Nostalgic Foodie

Nostalgic Foodie

Perfectly Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

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I never had brussels sprouts growing up. They just weren’t a thing in my family. However as a kid plugged into the television, it was easy to see that this vegetable didn’t rank on any kids top 10 list. In fact, I perceived it as a kids nightmare on a plate. As an adult, though, it’s clear that either parents prepared brussels sprouts all wrong, or these kids needed their taste buds checked out, because these are delicious.

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Rosemary & Lemon Sea Salt

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Last summer, Chicago had quite a few windy days (living up to its nickname, I presume). Unfortunately, my large potted rosemary bush took quite a hit, being knocked over several times, and even being blown off the balcony railing. As a result, several limbs were broken off which left me to figure out how to use up so much of one of my favorite Mediterranean herbs. Enter: Rosemary & Lemon Sea Salt.

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Italian Pasta Salad

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Italian Pasta Salad

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Pasta Salad
Servings: 8
Calories: 697kcal

Ingredients

  • ½ green bell pepper chopped
  • ½ red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 large tomato diced
  • 6 green onions chopped
  • ¾ cup black olives sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp dried basil leaves
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 cup ranch dressing
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • ½ cup ham chopped
  • 1½ lb rotini pasta

Instructions

  • Combine green and red bell pepper, tomato, green onion, olives, garlic, salt, pepper, sugar, basil, olive oil and vinegar.
  • Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Combine Ranch dressing with oregano and add ham.
  • Cook pasta according to the package instructions.
  • Combine refrigerated ingredients with dressing, ham and pasta.
  • Refrigerate until serving.
  • Serve, and enjoy!

Notes

Combine green and red bell pepper, tomato, green onion, olives, garlic, salt, pepper, sugar, basil, olive oil and vinegar. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Combine Ranch dressing with oregano. Add ham. Cook pasta. Combine refrigerated ingredients with dressing, ham and pasta. Garnish with parsley and paprika. Refrigerate until serving.

Barbecue Cola Meatballs

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Barbecue Cola Meatballs

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time3 hours 50 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Barbecue, BBQ Meatballs
Servings: 6
Calories: 469kcal

Ingredients

  • 1½ lb ground beef
  • 1¼ cup bread crumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tbsp onion grated
  • 1 package dry ranch dressing mix
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • ¾ cup cola
  • ½ cup onion chopped
  • ½ cup green bell pepper chopeed
  • 1 tsp seasoning salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, grated onion and Ranch dressing mix until well blended.
  • Shape into 1-inch meat- balls and place on a 10 x 15-inch jellyroll pan or any baking sheet with sides to catch the grease.
  • Bake for 30 minutes in the pre- heated oven, turning them over halfway through.
  • While the meat- balls are roasting, mix together the ketchup, cider vinegar, cola, chopped onion and green pepper in a slow cooker.
  • Season with seasoning salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.
  • Remove meat- balls from the baking sheet and place into the sauce in the slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook on low heat for 3 hours, then remove the lid and cook for an additional 15 minutes before serving.
  • Serve, and enjoy!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

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Chicken Tortilla Soup

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 631kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 lb chicken cubed
  • 49 oz chicken broth one 49oz can
  • 26 oz cream of chicken soup one 26oz can
  • 16 oz plain yogurt
  • ½ onion chopped
  • 8 oz can chopped green chilis
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 cup salsa optional
  • 15 corn tortillas torn into strips
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ⅛ tsp pepper

Instructions

  • Cook chicken all the way through either by baking or grilling on the stovetop.  Let cool, and chop into bite-sized pieces.
  • Sauté onion until translucent.
  • Mix the chicken, onion, broth, cream of chicken, yogurt, salt, pepper, green chilis, garlic and salsa in a large pot.
  • Thoroughly heat through.  15 minutes before serving, add the tortillas to the soup to add texture and a nice corn flavor.
  • Serve, and enjoy!

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