wha'cha got cookin'?

Crunchy Orange Roughy

2012-02-08T10:47:00.003-06:00

This was my latest "challenge" recipe...usually, with fish, I either batter and fry it, or douse it with lemon, EVOO, and seasonings, and bake it...this was something a tiny bit different. BB and I enjoyed it immensely, but the kiddos said they didn't like the coating. I think next time, I'll halve the oregano, and maybe try something like paprika or cayenne for a teensy bit of kick.

Ingredients:

1/3 C lemon juice (I used the bottled stuff, as fresh are out of budget right now)
1 T EVOO (or other veggie oil)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
2 C instant mashed potato flakes (DO NOT USE THIS MUCH UNLESS YOU ARE COOKING FOR AN ARMY!!!! I cut it by half and still had a TON left over)
4 - 6, 6oz roughy fillets, thawed, rinsed and patted dry

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray (I use my Pampered Chef mister and regular EVOO or corn oil).

Whisk together the lemon juice, oil, salt, pepper, and oregano in a shallow container. Place fish fillets in container and set aside to marinate while oven heats and you prepare your side dishes.

To cook, dip the fish in the potato flakes, and place on lined baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

* - I misted the coated fish with some more EVOO, and baked it close to the heat to get a good golden, crispy coating. The fish actually took about 10 minutes per side, so I think the original recipe might have left that part out.

Regardless, this produces a good, juicy fish with a delicate lemon flavor. It was a bit overwhelmed by the oregano, which makes me think that next time, I'll try subbing something like dill, and adding that dash of cayenne.

We enjoyed this with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.

Poor Man's Toffee

2012-02-01T14:59:00.002-06:00

I admit, I haven't been here in quite a while & I've felt a bit guilty about it. I'm so glad to see the renewed interest in the site & I hope things keep clicking along they way they have of late.

While scrolling through I've loved seeing the healthy recipes & adaptations you all have posted...and now I'm going to ruin all our resolutions to eat better in this new year. This recipe is floating about the ether in a few forms but this is my favorite thus far.

You will need:
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 to 1 1/2 sleeves saltine crackers
1 to 1 1/2 cup good chocolate chips (I prefer Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate chips because they melt beautifully)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a heavy sauce pan, melt butter and brown sugar together & bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes stirring often.

Line a jelly roll pan (or any sheet pan with sides) with aluminum foil and lay out saltines to cover the entire bottom of the pan.

Pour butter & brown sugar mixture over the crackers & bake for 7 minutes.

After baking, remove from oven for 1-2 minutes then sprinkle with chocolate chips and return to oven for 1 minute. Once chocolate chips have melted, spread chocolate over crackers with a spatula. Let cool, then break apart or cut between crackers to eat.

Now, I will warn you, this stuff is rich and addictive. I love it but can easily eat myself sick on it. It's best made when you're going to have company to share it with.

Enjoy!

Half Indulgent Penne

2012-01-30T20:00:00.003-06:00

I was in the mood for a creamy alfredo type sauce tonight, and knew that my three year old would eat pasta (finally!). After figuring out was was available in frig, freezer, and pantry, I came up with this yummy, filling dish that caused my little boy to clean his plate and contemplate seconds. (This is a cause for celebration, just so you know.)

This dish is made up of a mish-mash of leftover bits and regular ingredients I keep in my kitchen, which you'll soon figure out when you see the amounts listed for the various cheeses. You can tweak it to fit what you have in your pantry and change up the amounts. Since my husband has been working on our landlord's barn for the past few weeks, I've served up some version of this for lunch about once a week. It really is a versatile dish and perfect for this winter weather.

At our house, we usually have Half and Half in the frig for my husband's tea, but we rarely have heavy cream. So that's what I most often use for this dish. Thus the name. I figure it's only half as fattening as it would be otherwise. And the tool that makes this super easy is a silicon Calphalon whisk that looks a bit like a spatula. (In other words, it's not a balloon whisk. But I don't know the exact name.) Happy cooking!

***This recipe easily serves 4. (We served two adults and one child, and have enough leftovers to have for tomorrow's lunch.)

Ingredients:
1 Package Frozen Chopped Spinach, thawed and squeezed dry of water
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 c. Carrots, chopped
Handful of Asparagus Spears, ends snapped off and remainder cut into one inch pieces
1/4 c. Pine Nuts
2-3 T. Butter
2 c. Half & Half + some to get desired consistency (you could also use whole milk)
1/3 c. Grated Parmesan
1/3 c. Shredded Mozzarella
1 T. Cream Cheese
1/4 c. Basil Pesto (I make this in summer and freeze in cylindrical ice trays to use year round.)
Salt & Pepper to taste
2-3 cups Penne Pasta

Instructions:
1. Cook penne according to directions so that it is al dente. (I usually add in a bit of olive oil to keep it from sticking.)

2. Melt butter in skillet and add in garlic with a bit of salt. Saute over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant and slightly softened. Add in cream cheese and basil pesto and whisk to melt.

3. Add in half & half and gently whisk to combine. Slowly add in parmesan and mozzarella, whisking to combine as it melts. Sprinkle in salt and pepper.

4. Add in spinach and stir. At this point, you may need to add more half & half to retain a good sauce consistency. You be the judge. As the spinach cooks, it will give off a bit of liquid, but if you've drained it well, it won't give off that much.

5. Add in carrots, asparagus, and pine nuts. Add in more salt and pepper if needed, according to your taste. Cover and simmer on low until pasta is cooked.

6. Drain pasta and pour into skillet. Toss creamy sauce mixture with pasta until it is well coated and distributed evenly on all the noodles. Serve & Enjoy!

7. If any leftovers remain, refrigerate. To warm up, just add in a bit of milk or cream and heat in microwave or in non-stick skillet over low heat on stove.

King Ranch Casserole Results

2012-01-30T11:33:00.003-06:00

OK - the taste and textures of this casserole were good. All in all it won reviews from BB and myself. The kids? Not so much...but that was later determined to be due to a stomach bug that traveled through 3 of the 5 of us between dinner that night and Sunday afternoon.

Good times...

All in all, I will indeed make this recipe again. I think next time, I will use the "Mexican Cheese blend" they recommend - I had a block of Mild Cheddar that I used and it was a tad lackluster. Or maybe it could be spiced up a tad with some Pepper Jack mixed with the Cheddar? Hmmmmm...the fresh onion was simply not cut into small enough pieces for my taste - I am not one who enjoys crunching on tender-crisp onions - they should either be cooked through and caramelized, OR raw on my salad or sandwich. I just don't like that in-between stage...especially in a casserole...

I will also use low-sodium soups, or even attempt to make their recipes for Cream of Mushroom and Cream of Chicken soups. I had no stock on hand and used Swanson broth. Over all, it was a bit salty for my taste.

DO NOT substitute regular flour tortillas in this recipe! The corn tortillas give a good texture, and a sweet but robust flavor to the otherwise mild tastes.

I hope I'm not boring you all!

My chicken tortilla soup experiment

2012-01-26T11:46:00.002-06:00

Coming soon. I'm such a tease. But if we're friends on FB, I did post it there yesterday.

King Ranch Casserole

2012-01-24T13:30:00.002-06:00

As I approach my third straight week of "try something completely new" challenge, I am already finding myself gravitating towards recipes that are familiar - similar flavors and textures to those things I have in my arsenal. This King Ranch Casserole sounds really yummy, and I'm excited to try it out. Also, it will use up the rest of that package of corn tortillas I bought for the Mexican Lasagna from last week...

This recipe comes from "The Casserole Queens Cookbook". I love their recipes for the way they incorporate our favorite childhood dishes, but make them a bit healthier, classier, more grown-up.

Ingredients:

1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 C chicken broth
1 can Rotel (or whatever brand of diced tomatoes with green chiles you buy)
1 tsp garlic salt
cooking spray (I use my Pampered Chef mister filled with EVOO)
12 8-inch corn tortillas, cut into quarters
1 3-pound roasted chicken, boned and shredded (I admit to having 3 lbs worth of pieces, that I baked up, skinned, boned and shredded and popped into the freezer sometime in the fall, not a freshly roasted chicken)
1 medium onion, diced
2 C grated Mexican-blend cheese (8 oz when weighed)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine cream soups, broth, tomatoes and garlic salt. Stir until warm through - about 5 minutes. remove from heat and set aside
Grease a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Cover the bottom with half of the corn tortilla quarters.
Layer in half EACH of the chicken, and onion, then sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese.
Pour half of the soup mixture over top, then repeat layers.
Top the casserole with the remaining cheese.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.

I'll let you know on Friday how this one turns out! We're having it Wednesday night, and we'll see how it goes over.

Mexican Lasagna

2012-01-24T13:18:00.003-06:00

OK, so I'm TOTALLY behind in posting this recipe, but you'll get the recipe and review all in one post...

With last week being FULL of appointments, errands and birthday celebration plans (for Princess and my Dad), I was a little leery of trying a new recipe on my family, but here it is:

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsps ground cumin
2 tsps chili powder
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
15 oz ricotta cheese
1 jalapeno chopped
3 8-inch corn tortillas
1 16 oz can refried beans
1 1/2 C shredded Cheddar
3/4 C sliced black olives
1/2 C salsa
6 TBSP sour cream

Directions:

brown and drain ground beef. Add onion, cumin, chili powder and pepper. Cook until onion is tender (about 5 minutes).
Preheat oven to 350.
Combine egg, ricotta, and jalpeno in a small bowl and mix well.
Layer 1 tortilla, refried beans, beef mixture, 2nd tortilla, cheese mixture, 3rd tortilla and shredded cheese in a round casserole.
Cover tightly with foil, and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover, return to oven and bake another 10 minutes.
Remove and sprinkle olives over top. Top each wedge serving with salsa and sour cream.

Review -

First off, do NOT use canned jalapenos - they are much too spicy and wet...although perhaps, drained they wouldn't be so bad. Same with the olives (although I should have realized it!!!). Second - finding 8 inch corn tortillas in my town was a bit difficult...I think that they add a great flavor, BUT, if you can't find the right size, double the recipe and use a 13 x 9 baking dish.

Other than that, I was a little unimpressed to be honest.

The textures and flavors together did not leave me desirous of making this again. The ricotta mix was too...crumbly.

Perhaps it is because I am used my family's secret recipe for "real" lasagna...it is nicely sauced and flavored, but the cheese mixture is firm.

You could maybe get away with using ground turkey instead of beef, or perhaps using a Cheddar/Jack blend to change the flavor a bit...

All in all, I don't think I'll be using this recipe again.

If you choose to, I wish you happy eating, and hopefully your family will enjoy it and you can make it again and again.

Challenge Results - January 13th

2012-01-16T15:43:00.001-06:00

I'm a bit late posting these results, but we were very busy this weekend.

We made Inkling's Autumn Vegetable Patties (scroll down a few posts for the recipe). HOLY COW!!!

I may start cutting meat out of my diet more than once a week...I made these as a side dish to go along with some roasted chicken, and salad. I should have tripled the recipe. I opted not to eat the chicken, because I'd had copious amounts of meat at lunch that day, and my stomach was a bit wonky due to some overindulging in baked goods earlier in the week...

I ate 3 of them, BB ate 4, the kids devoured the remainder...

Heavenly! Captain already asked for the "great cakes" twice over the weekend, and Princess wanted some for breakfast today with syrup...

The texture was sublime - not too mushy, not too "lumpy" if you get my meaning...the flavor was a treat for certain. The combination of sweet potato and spinach was not one I'd have ever made on my own, but with the other herbs and spices in there...wow!

We did top ours with the spiced sour cream (only I used Plain Greek Yogurt...shhhh...don't tell BB!), and it was just enough decadence to make you feel like you were indulging in some uber-unhealthy fare like cheese-covered potato cakes or something like that...

YUUUUMMMMMMYYYYY!!!!!!

Needless to say, these are now in my rotation, and I might even find a way to make them a bit sweeter for breakfast fare...we'll see how that goes...

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

2012-01-12T23:19:00.002-06:00

I found this recipe for cheesy vegetable chowder on Pinterest... made it tonight. My 3 year old ate a bowl and a half. My 6 year old was not as impressed, but almost an hour ago we figured out that she caught a stomach bug at school (not that she would have liked it anyway, it's hard to tell with her these days.) I will eat it for lunch again tomorrow.

I took pics, but I am going to just link to the original poster's, I need sleep and left my camera downstairs.

Inkling's Autumn Vegetable Patties

2012-01-12T16:27:00.002-06:00

Last week, I posted a challenge for myself of trying one new recipe each week, posting it, and then posting a review. Even though it's no longer autumn, I will be enjoying these with my family tomorrow night! They look delicious, just based on the ingredients, and I CANNOT wait to get cooking on these! I bought my sweet potatoes and spinach this morning (I'm doubling the recipe, because even if no one else in my family likes them, I will!) To make these, I had all but those veggies on hand, and so my "grocery period" expenses was a whopping $5.29 because the spinach wasn't on sale (next time, I'll buy the spinach on sale and keep it in the deep freeze until I'm ready to make these again!).

Autumn Vegetable Patties

Ingredients:
8 T. unsalted butter (I use less)
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and grated (about 1.5 cups)
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 T. minced fresh sage (I used 1 tsp. ground and dried)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 package of frozen chopped spinach (or you can use fresh and cook it down)
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, navy beans, any white bean, drained, rinsed, and mashed
1 egg white, lightly beaten (I used the whole egg)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup sour cream

Instructions:

Heat 6 T. butter in skillet over medium heat and add grated sweet potato, cooking until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup bread crumbs, sage, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne. Cook, stirring for one minute. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in spinach, mashed beans, and egg white. Season with Salt and Pepper.

Using your hands (I use a cookie dough scoop to help me), shape veggie mixture into 8 - 4" long oblong patties about 1/2" thick and coat in remaining bread crumbs.

Heat 2 T. oil and 1 T. butter in skillet over medium high heat, add four patties and cook turning once until browned on both sides. About six minutes per batch. Transfer to a serving platter and repeat with remaining oil and butter and patties.

To serve, season sour cream with salt and pepper and top each patty with a dollop of it.

Inkling did state that they didn't top them with the sour cream. I will top mine with sour cream, and will let you know on Saturday what the reception was!

Farmwife - I bet that if you didn't read the part about beans, you'd never know they were in there!!! I'll let you for sure.

Weeknight Shepherd's Pie

2012-01-12T16:13:00.002-06:00

This is a big hit in our house right now! I like it because it's fast and easy, the kids like it because it's all the "good things" mixed up. BB likes it because it has gravy.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef (can use 2 C cooked stew meat if you like, the ground beef makes it fast!)
1 C frozen mixed veggies, thawed
1 tsp dried thyme (I used fresh last summer, and it was too strong, even cut way back!)
1/4 C half-and-half (I use whatever milk is on hand)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 egg, beaten
2 C mashed potatoes (great way to use up leftovers, or a reason to keep instant around)
1/4 C chopped parsley (I use dried, because I'm too impatient to chop fresh)
2 TBSP butter, melted
1 tsp paprika
1 C hot prepared beef gravy

Directions:

Preheat over to 400 degrees F
Grease a medium casserole or deep quiche dish
Brown and drain ground beef, or cut stew beef into bite-sized pieces and place in casserole
Top with veggies and thyme
Mix half-and-half with salt, pepper, egg, and mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with parsley and mix.
Spread potato mixture over beef, drizzle butter over potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika.
Bake until filling is hot and top is browned, about 20 minutes.
Top each serving with gravy.

It is, in fact, what's for dinner tonight!

Not too spicy black bean dip

2012-01-11T14:30:00.002-06:00

Finding a new recipe is easy, it's the follow through that is hard. (That's the story of my life.) Well, I was craving beans, and don't come in between a pregnant woman and her craving. That craving led me to this:

I perused some recipes online and then made this warm dip, based on a recipe for black bean hummus.

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
1 tbsp cilantro (fresh would be even better, but had dried on hand)
3/4 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small garlic clove
juice from 2 lemon wedges
Colby jack cheese (mozzarella works great, too)

Blend all ingredients together, pour into oven proof bowl.
Shred cheese (if it didn't come from the store that way) and sprinkle over top.
Sprinkle with black pepper.
Bake for 15-20 min at 350, until cheese is melted and dip is warm.
Serve with whatever you choose... tortilla chips, crackers, etc... and enjoy!

2012 Challenge

2012-01-05T16:24:00.002-06:00

Hello anyone out there still checking this blog!

I have decided that with the onset of 2012, we need something new to help inspire us in our kitchens! I don't know about you, but I get awfully tired of feeling like I keep falling back to the same old same old routine recipes. Which may be good, and nutritious, but somehow, I just don't like a rut!

I am challenging myself to do a few different things this year. And I'm sharing them with you, as an invitation, as an inspiration (I hope) to change things up, shake it up a bit...

Without further ado:

Try one new recipe each week
Go meatless one entree each week
Buy organic whenever possible
Stop using products with added sugars.

I don't know what things you have in store for your own family and kitchen, but I hope that you'll join me each week...

I'll be posting my new recipe before I try it, and then posting a comment with a review after we've eaten it.

I hope that some of you will join me on this journey!

Chicken Stew

2011-10-26T12:15:00.002-05:00

Wow. It's been quite a while since I've posted on here, but I just made the best stew and had to share the recipe.

I actually got the recipe off the Target website when looking for a good dutch oven to buy. I didn't get the dutch oven, but I got a great meal instead!

Giada's Chicken Stew

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 (14 1/2–oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (14–oz.) can low–salt chicken broth
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf
2 chicken breast with ribs (about 1 1/2 lb.)
1 (15–oz.) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Heat oil in pot over medium heat. Add carrot and onion; saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with juices, broth, basil, tomato paste and bay leaf. Add chicken and submerge. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, turning chicken and stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting board. Discard bay leaf. Add beans to stew and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Discard skin and bones from chicken. Cut chicken into pieces; return to stew. Bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Makes 4 to 6 servings Total Cooking Time: 50 minutes

For what it's worth, I added an extra carrot, two stalks of celery, and more chicken broth to the recipe. I also used boneless, skinless chicken breasts because I do not have the time to debone chicken. It was a complete hit at our house and this recipe is going into my regular rotation for fall and winter.

Anyone up for posting?

2011-10-02T00:38:00.002-05:00

Hi guys. It's been a quiet couple of years here. But looking back at some of the recipes, I'm reminded that we have a good thing going here. We really are creative cooks with imaginative methods and yummy concoctions happening in our kitchen.

With the holidays coming up and the harvest season upon us, now is as good a time as ever to add some new family favorites or your latest experiments. Wanna join me?

Looking Forward to Thanksgiving

2010-10-25T16:46:00.003-05:00

I am headed "home" for my first American Thanksgiving since before getting married and moving to the Great White North. Canadians are too busy refurbishing their igloos and cavorting with polar bears to celebrate Thanksgiving. Well, actually, none of that is true. We don't live in igloos. Global warming is pretty much taking care of the polar bears. And we celebrated Thanksgiving already.

So I'm just wondering what some of your favorite traditions, dishes, recipes, and memories are of this wonderful American holiday. Think back to the time when Thanksgiving was actually talked about in stores, people actually decorated for it in between Halloween and Christmas, and Black Friday didn't involve deaths from being trampled. Yeah, think back really, really far into the past and see what you find.

I'm curious.

To get you started, how will you be cooking your turkey this year? Brining first? Grilling? Baking? Frying? Buying it from someone? Having your mother do it for you?

As for me, I won't be having to deal with it this year. Which, for all of you who will be sharing the holiday with me, must be a relief. Since that means that there isn't a chance you might actually be eating the neck and other pieces I forget to take out. =)

Okay, eagerly awaiting your input........

Potato Salad

2010-07-14T10:10:00.003-05:00

FarmWife asked us for our cookout recipes, and as I was on vacation, am just now getting around to it...

Potato Salad is like politics - people either love or hate it, and have very passionate opinions about their preferred brand/mix of it.

Here's my new favorite, courtesy of my MIL:

INGREDIENTS:

Enough Russet Potatoes to fill your large pot, peeled, rinsed and cut up.

Carrots, peeled and shredded

Celery, "strung" and chopped

Onion Salt

Mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip if you like it sweeter)

DIRECTIONS:

Cook the potatoes until they're just a bit overdone (make them soft like you would for mashed potatoes from scratch), drain, let cool a bit, and cut into smaller pieces. Set aside and let cool for about another 10 minutes or so. Add the carrots, celery, and enough mayo to make "moist", and onion salt to taste. Cover, and refrigerate until you're ready to eat it, or it's cool enough to not burn your tongue.

I like this one to sit overnight, as the onion salt really flavors it better after a day in the fridge. It keeps...well, I don't know, as we generally scarf it up in the first day! I imagine you could keep it up to a week or so...

Enjoy!

Mama F's Strawberry Cake

2010-06-30T20:46:00.002-05:00

As with everything in my life, this recipe has a back story. Did was my best friend from the time we were in eighth grade on. Every year she had a slumber birthday party. Every year her mother, Mama F, made this fabulous cake. When BabyGirl asked for a "pink strawberry cake" for her fourth birthday, I could think of nothing better than this cake. I emailed Mama F & begged for her recipe. She gladly sent it to me. Last year, I discovered Did did not even have her mother's recipe. I told her it's because her mother likes me more...but in reality, it's because Did never asked.

You should also know that Mama F was an English teacher & is a published author. If you read this recipe through, you'll see those facts clearly. So with no more ado and without further gilding the lily, I give you Mama F's Strawberry Cake exactly as it was sent to me.

This is out of the section of The James K. Polk Cookbook [the first one] from the recipes sent in by 1st ladies. I'll try to remember and italicize my editorial comments.

Strawberry Cake

1 package yellow or white cake mix

1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin (Jello)

3/4 cup cooking oil (I use 1/2 c oil and 1/4 c water)

1 cup chopped nuts (I don't put these in because I don't want to)

4 eggs

2 tablespoons flour

1 package (10 ounces) frozen strawberries or 1 pint fresh strawberries with 1/2 cup sugar*

Mix all ingredients and beat well; pour into a greased angel food cake pan and bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until done. (Mama F always baked the cake in two 9 inch round pans for a layer cake instead.)

Serve plain or with whipped cream.** Rosalynn Carter

OK, FarmWife, here's how the cake you ate deviates:

*In strawberry season, I freeze strawberries. Specifically, I slice them, mildly fill quart freezer bags with the slices, add 1/4 cup sugar, seal, and let them languish on the counter until they form a little juice- probably no more than 30 minutes. FOR THE CAKE, I thaw a quart of the berries and, with a slotted spoon, scoop out about 10 ounces of them to put in the batter. There will be juice and several slices left. Onward...

**After the two layers are cool, I "ice" the cake with a really big bowl of Cool Whip (or store brand sub) with the remaining strawberry juice and pulp stirred in. The two ingredients will at first vigorously resist being combined, but persevere; it will happen.

Of course, with this icing, the cake will have to be covered and refrigerated and, if your cake holder is like mine, will take up a huge space. I stick toothpicks in the tip and sides so the Saran Wrap doesn't stick to the icing. It's better/moister if it sits a day.

Lentil Fare for Kork

2010-06-29T00:53:00.007-05:00

Okay, Kork, awhile ago you asked for recipes using beans or lentils. I use them all the time, but kept forgetting to post. So now I'm making time to post...a new recipe tried just tonight. So that means it still needs tweaking, yet it's good enough to enjoy as-is now. If you like Indian food, this is a wonderful, flavorful combination of Indian and Iranian food. I scoured the internet for chicken dhansak recipes (my favorite thing to get when we eat at Indian restaurants), finding variety after variety that differed greatly in both ingredients and method. This is the one I am going with until my dream cookbook arrives. It is actually a combination of three different recipes. I made it in the crock pot so that we'd have dinner ready when we got back from a medical appointment in Vancouver, mainly so my hungry self wouldn't beg my husband to take us out for dinner. End result? Who needs to go out when food at home can be this good?

My only warning...you must have a good variety of spices in your kitchen. If not, you'll need to build up slowly. I only had to buy a couple, since I've slowly been adding to my collection. I currently use mainly ground spices, but you can use whole ones if you have a mortar and pestle.

Here goes....

INGREDIENTS:
1 large yam or sweet potato, peeled and cubed
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in small cubes
1 c. red split lentils
1 c. brown or green lentils
1/4 c. split peas
1 T. sunflower oil or any groundnut oil
1 red onion, chopped in small pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced fine
2 T. fresh ginger, minced fine (I buy fresh ginger on sale and store it in a freezer bag in our deep freeze so it's there whenever I need it without necessitating a trip to the grocery)
2 T. Tamarind paste (I had Tamarind preserves from Guadelupe and used that instead)
5-6 dried red chillies (DanPak has some basic red chillies you can easily find.)
1 tsp. Turmeric
2 tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. Coriander
1/4 tsp. Cloves (ground, or 2 whole cloves otherwise)
2 tsp. Garam Masala
1/2 tsp. Cardamom
1 Cinnamon stick, broken in 2 or 3 pieces
1 tsp. Demerara sugar (a dark brown sugar)
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
2 T. Malt Vinegar (I confess that I used another type since I didn't have that one in my pantry.)
1 small can diced tomatoes in liquid (maybe 1.5 c. size)
3 c. boiling chicken stock
2 T. Cilantro, chopped fresh
Rice
Naan Bread

Instructions:
1. In chicken stock, boil green/brown lentils and split peas for a few minutes. (do NOT add the red lentils to this!) Drain the lentils, reserving the stock.

2. Put sweet potato, chicken pieces, split peas and both types of lentils in crock pot and stir well.

3. Heat oil in separate pan and saute onion, garlic, and ginger for a 3 minutes over medium heat. Stir in dried chillies and dried spices and cook another minute.

4. Add sugar, tomatoes with their juices, vinegar, and chicken stock and bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Then pour carefully over chicken mixture in crock pot.

5. Stir; cover; and cook on low 6-7 hours. At the 6 hour mark, check liquid level. You will most likely have a thick mixture and will want to add about 2 cups of water and cook a few minutes longer. You want to have a slightly soupy mixture for the Naan bread to having something to soak up. The reason you don't add the water at the beginning is because it is easier to achieve a desired consistency by adding more water than trying to deal with something that is too soupy from the beginning.

6. Ladle into a large serving bowl, taking care to scoop out cinnamon pieces (which will have uncurled into woody rectangles) and red chillies. Sprinkle freshly chopped cilantro on top. Serve over rice with Naan bread on the side. (We cheated and bought rice when we picked up hot Naan bread and Samosas at the local Indian cafe on the way home, but normally we'd use brown Basmati rice.)

*We found this not too spicy at all for our toddler. The flavors will intensify the following day and meld even more. This served two, plus leftovers for both of us to have lunch, and enough to freeze a dinner's worth when we have Indian night with friends in a couple of weeks. If you want to adjust the heat of the spice more, you could add green chillies, or 1/4-1/2 tsp. of hot chili powder.

Rice Pudding

2010-05-17T16:11:00.002-05:00

1/2 C Rice

1/2 C sugar

1 quart of milk

Combine ingredients in top of double boiler, and cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender and mixture has thickened (about one hour). Remove from heat, add 1 tsp vanilla extract, stir. Cover and refrigerate. Enjoy cold, slightly warmed, and sprinkled with cinnamon.

This is one of my all-time favorite specials from growing up. Mom would make this on those rare occasions when we had "extra" milk, and it was always one of my favorites.

I just made it with brown rice, and discovered that you need to cook it at least 90 minutes, probably longer would be better...and am next going to try it with honey instead of cane sugar.

Hope this is something your family will enjoy.

Help?

2010-05-12T13:42:00.002-05:00

Alright - I'm looking for some great ideas for beans, rice, and lentils...BB and I are trying to broaden our horizons and palettes and want some non-animal protein recipes that are tasty and easy, as well as somewhat inexpensive, but really, how many ways can you make soup with veggies, rice, and lentils or beans?

I want some casseroles, some variations of stir-fry...whatever you've got, send it my way!!!!!

Oh, and also - if you bake with sugar alternatives like brown rice syrup, agave nectar, and/or honey, can you help me out there too? I'm trying to get out of things like white and brown sugar and don't want to use artificial sweeteners that are "formulated to match sugar"...

Help please!!!

Fast, Fresh & Healthy Fish Tacos

2010-05-10T21:29:00.003-05:00

I just made these tonight, and they were a hit. If you are looking for something really healthy and low-cal, this is it! If you are looking for something full of taste and protein, this is it! Give it a try. Here's to the first recipe of 2010.

INGREDIENTS:
2 Fresh (or frozen, thawed) cod fillets, small bones removed
1 T. Lime Juice
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
8 Hard Taco Shells
1 c. Frozen Peaches & Cream Corn, thawed in warm water and drained
scant 1 cup Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. Salsa (we used hot and chunky)
1/4 c. Red Pepper, chopped
1/4 c. Cilantro, chopped
1 c. Lettuce, shredded (we used Romaine)

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat broiler. Arrange fillets in single layer on a foil topped baking sheet. Be sure to grease or spray the foil. Drizzle with lime juice. Sprinkle with cumin. Broil on center rack in oven for 8-10 minutes until fish flakes easily when tested with fork. Break into small chunks and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, toss the corn, beans, salsa, red pepper, and cilantro together and set aside in a small serving bowl ready for the table. Put the lettuce in a separate little serving bowl.

3. Arrange taco shells on a baking sheet and heat for one minute in hot oven.

4. Serve and eat! (We served this with fresh fruit and carrots.)

*I don't know the added caloric content from the beans and peppers, but do know that the other ingredients give you about 134 calories per taco with only 3.5 g of fat. Each taco is slightly more than 12-14 grams of protein.

***I should note that this recipe was inspired by a Canadian cook who puts out numerous cookbooks called Company's Coming. Her name is Jean Pare, and her recipe was the basis for this post. I added the peppers and black beans, and got a little heavy handed with the lime juice and cumin. You can thank my husband for the Mother's Day gift of a couple new cookbooks that motivated me to try fish tacos for the first time.

Sugar Cookies (For LT)

2009-12-07T16:08:00.002-06:00

Ethel's Sugar Cookies

Before you ask, no, there is no one named Ethel in my family. This recipe comes to us courtesy of Betty Crocker's CookyBook, of which, my copy is my Grandmother's from 1973. Not that old, I know, but the recipe itself goes back at least another 30 years prior to this edition...and the book has Grandma's hand-written notes about additions and changes she made...

These cookies are crispy, not soft, but are FABULOUS for decorating and sharing with neighbors, classrooms, teachers, small groups etc. It is a MESS to make them what with the floured rolling surface, and it makes right around 4 dozen, unless you use a really little cookie cutter. I try to use nothing smaller than 3 inches...but still...it takes a looooong time to get all that flour actually cleaned up when we're done.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 C shortening (I use all butter in mine, but a combo, or just Crisco works too)

1 C sugar

2 eggs (at room temp works best)

1/2 tsp flavoring (we use good old vanilla, but lemon, or almond are yummy too!)

2 1/2 C all-purpose flour **

1 tsp baking POWDER

1 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:
Cream the sugar, butter, eggs, and flavoring. Measure flour using dipping method (just dip your cup and sort of tap it against the side of your container lightly), and stir with baking powder and salt. Add gradually. Chill at least 1 hour (if you can't bake right away, it can sit covered tightly overnight, and then just let it come a bit warm before rolling, so you can work it).

Roll dough on floured surface (even using my good ol' Tupperware mat, I still have to flour) to 1/8 inch thick. Cut using desired cutters. Bake at 400F for 6 - 8 minutes (I only do about 5 at my altitude) or until delicate golden. Let cool completely and decorate as desired.

** If you use "self-rising" flour, don't add the baking powder or salt. I always use "Hungarian Flour", unbleached and they turn out ok.

RECIPE CHALLENGE

2009-09-21T19:01:00.003-05:00

As the holidays approach us once more, I'm putting a challenge out to any who follow this blog, or just pop on by from time to time.

Between now and November 1, come up with your all-time favorite Holiday Entree and Side Dish, and share it with us (this means no secret family recipes!).

Bring on the good food, and don't worry about "healthy variations"...just post it the way you remember it, and you can add your disclaimer at the bottom that you've adapted it to your family's needs!

I'm excited to see what we can throw together over the coming weeks, and maybe, just maybe, we can start some new family traditions this year with new recipes!

Chocolate Cheesecake & Strawberry Sauce

2009-06-19T19:24:00.002-05:00

So I combined two cheesecake recipes in order to use the ingredients I had on hand. Every other recipe I found required something I didn't have, and as this baking adventure began after 10 p.m., I needed to get creative. It worked. Here are the tasty results below.

INGREDIENTS:
Crust
2.25 c. Oreo crumbs
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted
Filling
2 pkgs. (8oz/250g each) Light Cream Cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk (light if they have it)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 pkg. (8 squares) 70% Baker's Chocolate
Sauce
2 c. Strawberries (frozen works great)
scant 1/3 c. Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla

DIRECTIONS for Crust and Filling:
1. Preheat oven to 325 Fahrenheit. In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and sugar. Stir in butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 10" springform pan. (I press the crust about 1 inch up the sides as well, but that is a matter of personal preference, if you like crust on the side or not)

2. In a double boiler, melt chocolate until smooth. Be very careful not to scorch, and remove from bottom of boiler when the chocolate is melted. Set aside. (I don't have a double boiler, but use a small metal bowl over a small sauce pan of hot water on the stove.)

3. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate, and vanilla until really smooth.

4. Add eggs one at a time, beating on low just until each is combined. (If you beat too hard, your cheesecake will crack because the eggs hold air that collects during the beating process.)

5. Pour over crust. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes. Then turn off oven, crack door open and bake another 10 minutes. This will help set the cheesecake and help prevent cracks in the top of your cheesecake. (You'll still have one or two, but they shouldn't be major. I actually had a few that corrected themselves during the 10 minutes that the door was open.)

6. Remove and cool on wire rack for 30 minutes to an hour. Gently run a knife along the edge of the pan, and then place in refrigerator. Do not disassemble the pan yet! Cool overnight.

7. Carefully disassemble the edge of the springform pan. Cut into 12 pieces. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. (I set aside a few pieces, and then individually wrap and freeze the rest for other occasions. It freezes well for a few months in a deep freeze.)

DIRECTIONS for Sauce:
1. Cut strawberries in pieces and place in small sauce pan. (If frozen, thaw a bit first.) Add sugar and vanilla.

2. Heat on medium low heat and stir until bubbly and thickened, about five minutes. Remove from heat and mash with a potato ricer. Cool in refrigerator.

3. Pour a few tablespoonfuls over individual pieces of cake and enjoy.

Asian Veggie Wraps & Artichokes

2009-06-16T12:31:00.007-05:00

We had some serious leftovers to deal with in the veggie department, so I got creative. It was absolutely yummy and incredibly healthy. Because everything was naturally low in fat and high in fiber, the dip we made for the artichokes wasn't even a cause for guilt. I'll share it all below.

Asian Veggie Wraps for two or three...
INGREDIENTS:
Butter Lettuce Leaves, washed and crisped whole (I buy living lettuce, which actually comes with roots in a bit of soil enclosed in a plastic box that you just water and keep cool until ready to wash and use.)
2 c. Butternut Squash, cut in large chunks
1/2 c. Brown Rice
1.5 c. water
1/2 c. Eggplant, cut in small bites
1/2 Portobello Mushroom (or whole, whatever you have on hand), cut in small pieces
1/4 c. Red Onion, chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic, chopped fine
1 T. Fresh Rosemary
3 T. Asian Ginger & Sesame Sauce (I use Trader Joe's Goya Sauce, but anything Teryaki Flavored will work. The key is boldness.)
1 T. Olive Oil

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Prepare the Lettuce leaves as above, and set aside in the frig for later. (Butter lettuce is sometimes called Boston lettuce or Bibb lettuce.)

2. Prepare Brown Rice and water. I put both in a pot with a glass lid, bring to a boil for a few minutes, and then turn down to a simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Then I turn off the heat and leave it covered for another 35 minutes to finish steaming. If you do it this way, you just have to make sure the water does not completely evaporate while the stove is still doing its thing. So if your brown rice comes with other instructions, do whatever it says to do for 1/2 c. of dry rice.

3. Steam the squash until tender enough to mash by hand. Mash with a fork or potato ricer and add to finished rice.

4. Meanwhile, saute onion, garlic, eggplant, and portobello in olive oil until tender. The onion will be nearly translucent. Add the rosemary and Asian sauce in the last couple minutes of cooking, stirring in well. When all is tender and combined, add to squash and rice mixture, stirring in well. (It will look weird, but it is totally delicious.)

5. Serve by spooning into the lettuce leaves and rolling up like a burrito, or you could serve it on/in pita bread. It's savory and deliciously healthy. We loved this experiment, and are so glad we tried it.

*This dish does NOT need any added salt since the Asian sauce has plenty of sodium.

Steamed Artichokes & Dip
INGREDIENTS:
1 Large Whole Raw Artichoke
Juice of one lemon
1/3 c. Mayonnaise
1 tsp. White Sugar
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Herbs de Provence
1/2 tsp. Dried Thyme
1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
Dash Black Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Prepare artichoke by cutting fresh end off of stem, cutting tips off of leaves, and cutting whole artichoke in half. Using a spoon, scoop out the choke - that's the "hairy" part in the middle - and throw away. Brush lemon juice (or cut lemon half that is slightly squeezed to release some juice) all over the artichoke to prevent browning.

2. Place artichoke halves cut side down in steamer pot and steam on medium low heat for around 40 minutes, or until heart and leaves are tender.

3. Meanwhile, mix the rest of the lemon juice and all other ingredients in small bowl. Taste to see if you think it's to your liking, and stick in frig until ready to serve.

4. To eat the artichoke, remove leaves one at a time; dip into mayo mixture, and eat by scraping the fleshy inside part of leaf against your bottom teeth. Discard the tough part of leaf in bowl reserved for that use. Keep removing leaves until you get to the stem and heart. This can be eaten in its entirety.

5. You may have some dip left. It will keep a few days in the frig and is great to add to sandwiches, as a veggie dip, or to use with rice or potatoes to add zing.

*If your artichokes are on the small side, you could serve a whole one for each person. It's not too hard to gently open center of leaves to scoop out the choke without having to cut the whole thing in half. Then you would just steam upside down for same amount of time or a bit longer.

*These recently got press as being the top Super Veggie. (Don't know if they can fly though.) So it's worth trying. And the fiber from these yummy treats is a whole lot tastier than metamucil!

2009-03-18T15:06:00.003-05:00

My soup experiment- what to do with a ham bone

2009-03-16T22:15:00.002-05:00

After perusing some recipes and finding mostly the sort that I love but hubby would not touch with a ten foot spoon, I'm working on my own brew. All because the ham bone keeps taking up freezer space and symmetry. (Hubby dislikes creamy, potatoey, or beany soups.)

Here's what I threw into the big pot:
*frozen ham bone, foil wrapping removed
*2 frozen boneless chicken breasts, because mom in law did such a good job carving the meat off the ham bone. or maybe it was grandma in law.
* 3/4 yellow onion, diced
*2 cloves garlic, pressed in my pampered chef garlic press. or was it 3?
* 3 stalks celery. chopped
* approx 1 c frozen corn
*several dashes of Italian-style seasoning
*1 whole bay leaf (my mom usually puts a bay leaf in her homemade broth-based soups. remove before serving soup)
*1/4 c olive oil
*4 buillion cubes (chicken)
And of course, I filled the pot with water.

Yet to add:
long grain rice of some type.... it's still at the store, and the baby's napping

to be continued....

......4:32 p.m.
The kids and I trekked to Kroger. Well, I should say rode to Kroger, we did not trek the mile there and back this time. ;) Came home, pulled the ham bone out, along with cartilage and fatty stuff. Then I removed the chicken breasts, chopped them up real good, and scraped the meat back off the cutting board into the pot. (Do I sound southern enough for y'all?) I added the following:

*1/2 red onion, chopped
*1 1/2 c brown rice
*1/4 c long whole grain rice
*ground tellicherry black pepper to taste

It's all simmering slowly in the 6 qt pot, waiting for the rice to be tender and hubby to come home. I might throw some sliced almonds on top when I dish the soup, I saw almonds in some of the recipes online but could not remember if they were a garnish or actually cooked in. On second thought, yes, almond flavor simmered in would be nice.... unless you're allergic to nuts.

CONCLUSION: Experiment was a success!
It's a good thing I decided to add the chicken, because there really was not much meat on the bone at all. But the combo of flavors tasted good. I probably did not need the olive oil, or as much, but it tasted fine... it was just a tad oilier than I prefer.But at least the rice did not stick to the bottom of the pot! Not bad, though, and still less fattening than many chilis! I ended up leaving the almonds out (forgot to add them), but I bet they would have been a nice touch.

Hubby's honest opinion: He doesn't like it as well as my top notch chicken noodle soup, but he would rate it "pretty good."

I've been stuck in a rut, and was tired of my regular soups (the aforementioned chicken noodle and veggie beef). I like soups when I'm recovering from colds and can taste my food again. This hit the spot for me. I'll find out if the leftovers are good tomorrow. If they are, I'll freeze a batch.

Crock-Pot Roast

2009-01-12T11:20:00.002-06:00

This has to be one of my favorite stand-bys...from growing up, when Mom was working full-time outside the house...always the best smell in the world when you open your door and come home at the end of a long hard day!

Ingredients:

1 Beef Roast (cut of your choice, and weight enough to feed your fam)
1 - 2 cans of Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 packet Lipton's Onion Mushroom Soup Mix (off brands work well also, this is just my favorite!)

Optional Ingredients:

2-3 red, or 1 white "baking" potato for each family member + 1 or 2 more for the pot or leftovers
Carrots (baby work well if you're tight on time)

Directions:

Scrub potatoes, and cut larger ones in halves or quarters. Peel carrots, and cut into largish chunks. Place roast in crock-pot fatty side up. Dump can(s) of mushroom soup on top. Open packet of soup mix and dump contents on top of soup and meat. Add potatoes and carrots. Plug in crock-pot, put on the lid, turn on to low and let it cook all day long.

I usually work with a fully defrosted roast, and cut the time in half (to about 4 hours). About 1/2 to 1 hour before serving, check the meat for "done-ness", and slice it up, trimming the fat. Return meat to crock-pot until time to eat! If your family prefers noodles, or mashed potatoes with their roast, simply leave out the potatoes and/or carrots. We love the flavor of the meat with the carrots and potatoes, and it makes it rather "stewy", but is a fast and easy dinner to come home to! Serve with salad.

Hope this makes some of those cold wintery nights better!

Cream Cheese Frosting

2008-12-21T18:17:00.002-06:00

1/2 a stick of butter
1/2 a block of cream cheese
1 pound box of powdered sugar
1/4 t. of vanilla

Let butter and cream cheese sit out until soft. Then whip them together until smooth. Add sugar 1/2 C at a time until all in mixed in. Then add vanilla. Food coloring can also be added at this point.

This is excellent of sugar cookies, graham crackers, spice cakes, by the spoonful or however your little heart desires it.

Crisp Ginger Cookies

2008-12-05T19:35:00.005-06:00

This is how we make gingerbread men around here. It makes a crispy (as opposed to the softer gingerbread men most people make), wonderful cookie that can stand alone or be iced if you like. I also double this recipe.

1/3 C molasses
1/4 C shortening
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1 1/4 C all-purpose or whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
dash of ground nutmeg
dash of ground allspice

Mix molasses, shortening & brown sugar. Mix in remaining ingredients. Cover & refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll dough 1/8 inch thick or paper thin on floured, cloth-covered board. Cut with floured cookie cutter. Place 1/2 inch apart on baking sheet. Bake until light brown, 1/8 inch thick cookies about 8 minutes, paper-thin cookies about 5 minutes.

Immediately remove from cookie sheet & cool. Frost if desired.

Makes about 1 1/2 dozen 1/8 inch thick cookies.

Old Fashioned Pfefferneuse (Peppernuts)

2008-12-01T08:15:00.004-06:00

1/2 C. Butter
3/4 C. granulated Sugar
1 egg
1/2 C. sweet (or heavy) cream
2 Tbsp. Honey
1/3 cup white corn syrup
1 tsp. oil of anise
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. all spice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. baking powder
4 C. flour

Cream together butter & sugar until fluffy

Add egg, beat well

Add other liquids

sift dry ingredients with spices & flour. Add half the amount of flour, missing well, add remaining four & knead thoroughly.

Store dough in tightly covered container in the refrigerator for one hour or longer. This helps the dough to season & the spices to blend. (The longer it can set the better. I try to let it rest for at least 2 weeks sealed in a gallon sized Zip-loc bag.)

Roll dough into thin ropes & slice with a sharp knife dipped in flour or cold water. Pieces should be about the size of a hazel nut.

Place pieces separately on a greased baking sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes

This will make quite a few Peppernuts. I keep a big bowl of them setting on the counter when we have company.

*Updated 12/16 with picture. I just baked up all my dough & thought I'd post a picture of some of the results. I didn't have enough honey on hand when I made the dough, so I substituted 1 Tbsp molasses for 1 Tbsp honey. I'm very happy with the results. I think in all this made around 300 or more nickle sized cookies. But be warned, you will eat these by the handful & they are addictive!

Sarah's Gingerbread Cheesecake

2008-11-24T19:20:00.001-06:00

To be honest, y'all, I just tweaked a "regular" cheesecake recipe to suit my craving for gingerbread. So, instead of a graham cracker crust, I subbed out gingerbread cookie crumbs (I suppose you can be extremely Martha Stewart-y and make your gingerbread cookies from scratch - I used Keebler gingerbread cookies that I bought in the store. Pepperidge farm makes some too). I added a bit of extra seasoning to the filling in addition to just vanilla.

Crust:
2 cups gingerbread cookie crumbs (I used slightly more than 2 cups because I squashed too many)
1/3 cup melted butter

Filling:
3 pkgs cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c sugar
Nutmeg and ginger (to taste - I sprinkled some in until I found a nice flavor I liked but wasn't overwhelming -- you could probably use Pumpkin pie spice instead - as it has ginger and nutmeg in it)
3 eggs

What To Do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix crumbs and butter and press firmly into bottom of 9x13 pan (You could also use a 9" springform pan - and just up the cooking time by about 25 minutes. I have horrible luck with Springform though - I always crack my cheesecake that way).

Beat Cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and ginger with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Then taste it. That's the fun part. If you need more spices - add more, if not, then....

Add eggs and mix just until blended (over blending puts too much air in your cheesecake. Not good).

Pour over crust.

Bake 30 minutes or until center is almost set. (Again, if you go the springform route, bake time is about 55 minutes usually).

Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

Pumpkin Turtle Pie

2008-11-24T11:22:00.005-06:00

Found this recipe in a coupon flyer and have adapted it to a low-cal version. Gave it to the family and it's been voted in for Thanksgiving this year. It is rich, but very good.

1-8 0z container of fat free cool whip-divided
1/4 c + 2 TBS of sugar free caramel topping
1/2 c + 2 TBS of halved pecans
1 premade graham cracker pie crust
1 c canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 small packages of instant vanilla pudding
1 c fat free milk

In pie crust, pour 1/4 c of caramel topping onto crust. Spread across the bottom of the pie crust. Sprinkle 1/2 c of pecans on top of caramel topping.

In a bowl combine 1 c pumpkin, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp of ground cinnamon, 2 small packages of instant vanilla pudding, and 1 c fat free milk with wire whisk. Slowly fold in 1/2 of the fat free cool whip.

Place in pie crust, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

After chilling for 1 hour remove from fridge, spread remainder of fat free cool whip on top of pumpkin mixture. Drizzle remaining 2 Tbs of sugar free caramel topping across the top. Sprinkle remaining 2 Tbs of pecan halves across the top.

Serve.

1 pie = 10 servings

Stuffed Mushrooms

2008-09-30T18:19:00.003-05:00

8 white large mushrooms
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp lemon juice
3 tsp of grated Parmesan cheese
3 tsp of bread crumbs
3 slices of precooked bacon

Preheat Oven to 375
Serves 4

Clean Mushroom Caps with damp paper towel, carefully removing stems and set caps aside.

Carefully dice mushroom stems and place into a pan on medium heat to saute. Add lemon juice and garlic until mushrooms are nicely sauteed. Remove from heat.

In an empty bowl combine, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and bacon (Crumbled). Mix ingredients together. Add mushroom mixture. Mix together, and carefully spoon mixture into mushroom caps.

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Remove and serve warm.

2 mushrooms = 1 ww point

Weeknight Shepherd's Pie

2008-09-30T18:08:00.002-05:00

Ingredients:

2 C Cooked, Cubed beef (I brown up ground beef most times)
2 C frozen mixed veggies, thawed and drained
salt
pepper
thyme
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 C half and half (I use milk)
4 TBSP butter, melted
1/2 C parsley (dried)
2 C mashed potatoes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Lightly spray or grease a pie plate. Put beef, seasoned lightly with salt & pepper in. Mix veggies with 1/4 tsp thyme and add to pie plate. Mix together half and half, a little salt, and pepper with egg. Carefully add potatoes. Mix well. Add 1/2 of parsley and mix. Spread over top of pie plate. (you can cover the entire top, or make the "ring" found in traditional variations) Drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are golden and slightly crispy. Serve hot, with hot beef gravy.

As you can see, this is a "leftover" pie. However...I make it with "fresh" ingredients, using instant potatoes, instant gravy, and just brown up the beef, and drain it. One of these nights, I'll make it with actual leftovers...I guess...

Hope you enjoy this, and let me know if you find any yummy variations...you know, with chicken and mashed sweet potatoes or something...

Fresh Apple Crisp

2008-09-18T12:47:00.003-05:00

In a pinch for a dessert that is yummy but not requiring crazy ingredients like cream cheese and whipped cream? This is it!

Ingredients:

4 C peeled and sliced tart apples. I prefer Granny Smith, but Gala work well also.
1 1/4 C brown sugar
1 C flour
1 C oatmeal
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2/3 C margarine

Directions:

Heat overn to 375. Grease a square pan (8x8 or 9x9).* Place apple slices in pan. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl, cutting in margarine or butter, and sprinkle over the apples. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the apples are fork-tender.

Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or just plain. You can substitute peaches, or cherries, but may have to adjust the baking time accordingly.

* I did NOT grease my pan, and used a disposable aluminum pan. It worked just fine.

Yummy Chicken & Rice

2008-09-17T11:31:00.002-05:00

This is a recipe that my BB found. We tried a little bit last night, that a friend sent home with him.

Ingredients:

1 6 ounce box of Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice Original Flavor
4 - 6 Boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts lightly seasoned with salt & pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
milk
2 C HOT water

Directions:
Put rice in a 13x9 pan. Pour 2 C HOT water over rice, and mix. Place chicken on top of rice. Seal pan TIGHTLY with foil. Place in a 375 degree oven for 75 minutes. In a small bowl, mix together cream of mushroom soup with about 3/4 of the can filled with milk. Take pan out of oven and carefully remove foil, spread soup mixture over top, reseal, and return to oven for 15 minutes. Remove pan, remove foil, and return pan to oven for another 10 - 15 minutes, or until soup is bubbly.

Enjoy!

If you plan to serve more than 6 people, or more than 4 adults, make a 2nd pan using a 2nd box of rice!

This is fantastic for "taking a meal" to someone, and is really yummy with salad. It is a filling dish without being to "casserole-y" and is nice all year long.

Nutty Apple

2008-09-09T21:46:00.005-05:00

I made this today thought it was pretty good. Hubby liked it.

1 granny smith apple peeled, cored and cubed
2 TBS of raisins
2 TBS of chopped walnuts
1 container of yoplait lite (choose your flavor)

Mix above ingredients together in a bowl and serve.

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 fruit, 1 fat, 1 protein

Other Squash Options

2008-09-02T12:08:00.002-05:00

I have used Mama F's Squash casserole, and it was amazing! Think mashed potatoes with cheese, and butter and bread crumbs....mmmmmmmmm...only it was yummy squash!

I had, on my kitchen counter, a total of 18, yes 18 crookneck squash (yellow, bumpy guy), ready to be eaten, or I'd have to toss them into my composter...and I did not want to do that...so I baked, pureed, and froze them...first time ever doing that for me...I know, I know...but here's what I did...

Pureed Squash (for use in soups, sauces, cakes)

Ingredients:
Ripe Squash

Directions:
Heat oven to around 350 degrees.
Slice squash in half lengthwise, remove seeds, and place flesh-side down in 13 x 9 baking dish. If you're using a drier squash variety, add about 1/4 C of water to the baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, checking to see if uniformly tender. Check each 10 - 15 minutes after that to keep from overcooking. Remove from oven, let cool to touch. Remove from pan, and slice to fit into your food mill, food processor. NOTE - if you do not have something like the Kitchen-Aid, or Oster Kitchen Center, you will need to PEEL the squash prior to running it through your mill/processor. Place into quart-sized freezer bags, lay on a cookie sheet, and freeze. Once frozen, you can then lay them flat on a shelf in a basket in your freezer, OR you can stand them like books on your shelf/in your freezer basket.

I use the quart-sized bags, as that usually equates to a doubled recipe for most things. I think, as they are completely unseasoned, I'm going to try using some of it in carrot cake, and maybe even in a "pumpkin" pie...

This is a great option (I had a friend gift me with her surplus bags of squash she'd done as baby food for her daughter before they knew that she was allergic to squash), as I didn't use it all as baby food, but would toss it into my soups to thicken it, and then got the crazy thought of using it in place of tomato paste in a recipe, and was AMAZED at how it didn't change the taste, consistency, and in fact, my crazy picky nephew who doesn't eat vegetables, actually ate several helpings of the stew, and even more of the spaghetti with the sauce...and he NEVER eats sauce when they have spaghetti at their house...

What to Do With Underripe Squash

2008-09-02T12:01:00.002-05:00

Well, as ever, I goofed...but not too badly...I planted Acorn, Butternut, Spaghetti, and Crookneck squash, along with good old zucchini. As is the way with those type of plants in my garden, we have had waaaayyyy more than enough to eat fresh, and honestly, just how much cooked zucchini can you handle? We've had it fried, stir-fried, sauteed, steamed, in bread, in cake, in spaghetti sauce, raw (think cucumber slices with some salt and pepper)...you name it, we've had it that way...I think. Same with the Crookneck squash. When I saw the acorn all glossy green and giant on the vine, I automatically picked it...ooops! I didn't realize that a "winter squash" was supposed to stay on the vine until right after the first frost/freeze of the fall, as that hardens the rind, and changes the sugars inside, creating the delicious flavor of the squash that we know, and some of us love! So, I had about 6 acorns, and 5 spaghetti squash on my dining table, hoping to cure them and be able to keep them whole, in my garage or basement until we were ready to eat them over the winter...

I decided to call my local Garden Center (NOT a Home Depot, but an actual garden/flower store), and talked to one of the growers there. He recommended the following options:

1 - Blanch, peel, seed, and cube the squash, pack it in quart bags/containers, and freeze. You can defrost them during the off-season, stir-fry them, or steam them, and put them into soup etc.

2 - Using the good ol' Interweb, look up a recipe for "Indian Pickle", and voila! You've got a yummy, raw-food option for any underripe produce, that is healthy, easy, and something new!

I recently used the first option, as I didn't want to get the rest of the ingredients that I didn't have for the pickle option, and am now the proud freezer stuffer of 3 gallon-sized containers of spaghetti squash...

Pear Sauce

2008-08-30T12:57:00.003-05:00

Yup. You read that right. It's just like Apple sauce....only with pears. It's very good & very easy & needs very little (if any) sugar added.

Take 3-5 pounds of pears (I think I did about 15 pears yesterday), peel, core, and cut them into eighths. As I'm cutting the up, I soak the pear slices in cold water with about a 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Put pear slices in your crock-pot with abut 2/3 cup water (I use the water they're soaking in, so there's a little lemon juice in it as well), cover and cook on high until pears are very soft. Depending on how ripe they are it can take from 3 to 6 hours.

Cool pears off then run them through a food mill or food processor until they're consistency you want. I added about a teaspoon of cinnamon to the entire batch and one or two tablespoons of sugar if it's needed. Then you can either divide it up & freeze it or can it.

I processed mine in a hot water canner for about 30 minutes.

If anyone's interested, let me know & I'll post the recipe for Pear Butter (think Apple butter) that you can make from this point. I've not made it yet, but I plan on trying it soon.

Mama F's Squash Casserole

2008-08-07T22:50:00.003-05:00

This is for Kork & anyone else with a surplus of squash. Mama F is mother to Did (my best friend from high school). Her house is where I learned to not only eat, but love vegetables. I was a seriously picky eater. I emailed her today & she graciously shared this with me....so I pass it on to you with love.

SQUASH CASSEROLE

8 medium squash* 1 cup grated cheese

1 medium onion* 2 TBSP. Mayonnaise

1 tsp. Salt 2 or 3 TBSP cream
[I use Coffeemate]

1 TBSP sugar ½ cup bread crumbs

¼ stick butter

Combine cooked drained squash and onion with all ingredients except ¼ cup of crumbs. Mix well. Sprinkle crumbs on top, dot with butter. Bake 350 degrees 30 to 40 minutes.
*Cover with water and cook till tender

She also added this, "When my squash plants used to survive, I'd slice and barely steam the surplus, drain, cool, then freeze it in really full quart bags, and have the casserole in wintertime if I remembered to think ahead for thawing." She has groundhogs......

Mama F'

2008-08-07T22:50:00.000-05:00

SQUASH CASSEROLE

8 medium squash* 1 cup grated cheese

1 medium onion* 2 TBSP. Mayonnaise

1 tsp. Salt 2 or 3 TBSP cream
[I use Coffeemate]

1 TBSP sugar ½ cup bread crumbs

¼ stick butter

Combine cooked drained squash and onion with all ingredients except ¼ cup of crumbs. Mix well. Sprinkle crumbs on top, dot with butter. Bake 350 degrees 30 to 40 minutes.

*Cover with water and cook till tender

My Favorite Show...Ever...

2008-07-17T11:53:00.002-05:00

OK -

Seriously y'all...I have fallen completely head over heels, infatuated, all I can think about, in LUV with "America's Test Kitchen".

It airs on my local PBS station (yes, I enjoy public broadcasting. So there!) every day, and is totally amazing.

Basically, they take a recipe go through every possible variation of technique, advice, and make all the mistakes, and find all the best ways to do things!

Last time I watched it all the way through, they were doing pepperoni pizza...not a difficult thing to make right?

Did you know that to cut down on the grease from things like sausage, pepperoni, or any other meat that you can cook it on a paper towel, in your microwave for about 1 minute? That cooks it enough to release most of the grease, absorb it in the paper towel, and it cuts your cooking time down, making sure your crust isn't too crunchy?

To check it out... go to America's Test Kitchen

Hint for Putting up Sweet Corn

2008-07-17T09:56:00.004-05:00

I was watching the Today show this week & they had a guest chef. He was cutting fresh corn off the cob. He took a Bundt pan, stood the corn cob up on the hole in the middle of the pan, and cut the corn off into the pan. The hole keeps the cob from slipping around & the pan catches all the corn to keep it from rolling off on the floor.

I thought this was brilliant & fully plan on trying it out in a few weeks when the 8,000,000 stalks of corn my husband planted start coming in! Maybe I can use it as an excuse to get a new fancy Bundt pan (No, honey, I can't use the corn pan to bake cakes in for pot-lucks! What are you, some kind of barbarian?!).

Toffee Crunch Cookies

2008-07-17T09:51:00.003-05:00

Yield: 3 Dozen (see hint below)

1 1/2 Cups sifted flour
1/2 Tsp baking soda
1/2 Tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 Tsp vanilla
1 cup finely chopped Heath Bars (Heath Bits 'o Brickle may be substituted, but you lose the chocolate flavor from the candy bars)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine flour, soda, salt

Cream butter, ad sugar, egg, and vanilla; mix until creamy

Stir in dry ingredients, blend in chopped candy bars and pecans.

Drop tablespoons full 2" apart on greased baking sheet

Bake in 350 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes

Hint: If you promised to supply 2 dozen cookies for an event, you should double this recipe to make up for what you eat while baking them.

~Inkling, these are the cookies my dad made for G'ma & G'pa M&M's anniversary party last summer.

Potato Pizza

2008-07-17T09:39:00.004-05:00

5 C. peeled & thinly sliced potatoes (I used my slicing blade on my food processor for this)
Pepper
1 1/2 lbs. hamburger
1/2 small onion chopped
1 can (10 3/4 oz) Cheddar Cheese Soup
1 C. milk
4 oz melted cheddar cheese
1 can (10 3/4 oz) tomato soup
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese.

Grease 9x13 glass Pyrex dish. Lay potatoes out flat in pan in layers. Sprinkle generously with pepper. Brown ground beef & onion. Drain. Stir cheese soup, milk, and melted cheddar cheese together until smooth (works best if cheese & soup are warm). Mix ground beef & cheese mix, spread over potatoes. Bake @ 350 for 1 hour or until potatoes are done.

Top with tomato soup & mozzarella cheese. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.

Om Nam nam

2008-07-08T15:04:00.003-05:00

As a thanks to all those who gave me such great recipes for freezing/easy fixing, I thought I would come by - since there hasn't been a post in a while - with a fabulous dessert my MIL made and passed the recipe on to me. It is so super easy, and so very very yummy. Not healthy. But very yummy.

So without further ado:

Cream Cheese Yummy Bars

2 pkgs cream cheese
2 pkgs Pillsbury or other brand Crescent rolls
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. butter or margarine
Cinnamon
Brown sugar

Press the first package of crescent roll dough into a 9x12 pan
in a separate dish, combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
Spread over crescent dough in pan.
Lay the other package of crescent dough on top of this.
Melt the butter or margarine and pour over the top.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar
bake at 350 for 20 minutes

Zucchini Bread

2008-06-13T20:26:00.002-05:00

Ingredients:

3 Eggs
1 C Oil
2 C Sugar
3 tsp Vanilla
2 C Peeled ground, drained zucchini
3 C Flour
3 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 C raisins (or coconut, chocolate chips, or chopped nuts)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350
Sift together flour, cinnamon, salt, soda, and powder. Set aside in a bowl. Beat eggs, add oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Add zucchini and mix. Add dry ingredients slowly. Bread batter should be closer to "stiff" than "cake-like". Add flour 1 Tbsp at a time if too runny. Add raisins (chips, etc). Grease loaf pans heavily. Bake 45 - 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

This is my all time favorite version of zucchini bread! I enjoy it with chocolate chips more than raisins, as it makes it more dessert-like, and a little more special as a breakfast bread.

This one is lucky to make it through a week, unless I hide the 2nd loaf in the freezer before the family sees it...even Captain Chaos enjoys it, running around shouting "Ma-nummy!" and stealing your piece off your plate if you don't look!

My First "You Really Don't Have to Eat That!" Experience

2008-06-05T15:16:00.003-05:00

I first met BB almost 9 years ago...and we've been together now for 8. I started out as many of us ladies do...by trying so hard to impress him...

Needless to say, about 4 months after we started dating, I decided I'd had enough of his bachelor ways, and decided to clean his house from top to bottom while he was out of town on business. I was staying to house sit and take care of his cat, and decided after I'd cleaned the whole place (there must have been an inch of dust, and at least 10 loads of laundry and towels...not to mention that the pantry had stuff in it from his house in college!)

He was coming home the next night and I thought to myself "What better way to welcome my sweetie home than with a home-cooked meal?"

I tried the recipe below, but somehow, managed, instead of opening the "Sprinkle" side of the seasoning, I opened the "Spoon" side...and dumped almost 1/4 C of it into the mix...and then I had the stupidity to think to myself "He'll never know!"...OY! Needless to say, I have not used Lowry's Seasoning Salt again...ever.

Ingredients:
1 Family Size box of Rice A Roni (match to your meat choice)
2 Lbs meat, cubed (stew meat, pork loin, or chicken, your choice)
Lowry's Seasoned Salt
Oil
Butter

Directions:
Cook the Rice A Roni according to the package
In a skillet, heat oil and butter, cook meat thoroughly, seasoning to taste.
Mix with Rice A Roni.

Now this is NOT a terribly difficult recipe right?!?!?! Hence my total humiliation upon ruining it by not paying attention...UGH!

Fluffy Fruit Pie

2008-06-04T13:08:00.002-05:00

Prep time: 10 minutes
Makes 12 Servings

1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling, divided
1 Graham pie crust (6 oz) I prefer a larger crust because this pie has LOTS of filling.
1 pkg (8 oz) Cream Cheese, softened
1 C. cold milk
1 pkg. Lemon or Vanilla Instant pudding
1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip Extra Creamy Whipped Topping, thawed & divided

Spread half of the cherry pie filling in the bottom of crust.

Beat cream cheese in large bow with hand mixer until creamy. Gradually add milk, mixing well. Add pudding mix & beat until well blended & fluffy. Gently stir in half of the Cool Whip; spread over cherry layer in crust. Cover with layers of remaining Cool Whip & cherry pie filling.

Refrigerate 3 hours or until set.

I picked up this recipe from the Cool Whip tub for the first time 2 weeks ago because I wanted something cool & fruity for desert. I made it and by the next day, FarmBoy finished it all off. So I picked up the ingredients again last week and made it on Saturday. FarmBoy walked into the kitchen and said, "You're making that again? You don't expect me to eat that pie too, do you?"

I laughed at him & went back to work. That's when he noticed the cream cheese. FarmBoy hates cream cheese! "That has cream cheese in it?! Are you trying to poison me?!" Yes, that is my grand plan. Death by confection. Gonna' collect that insurance all because of a dairy product I sneaked into your desert.

Just goes to show, you never know what you'll get him to eat as long as he's in the dark about it!

Chicken & Rice Bake

2008-05-28T15:12:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:
1 6-oz package of Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice (best flavor packet in the world!)
2 C Hot Water
Salt & Pepper to Taste
4 - 6 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
3/4 can of milk

Directions:
Pour rice into 13 X 9 pan. Sprinkle seasoning over rice, and pour hot water. Mix a little bit. Lay the seasoned chicken on rice, seal tightly with foil. Bake at 375 for 1 hour 15 minutes. Mix soup and milk together, and pour over mixture. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes or until soup is bubbly.

This one doesn't freeze so well, but is super easy to make...even my husband can do this one!

Mmmmm-Possible Chicken Pot Pie

2008-05-28T15:08:00.002-05:00

This is one of those recipes my mom used to make when she was working full-time that tasted as though it was made and slaved over for hours...

Ingredients:
1 2/3 C frozen mixed veggies - thawed and drained (frozen don't get quite as mushy when the pie is done)
1 C cooked chicken, cut or shredded
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 C Bisquick (or other baking mix - I make my own)
1/2 C milk
1 Egg

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 (425 for high altitude). Mix veggies, chicken & soup in 9" pie plate. Stir baking mix, egg and milk together and pour over chicken mixture. Bake for 30 minutes.

Once this is made, it can be frozen, and then just defrosted and re-heated in the oven.

Chicken Delicious

2008-05-28T15:03:00.002-05:00

This is my mom's best "Care" recipe. She often makes it when she is taking meals to folks that are down with surgery etc, but it is so easy, we eat it about once a month around our house!

Ingredients:
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts rinsed and patted dry. (I use a mix of breasts, and leg/thigh for juicier results)
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can Cream of Chicken or Celery soup
salt & pepper to taste
Paprika
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions:
Put chicken in crock pot, and cover with other ingredients. Cook on low in your 6 - 8 hours. Serve with rice, noodles, biscuits, dumplings and a cooked veggie or salad.

This recipe can be made ahead, doubled, tripled etc.

Chili

2008-05-28T14:55:00.002-05:00

This is for Zann - hoping this will help as the Little Person's imminent revival rapidly approaches...

Prep Time : 25 minutes
Cook Time: At least one hour

Ingredients:
1 lb of ground meat (I use beef, but you can use turkey if you'd like)
Large can of Kuner's Chili Beans In Sauce (your flavor/temp choice)
Large can of Tomato Sauce
4 ounce Tomato paste
Salt
Pepper
Chili Powder

Directions:
In large skillet, brown ground meat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Drain well. In large stockpot, combine Chili Beans, Tomato Paste and Sauce with one can of water for each can of tomato product. Add meat. Season with about 3 Tbsp of Chili Powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for at least one hour, stirring frequently to avoid sticking.

This recipe can be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled, depending on the size of your stockpot. Simply ladle into your freezer container/bag, seal tightly and freeze. You can then defrost it just enough to dump the contents into your crock-pot, and heat through.

We eat this with tortillas, rice, tortilla chips, or corn bread/muffins. I often top it with shredded cheese, sour cream, and some times chopped onion. No ice cream here, sorry Farmie! hee hee...

Freezer Chicken Pot Pies

2008-05-28T13:33:00.000-05:00

This came out of a Cook's Country Magazine. You definitely have to freeze these for a few days before you bake them. They are really soupy when you make them but thicken up while frozen and then when baked.

Freezer Chicken Pot Pies

1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
2Tbls. veggie oil
5 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbls. unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped fine
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 celery rib, chopped fine
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. milk
2 tsp. minced fresh thyme or 1 tsp dry
2 Tbls lemon juice
1 (15 oz.) boxes Pillsbury ready to roll pie crust
1 large egg, beaten, plus 1 large egg, beaten, for baking
1 1/2 c. frozen peas

1. To make ahead: Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbls. oil in lg dutch oven over high heat until just smoking. Cook chicken until well browned, about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Transfer chicken to large plate and strain broth into bowl.

2. Melt butter with remaining 1 Tbls. oil in now empty dutch oven over med-high heat. Cook onion, carrots, celery and 1/4 tsp. salt until lightly browned and softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add flour, and cook 1 minute. Whisk in reserved broth, milk, and thyme and simmer until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, using 2 forks, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces. Off heat, add chicken and lemon juice to sauce and season with salt and pepper. Transfer filling to medium bowl and cool until just warm. cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour.

4. Unwrap and unroll pie crusts onto lightly floured surface. Glue 2 crusts together using 1 beaten egg. Do this again with remaining two crusts. Cut out 6 pastry toppings(I use the small disposable aluminum rectangle pans and just use the top as a template for your crusts) Stir frozen peas into cold filling and divide mixture among six 2-cup disposable aluminum loaf pans. Top with pastry and use fork to seal edges. Using paring knife, make 3 steam vents in each crust. Tightly wrap each loaf pan in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.

5. When ready to serve: Adjust oven to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Unwrap frozen pot pies and arrange on rimmed baking sheet. Brush crusts with egg, cover with foil, and bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until crusts are golden brown, about 35 minutes. Let pot pies rest 10 minutes before serving.

Freezer Cooking

2008-05-28T13:03:00.000-05:00

Here is a link to something I've used: 30 Day Gourmet I have the Freezer Cooking Manual and it was a life saver when my boys were little. I still use techniques I learned from it. Like: browning ground beef, pork, chicken or turkey ahead and freezing. Marinating the meat in the freezer(put your meat-chicken, pork or beef-in your freezer container with the marinade and freeze it that way. Then while it defrosts it marinades and all you have to do is 1. remember to take it out of the freezer and 2. cook it up). I also will chop up onion and peppers and freeze those as well. Great for soups or sauces. Hope this helps.

Yummy Easy Potatoes

2008-05-28T09:03:00.000-05:00

I kind of made these up, I saw something similar on a food show.

6-8 Potatoes, washed, I use red or yukon
6 Tbls olive oil, divided
salt
pepper
garlic powder

Wash potatoes, dry off. Put in microwave safe bowl, I use glass. Pour 2 Tbls. Olive oil over potatoes, cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for about 12 minutes. You want the potatoes to be cooked through but not mushy. Now heat up a skillet. Smash the potatoes with a meat tenderizer, bottom of a glass, rubber mallet, rolling pin, whatever works for you. You are just squishy the potato down flat basically. Then transfer to skillet. Pour remaining oil over potatoes in pan, sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder and any other seasoning you want. Cook in skillet on med-high heat until the potatoes begin to brown and get crunchy. These are wonderful. Even my picky eater likes them.

A Challenge Request

2008-05-28T08:35:00.002-05:00

I know I never really post anything here. I blame it on feeling a little lacking in culinary knowledge in comparison. I'm ashamed to say, I make almost nothing from scratch. But I gain so much from lurking here. And because of that I have a request... I don't know if I need to go through Farmwife for this or if it is kosher for me to just throw it out there like I am here (just let me know Farmy, if I'm going about it all wrong) But I'd like to post a new challenge or topic...

We just bought a freezer. And I am on the hunt for good freezable meals, snacks and tips. I figure this will come in handy in about a month or two when I become a new mom with very little time on my hands.

I'll start things off tonight when I get home with one of my favorites that I've found so far for Freezable Cheese & Potato soup.

Hummus

2008-05-28T00:19:00.003-05:00

I've never tried hummus before tonight. After going through recipe books I found a recipe for hummus wraps..This one happens to be from Weight Watchers. The family thought it was great for their first time trying (except Pixie and Dragonboy who've had it before store bought)

1 15 oz can of chick peas/garbonzo beans
1 T of Olive oil
2 T of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1/4 t of ground cumin
1/4 t of salt
2 cloves of garlic

Blend above ingredients in blender or food processor. Serve with baked pita shells or tortillas, or spread on a wrap.

Not sure what to label this under so feel free to put one on FarmWife

Tomato Sauce

2008-05-05T12:35:00.002-05:00

This is at FarmWife's request, due to her newly turned over garden plot.

This is actually my mom's recipe, so I take no credit except for sharing it with you all.

Ingredients:
Enough fresh tomatoes to fill your biggest pot.
1 onion (optional)
1 bell pepper (optional)

Directions:
rinse tomatoes, remove any "greens" from the tomato, and cut the larger ones into quarters.
Throw into your pot. If you wish, you can "pre-flavor" the sauce by adding a quartered, peeled onion, and/or a seeded and quartered bell pepper (I prefer green as it is milder than the rest). Put lid on pot, and put on stove on lowest heat setting possible. Check after an hour or so, stirring to insure that no tomatoes get overcooked. After your mixture has settled about halfway, remove from stove. Using a slotted spoon, remove all pieces of onion and pepper. Ladle out tomatoes into a food mill, or your Kitchen-Aid hopper to mill the tomatoes. The end result should be to mash/liquify the flesh of the tomatoes and remove the skins and seeds. You should end up with a warm, watery mixture that is red, and smells like tomatoes. Once you've done this with all the tomatoes, dispose of the skins and seeds (we compost ours), and onion and pepper pieces. Return the tomato juice to the pot, bring to a boil, turn down to a low simmer and cook down about halfway, stirring every so often. (I watched the first batch like a hawk, afraid it would burn or stick, or boil over) Once the tomato sauce is cooked down halfway, cool it, fill a gallon freezer bag not quite full, seal (remember to get as much air as possible out). I mark the bags with the date and whether the sauce is plain or flavored, lay it on a cookie sheet, so it is flat, and freeze it. Once it is frozen, you can then stack them like paper, or stand them up like books in your freezer. You can also can this using either a hot method in jars, OR cold into those nifty plastic containers you can get now and freeze that way. I freeze it, as its easier for me to do with our lifestyle.

Once you're ready to use the sauce, you have several options. As it is, you can use it as a base for soups and stews. You can also add the following things and make marinara to use for pasta dishes:

Marinara sauce:

Tomato Sauce
Tomato Paste (4 oz can per 24 oz of sauce)
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
Parsley
Garlic (fresh - minced, or powdered)
Onion powder
Basil
EVOO

Herbs, with the exception of the onion, can be either fresh or dried, your choice. I dry my own herbs, and use the dried for this type of thing.

In a large stock pot, heat about 1 TBSP of EVOO, add tomato paste (yes, I use canned from the store), garlic and "brown" the paste. It doesn't actually change colors, you just want to mix it with the oil and garlic, and heat it through to release and blend the flavors.

Add the sauce, and the other seasonings to taste (each batch is a little different). I start with about 1/4 tsp of pepper, 1 tsp of salt (but I use the well in my cupped hand to measure, not spoons - sorry!). Crush the dried herbs in the palm of your hand and sprinkle into the sauce. Depending on how "spicy" your family likes things (I call it flavorful, or savory...), add more oregano, basil, and onion. Salt and pepper are also flexible...its really an art, not a science for me.

Stir well to blend everything together, and bring to a boil over medium heat stirring occasionally. Turn the heat to the lowest possible setting you can, and cook down by half, stirring often to avoid sticking. You can cook this to your desired thickness, as each family likes things a little different. We always had it on the runnier side, as that is a traditional marinara thickness. It is thick enough to stick to your pasta, but not so thick that you feel like you're eating a stew, or paste on your pasta.

Once the sauce is made, you can either use it, or divide and freeze it for future use. I make a triple batch and freeze up the marinara for later on down the road. It definitely tastes better a few days after its been made as the flavors blend even more.

Feel free to send me your questions on this one.

kris zeh gmail dot com

Time Savers

2008-04-29T11:37:00.002-05:00

Hi -

I have found, for myself, that if I spend one day a month, or the afternoon after a shopping trip to our Costco, or Sam's Club, that I can get lots of things pre-done, making cooking easier down the road.

For instance - I buy only blocks of cheese, no pre-shredded stuff, and the bags of boneless skinless thighs, and breasts, and then a bag of chicken legs. I also by the massive packages of ground beef/turkey.

Once I'm home, I shred the cheese in the food processor (I actually use my attachment for my Kitchen-Aid mixer), measure out 2 C portions, put it into zip-top freezer bags and date the outside. That way, I can freeze 10 pounds of cheese, but always have it ready to go for casseroles, tacos, or whatever I might need.

I separate the ground meat into 1 - 2 pound portions, and freeze that in bags also. It keeps longer in a freezer bag than in the thin plastic and foam from the grocery, and we can't get a side of beef, pre-wrapped real easily or cheap around here. I tend to brown about half of the meat, and leave the other half uncooked for meatloaf or meatballs.

The chicken (or turkey) parts, I throw into my largest stock pot with an entire onion cut into quarters, some salt, pepper, and enough water to cover the meat. I cook it on low for about 3 hours. Once it has cooled down, I skim anything off the top, shred the meat, and measure it into bags in 1 - 2 pound options (usually about 4 - 6 cups). This way I get a mix of light and dark meat, which makes for good flavor in soups and casseroles. I also save a ton of money not buying the canned stuff.

Each bag gets dated and used in the order that I bought it.

You can season any of the meat ahead of time as well, so if you know you like tacos, you can brown, season and freeze several pounds of meat, so when you want tacos, you just defrost the meat, and warm it through...great for those busy days, or days when things seem to go awry.

Mexican Chicken Bake

2008-04-29T11:01:00.002-05:00

This is a yummy casserole that is easy, and uses stuff I mostly keep on hand. It can be spiced up or down depending on your tastes.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
1/4 C butter
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles (this is where you get your spice)
2 C Cooked chicken shredded or chopped
10 6-in corn torillas (soft, and you can use flour, but the corn gives it a more robust flavor)
2 C Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese (you can use cheddar, a blend, whatever is your favorite)
1 C sour cream (I substitute plain fat-free yogurt for a healthier option)
1 Tbsp milk
1 small jalpeno, chopped (I use a 4 ounce can of diced chile, or just leave it off)
1/4 C fresh parsley, chopped (I don't use this at all)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 325 F.
Melt butter in a large skillet, add pepper and onion. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the soup, undrained tomatoes, and chicken. Stir well, and let simmer to blend flavors while you tear the tortillas into bite-sized pieces.

Spray a large casserole with cooking spray. Layer tortillas, chicken mixture, and cheese (Depending on the size of your dish, you may have up to 3 layers).

Mix sour cream, milk and jalapeno, and spread over top of casserole.

Bake until bubbly, around 40 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

This dish is yummy, and tastes really good topped with some shredded lettuce, tomatoes, olives, a little more cheese, OR just as it is. I usually serve salad with this but its filling in its own right.

Blue Cheese Burgers

2008-04-26T19:56:00.002-05:00

1 lb of extra lean ground beef
1/4 c bread crumbs
2 oz crumbled low sodium blue cheese
1/4 t pepper
pinch of salt

Mix ingredients together and form 4-6 patties. Broil, Foreman Grill, or BBQ. Garnish with Lettuce, Tomato and a whole wheat or multi-grain bun.

Picadillo

2008-04-21T13:23:00.002-05:00

This is one of my favorite recipes. It came from a cookbook published by a fantastic restaurant in Buffalo Gap, TX: http://www.periniranch.com/. Some of my favorite recipes come from their cookbook. I highly recommend it. I have made my own ranch dressing from scratch, fantastic chicken fried steak, incredible cream gravy, and many, many more things from this book. It's the most-used and most-loved cookbook in my house. The following recipe is one I modified:

It is fantastic stuff! I make a big batch and then we have it in regular tacos, put it in our Queso, and wrap it up with eggs and cheese in a tortilla for a great breakfast taco...

Here's my modified version:

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed

Brown these together in a large frying pan on medium-low heat, then add:

1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1 bell or sweet pepper, chopped

Stir those around, then add:

1 cup beef broth with 2 Tbsp flour mixed in

If the broth doesn't cover the meat mixture, add more until it just barely covers.

Cover and simmer on low for 10 minutes, then add:

1 white potato, peeled and cut into a 1/2 inch dice
2 whole jalapenos for flavor

Cover and simmer for another 10 - 15 minutes.*

*I typically remove the lid and let the liquid simmer off and evaporate for another 20 minutes or so.

Mmmmm!

Campbell's Cheesy Chicken & Rice Remix

2008-04-14T13:15:00.003-05:00

FarmBoy won't touch rice as a side dish with a ten foot pole. So when QM made this for us while I was recuperating after Bitsy's birth I was skeptical. Turned out she changed up one thing & it made all the difference.

You can find the original recipe here. QM used Zatarain's Dirty Rice Mix in place of the long grain white rice & enough brown rice to make it equal 2 cups of rice. We also make it in larger quantities, so you need 2 cups of water and the Family size can of Cream of Chicken soup.

If you use the Dirty rice mix you can leave out the onion powder & pepper.

Freddie Kruger Casserole Remix (and a bonus FarmFamily Chicken Quesadillas)

2008-04-14T12:29:00.004-05:00

It's time for the first wha'cha got cookin' Recipe Remix. I've asked all our cooks to post the recipes they've redone to suit their families tastes. We'll start off with the original recipe & follow up with our new & improved version.

A few years back QM brought me this recipe. To save space, I'll just leave the link & you can check it out there. It sounded great, but I have a major aversion to beans, so I needed to change a few things.

It all started with our version of Chicken Quesadillas. I cook a chicken overnight in the croc-pot, then strip it off the bones, shred the meat, put it back in the croc-pot, add a jar of my favorite salsa & a packet of Taco seasoning, and cook it on low for 2 hours. Come lunch time I spread a large spoon full of the chicken & a small amount of shredded cheese on a flour tortilla, fold it in half, & grill it on our George Foreman grill for 3 minutes. Cut into wedges & serve with sour cream.

Without fail, I have chicken left over, so I modified the Freddie Kruger Casserole to use my leftovers (you can also freeze any leftover chicken).

Replace the hamburger meat with the chicken mix, the ranch style beans with Spanish rice cooked according to package directions, & the cream of mushroom soup with cream of chicken soup.

Everything else stays the same.

You can modify this further if you like using different "heats" of Rotel tomatoes & salsa (I use mild on both accounts), low fat cheese & low fat soup (in fact, I suggest using the low fat ingredients).

Hummus

2008-04-08T15:39:00.002-05:00

This is a recipe that my brother and his wife taught me when they were home 2 years ago. It is ridiculously easy and you'll wonder why you spent so much money buying pre-made stuff...

Ingredients:

1 can of Garbanzo Beans (chickpeas)
Olive Oil
Salt
Garlic Powder
Lemon Juice (or fresh lemon if you prefer)
Tahini (you can also use sesame oil and some sesame seeds)
Turmeric

Directions:

Drain beans and dump into blender. Add at least 1 Tbsp olive oil, the juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 Tbsp), 1 Tbsp of tahini (or about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp sesame seeds and a couple drops of sesame oil). Add salt and garlic to taste, and a dash of turmeric. Blend until smooth. Chill for about an hour.

Serving Suggestions:

Cut up a couple pita pockets into wedges or strips and split in halves, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic powder and pop under the broiler until lightly toasted. Dice up some fresh tomato, cucumber, and onions. Toss veggies together. Scoop hummus onto the pita chip, top with veggies and enjoy!

You can fill a pita with about 3 Tbsp of hummus, and top with veggies of your choice.

You can dip your carrots and celery and eat it that way.

You can enjoy it with Tostitos Multi-Grain Tortilla chips, or spread it onto bagel chips.

I prefer to make mine up before bed, put it into a tightly sealed container and let it sit overnight in the fridge to blend the flavors.

The ration of ingredients is totally up to you and you can add some roasted peppers or use a flavored oil instead of plain olive oil.

Sarah's Bisquick Cake

2008-04-04T13:31:00.004-05:00

Yeah, I know what you're thinking. Bisquick? In a cake? Seriously, y'all. It's good stuff.

2 eggs
1 1/2 tbsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
4 cups Bisquick
3/4 cups chocolate chips
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease & flour 9" x 13" pan. Mix eggs, vanilla and milk. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Alternately add milk mixture and Bisquick to creamy butter. Pour into pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake 35-45 minutes (test with toothpick for "done-ness"). Sprinkle cake top with powdered sugar.

Texas Sheet Cake

2008-04-04T10:06:00.000-05:00

This one is a big hit at our house.

Texas Sheet CakeCake:
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter or stick margarine
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Icing:
6 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375°.
To prepare the cake, coat a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan with cooking spray, and dust with 2 teaspoons flour. Set prepared pan aside.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour and next 4 ingredients (2 cups flour through salt) in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Combine water, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; pour into flour mixture. Beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add buttermilk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and eggs; beat well. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake at 375° for 17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack.

To prepare the icing, combine 6 tablespoons butter, milk, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and gradually stir in powdered sugar, pecans, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Spread over hot cake. Cool completely on wire rack.

Note: You can also make this recipe in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake at 375º for 22 minutes.

Yield: 20 servings (serving size: 1 slice)CALORIES 298 (30% from fat); FAT 10g (satfat 5.5g, monofat 3.2g, polyfat 0.7g); PROTEIN 3.1g; CARBOHYDRATE 49.8g; FIBER 0.5g; CHOLESTEROL 44mg; IRON 1.1mg; SODIUM 188mg; CALCIUM 25mg;
Cooking Light, MARCH 2000

Emmaline's Chocolate Cake

2008-04-03T14:08:00.002-05:00

This is rich, decadent, and easy peasy.

1 Devil's Food Cake mix baked according to package directions in a 9x13 cake pan
1 jar Smuckers Toppings Caramel sauce (for topping ice cream)
1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 small tub Cool Whip, thawed
4-6 crushed Heath Toffee Bars (note: Heath bars come two to a pack, so this will actually be 8-12 crushed bars...I normally end up eating at least 2 while crushing the rest, so it's proably 9 or 10 crushed bars)

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes in the top of the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon. Pour the entire jar of caramel sauce & the entire can of sweetened condensed milk over the cake & allow cake to cool completely. Frost cake with Cool-Whip & sprinkle with crushed Heath bars. Refrigerate.

This cake is best if you make it the night before & let it sit in the fridge all night.

Chicken Fried Rice

2008-04-01T19:30:00.004-05:00

6 oz of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (diced) and cooked in Pam on Stove Top
1/2 c of egg substitute (cook on stove top like scrambled eggs)
1 can of bean sprouts
1 T of low sodium soy sauce
2 c of instant brown rice uncooked
1 small box of mixed vegetables (carrots and peas)

Serves 4 (1 cup servings)

In pot cook instant brown rice according to directions.

In another pot, steam box of mixed vegetables.

In pan spray Pam, and cook diced chicken breast..Remove chicken from pan into a bowl.

Add egg substitute to pan and cook like scrambled eggs.

Drain can of bean sprouts (or use fresh if you can find them)

In large bowl combine, rice, scrambled egg, chicken, bean sprouts, and steamed vegetables with soy sauce.

Add additional soy sauce to taste.

Pick your Poison

2008-03-31T17:36:00.003-05:00

My mom makes this and my kids and husband go nuts for it..I will have to make it on a low cal version..The version below has not been modified for calorie content.

1 box small jello gelatin tart flavor (cherry, blackberry, raspberry, lemon, lime)
1 small container cool whip
1 small container of cottage cheese

It's basically a 1 per 1 ratio.

Mix all three ingredients together and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

CAKE TIPS!

2008-03-31T14:25:00.002-05:00

In honor of FarmWife's Cake Off, I thought I'd share this with you.

I learned from watching the Test Kitchen on PBS that if you have the "crown" in the middle of your cakes, you should only grease halfway up the side of the pan.

This keeps the cake from "climbing" up the side of the pan as it initially heats and rises, and then sliding back down as it bakes.

I've tried it a couple times, and there was only a little crown, but I greased it past the halfway point.

Black Forest Cake

2008-03-31T14:06:00.002-05:00

This is NOT a fast cake, so DO NOT WAIT until right before you need it. It tastes better if it can sit more than one night before serving it. It it time consuming, but totally worth it in my estimation. Besides, what better reason to have Port and Kirsch on hand?

Ingredients:

FILLING -
1 lb 4 oz can of TART RED Cherries
1/2 C Port
1 Tbsp Kirsch
3 drops almond extract
Combine and chill for 4 hours

MOUSSE -

3 oz semisweet chocolate (I use the Bakers' Friend brand of squares)
3 Tbsp Kirsch
1 beaten egg
1 C whipping cream
2 Tbsp sugar

Melt the chocolate and Kirsch together over low heat (using a double boiler is best) until smooth. Add the beaten egg to the chocolate. Whip the cream and sugar together and FOLD into the chocolate mixture. Chill 2 hours

CAKE -
2 egg whites
1/2 C sugar
1/3 oil
1 C milk (set aside 1/2 C to mix with chocolate)
2 egg yolks
2 oz semisweet chocolate
SIFT together :
1 3/4 C flour
1 C sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Melt chocolate, egg yolks, and 1/2 C of milk together and cool slightly.
Beat egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar and beat until mixture forms peaks. Mix together the dry ingredients, oil, 1/2 C of milk and chocolate mixture until smooth. FOLD in egg whites.

Bake cake in round pans, greased and lightly floured at 350 for 30 min. Cool in pans for 10 min and remove. Allow to cool thoroughly. Split each cake into 2 layers after completely cooled.

FROSTING -
6 Tbsp butter
1 lb Confectioners' sugar (powdered)
1/4 C CREAM
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 ounces UNSWEETENED chocolate melted

Cream butter, add sugar and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Fold in chocolate.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE -
Spread 1/2 C of frosting over the bottom layer, and use the other 1/2 C to form a ridge, or wall about 1/2 inch wide and 3/4 inch high, AND a 2nd ridge about 2 inches in from the side of the cake. CHILL FOR 30 MINUTES.
Fill the spaces with the cherry mixture.
Place 2nd layer, and spread the mousse evenly. CHILL FOR 30 MINUTES
Whip an additional 2 C of cream with 2 Tbsp of sugar and 1 tsp of Vanilla.
Place 3rd layer on top. Spread 1 1/2 C of cream over 3rd layer, leaving about 1/4 C to "frost" the remainder.
Place 4th layer and frost with about 1/4 C of whipped cream.
Sift some confectioners' sugar over the top, make whipped cream "dollops" around edge, and in center of cake. Add some fresh cherries to dollops, and make chocolate curls or shavings.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

2008-03-31T14:03:00.002-05:00

Ingredients:
1 package yellow cake mix
1 large package instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1/2 c oil
1 C sour cream

Directions:
Beat together for 7 minutes.

Mix 1 C nuts
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cocoa

Grease a bundt pan, sprinkle 1/4 of the nut mixture in the bottom of the pan. Add the rest of the batter and nut mixture

Bake 1 - 1 1/2 hours at 350

Peach Cake

2008-03-31T13:58:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:
CAKE -
1 box yellow cake mix
1 can peach pie filling
3 eggs
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1/2 C chopped nuts

TOPPING-
1/2 C flour
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C butter

Directions:
Combine at slow speed on your mixer. Beat 2 min. Spread in a 13 x 9 greased and floured pan. Sprinkle topping over cake batter.
Bake 40 - 45 minutes at 350

White Fruit Cake

2008-03-31T13:53:00.002-05:00

I normally do this at the holidays, but I suppose you could do it anytime you can find the candied fruit.

Beware - this fruitcake is actually the yummiest I've ever tasted and is NOT your typical fruitcake.

Ingredients:

1 pound butter
2 C sugar
6 eggs
4 C flour (Set aside 1 C for dredging the fruit)
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz package of white/golden raisins (not the usual Sun-Maid brand of brown raisins!)
1 C candied cherries (NOT the kind you put on your ice cream sundae, these are DRY in the package)
1 C candied pineapple (same as above)
2 C chopped pecans
2 tsp lemon extract

Directions:

Cream butter, add sugar, and eggs (one at a time, beating until smooth in between)
Add dry ingredients and lemon extract. Dredge the fruit, and add it and nuts.

Use a 10-inch tube pan (like a bundt pan, only smooth) or 2 loaf pans greased and lined with parchment paper.

Bake tube pan for 1hr 45 min at 300
OR
Bake loaf pans 1hr 45 min at 275.

I tried once to use a paper bag to line the pans because I didn't have parchment...it didn't work. Next time we tried not lining the pans at all...it didn't work...so use parchment paper...

Feathery Fudge Cake

2008-03-31T13:46:00.002-05:00

This recipe is my aunt's, and it is awesome!!!!! I'm not sure where she originally got it from, so forgive me if it's actually from some cookbook that y'all have on your shelf! :D

Ingredients:

2/3 C Butter
1 3/4 C Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate (melted and cooled slightly)
2 1/2 C Cake Flour (I love Swan's Down brand!)
1 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/4 C Ice Water

Directions:

Lightly grease 2 9-inch round pans, and flour. Preheat oven to 350.

Cream butter, and add sugar gradually. Add vanilla and eggs. Blend in chocolate.

Sift together flour, soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternating with the ice water.

Pour half of batter in one pan, and the rest in the other.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

TO TOP this cake...
Chocolate Glaze

1 1/2 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 Tbsp Butter
1 1/2C POWDERED sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Melt chocolate and butter together over heat. Stir in sugar and Vanilla until crumbly. Add boiling water 1 - 2 tsp at a time until glaze consistency. Pour and spread over cake.

I also make an exception and use good old Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge Frosting...mmmm...

Berry Angels

2008-03-30T11:54:00.002-05:00

1 Angel Food Cake Mix

Fresh Or Fozen Berries

Fat Free Cool Whip

Our family is watching their intake these days so Our favorite cake now is Angel Food Cake. I prepare cake as directed on the box, and then 1/2 c of fresh or frozen (thawed) berries with the cake and fat free cool whip.

It's lowcal, it's healthy and on a spring and hot summer day it's soooo good..Pull up a slice.

Sun-Drop Cake

2008-03-30T11:51:00.002-05:00

Allow me to start off the first ever wha'cha got cookin' Cake Off with an old favorite. It's from a cook book I was given as a wedding present. I take this cake to a lot of pot-lucks & rarely bring home left overs. The best part? It's a doctored mix, so it's super simple.

For those of you who've never been south of the Mason-Dixon line, Sun-Drop is hyper charged Mt. Dew. Any soda of that variety will work.

1 box lemon cake mix
1 small package instant lemon pudding
1 (12 oz) can Sun-Drop
3 eggs
3/4 C. oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine lemon cake mix, lemon pudding, Sun-Drop, eggs, and oil. Mix well. Pour into greased tube or Bundt pan. Bake 35 minutes or until cake tests done. Let set for 5 minute in pan, then invert onto serving plate. While still warm, prepare glaze.

Glaze
1 C. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. water (I use Sun-drop in place of the water)
1 tsp. vanilla or lemon flavoring

Mix all together until sugar is dissolved & mixture is smooth. Pour over cake.

While I'm at it, I should share a story about this cake. I took it to church once for a pot luck for our missionary & his wife. She had a slice of the cake & loved it, so she asked about it. When she was told it was a Mt.Dew cake (since we couldn't get Sun-Drop around here at the time) she nearly panicked. Apparently she was on some kind of medication that reacted badly if taken with caffeine. Since there's only one can in the entire cake, she was fine....but it made for an interesting church dinner.

Cheesy Ravioli Bake

2008-03-25T09:11:00.001-05:00

We love this one at our house and it's pretty easy to put together.

Cheesy Ravioli Bake
serves 4 to 6
From Cook's Country Magazine Feb/March 07

3 TBLS. unsalted butter(the real butter, not margarine)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes(this is a large can, I just use to regular size cans)
2 TBLS. coarsely chopped fresh basil, can use dry just use about half of that
1/3 cup heavy cream
salt
2 (8 oz) pkgs fresh cheese ravioli
1 (6 oz) bag baby spinach
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot for cooking pasta. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Grease shallow 2 quart baking dish with 1 TBLS butter.

2. Melt remaining 2 TBLS butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant but not brown, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, increase heat to high, and cook until thickened and almost dry, about 10 minutes. Stir in basil and cream and simmer until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Season with salt.

3. Add 1 TBLS salt and ravioli to boiling water and cook until al dente(you want it to still be pretty firm pasta because it's going to go in the oven for a few minutes). Add spinach to pot with pasta and stir until wilted, about 30 seconds. Drain pasta and spinach, return to pot, and stir in tomato sauce. Transfer mixture to baking dish, sprinkle with cheese, and bake until top is golden, about 10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

"Pass The Beer, Grandma" Beef Stew

2008-03-24T21:18:00.003-05:00

Okay, better explain the title. Farmwife and I share a grandmother who is known as a tea-totaller to the max. At Cardinal/Cubs baseball games in St. Louis, she would refuse to pass the cups of beer down the aisle, and it would have to go over her. She's a hoot that way. (Can't wait until she comes to my house and I feed her food with alcohol based sauces. Hee hee.) Anyway, I found a couple of beef stew recipes in Real Simple's cookbook, and decided to combine them and modify them according to my pantry and refrigerator contents. Here's what came about. Just so you know, Henry David loved it and had two big bowls.

Ingredients:
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt (about 1 T.)
Black Pepper (however much you want)
3 T. Brown Sugar
1 T. Dried Thyme
1-2 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary, leaves roughly chopped
3-4 Garlic Cloves, diced
2 Yellow Onions, chopped in bigger pieces
6 Small Yukon Gold Potatoes, quartered (peel if desired)
2 Carrots, peeled and sliced in ovals
1-2 Parsnips, peeled, woody core removed, and cut into 1" pieces
28 oz. Can of Diced Tomatoes not drained
2 lbs. Stew Beef, chopped in bite-sized pieces
1 Can of Beer (any kind will do....I had leftover Budweiser from my slug killing days, which is what I'm sure you just wanted to know during a cooking session)
16 oz. Water

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a Dutch Oven, brown beef stew pieces in a bit of olive oil over medium heat on the stove top. There is no need to dredge in flour. Remove when browned and put on plate to use later.

2. Add onions and garlic to the Dutch Oven, using more olive oil if needed. Saute until softened and partially carmelized, about five minutes.

3. Add beef stew pieces back to the Dutch Oven with the onions and garlic. Add in the can of tomatoes, liquid included. Add in the carrots, parsnips, and potatoes. Add about 16 ounces of water, the can of beer, the brown sugar, thyme, rosemary, black pepper, and kosher salt. Stir well over medium heat for a few minutes until nicely simmering.

4. Cover and put in oven for about two hours, taking it out every 30 minutes or so to stir. The last 15 minutes, put the Dutch Oven lid partially ajar. It's ready when everything is tender. It smells wonderful and tastes incredible. No one will ever guess you used water and not beef stock. I think the secret is the beer and the brown sugar.

***This makes about six cereal bowl sized servings.

mushroom sauce for beef roast

2008-03-17T16:16:00.004-05:00

I made my very first oven-baked top sirloin roast yesterday. I rubbed it in a garlic/ginger rub, and added salt pepper, and worscestshire sauce to it before sticking it in the oven at 325. Pretty standard. It turned out a tad dry, but it was only a 1.3 pounder.

Anyway, since it was a bit dry, I decided the sauteed mushrooms and red onions needed to be in more of a broth or thin gravy.

I sauteed them as normal (lots of butter, about 1 tsp minced garlic), then I added about 1/2 c vegetable broth, 1/2 c Sutter Home Merlot, and a little water. I used flour to thicken it just a smidge. I also added salt and pepper and garlic powder to taste.

Sorry it's not more of a recipe format, but that's what happens when you throw something together. Anyway, hubby and I were pleased with the results, and Baby Bear LOVED the mushrooms.

A different kind of breakfast burrito

2008-03-17T12:56:00.002-05:00

I make this for the kids now and they love it.

1 T of salmon cream cheese (or cream cheese of your desired flavor) (1pt)
1/2 c of egg substitute (1pt)
1/8 c of l/f shredded cheese (1pt)
1/4 c of diced mushrooms (free)
1/4 c of diced peppers (free)
2 t of bacon pieces (I use the hormel) (.5 pt)
1 w/w tortilla (burrito size) (4 pt)

I use pam and spray my pan. Turn my burner on 5 (medium heat) and pour the egg substitute in pan. After it cooks a bit I sprinkle, bacon, mushrooms, peppers, and cheese around on top of the egg. While that is cooking, I move the pan to move uncooked egg around. I flip the egg (not breaking it and lightly brown other side)

I take the 1 tablespoon of cream cheese and spread it on tortillia.

Place egg in center of tortilla and roll. You'll get egg mixture in every bite.

(7.5 pts weight watchers but it's very filling and the kids love it)

Ropa Vieja

2008-01-25T06:14:00.000-06:00

This is great served on rice - but we also tried the leftovers wrapped in a tortilla and it was awesome... This is from Cooking Light magazine...

Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 (1-pound) flank steaks, trimmed
3 cups thinly vertically sliced red onion
2 cups red bell pepper strips (about 2 peppers)
2 cups green bell pepper strips (about 2 peppers)
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 tablespoons thinly sliced pitted green olives (I LEFT THESE OUT OF MINE...)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons sherry vinegar (Not sure if it's the same, but I used Red Wine Vinegar - couldn't find Sherry Vinegar at the store)
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon no-salt-added tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1 steak to pan; cook 2 1/2 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove steak from pan. Repeat procedure with cooking spray and remaining steak.
Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, bell peppers, and garlic to pan; cook 7 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in olives and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper); cook 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in vinegar, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook for 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in broth, tomato paste, and bay leaves. Add steaks; bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 1 1/2 hours or until steaks are very tender. Discard bay leaves.
Remove steaks from pan; shred with two forks. Stir shredded beef and cilantro into pan.

Sourdough Bread for Every Kitchen

2008-01-15T12:46:00.000-06:00

This recipe was actually published in a Church cookbook about 6 years ago, is incredibly easy, does NOT require weeks of nasty goo fermenting in your refrigerator, or lots of upkeep. The bread itself is light, and is sweet, not like a traditional "San Francisco Sourdough" tangy bread. I hope that you feel encouraged to do this, as it takes no special skills, and that your family loves it as much as my hubby does!

STARTER:
3/4 C white sugar
3 TBSP potato flakes (I buy the store brand because they are CHEAP!)
1 package yeast (or equivalent from a jar. DO NOT use "rapid" or "fast" yeast)
1 C hot water (it should be almost steaming).

Mix ingredients in the order listed in a glass jar, or plastic container that can be loosely covered in your refrigerator. *IF YOU WANT TO MAKE BREAD RIGHT AWAY - Let starter sit on your counter, loosely covered for 45 minutes. Feed starter, and make dough.*

STARTER FOOD:
Same as above, minus the yeast. Every 3 - 5 days (you can go as long as 8 days without starting over), take the starter out, let it come to room temperature, and feed it. If you choose to make bread, leave it out, and make the dough. If you are not ready for more, take 1 C of starter out, throw it away, cover the starter, and put it back into the refrigerator.

DOUGH:
6 C flour
1/3 C Sugar
1 TBSP Salt
1/2 C Oil
1 C Starter
1 - 2 C Hot Water.

Stir dry ingredients together (I put them in my Kitchen-Aid). Add oil, then starter and let mix. Slowly add water until dough is not quite sticky. Cover bowl with saran wrap, set in a warm place and let it rise until doubled. Once dough is doubled, you have several options...

1 - punch dough down on lightly floured surface.
2 - separate into 2 equal portions, place into greased bread pan, cover and let rise as long as you can possibly wait. I let it rise anywhere from 6 - 10 hours depending on temperature in and out of the house, and how quickly the dough responds to the heat. I will sometimes put it into the oven, and turn on my oven light to speed things up.
3 - once risen to your desired height, bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
4 - Remove from oven, and let sit in bread pans for 5 - 10 minutes, remove, and let cool completely before trying to cut it.

OPTIONS -
you can roll the dough out, sprinkle it with cinnamon (no need to add sugar to this one), roll tightly into loaf shape and put seam-side down into greased pan to make cinnamon bread. You can also add raisins if you want. I personally don't like loose raisins in my bread, but I'm weird that way...

you can also make this into a sweet roll by making balls of the dough, and letting rise. You can make cinnamon rolls as well, by rolling the dough out thinner than for the bread, sprinkling cinnamon, rolling up, and cutting into slices.

I like the bread the best either plain or cinnamon, sliced and toasted with some butter...you can eat it plain, with entrees, or even as a dessert.

I hope you enjoy this, and please feel free to leave posts if you have questions on this one.

Crockpots, Slow Cookers - those wonderful inventions from Heaven!

2008-01-10T15:38:00.000-06:00

To go along with Grace...did you know that you can also keep your stuffing and mashed potatoes in your crockpot???? They will be nice and toasty warm, not dried out, and are the yummiest way to do them especially for large group meals! I discovered this at Thanksgiving time with my Moms' Group at Church! I'd have never thought of it...but it works amazingly well!

I also will make a "casserole" in my crockpot...especially when using already cooked meat for said casserole...just dump all the cooked ingredients (best for noodle or potato dishes like good ol' tuna noodle casserole) into your crockpot, and set it to Low, and let it "cook" the rest of the day until you're ready to eat!

I've also made soups galore in there...simply dump all the ingredients into the crockpot, and turn it to high til it boils, and then turn it to low to simmer the rest of the day/overnight, whatever...fantastic for taking meals to potluck dinners, or when providing meals to folks that have just had surgery or whatever.

Meatloaf

2008-01-09T19:54:00.000-06:00

Did you know that you can cook a meatloaf in the crockpot? I'd heard this years ago, but never tried it. Since yesterday was a crazy day, I put the meatloaf in the crockpot, on low, at noon and by seven at dinner, it was perfect! I made mashed potatoes in the morning to warm up. So, all I did was warm up the potatoes and veggies and it was all ready! Easy, breezy!

Shrimp Scampi

2008-01-08T08:36:00.000-06:00

Last night, I was in a bind for something to cook. I had a two-pound bag of frozen, de-veined shrimp in my freezer, but wasn't in the mood for plain ole boiled shrimp. So I pulled out my trusty Joy of Cooking and found just the thing. Scampi!

1/2 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic

Heat the olive oil and garlic over low heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is browned. Do it slowly, it should take about 10 minutes.

Raise the heat to medium/medium high and add:

One and an half to Two pounds peeled and de-veined shrimp
1/4 cup chopped parsley*

*I used dried parsley flakes and just sprinkled liberally

Cook through, stirring occasionally. This takes about 5 minutes or so. They're done when they are totally pink.

Toss with fresh lemon juice and salt/pepper to taste.

Server over plain pasta or rice.

Yummy and healthy for the new year!

Grandma M&M's Cranberry Salad

2007-12-22T15:41:00.000-06:00

1 bag fresh cranberries (you can also use fresh frozen berries)
1 Small box raspberry jell-o
1 Cup sugar
2 apples peeled, cored, and diced (I like to use Honeycrisp. They contrast beautifully with the tart cranberries)
1 C. chopped walnuts (optional...Grandma always makes one with and one without nuts)

Put cranberries in the food processor & chop until fine. Stir sugar into cranberries & let dissolve. Prepare jell-o according to package directions less 1/2 cup of water. Combine all ingredients & pour into 8x11 glass dish. Refrigerate until set, preferably over night.

Semi-Sweet Sugar Balls

2007-12-10T12:41:00.001-06:00

Here are the chocolate balls I promised on my Traditions post several weeks ago now...sorry for the delay!

These were always made by my Nana, who lived in NY. We always loved it when she came out for the holidays, and it was made even more special by her incredible commitment to teaching my siblings and I all about our Italian heritage...making the best ever dishes that she grew up eating for special occasions and specific holidays...If I can weasel the recipe out of Daddy, I'll post the Meat Pie for Easter...mmmmmmm, that makes my mouth water thinking about it!!!

Prep to Serve: At least 24 hours ( read on to see why )
Serves: As Many as you decide you can part with...I don't share these so well...

Ingredients:
12 oz SEMI-SWEET chocolate chips
3 Tbsp Corn Syrup
1/2 C Orange Juice
2 1/2 C Crushed Vanilla Wafers
1/2 C Confectioner's Sugar
1 C finely chopped nuts (Optional We never add the nuts because we just don't like nuts in our food...unless it is baklava)

Directions:

Melt chocolate over low heat (I use my double boiler so it doesn't burn). Remover from heat, add corn syrup and orange juice. Combine Vanilla wafer crumbs, sugar and nuts. Add to chocolate mixture, and mix well. Chill in refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Form mixture into 1 inch balls, and roll in more confectioner's sugar. Layer in a tin, or plastic container with wax or parchment paper between layers. Cover tightly and ripen in fridge for at least 24 hours. The longer they sit, the better they taste, but don't forget you made them!!!

Quick Fudge (should be called the BEST EVER!!!!)

2007-12-10T12:36:00.000-06:00

Prep to Serve: 24 hours for best results
Serves: as many as you want to share it with!

Ingredients

12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can Eagle Brand SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla

Directions:
Melt chips in milk over low heat. (I use my double boiler for best, creamy results)
Remove from heat, add salt and vanilla. BLEND WELL.
Spread into a buttered 9 inch square pan (I buy the disposable foil ones each year). Cover with plastic wrap or foil, and chill until firm (about 3 - 4 hours, give or take). Cut into SMALL pieces. (We're talking no bigger than 1/2 inch squares people...)

Tip

2007-12-06T12:28:00.001-06:00

Need a new way to serve your meatloaf?

Looking for that perfect serving size..

Why not try putting your mixture into greased (PAM) muffin tins.

I've been doing this now for about 4-5 months. Saves on cutting it up..It's easy to put on the plates. Bakes down to just the right serving size. It's also perfect size to put in freezer safe bag to freeze individual servings.

Tator Tot Casserole

2007-12-05T09:25:00.001-06:00

This was a favorite when my kids were younger and it was cheap too. It freezes well and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.

1 lb of lean ground beef
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can (fill soup can) of milk
1/2 bag of frozen tator tots
1/2 bag of frozen peas
3 oz of cheese (optional)

Brown ground beef and drain. Combine soup and milk, mix thoroughly. In a 13x9 pan mix ground beef, soup mixture, tator tots and frozen peas. Sprinkle cheese on top (Optional) Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and let set for 5 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Almond Candy

2007-12-02T15:55:00.000-06:00

This recipe was from a neighbor of my Grandmas in the 1960's who was from Europe. Gram made these every Christmas for us and for the last 4 years we've (mom and I) have been making them now.

In a bowl Mix together with your hands works best.

2 cups coconut
1 cube of butter
4 cups nut meats chopped medium fine. (I use almonds..One year I did use walnuts for a different flavor)

Next add

7 cups of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla (may need to add more depending on your preference)
1 can of sweetened condensed milk

Thoroughly mix with your hands. Take mixture and roll into small balls and place onto wax paper in rows.

On the stovetop, heat a double broiler with a Block of Parafin Wax and 12 oz of chocolate chips (I've also used peanut butter chips and butterscotch chips) together. Thoroughly mix well.

Use a toothpick or some use a nail and dip premade balls into chocolate and place back on wax paper to harden.

Freezes Well. Place in a tin lined with wax or parchment paper, stack and place wax or parchment paper over the top before placing tin lid on. These were made for Temera (Farm Fairy) and Bruno last Christmas. See Link

Peppermint Ho-Ho Cake

2007-12-01T11:54:00.000-06:00

I used to make this cake years ago (as in I haven't made it for about 8 years) minus the peppermint and called it a "hoho cake" in reference to the white filling, chocolate cake, and chocolate glaze resembling a giant Hostess hoho cake. For some reason I came up with the idea to try it with the addition of peppermint flavoring and crushed candy canes in the fluff. It's very refreshing this way. It wasn't until I started typing the ingredients that I realized the whole "hoho" thing means something different for Christmas. Ya know... Ho-HO... as in what the big guy says... anyway... Put however much peppermint you like in it. Here's hoping everyone likes it at the toy drive at church tonight!!

1 chocolate cake mix (and ing. to bake cake)
1 container chocolate frosting
12 candy canes (pulvarized to bits in the blender)
1 8 oz. block of cream cheese (softened)
1 stick of butter (softened)
3 C powdered sugar
1 8 oz. tub of cool-whip (thawed)
peppermint flavoring to taste

Mix cake mix and bake. Set aside to cool. While baking and cooling, mix together the cream cheese, stick of butter, powdered sugar, and peppermint really well with a mixer. Add peppermint a little at a time, (they have different strengths depending on which one you use) and take a little taste after mixing in. You can always add more, but you obviously can't take any out. I add about 3/4 teaspoon of the one I use. Then slowly FOLD in the cool-whip until all is fluffy! Put in fridge to get cool and thicken a bit.

When cakes are cooled and filling is thickened a little, slice the cakes in half horizontally, so you now have four layers of cake. Place first layer on cake stand or plate, spread 1/3 of peppermint fluff close to edges (not completely, as it will ooze when you add more layers on top) and then sprinkle crushed candy canes all over. Repeat this two more times. After last layer is placed on top, place in fridge to chill for an hour or so. After cake has cooled, place frosting in microwave for 15 seconds at a time until pourable. Pour frosting over top of cake and let it "ooze" over the top and down the sides. Sprinkle more candy canes over the top and put back into fridge to stay cool!! Enjoy!!

Oh yah! Be sure your top layer of cake isn't wider than the rest of the layers, because if it is, then all the chocolate glaze drips off the sides and pools at the bottom instead of running beautifully down the sides as it's supposed to! Yes, that's what mine did up there, but oh well, we'll it eat anyway!!

And A Little Holiday Cheer: Monkey Bread

2007-11-30T13:39:00.000-06:00

In my house, we have but one real holiday tradition. We make Monkey Bread every Christmas eve and that is what we eat Christmas morning before, during and after gift opening. I have seen recipes for Monkey Bread that use refrigerated biscuits, and while I'm sure that it's a heckuva lot easier than my recipe, I like the tedium of my way. I found this recipe in a Martha Stewart magazine way back when... and though I cheat for the whole dough rising part (I make the dough in my bread maker), I'll write the recipe as written and not how I do it!

INGREDIENTS:
For the Bread:
1/4 c. warm water
1/4 c. granulated sugar, plus a pinch for yeast
1 package yeast (this is roughly 2 1/4 tsp if you use the jarred yeast for the breadmaker)
2 tbsp shortening (plus more to grease pan and bowl)
3/4 c. milk, warmed
1 tsp salt
1 large egg
3 1/4 c. flour

For the coating:
1 stick butter, melted
3/4 c. light brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 c. nuts, chopped (We never include the nuts, actually - and it's still good)

For the Icing:
1/4 c. milk
2 c. powdered sugar

HOW YOU DO IT:
1. Put warm water and pinch of sugar in small bowl. Sprinkle yeast over top. Stir, let yeast soften and dissolve. About 5 minutes.

2. Place shortening, warm milk, sugar, salt & egg in mixer bowl. Grease bundt pan and a medium bowl.

3. Once yeast is dissolved and foamy, add it to mixer bowl; mix well with dough hook. Slowly add flour. Knead on medium-low 1 minute or by hand 5 minutes. Place in the greased bowl; cover with plastic. Set dough in warm place and let rest 20 minutes.

4. Make coating: Put melted butter in a bowl. In another bowl, mix brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts; sprinkle 2 tbsps nut mixture in Bundt pan. Cut dough into 1/2 inch pieces. Roll into balls.

5. Dip balls in butter, then roll in nut mixture; place in prepared bundt pan.

6. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 30 - 35 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes in pan.

8. Turn bread out of pan; cool 20 minutes on rack or plate.

9. Make icing: in small bowl, stir milk into powdered sugar. Drizzle over bread.

*Random note: This is the first year I actually have a bundt pan. I've always used an angel food cake pan. IF you use an angel food pan, put a cookie sheet underneath it - I've had years where the buttery mix oozes out, drips and the smoke alarm goes off. Not good. This year I'll be using my bundt pan now that I finally have one.

Beef & Beer Chili

2007-11-30T13:27:00.000-06:00

I made this for dinner the other night and 75% of the household liked it (my five year old was the lone holdout because she doesn't like beans...).

1 1/2 c chopped red onion
1 c chopped red bell pepper
8 oz lean ground beef (Though we used a whole pound and it was fine...)
2 minced garlic cloves
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 (19 oz) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (14.5 oz) can no-salt added diced tomatos, undrained
1 (14 oz) can low-sodium beef broth
1 (12 oz) bottle beer
1 tbsp yellow cornmeal
1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Combine first four ingredients in large dutch oven over med-high heat. Cook 5 minutes or until beef is browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in chili powder, cumin, sugar and salt; cook 1 minute. Add oregano and next 4 ingredients (through beer) to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in cornmeal; cook 5 minutes. Stir in juice.

Yield: 4 servings.