Welcome!

Welcome to Simple Fare, Fairly Simple. This is a place for me to post recipes of all kinds...along with other miscellaneous fodder from my so-called life here in the south. Who knows what you will find here. Could be anything from my husband...known as IT Guy...to my kids and beautiful grandbabies that are growing up way too fast right before my eyes. But...mostly this will be a place for food. I hope you'll see something you like and if you decide to try something from the list...leave me a comment and let me know!



Thursday, May 29, 2014

Honey Chipotle Shrimp & Kielbasa Kabobs

IT Guy just fixed my grill for me...just in time for summer! And to reward him for a job well done, I fixed him a steak. And since I'd rather have shrimp than steak, I decided to make me some kabobs! I threw some kielbasa in for good measure...then spiced things up a little bit with some chipotle barbeque sauce. These were SO good! And SO simple! They only took a matter of minutes to cook since shrimp only take a matter of minutes to cook. Funny how that worked out, huh? Kielbasa is fully cooked...just needs to be browned. So next time you've got your grill fired up, think about these! They're yummy!

Honey Chipotle Shrimp 
and Kielbasa Kabobs



1 pound large shrimp ~ cleaned and deveined
1 pound kielbasa sausage
1 green bell pepper ~ chunked
1 medium red onion ~ large dice
1 cup chipotle barbeque sauce ~ recipe follows

Soak bamboo skewers in water for about 10 minutes.

Thread ingredients onto skewers.

Season with salt & pepper if deisred.

Brush lightly with BBQ sauce.

Grill over medium flame until shrimp are cooked...about 3 minutes per side. 

Brush with BBQ sauce a few times while grilling then once more after you take them off.


Honey Chipotle BBQ Sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Place all ingredients in a food processor and combine until smooth. (You probably won't use all of this. Store unused sauce in the fridge.)


Okay....here's the stuff for the kabobs. Just dice the green pepper and the onion and cut the kielbasa into large chunks.
Okay....here's the stuff for the kabobs. 
Just dice the green pepper and the onion 
and cut the kielbasa into large chunks.


Then thread everything onto a soaked bamboo skewer.
Then thread everything onto 
a soaked bamboo skewer.


Now for the sauce.
Now for the sauce.


Place everything into a blender or food processor....
Place everything into a blender 
or food processor....


and whizz until smooth.
and whizz until smooth.


Then brush the kabobs with some of the sauce. I poured some of the sauce into a separate bowl since I was working with raw seafood and didn't want to contaminate ALL of the sauce. Place unused sauce in a covered container in your fridge.
Then brush the kabobs with some 
of the sauce. I poured some of the 
sauce into a separate bowl since I 
was working with raw seafood and 
didn't want to contaminate ALL of 
the sauce. Place unused sauce in a 
covered container in your fridge.


Grill these babies UP!!!!
Grill these babies UP!!!!

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

10 Recipes for the Grill

Grilling season is almost in full swing so here are a few grilling recipes for you. If you don't have a grill...and I didn't for a long time, you can always do these inside on your stove top in a grill pan. I've included a rub, marinade and a bbq sauce for you to try as well. Now...get to grillin'!!!




Links for recipes and Pinterest HERE!

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Honey Chipotle BBQ Sauce

Our dinner tonight was really no big deal....just chicken strips. But I served them with this sauce. Can I just say how yummy this is???? You've GOT to try it. I've put it on chicken, meatloaf and meatballs. You can make it as spicy or as mild as you want depending on how many chipotle peppers you use. I like it to have a kick to it!!! It's so easy to prepare. Just throw everything in your food processor and it's ready to go!!  Please try it...it's SO good. That is all.

Honey Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
3 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
4 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
pinch ground pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until very smooth, 1-2 minutes. If a thinner consistency is desired, add a tablespoon or two of water to thin the mixture.

Makes about 2 cups of sauce


 
Here's everything ready to get all whizzed together.


Here's everything whizzed together and ready to be served!!

 
 
 
 

Glazed and Grilled Ham Steaks

This was so easy...it's almost embarrassing. When I find something that feeds two or three people, I am all over it. As you can imagine, there's a lot of food cooked here and if I can do without leftovers a couple of nights a week, that means my fridge can breathe a little bit. I had two small ham steaks in my freezer and some apricot preserves in my fridge that were calling to be used with the ham. Below is the result....and IT Guy proclaimed it delicious!


Grilled & Glazed Ham Steaks



2 tablespoons apricot preserves
2 teaspoons prepared mustard (I used Dijon)
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
dash ground cinnamon
1 (1 pound) 1 inch thick ham steak

Combine preserves, mustard, lemon juice and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set glaze aside. Score one side of each ham steak. Grill, uncovered, over medium heat for 5 - 7  minutes on each side, brushing with glaze during the last few minutes of grilling.

Serves 2 - 3

Here's what you'll need. I used apricot preserves but peach would be great, too!
Here's what you'll need. I used apricot 
preserves but peach would be great, too!

Mix together the preserves, mustard, cinnamon and lemon juice.
Mix together the preserves, 
mustard, cinnamon and lemon juice.

Combine it well....
Combine it well....

Score your ham steaks on one side...or both. Whatev.
Score your ham steaks on one side...or both. Whatev.

Brush the scored side with the sauce mixture and plop it on your grill or in your grill pan. Let it cook for a few minutes.
Brush the scored side with the sauce 
mixture and plop it on your grill or in 
your grill pan. Let it cook for a few minutes.

Flip it over and do the other side. I made sure the glaze was good and caramelized on each side. I think I turned each piece at least 4 times. Pretty and yummy and also pretty yummy.
Flip it over and do the other side. 
I made sure the glaze was good and 
caramelized on each side. I think I 
turned each piece at least 4 times. 
Pretty and yummy and also pretty yummy.

Sweet Sausage Pasta with Peppers

When I'm not in the mood to heat up my kitchen, but still want something filling, I turn to pasta. Other than the noodles and the sausage, this little dish doesn't require any cooking. At least not OVEN cooking. Easy and delicious, this warm pasta dish is a great family meal!

Sweet Sausage Pasta with Peppers



12 ounces bowtie pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 sweet peppers ~ red, yellow and orange, large dice
1 small red onion ~ large dice
2 cloves garlic ~ minced
1 pound sweet Italian Sausage ~ cooked and sliced into "coins"
1/4 cup fresh basil ~ chopped

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. 

Cook sausages until done. Remove to a plate and allow to cool to the touch. Slice into "coins".

Add the diced peppers, onion, salt and pepper to the pan and cook until tender/crisp.

Add garlic, stir and cook a minute or so.

Add cooked, sliced sausage and heat through.

Stir in cooked pasta  and chopped basil.

Serve hot.

Okay....let's get going!
Okay....let's get going!


Cook the sausage in a large skillet.
Cook the sausage in a large skillet.


Chop the veggies.
Chop the veggies.


Remove the cooked sausage from the skillet then add the veggies.
Remove the cooked sausage from
the skillet then add the veggies.


Add the minced garlic cook for a few minutes until tender/crisp.
Add the minced garlic cook for a 
few minutes until tender/crisp.


Then slice the sausage and put it back in the pan with the veggies and heat through.
Then slice the sausage and put it back 
in the pan with the veggies and heat through.


Add the cooked pasta and the basil and stir.
Add the cooked pasta and the basil and stir.


Serve warm!!
Serve warm!!

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Gyro Sandwiches

I don't make a lot of sandwiches around here. I'm not sure why because I love a good sandwich. Hey...I've even been known to chow down on a cookie spread and jam sandwich when I'm desperate for something sweet! These gyros were pretty fun. I didn't have the stuff to make a traditional Greek sauce to go with them...so I used ranch dressing for mine but they would be good drizzled with a little Italian dressing. You could also do these sandwiches with chicken if you're of the mind! These were different and fun and yummy!

Gyro Sandwiches



1 2-pound chuck roast
1 medium onion ~ sliced
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Place sliced onion in the bottom of the crock pot.

Place roast on top of onions.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, oregano, lemon juice and salt & pepper.

Pour over roast.

Cook on low 8 hours until tender.

Remove roast from crock pot and shred into large chunks.

Serve on warmed pita bread with lettuce and tomato.

I used ranch dressing for a sauce but next time I'll make some tzatziki sauce.

Makes about 6 sandwiches.


The ingredients.
The ingredients.


Slice the onion and put in the bottom of the crock pot. Then place your roast on top of the onions.
Slice the onion and put in the bottom 
of the crock pot. Then place your roast 
on top of the onions.


Mix up the olive oil, lemon juice and the salt and pepper and pour over the roast. Let it cook on low for 8 hours or until tender.
Mix up the olive oil, lemon juice 
and the salt and pepper and pour 
over the roast. Let it cook on low 
for 8 hours or until tender.


Remove the roast and shred into large chunks.
Remove the roast and shred into large chunks.


Assemble the sandwiches along with some lettuce and tomato!
Assemble the sandwiches along 
with some lettuce and tomato!

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

10 Nutty Recipes

Here's to nuts! We love almost every kind here in the SFFS house. Especially pecans and cashews. I've tried to pull together 10 recipes for you that have nuts as one of the main ingredients. There's even a jam recipe in here that has almonds in it! Crazy, huh? If you like nuts...know someone who does or if you yourself ARE a nut...then try one of these!!

10 Nutty Recipes


Links to recipes and Pinterest HERE.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Fast Turtles

A couple of weeks ago I hosted a cookie/treat/goodie exchange here at my house. There were about 15 women that showed up bringing all kinds of wonderful sweets. We had everything from cookies to flavored popcorn. From jam to pecan brittle. Yes....pecan brittle. Oh so good! But one of the most popular things that was there were these yummy little treasures. One of the young moms brought them (Hi, Tab!!) and they were a HIT! So many people asked for the recipe...me being one of them. I asked Tab if I could post the recipe and she graciously said yes. She had found it on a site somewhere....I also found it here: www.southernplate.com.
And now it's HERE! If you're needing a quick little treat, make this! If you're going to a New Year's Eve party....take this! If you're having a bad day and need to go hide in the closet, make this!! You won't be sorry. Or maybe you will if you eat the whole plate. Try to refrain....it's hard, though. Just ask me...I'm still working on not going into the kitchen to gobble down the remaining few. I may need therapy.
Fast Turtles



1 12-ounce package Rolo’s candies
1 bag pretzels – small twists or squares
Pecan halves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place pretzels on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Place one unwrapped Rolo on top of each pretzel. Heat in the oven for 2 (TWO) minutes. Any longer and you will have a big, melty mess on your hands. As soon as pretzels come out of the oven, lightly squish a pecan half on top on the melty Rolo. Let set until firm. 

If you want to make a LOT of these...buy 2 or 3 bags of Rolos because you will run out of those first. I used 1 bag and scored about 50 or so turtles...which seems like a lot but really isn't. These babies need quite a while to set up. In the fridge for a few hours or overnight works best.

This is all you need to make these yummy little treats. 
This is all you need to make 
these yummy little treats.

In the oven for TWO minutes!! 
In the oven for TWO minutes!!

You'll notice that a few of mine I didn't put pecans on. We have someone in our family allergic to nuts. But I just used my finger to mash down the Rolo. 
You'll notice that a few of mine 
 didn't put pecans on. We have 
someone in our family allergic to 
nuts. But I just used my finger to 
mash down the Rolo. You can also 
just add another pretzel on top.

Pecan Coconut Sauce

Don't you just love a good thick ice cream topping? I sure do and I think that's why I LOVE Mrs. Richardson's sauces. I use them in lots of recipes, not just for drizzling over ice cream. I knew IT Guy would love this sauce because it has two of his favorite things in it. Coconut and pecans. Talk about thick....you can spackle walls with this stuff. Not that that's a bad thing, mind you, but that's how thick it is. And yummy? Oh yeah...very. We plopped it on top of french vanilla ice cream the other night, but how yummy would it be with chocolate? It would be like eating german chocolate cake! It's just so good! You gotta try it!!

Pecan Coconut Sauce

 

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 egg yolks
¼ cup butter
½ cup coconut
½ cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a small sauce pan, heat sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, and butter over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Cook until thick and bubbly...maybe 5 minutes or so.
Remove from heat and add coconut, pecans and vanilla.

Serve warm over ice cream or cake.

Here's whatcha need.
Here's whatcha need.

Dump the SCM in a saucepan along with the eggs and buttah.
Dump the SCM in a saucepan 
along with the eggs and buttah.

Cook AND STIR for 5 - 8 minutes until the mixture is thick and bubble. You gotta stir it the whole time, though. You don't want the milk to burn on the bottom of the pan. Ew.
Cook AND STIR for 5 - 8 minutes 
until the mixture is thick and bubble. 
You gotta stir it the whole time, though. 
You don't want the milk to burn on 
the bottom of the pan. Ew.

Remove the mixture from the heat and add the vanilla, coconut and pecans.
Remove the mixture from the heat 
and add the vanilla, coconut and pecans.

Stir to combine and serve warm over ice cream!
Stir to combine and serve warm over ice cream!

Grilled Cheese Puffs

Okay...so these aren't actually grilled...they're more oven baked but it doesn't really matter what you call them when they're as good as these little guys. I made a small pan because I wasn't sure how they'd go over. Note to self: double the batch next time. We inhaled these gooey little dough balls of wonderment. Spice yours up any way you want...but I went the plain route. Did you know Velveeta comes in a spicy Mexican flavor? Who knew? I bet those would be super good. These are great with pasta or soup...or as snack. Just delicious!

Grilled Cheese Puffs



1 8-count container Grands biscuits 
1 16-ounce Velveeta cheese
3 tablespoons butter ~ melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a small baking pan or cake pan with cooking spray.

Remove biscuits from container and flatten out to about 4 - 5 inches in diameter.

Place a piece of cheese, about 1/2 inch x 2 inches on top of flattened biscuit. Flatten cheese a little bit.

Gather biscuit up around cheese and place seam side down in prepared pan.

Brush tops of biscuits with melted butter.

Bake for about 20 minutes until biscuits are golden brown.

Here's all you need right here.
Here's all you need right here.


Flatten out the biscuits then place a hunk of cheese on top and flatten that out a bit.
Flatten out the biscuits then place a 
hunk of cheese on top and flatten that out a bit.


Gather up into a little ball, securing the cheese inside then place seam side down into a baking dish. Brush the tops with melted butter.
Gather up into a little ball, 
securing the cheese inside 
then place seam side down 
into a baking dish. Brush the 
tops with melted butter.


Bake!!
Bake!!


Ooey-gooey goodness!
Ooey-gooey goodness!

Monday, May 19, 2014

Pepperoni Pasta Rolls

Aren't lasagna rolls fun? These turned out so to be so easy and delicious. The guys around here love pepperoni and I love lasagne so I combined the two into one yummy dish! Since pepperoni is already cooked there's no pre-cooking required except the noodles and the onion and I'm not really sure that even qualifies as cooking. Basically you just throw everything together and bake for about 30 minutes and you've got a fun, easy and tasty dinner!

Pepperoni Pasta Rolls



10 - 12 lasagna noodles
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 24-ounce jar pasta sauce
1 medium onion ~ diced
1 clove garlic ~ minced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 4-ounce package pepperoni slices
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Boil lasagne noodles until al dente.

Saute the onion and garlic in a little olive oil until tender.

Add pasta sauce and simmer for 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, egg, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper.

Spread a thin amount of the cheese mixture on each noodle.

Then top with 8 pepperoni slices. 

Starting at one end, gently roll noodle and place in prepared pan. Repeat until all ingredients are used. (I was able to get 10 rolls.)

Pour sauce over rolls. Top with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes until hot. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Here we go!
Here we go!


Saute the onion and garlic for a bit.
Saute the onion and garlic for a bit.


Then add the sauce.
Then add the sauce.


Mix together the cheeses, egg and the seasonings.
Mix together the cheeses, egg and the seasonings.


Spread a thin-ish layer of the cheese mixture on a cooked noodle.
Spread a thin-ish layer of the cheese
mixture on a cooked noodle.


Lay on some pepperoni slices and roll up!
Lay on some pepperoni slices and roll up!


Place in a prepared pan.
Place in a prepared pan.


Then top with the sauce, a little parm and bake it up!
Then top with the sauce, a little parm and bake it up!


Yummy!
Yummy!