Man Food

This image is © 2015 by Life As She Does It. Please link back or credit if any content or images are used. 

There is some TOP-SECRET stuff going on around here!  And all in the name of my 45th birthday party in November.  So I can't let the cat out of the bag just yet, but I CAN tell you that once-a-month I have five men meet here at my place to rehearse, two of whom are The Hubster and The Sonster.  Well, I certainly have to provide snacks!!  How to feed five hungry dudes?  See below.

This image is © 2015 by Life As She Does It. Please link back or credit if any content or images are used. 

CRACK SAMMICHES

Look, if we're being honest, here, I did not invent these babies.  I've had them a few times and they are good no matter who makes them!  I did put my own little twist on them, though, and the guys huddles around them like they were stalking their prey.  And they just couldn't get enough!  Hence, the name.

CRACK SAMMICHES

1 24-pack of Hawaiian mini-rolls

1 large pkg ham of your choice

2 pks sliced Swiss cheese

1 1/2 sticks of butter, melted

2 tbs Dijon mustard

2 tbs Worcestershire sauce

2 tbs onion powder

2 tbs poppy seeds

Place roll bottoms in the bottom of a greased baking pan.  Thinly layer ham, then Swiss cheese, then ham again, then last layer of Swiss cheese.  Put roll tops on.  Mix butter, Dijon, Worcestershire, onion powder, and poppy seeds.  Pour or baste over top (see notes) and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

NOTES: I used a silicon brush baster to ensure the tops of the rolls got every bit of flavor and so that not one single poppy seed was wasted.  I was unable to find organic ham or Swiss that I thought would hold the flavor I was looking for, so I used Boar's Head instead, which has no artificial fillers, no MSG, and no nitrates.  And GOOD LUCK finding organic Hawaiian rolls!  So I used the good old-fashioned Hawaiian rolls and decided not to feel guilty about it!

This image is © 2015 by Life As She Does It. Please link back or credit if any content or images are used. 

CRESCENT LOVE

2 containers butter-flavored crescent rolls

1 pound ground turkey breakfast sausage

1 can ro-tel

1 large handful shredded sharp cheddar

1 large handful shredded mozzarella

Brown turkey sausage in a pan, and then add ro-tel until all liquid is absorbed into meat.  Meanwhile, roll one can crescent rolls onto un-greased baking sheet.  Pinch together your seams, using a little water on your fingers to seal.  Pour sausage mixture over the top.  Sprinkle your cheese hands-ful over the sausage.  Roll your second can of crescents over the top of the cheese and sausage, using the same method to seal the seams and sides of the crescent dough.  Bake in a 350-degree oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

NOTES:  I found organic crescents at Trader Joe's!  I also found extremely inexpensive turkey breakfast sausage there, too!  

Crockpot Butter Chickenish

This image is © 2015 by Life As She Does It. Please link back or credit if any content or images are used. 

Soooo, essentially that name doesn't make the dish sound as rich or delectable as it turned out to be.  The "ish" after chicken lends itself to the reader thinking perhaps it wasn't so great.  But don't be fooled!!

I only use the "ish" because I made a play on traditional Butter Chicken Masala by using turkey tenderloin, among other things.  And let me tell YOU:  It was AMAZING.

I was craving butter chicken and did not have time to go to the grocery store, nor did I have time to prepare it after a long day of work.  So I looked in my pantry and found what I could use or substitute, and threw it all into the crockpot in the morning on the lowest setting.    

CROCKPOT BUTTER CHICKENISH

2 pkgs turkey tenderloin, chunked into about 1/2- to 1-inch pieces

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped 

1 can ro-tel , or similar spicy tomatoes with chiles, undrained

1 can tomato paste

2 cups coconut milk

 2 tbs coconut oil 

2 tbs ground ginger

3 tbs curry

3 tbs garam masala, which I don't have lying around, so I used 1 tbs cinnamon, 1 tbs, ground cardamom, 1 tbs ground cloves

sea salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

Throw everything into your crockpot and put on the lowest setting, which for me was 8 hours.   One thing about crockpot cooking is the seasoning can tend to be muted, so add more seasoning at the end as needed and blend well by stirring.  Serve over brown rice.

NOTES: I use organic ingredients whenever possible (can't EVER find organic ro-tel!), but for this particular recipe that is NOT necessary for rich flavor.  Want low-carb?  Skip the rice!

BROWN RICE

1 container chicken broth

1 box yoga organic light brown rice

sea salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

I have discovered that this combination makes for the perfect consistency.  One box of each.  A little sprinkling of sea salt and pepper when it's done makes for some yummy goodness under your Chickenish!

NOTES: Key to success for perfect rice in any instance:  don't stir!  Wait until liquid is absorbed and then fluff with a fork.  

She Sure Can Cook!

This image is © 2015 by Life As She Does It. Please link back or credit if any content or images are used.  Photo Credit: Adrian Garcia

Get it?  My nickname is She, the blog is Life as She Does It??  SHE Sure Can Cook...

YOU GET IT!!  Lemme just tell you that there are very few talents I have that I can galvanize and put to good use.  Let me ALSO tell you that cooking is definitely on that list!  I am not only in the Foodie Craze Continuum, (you know the one: you watch every single food and cooking show, food and cooking network, and food and cooking everything; you love to eat good food, you love to food-book on social media with a picture of everything you eat, order, or cook, and you don't even care if it's half-eaten, because it makes the picture look even better), but I somehow was given an innate ability to make food come to life - both on your tongue and in your heart!

With that in mind, I encourage you to look through these recipes.  They are not only DELICIOUS, but most of them are fast-and-easy!  There are even low-carb options!  We are ALWAYS on the go, but that doesn't mean we can't eat healthy (for the most part!), clean, quick, and simple meals that make your tummy happy.

Thanks for visiting - I hope you come back over and over again!

PS - that's my home-made lasagna with from-scratch lasagna noodles.  And it makes me hungry.  Really, really hungry.

~She