Let's get spicy!

The pictures uploaded upside down and I'm not going to take the time to fix them so here are some after and before pictures. I've been looking for a way to arrange my lovely spice collection without spending a bunch of money. For less than $25, this is what I came up with:

TheCount and I were at Tuesday Morning and I saw these bead holders for .74 for each stack of four. I figured it would be worth a try to see if my seasonings would fit. It allowed me to condense my spices a lot and through away half of my spice bottles and the rest I put in 2 freezer bags and put them away.

The stand came from the Home Goods clearance aisle. $10! It had enough space to also store my random sugars (nutmeg sugar, vanilla sugar, chocolate sugar, and cinnamon sugar) and my big flour and sugar containers. I love this set up so much more than the dumb setup I had previously.

This is the dumb set up I had before. My spices were stored in this cabinet above the stove. Do you want to know how many times per week the spices fell out of this dang cabinet into what I was cooking? Well I'll tell you, twice. I also had to take everything out in order to find what I was looking for. My new set up is so much better. This picture would also be so much better at the top of the post.

Parmesan Seasoned Fries

This recipe comes from Stacy Southern of PLAYING WITH SUGAR blog.

My personal preference is to double the amount of seasoning because I prefer stronger flavor.


Oven Baked Parmesan Seasoned Fries

Ingredients:

1 pound of medium russet potatoes (approx 3 medium potatoes)
1 1/2 TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Dried Thyme
1/4 tsp Dried Oregano
1/8 tsp Dried Rosemary
1/4 tsp of Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp of Old Bay Seasoning
2 TBSP of Kraft Parmesan Style Grated Cheese (I used reduced fat)

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 425.
*Wash and cut potatoes into 1/8ths.
*Place on a cookie sheet that has been lined with foil (I used Reynolds Release foil so that they will not stick, but you could also either use non-stick cooking spray or lightly grease the top of the foil with extra virgin olive oil).
*Mix all of the spices and the parmesan cheese in a small bowl.
*Place all of the potatoes (remember we are talking about one pound at a time) into a gallon size freezer bag, add olive oil and the parmesan cheese/spice mixture to the bag.
*Seal the bag and shake until the potatoes are evenly coated.
*Once thoroughly coated dump onto the prepared cookie sheet and spread in a single layer.
* Bake 30-45 minutes or until tender and lightly golden brown. (Baking times will vary depending on the amount of fries that you make and the size that you cut them). For the ones shown in the picture they were baked at 425 for 45 minutes."

Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

This recipe is particularly good over baked potatoes. It's not very filling without them.


Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe: "Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe #150384
Very good soup...serve with crusty bread.
by chefnini
1¼ hours 30 min prep
SERVES 4

1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 medium chopped onion
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half cream (I'm pretty sure I used whipping cream, or milk and water)
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 lb fresh broccoli
1 cup carrot, julienned
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper


Sauté onion in butter. Set aside.
Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and add the half & half.
Add the chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat 20-25 minutes.
Add salt and pepper. Can be puréed in a blender but I don't {I pureed half of it}. Return to heat and add cheese. Stir in nutmeg."

Cooks.com - Recipe - Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups

Here are some recipes to enjoy while I'm cruising! Look at Monday's post for the pictures.


Cooks.com - Recipe - Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups: "SPINACH LASAGNA ROLL UPS
Printed from COOKS.COM



8 lasagna noodles
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 lg. garlic cloves, minced
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 c. Ricotta cheese
1 tsp. salt
1 c. shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 (14 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce
Parsley sprigs {I didn't use these}


Prepare lasagna noodles as per directions on package. Drain, lay flat until ready to use. Heat oil in 12 inch skillet over medium heat and saute garlic 2 minutes. Stir frequently in bowl. Combine spinach, Ricotta, salt, garlic and 1/2 the Mozzarella cheese. Spread each cooked lasagna noodle with a heaping 1/4 cup of spinach mixture. Roll up firmly.
Pour spaghetti sauce into 12 inch skillet. Place rolls seam side down in skillet, bring to boil; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Sprinkle rest of Mozzarella - cover - simmer 5 minutes longer or until rolls are heated through. Garnish with parsley. Serves 4."

Pictures today- Recipes later

Here are the pictures for all the recipes coming up this week while I'm on vacation:




Tuesday: Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups


I was in the midde of eating when I stopped to take a picture. As you can tell, I am not concerned with fancy presentations, my only requirement is that it taste good!




This is what my spinach rolls looked like as I was filling them





Wednesday: Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Baked Potatoes
I wouldn't reccomend just the soup, it wouldn't be filling. I baked potatoes and scooped them all up together and chowed down! There's also half a croissant on that plate.



Thursday: Oven Baked Parmesan Seasoned Fries

We had these with bacon swiss burgers :)