What's for Dinner Tonight? Tinfoil Dinners

It is just coming to the end of the summer and I am hankering for my last tinfoil dinner over the fire. Of course you can do these dinners in the oven but it just isn't the same as when you are camping. I have been doing these since I was a little girl and my mom does this special sauce in them that makes them so delicious!

1 lb ground beef (divided into 6)
1 TBSP seasoning salt
6 potatoes sliced very thinly
1 pkg frozen peas
1 onion soup mix envelope
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Heavy duty tin foil

In a bowl mix together the ground beef and the seasoning salt. Make sure that the hamburger doesn't get too mixed otherwise it becomes tough.

Lay out 6 pieces of tinfoil, long enough so you can put all of the ingredients inside to make a pouch. I usually do about the size of a small cookie sheet. Place your potatoes on the bottom then about 1/2 cup of peas on top of them and then your ground beef (padded to resemble a hamburger paddy).

Mix in a separate bowl the onion soup mix and the mushroom soup mix. Put about 2-3 TBSP of it on top of the ground beef paddy.

Close the tin foil pouches by grabbing sealing the long sides together first and then folding the short sides. I usually take another layer of tinfoil and wrap it twice.

Place the pouches into the fire on your hot coals for about 8 minutes on both sides. Sometimes you have to cook for longer depending on how thin you potatoes are and how thick your paddies are.

If cooking them in the oven you cook at 375 for 8 minutes on both sides.

Make sure to check that your meat is completely cooked through before you open it up completely!

I really love my bowls that can pour. I use them for all of my batters. I especially like them for when I am making pancakes or waffles and I need to pour the batter. The best part is the handle, this way you don't get all of the food on your hands. You can keep them clean. Good tool for your kitchen!!

What's for Dinner Tonight? Spinach Cranberry Salad

We are going to have a neighborhood party tonight that has a pirate theme. I couldn't think of anything that would be even close to a salad that would resemble this theme but I knew that I would be able to do a spinach salad because I still have that enormous amount of spinach. I like this salad too because it has craisins. Craisins are my new favorite sweet touch to everything. A lot of people like to use raisins but Craisins are the way to go!!

1 (6 oz) pkg of baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup Craisins
1/3 cup olive oil
3 TBSP sugar
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1 TBSP sour cream

In a tight container mix the oil, sugar, vinegar and sour cream ( I like to use my Tupperware container that has the mixer lid). Shake until all of the liquids have been combined. Put the spinach, pecans and Crasins into a bowl and toss with the dressing that you just made. Serve immediately otherwise your spinach will go limp.

I have three of these now and I absolutely love them. These containers are so useful for so many things. I usually put some of the syrup that I have made for Pancakes in them so the syrup will keep better and so we can just reuse the same container. Definitely a KITCHEN MUST HAVE!!!

I got this really big container of fresh spinach and I love to have it in our meals to make things a little more healthy. I found this recipe and it is really a good one.

Creamy Chicken Spinach Rigatoni

• 1 (16 ounce) package rigatoni pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds boneless chicken, cubed
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pint heavy cream
• 26 ounces spaghetti sauce
• 10 ounces fresh spinach, washed and chopped
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Bring to large pot of water to boil. Make sure to salt the water and then drop the rigatoni.

In a large skillet heat the oil and then add the cubed chicken and cook thoroughly. Add the garlic and cook until it is golden brown. Add the cream and the pasta and cook for 10 minutes so the sauce will thicken.

Just before the pasta is al dente drop the spinach and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and then toss with the spaghetti mixture and cheese.

I know it says that this is for chinese food but it does such a good job to strain the spinach and it works so much better than pouring out the starch water that sometimes you need to help thicken a sauce to get the pasta out of the water. It is a good kitchen tool!

Really everyone says that their recipe for no-bake cookies is the best but I like to keep it simple. Try this recipe.

2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
3 TBSP cocoa powder
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups oatmeal
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a sauce pan bring the sugar, butter, milk and cocoa powder to boil. Let boil for a minute and then remove from heat. Add the peanut butter and mix until smooth. Add the oatmeal and vanilla  and mix thoroughly. Place 1 tbsp of cookie mix on a cookie sheet lined with a silpat. Let cool and then enjoy.

If you know me at all you know that I LOVE my silpats. They are such a life saver. My cookie sheets still look like new because of them. They also help to cook your food evenly and the food doesn't ever stick. Super easy cleanup! A KITCHEN MUST HAVE!!!!!

What's for Dinner Tonight? Spaghetti with Spinach Meat Sauce

1 lb ground beef
1/2 medium onion
1 tsp garlic salt
1 cup starchy cooking water
1 pint cherry tomatoes
4 cups fresh spinach
1 bunch fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb whole wheat spaghetti

Bring a pot of water to boil and salt the water. Add the wheat pasta and cook until al dente.

Brown the hamburger in a skillet. When almost browned add the onion, garlic, starchy cooking water, cherry tomatoes and put a tight fitting lid on. Turn the heat down to medium and  keep shaking the pan so not to burn the stuff on the bottom but don't open the lid till after the tomatoes have started to burst, about 8 minutes. When they have started to burst then open the lid and smash the tomatoes with a potato masher. Add in the spinach and parsley and cook an additional 2 minutes. Toss with the cooked pasta and serve.

I love my chopper. I always cry when I am chopping onions but this makes it so you don't even smell them very much! My husband got it for me for mother's day one year and I thought it was so funny but now I am so happy that he did get it for me. It does make life a lot easier.

What's for Dinner Tonight? Easy pasta Dinner

1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 medium onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 lb ground beef
1 lb short cut pasta
4 pieces of bread
2 TBSP butter
garlic salt

In a frying pan brown the ground beef. Cut up the onion and add it when the meat is half way cooked. With your microplane grate in your garlic. Cook until the meat is thoroughly cooked. Add in the tomato sauce and the Italian seasonings. Let simmer.

In the meantime bring a pot of water to boil and cook the pasta just to al dente.

Turn the oven to broil and spread the pieces of bread with the butter and sprinkle a little bit of the garlic butter. Put into the oven and set the timer for 3 minutes. Make sure to check so that you don't burn the bread.

On your place put the pasta, then top with the meat mixture and add a piece of garlic bread.

These handy dandy kitchen gadgets make easy work for grating garlic and ginger. It is so much better that pulling out your kitchen knife to do it. I love mine!!

I heard from a little birdie that today was National Root Beer Float Day. Our favorite Root Beer is homemade root  beer. You can't go wrong. Here's how you do it:

5 lbs sugar
1 container or root beer extract (the amount of the container varies with the different varieties)
4.5 gallons of water
5 lbs dry ice

In a bowl you want to mix together the root beer extract and the sugar. Really mix it in so that you don't see any white in the sugar. Then add the sugar mixture and 2 gallons of  WARM water to a 10 gallon cooler (you can use a 5 gallon cooler but it WILL spill and make a mess).  Mix thoroughly so that the sugar dissolves. Add the rest of the water making sure that it is cold water and then stir. Put in the dry ice and let it brew for 1 hour then serve.

My husband and I are infamous for making root beer. We have just loved having our cooler so that we can do it any time we want to. It just isn't summer with out it.

VANILLA ICE CREAM

2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups milk
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1 TBSP vanilla extract
1/2 cup water

Beat eggs until foamy. Whisk in sugar until thickened. Gradually whisk in salt, milk, evaporated milk, vanilla and water. Pour into freezer canister of ice cream maker. Fill to fill line with remaining milk if necessary. Freeze according to manufacturers' directions.

What's for Dinner Tonight? Summer Medley

1 lb hamburger
1 medium onion
2 crook neck squash or zucchini
2 potatoes
2 medium tomatoes

Julienne the potatoes and the squash. Boil the potatoes in a separate pot for about 5 minutes til just tender and then put into a skillet with a TBSP of butter. Add the squash and let cook for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. In a separate skillet brown the hamburger, when it is about half way browned add the onions. When the meat is done cooking put the sliced tomatoes on top so they can warm through. Toss all vegetables together. Add salt and pepper as needed.

This recipe is super delicious. It is so nice that everything that is in this recipe is in my garden (except the hamburger). It always makes me feel accomplished.

I love having these electric skillets. They come in so handy when you have a bigger amount of ingredients to cook. I like it also for breakfasts and it doesn't really heat up your kitchen when you use it.

What's for Dinner Tonight? Breakfast for Dinner!! Scones with Fruit!

2 cups warm water
1 tbsp yeast
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup oil (or butter)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
4-6 cups flour

In your Kitchenaid Mixer put the water, salt and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast and let it sit for 5 mnutes. Add the oil, egg and the flour. Add the flour slowly so you know when you've used enough. Knead with the dough hook for 8 minutes and the let raise for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Punch down and let it raise another hour.

In a Large saucepan heat about a cup of oil. Take about a fist full of dough and stretch it out and put in into the oil. Turn when it starts to brown and cook the other side.

Serve with fruit, honey butter, powdered sugar or a cream cheese glaze. When I serve it for dinner I usually have a good amount of fruit to have with it.

I know that you hear this from me a lot but I LOVE MY KITCHENAID MIXER!!! I don't think that I could live without it. I am sure that you would understand if you had one…so get one! It makes life so much easier and you don't have to sit there and babysit your machine while it goes. It is so reliable. I LOVE IT!! Definitely a kitchen must have.

What's for Dinner Tonight? Chicken Cesar Salad Wraps

8 cups flour
4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup oil
3 cups boiling water
1 rotisserie chicken
1 head romaine lettuce
2 tomatoes
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Cesar dressing

Stir together flour, salt and baking powder. Mix in oil (there will be small clumps. Stir in the boiling water. When it cools down mix it with your hands, making sure to not over mix it. Using some dough about the size of a small apple roll out the dough doing it in one direction and then the other so that it is nice and thin and uniform. Cook on a dry pan ( I like to use my griddle) and when one side bubbles then turn it over and cook on the other side.

Strip all of the meat off of the rotisserie chicken and put it into a bowl. Mix the dressing and the parmesan cheese with the chicken. Tear up the lettuce and add with the tomatoes and toss. Put some into a freshly made tortilla shell and enjoy!!

We use our griddle for everything! Grilled cheese, quesadillas, tortilla shells and of course pancakes. It is so amazing and we even sometimes take it camping with us if we know that we will have power at our sites. I absolutely love that it fits nicely on top of my flat oven (even though I wish that I had a gas stove). It is very convenient and also really easy to clean. This is definitely a KITCHEN MUST HAVE!!!