It seems like every day it gets harder and harder to blog. In the beginning it was easy and I seemed to have too many things I wanted to write about. Lately, I seem to be doing more and writing less. I am still trying to keep a shortened version of our Dinner Game going but my family has asked me to please repeat some of their favorite meals. So, I have slowly started to incorporate some of them into my weekly menus.

My parents are coming to visit for a month. They are renting a small house near the lake and won’t be staying with us but I still want to have them over several times for meals and the kids’ birthday parties. That means an early Spring cleaning. I am nowhere near done. Every time we start a project lately it gets interrupted.

I was planning on working in the kitchen today but I forgot I had to have a “suspicious” spot removed from my leg. I have been worrying about it for the past week but I got on the computer this morning to write and suddenly I looked at the time and had to be at the doctor’s office in 10 minutes! Oops. But, it went well and she said she believes she was able to get it all with clean borders. I will know within the next 3-4 days the pathology and then go from there. She was so nice as she worked we chatted about Disney World. I was able to tell her all about my upcoming trip with my daughter and she can’t wait to see pictures when we go in for my daughter’s check-up next month.

Cancer runs in my family. Not one single type. Two of my mother’s three brothers died of cancer – brain, kidney and lung. Her mother had cancer. A cousin had breast cancer, as did my mother. My father had colon cancer. So, we wait and watch everything carefully.

I am considering making more changes to our diet. My family likes meatless meals but they protest at every turn. They asked for Italian sausage to be added to the Spaghetti Squash Lasagna! I need to figure out if I add more flavor to dishes that may help or if it is a texture issue. That meal was pretty soft but lasagna isn’t a chewy meal so I don’t know. So, I think I will start simple with 1 meal a week being meatless. I won’t tell them but lets see if I can get away with it.

The other week I cooked a Corned Beef just to have in the freezer for nights where we wanted something quick and easy. Every once in a while I make an appetizer dinner. I will make 2-3 different appetizers and we snack on them during a movie or playing a family game. This dish was from one of those nights.

Verdict:

This was good. It had lots of flavor. Don’t leave the cherry peppers out. That is what gives it an extra oomph of flavor. The corned beef was good, the cheese sauce was good but put together with the cherry peppers it really took it up a notch. I don’t like hot peppers in any way, shape or form. These were not hot but more pickled.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. bag of waffle fries
• 1/2-2/3 lb. of Corned Beef, cooked and diced
• 1 small jar Cherry Peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 tbsp white flour
• 2 tbsp salted butter
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Prepare package of waffle fries according to package directions. You want them to be slightly crispy on the outside but not over cooked.
2. While fries are baking make the cheese sauce. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter on medium-low. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. When the mixture is combined, add the milk, whisking constantly. Keep whisking for about 5 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. Add cheese slowly and stir until completely melted. Add salt & pepper to taste.
3. Heat Corned Beef in microwave 30 seconds to 1 minute until warmed.
4. Remove the fries from the oven and place on a platter. Cover fries with cheese sauce, sprinkle with the Corned Beef and then the chopped Cherry Peppers.
5. Serve immediately.