Darcy's Kitchen Kapers

Rocky Road Brownies

2011-03-14T13:22:00.000-07:00

This recipe may be one that many of you have made over and over again but I had never made them before and had never tasted them either. So, when my third oldest daughter and son-in-law moved into the house next door-yes, next door! :) to us-I thought everyone should have something nice and gooey to eat after their long day of working their back muscles. I made some chicken jambalaya with rice (a rather forgettable recipe I'm sorry to say) and these Rocky Road brownies (very memorable!). If I had known how easy and delicious these things were, I'd have been making them long ago.

Rocky Road Brownies

Start with your favorite brownie recipe, either from scratch or from a box in a 13-inch by 9-inch pan. Bake as directed.

As soon as the brownies come out of the oven, sprinkle the top with 2 cups of mini marshmallows.

Place 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks and 1/4 cup of milk in a small saucepan. Cook on low heat until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring frequently. (You can also do this in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted). Drizzle the chocolate sauce over the marshmallows. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup walnut pieces. Cool completely.

Enjoy!!

*To make cutting the brownies easier, spray your knife with cooking spray. I've also heard that using a plastic knife works great, too.

I'm linking up with The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap this week.

Homemade Tomato Soup

2011-03-04T06:50:00.000-08:00

This is a repost of a recipe I have over at my other blog. As I am transferring my cooking-related posts over to this blog, I am revisiting some recipes that were so good and that I haven't made in awhile. This is one of them. It is super delicious and I will be making it again soon.

I found a new recipe for tomato soup and since I had all the ingredients in the cupboard, I decided to try it; plus it was so easy! It's a Food Network recipe by chef Michael Chiarrello, who does some great Italian dishes from his Northern California home.

Homemade Tomato Soup

1 (14-oz.) can chopped tomatoes

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 stalk celery, diced

1 small carrot, diced

1 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup chicken broth

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (I used dried)

1/2 cup heavy cream, optional (I used whole milk)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Strain the chopped canned tomatoes, reserving the juices, and spread onto a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, to taste, drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil and roast until carmelized, about 15 minutes. This is what they look like when they come out of the oven. Don't skip this step! It makes all the difference in the taste of the soup.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat remaining olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion, and garlic, cook until softened, about 10 minutes (make sure the vegetables are fairly soft). Add the roasted chopped canned tomatoes, reserved tomato juices, chicken broth, bay leaf and butter (I added the dried basil at this point). Simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Add basil and cream (or milk), if using. Puree with a hand held immersion blender until smooth (you could also use a blender or a food processor.)

This soup only makes 4 servings (barely!) so I would double this recipe next time. You can freeze whatever you have left, too.

I'm linking up with Friday Potluck.

Stocking the Pantry: Cornmeal

2011-02-21T11:31:00.000-08:00

Over the years I have learned to stock my pantry with ingredients rather than boxed mixes which gives me better flexibility in the kitchen and is easier on the budget, too.

Cornmeal is something I buy regularly and always keep in my pantry. I grew up on the Jiffy cornbread mix. I especially remember my mom making cornbread to go with our ham and beans, which I still make whenever we have a ham bone, but as I grew more curious and adventurous as a cook I wanted to do more than just make cornbread.

I remember the first time I bought cornmeal. My husband loves breaded and fried catfish and wanted to have it for dinner many years ago, so I went to the store and bought some yellow cornmeal (it also comes in white and self-rising). He then taught me how to make fried catfish.

Well, since I had all this cornmeal left over, I got out my cookbooks and learned how to make cornbread from scratch, which led to other ways to use up cornmeal.

Cornbread made in a castiron skillet-yum!

Here is my recipe for cornbread, with some things you can add to make it even better!

Cornbread

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/4-1/2 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you like your cornbread)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup oil or butter
1 egg, slightly beaten

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the oil or butter in a castiron skillet or 8- or 9-inch square pan. Place the skillet or pan in the oven while you prepare the other ingredients until the butter is melted.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate small bowl, combine the milk and egg. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry beating by hand just until smooth. Take the skillet or pan out of the oven and add the batter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Additions and variations: Fry 4 to 5 bacon slices until crips, drain on a paper towel and substitute the bacon drippings for the oil. Sprinkle the batter with crumbled bacon before baking.

Mexican cornbread: Prepare the batter using 2 eggs, slightly beaten. Stir in 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup chopped green chilies and 1/4 cup finely chopped onion. Bake 22 to 28 minutes.

I've used cornmeal for my Cracker Barrel Copycat Chicken Casserole, which is much like cornbread on top of a chicken casserole. I've also used cornmeal for breading chicken. Here's one of our favorite ways of using it on chicken:

Southwestern Baked Chicken

2/3 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup bread crumbs

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

3 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 bonesless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

Cooking spray*

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the cornmeal, bread crumbs, and all the spices in a large plastic bag and shake well. Combine the Worcestershire sauce, and egg whites in a small bowl. Dip the chicken breasts one at a time into the egg mixture. Allow the excess to drip off, then place in the bag and shake to coat. Spritz a shallow baking pan with spray then transfer the chicken to the pan. Spritz the chicken with the spray. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 20 to 25 mintues or until cooked through.

* Instead of the cooking spray, you could place a couple tablespoons of oil or butter in the baking dish and place in the oven to melt the butter or heat the oil a little. As you place the chicken in the dish, turn it over into the oil/butter to coat on both sides. Continue to bake as instructed.

Other uses for cornmeal are hushpuppies, spoon bread, and Red Pepper Corn Muffins. Cornmeal is also used for Polenta, which I've never made but is next on my learning how-to-make list.

Stylish Blogger Award

2011-02-14T13:42:00.000-08:00

I love food and I have lots of bloggy friends who love food, too. So, when I received this fabulous award from Little Kitchen on the Prairie I was thrilled. This is this blog's first award! So, thank you, Catberner, for this award.

Now in accordance with the award's rules, I am going to share 7 things about myself, some my readers may already know, some maybe not.

I am an avid reader. I go to the library about twice a month and come home with a pile of books.

I have 2 cats and one dog. Whenever I sit down at home, there is at least one pet beside me or in my lap.

I love spending time with my grandchildren: Lorelei, who is 19 months, Lydia, who is 4 months, and Noah, who is 2 months. They are a joy!

I record all of the PBS Masterpiece Classics and love to watch them when I am home by myself.

I collect lighthouses and have lots of them throughout my house.

Cooking and baking relaxes me.

I love going on day-long trips with my husband. Sometimes we will just grab an atlas of our area and pick a road to see where it will take us.

Here are some of my favorite blogs to read and am passing the award to these 10 bloggers:

Sweet as Sugar Cookies

Queen of the Castle Recipes

EKat's Kitchen

Valentine's Day Peanut Butter Cookies

2011-02-14T13:39:00.000-08:00

I've been making peanut butter cookies since I was a kid, but today, in honor of Valentine's Day, and because they are my husband's favorite cookie, I decided to make some to hide in his lunch for work. I made my good ol' stand-bye peanut butter cookie recipe, chilled the dough and rolled it out like you would a sugar cookie. I then cut out the cookies using a heart-shaped cookie cutter.

But, just in case you don't have a good peanut butter cookie recipe, here's our favorite.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup soft butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix the butter, peanut butter, sugars, and egg until creamy. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl and add to the peanut butter mixture a little at a time until it is all incorporated and mixed together. Chill the dough for about an hour or so. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll into balls the size of a large walnut and place 3 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Flatten with a fork dipped in flour and make a criss-cross design. Bake until set but not hard about 8 to 10 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen.

I'm linking up with Sweets for a Saturday.

Ratatouille

2011-01-26T05:42:00.000-08:00

Ratatouille has turned into one of our favorite vegetable meals. It's a great way to get some vegetables into your diet with lots of flavor. It's one of our favorite vegetarian meals in the summertime when the vegetables are at their peak of freshness. I got this recipe from the Joy of Cooking cookbook.

Ratatouille

Heat in a large skillet or Dutch oven over high heat:
1/4 cup olive oil
Add 1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound), peeled and cubed and
1 pound zucchini, cubed ( I used yellow squash because that is what I had)
Cook 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove eggplant and zucchini to a plate and reduce heat to medium-high.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups sliced onions
Cook, stirring, until the onions are slightly softened.
Add:
2 large red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch squares (I only had green peppers) and
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
(I also added about a cup of sliced mushrooms at this point-just because!)
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender but not browned, 8 to 12 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add 1 1/2 cups peeled, chopped fresh tomatoes or one 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
and 2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme (these were in my garden!) or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme and
1 bay leaf.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the eggplant and zucchini and cook until everything is tender, about 20 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Stir in: 1/4 cup chopped basil and sliced black olives, if desired. Doesn't it look pretty?
As you can see I also added mushrooms which gave the dish a "meatier" flavor. I was very surprised at how well my family loved this all vegetable dish.

Black Bean Chili with Red Onion Salsa

2011-01-26T05:29:00.000-08:00

This is one of our favorite cold weather recipes. I found this when I was looking for a good black bean soup recipe as I wasn't too thrilled with the one I usually made. I'm thinking I could make this in the crockpot next time :)

A couple of notes on this recipe: If you don't think you would like lots of salsa on your chili, you can halve the ingredients for the Red Onion Salsa. I've also used it to top brats, burritos, or to mix with scrambled eggs. Okay, on to the recipe.

Black Bean Chili

4 cups dried black beans
5 to 6 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
Black pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Crushed red pepper or cayenne, to taste
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 medium-sized green bell peppers, chopped
1/2 cup tomato puree
2 (4-oz.) cans diced green chilies
Red Onion Salsa
Grated cheese and sour cream

Soak the beans in plenty of water for several hours or over night. Drain off the soaking water, and cook in fresh boiling water, partly covered, until tender. Check the water level during cooking; add more as necessary. Transfer the cooked beans to a large kettle or saucepan. Include about 2 to 3 cups of their cooking water.

In a heavy skillet, saute garlic, seasonings, lime juice, and bell peppers in olive oil over medium-low heat until peppers are tender.

Add the saute to the cooked beans, along with tomato puree and canned green chilies. Simmer, covered, over very low heat, stirring every now and then for about 45 minutes. (Make salsa at this time.)

Serve topped with Red Onion Salsa, grated cheese, and sour cream.

Red Onion Salsa
2 cups chopped red onion
1/2 cup packed minced fresh cilantro
2 cups minced fresh ripe tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup packed minced fresh parsley
Black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients and mix well. For a finer consistency, give the mixture a brief whirl or two in a food processor or blender.

6 to 8 servings

I usually serve this with the Red Onion Salsa, sour cream or Greek-style yogurt, and tortilla chips.

Make Your Own Syrup

2011-01-25T06:42:00.000-08:00

There is nothing on a cold morning like a hot breakfast. Take pancakes or waffles-so good. You can feed a whole crowd on not a lot of money and they are filling, too.

Over the Christmas holidays while our youngest daughter was home from college I made whole wheat pancakes and on Christmas morning we had french toast made from banana bread-delish!

I remember a couple of years ago my daughter asked if we could make some pancakes or waffles for breakfast and I realized we were out of syrup. I then remembered that I had recently found a recipe for making my own syrup. I got my recipe binder out for sauces, found the recipe and got to work. It was just a matter of throwing some ingredients into a saucepan, heating them up, and you're set. We found out that we like this new recipe for syrup than what we used to buy.

Make Your Own Syrup

3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons butter flavoring (optional)
1 teaspoon maple flavoring

Bring all the ingredients to a boil in a large saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Turn off the burner but leave the saucepan on it until the bubbling stops (you don't want to get burned!)

It is then ready to use if you like your syrup warmed, which I do. It will thicken a little as it cools. I keep mine in glass jars in the refrigerator.

Chile-Cilantro Grilled Chicken

2011-01-25T06:27:00.000-08:00

I wish I had a picture of this dish for you. Better yet, I wish you could taste it and see how very delicious it is. I've made this once using skinless, boneless chicken thighs because that's what I had. It was also in the middle of January, so I used my cast iron grill pan to cook them on inside. The important thing is the rub you put on the chicken that just bursts with flavor. So good!

Chile-Cilantro Grilled Chicken

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno chile
1 tablespoon grated lime peel
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 bone-in skin-on chicken breast halves

Heat grill. Combine all ingredients except chicken in small bowl. Generously rub over chicken and under skin. Grill, covered, over medium heat or coals 14 to 18 minutes or until no longer pink in center, turning once.

4 servings
For those of you interested, this dish contains per serving: 235 calories, 11.5 g total fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 28 g protein, 4.5 g carbohydrate, 75 mg cholesterol, 525 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

This is a recipe I got from the Cooking Pleasures magazine many years ago when I belonged to the Cooking Club of America.

I'm linking up with Tasty Tuesday.

Foolproof Roast Beef

2011-01-24T06:40:00.000-08:00

Most cooks are familiar with the Joy of Cooking cookbook, but I wasn't until a few years ago. I had seen the title at the library, in bookstores, and in other people's kitchens, but I had never looked inside. I knew it was very popular and that cooks have been using it to cook for decades. When I joined a cookbook club about a year ago I decided to give it the Joy of Cooking a try, and I'm really glad I did. It is my new favorite because it has just about any answer to any question you might have about how to cook a particular kind of food and how a certain food is used in cooking. This edition was published in celebration of its 75th Anniversary when a widow by the name of Irma Rombauer self-published the cookbook, using her own savings to do it. Her daughter joined in and helped her with illustrations and recipe testing. Irma's grandson now heads up the publishing of JOC. I love it when families work hard to share in a project like this. It would take me a lifetime to try all the recipes in this book (not that I'm going to try!) but I know if I have doubts about how to cook a particular food, I can usually find the answer in this one.

My most successful result of a recipe is for Roast Beef. It comes out perfectly every single time. A meat thermometer is essential for this recipe, so I recommend you get one before even trying it. The other important thing is to set your oven on the high temperature it calls for. My oven only goes up to 500 degrees but it's enough. It really does make a difference. I have used a sirloin tip roast and an eye of round roast for this recipe.

Roast Beef

These directions are for the large, tender cuts we think of as Sunday dinner roast beef. Count on 2 servings per pound for bone-in roasts, 3 servings per pound for boneless roasts. The most tender are the standing rib roast and the rolled rib roast. The sirloin tip roast, eye of round, or rolled rump may be cooked the same way.

Preheat the oven to 550 degrees. Having removed the roast from the refrigerator 2 hours before, place the meat fat side up on a rack in a greased shallow roasting pan. Do not cover, and don't add liquid. Put the roast in the oven, immediately reduce the heat to 350 degrees and roast 18 to 20 minutes to the pound for medium-rare. A rolled roast will require 5 to 10 minutes longer to the pound. A thermometer should read between 125 degrees and 130 degrees for rare and 135 degrees and 140 degrees for medium. Let rest. Carve.

Salmon Burgers with Caesar Slaw

2011-01-24T06:31:00.000-08:00

Canned salmon is one of my pantry staples and I usually stock up on it when it is on sale. It is wild salmon, which is full of the Omega-3 that we need and this is one way I can get nutrition into my family's meals without breaking the bank. I found this recipe for Salmon Burgers with Caesar Slaw from Rachael Ray and we love all the bold flavors in this dish. You can go here for the original recipe from Food Network.
I also have it written out with some variations of my own below. My added notes are in italics.

Salmon Burgers with Caesar Slaw

1 (14-0z) can Alaskan salmon, drained and flaked
2 egg whites, lightly beaten (I've also used 1 whole egg)
Handful parsley leaves, finely chopped (I've used dried parsley)
2 lemons, zested and juiced, divided (The lemon juice and zest adds a wonderful flavor to the patties)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs, 3 generous handfuls
Salt and pepper (Easy on the salt! Anchovies have alot of salt in them)
4 anchovies, finely chopped, optional (If you like Caesar dressing, use at least 2)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Couple handfuls grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano
2 hearts romaine lettuce shredded
1 head radicchio, shredded (my family doesn't care for this, so I just use romaine or other some lettuce)

To flaked salmon, add egg whites, parsley, the zest and juice of 1 lemon, 2/3 of the total amount of chopped garlic (about 2 teaspoons), the bread crumbs and lots of black pepper and a little salt. Mix together and form 4 large patties or 8 mini patties.

To a salad bowl add the remaining zest and lemon juice, remaining garlic, chopped anchovies, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire. Whisk in about 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil and cheese. Add lots of black pepper and no salt. Add shredded lettuces to the bowl and toss to coat evenly. Now, season the slaw with salt to taste, if necessary.

Preheat 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, in a nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Cook salmon patties 2 to 3 minutes on each side for mini patties, 4 minutes on each side for large patties.

Serve salmon patties atop Caesar Slaw.

Arroz con Pollo

2011-01-24T06:29:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure where I got this recipe but I've made it a few times and my family loves it. It's a easy one-dish recipe, which makes me wonder why I don't make it more often. As usual, I make the recipe according to what I want to change or add to it, to make it the way my family would like or what I have on hand. Since red bell peppers are so expensive during the winter, I usually buy them when they are cheap in the summer from a local farm stand, chop them up, and put them in small bags in the freezer. I have made this recipe with and without the 2 ounces of ham.

Arroz con Pollo

1 Tablespoon olive oil
4 chicken thighs
4 chicken drumsticks
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 oz. smoked ham, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 3/4 cups canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups canned chicken broth or homemade stock
1 cup rice, preferably long-grain
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

In a large, deep frying pan, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Cook the chicken, turning, until well browned, about 8 minutes in all. Remove. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan.

Reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the ham, onion, and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften, about 3 minutes longer.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, and the remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir in the rice and add the chicken in an even layer. Simmer, partially covered, over moderately low heat until the chicken and rice are just done, 20 to 25 minutes, adding more broth if necessary if the rice isn't completely tender but has soaked up all the liquid. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Serves 4.

Creamy Pinto Beans

2011-01-17T18:58:00.000-08:00

This is our favorite way to cook pinto beans. They are good on their own, over rice, with cornbread, or anywhere else I use pintos. I also mash them to make refried beans.

3 cups dry pinto beans, soaked overnight
1 chopped onion
3 tablespoons bacon fat or butter
hot water
Salt to taste

Drain soaked beans. Put beans, onion, bacon fat or butter, and hot water to cover into slow-cooker for 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. Add salt to taste.

Rick's Huevos Rancheros

2011-01-17T18:36:00.000-08:00

After making a large crockpot full of Creamy Pinto Beans and finding some chorizo in the freezer, my husband suggested this dish. It is loosely based on Huevos Rancheros, which has no meat or beans in it, but the chorizo gave it a wonderful flavor and an added richness to the dish. And the beans, well, they are just so good, I couldn't leave them out. Just one of these was very filling. If you can't find chorizo in your grocery store, here is a recipe for it that you may want to try.

And if you want to serve 4 people, just fry up 2 more corn tortillas and 2 more eggs, and you're good to go.

Rick's Huevos Rancheros

2 corn tortillas

Oil for frying

Creamy Pinto Beans, mashed or 1 can refried beans

Salsa, store-bought or homemade

cilantro, chopped

2 eggs

Chorizo, 1/2 pound

Chopped onion, about 1/4 cup

Shredded cheddar cheese

Start by cooking the chorizo and chopped onion in a skillet until the chorizo is completely cooked and the onion is soft. Set aside.

In a small saucepan heat the beans and mash with a potato masher (if using a can of refried beans, just heat them).

In another skillet heat the oil, just enough for frying the corn tortillas. When the oil is hot fry the corn tortillas until crisp. Drain almost all of the oil from the skillet and fry the eggs over easy or sunny side up.

To assemble:

Put the fried corn tortilla on a plate. Spread on beans, then a little chorizo, one egg, some salsa, chopped cilantro, and cheese. Enjoy!

Serves 2.

I'm linking up with Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Tuesdays at the Table.

Pot Roast Milano

2011-01-13T06:25:00.000-08:00

A repost from my other blog.
I had a yummy-looking picture but it was somehow deleted from my camera before I could download it onto my computer, so you will have to use your vivid imagination for this one.

Chuck roasts were on sale for $1.88 per pound this past week, which is unheard of these days around here, so I bought three of them. I've been making this recipe since my girls were small and it's a favorite. I almost always have all the ingredients (except the meat) on-hand so I rarely have to plan this meal.

Pot Roast Milano

2 tablespoons oil
3 to 4-lb pot roast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt, if desired
1/2 teaspoon basil leaves or Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 large onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup Burgundy or dry red wine (I used beef broth)
8-oz. can (1 cup) tomato sauce
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup water

In large skillet or Dutch oven, brown meat in hot oil. Combine salt, celery seed, basil, pepper, onion, garlic, wine (or broth) and tomato sauce; add to meat. Simmer covered 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until tender. Remove meat to platter. Combine flour and water; stir into liquid in pan. Heat until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly. If necessary, thin with additional water. Spoon sauce over pot roast. Serve with spaghetti, buttered noodles, or mashed potatoes. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Experimenting with Sticky Chicken

2011-01-13T06:14:00.000-08:00

This is a repost from my other blog.
About a year ago I posted a recipe for Roasted Sticky Chicken. It is really tasty but sometimes it has been turning out rather dry, so I thought I would play with the recipe a little and do some adjusting. Last week my husband and I were grocery shopping and found 2 large roasting chickens for 69 cents a pound as a manager's special. (We always, always look for these bright orange stickers on meat for huge discounts!) They were very large, much larger than the fryers I usually buy at Aldi for 79 cents a pound. Here is the original recipe for the Sticky Chicken.

Roast Sticky Chicken

4 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 whole chicken

1 cup chopped onion

In a small bowl, thoroughly combine all the spices. Remove the giblets from the chicken, clean the cavity well, and pat dry with paper towels.

Rub the spice mixture into the chicken, both inside and out, making sure it is evenly distributed. Place in a resealable plastic bag, OR, place in the roasting pan, and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to roast the chicken, stuff the cavity with the chopped onions and place in a shallow roasting pan. Roast, uncovered, at 250 degrees for 5 hours. After the first hour, baste the chicken occasionally (about every half hour or so) with the pan juices. The pan juices will start to caramelize on the bottom of the pan and the chicken will turn a golden brown. If the chicken has a pop-up thermometer, ignore it. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving.

I still do everything as the recipe suggests, however, this last time I doubled the spices and prepared the 2 roasters for the next day. I put them in the refrigerator, one in my crockpot and one in a roasting pan, covered. The next day I put the chopped onion in the cavity of each chicken and started the cooking. I also added a little water to the bottom of the crock pot. I put the crock pot on low and let it slowly cook away for about 8 hours.

About 4 hours before we wanted to eat the roasted chicken, I added a little water to the bottom of the pan, covered it with foil and put it in the oven, basting every once in awhile. About halfway through the cooking time, I uncovered it and let it continue cooking.

With the addition of the water at the bottom of the pan, both methods of cooking turned out very, very well. I like the crock pot method the best, though because I didn't have to do any basting or checking, although it does take twice as long as the roasted method.

*You may want to adjust the cooking time according to the size of your chicken. These roasters were large, about 5 pounds apiece, and fryers are usually about 3 1/2 pounds. Test your chicken for doneness in the following ways: using a meat themometer; if the juices run clear; or if the leg moves easily when you wiggle it.

I'm linking up with Friday Potluck

Lentils Are the Budget-Minded Girl's Best Friend

2011-01-11T12:26:00.000-08:00

Lentils graphic by All Posters

There's nothing glamorous about lentils. They are cheap, bland on their own, and have been around for thousands of years.

They aren't attached to the most pleasant story from the Bible, either. Lentils was the dish that Jacob gave to Esau in exchange for his birthright. Esau was so hungry from a day of hunting that he was willing to trade one bowl of these legumes for his birthright, the blessing that only the eldest son could receive from his father.

So, why have they been around for so long? There must be something to them that gives them this longevity. People today still eat them regularly.

I wasn't real familiar with lentils until I was married. We had a bone from a leftover ham and my husband asked me if I would make some lentil soup like his mom used to make. I went to the store and picked up a small bag of lentils for the first time, brought them home and with the help of my husband made a very good soup. That was about all I did with lentils for about 20 years.

Then I started seeing how using this little legume was good for our grocery budget. I read blogs and recipe sites on the Internet and found out that people were using them in place of meat sometimes. So, I started using them in different recipes. Some we loved, others we didn't care for. I've even learned how to make lentil soup without the ham bone. Here's a few that we make regularly.

Oh, and the best part of all is the fact that they are a quick-cooking legume. No soaking!

Lentil Soup
Make sure you have a nice loaf of crusty bread for dunking!

3 cups dry lentils
7 cups water (For more flavor, you could use chicken, beef, or vegetable broth instead)
2 teaspoons salt
6 to 8 medium cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups chopped onion
2 medium carrots, sliced or diced
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon oregano
Lots of black pepper
2 to 3 medium-sized ripe tomatoes or 1 large can diced tomatoes
red wine vinegar to drizzle on top

Place lentils, water, and salt in a large pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to the slowest possible simmer, and cook quietly, partially covered, for 20 to 30 minutes. Add the vegetables, except the tomatoes, herbs and black pepper. Partially cover, and let simmer another 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

If you are using fresh tomatoes, you will need to peel them: Heat a medium saucepanful of water to boiling. Drop in the tomatoes for 10 seconds, then take them out, peel off the skins, and squeeze out the seeds. Chop the remaining pulp and add to the soup. Otherwise, add the can of tomatoes, but make sure the lentils are tender first. The acid from the tomatoes can hinder the lentils from getting soft.

Cook another 5 minutes to heat through and serve hot with a drizzle of vinegar on top.
Makes 6 to 8 servings and freezes very well.

Lentil-Rice Casserole
This is good as a side dish or a main dish and I've seen it on many websites. I can't believe how much my husband likes this one. It's good with a big green salad. This would probably work very well in the crockpot, too.

3 1/2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup lentils, uncooked and rinsed
1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon thyme

Blend all together in a casserole dish. Bake, covered, for 1 1/2 hours at 300 degrees. During the last 20 minutes, top with 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese.

Lentil Cakes

1 1/2 cups cooked lentils
1/3 cup minced red or white onion
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Dash cayenne pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
Dry bread crumbs
Oil

Mash lentils and mix well with the onion, parsley, and seasonings. Chill well and form into 6 flat patties. Dip in the egg and coat well with bread crumbs. Let dry on a wire rack for a few minutes. Brown well on both sides in a little oil, turning only once.

Our Favorite Granola Recipes

2011-01-07T15:43:00.000-08:00

I recently tried a new recipe for granola and it turned out badly, although I followed the directions exactly, so I've decided that I'm going to stick with my tried-and-true recipes, both of which I got from the Hillbilly Housewife website years ago. Each recipe makes enough for a small family so if you have lots of people at your house that love granola as much as we do you could double these recipes and make them in two pans instead of one. I like that these recipes are very simple ones, too, with no special or expensive ingredients.

Granola is delicious with milk poured over it for breakfast or with a dollop of yogurt on top. Either way it is very filling and will stay with you all morning. It's also a nice alternative to hot oatmeal in the morning. And, I promise that these recipes are so much better than anything you could get from the store :)

Peanut Butter Granola

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup natural peanut butter (you can use regular peanut butter, too)
1/3 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vanila
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups rolled oats (quick oats work, too)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Begin by melting the butter and peanut butter together in a large saucepan. Add the honey, vanilla, and salt. Stir the mixture until it is smooth and hot throughout. It doesn't need to boil. Add the oats and stir until they are completely coated. It will be chunky. TUrn the mixture out onto a cookie sheet or a 9 x 13-inch pan. Spread the granola out evenly and bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Add the raisins and mix together. Cool in the pan or on wax paper and transfer to a sealed container or large baggie.

Honey Granola

3 cups oats
1/2 cup butter or margarine (1 stick)
1/2 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup each nuts and dried fruit (optional)

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the honey and salt. When nicely combined and melted together, add the oats and mix together until the oats are coated. Turn the mixture onto a cookie sheet or 9 x 13-inch pan. Spread the granola out evenly and bake at 375 for 10 minutes. It should be a nice golden brown. Allow it to cool in the pan and then add the nuts and fruit if using. Store in a sealed container or large baggie.

Pork Chops With Mustard Sauce

2011-01-02T07:53:00.000-08:00

My husband is a dipper. Just about every piece of meat I serve has to be accompanied by some kind of sauce at the table, whether it is soy sauce, ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, steak sauce. He loves to mix his sauces and create his own, too. You name it, he loves it. So, when I have the opportunity I like to make a sauce to go with our dinner that doesn't come out of a bottle. I have made this recipe a couple of times now and it is so flavorful and delicious.

Word of caution: Don't overcook your pork chops. There's nothing worse than a dry piece of meat. You want the pink inside to be gone but it doesn't have to be white and dry inside. When you take your pork out of the pan it will continue to cook a little, so take that into consideration. Cut into your chop if you have to to make sure it is done (I've done this many times). If it is, great; if not just put it back into the pan and allow it to cook further for another minute or two.

Pork Chops, with Mustard Sauce

4 pork chops about 1 1/2 inches thick (if your chops are thinner, don't cook as long)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 onion, chopped

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 teaspoon dried rosemary

3/4 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley (optional)

Sprinkle both sides of the pork chops with the salt, pepper, and flour. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat until it is sizzling (you want it good and hot!). Cook the pork chops for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Add the onion, thyme and rosemary and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic and cook another couple of minutes. Add 1/4 cup of chicken stock and boil until its reduced a little, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the rest of the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the Dijon mustard and parsley, if using. Return the chops and any accumulated juices to the pan and cook for another couple of minutes to warm the porkchops and thicken the sauce. Transfer the chops to a serving plate and either top with the sauce or serve the sauce separately. Serves 4.

I'm linking up with Grocery Cart Challenge's Recipe Swap

Christmas Day and Turtle Cheesecake

2010-12-26T12:48:00.001-08:00

Christmas Day was so much fun for this grandma! All of my kids were here.

Jaclyn and Lorelei are new BFFs (Best Friends Forever)

Lydia enjoyed being held by anyone as long as she had her pacifier and someone to cuddle with :)

Our sweet girl

Noah slept through it all

We had lots of good food, too, of course, and this was our dessert Turtle Cheesecake. Turtles are probably my favorite candy so I knew I would love cheesecake made from the same ingredients.
I was right!

I adapted the recipe from the inside of a Philadelphia cream cheese package.

Turtle Cheesecake

2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs

6 tablespoons butter, melted

1-14 oz bag of caramel candies*

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup pecan halves

3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

3 eggs

2 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate*

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Double-wrap with aluminum foil a 9- or 10-inch springform pan.

Mix the crumbs and the butter and press into the bottom and 2 inches up side of a 9-inch springform pan. Place the caramels and milk in a small microwavable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 3 minutes or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after each minute. Pour 1/2 of the caramel mixture into the crust. Refrigerate 10 minutes. Set remaining caramel mixture aside for late use.

Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time until blended. Pour over the caramel mixture in the crust.

**Place your double-wrapped in foil springform pan in a larger pan (such as a roasting pan). Put enough water into the larger pan until the water is halfway up the side of the springform pan.

Place pans in the oven and bake for 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes or until center is almost set. Run a knife or spatula around the side of the springform pan to loosen the cake. Remove from the larger pan. Let cool completely and remove the foil and sides of springform pan. Chill in refrigerator at least 4 hours.

Place the pecan halves on the cake in any way desired. With the remaining caramel mixture, drizzle the cake in any decorative way you like. Melt 2 squares of the semi-sweet baking chocolate in a microwavable bowl on HIGH, stirring at least every minute until just until melted. Drizzle over the cake.

*If you don't want to do all the unwrapping of candies and the melting, you could certainly use caramel sauce that is used for ice cream. You could also use a chocolate sauce, too.

**This is how I bake all of my cheesecakes. They come out perfectly just about every time, without cracking.

I'm linking up with Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table and Tasty Tuesday.

Christmas Eve Food-It's All About the Appetizers!

2010-12-26T12:30:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve is always a much more casual affair than Christmas Day for us. It's about appetizers mostly and fun food. Our third daughter, Jessica, and our son-in-law, Rich, were here with my husband and I along with our home-from-college daughter, Jaclyn. We had a good time of eating, playing games, and watching a holiday movie.

My daughter, Jessica, made a new recipe called Jalapeno Popper Spread and it is so good and much easier than actually making jalapeno poppers, one of our favorite fun foods. We found that is was good warm and at room temperature. You can serve it with tortilla chips or crackers.

I made a cheeseball, which is nothing more than 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened, blended together with cheese spread (I chose Cheddar this year). I roll it into chopped walnut pieces wrapped in wax paper into a ball and chill until firm. We love this with crackers and it's a recipe that I learned from my mom.

My husband is a sandwich lover so I made my grandma's recipe for BBQ Pork (some people call it pulled pork) sandwiches with coleslaw. Since this is my dear Grandma's recipe I will give it it's own post later. My son-in-law asked me if my daughter (his wife) had the recipe for BBQ pork. I told him I would make sure she did! There's just nothing more affirming to a cook than for someone to ask for the recipe on a dish he or she has made.

Our dessert consisted of all the goodies we had made on our Baking Day, well, whatever was left :)

Our Christmas Baking Day

2010-12-26T07:26:00.001-08:00

The preparations for Christmas were a whirlwind of activity for us, as I know it was for all of you, too. The baking, the shopping, the decorating, it's all pretty normal for everyone at this time of year. And, yes, I know that Christmas is past for the year 2010 but I do want to share things that made it special for us this year. I hope your Christmas celebrations were wonderful as well. I've already shared the best Christmas present this year for us-our new grandson.

Something that has become a tradition for us since our first daughter was married five years ago, we have set aside an afternoon before Christmas to do some baking together. It was a little different this year since our oldest daughter wasn't able to be with us. She just had our first grandson and he was in a Chicago hospital with some complications due to his birth, so she was with him. But, everyone else was able to be with us. Lydia joined me in the kitchen for some snuggling.

Lorelei enjoyed sampling all the goodies.

Jaclyn is showing off her artwork.

It was a very good time. We always make Sugar Cookies with icing and sprinkles, which are pretty traditional for lots of people. It's a must with us. My mom always made them, too. Over the years we've added some other recipes that we have learned to expect but we also try new ones, too.

Easy Oreo Truffles-These are incredibly good and just like the title of the recipe very easy. My daughter made them with the mint oreos this year, which takes these candies to whole new level!

Chocolate-Marshmallow Pillows-This was a new recipe for us and they are really delicious with the surprise marshmallow inside.

Pretzel Turtles-These were easy and lots of fun to make, something the kids would have fun helping with.

Paula's Loaded Oatmeal Cookies-These are my youngest daughter's specialty. She got the recipe a couple of years ago from the Food Network website and everybody that tastes these cookies loves them, even people that aren't crazy about oatmeal cookies. They are that good.

White Chocolate Fudge-This fudge is so yummy-I love how the orange flavor comes through, and we found that dried cherries are just as good as the dried cranberries in this recipe. We've been making this for the last 3 or 4 years now.

And last but not least, we always make Chex Party Mix, the only savory treat that we make on our Baking Day. I love the microwave method which doesn't take as long and leaves room in the oven for our other goodies.

I will be sharing more about how we celebrated Christmas 2010 in future posts.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T10:08:00.001-08:00

The last week has been incredibly busy with the birth and delayed homecoming of our new grandson, shopping and wrapping of Christmas gifts, as well as the baking and cooking I have been and will be doing in the next day or so. Oh, I'm getting the house ready for company tonight and tomorrow, too. Whew! I should be totally wiped out but I'm very excited about all of my children and grandchildren being together tomorrow for Christmas Day.

I've wanted to do some posting on all the delicious goodies the girls and I have been making but time has gotten away from me, and we have made some really good things! I will be sharing some of the recipes in the next few days and I have totally been eating way too much (Yum!).

I hope each of my readers have a very Merry Christmas and a very Blessed New Year. May your days be merry and bright! And God's blessings on you!

Graphics courtesy of All Posters.

Babies!

2010-12-20T12:52:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to pop in with a couple of pictures of our sweet babies. This is our newest, little Noah. He and his mommy and daddy are all on their way home finally! He is doing so well. They did an ultrasound on his brain this morning and everything is looking so good.

This is our other new grandchild, Lydia. I shared photos of her when she was first born but now she is 2 1/2 months old. She is already rolling over from tummy to back holds her head up on her own very well. She loves to be talked to and makes lots of cute baby noises.

I will be sharing more photos soon as Christmas Day approaches and everyone will be at our house. We are just so thankful that our new baby boy is healthy and doing so well. Thank you for all your prayers and well wishes.

I've been doing some cooking and baking but not as much as usual with all the baby activity lately. I will be back to posting more yummy things soon!

A Beautiful Grandson!

2010-12-17T12:37:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to give the news about our new grandbaby. My daughter went to the doctor on Monday afternoon and the doctor was a little concerned that the baby would be pretty big and my daughter is not a big girl, and since her due date was on Sunday, they decided that she would be induced. We went in on Monday morning and did a first level round of inducement, which just meant that they would give her a very small dose of medication (I don't remember the name right now) to get her body ready for labor and to see if she would go into labor on her own. This lasted for 12 hours with 2 more doses. Nothing much happened.

She was then given pitocin and for the next few hours she was progressing pretty well. After 2 hours of pushing (!) our baby boy was born and not doing too well. The cord had been wrapped around his neck and he was blue. He was rushed to the team of pediatric workers, they got him breathing but they did want to do some testing. They found blood on his brain and was then transferred to a hospital in Chicago so that he could be watched by a neurosurgeon. Today, he seems to be doing pretty well. He is off the oxygen, eating and doing all the things a newborn should be doing. The blood on his brain is stable, which means it isn't growing, but he may still need surgery. My daughter and son-in-law are waiting for the neurosurgeon to examine him and tell them if surgery would be necessary.

We are, of course, hoping that he won't need surgery and that he will be able to come home soon. Your prayers would be greatly appreciated. By the way, his name is Noah Jonathan. He was 8 lb 4 oz and 21 inches and he is absolutely beautiful if I do say so myself :)

I will continue to update as I have news.

Indonesian Ginger Chicken

2010-12-12T15:57:00.000-08:00

Have you ever made a dish that was so good that everybody at the table was exclaiming over it and you just knew that it was a recipe you would be making again and again? Well, this is one of those recipes. So good, so sweet and tasty. This makes lots of chicken so you could definitely halve the ingredients or go ahead and make the whole recipe and freeze what is leftover for another dinner.

Indonesian Ginger Chicken

1 cup honey
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup minced garlic, about 8 to 12 cloves
1/4 cup peeled and grated ginger root
2 chickens (3 1/2 pounds each) or other in-bone chicken pieces equivalent to the same weight (thighs work really well)

In a small saucepan, cook the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger root until the honey is melted and incorporated into the other ingredients. In a large roasting or baking pan, lay the chicken pieces in a single layer skin side down. Pour the sauce over the chicken pieces, cover tightly with aluminum foil and put in the refrigerator overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 350. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover the pan, turn the chicken skin side up, and raise the temperature to 375. Continue cooking for another 45 minutes or until the juices run clear and the sauce is a rich dark brown.

Monterey Beans

2010-12-12T15:36:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of bean and rice dishes but if there isn't much flavor it falls flat in my book so when I found the original recipe for Monterey Beans from the Urban Housewife I knew I had a winner. I've added garlic to the recipe and instead of using fresh tomatoes, which don't have much taste this time of year, I usually use canned diced or pureed tomatoes.
Monterey Beans

4 slices bacon, chopped or 1/2 pound sausage
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 cloved garlic, minced
2 cups cooked pinto beans
2 chopped tomatoes or 1 can diced or pureed tomatoes (it all works)
1/4 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Saute the bacon or sausage in a little olive oil for a couple of minutes. Add the onion and green pepper and saute until the onion is translucent. Add the rest of the ingredients except the cheese and simmer for about 10 mintues. Add the cheese over low heat and stir until mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes. Serve over rice if desired. 6 servings.

Creamy Mustard Meatballs

2010-12-07T06:40:00.000-08:00

I found the original recipe for this on a blog a couple of years ago and what attracted it to me was not only the fact that it sounded so good, but it was a pretty quick recipe and made with ingredients that were almost always in my pantry or freezer. I've tweaked it a little to make it more the way we like it and it turned out so creamy and flavorful when I made it yesterday. The meatballs were very tender and moist. You could use ground beef with this dish instead of the turkey, too.

Creamy Mustard Meatballs

1 pound ground turkey
1 cup breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons chopped onion
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons mustard (I've used dijon and spicy brown mustard-regular mustard would work, too)
1/2 bag (8 oz) egg noodles
2 1/4 cups chicken or beef stock
3/4 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons cornstarch
Salt and pepper
Chopped parsley to sprinkle over the top as garnish

Mix together the following in a medium bowl: ground turkey, breadcrumbs, chopped onion, 2 tablespoons mustard, salt and pepper. Shape into meatballs and bake at 400 degrees on a lightly greased cookie sheet about 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles until just tender in boiling water in a large pot. Drain and set aside.

In a saucepan, whisk together chicken or beef stock, remaining 2 teaspoons mustard, and cornstarch until smooth. Bring to a boil until thickenened. In a small bowl, stir about 1 tablespoon of hot mixture into the sour cream. Turn the heat to low and stir in the sour cream mixture being careful not to boil, just heating through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and stir in the meatballs. Serve over the noodles and sprinkle with parsley. Serves 4.

I'm linking up with Tasty Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Menu Plan Monday and Waiting for Baby!

2010-12-06T07:17:00.000-08:00

It's been quite awhile since my last post and I'm very sorry. I've still been cooking and trying to keep my freezer full of make-ahead food. I've been working a lot but now that my schedule has eased up a bit I can plan a little better for what we eat and have more time to share it with you.
I find that if I shop the specials and loss leaders, I almost always have the ingredients I need to make meals that we enjoy. Our freezer is pretty full right now, so I really won't have to do much grocery shopping for the month of December except for special holiday baking and our Christmas dinner on Christmas day. We have two freezers: one in the kitchen above the refrigerator and one in our basement that is the chest type. I made a list of everything that was in each freezer and will be working with what we have for our meals. Here's the menu plan for this week, that is if I'm not at the hospital with our oldest daughter and son-in-law-she is due to have her baby any day now!!

Monday-Indonesian Ginger Chicken and Stir-Fry Vegetables (I will be sharing these recipes later this week!)

Tuesday-Monterey Beans, a recipe I got from The Urban Homemaker years ago, served over brown rice, green beans

Wednesday-Mustard Meatballs (another new recipe!), noodles, salad

Thursday-Lentil Chili (from the freezer) and cornbread

Friday-Pizza with mushrooms, onion, and green pepper

I'm linking up with Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie

Baked Zucchini Gratin

2010-11-23T06:50:00.000-08:00

Some of our favorites, old and new usually end up on our holiday table, whether it's Easter, birthdays, Christmas, or Thanksgiving. I found the recipe for this dish on the back of a margarine box (back when I used margarine all the time) and I've been making it ever since. Not only do my kids request it regularly, it's easy and can be made ahead of time.

Slice your zucchini and onions thinly and place in an oblong baking dish. The more surface the vegetables cover, the more tender they will get. Use whatever you have. Pour half of your butter over the vegetables. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.

Combine the remaining butter with the bread crumbs and the parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for about 35-40 minutes or until the bread crumbs are a golden brown. Dig in!

Baked Zucchini Gratin

6 servings
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
2 pounds zucchini, sliced thinly
1/2 cup butter, melted and divided
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)
1/2 cup bread crumbs, seasoned with salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings, or use Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

In a lightly greased 2 quart oblong baking dish, layer the onion and zucchini slices, drizzle with 1/4 cup of the melted butter. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup melted butter with the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the top. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and the zucchini is fork tender.

I'm linking up with Tuesdays at the Table, Tasty Tuesday, and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

Everyone Has a Job To Do!

2010-11-17T06:49:00.000-08:00

I'm always looking for ways to save time and/or money in the kitchen, so it's a pretty sure thing that you are, too, which is where kitchen tips come in. They may not be about cooking but they do have to do with the kitchen or eating. I wrote this one on my other blog a while back and thought it deserved it's own spot on my cooking blog, too!

My kitchen tip will save you (and me!) lots and lots of time cleaning up. Right now, in this particular season in your life, you may some little ones hanging on to your skirt as you try to move around the kitchen, getting a meal together or cleaning after preparing a meal. But, this season will not last forever, and those little cuties have a way of growing up really fast. In fact, it seems like only yesterday my own daughters were toddlers. Now my own daughter has a toddler of her own. Where has the time gone?

As our children get older, we moms should be doing ourselves a huge favor and teaching our children how to do things in the kitchen, and not just when we are there to supervise. As my own daughters grew, they each had a job to do, such as, helping to prepare the food, setting the table, clearing the table after we ate, washing dishes, putting dishes away, wiping down the counter, and other kitchen work. Most of the time, the above activities were a group effort and I would usually be there to make sure it was done correctly. I think most of us do things this way, especially if we have more than a couple of kids who are old enough to do any of these chores.

Even a toddler loves to help. Although my 16-month-old grand daughter isn't helping very much in the kitchen yet, she is learning to pick up her toys. She also helps her mommy by throwing away her little sister's diapers, and she loves to help put wet laundry into the dryer. We also give her a cloth so that she can "dust" and "clean." As she gets older, she will be learning to do more things and gaining more responsibility so that her mommy and daddy aren't still doing these things for her when she is in her teens! :/

But, I think we know when these skills that we have taught our children have really stuck and taken hold when we moms aren't there to make sure it gets done. It's when your daughter comes home at an unexpected hour from work and makes herself something to eat and when she is done, there is no evidence that she was ever in the kitchen. On the other hand, is there a gooey peanut butter and jelly knife stuck to the counter, with the peanut butter and jelly still left out? Or how about greasy splatters on the stove from the hamburger that was fried in the pan and the oily pan is sitting in the sink waiting for YOU to wash it? And, how about that microwave? You know, when the last person to use it didn't bother to put anything over the food and the top of the microwave is splattered with hardened, crusty food?

So, my Kitchen Tip for this week is to be consistent with your kids about their clean-up skills in the kitchen. When you come in from the grocery store, expecting the kitchen to be clean so that you are free to put away your food because your kids know that they always clean up after themselves, it just makes life easier. And, when it isn't done, calling them to the kitchen and having them get the job done right even though they were having such a good time playing outside. It's hard to look like the mean mom but it will be worth it later, I promise.

Calico Beans

2010-11-11T20:43:00.000-08:00

Since going back to work I'm learning to use my crockpot more and last week I cooked my dry beans in it to freeze for later. I also made this recipe that I got from Organized Everyday and it was a big hit with the whole family. I know there are lots of different ways to make this dish but I've never tried any of them before and since a fellow blogger recommended it, I thought I would give it a try. This recipe makes lots and lots so I usually make the whole batch and freeze the rest for another time, which will really come in handy to have when I need to focus on holiday meals in the next few weeks. My notes or variations on the recipe are in italics.

Calico Beans

1 pound of lean ground beef, (I had some already cooked in the freezer)

1 large onion, diced, brown these together and drain

1 dried bag of 15 bean mix: cook in pressure cooker until done

OR you can buy canned beans: 2 cans of kidney beans and 2 cans of garbanzo beans (or store them cooked and frozen in the freezer)

In the crockpot add:

Beef, onions, and beans plus

2 cans of baked beans (any brand)

1 cup of real bacon bits or fry your own (6 slices) (I fried the bacon and onion together)

1/2 c. ketchup

1/2 c. of brown sugar

1 T. vinegar

1 t. of prepared mustard

1 t. salt

Mix it all and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours

OR in the oven 350 degrees for 1 hour

If you choose to fry your own bacon, cooking it with the onions saves time..

If you do not have a pressure cooker, you can still cook your own dried beans in the crockpot, but you have to plan for this a day in advance. (I cooked the beans ahead of time and stored them in the freezer until I put them in the crockpot.)

This is really good with cornbread :)

I'm linking up with The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap and EKat's Kitchen Friday Potluck

Sweet Potato Muffins with Cinnamon-Walnut Streusal

2010-11-04T07:28:00.000-07:00

I recently found a recipe for Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon-Pecan Streusal and as I didn't have all the ingredients called for in the recipe, I used what I did have and still made a really good muffin. Please, don't skip the streusal topping-even if you have to eat this muffin as a dessert to make yourself feel less guilty about the butter and sugar :) This topping just makes the muffin! This recipe does make 18 muffins so I make the whole batch and put some in the freezer for later. I am building up a nice stockpile of baked goods in my freezer since I don't always have the time these days to bake when I want something good to eat-and homemade goodies are always better than store-bought to me.

Sweet Potato Muffins with Cinnamon-Walnut Streusal

Makes 18 muffins

1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup brown sugar

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sweet potato puree

Streusal

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tins or use cup liners.

In a large bowl, combine the muffin ingredients, wet ingredients first. Add the dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill the muffin tins with the batter.

For the streusal, in a small bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut into the mixture the butter until crumbly. Add the walnuts. Generously sprinkle streusal over each muffin. Bake for 21 to 23 minutes.

I'm linking up with Ekat's Friday Potluck

Chicken and Dumplings

2010-10-30T21:41:00.000-07:00

I've been making chicken and dumplings for years and years, thanks to my mom who gave me her old 1970's Pillsbury Cookbook when I was a young wife. I pretty much learned how to cook from that old cookbook and wish I still had it. Chicken and Dumplings is one of our family's favorites and it's another one of those good one-pot kind of dinners that are so easy on the cook.

Chicken and Dumplings

6 chicken thighs (This is just what I had on hand-you can use whatever chicken pieces you want, even boneless)
1/2 chopped medium onion
olive oil, butter, or chicken fat
2 carrots, sliced
chicken broth, to cover the chicken
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
Sprinkle the chicken pieces on both sides with salt and pepper. Melt the oil in the bottom of your Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown on both sides. Remove the chicken to a plate and add the onions and carrots to the pan for about 5 minutes, adding more oil if necessary. Also add the thyme and poultry seasoning. Sprinkle the flour in the bottom of the pan and stir well. It will form a paste. Add the chicken and broth. Let it cook until the chicken is tender but not falling off the bone. Taste your broth and add more thyme, salt and pepper as desired. Make sure the stew is softly boiling before adding the dumplings.

Fluffy Dumplings

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon minced parsley (I didn't have parsley but I did have dried chives)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons oil or melted butter
1 egg, slightly beaten

In a medium bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients. Stir in the remaining ingredients just until dry ingredients are moistened. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto hot chicken or meat in boiling stew. Cook covered, 12 to 15 minutes or until dumplings are fluffy and no longer doughy underneath.

I'm linking up with Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, and Tuesdays at the Table.

Cracker Barrel Copycat Chicken Casserole

2010-10-28T07:19:00.000-07:00

Cracker Barrel is one of my favorite places to eat. I love a good Southern meal and they deliver every time. I don't just love their food, but the whole atmosphere of the place. It's not just a restaurant but a country store, too. I had never had this particular dish there but I bet they make it pretty good! If you love a creamy, stick-to-your-ribs kind of dish you will love this casserole with a crumbly cornbread topping. I got this recipe from the Food Lion website and it was super delicious (my husband-not the biggest casserole fan-even loved it!).

Cracker Barrel Copycat Chicken Casserole

Cornbread

1 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons oil
3/4 cup buttermilk (you can substitue 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice and add enough milk to make 3/4 cup
1 egg
1/2 cup melted butter

Chicken Filling

2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup celery sliced thinly
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup ( I used some of my homemade from the freezer)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 1/2 cups chicken, cooked and cut into pieces

Cornbread

Mix all ingredients except the butter into the bowl until smooth. Pour into greased 8-inch square pan and bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and cool until it can be handled. Crumble and place 3 cups of the cornbread into a mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup melted butter and mix well. Set aside.

Chicken

In a saucepan or skillet over low heat, melt butter and sute onion and celery until soft. Add the broth, soup, salt and pepper. Stir until completely blended. Add the chicken and stir until it reaches a low simmer. Cook 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Put the chicken mixture in a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish or individual dishes (about 4). Spoon the cornbread topping over the chicken mixture. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until crumbs turn golden brown and casserole bubbles.

I had some of the cornbread crumbles left over so I put them in a freezer bag and they are now sitting in my freezer for the next time I want to make a yummy casserole. I was thinking that I could also make my Chicken A La King and put the cornbread crumbs over it. What do you think?

I'm participating in The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap, Friday Potluck, and Foodie Friday

Cheesy Cream of Cauliflower Soup

2010-10-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

In my quest to not waste food that we aren't eating fast enough and because I always love a good soup, I made this creamy, cheesy, and satisfying soup. I had a head of cauliflower in the fridge that was just starting to go bad and knew this soup would be perfect. I adapted this recipe from my Joy of Cooking cookbook and it was so good. Broccoli could be subsituted for the cauliflower, too.

Cheesy Cream of Cauliflower Soup

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 pounds cauliflower (1 average head), trimmed and coarsley chopped

1/4 cups flour

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 to 1 cup whole milk, half-and-half, or cream

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup Cheddar cheese (Swiss would be good too!)

In a soup pot melt the butter. Add the chopped celery and onion, salt and pepper lightly, and saute until vegetables are tender but not browned. You just want to sweat them. Stir in the cauliflower, cover, turn down heat to low and steam for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the flour, coating the vegetables. Turn the heat to high and stir in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so that the liquid comes to a simmer, partially cover, and let cook until the cauliflower is very tender, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using a food processor, blender, or immersion blender, puree soup until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the milk, half-and-half, or cream. Heat through but do not boil. Add the salt and pepper and cheese, heating until the cheese is melted. Makes about 8 cups.

I'm participating in Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, and Tasty Tuesday.

Taffy Apple Salad

2010-10-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Although this is more of a dessert than a salad, it is light and refreshing. With apples in season right now and the holiday season coming up I thought this one would be good for sharing at a potluck or family dinner. We really love it!

Taffy Apple Salad

1 (20-oz) can chunk pineapple (save the juice)

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup whipped topping

3 medium to large apples, cored and cubed

1 cup chopped peanuts

4 cups mini-marshmallows

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Open pineapple and drain juice into a medium saucepan. In a large mixing bowl combine pineapple chunks with marshmallows and set aside. In saucepan, add flour, sugar, beaten egg and white vinegar to juice and stir constantly over medium heat until it boils and thickens like a pudding consistency. Chill. Add chopped apples, marshamallows, and pineapple. Fold in the chilled mixture and whipped topping. Top with peanuts.* Refrigerate.

*The original recipe said to fold some of the chopped peanuts into the salad but they will get a little soggy if the salad isn't eaten the same day so we put them all on top. This recipe makes enough for a large family gathering and we had leftovers that still tasted good 3 days later when we finally polished it off. I had even sent some home with my married daughters.

Lemon Greek Chicken

2010-09-30T07:04:00.000-07:00

This is one of our favorite ways of making chicken. This lone drumstick was the last to be eaten, which I did as soon as the picture was taken. This recipe is so easy and has lots of flavor. The first time I made it was when my daughters and I made a Greek-inspired dinner for our family and this dish got the best reviews, so I knew it was a keeper. I've made it several times since then and like to pair it with roasted potatoes.

Lemon Greek Chicken

3-4 lb cut-up chicken pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 lemons, squeezed

Rub chicken with lemon juice and marinade for one hour. Place chicken in a roasting pan and pour the olive oil and melted butter over the chicken. Season with the seasonings. Roast at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

I participating in Potluck Friday, Foodie Friday, and Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap.

Cooking On A Shoestring Budget: Create Your Own Muffin

2010-09-26T16:01:00.000-07:00

Blueberry and Lemon Muffins-mmmm!

I don't like wasting any of the food in my fridge, so I'm always glad to find recipes that help me use up the little bits of this or that. And, now, with just my husband and me in the house, it's more important than ever that I use up what we have. This recipe helps me do just that.

I love muffins, just about any kind. It's probably my breakfast of choice on any given morning and they are so portable! So good with coffee. When I first started making muffins, I always went strictly by the recipe in the cookbook. Then I found Amy Dacyczyn's Creating a Muffin recipe and I found that muffins are pretty flexible just as long as you go by the guidelines she sets out in her book, The Complete Tightwad Gazette, one of my favorite frugal sources. I have used this recipe many times and they have come out good just about every time. And, it feels good not to throw out food!

Create Your Own Muffin

Grains: Use 2-2 1/2 cups of white flour. Or substitute oatmeal, cornmeal, whole-wheat flour, rye flour, or flake cereal for 1 cup of the white flour. Or substitute 1 cup of leftover cooked oatmeal, rice, or cornmeal for 1/2 cup of the white flour and decrease liquid to 1/2 cup.

Milk: Use 1 cup. Or substitute buttermilk or sour milk (add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to 1 cup milk). Or substitute fruit juice for part or all of the milk.

Fat: Use 1/4 cup of vegetable oil or 4 tablespoons of melted butter. Or substitute crunchy or regular peanut butter for part or all of the fat. The fat can be reduced or omitted with fair results if using a "wet addition."

Egg: Use 1 egg. Or substitute 1 heaping tablespoon of soy flour and 1 tablespoon of water. If using a cooked grain, separate the egg, add the yolk to the batter, beat the white until stiff, and fold into the batter.

Sweetener: Use between 2 tablespoons and 1/2 cup of sugar. Or substitute up to 3/4 cups brown sugar. Or substitute up to 1/2 cup of honey or molasses, and decrease milk to 3/4 cup.

Baking powder: Use 2 teaspoons. If using whole or cooked grains or more than 1 cup of additions, increase to 3 teaspoons. If using buttermilk or sour milk, decrease to 1 teaspoon and add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.

Salt: Use 1/2 teaspoon or omit if you have a salt-restricted diet.

The following ingredients are optional. Additions can be used in any combination, up to 1 1/2 cups total. If using more than 1 cup of wet additions, decrease the milk to 1/2 cup.

Dry additions: Nuts, sunflower seeds, raisins, coconut, etc.

Moist additions: Blueberries, chopped apple, freshly shredded zucchini, shredded carrot, etc.

Wet additions: Pumpkin puree, applesauce, mashed and cooked sweet potato, mashed banana, mashed and cooked carrot, and so on. If using 1/2 cup drained, canned fruit or thawed shredded zucchini, substitute the syrup or zucchini liquid for all or part of the milk.

Spices: Use spices that complement the additions, such as 1 teaspoon cinnamon with 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or cloves. Try 2 teaspoons grated orange or lemon peel.

Jellies or Jams: Fill cups half full with a plain batter. Add 1 teaspoon jam or jelly and top with 2 more tablespoons batter.

Topping: Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on the batter in the tins.

Nonsweet Combinations: Use only 2 tablespoons sugar and no fruit. Add combinations of the following: 1/2 cup shredded cheese, 3 strips fried and crumbled bacon, 2 tablespoons grated onion, 1/2 cup shredded zucchini, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Spices could include a teaspoon of parsley and a pinch of marjoram.

Basic Recipe:

2-2 1/2 cups grain
1 cup milk
Up to 1/4 cup fat
1 egg
Up to 1/2 cup sweetener
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Up to 1 1/2 cups additions

To make the muffins, combine the dry ingredients, and then mix in wet ingredients until just combined; the batter should be lumpy. Grease muffin tin and fill cups two-thirds full. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes (give or take 5 minutes).

The sky's the limit on this formula. No longer am I limited by what is in a recipe, I can use up whatever is in my cupboard or refrigerator.

My Own Seasoning Mixes

2010-09-16T06:10:00.000-07:00

I love putting together my own seasoning mixes. There's no MSG, no mysterious "spices" or "seasoning" added like in the packets or spice jars bought at the store, and, if I keep them ready-to-go in little jars, they are very convenient. I save little jars or containers from jellies or relishes or whatever else I buy at the store, or you could buy some little spice jars. I then attach the recipe for the spice mix right on the jar. That way, if I use the last of the seasoning mix, I don't have to go rummaging through my recipe book to find the recipe to make more. I can also make up the seasoning mix when it's convenient for me. Doubling and tripling the recipes also makes these really, really convenient.

Here are a couple of my favorites.

Grill Seasoning

I use this on chicken, pork, and beef. It's especially good on a nice steak.

3 tablespoons pepper

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon coriander

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Taco Seasoning

I got this one from Sandra at Keeping It Simple. It tastes just like the taco seasoning packets from the grocery store.

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup water

You use this just like you would use the packets of taco seasoning. Cook your meat, add the seasonings and the water, and let cook for another few minutes. You can make this seasoning with 1 1/2 pounds raw hamburger or about 1 pound of cooked shredded beef, chicken, or pork.

I would also like to find a chili mix substitute. Any suggestions?

I'm linking up with Frugal Friday, The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap, and Foodie Friday.

Oatmeal Drop Cookies

2010-09-14T05:59:00.001-07:00

I've made these cookies many times and they are so good-not your typical oatmeal cookie-they're better! I originally posted this recipe on my other blog but I would like to get all my recipes and food tip type of posts over here with all the other food. I got this recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, my 1950 Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook, which was republished in 1998. I've tweaked this recipe a little and they are just so good.

Oatmeal Drop Cookies

Mix together thoroughly:

1/2 cup soft shortening (I used 1/4 cup shortening, 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce)
1 1/4 cups sugar (I used only 1 cup)
2 eggs
6 tablespoons molasses ( used 4 tablespoons)

Sift together and stir in:
1 3/4 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Stir in:
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup cut-up nuts
1 cup cut-up raisins

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned.
Temperature: 400 degrees
Time: Bake 8 to 10 minutes

I'm linking up with Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday

Peppery Cheddar Biscuits

2010-09-05T15:53:00.000-07:00

I love how these biscuits turn golden brown from the egg wash and are square instead of round, but you can make them round, too. You can also see the flecks of cheddar cheese throughout each piece and come out beautifully every time.

Peppery Cheddar Biscuits

4 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cup finely crumbled or shredded sharp cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
2 to 3 teaspoons pepper (I usually use 2 teaspoons)
1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon water

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease a large baking sheet; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening and butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add cheese and pepper; mix well. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture. Add milk all at once; stir until just moistened. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough 10 to 12 strokes until almost smooth.

Divide the dough in half. Roll or pat each half of dough into a 6-inch square, about 1 inch thick. Using a ruler or sharp knife, cut both squares of dough into 2-inch squares (or, cut squares of dough using a floured 2-inch biscuit cutter).

Combine egg and water. Brush the tops of biscuits with egg mixture. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the biscuits are golden on top. Serve warm.

Makes eighteen 2-inch square or twently 2-inch round biscuits.

*Make ahead tip: To reheat biscuits baked earlier in the day, wrap them in foil and reheat in a 325 degree oven about 10 minutes or until warm.

I'm linking up with The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap and Foodie Friday

Wild for Pumpkins!

2010-09-05T15:16:00.000-07:00

This is a post that I wrote last November on my other blog and since I'm really looking forward to some fall cooking, I thought I'd repost these great pumpkin recipes here. I'm hoping to find some nice sugar pumpkins at my farmer's market again this year.

Last week I roasted a large pumpkin and 2 small sugar or pie pumpkins. Last year was the first time I had even attempted such a feat but it was easy once I got the huge think cut up. I have been told that sugar pumpkins are different from the kind of pumpkins jack-o-lanterns are carved from in looks and texture and now I believe it. There isn't as much pulp to the pie pumpkins and they are a slightly darker color after being cooked. If you would like to roast your own pumpkin in the future, you can to All Recipes for 3 different ways to cook your pumpkin. It really is easy to do. The result was that I had all this cooked pumpkin! What was I going to do with it?

The sugar pumpkin pulp I am saving for 2 pumpkin pies for our Thanksgiving dinner. This is the recipe I usually use for one pumpkin pie, which is adapted from Libby's Brand Famous Pumpkin Pie:

Pumpkin Pie
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
(Instead of the individual spices, you can also use 1 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice)
2 large eggs
2 cups pumpkin (15 ounce can of pumpkin can be used here)
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

Mix sugar, salt, and spices in a small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell.
Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees, bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving, if desired.

From the big pumpkin I have already made some yummy treats for us.
The first thing I made was 4 loaves of pumpkin bread, one of my family's favorites. This is pretty much the same recipe I've always used for the last 25 years, although I have tweaked it a little to make it more healthy. It's from my 1980's Pillsbury cookbook.

Pumpkin Bread

15 or 16-oz. can (2 cups) pumpkin
2 cups
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2/3 cup water
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease (not oil) and flour bottoms only of two loaf pans. In large bowl, blend first 5 ingredients. Beat 1 minute at medium speed. Add remaining ingredients; blend at low speed until moistened. Beat 1 minute at medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 75 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely. Makes 2 loaves.

This next pumpkin recipe is a new one for me and my family went crazy over it, even the ones that aren't crazy for pumpkin anything! I got it from About.com in the Southern Food section. I will be making this one again. It was so moist and cream cheese-y.

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups pumpkin puree or cooked mashed pumpkin
cream cheese frosting, below
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl; mix well. Sift dry ingredients into a separate bowl; stir into oil mixture, beating well. Stir in pumpkin puree.

Pour batter into two greased floured 9-inch round layer cake pans or a 13-x9-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If using round cake pans, turn out cake onto racks to cool. Frost pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1/4 cup butter
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound confectioners' (powdered) sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl; beat well until smooth. Makes enough for 2-layer pumpkin cake or 13-x-9-inch cake.

The last recipe I tried was the Crockpot Lady's CrockPot Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe, although I made mine over the stove. I couldn't wait 2 hours to try it! It was very good!

I still have lots of pumpkin in the freezer and I'm always looking for new recipes, so what do you use your pumpkin in? Please, share your favorites!

I'm linking up with Tasty Tuesday Tuesdays at the Table and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Cooking On A Shoestring Budget: Beans

2010-09-03T12:35:00.000-07:00

Oh, you knew there would be a post about beans for saving money at the grocery store, didn't you? Beans are a great way to stretch the grocery budget and very nutritious to boot! I'll add some links to some of our favorite bean recipes at the end of the post.

I want to show you how very easy it is to have some beans in your freezer. I cannot remember the last time I bought beans in a can because I find it to be just about as convenient, once I get them made, not to mention much cheaper, to buy them dried. For every 1 pound of dried beans you get in a bag, you get the equivalent of 4 (15-oz) cans! For example, I buy lots of black beans because they are our favorite for about a dollar per pound. A 15-oz can of black beans would cost about 75 cents each. For me, that's a savings of $2 that I can spend on something else that I really want to buy at the grocery store. There are 4 steps to taking dried beans from the bag to the freezer:

Empty the 1 pound bag of dried beans into a large bowl and cover with water. Make sure you have at least 2 inches of water above the beans. Leave overnight or at least 8 hours. In the morning they will be plumped up.

Drain them into a colander and rinse.

Put the beans in a slow-cooker and cover with water. Turn on low and leave all day until the beans are firm but tender. Let cool. Alternatively, you could put them in a large pot on the stove, bring to a boil, and let simmer for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours or so.

When the beans have cooled put them in some kind of container like glass jars or in baggies. I save jars from pickles, salsa, and jellies that I buy at the store and use those to freeze some of my beans. I do measure out how much I put in each jar and label them with the date so I don't have to try to remember how much I put in there later. Just remember to leave about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of jar space between the beans and the lid because they will expand as they freeze.

If you want to use baggies for storing, measure out about 2 cups of beans with their juice into a small sandwich bag, which is about 15 ounces. Lay it flat in the freezer so that it will freeze flat, which will save on storage space in the freezer. You can double up the baggies if you want OR you can put all the little baggies after they have frozen into a larger freezer bag.

Some dried beans are even more convenient because they don't have to be soaked, like split peas and lentils!

Here are some of our favorite recipes for using beans to give you some inspiration:

Garlic, White Bean, and Chicken Stew

Pork and Poblano Skillet with Creamy Slow-Cooker Beans

Black Bean Chili with Red Onion Salsa

Chickpea Salad

Split Pea Soup

Black Bean and Salsa Soup-the easiest soup I've ever made!

Tuscan White Bean Soup

I'm linking up with Frugal Friday.

Hawaiian Cheesecake

2010-08-30T16:51:00.000-07:00

For my daughter's 22nd birthday this past weekend, she requested that I make Hawaiian Cheesecake. Her oldest sister had made it for us as a dessert a few months ago and it was a recipe we cheesecake lovers knew we wanted again. If you've never made a cheesecake before this is an easy one. There's no pre-baking the crust and everything goes together easily.

We adapted this one from the Better Homes and Gardens website but I have seen similar recipes for this cheesecake on other sites too.

Hawaiian Cheesecake

1 1/3 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup finely chopped toasted macadamia nuts (I couldn't find these so I used pecans, but you use what you like or eliminate the nuts altogether)
1/3 cup butter
2 (8-oz) packagages cream cheese, softened (don't skip this step-it must be soft or it won't cream together properly)
1 8-oz tub cream cheese with pineapple
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
For the crust, crush the vanilla wafers and 1/2 cup nuts, if using. Combine the cookie crumbs, nuts, and coconut together. Melt the butter and combine with the mixture. Press onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of an ungreased 9-inch sprinform pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheeses until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until smooth. Add the eggs and egg yolk until just combined. Stir in the vanilla and lemon juice. Pour into the crust-lined pan. Place in a shallow baking pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the center appears almost set when gently shaken.

Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Take a thin-bladed knife and loosen the crust around the sides of the pan and cool for 30 mintues more. Remove the springform pan sides and cool for another hour. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, sprinkle with toasted coconut. Makes 12 servings. We like to serve our cheesecakes with whipped cream, too.

Kitchen Happenings?

2010-08-27T06:28:00.000-07:00

I haven't been cooking much this week except for making some Sticky Chicken that I've been making in the crockpot rather than the oven these days, and I did manage to bake a yummy loaf of French bread. My husband has doing most of the cooking these days. But, I will be trying a new to me cheesecake recipe for my daughter's birthday celebration this weekend. My oldest daughter has made it before and it was so good!

Packing Lunches and Cooking for Two

2010-08-25T05:48:00.000-07:00

Lunch Atop a Skyscraper, c. 1932

by Charles C. Ebbets

I will be taking my lunch with me to work these days, so having a list of different menus seemed like a good idea. Peanut butter and jelly can get old pretty fast, and since it's back-to-school time, many websites and blogs are focusing on just that subject. I found an extensive list of ideas over at the Hillbilly Housewife website that I will be printing out and hanging up on the side of my refrigerator where I keep my menu plan for easy access.

And, now that it's just my husband and me at home (we just dropped our last child off at college last weekend), and now that I'm working outside of the home, cooking will be a little different. For one thing, we just don't need to make as much food as we used to, and I won't be doing most of the cooking anymore. My husband likes to cook and this is a good time for him to get back into it. The crockpot will be a very valuable tool. I also plan on making double recipes of some of our favorite recipes and freezing the second half for future meals.

What are some of your favorite meals to make for the crockpot, for lunches, or for making ahead and popping into the freezer? This is a big change for us and I could sure use some ideas!

Cooking On A Shoestring Budget: Using Substitutions in a Recipe

2010-08-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

One of my biggest secrets to keeping grocery cost down is learning to substitute ingredients in recipes. Since I keep my pantry stocked with ingredients rather than mixes and convenience foods this is usually not a problem. For example, for every square of chocolate that is called for in a recipe (an ingredient I don't always have) I can substitute 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa plus 1 tablespoon of shortening or butter (ingredients I always have).

Here's a list of substitutions I have hanging on the inside of my baking cupboard door for easy reference:

1 teaspoon Apple or Pumpkin Pie Spice=1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon Baking Powder=1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4 cup Dry Bread Crumbs=1/4 cup cracker crumbs, 1 slice bread cubed, or 2/3 cup rolled oats

1 cup Buttermilk=1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice plus milk to make 1 cup or 1 cup plain yogurt

1 square (1 oz.) Unsweetened Chocolate=3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa plus 1 tablespoon shorteneing, margarine, or butter

2 oz. Semi-sweet Chocolate=1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 medium ear of Corn=1/2 cup kernels, frozen or canned

1/2 cup Corn Syrup=1/2 cup sugar plus 2 tablespoon liquid

1 tablespoon Cornstarch=2 tablespoon flour or 1 1/3 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca (used as a thickener)

1 cup Heavy Cream (for baking, not whipping)=3/4 cup whole milk plus 1/4 cup butter

1 cup Light Cream=7/8 cup milk plus 3 tablespoons butter

1 cup Half-and-half=1 1/2 tablespoons butter plus 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon milk

1 Egg=2 egg yolks (in baking, add 1 tablespoon water)

1 Egg (for baking and meatloaf or meatball recipes)=1 tablespoon Soy powder plus 1 tablespoon water*

1 cup Cake Flour=7/8 cup flour plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup Self-Rising Flour=1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Garlic Clove=1/8 teaspoon instant minced garlic or garlic powder or 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

2 tablespoons Green or Red Pepper=1 tablespoon sweet pepper flakes

1 tablespoon Fresh Herbs=1 teaspoon dried herbs

1 teaspoon Lemon or Orange Peel=1/2 teaspoon dried peel

1 cup Whole Milk=1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water

1 cup Whole Milk=1 cup skim or reconstituted nonfat dry milk plus 2 teaspoons butter

1 small Onion (1/4 cup)=1 tablespoon instant minced onion or onion flakes, 1/4 cup frozen chopped onion or 1 teaspoon onion powder

1 package Active Dry Yeast=2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast

Substituting Honey for Sugar in a recipe:

Use 1 cup honey for 1 cup sugar and reduce the liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup

Tomato Substitutions:

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce=3 large fresh tomatoes cooked

1 cup tomato puree=1 cup cooked tomatoes, pureed in blender or food processor

1 (1-pound) can whole tomatoes=6 large tomatoes cooked in 1/2 cup water or tomato juice

1 (1-pound) can stewed tomatoes=6 large tomatoes cooked in 1/2 cup water with onions, green peppers, salt, pepper, and sugar

6 oz. tomato paste=6 large tomatoes cooked plus omit 1 cup water from recipe

Tomato Juice=Use equal parts cooked pureed tomatoes and water

1 (10 3/4-oz) can tomato soup=3 large tomatoes cooked in 1/2 cup water or tomato juice

I also have a substitute for cream soups that I wrote about a couple of weeks ago.

*I learned about this trick from Amy Dacyczyn of The Tightwad Gazette. I'm not a big fan of soy products but since we don't eat many convenience foods that are usually loaded with soy (which means soy overload in our systems), I don't mind using this. I got it at my local health food store and it came in a 22-oz bag and cost $3.99. Even though it has a pretty long shelf life, I keep mine in the freezer so I don't have to worry about using it up before it expires.

This is a pretty long list, I know, and I have not used all of these substitutions, but it's nice to know that I have options for a recipe if I need it.

In another post, I will share what I usually have stocked in my pantry.

I'm linking up with Frugal Friday at Life as Mom.

Chickpea Salad

2010-08-16T14:53:00.000-07:00

This is one of our favorite salads to have when tomatoes and cucumbers are at their peak. Plus it comes together in minutes! I got the recipe from a Better Homes and Gardens magazine several years ago.

Chickpea Salad

3 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes (about 4 medium)
1 15-oz can chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), or 2 cups cooked, rinsed and drained
1/2 of a large cucumber, peeled, quartered, and sliced (about 1 cup)
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup snipped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon sugar

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, chickpeas, cucumber, green pepper, cilantro, and onion. Set aside. In a small bowl or jar with a lid, combine the oil, vinegar, salt, garlic, and sugar and mix (or shake) well. Pour over the vegetables and lightly toss to coat. Cover and chill for a couple of hours and serve. Makes 8-10 servings.

I'm linking up with Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace and Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Bedlam and Beauty.

Soups On!

2010-08-11T15:28:00.001-07:00

This is the first in my series of blog posts about how I've learned to shave a few dollars here and there from our grocery budget. I know many are having a hard time financially, including our own family. We recently lost a portion of our income and even though I have considered myself pretty savvy when it comes to being budget-minded in the kitchen, I've been challenged even further and would like to share what I've learned and am learning.

One of the best ways to feed a family on practically no money at all is by making soup with some homemade bread or even just crackers. In the last couple of years, I've started saving little bits of leftovers and putting them into the freezer, you know, the stuff that usually got thrown away because there was so little of it that it wasn't worth keeping. I also go through the refrigerator about once a week to see what needs to eaten up quickly, and if I doubt that it will get eaten, I throw that into the freezer, too.

The pot of soup that is pictured above was made with almost all leftovers that I had stashed in the freezer. I saved some canned tomatoes in their juice, potato water (from boiled potatoes), chicken broth, mixed vegetables, pieces of chicken, and leftover rice. I added some fresh onion, celery, and cabbage that I had in the refrigerator. I really don't know how much it actually cost to make this soup but I'm pretty sure it was under $2 for the whole pot. We had some fresh homemade bread with this soup and it was really good. Of course, every time you make this kind of soup, it's going to be different, but you are using up just about everything that might have been thrown away. It feels good to not waste what God has given to us.

Another thing I do is I always make my own broths-chicken, beef, vegetable, or fish broth. It is so easy, especially if I make it in the crockpot, one of my favorite kitchen appliances. I throw everything in there and leave it all day. Not only is making my own broth cheaper than store-bought, it tastes so much better.

One more trick when it comes to making broths of any kind that I've recently implemented is whenever I cut up an onion, a clove of garlic, a carrot, celery, peel a potato, or any other vegetable, I save the peel, skins, ends, etc. and throw them in a large freezer bag that I keep in the freezer. Then, instead of adding fresh onions, carrots, celery, garlic, etc. to make my broth, I just throw the stuff that I used to throw away into my pot.

I believe anything that we can do to save some money in these leaner times, no matter how small it may seem, is a step in the right direction, even if it means eating Leftover Soup once in awhile :)

I'm linking up with Make It From Scratch

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-08-08T07:56:00.000-07:00

With a short reprieve from the 90-degree heat this past weekend (we were a cool 82 degrees on Sunday!), I decided to heat up my oven and make some cookies. We will be going back to extremely humid and high temperatures at least for the next few days, so I will not be turning the oven back on for awhile.

There's just nothing like a homemade cookie, and if you like peanut butter and chocolate, well, this one's for you.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup soft butter

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

1 cup oats, quick or old-fashioned

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl beat together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sift together the flour, oats, salt, and soda in a separate smaller bowl and add to the butter mixture. Add the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 7 minutes or until browned on the edges and bottom of cookies. Cool on a rack.

For crispy cookies-After dropping dough onto baking sheet, flatten with a fork and bake for 10 minutes.

I linking up with Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Bedlam and Beauty and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed With Grace.

Hamburger Casserole-Updated

2010-08-05T17:55:00.000-07:00

I've blogged about this recipe a couple of other times on my other blog and there's probably a reason or two for that. It's really easy to put together and it's one of those dishes I grew up on, which takes me back to my childhood in my mom's kitchen. I've made this recipe for my daughters more times than I can count but I rarely make it anymore because I hardly ever use the canned cream of mushroom soups. But, now that I know how to make my own cream of "whatever" soups, I can make dishes like this more often. In fact, after making my homemade cream of mushroom soup the other night, I went ahead and made this casserole, too. I've only known this recipe as Hamburger Casserole and I have no idea where my mom got it but here it is, updated from when I was a kid.

Hamburger Casserole

*1 lb. ground beef
1-1 lb. bag of noodles or other pasta shapes
1 can cream of mushroom soup or make your own
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook ground beef until browned. Drain or rinse as desired. While that's cooking, start boiling water for the pasta. Add the mushroom soup and tomato sauce to the ground beef. Drain the pasta when cooked al dente and add to the ground beef mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the cheese and combine until the cheese is melted. Serve. OR, you can combine everything except the cheese, spoon into a casserole dish, sprinkle the cheese on top and put in a 375 degree oven until the casserole starts bubbling, about 30 minutes.

*You can use less ground beef here to save on the grocery budget :)

I'm linking up with Foodie Fridays.

Cooking on a Shoestring Budget

2010-08-05T13:32:00.001-07:00

I would like to start doing a series on how I have learned to save money in the kitchen. Over the years I've tried to come up with different tricks to getting the most out of our grocery budget, yet still get the most nutritious bang for our buck, so to speak. Lately, I have been challenged even further in this area and I know other people are feeling the squeeze in their budgets, too.

Graphic courtesy of All Posters.

Cream of Whatever Soup

2010-08-03T17:25:00.000-07:00

This is the perfect substitute for cream of whatever soup you need. I love how you can make this recipe any way you want-cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, cream of celery, whatever-you just swap out or add whatever ingredient you want. Last night for the first time I made the cream of mushroom soup. Just add a few mushrooms. I had some baby portabella mushrooms but you can add whatever kind you have on hand including canned. I also love how flavorful this soup is without the harmful MSG.

Homemade Cream of Whatever Soup

This recipe makes about 2 cans' worth or 3 cups.

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste

1/4 teaspoon dried parsley

Dash of paprika

1 1/2 cups milk

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup ingredient of your choice (mushrooms, celery, etc.)

In a medium size saucepan, heat a couple tablespoons of oil or butter and add your vegetables if using, and saute for a couple of minutes. Otherwise bring to a boil the chicken broth, 1/2 cup of the milk, and the seasonings for a minute or two. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup of milk and flour. Add to boiling mixture and continue whisking brisly until mixture boils and thickens.

Use about 1 1/2 cups for each can of soup called for in a recipe. I like to make bigger batches of it and freeze them in 1 1/2 cup portions.

The Perfect Summer Sandwich

2010-08-02T13:49:00.001-07:00

Start with two pieces of bread, lightly toasted.
Lay on the mayonnaise.

Add as many slices of beautiful summer tomato as that piece of bread can hold.

Just a little salt.

Put that baby together and cut in half and you have the perfect summer sandwich!

Yes, that is one of my tomatoes, straight from the garden. Delish!

Cherry Tomato Sauce with Pasta

2010-07-26T06:15:00.000-07:00

Last night my husband went fishing with his best friend and our daughter was working, so I had the house to myself. I decided to make myself some dinner and this is what I came up with, a dish that is inspired by one of Jamie Oliver's recipes from his new book Jamie's Food Revolution.

I have lots of grape tomatoes coming in almost everyday, so I've been looking for ways to use them up. I've never used balsamic vinegar in a pasta sauce before but I will be doing it again! I love how quickly this meal came together and how packed with flavor it was. The tomatoes were so sweet and delicious.

Cherry Tomato Sauce with Pasta

1/2 onion, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 small bunch of fresh basil, torn into small-ish pieces.
1 pound pasta
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pan of water to a boil for the pasta. When the water comes to a boil, cook pasta according to directions on box, saving a little of the pasta water for the sauce.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil and onions til almost softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the grape tomatoes and garlic. Cook for a couple minutes. Add half the basil, balsamic vinegar, butter, half the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper (to taste). Add the drained pasta to the skillet, along with a couple of splashes of the cooking water, mixing well, until the pasta is coated with the sauce.

Serve with a little Parmesan cheese and the rest of the basil on top.

I'm participating in Jessica's What's On Your Plate?

Pineapple Wedding Cake

2010-07-19T11:13:00.001-07:00

I haven't a clue as to why this is called a "wedding" cake but it sure is good. This past weekend when my three younger daughters and three sons-in-law, one boyfriend, and our grand daughter came over for dinner I needed a dessert. I looked through my Desserts binder and came across this one. It's originally from my Aunt Mary Lee but my Grandma had it and she told me how good it was. I remember sitting with Grandma at her kitchen table and going through her recipes.

The strange thing about this cake is that the actual cake part has absolutely no butter or oil in it. The fat is in the frosting. My son-in-law loved this cake and told me he would eat it without the frosting. He is also a big carrot cake fan and this cake has the same dense texture. I think I will try this recipe without the frosting and maybe I will also use half whole wheat flour for the flour to just have around the house when I need a little sweet something but nothing too fattening, which I've been trying to do anyway. It's amazing what I don't eat when it's not in the house ;)

On a side note, I felt there were a tad too many nuts in the cake so I will put in maybe 2/3 to 3/4 of a cup next time instead of the full cup, but it's totally up to you.

Pineapple Wedding Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup nuts (chopped)

1 pound can crushed pineapple not drained

Mix flour, sugar, eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Add the nuts and pineapple. Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes in a 9 x 13-inch pan.

Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Mix together and frost cooled cake.

I'm participating in Tempt My Tummy Tuesday,

Tasty Tuesdays, and Tuesdays at the Table.

Mom's Classic Potato Salad

2010-07-15T07:38:00.001-07:00

One of my biggest food memories growing up is that every summer my mom would make her potato salad. I know, I know, everyone has had potato salad but there's something about my mom's recipe that makes it different. I'm not sure what it is but it's the only potato salad my oldest daughter likes and you will never catch me buying potato salad at the deli, no ma'am. I just don't like it. I'd rather spend the time making my mom's recipe.

Mom's Classic Potato Salad

6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 ribs celery, sliced

1 small onion, diced

1 kosher pickle, diced

1 hard-boiled egg, diced

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon mustard

1 tablespoon vinegar

Salt and pepper

Milk, just enough to make the dressing creamy

Boil the potatoes in salted water just until fork tender. Drain and cool. Place the celery, onion, pickle, and hard-boiled egg in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sugar, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper, to taste. Add just enough milk to make the mixture creamy.

Add the potatoes to the large bowl. Add the dressing and lightly mix together until the vegetables are coated. Taste and adjust for salt. Chill for at least a couple of hours.

I'm linking up with:

Foodie Fridays

Thai Style Pork Noodle Toss

2010-07-06T10:51:00.000-07:00

We love stir fry dishes. It's a great way to use up whatever bits and pieces of vegetables or meats that you have in the refrigerator. I found this one on the Common Room site and stayed with the original recipe for the most part. I added about 1/2 of a red pepper to it since I had some in my fridge.

Thai Style Pork Noodle Toss

Serves 6

1 pound raw pork loin (I used tenderloin), sliced into thin strips

Combine:

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons minced ginger-root (or you can use ground ginger)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Add the meat to the above marinade for about 1/2 hour. (I only marinated the pork for about 10 minutes because I was using tenderloin, which is a very tender cut)

Meanwhile:

4 1/2 tablespoons oil

2 cups thinly sliced onions

1 teaspoons crushed red pepper, or to taste

4 cups sliced Chinese Napa cabbage-or regular if it is cheaper

1 grated carrot

1/2 of a red pepper, sliced thinly

1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar

Sauce:

Mix together:

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

1 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

3/4 pound pasta, cooked al dente, drained (I used spaghetti)

In a bowl marinade meat for at least half an hour as stated above. Heat a wok or large skillet, add 3 tablespoons of oil and then the meat, stir-frying until no pink remains. Set meat aside in the serving bowl.

Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoon of oil and heat over high heat until hot. Add the onions and crushed pepper, and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add the cabbage, carrots, and any other vegetables you are using. Toss in the oil until the vegetables are cooked to the desired doneness (we like our vegetables more tender than crisp but not mushy). Add the sauce and heat until boiling. Add the cooked pork and noodles and toss to coat and blend.

I'm linking up with Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace.

Fourth Of July Weekend Food

2010-07-05T07:24:00.001-07:00

It's always great to have a long weekend because that means I have more time to be a little more creative with our food. Like with the Black Bean Salsa that I made. It was originally a recipe for Black Bean Salad but my husband loved to eat it like a salsa and asked for me to put in more onions and tomatoes the next time I made it. So, I changed some things from the original recipe and came up with this one.

Black Bean Salsa
2 cans (or 4 cups cooked) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large onion, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 teaspoon basil

Combine the beans, onions, tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, whisking together to combine. Pour over the vegetables and toss lightly to coat. Let sit for about an hour to allow the flavors to meld. Serve with tortilla chips.

On Friday evening I stopped at our local Farmer's Market and picked up some fruit and vegetables. And since we were cooking on the grill, I made a double recipe of the dressing ingredients from my Black Bean Salsa and marinaded some onions, yellow squash, baby portabella mushrooms, and red peppers for about half an hour. I then put them on skewers and my husband cooked them on the grill. We haven't had kebabs for a long time and these were a nice change of pace.

Although this isn't your typical Fourth of July food fare, I had some leftover mashed potatoes in the back of the refrigerator as well as a couple of leftover baked potatoes and decided to make some Potato Patties to round out one of our meals. This is my favorite way to use up cooked potatoes.

Potato Patties

1 1/2 cups cold mashed potatoes or scooped-out baked potatoes (mashed)

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon garlic

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 egg

Salt and pepper

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients with a fork, mixing well. Heat a skillet on medium heat and place 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter, oil, or bacon. Form the potatoes into patties and place in hot fat. When golden brown on one side, flip and brown the other side.

I like to top these with just butter and salt or sour cream.

I'm participating in Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Delicious Dishes.

Cutting Up A Whole Chicken

2010-06-28T15:27:00.000-07:00

I'll always remember the day I stood in my mom's kitchen shortly before my husband and I got married, and my mom told me I needed to learn to cut up a whole chicken. It was something my mom did regularly, as it was the only kind of chicken I ever remember her buying, and she cut them up with an incredibly sharp small paring knife, no less! But, there is no one like my mother, and that's the truth, so don't try it until you get pretty good at cutting up a chicken! I, on the other hand, must use a large knife to do the job but I get it done :) The picture above shows the whole chicken. I have already taken it out of its package and taken out the neck and giblets on the inside. You can save the neck for soup stock-I throw the giblets away-you can do whatever you want with them :)

I then place the chicken breast side down onto a cutting board that I use ONLY for raw meat. I take hold of one wing and pull it downward so that I can find the joint between the wing and body of the chicken. I take my knife and cut. If you are hitting bone, then you need to find the joint, which is very easy to cut. Do the same thing with the other wing.

I then grab the leg and thigh section and pull it downward to find the joint and cut it off. Do the same with the other leg and thigh.

Here's another picture of cutting off the leg and thigh.

I then place the leg and thigh sections skin-side down, onto the cutting board and find the joint and cut them each into two pieces.

Just like that.

I then place the back and breast section, which are still connected onto the cutting board, standing up and place my knife between the breast and back and cut all the way down.

I lay it out flat and cut the joint that connects the back and breast bones.

Above is the back bone that you can cook with the rest of your chicken or put into your stock pot with the neck bone.

Place the breast bone side up onto the cutting board and cut right down the middle of the breastbone. It will crack and then you can cut all the way through.

You now have two breast pieces.

This is what they look like meat-side up.

This is how I cut up a chicken. If you are still not sure about doing it yourself, there are several videos on youtube that can give you a more detailed look at how to cut up a chicken. But, once you get the hang of it, you will be so quick and it will be so easy, that you will never go back to paying extra for cut-up chicken pieces at the store.

I'm linking up with Tammy's Kitchen Tip Tuesdays at Tammy's Recipes.

Garlic, White Bean and Rosemary Chicken Stew

2010-06-25T12:18:00.001-07:00

I was looking for a recipe that used what I had in the pantry and I found this, but for the life of me can't find where I found it online, so if this is your recipe, let me know and I will give you the credit you deserve for this recipe. I cannot believe the amount of flavor in this dish! My husband couldn't stop eating it, even with all the carrots in it, an ingredient he isn't too fond of. I also love how easy on the budget this is, too. While I used only chicken legs and thighs, you can use whatever chicken pieces you would like in this recipe, but I would recommend using bone-in pieces. If you only have boneless pieces, wait to add the chicken until later when you add the vinegar and first cup of broth.

Garlic, White Bean and Rosemary Chicken Stew

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 pounds chicken parts, skins removed
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
5 garlic cloves, chopped
4 ounces bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 cups chicken broth
2 cans white beans
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or pot. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to pot and brown on both sides. Take out the chicken and place on a plate. Add to the pot the bacon, onions, and carrots. Cook until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Put the chicken back into the pot. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and 1 cup of chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by about a third (this took about 6 minutes). Stir in the beans, rosemary, and the other 2 cups of chicken broth. Bring back to a boil and simmer, covered 20 to 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serves 4.

Fruit-filled Oatmeal Bars

2010-06-17T11:02:00.001-07:00

These are a perfect substitute for those cereal bars that you get in the store, more healthful, and just plain better. I know exactly what is in them and I feel really, really good about giving these to my husband and he loves them. They do taste alot like the store-bought cereal bars but there is more fruit in the middle of these, which is a very good thing to me. There are several fillings you could use for the cereal bars but this time I made an apple-blueberry one.

Fruit-filled Oatmeal Bars

Adapted from Finding Joy in My Kitchen

1 cup flour

1 cup oats

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup butter

2 large apples, peeled and cut into small pieces OR 1 1/2 cups applesauce to bypass the cooking of the apples

1 pint blueberries

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat, place the apple pieces and a couple tablespoons of water. Cook until the apples are completely cooked and soft. Add the blueberries and cook for a couple of minutes. Mash or puree if you prefer (I mashed mine a little but left it chunky) and add the cinnamon.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar and baking soda. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Press half of the mixture into a 11 x 7-inch pan. Spread the fruit mixture over the crust and sprinkle the other half of the oats mixture over the fruit.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Cool and cut into bars.

Other kinds of Fruit Fillings include, but not limited to (I think that whatever you use as a fruit pie filling can be used here):

Apple Filling

3 large apples, peeled, and cut into small pieces

3 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Cook the apples as above with the water. Add cinnamon and mix well.

Berry Filling

2 cups berries, any kind

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1-2 tablespoons flour, as a thickener

Combine and cook over medium heat until desired consistency is reached.

Cherry Filling

2 cups pitted cherries

1-2 tablespooons orange juice

1-2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Heat in a saucepan over medium heat until mix comes to a full boil; stir constantly.

I'm linking up with Foodie Friday.

Sourdough Wheat Bread from the Bread Machine

2010-06-16T10:42:00.000-07:00

Since starting my own sourdough starter, I have making some type of sourdough recipe every week. I've made pancakes, biscuits, and bread because I just love the sourness of it. The last loaf of bread I made was particularly sour, probably because it was so hot in my kitchen the other day (it got into the 80's, where it will stay for the next week at least) and before using a sourdough starter, it has to come to room temperature before using it. I usually make my breads in the bread machine to mix the dough and then finish it off in the oven to bake. And, although every recipe I've found for making sourdough bread in the bread machine tells you to use active dry yeast, too, I'm going to start experimenting a little and maybe use less of the yeast. We'll see what happens, but this recipe is the one I use most often.

Sourdough Wheat Bread

6 ounces (3/4 cup) warm water (90-100 degrees)

1 cup sourdough starter (room temperature)

1 tablespoon molasses

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon active dry yeast

Put the ingredients in the order given or according to your bread machine instructions. Put machine at dough setting and start. When the machine is finished (about 1 hour 20 minutes), put the dough onto a floured surface and shape into the desired form. Place in a greased pan, cover with a towel, and let rise until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until done (bread sounds hollow when tapped when it is done). Cool, (if you can wait that long!) and slice.

Spaghetti con Aglio e Olio

2010-06-09T16:03:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe I got out of a Rachael Ray cookbook. I've made this several times and it is surprisingly satisfying. Really, really good.

1 pound spaghetti

1/3 cup olive oil

8 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

8 to 10 anchovy fillets*

1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Heat a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Salt the water and cook the pasta until al dente, 6 to 7 minutes. While the pasta cooks, place a large skillet over medium-low heat. When the pan is warm, add the olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and anchovies. Chop the parsley and set aside.

Drain the spaghetti really well but do not rinse it; rinsing will wash off the starch, and the starch helps the oil stick to the pasta. Pour the hot spaghetti into the skillet. Add the parsley and toss the pasta together with the anchovies, garlic, and oil to coat evenly. Season the completed dish liberally with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

*Anchovy paste can also be used. Also, if you think you don't like anchovies, you might be surprised that you actually like this dish. The anchovies will melt into the oil and break up completely. Help break them up with a wooden spoon as they cook. Once they melt into oil, the anchovies will no longer taste fishy.

I'm joining in the Make It From Scratch Carnival and the Ultimate Recipe Swap today.

Chicken A La King

2010-06-09T16:00:00.000-07:00

Chicken A La King is one of those old-fashioned dishes that have been around for a long time and for good reason. It's a dish that uses up what you have in the pantry or fridge and is welcomed at the table. I made it one day last week and my daughter liked it so much that she made it for her boyfriend on Wednesday night when he came over. It's so cute how they like to cook for each other.

Chicken A La King

6 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 cup sliced mushrooms, fresh or canned

1/2 cup diced green pepper

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup carrots, diced

1 cup peas, frozen or canned

1 1/2 cups well seasoned chicken broth

1 cup milk

1 cup cut-up cooked chicken

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add the mushrooms, green pepper, carrots, and onion and saute until the vegetables are soft, about 7 minutes. Add the flour, salt and pepper and stir to blend. Add the chicken broth and milk and cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly until bubbling and thickened. If it's too thick, add more milk or broth. Add the peas and chicken and cook until heated through. Makes about 4 servings.

You can serve this over rice, noodles, biscuits, or even as a filling for chicken potpie. You can also substitute the vegetables for whatever your family likes.

I'm joining Foodie Friday and the Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap this week. Visit these sites for more great recipes.

June Freezer Cooking

2010-06-02T14:37:00.000-07:00

I love using my freezer to store my food. When we aren't going to use up some leftovers or other food that is in the fridge, I label it and toss it in the freezer. I also like to make food ahead of time and put it in the freezer to make my life easier later. For those of you that read my other blog, you know that I am actively looking for work outside the home, so I will need meals that come together easily when time and energy are low. (Update: job found-Hallellujah!) Jessica at Life as Mom is doing another freezer cooking month and I'll be joining with her to fill up my freezer with meals or parts of meals that will save me time and money. My husband will be taking his annual fishing trip to Wisconsin with his best buddy, his twin brother, his brother-in-law, and our two sons-in-law this weekend, so I figured that will be the perfect time to get some cooking done and stocking up our freezer.

Here's the plan:

I have about 10 pounds of chicken legs and thighs that I plan on putting in the crockpot. It will not only cook the meat until it's incredibly tender for lots of dishes like my chicken potpie but it will also make a wonderful chicken broth for soups, sandwiches, and other dishes.

I already have some cinnamon rolls in my freezer that I plan on using for easy breakfasts and desserts.

I'm going to be trying Rhonda's method for freezing pizza dough, along with a couple of other breads and roll recipes so that we can have homemade bread even if I haven't been home to make it that day.

I have some white beans in the freezer now but I want to add some black beans, lentils, and pinto beans to that. I can make my Tuscan White Bean Soup, Black Bean Chili with Red Onion Salsa , lentil cakes, refried beans, and salads. I have yummy recipes for a chickpea salad and a black bean salad that I will be sharing soon since we are in the warmer months, which is when we enjoy salads the most.

I also have a whole chicken that I plan on cutting up and marinating in the freezer for the grill. Mary Ann-I will do a tutorial on how to cut up the chicken :)

Since it's often just my husband and myself at home to eat, I will set aside some of the leftovers for our daughters or for the next day's lunch, and put the rest in the freezer. I will be putting some of the leftover soups in separate small containers in the freezer for taking to work for our lunches, too. Even after I find the right job,(found it!) we want to try and eat as little fast food and premade foods as possible. We've been eating this way for so long that I think it will affect the way we feel and we are going to need extra energy!

"French" Dressing

2010-06-02T10:44:00.000-07:00

Last week I posted my Avocado Dressing but when I don't have anything fresh for a dressing, this is my old standby and I usually have this one in the fridge. My cookbook called this "French Dressing" but it doesn't have that syrupy texture that the store-bought bottled kind has. It's very light and flavorful.

"French" Dressing

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon mustard

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup milk vinegar or lemon juice

3/4 cup salad oil

few drops onion juice or clove garlic (I usually grate either an onion or a garlic clove)

Add all ingredients to a container and stir or shake. Store in the fridge. Makes about 1 cup.

Cinnamon Rolls

2010-05-25T10:45:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like homemade cinnamon rolls. For years and years I made the kind you get out of a can. In fact, it is our tradition to have them on Christmas morning before we open presents and while the ones from a can are really, really good, homemade ones just can't be beat. But, who wants to get up at 5 a.m. to make cinnamon rolls? Not me. So, first I'll give my recipe and then I'll tell you my secrets for having them ready when I want them, not the other way around. The first picture above is what they look like before I put them into the oven. They have risen nicely.

Cinnamon Rolls

6 oz. (3/4 cup) milk (90-100 degrees)

1 egg

3 cups flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoon butter

2 teaspoon active dry yeast

Filling:

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

In your bread machine pan, place the dough ingredients in the order given or according to your bread machine instructions. Place machine on Dough setting and start. When the dough is done (about 1 hour 20 minutes) place dough on a floured surface. Roll dough into an oblong shape of 9 inches by 18 inches. Spread with the butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar. Roll up tightly, beginning at wide side. Seal well by pinching edges of roll together. Cut roll into 1 inch slices. Place a little apart in a greased 13" x 9" pan or 12 muffin cups.

Cover and let rise until double in bulk (about 1/2 hour). Bake until golden brown and completely baked through at 375 degrees, about 20 to 25 minutes. Makes one dozen rolls.

If you want to wait until the next morning to bake your rolls, immediately after rolling and cutting them and placing in the pan, cover with a towel and put in the refrigerator over night. The next morning take them out of the fridge and allow them to rise for about 30 minutes, then bake as above.

If you want to freeze them, immediate after shaping and cutting, place the rolls on a pan and put them in the freezer. When they are completely frozen, place them in a freezer bag and freeze until you are ready to use them. The night before you want to bake them, take them out of the freezer and place on your pan. Cover with a towel and let set overnight. The next morning they will be risen and ready for the oven.

The glaze we usually spread on the warm rolls is a simple one.

Glaze:

4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-6 tablespoons hot water

Combine the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla together, adding enough of the hot water to make a smooth thin glaze. Spread on the warm rolls and enjoy!

I'm participating in Foodie Fridays and Grocery Cart Challenge's Recipe Swap

Choco-Nougat Cake

2010-05-25T06:30:00.000-07:00

Last weekend the whole family gathered at my oldest daughter's house for a cook-out and I brought this cake for dessert. It is moist, almost like a cake-y brownie texture and taste. The frosting was really good, too.

Choco-Nougat Cake

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup soft shortening or butter
1 1/3 cups milk
3 eggs
3 squares chocolate (3 oz.) melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9" layer cake pans or a 13 x 9-inch pan.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the shortening and almost half the milk. Beat for 2 minutes. Add in the remaining milk, eggs and chocolate. Beat another 2 minutes.
Bake layers 30 to 35 minutes and 13 x 9-inch pan for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. When cake is cool, frost with:

White Butter Icing

3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup soft butter
3 tablespoons cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix together until smooth.

I'm participating in Tempt My Tummy Tuesday with Blessed with Grace.

Avocado Dressing

2010-05-18T13:27:00.000-07:00

I've been making our salad dressing more and more these days and so far every one has been a winner. However, I'm also finding that the more I make them, the less appealing the bottled kinds from the store are becoming. Which means I have to keep some made almost all the time but since they are oh, so good, it's worth it. This is one of our family's favorites and I love that the oil in this dressing is the heart-friendly kind of the avocado. It's so creamy that you can eat it like a dip or thin it out a little with some water or milk for salad.

Avocado Dressing

1 ripe avocado, peeled and mashed

3/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

1 1/2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

2 tablespoon oil

Combine ingredients until smooth. Cover and chill for about 3 hours before serving.

This is really good with a green salad with tomatoes, red onion, black olives, and chopped cilantro.

I'm linking up with Make It From Scratch.

Indian Butter Chicken

2010-05-11T07:04:00.000-07:00

I made this dish about 2 months ago, took a picture, but never posted it even though it's one of the best things I've made in a long time. My husband couldn't stop eating the sauce. Of course, cream is what makes it so good, but it was very easy. I've kind of shyed away from Indian cuisine because it seems to include spices that I don't usually have (I still didn't have all the spices for this dish) but this is a more simplified way of making the traditional Butter Chicken. If you have any cream in your fridge that needs to be used up try this recipe. It's that good.

Indian Butter Chicken

4 bonesless skinless chicken breasts

5 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cardamon (I didn't have this spice)

1 whole lime, juiced

1 whole onion, diced

1/4 cup butter

1 can (14.5-oz) tomato sauce

1 can (14.5-oz) diced petite tomatoes

1 pint heavy cream

1 bunch cilantro chopped

2 cups cooked rice

Combine the first 9 ingredients and marinate the chicken overnight. Saute the onion in the butter on medium-low heat until the onion is soft. Add the chicken and cook about 10 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and tomatoes and cook for 30 minutes over medium-low heat with the lid on. Add the cream and cilantro just before serving over the rice.

This recipe made a lot of sauce and I think you could probably add a couple more chicken breasts and serve more people with this recipe.

I got this recipe from the Pioneer Woman's recipe site but if you want to make a more authentic Butter Chicken you can go here or here.

What Grandma Knew About Meal Planning Part 3

2010-05-06T13:33:00.000-07:00

This is the last of a three-part series of menu planning the way Grandma would have. If you want to read the first two posts here is Part 1 and here is Part 2. I am getting my information from one of my favorite cookbooks Betty Crocker's Picture Cookbook, originally published in 1950 and republished in 1988.

In part 2 I began a list of what you want to check for in your menu planning and what real-life homemakers of the 1950's had to say about it. The first two points are Appropriateness and Appearance.

The next point is:

III. Satisfaction
Good cooking and seasoning
Right combinations of food
Follow tested recipes carefully

Something soft and something crisp

Should always go together,

And something hot with something cold

No matter what the weather;

Something bland needs the complement

Of something with tang and nip.

Follow these rules and all your meals

Will have taste appeal and zip.

"I use a variety of seasonings-sage, thyme, marjoram, flavored salts; and I keep pots of fresh parsley and chives."

"I always try to have a crips vegetable with a definite shape with one that's creamed or mashed."

IV. Nutrition
Serve a wide variety of foods.
Balance meals by including foods from the 7 basic groups.
Breakfast should give about 1/3 of the day's food supply.

"I have a list of menus for balanced meals which is a helpful guide in insuring good nutrition in my meals."

"I have a chart of how much vitamins, minerals, and proteins each member of my family needs according to age and activity."

"I've always tried to balance meals for the whole day. If some factor of the Basic 7 is left out of one meal, I get it into one of the other two."

V. Cost
A food budget will help you.
Buy the basic food needs for the family first.
Buy less of the more expensive foods and more of the less expensive foods.
Grow your own fruits and vegetables if possible.

"We buy the foods we must have for good nutrition first. Then if we feel we can spend more we buy the things that are not so important, but give our meals a lift."

"I find a semi-monthly budget economical, because bulk buying of staples is a worthwhile saving; and if funds are budgeted over longer periods I can take advantage of sales and special values."

"I've always had to consider the cost but have learned to manage by buying in season, taking advantage of sales, and by raising quantities of vegetables which we eat in abundance in summer and can for winter use."

I hope you have enjoyed these little peeks into the life of the 1950 housewife and the way she planned her meals. Besides the Basic 7 food groups (the basic food groups have changed several times since then), I think it is safe to say that I can follow the advice and guidance given even though it was a long time ago. What do you think?

Graphic courtesy of All Posters.

What Grandma Knew About Meal Planning Part 2

2010-05-06T13:18:00.000-07:00

Here's the second part to my series on menu planning according to Betty Crocker's 1950 Picture Cookbook. You can go here to read Part 1. There are five points to remember when planning your meals and what other women had to say.

I. Appropriateness

Cut your meal pattern to fit: your situation, the occasion, and the family needs.

"I always remember birthdays and holidays with a special dessert or color scheme."

"I plan the meals to be healthful for the children, first, and then interesting to adults, without cooking separate menus."

"We have a five-room bungalow with limited dining space and no help at all; this requires simplicity and informality."

"I plan my meals with the needs of my young son in mind. I never cook separately for him, but prepare simple foods appropriate for him and then dress them up for grown-up tastes and add to the menu to meet adult needs."

II. Appearance

Prepare, serve, and present each food attractively for greater appetitie appeal.

"I think each meal out in detail, so there will be color appeal as well as good eating."

When I was a child my father used to say, 'We should feast the eye as well as the appetite.' And it has become a tradition with me."

"In my kitchen windows I have many plants and I alternate them in decorating the table and mealtime."

I don't want to make my posts too long so I will give the last three points in my next post. I hope you are enjoying reading about these real homemakers for a bygone era and we really can apply them to our lives today.

Graphic courtesy of All Posters.

What Grandma Knew About Meal Planning Part 1

2010-05-06T12:49:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share what women who came before us knew about menu planning. I think it's really interesting to read about the way women ran their homes in an era that seems so different from our own, but we can do most of the things they did and apply it to our own lives. Menu planning is one of those things that I didn't give much time to until I started seeing other people do it on their blogs. Now it seems to be a trend and a good one at that! But, it's not a new idea.

What follows came from my 1950 Betty Crocker's Picture Cookbook that was republished in its entirety in 1998. It's one of my favorite cookbooks for finding good, basic from-scratch recipes.

Smart Homemakers Say:

Planning, preparing, and serving meals is an art which develops through inspiration and thought. And meal-planning is really fun! It may look difficult to the beginner, but like driving a car, swimming, or anything we learn to do without thought or conscious effort, it is a skill which grows easier with the doing.

It's important to plan a variety of foods for well balanced meals to keep your family well nourished. But above all, be sure those meals are appetizing, attractive, and delicious to eat. For mealtime should help build happy home life.

"My meals are more nutritious since I've been planning them ahead. I check in advance the basic foods and the daily needs of my family."

"Planning meals ahead helps me to save time and energy."

"I have made the cooking of meals and pleasure and a study rather than a job, and so I enjoy planning each day's menus."

"My meals are more interesting since I started planning ahead, because I avoid repetition and plan for variety in color, texture, and flavor."

Check Your Daily Meals For:

Appropriateness
Appearance
Satisfaction
Nutrition
Cost

Graphic courtesy of All Posters.

Pasta with Sausage and Peppers

2010-05-06T06:04:00.000-07:00

My husband can really surprise me sometimes. He is definitely a spaghetti and meatball or sausage with red spaghetti sauce kind of guy and hardly ever warmed up to any other kind of pasta-until I made this recipe a couple of years ago. While I love making his favorite dishes, I also like to try new ones, too. Sometimes that is a good thing, sometimes it flops, but not this time. When he was eating this yesterday, he kept saying how good it was. While the pasta is the star of the show in this dish and I only used 3 links of sausage, you don't feel like you are being deprived of protein in any way. I also only had one bell pepper to put in this dish so I took out my frozen bag of peppers that I buy in the grocery store during the months when peppers are way too expensive. I also love how quick this is to put together.

Pasta with Sausage and Peppers

2 tablespoons oil
About 1 (you can use more or less) pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large green or yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
OR
1 bag of frozen chopped peppers
1 large onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound pasta (I used penne rigate), cooked according to package directions
Parmesan cheese

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage until browned. Add the peppers, onions, basil, and oregano and cook until the vegetables are almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic the last couple minutes.
Add the tomatoes with the juice, season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add the cooked pasta and toss.
Add the parmesan cheese to taste and serve immediately or pass the Parmesan cheese separately at the table.
Serves 6.

I'm participating in Make It From Scratch, Foodie Fridays, and Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap.

Homemade Pizza Crust

2010-05-03T12:05:00.000-07:00

Last week my youngest daughter turned 19 and on Sunday we celebrated. The tradition in our home, as it was in my parents' house when I was growing up, is that if it's your birthday you get to pick the dinner and the kind of cake that is made. My daughter chose homemade pizza, and since I would be feeding 10 adults for her birthday celebration, I figured I better get a headstart on the pizza crusts, so on Thursday I made two batches of pizza dough in my bread machine, shaped and baked them for about 8 minutes and froze them until party day.

This is how the pizza crusts looked before I put them in the oven. These are the whole wheat crusts, although I made two regular crusts, too.

This is what they looked like after I took them out of the oven after 8 minutes.

These are the recipes I used for making my crusts.

Pizza Dough

12 oz. lukewarm water

3 tablespoons oil

4 cups unbleached or bread flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons active dry yeast

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

12 oz. lukewarm water

2 tablespoons oil

4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons active dry yeast

Following the directions of my bread machine, I added the ingredients to the bread machine pan in the order given. I put it on the dough cycle, which takes 1 hour and 20 minutes. When the cycle was finished I took the dough from the bread pan and divided the dough into 2 parts with a sharp knife. I let it rest a few minutes and then shaped each piece of dough into the shape of the pan (in this case I used rectangular baking sheets, greased with oil and sprinkled with a little cornmeal). I then let the dough rise in a warm draft-free place for 20 to 25 minutes. I preheat the oven to 425 and baked the pizza crusts for 8 minutes, let them cook, covered with foil, and froze them until the day of the party. I let them come to room temperature, put the desired toppings on, and baked at 425 until the crust is crisp and golden brown.

I also have a quicker way to make pizza dough with my food processor that I got from my The Complete Tightwad Gazette book by Amy Dacyczyn. It makes a great spur-of-the-moment pizza crust that can be done in no time flat. It's called Thick and Chewy Pizza Dough and it's in the Tightwad Gazette II, although I didn't think it was so thick or chewy, I guess it's all in the way you roll it out. I usually use a large sheet pan or pizza pan.

Quick Pizza Crust

1/2 to 3/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)

1 package (1 tablespoon) dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine 1/4 cup of the water with the yeast and sugar. Stir to dissolve the yeast and let stand until bubbly, about five minutes. Put the flour, oil, and salt into a food processor, and process about five seconds with a steel blade.

Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture, and process about 10 seconds, or until blended.

Turn on the processor and drizzle just enough of the remaining water through the feed tube so the dough forms a ball that cleans the sides of the bowl. Process so that the ball turns around about 25 times.

Put the dough ball onto a 14-inch greased pizza pan or large cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap or a bowl (or towel) and let stand 10 minutes.

Pat the dough out so that it covers the pan, leaving a ridge on the edges. At this point I put the crust in the oven for about 5-8 minutes to give it a headstart; otherwise my toppings are done way before my crust-this is just my experience with pizza).

Spread with pizza sauce, and add cheese and toppings. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly.

Although my family still loves to go out to the pizzeria on occasion, frozen pizzas are really not an option anymore. They just don't seem to measure up to what we can do at home and for a lot less money.

I'm participating in Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace.

Swiss Steak

2010-04-27T13:09:00.000-07:00

Nothing says comfort food to me more than this dish, especially if I serve it with mashed potatoes, which I always do. I instantly feel good when I eat this. I found how to make this about 20 years ago on a local Christian television station, long before Food Network came along. A lady had a cooking show and showed how to make this recipe and I just wrote down the ingredients and directions as she cooked. It has turned how so good every single time.

Swiss Steak

2-3 pound round steak cut into serving pieces
1 cup of flour seasoned with salt and pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 (8-oz) cans tomato sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large skillet with a couple tablespoons of oil. Coat the meat in the flour and brown on each side. You may have to do this in batches. After browning, place the meat in a large casserole dish. Turn the heat down to low and add about 1/2 cup of water to the skillet to deglaze the pan and pick up all the good browned bits from the meat. Add the deglazing liquid to the casserole.

Add the onion and green pepper to the meat. Mix the remainder of your coating flour to the tomato sauce in a bowl and pour over the meat and vegetables. Cover and place in the oven. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is fork-tender. Check the meat after about an hour to add more water if necessary (I've never had to do this, but you might).

Serve with mashed potatoes and a vegetable. And be comforted.

I'm joining the Make It From Scratch Carnival this week.

Chocolate Oatmeal Cake

2010-04-19T11:07:00.000-07:00

I made this cake over the weekend for our company on Sunday. It's always a good feeling to make something for the first time and have everyone love it, but to receive a request for the recipe, now you know you will be making it again and again. Don't let the word oatmeal in the title of the recipe throw you off, it isn't a noticeable ingredient in this moist and chocolatey dessert. I love finding an extra-good recipe that uses ingredients I regularly stock in my pantry. The first time I had ever had this cake was when my aunt made it for me on my birthday a few years ago, but I never got the chance to get the recipe from her, so I was glad when I found it on Getting Freedom From Debt.

Chocolate Oatmeal Cake

1 cup oats (quick cooking or old-fashioned)

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 beaten eggs

1 cup flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup milk

Topping

6 tablespoons melted butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup cream (I used whole milk)

1 cup coconut

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix the oats and water together in a small bowl and let stand. In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar and blend in the eggs. In a medium size bowl combine the flour, cocoa, soda, and salt. Stir the oat mixture in the dry ingredients. In a small cup combine the milk and vanilla together.

Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk/vanilla mixture in with the butter/sugar/egg mixture. Once everything is combined, pour into a 9 x 13-inch pan or a bundt pan, well greased. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes for the 9 x 13-inch pan or about 50 minutes for the bundt cake pan.

For the topping combine the butter, brown sugar, cream (or milk), coconut, and vanilla. Spread on the warm cake and place under the broiler until the topping is slightly browned.

Go to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday for more yummy recipes!

Parmesan Chicken

2010-04-07T17:37:00.001-07:00

There's nothing like the crunch of breaded chicken and we really love it at our house, but I don't like the saturated fat and mess of frying chicken. So, when I found this recipe in the cookbook, The Amish Cook At Home by Kevin Williams and Lovina Eicher. I was hoping it was as good as it sounded, and it was! I buy whole chickens most of the time and cut them up which I can get for 79 cents per pound. I also try to make my own bread crumbs from leftover bread which can be kept int he refrigerator or the freezer.

Parmesan Chicken

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons paprika

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons milk

2/3 cup Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1 (3- to 4- pound) chicken, cut into serving pieces

Preheat oven to 400. Butter a 10 by 15-inch baking pan or cookie sheet.

Combine the flour, salt, paprika, pepper and garlic powder in a shallow bowl. Stir with a whisk to blend. Beat the eggs and milk in another shallow bowl. Combine the cheese and bread crumbs in a third shallow bowl. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture, then dip them into the egg mixture, then dredge them in the crumb mixture. Place in the prepared pan.

Bake until the juices run clear when a piece of chicken is pierced with a knife, or registers 155 degrees with a meat thermometer, about 50 to 55 minutes. The crust will be a beautiful golden brown.

I'm participating in Grocery Cart Challenge's Recipe Swap and Foodie Fridays at Designs by Gollum.

Roast Pork Loin with Potatoes and Onions

2010-04-03T07:35:00.001-07:00

Roast pork is one of our family's favorites but if not cooked properly, it can be a little dry-ask me how I know! :( Which is why I was so glad that I finally learned to cook a juicy and flavorful pork roast. I combined a recipe from the Joy of Cooking, along with a recipe I had copied from an Amish cookbook many years ago and, unfortunately, didn't copy the name of the book, so I can't tell you where I got it. This recipe comes out great everytime I make it and I've made it several times, so I hope you will try it.

The first thing you need when roasting pork is a meat thermometer. There is really no other way to tell if it's just the right temperature. Otherwise you could end up with a pork roast that is either undercooked or overcooked.

Pork Roast

1 (3-pound) boneless pork loin roast (a larger roast can be used but it will take longer to cook through)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon each of: dried thyme, rosemary, sage, or Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 medium onions, sliced
4 large potatoes, peeled and quartered (if the potatoes are cut any smaller they will be overcooked by the time the roast is done)
2 cups chicken broth

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Mix together the oil and seasonings and rub over the entire surface of the roast. Place the meat in a roasting pan and roast for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes, onions, and broth and cover. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 250 degrees F. Roast until the meat registers 150 to 155 degrees, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours (the temperature will continue to rise about 5 to 10 degrees out of the oven). Remove the roast to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let stand for 10 minutes. Slice thinly. You can remove the potatoes and onions with a slotted spoon to a serving bowl and thicken the broth, if desired.

Pork and Poblano Skillet with Creamy Slow-Cooker Beans

2010-03-22T06:18:00.000-07:00

I love finding recipes that let me use meat as more of a condiment rather than the main item on my plate. It almost always means less calories and it's usually less expensive, too. Remember the big pork roast I cut up? Well the pork for this dish was sitting and waiting in my freezer until I had all the ingredients to put it together.

Starting at least the day before, prepare your Creamy Slow-Cooker Beans. Soak 1 cup (I doubled this part of the recipe) of whatever kind of beans you like (I used pinto) overnight. The next morning, drain the beans and put them in the slow-cooker, along with a chopped up onion, a minced clove of garlic (optional) a tablespoon of bacon fat or butter and enough hot water to cover the beans. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for about 6-8 hours until the beans are cooked through. Add salt to taste, reduce heat to keep warm until you are ready to serve.

When you are ready to prepare your meal, slice a poblano in half vertically; remove core, membrane, and seeds. Flatten halves skin-side up on a sprayed baking sheet or a foil-lined baking sheet. Place under the broiler until the skins blister and blacken, like above. Remove from the broiler, fold the foil over the pepper to form a tight packet; let rest 5 minutes.

Lift off and discard the skins; chop up the remaining flesh. Meanwhile, heat oil on medium high and add the pork, salt to taste, and stir often until browned, about 5 minutes.

Leaving the liquid behind, remove the meat to a plate. To the pan, add onions, cook until it begins to brown, add the garlic, water and Worcestershire sauce and cook for a minute. Stir in the tomato and poblano. Cook down a bit, about 5 minutes. Return the meat to the skillet; cook 15-20 minutes until the sauce darkens and thickens, adding cilantro in the last 5 minutes.
Serve with Creamy Slow-Cooker Beans, and/or cooked rice, and a dollop of sour cream.

Pork and Poblano Skillet With Creamy Slow-Cooker Beans

1 cup dry beans (your choice), soaked overnight

1 chopped onion

1 tablespoon bacon fat or butter

hot water

Drain soaked beans. Put beans, onion, bacon fat or butter, and hot water to cover into slow-cooker for 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. Add salt to taste.

Pork and Poblano Skillet

1 poblano pepper

1 tablespoon oil

1 pound pork tenderloin or boneless pork loin, cubed

Salt to taste

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2/3 cup water

2 tablespoons Worcestershire

15 ounces canned diced tomatoes

1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Sour cream

Slice pepper in half vertically; remove core, membrane and seeds. Flatten halves skin-side up on foil on baking sheet. Place under broiler til skins blister and blacken. Remove from broiler, fold foil over the pepper to form a tight packet; let rest 5 minutes. Lift off and remove skins; chop up pepper.

Meanwhile, heat oil on medium high til shimmery in large skillet. Add pork, salt to taste, stir often til meat is browned, about 5 minutes. Leaving liquid behind, remove meat.

Add onions, cook til beginning to brown; add garlic, water, and Worcestershire. Stir in tomato and poblano. Cook down a bit about 5 minutes. Return meat to skillet; cook 15-20 minutes until sauce darkens and thickens, adding cilantro in last 5 minutes. Serve with beans and rice and a dollop of sour cream.

I'm posting this as a part of $5 Dinner Challenge and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

A Tutorial: Poached Eggs

2010-03-17T16:04:00.000-07:00

We love eggs of all kinds at my house but one of my recent favorites is poached eggs. The texture of the yolk is much more different and better in a poached egg than in a fried egg to me. If you aren't familiar with poached eggs, hopefully seeing how I make them will give you the desire to try them yourself. All you will need is a saucepan or skillet, a slotted spoon, and a small cup or bowl. Butter the bottom of your skillet or pan and fill with water to about 3 inches and bring to a rolling boil. Add a splash of vinegar to keep the whites tight against the yolk as they cook. (You won't taste any vinegar in your eggs.) Lower the heat until the water is barely simmering. Crack your eggs, one at a time into a small cup or bowl. Bring the edge of the bowl level with the surface of the water and slide each egg in gently so the yolk doesn't break.

Simmer until the whites are set, about 4 minutes. With practice, you will be able to judge just the right amount of doneness that you like. My husband likes them at 3 minutes, but the whites are a little too runny for me, so I cook mine for 4 minutes.

Remove the eggs with a large slotted spoon, and drain well before serving.

My husband likes his eggs on buttered toast like in the picture above but you don't have to do it that way. I like it with my toast on the side. The larger your pan, the more eggs you can make at one time but you don't want to overcrowd them.

I'm posting this as a part of Life As Mom's Ultimate Recipe Swap this week. The theme is Eggs.

What I Did With 10 Pounds of Chicken Leg Quarters

2010-03-17T05:24:00.000-07:00

When I find a great deal at the grocery store, especially on items that are generally more expensive, like protein products, I usually snatch it up. So, every 3 or 4 months, my local grocery store advertises a 10-pound bag of chicken quarters for $3.80, it's hard not to buy. Thirty-eight cents per pound for any kind of chicken is just hard to pass up, even though it's not my family's favorite part of the bird. So what can I do with it?

Well, bring out the slow-cooker, of course!

I rinsed the pieces off in the sink and put all 10 pounds of them into the crockpot. I added some celery, onion, carrots, salt, pepper, and a splash of apple cider vinegar. The vinegar helps to bring out the minerals and nutrition from bones and into the stock. I let it do it's thing until the meat on the bones were practically falling off, about 6 hours. I then took a large slotted spoon and took out the meat pieces, allowed them to cool, and then took the meat off the bones.
I put the bones back into the crockpot and let it continue to cook for another few hours, and above is what I was left with. I love the rich color of the broth!
I poured the broth and bones into a large colander placed over a large bowl to separate the two and above is all that was left, just bones and cooked-down vegetables. Oops! There's a large piece of stray thigh meat. That goes in the with the rest of the meat.

I now have a very large bag of cooked chicken meat that I put into the freezer and a large bowl of homemade chicken broth that I put into the freezer overnight so the fat can rise to the top. In the morning, I scrap the fat off and save it for sauteeing vegetables and meats. With my chicken and broth, I'm ready to make possibly some chicken pot pie.

Or, I could make some yummy chicken and dumplings. Do you have some favorite recipes that you use for cooked chicken? I'd love to hear! I'm always looking for a new recipe to use up what I already have.

I'm participating in Foodie Fridays and The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap.

Cabbage Dishes

2010-03-15T13:39:00.000-07:00

I currently have 2 and 1/4 heads of cabbage in my refrigerator right now, not to mention the bowl of coleslaw I made on Saturday. We love cabbage around here, and when it's only 18 cents a pound, I tend to get as much as I think we can eat. I have lots of ways that I like to use cabbage and I know not everyone likes it, plus the aroma that often lingers in the house after cooking it.

Coleslaw is one of our #1 ways of using cabbage. We also like it just as a side dish for whatever we are having for dinner, lightly steamed with a pat of butter and some salt. And, since we are in the month of March, we like to have a good Irish-style dinner on St. Patrick's Day, which is coming up tomorrow.

So, corned beef and cabbage with red potatoes and carrots are on the menu for this week, along with Irish Soda Bread-Yum!

I recently found a recipe for sauteed cabbage that I adapted from my Joy of Cooking Cookbook.

Sauteed Cabbage

One 2-pound head cabbage, outer leaves and core removed

4 slices bacon

3/4 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

Shred or thinly slice the cabbage. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove to a paper towel to drain. Add the cabbage to the bacon fat remaining in the skillet, adding the onion, salt, and paprika. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring until the cabbage is crisp-tender. Crumble the bacon and add to the cabbage and serve. Makes about 4 servings.

I've also made this hearty Ham, Cabbage, and Bean Soup a couple of times. Accompanied by a loaf of homemade bread makes it a complete meal.

1/2 head cabbage (about 1 1/2 lbs), cut into 1/2-inch strips

1 cup chopped yellow onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, chopped

1 mdium potato (about 1 lb.), peeled and cubed

8 cups stock, any kind

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Salt to taste

pepper to taste

2 cups cooked cubed ham

2 cans (15 ounces each) Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

In large soup pot, combine vegetables, stock, marjoram, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until veggies are tender, about 30 minutes. Add ham and beans and simmer until flavors are blended, 30 to 40 minutes longer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf and discard. Serves 8-10. This soup freezes very well.

I hope these ideas about cabbage will spur you to cook with it more. The health benefits are amazing and is one of the most economical fresh vegetables in the store.

I'm participating in the $5 Dinner Challenge and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Cabbage graphic courtesy of Everyday Health.

Sourdough Know-How

2010-03-15T13:19:00.000-07:00

Do you like sourdough bread? Have you ever made it? If you did, you would have to have a sourdough starter, which I was pretty clueless about until about a year ago when I sent for my first starter from Carl. Who's Carl, you are probably wondering, right? Well, go over there and find out. I'll wait. Pretty interesting, right? The first time I sent for my free starter, I fed it until, well, I just stopped feeding it, and it died a horrible death. I finally got up my nerve to send for another one about 6 weeks ago and it is doing very well. I haven't made any bread with it yet, but I have made pancakes, which were absolutely delicious.

The internet seems to be overrun with sourdough articles from blogs these days. Katie from Kitchen Stewardship has a very good in-depth series of articles on how to make your own sourdough starter as well as lots of recipes to use it in. If you are familiar with Katie's site, you know she doesn't leave any stone unturned, and that's a good thing!

Passionate Homemaker also has an article on her blog called An Introduction to Sourdough that will give you an overall picture of sourdough starters and recipes if you don't have time to read all of Kitchen Stewardship's articles.

If you need some visual help on sourdough-like I do-go to Breatopia.com and you can learn everything you ever wanted to know about sourdough or breadmaking in general. I'm especially interested in learning how to make the No Knead Sourdough Bread recipe.

I will share with you my bread from my sourdough starter as I make them and I am really hoping that I can get others excited about this new skill.

Whole Grain Cooking

2010-03-10T16:10:00.000-08:00

Cooking with whole grains has recently become more popular, like using brown rice instead of white rice and replacing whole wheat pasta in place of the semolina kind; and in my quest to cook more healthfully, I'm always looking for new ones to cook with, About a month ago I went to my health food store and found some whole grains I either can't find in my regular grocery store or are packaged in boxes that are way out of my price range. Paying $3 for a tiny box of couscous just doesn't fit into my budget.

One of the whole grains I found was wheatberries. I had never cooked with them before, and so I did a little research. Since I wasn't sure how my family would receive this new grain, I thought it would be a good thing to mix them with some brown rice, half and half.

I soaked about 1/2 cup of the wheatberries overnight in 1 1/2 cups of water. I did the same thing with the brown rice in a separate bowl. Soaking not only is more nutritous, it also makes it easier to digest and cuts the cooking time in half. The picture above shows what the wheatberries looked like after soaking. They really puffed up.

I melted some butter in a skillet, added some chopped onion, garlic, and mushrooms about 5 minutes. I added the wheatberries and some chicken broth, brought the liquid to a boil, and simmered for 20 minutes. I then added the brown rice and cooked until all the grains were softened, about 30 minutes. I added salt and pepper to taste. It was very good and I'll be making it again.

These cookies are another winner and the recipe calls for old-fashioned rolled or quick oats as well as whole wheat flour. I love that these cookies only call for 1 stick of butter instead of the traditional two. They are chewy, and oh, so good. The original recipe, which I got from Kitchen Parade, did not call for chocolate chips, but I thought, what can it hurt?

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon (yes, tablespoon!) vanilla

1/2 cup unbleached flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups oatmeal (old-fashioned or quick, not instant)

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and sugars together. Add the egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift the flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Mix into the butter and egg mixture. Add the oatmeal, then the raisins and chocolate chips.

Drop the dough by tablespoons onto lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. (I baked them for only 8 minutes because I like them chewy). Remove from the oven and place on wax paper or cooling racks.

I'm participating in Life As Mom's Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Crusty French Bread

2010-03-09T05:51:00.000-08:00

I love homemade bread! There's nothing like it, warm and fresh from the oven. This past Sunday we had a dinner of pasta and a fresh green salad, so French bread was something I knew my family would love to go with it. I've bought lots of French breads from the bakery in my grocery store, but compared to what I can make at home, well, it just doesn't compare. I use my bread machine to make the dough and I finish up by using the method from my 1950 Betty Crocker Cookbook to form it and bake it in the oven. The crust is nice and crusty and the inside is perfect. I've made this bread with both unbleached white flour and whole wheat flour.

French Bread (makes a 1 1/2 pound loaf)

9 1/2 ounces warm water (1 cup + 3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 1/2 cups unbleached flour or whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Add ingredients to your pan prescribed by your particular bread machine instructions. My bread machine calls for the liquid ingredients first. Load pan into bread machine and set on the dough setting, which will take about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

When the bread machine completes the dough cycle, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly grease a large baking pan. Roll dough out into a 15-inch by 10-inch oblong shape. Roll up tightly toward you beginning with the wide side. Seal the edges by pinching together.

With a hand on each end, roll gently back and forth to lengthen the loaf and taper ends. Place it diagonally onto the baking sheet. Make 1/4-inch slashes in the dough at 2-inch intervals. Brush the top with cold water.* Let stand uncovered about 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Brush the bread with cold water again and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven and brush again with the cold water and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake another 10 more minutes. Remove the bread from the oven one more time and brush again with the cold water. At this time you can sprinkle the bread with sesame or poppy seeds. Continue baking another 15 to 20 minutes until the bread is a nice golden brown.
*If you want your bread nice and crusty, make sure you brush the entire surface of the bread with the cold water every time. It will make a difference.

Go to Blessed with Grace's Tempt My Tummy Tuesday for more inspiration in the kitchen!

Menu Plan for March

2010-03-07T06:51:00.000-08:00

I've tried all kinds of different ways to plan our meals-weekly, bi-weekly, or fly by the seat of my pants-style! None of these work real well for me. But, I've found that what does work the best right now is to do it by the month since we get paid once a month. Since we are going on the second week of March, I have just about all the meat that we need in our freezers until we get paid again next month. Unless there is a huge sale on something or there is something special we want, I will mostly be buying dairy, grains, and produce until April.

So, this is what I have planned so far for the rest of March:

Mostaccioli Bake with French Bread

Ham and Cheese Omelets

Ham, Cabbage, and Bean Soup-we have lots of leftover ham pieces in the freezer!

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Pizza with sausage and vegetables

Broccoli-Cheese Soup

Lentil Cakes and Green Salad

Salmon Patties with Caesar Slaw

Pork Roast with wheatberries/brown rice

Chicken Pot Pie

Pork and Poblano Skillet with Creamy Slow Cooker Beans

Indian Lentil Puree with Naan

Crustless Quiche

Butter Chicken and Rice

Ham and Beans over Rice

Spaghettie Pie

Cheesy Broccoli Rice with Chicken

Roast Chicken

Taco Salad

I am posting this as part of Menu Plan Monday at I'm An Organizing Junkie

What To Do With a 5-pound Pork Loin

2010-03-04T13:49:00.000-08:00

Sometimes pork loin roast will go on sale in my area anywhere from $1.48 per pound to $1.79 per pound. I've seen them for both of those prices this week. I picked up a big 5-pounder but it is way too much to feed the 4 of us so I divided it up into three pieces.

I put one of the thirds into a freezer bag to make pork roast and threw it in the freezer for later in the month. I cut the second piece into cubes and put it into a freezer bag and it also went into the freezer. I have special plans for that one (Pork and Poblano Skillet with Creamy Slow-Cooker Beans-yum!). I will share my recipes for both of these dishes as I make them.

The last piece I cut up into cubes, too, but we ate it right away. I sauteed some onions in olive oil until they were sweet and tender and then added the cubed pork. It only took a very few minutes to cook on a fairly high heat. With pork you either cook it on high heat very quickly or at a very low heat for a long time. I cooked the cubes until they were cooked through about 5 or 6 minutes. I added barbecue sauce to the pork and onions, spooned them onto french rolls and topped it with a little shredded cheese. I popped them into a 375-degree oven for a few minutes until the cheese was melted and the bread was toasted. They were very good!

So, don't be intimated by those big pieces of meat at the grocery store. I'll share later about my 10-pound bag of chicken legs and thighs!

For more great recipes go to the Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap,

Image of pork roast courtesy of Savenors Market

Honey Nut Bread

2010-03-03T10:07:00.001-08:00

Most of my quick breads have way too much sugar in them but I love making them and my daughters love eating them, so I've been doing some searching for healthier versions of quick breads. I found a recipe in my Joy of Cooking cookbook called Nut Bread with the alternative of using honey instead of sugar. I also substituted most of the flour for whole wheat and I added raisins. This is just a good all-purpose quick bread that you could add all kinds of ingredients to, such as dried cranberries, orange or lemon zest, almonds, almond extract, etc. This bread is a good substantial bread that I feel good enough about to eat for breakfast with my coffee. It even stood up to the toaster, which most quick breads do not. I'm confident it freezes well, too.

Honey Nut Bread

1/2 cup unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 (or less) cup honey
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup walnuts or pecans
3/4 cup raisins

Butter or spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl whisk until blended the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the liquid ingredients together. Add the nuts and fruit, if using. Pour the batter into the pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly, then turn out onto a cooking rack until cool. Makes 1 loaf.

I'm participating in the Ultimate Recipe Swap and Foodie Friday this week.

Spanish Rice

2010-03-02T16:16:00.000-08:00

My husband loves rice and asks for it a lot and when we have Mexican-style meals, he still asks for some rice. So, I started looking for some good rice recipes to go with our tacos and fajitas that tasted more flavorful than just rice with tomato sauce. Some of the recipes I tried just didn't do for us-until I looked in my Joy of Cooking cookbook and found it's recipe for Spanish Rice. It was right under my nose the whole time! The last few times I've made this, we just had beans, with the rice, topped with sour cream, lettuce, and cheese, along with a few tortilla chips. Really good and filling.

Spanish Rice

1 tablespoon oil

2 slices bacon, minced

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup white rice*

1 3/4 cup chicken broth

1 cup chopped drained canned tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon sweet or hot paprika

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet or flameproof casserole, heat the oil, and add the bacon, onion, and bell pepper, until onions are golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic the last minutes or so. Add the rice, stirring to coat it with the vegetables and oil for another minute. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Stir once, cover, transfer to the oven, and bake until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Uncover and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

*For brown rice, add the juice from the tomatoes and leave in the oven about 45 minutes or until the rice is done. You may have to add more liquid (water or broth), so check it after about 30 minutes to see if the rice has absorbed the liquid but isn't tender yet.

Cilantro Recipes

2010-02-23T15:12:00.000-08:00

Sandra recently asked if I would post some recipes using cilantro, and I'm glad to do it since it is one of my favorite fresh herbs to use. I can always find it at my Mexican or regular grocery store for as little as 3 bunches for one dollar. I use it in salsas all the time and I even found a recipe to use it in as a rub for chicken.

This salsa recipe is my new favorite because I almost always have the ingredients on-hand to make it. It's adapted from a recipe I found on Fishmama's cooking blog and have made it several times as a sauce for our Mexican cooking.

Salsa

28 ounce can diced tomatoes

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, rinsed well

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

1/2 chopped canned chipoltle pepper in sauce or 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper or 1/2 chopped fresh jalapeno

1 Tablespoon lemon or lime juice

salt and pepper

In large bowl, combine all ingredients. Serve with tortilla chips or other Mexican dishes.

This is another one of my family's favorites that I got from the Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen. It is a vegetarian cookbook but she does such wonderful things with food that I really love trying some of her recipes. Lots of flavor! I originally posted this recipe and the next one on my other blog but since this is my new cooking blog, I thought I would copy onto this post so it would be available to me and to whoever else was interested.

A couple of notes on this recipe: If you don't think you would like lots of salsa on your chili, you can halve the ingredients. I've used it to top brats, burritos, or to mix with scrambled eggs. Okay, on to the recipe.

Black Bean Chili

4 cups dried black beans

5 to 6 cloves garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 1/4 teaspoons salt

Black pepper, to taste

2 teaspoons dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Crushed red pepper or cayenne, to taste

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 medium-sized green bell peppers, chopped

1/2 cup tomato puree (You can also use crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce)

2 (4-oz.) cans diced green chilies

Red Onion Salsa

Grated cheese and sour cream

Soak the beans in plenty of water for several hours or over night. Drain off the soaking water, and cook in fresh boiling water, partly covered, until tender. Check the water level during cooking; add more as necessary. Transfer the cooked beans to a large kettle or saucepan. Include about 2 to 3 cups of their cooking water. (You can certainly do this ahead of time and freeze the beans or put them in the refrigerator for a few days until you are ready to use them.)
In a big pot or Dutch oven, saute garlic, seasonings, lime juice, and bell peppers in olive oil over medium-low heat until peppers are tender.
Add the the cooked beans, along with tomato puree and canned green chilies. Simmer, covered, over very low heat, stirring every now and then for about 45 minutes. (Make salsa at this time.)
Serve topped with Red Onion Salsa, grated cheese, and sour cream.

Red Onion Salsa

2 cups chopped red onion

1/2 cup packed minced fresh cilantro

2 cups minced fresh ripe tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup packed minced fresh parsley

Black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients and mix well. For a finer consistency, give the mixture a brief whirl or two in a food processor or blender.

6 to 8 servings

I wish I had a picture of this next dish for you. Better yet, I wish you could taste it and see how very delicious it is. I've made this once using skinless, boneless chicken thighs because that's what I had. It was also in the middle of January, so I used my cast iron grill pan to cook them on inside. The important thing is the rub you put on the chicken. So good!

Chile-Cilantro Grilled Chicken

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

3 tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced jalapeno chile

1 tablespoon grated lime peel

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon salt

4 bone-in skin-on chicken breast halves or whatever parts you like

Heat grill. Combine all ingredients except chicken in small bowl. Generously rub over chicken and under skin. Grill, covered, over medium heat or coals 14 to 18 minutes or until no longer pink in center, turning once.4 servings

For those of you interested, this dish contains per serving: 235 calories, 11.5 g total fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 28 g protein, 4.5 g carbohydrate, 75 mg cholesterol, 525 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

This is a recipe I got from the Cooking Pleasures magazine.

There are a couple of things to remember about cilantro: It is best to use cilantro at the end of the cooking time because it will lose some of it's flavor as it heats. As with all fresh herbs, they will only last about a week in the refrigerator. When I bring cilantro home, I will trim the stems a little and place the bunch in a glass of water and set it in the refrigerator. You can also store it wrapped in a damp paper towel placed inside a large baggie.

I hope this gets you started on using cilantro in your kitchen. In fact, I have some in my fridge that I need to use up before it goes bad.

I'm participating in Grocery Cart Challenge's Recipe Swap and Foodie Friday

Eat Your Veggies!

2010-02-21T10:24:00.000-08:00

Do you have a hard time eating all your veggies every day? I sure do. Opening a can of peas or heating up a bag of frozen corn can get a little bland and monotonous to me, so I've found some ways to make vegetables taste really good and the two recipes for vegetables I'm sharing with are ones that I made in the same meal. They are that easy. The first one takes less than 5 minutes to prepare. The second one takes only a few minutes to chop up some veggies and is more a method than a recipe, and can be used with just about any fresh vegetable.

My husband loves spinach and when we ate at an Italian restaurant a few years ago, he had sauteed spinach. The waiter was kind enough to share with us how this dish is prepared and it's so easy that I make it very often for my husband.

Sauteed Spinach

Coat your pan with a couple tablespoons olive oil. Add 1 to 2 cloves of garlic. Turn on the heat to medium high, letting the garlic infuse the oil with it's wonderful flavor. When the garlic starts to sizzle, add your spinach. I use a 10-ounce bag of baby spinach usually.

It seems like there isn't enough room in the skillet for the spinach but it cooks down very quickly. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir it around (I use tongs) until it looks like this:

Only not so blurry LOL

Delicious!

My other favorite way of cooking veggies is roasting and carrots are amazing this way. Again, very few ingredients and yet the flavors develop so well that I could have eaten just the carrots for our meal. So good!

Roasted Carrots

I took 5-6 carrots and cut them up into similar-sized pieces and put them on a baking sheet. I drizzled them with olive oil, salt and pepper, and tossed them with my hands to coat the carrots with the oil. I put them in a 375-degree oven for about 30 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes, until they look like this:

The vegetables develop their natural sweetness and carmelize into such yumminess. You can do this with just about any vegetable. What I often do when I have several kinds of vegetables that need to be cooked up in the vegetable bin of my refrigerator, I will make mixed roasted vegetables. I use this method with onions, garlic, zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, brussel spouts, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, etc.

Easy Tomato Sauce

2010-02-21T10:18:00.000-08:00

This is a sauce that I make at least once a month. I use it for putting over spaghetti, in lasagna, on my homemade pizza, and where ever else I want a flavorful tomato sauce. I got it from a OAMC cookbook at the library and copied it but I have since forgotten the name of the book. The original directions say to make it in the slow cooker but as you will see it can also be made on top of the stove, which I like better because I like sauteeing the onions before adding the other ingredients to give them a chance to get soft. If you don't want to do any chopping, you could also substitute dried onions or onion powder for the onion and garlic powder for the minced garlic.

Chop one large onion and saute in oil in a large pot for a few minutes until soft. Add 3 cloves of minced garlic the last couple of minutes but be careful not to let it burn.

Add 24 ounces of tomato sauce (3-8 ounce cans), 18 ounces of tomato paste (3-6 ounce cans), 3 cups water, 3 teaspoons oregano, 3/4 teaspoons basil, 3 teaspoons sugar, and 3/4 teaspoons pepper.

Let it simmer slowly for about half an hour. It will thicken. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. This makes 2 quarts of sauce that you can freeze it in batches if you want.

I'm participating in Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, The $5 Dinner Challenge, and Tasty Tuesday.

Caring for Your Cast Iron

2010-02-16T06:07:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like cooking with well-seasoned cast iron cookware. It's one of the few products still in high demand and with proper care can last for a hundred years or more. It's definitely an investment that can be passed on from one generation to another. Cast iron retains heat very well and cooks evenly, too. I've even heard that the iron from the pans leach into the food eaten, thereby giving needed iron into the diet.

I use mine for just about everything from stews to cornbread to scrambled eggs. The one above is my very first. Isn't it a beauty? I found it at a thrift store for $5 and I snatched it right up because cast iron isn't always easy to find. I was a little intimidated by cast iron because I wasn't very familiar with it until I found out how easy it is to take care of.

I was able to visit the Lodge Cast Iron Store in South Pittsburgh, Tennessee, last fall when we were visiting my mom. She bought a cast iron skillet or pot for each of my daughters and she bought herself and me each a Dutch oven.

So, how do I take care of this kind of pan? It isn't the same as nonstick or aluminum or glass cookware, but the rules are very easy to follow. You may think at first that it's too much bother but they are such a dream to work with and they last for-ev-er-you will love them as much as I do.

Lodge cast iron is seasoned when you buy it, so taking care of it properly means remember a few simple rules:

After cooking, clean the pan with hot water and a stiff brush. Never use harsh detergents and don't put it into very cold water.
Towel dry the pan and wipe a light coat of cooking spray or oil all over it.
Store in a cool dry place.

If you find an old cast iron pan, you may have to "season" it because it wasn't properly taken care of and it may have some rust on it. That's okay, you will just have to take care of that before you use it.

According to the Lodge Company to season cast iron:

Wash the pan with hot, soapy water and a stiff brush.
Rinse and dry completely.
Spread a thin coat of oil, any kind all over the entire surface of the pan.
Line the lower oven rack with aluminum foil (to catch drippings).
Heat the pan for 30 to 60 minutes upside down in a 350-degree oven. Once done, let the pan cool to room temperature.

Keep your eyes peeled at second-hand stores for cast iron. They are worth waiting for.