Sausage and Bow Tie Pasta with Steamed Artichokes

I was really wanting something light quick and tasty for supper last night so this is what I threw together. I was only disappointed that I had no Italian sausage and had to use kielbasa instead, it was good but would have been much better had I had the Italian sausage.

Bow Tie Pasta

You Will Need

• 1lb Italian sausage (mild or hot)
• 1/2 lb sliced green squash ( buy this precut mixed with the yellow at Albertson's by the bagged salads)
• 1/2 lb sliced yellow squash
• 2 diced roma tomatoes
• 1/4 - 1/2 jar of spaghetti sauce of your choice. ( I used Newmans Own Sockashroomi)
• 1 box Barilla whole wheat bow tie pasta ( boiled to aldente in salted water)

 Slice the sausage in to medallions and saute when they start get a bit browned add the diced tomatoes and squash. Saute on medium till the sausage browns up nicely and the squash is still a bit firm.

In a large bowl add cooked bow ties, the sausage mixture and spaghetti sauce. Toss till mixed and coated well.

Steamed Artichokes

Look for artichokes with the leaves mostly closed when selecting n the store. Cut the stem off the bottom and peel away the stray leaves. cut off the first inch or so and then set bottom down in to about 2 inches of boiling water. Cover and let steam for 25 -30 min. Serve with mayonnaise or melted butter.

Ben & Jerry's Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Bread

Yes you heard that right ,two count them two,of my favorite things ever Ben & Jerry;s Ice Cream and Bread! Needless to say when I saw a version pinned of this pinned I had to give it a go and with only two ingredients that you probably have in your house already you should too!

You Will Need

• 2 C Ben & Jerry's Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream(one regular size carton)
• 1 1/2 C Self Rising Flour OR make your own 1tsp salt and 1 3/4 tsp baking powder add to 1C flour (I made mine)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
Mix the ice cream in to the flour until it is mixed and not crumbly.

 Pour in to a greased loaf pan and bake for 45-60min. How much easier could if get!?

You can use any brand of ice cream I just prefer Ben & Jerry's. You can also use any flavor of ice cream you like I am wanting to try the Everything But The... flavor. I was quite surprised that this really worked. I had many friends ask me, when I said I was gonna make it, if  it would really work. to my surprise and delight it did!

Balsamic Blueberries/ Balsamic Blueberry Syrup

I use this recipe often. I use it with honey and plain Greek yogurt for popsicles, I use the strained syrup over pancakes and in drinks, and the berries in cookies breads sandwiches and cookies.

You Will Need

• 1 Small Pkg Fresh Blueberries
• 2 T Balsamic Vinegar
• 1T Brown Sugar

 Rinse your berries and dump them in to a small sauce pan. Add vinegar and brown sugar.set to boil for 5 min crushing some of the berries as you go. Remove from heat and stain if you so desire. I know this will keep for at least a week; it has never lasted longer then that here!

Blueberry Lemon Ice Cream

  Monday I had my niece and nephew, since they were out of school, in addition to my son so I decided to make it an all day outside kind of a day. It was almost 90 here so I decided we would make a waterslide with a sprinkler and swingset and what better way t cool down after all day in the water and sun then making ice cream? So I used a blueberry balsamic syrup, I had made previously and and will post the recipe after this one, some fresh lemons and got out the ice cream maker so they could make ice cream. On a side note I should say most of the out door photos were taken by my 5 yr old, he loves to use my camera.

You Will Need

• Ice Cream Maker
• 2 1/2 C Half & Half
• 1 C Sugar
• 2 C Heavy Cream
• 2 Large Lemons
• 1 C Blueberry Syrup

Mix Half & Half with the sugar and mix till sugar dissolves.

 Add juice from the lemons.

  Stir in the blueberry syrup and heavy cream.

 Pour the mixture into your machine and let it churn for at least 1/2 an hour. Once the ice cream has thickened up then put it in the freezer for 1/2 hour. Scoop and serve. You can drizzle this with honey and it would be awesome too!

Avocado Egg Salad

   My son was decorating eggs today and there were 3 that cracked while boiling so I decided to make this yummy sandwich!

 What You Will Need

• 3 Hard Boiled Eggs Mashed
• 1 1/2-2 T Avocado Guacamole
• 1/4 C Shredded Cheese
• Cayenne Pepper to taste
• 1tsp Dill Relish
• 2 Slices Toasted Bread

 Mix everything together in a bowl besides the bread; spread the mixture on the bread and chow down!

Cuban Sandwiches

  I don't know if it's just me and my husband or every couple but we have completely different tastes in TV shows. He watches movies, edited for TV when we have the real thing he could watch without commercials, I like to watch lots of different things but mostly HGTV  and Discovery Health and things like that; anyway the one show we can agree on usually is Triple D, Diners Drive-ins and Dives on Food Network.
  One night we were watching and Guy was  at a food cart/truck kinda thing and they were making Cuban sandwiches. The hubby asked if I could make them and after watching I said I bet I could. This recipe is the result.

 What You Will Need

•  Picnic Roast ( bone in or out it's up to you)
• 3 Cloves Garlic Crushed
• 1tsp Cayenne Pepper
• Provolone Cheese and/or Swiss
• Sliced Ham (I use lunch meat)
• Dill Pickle Relish
• Mustard
• 1/2 C Melted Butter
• 2 Loaves of French Bread
• Slow Cooker
•  Panini Press ( If you don't have one IT"S OK keep reading!)

  If you, like me, don't have a real panini press or one of those weighted press lids for your pan here is how to DIY one up for practically nothing. In my case I had everything I needed right at home!

What You Will Need

• A brick
• A roll  of heavy duty aluminum foil 
• Frying Pan (mine has ridges in it so I get the cool grilled kinda look)

Wrap the brick, I got mine from my backyard and it goes back out there when I'm done, in the foil 2-4 times and there ya have it.

So now back to the recipe.
   Put your roast in the slow cooker along with the garlic and cayenne. cook on high for 6 hours. I like to use the bone in and I cook it from 10pm to 3pm the next night on low adding water if necessary.  Remove the roast from the cooker in to a large bowl, it should just fall apart, shred the meat.
   You might be like me and always think you are buying a roast just the right size and it's always to big and you have a ton left over . I use the leftovers from this to make pulled pork by taking the left over meat and adding BBQ sauce and serving it on a bun.

   Cut the bread in half length wise and then in half cross ways, I always cut mine on an angle. Heat up your pan or press, I will be referring to "the pan" and "the brick" you can use the press instead, butter the crust side of the bread and place it butter side down on the pan. place the brick on top and press down to flatten the bread then leave it till toasted on that side.

   Once toasted to your liking remove brick and butter the face up side of the bread and flip it over. Toast this side a bit lighter then you want the finished product to be. Repeat steps with the other piece of bread.

   Next you will re butter the lighter side of the bread  and place it back in the pan. Add a layer of cheese. you can do all Swiss all provolone, I prefer this, or use both and alternate.then your ham. smear the dill relish over the ham.

  Add large handfuls of the shredded pork to cover everything.

 add lots of mustard and top with more cheese. Place the other bread on top crust side down. Press with the brick till cheese is melty on bottom layer and then remove the brick and butter the top slice of bread, here comes the messy part, flip the sandwich and press with the brick again press till cheese is melty!

Steak, Jalapeno Puffs, and Forbidden Rice Oh My!

 For dinner last night I grilled steaks, hominy, jalapeno puffs and forbidden rice. So I  made a marinade of 

1 bottle of Blue Moon

1/2 Bottle of Dijon Mustard

2T Garlic Pepper

let them set for 3 hours, then threw the steaks on to the grill...

Then I made the Forbidden Rice. The ratio it 2 parts liquid to 1part rice. Put it on med till it boils then cover and turn heat down to low. For 25 min or liquid is gone. Let sit with lid on for 10minthen fluff with a fork.

and now on to the Jalapeno Puffs. I got the idea from Pintrest, these are very simple to make all you need for the filling is

3 med fresh Jalapenos cut in to chunks

12oz Cream Cheese

1C Mexican Mix shredded cheese

You are gonna throw all of the above in to the blender or if you have it the food processor and let it make a chunky mix. Then you take 2 rolls of Grands Biscuits flatten them out individually and put a teaspoon of the filling in the center and form a pillow around it crimping the seams as you go. put them on a baking sheet and bake according to biscuit directions .

Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout Ice Cream

  

  I still had a bit of the Lagunitas Stout left from the float I made the other day and I had never tried out our ice cream maker so decided to try my hand at making my favorite flavor ice cream, Chocolate Stout. This as it turns out couldn't have been any easier to make, so keep your eye out for more ice creams this summer!

1/2 C Brown Sugar

 2 C Heavy Cream

1 T Vanilla Extract

1C Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout

1/4 C Coco Powder

 Add mixture to ice cream maker and let mix for  about 45 min. When done churning put ice cream in to the freezer to firm up some more. 

 Hope you like this recipe. If you did show some love and give it a  +1

Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout Float

     So I was home alone last night and got bored and decided to make a stout float. Now this may sound off putting to some but I just love the combination of creamy vanilla bean or rich chocolate ice cream with a stout over top; just the thought of it makes me a very happy girl! Any how the recipe is very simple so here it goes...

    In a glass combine a scoop or two of good vanilla or chocolate ice cream. Slowly pour Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout till it starts to spill over. ENJOY!

  Here is a link for where you can buy the Stout I used in this recipe
     http://www.bevmo.com/Shop/ProductDetail.aspx/Beer/Craft-Brew/California/Lagunitas-Brewing-Company/Lagunitas-Cappucino-Stout/3820
       

Welcome

    Welcome to Not Quite the 50's House Wife. I am Melanie, a mom and wife. Growing up my secret wish was to be like Donna Reed and June Cleaver; Once I got married and started my own family I learned that what I had desired was not who I was. Yes I desire to be Donna, June, and Martha but alas I am "not quite the 50's house wife" I am more semi homemade kinda gal. My motto is "recipes and instructions are just guidelines."  I love to cook and bake and photograph it all! Within this blog you will find recipes, crafts, and my photography. So any ways I do hope you will come back often and enjoy whatever is to follow.