immediately. Repeat with the remaining as needed.
6. Lay the warmed tortilla on a plate and begin layering your toppings: first spread the sourcream down the center of the tortilla, then add ¼ cup cheese, desired meat & veggies. Fold the filled tortilla burrito style so the fillings don’t fall out.
PRO TIP: I cook the meat & veggies in separate pans for two reasons. The first is that my youngest son doesn’t like peppers or onions… go figure!!! LOL. The second is so the veggies cook more evenly.
Get new recipes delivered to your inbox.
If you enjoyed this blog, please LIKE, Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!
If you aren’t following me on Facebook, go on over & give a LIKE & Follow me for daily tips & tricks for your home & garden!
Added bonus: You can go to my blog at www.fordragonfliesandme.com to purchase my original cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats and Treats. The cookbook has almost 1000 recipes on almost 500 pages! Check out the Cookbook Testimonials while you’re there!
Happy Day, Jean
Copyright Policy
All text and images on this site are copyright of For Dragonflies And Me. Unless otherwise noted, you may not use this content without written permission.
“Thanksgiving just gets me all warm and tingly and all kinds of wonderful inside. ~Willard Scott
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year right along with Christmas. Autumn is so beautiful with the splendid colors, the rustic smell of fallen leaves, and of course the cackling of the blue jays. But even better than all that, I love to decorate for the the holidays.
I wanted to share a few of my holiday decorating tips with all of my wonderful Dragonfly friends. I thought I’d start with Thanksgiving as I don’t really do a lot of Halloween décor. I generally keep to a fall theme. I hope you enjoy this post, and please be sure to leave me a comment below and let me know your thoughts!
My delicious recipes will be coming the week before Thanksgiving, so if you aren’t already following me on Facebook, click this link & hit the LIKE & Follow buttons so you don’t miss any of my wonderful posts!https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100049613212778
I always prep the day before I host a holiday meal or party. I love to entertain and make my guests feel incredibly special. As most of you know I am a mother of six with two grandsons, so we often gather at my home as it has the most space.
Pro tip: If you are bringing in additional tables & chairs, bring them in the day before and get them set with whatever linens, dinnerware, flatware, glasses, etc. This will alleviate so much day-of event stress! As you can see from these pictures, each guest has a linen napkin tied with a piece of raffia and then a special name tag at their place.
Layering makes a showy table! As you can see, I have a table cloth, table runner, dinner & salad plate along with a linen napkin. Each place setting is different which adds to the elegance of the table.
Name tags make people feel special! When your guests arrive and see the extra effort you made to the point of making handmade name tags, they will feel all the love you put into this task!
Use real greenery & gourds! I have a smorgasbord of living vines including bittersweet in my woods and the ditches around me. I love to incorporate beautiful fall leaves as well. A table centerpiece is so inviting!
Pro Tip: To make name tags I simply cut 4″ x 4″ squares of card stock, fold in half to make a tent style card, and then place a black name label on it. I used chalkboard paint markers to write my guests names. Be careful to let them dry adequately or they will smudge!
Pro Tip: Be eclectic!!! I do love things to match, but I also love showing off several different styles of linens & plates.
My grandson’s love to see their special plates and personalized name tags!
Pro Tip: Shop the dollar stores & thrift shops! I love to find interesting, one-of-a-kind pieces of glassware, linens, and glasses.
Our Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes
All these wonderfully yummy recipes will post on November 16th right before Thanksgiving, so keep posted on my Facebook page for that reminder!
What is a holiday with a Mimosa!
Pro Tip: DON’T use Brut Champaign, it is too bitter!
Herb Roasted Turkey
Our Favorite Pecan & Apple Pie Recipes!
Pro Tip: If you are not a baker like my daughter Taylor is, don’t feel bad to purchase pies from a bakery new you. Supporting local is awesome!
So-Yum Mashed Potatoes & Dad’s Delicious Stuffing
Grandma’s Cabbage Rolls!
Mimosa’s are so easy to make! All you need is a Spumante Champaign, some orange, pineapple & cranberry juice. Mix 1 part Champaign with 1 part juice. I like to mix the orange & pineapple, but my favorite is a cranberry mimosa!
Pro Tip: If you don’t want all the work of making cabbage rolls, you can make a cabbage roll casserole! You can find this recipe in my popular cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats & Treats. Purchase at this link: www.fordragonfliesandme.com
Of course we will have my famous Real Pumpkin Pie as well. For those of you who have my cookbook, this recipe can be found on page 304 of my cookbook.
If you enjoyed this blog, please LIKE, Follow & of course Share! Let me know what you think ! I love your feedback!
“A recipe has no soul. You as the cook must bring soul to the recipe.” – Thomas Keller
This recipe has become an all time favorite for my family, so I thought I’d share it with my Dragonfly family to enjoy as well!
A few years back I was invited to prepare this recipe on Fox TV2 while promoting my cookbook, Lovingly Seasoned Eats and Treats. It was so fun to share my pesto recipe on air. You can find my original recipe at the link provide below.
Our Favorite Recipes
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken Breasts- about 2 pounds 1 TBSP Garlic Salt, divided 1 cup Shredded Parmesan cheese for topping 1- 16 ounce or 1 pound box of Cellentani Pasta or similar 1 cup Pesto- see recipe link for Pesto recipe 2 cup Alfredo Sauce: Ingredients for sauce: 1 stick salted butter or 1/4 cup 1 cup whole milk ½ cup grated parmesan cheese 1- 8 ounce container of whipped cream cheese 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt 1/2 tsp fresh ground black Pepper
Pro tip: I recommend making the pesto sauce first, as this can be refrigerated allowing the flavor to intensify!
Pro tip: For the best results with the alfredo sauce, use as quickly as you can so it doesn’t begin to firm up.However if it does, simply warm on low heat until desired consistency, stirring constantly.
As a side dish, my yummy Bruschetta recipe makes a great accompaniment! You can find that recipe here: fordragonfliesandme.com/2022/09/14/bruschetta-with-feta-cheese-balsamic-glaze/
1. Sprinkle half the garlic salt on one side of chicken, flip and season second side. Grill chicken breasts until fully cooked and juices run clear;
2. Once chicken is cooled, using kitchen shears cut chicken into bite size chunks; set aside
3. Prepare both your pesto and alfredo sauces; see recipe link for instructions for pesto above.
4. Put a large pot of water on high heat while you are making your alfredo sauce. Add pasta once the water comes to a full rolling boil; cook until Al Dente. Follow box instructions for cooking time.
5. While water is heating, prepare the alfredo sauce:
i. In a medium sized pot melt the stick of butter.
ii. Once the butter is melted, add cream cheese and half the milk; whisk until well blended.
iii. Once cream cheese is melted and blended evenly, add remaining milk and parmesan cheese; mix until completely melted and is a smooth consistency.
iv. Add salt & pepper; blend thoroughly. Set aside while pasta is cooking.
6. Once pasta is done, drain and then place in a large serving bowl.
7. To drained pasta, add chicken and both sauces; blend until both noodles and chicken are evenly coated with sauce. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese and serve with bruschetta or any other garlic bread.
Pro tip: Once you’ve drained your pasta, add a tablespoon of olive oil, blend thoroughly. This will prevent the noodles from sticking. Butter works too!
If you enjoyed this blog & bonus recipes, please LIKE, Follow, Share & leave me a comment! I love your feedback!