Since I just typed this out for a friend, I thought I'd share it with you, too. I LOVE my crock pot, as you may well know. This one is from my old "Fix it and Forget it" cookbook. It's so yummy that you may never buy jarred sauce again. And it makes your house smell great all day. And it makes a TON. Enjoy!
Italian Spaghetti Sauce
2 lbs. sausage or ground beef (next time I'm using Italian)
3 med. onions chopped
2 c. sliced mushrooms
6 garlic cloves minced
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes undrained
29 oz can tomato sauce
12 oz can tomato paste
2 Tbs. dried basil
1 Tbs. dried oregano
1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1. Cook sausage, onions, mushrooms and garlic in skillet over med. heat for 10 minutes. Drain. Transfer to slow cooker.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients
3. Cover. Cook on Low 8-9 hours.
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Boeuf Bourguignon
We did it again. We cooked something crazy - Beouf Bourguignon. Inspired by Julie Powell's 2005 book "Julie and Julia," and the 2009 movie of the same name, L and I cooked up a batch of it today. Likely, we are the only Americans who ate something so heavenly for our Super Bowl Sunday dinner.
Imagine beef stew that died and went to heaven. It tasted like beef stew's heavenly body - the perfect one that it will possess for all eternity.
And it wasn't even Julia Child's recipe - it was from my "Food Bible." L and were quite shocked that something WE cooked tasted so amazing, especially since none of the ingredients were unusual. We're not quite sure how we did it, but it went like this. It can also be found on page 99 of The All New Good Housekeeping Cookbook, 2001. (Insert thank you to the Michelson family for this bridal shower treasure - who knew?)
Boeuf Borguingnon
Another French Classic that has become an American Classic (that's really what it says, but neither L nor I have ever eaten it and we've been eating American food for a combined 56 years)
Prep: 30 minutes, Cook: 2 hours 45 min
2 slices bacon, chopped
2 lbs. lean boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 large (12 oz) onion, chopped
2 carrots,peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbs. all purpose flour
2 tsp. tomato paste
2 c. dry red wine
1/2 bay leaf
1 tsp. plus pinch salt
1/4 tsp plus pinch ground black pepper
1 lb small white onions peeled
3 tbs. butter or margarine
1 c. water
1 lb mushrooms, trimmed and cut into quarters if large
1. In nonreactive 5 quart Dutch oven, cook bacon over med. heat until just beginning to brown. With slotted spoon, transfer bacon to med. bowl.
2. Pat beef dry with paper towels. Add 1 tsp. oil to Dutch oven and increase heat to med hi. Add beef in batches, to bacon drippings and cook until well browned, using slotted spoon to transfer beef as it is browned to bowl with bacon. Add remaining 1 tsp. oil if necessary.
3. Reduce heat to med. Add chopped onion, carrots, and garlic to Dutch oven; cook until onion and carrots are tender, about 8 min. Stir in flour, cook 1 min. Stir in tomato paste, cook 1 min. Add wine, bay leaf, 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper, stirring until browned bits are loosened. Return beef and bacon to Dutch oven; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until beef is very tender, about 1 hr, 30 min. Remove bay leaf. Skim and discard fat.
4. Meanwhile, in 10 in skillet, combine small white onions, 1 Tbs. butter, sugar, and water. Heat to boiling; cover and simmer until onions are just tender, about 10 min. Remove comer and cook over med hi heat, swirling (swirling! I love this!) pan occasionally, until water has evaporated and onions are golden. Transfer to bowl; keep warm.
5. In same skillet, melt remaining 2 Tbs. butter over med hi heat. Add mushrooms and remaining pinch salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until mushrooms are tender and liquid has evaporated. Stir onions and mushrooms into stew. Makes 6 main dish servings.
Because we have no French bakery nearby, we cheated by baking a Pillsbury canned loaf of French bread, which I'm sure the French think is an abomination to French breadmaking and probably is, but it sure was fantastic to have a hot loaf of French bread to sop up the heavenly mess of stew.
And because no blog is complete without a photo of my sons, here they are eating the chocolate cupcakes that Auntie L made for them this weekend. Because, sadly, they were NOT fans of the Beouf Borguignon.
Imagine beef stew that died and went to heaven. It tasted like beef stew's heavenly body - the perfect one that it will possess for all eternity.
And it wasn't even Julia Child's recipe - it was from my "Food Bible." L and were quite shocked that something WE cooked tasted so amazing, especially since none of the ingredients were unusual. We're not quite sure how we did it, but it went like this. It can also be found on page 99 of The All New Good Housekeeping Cookbook, 2001. (Insert thank you to the Michelson family for this bridal shower treasure - who knew?)
Boeuf Borguingnon
Another French Classic that has become an American Classic (that's really what it says, but neither L nor I have ever eaten it and we've been eating American food for a combined 56 years)
Prep: 30 minutes, Cook: 2 hours 45 min
2 slices bacon, chopped
2 lbs. lean boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 large (12 oz) onion, chopped
2 carrots,peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbs. all purpose flour
2 tsp. tomato paste
2 c. dry red wine
1/2 bay leaf
1 tsp. plus pinch salt
1/4 tsp plus pinch ground black pepper
1 lb small white onions peeled
3 tbs. butter or margarine
1 c. water
1 lb mushrooms, trimmed and cut into quarters if large
1. In nonreactive 5 quart Dutch oven, cook bacon over med. heat until just beginning to brown. With slotted spoon, transfer bacon to med. bowl.
2. Pat beef dry with paper towels. Add 1 tsp. oil to Dutch oven and increase heat to med hi. Add beef in batches, to bacon drippings and cook until well browned, using slotted spoon to transfer beef as it is browned to bowl with bacon. Add remaining 1 tsp. oil if necessary.
3. Reduce heat to med. Add chopped onion, carrots, and garlic to Dutch oven; cook until onion and carrots are tender, about 8 min. Stir in flour, cook 1 min. Stir in tomato paste, cook 1 min. Add wine, bay leaf, 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper, stirring until browned bits are loosened. Return beef and bacon to Dutch oven; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until beef is very tender, about 1 hr, 30 min. Remove bay leaf. Skim and discard fat.
4. Meanwhile, in 10 in skillet, combine small white onions, 1 Tbs. butter, sugar, and water. Heat to boiling; cover and simmer until onions are just tender, about 10 min. Remove comer and cook over med hi heat, swirling (swirling! I love this!) pan occasionally, until water has evaporated and onions are golden. Transfer to bowl; keep warm.
5. In same skillet, melt remaining 2 Tbs. butter over med hi heat. Add mushrooms and remaining pinch salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until mushrooms are tender and liquid has evaporated. Stir onions and mushrooms into stew. Makes 6 main dish servings.
Because we have no French bakery nearby, we cheated by baking a Pillsbury canned loaf of French bread, which I'm sure the French think is an abomination to French breadmaking and probably is, but it sure was fantastic to have a hot loaf of French bread to sop up the heavenly mess of stew.
I love people who love food.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Kool-Aid Play Dough
was a hit tonight! In the spirit of Valentine's Day, and of teaching them NOT to eat the play dough at school, I made pink Kool-Aid Play Dough and bought them their own special plastic cutters for it. I have fond memories of my mom making us kids big batches of homemade play dough on snow days and thought I'd give it a shot, too. It turned out nice and soft and smelled like pink lemonade!
I was quite surprised how long they played with the dough because a) the Sesame Street coloring book that I way overpaid for lasted exactly 1 minute, and b) I wouldn't let them eat it.
This recipe is from my MVMOM cookbook. Another MoM posted it recently and said hers lasted for years!
Kool-Aid Play Dough
1 c. flour
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 pkg unsweetened Kool-Aid
1/4 c. salt
2 Tbs. cream of tartar
1 c. water
Mix flour, salt, cream of tartar and Kool-Aid in medium saucepan. Add water and oil. Stir over heat for 3-5 minutes. Dough is ready when it forms a ball in the pan. Remove from heat and knead until smooth. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate.
Happy play-dough-ing!
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| Look at that concentration! |
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| Sneakin' a taste! |
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| I <3 you, Mom! |
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| Roll it, and pat it... |
This recipe is from my MVMOM cookbook. Another MoM posted it recently and said hers lasted for years!
Kool-Aid Play Dough
1 c. flour
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 pkg unsweetened Kool-Aid
1/4 c. salt
2 Tbs. cream of tartar
1 c. water
Mix flour, salt, cream of tartar and Kool-Aid in medium saucepan. Add water and oil. Stir over heat for 3-5 minutes. Dough is ready when it forms a ball in the pan. Remove from heat and knead until smooth. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate.
Happy play-dough-ing!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Hermit Thursday
We're staying in today. Do you know that tonight's forecast is 20 below? Yeah, so I'm cooking and having a grand time at that. On the menu tonight for us and our new-baby friends, who will be receiving half the double batch: Italian Peasant Soup and Hermits! Love you, sis, and wish I could serve this to you on your birthday today. Happy Birthday.
Italian Peasant Soup
from Quick Cooking Magazine 2003
1 lb. Italian sausage links, casings removed and cut into 1" slices
2 med. onions chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
2 15 oz cans cannellini or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
6 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
Shredded parmesan cheese, optional
In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink, drain. Add onions and garlic, saute until tender. Add chicken; cook and stir until no longer pink. Stir in the beans, broth, tomatoes, basil and oregano. Cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the spinach and heat until just wilted. Serve with parmesan cheese if desired. Yield: 11 servings (2 3/4 quarts).
And make sure to have yummy crusty bread to go with it.
For dessert, hermits! I found this hermit recipe on allrecipes.com, when I was calling myself a hermit two weeks ago.
Okay, that pic is not my hermits, but it is an honest representation of what mine look like, even though I was tempted to choose the best looking hermit cookie picture from google images.
It was my first go at hermits and they are delicious! Try them yourself. My helpers are up now. Maybe they'll wash all those dishes? Not likely. But they will stuff the dishwasher full of Matchbox cars if I'm not watching.
Italian Peasant Soup
from Quick Cooking Magazine 2003
1 lb. Italian sausage links, casings removed and cut into 1" slices
2 med. onions chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
2 15 oz cans cannellini or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
6 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
Shredded parmesan cheese, optional
In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink, drain. Add onions and garlic, saute until tender. Add chicken; cook and stir until no longer pink. Stir in the beans, broth, tomatoes, basil and oregano. Cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the spinach and heat until just wilted. Serve with parmesan cheese if desired. Yield: 11 servings (2 3/4 quarts).
And make sure to have yummy crusty bread to go with it.
For dessert, hermits! I found this hermit recipe on allrecipes.com, when I was calling myself a hermit two weeks ago.
Okay, that pic is not my hermits, but it is an honest representation of what mine look like, even though I was tempted to choose the best looking hermit cookie picture from google images.
It was my first go at hermits and they are delicious! Try them yourself. My helpers are up now. Maybe they'll wash all those dishes? Not likely. But they will stuff the dishwasher full of Matchbox cars if I'm not watching.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Cumulatively Wonderful Day
Have you ever had one of those days where everything goes right? If you're like me, it doesn't happen often, so you've got to write it down to remember it! Yesterday was one of those days, and while none of the events were earth-shattering, they were, cumulatively, wonderful.
Peanut Butter Fudge
1/4 c. milk
3/4 c. peanut butter
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. margarine
Mix together well. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Mix well and fast. Pat mixture into a glass pie plate. Cool and enjoy.
By the way, that recipe is from an old church cookbook (it's my mom's friend's recipe on page 139 of the CCC 2003 edition). I've had it for many years and last night was the first time I tried the fudge because I had to make something to take for the dessert table - I remembered at the last minute. Whenever I'm in trouble, I crack open that old church cookbook and I find something every time!
So I fell asleep last night a happy lady, thinking maybe I do make the world a better place by writing my blog and trying out new recipes on unsuspecting folks. And knowing that God has blessed me with some wonderful people in my every day life.
- I had intelligent, child-free discussion with a group of fabulous women at Mom's Group
- Someone who owed me money paid me back
- Two weeks after it went kaput, the dishwasher part I've been waiting for arrived
- Because the weather was unseasonably beautiful, hubs came home early and the 4 of us took a long walk at a nearby park and had some unexpected fun family time in the middle of the day
- I found a pair of pants and a top that fit me when I exchanged a clothing item!
- My peanut butter fudge was the "most popular" dessert at the MVMOM meeting last night, which was a blast - getting to hang out with other multiples' moms always is!
- I actually won a prize when my name was drawn last night and now have a very cool Christmas gift for one of my nephews.
- A new-mom friend and I got to catch up last night and for over an hour, we shopped, snacked and chatted.
- And one of my readers (at the dessert table, nonetheless!) asked me, "Are you Twin Engines?" and told me all about how she likes to read my blogs to get traveling tips b/c her twins are 4 months older than mine and they fly a lot. I was so surprised to have found an actual READER! who's not my family - it tickled me pink!
- My friend, E, debuted her business, Marigold Baby, at the Holiday Boutique last night and sold a bunch of items and took orders! I'm very proud of her because she's worked so hard to get everything up and running. You can check out her business at www.marigoldbaby.etsy.com.
- The dishwasher part was installed when I got home! What a fabulous hubby I've got.
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| Marigold Baby G |
1/4 c. milk
3/4 c. peanut butter
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. margarine
Mix together well. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Mix well and fast. Pat mixture into a glass pie plate. Cool and enjoy.
By the way, that recipe is from an old church cookbook (it's my mom's friend's recipe on page 139 of the CCC 2003 edition). I've had it for many years and last night was the first time I tried the fudge because I had to make something to take for the dessert table - I remembered at the last minute. Whenever I'm in trouble, I crack open that old church cookbook and I find something every time!
So I fell asleep last night a happy lady, thinking maybe I do make the world a better place by writing my blog and trying out new recipes on unsuspecting folks. And knowing that God has blessed me with some wonderful people in my every day life.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Counting My Blessings
The boys and I were driving this afternoon on a sunshiny country road, pointing out tractors, cows, and horses on our way to family in our congregation. Three boys lost both parents in just a week's time last month and are living with their grandfather. We were taking a meal to them - chili and cornbread, one of my favorite comfort foods.
Since I know my boys are inputting more than they're outputting, I'm trying harder these days to explain things to them. So I told them we were taking a meal to bless a family whose mommy and daddy died. Even though I don't know this family, the words were still hard to say and I choked up. That was the whole conversation. It lasted just a few seconds. M said "Neigh" once when we saw a horse and N laughed. I wonder how I'll explain these types of things in a year or two when they are in the "why?" stage. I want to be truthful, especially when I'm showing them how to care for others.
So I'm counting my blessings tonight. The thought of three boys, ages 18, 12, and 9, growing up without parents brings tears to my eyes. And if I think about it too much...*sigh*...I think I'll go eat some chili.
Since I know my boys are inputting more than they're outputting, I'm trying harder these days to explain things to them. So I told them we were taking a meal to bless a family whose mommy and daddy died. Even though I don't know this family, the words were still hard to say and I choked up. That was the whole conversation. It lasted just a few seconds. M said "Neigh" once when we saw a horse and N laughed. I wonder how I'll explain these types of things in a year or two when they are in the "why?" stage. I want to be truthful, especially when I'm showing them how to care for others.
So I'm counting my blessings tonight. The thought of three boys, ages 18, 12, and 9, growing up without parents brings tears to my eyes. And if I think about it too much...*sigh*...I think I'll go eat some chili.
2 med. Onions, coarsely chopped
1-1.5 lbs. ground beef, browned and drained
2 garlic cloves, minced
¾ c. finely diced green peppers
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
30-32 oz beans (kidney and/or pinto)
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. pepper
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 Tbs. or more chili powder
1 tsp. dried basil
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover, cook on low 8-12 hours or high 5-6 hours. I serve it with cornbread muffins and shredded cheese.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Grandma's Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
My audience is clamoring for the recipe, so here it is. I hope you love it as much as my family does!
Grandma K’s Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
You can cut this recipe in ½ to make only 18 cinnamon rolls
2 pkgs. dry yeast 1 tsp salt
2 cups lukewarm water 1 egg
½ cup sugar 6 level cups flour
4 tbsp melted butter or margarine or oil
Grease big bowl - Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water
Add beaten egg, salt and sugar
Add 3 cups flour, mix
Add melted butter
Add last 3 cups flour, finish mixing
Cover with wax paper or loose wrap - Let stand until doubled in size
After it is doubled in size you may either tightly wrap it and put it in the refrigerator overnight or continue...I usually continue and put the prepared rolls in the refrigerator overnight.
Prepare 3 muffin pans (makes 36 rolls)
Grease pans
Place 1 pat butter in bottom of each cup
1 tsp brown sugar in each
Add nuts in each (walnuts or pecans) optional
Divide dough in ½
Roll dough (don’t be afraid to roll to big, it will shrink back)
Brush with more melted butter
Sprinkle cinnamon and hand crumble brown sugar over dough
Roll and cut into 18 slices
Place roll cut side up in muffin pan
Repeat with other ½ of dough
Cover airtight with saran and refrigerate overnight or let rise for two hours
Take out of refrigerator and let raise 2 hours
Bake at 325 for 20 minutes or 350 for 16 minutes (watch)
They will be light brown when done.
Flip muffin pan onto wax paper and remove pan - Enjoy!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Food For Thought
A number of things have conspired to make me cook.
1. New pots and pans as gifts from my mom and mother-in-law. Having the right tools makes things much easier. Thanks, moms!
2. A bit more time to actually cook things, now that I'm staying at home.
3. Cub grocery store and I have a regular date night once a week, something I look forward to these days.
4. I've mastered the basics of one-dish skillet meals and crock pot cooking and I'm bored with the old recipes.
5. We don't go out to eat anymore. We just don't.
About a month ago, I was making a grocery list, trying to decide what to make, when I decided to try some new recipes. My husband unwittingly inspired me to do this when he brought home a sampler pack of spices from his business trip to Turkey. I took out my big 'ol Good Housekeeping cookbook, (my cooking Bible) and a "healthy cooking" type cookbook I'd rarely used because I didn't know what some of the ingredients were. Made a list, shopped, and cooked. Here are the results:
1. The "healthy cooking" cookbook introduced me to lemongrass, thai fish sauce, and red curry paste. The recipes using those ingredients were just okay. Other recipes were terrible and I couldn't find some of the crazy ingredients! I've given up on that cookbook because, let's be honest, it's winter, I'm in the suburbs, in the Midwest...not gonna find that stuff at my neighborhood grocery store! The only one I kept after ditching the cookbook was "Sticky Sesame Bananas," where I got to caramelize sugar, pour it over bananas and dip them into a sugar/vanilla/mascarpone cheese concoction. YUM!
2. MUCH better results with the Good Housekeeping book! I've made homemade meatballs, stuffed cabbage, lemon icebox cookies, sweet potato pie, Italian sausage and peppers, cottage pie (because, did you know, that shepherd's pie is made with lamb, but if you make it with ground beef, it's cottage pie?), turkey chili, omelets, and frittata.
Okay, they're not ALL turning out great. For example, I needed to contribute something to the weekly brunch at my mom's group one Tuesday morning. The frittata recipe (beside my successful omelet recipe, below) looked easy enough. Just cook it "until the middle is almost set, about 10 minutes." Ten minutes goes by and it's looking like raw eggs in the pan still, so I keep cooking it. Fifteen, then twenty. Okay, this has got to be long enough, I think. I pop it in the broiler for one minute like it said, take it out...still looks goopy - pop it back into the broiler one more minute...yes! It looks like I think it should (wish I had a picture for this recipe), so I sliced it and...it's CRUNCHY on the bottom. Not just, well, it's still edible kinda crunchy. No, it's NASTY CRUNCHY. I cut myself a sliver. Yuck! Steve's curious, so I cut him a sliver. "We have a problem," he says. Yep. Five minutes later, I was walking out the door with a huge tray of orange smiles.
I'm very proud of my omelets. I wish I'd have taken a photo, but that was before it occurred to me that I could digitally document this foray into cooking. It's a simple recipe and I'm a bit ashamed it's taken me this long to figure it out, but I learned that the PAN is the key. Yep, I thought I'd been making omelets all along, you see, but I finally got a 10" pan in my box of pans (I mean OUR box of pans) formy OUR Christmas gift. What I'd been making was scrambled eggs pressed down to resemble an omelet. A TEN INCH PAN is what makes scrambled eggs into omelets!
Basic Omelets from Good Housekeeping
make your filling beforehand. I halved the following recipe:
1Tb. olive oil
1 small onion
1 green pepper
8 oz. mushrooms
1/4 tsp. salt
cook until vegetables are tender and liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes
add 4 oz. sliced ham, finely chopped (about 1 c.) and heat through. Use 1/4 filling for each omelet.
8 large eggs
1/2 c. water
1/2 tsp. salt
4 tsp. butter (or margarine, but I've converted to the good stuff for cooking)
1. Prepare filling. In a med. bowl, with a wire whisk, beat eggs, water, and salt. (Water? I'd been using milk, so there ya go, something new)
2. In a nonstick 10 INCH SKILLET melt 1 tsp. butter over med-high heat. Pour 1/2 c. egg mixture into skillet. Cook, gently lifting edge of eggs with heat-safe rubber spatula and tilting pan to allow uncooked eggs to run underneath, until eggs are set, about 1 minute. Spoon 1/4 of filling over half the omelet. Fold unfilled half of omelet over filling and sline onto warm plate. Repeat with remining butter, egg mixture, and filling. If desired, keep omeltes warm in 200 oven until all omelets are cooked. Makes 4 main-dish servings.
Soon, I'll be making omelets for my sons. In the meantime, I'm adjusting to the fact that they are big enough to feed themselves Cheerios. Here they are eating breakfast before this morning's mom's group
By the way, they're loving the homemade babyfood. Tonight is an extra-special treat. They're getting the sweet-potato pie filling (before I added all the sugar and eggs): sweet potatoes with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Mmmm...I tasted it and it's good!
So is the pie:
1. New pots and pans as gifts from my mom and mother-in-law. Having the right tools makes things much easier. Thanks, moms!
2. A bit more time to actually cook things, now that I'm staying at home.
3. Cub grocery store and I have a regular date night once a week, something I look forward to these days.
4. I've mastered the basics of one-dish skillet meals and crock pot cooking and I'm bored with the old recipes.
5. We don't go out to eat anymore. We just don't.
About a month ago, I was making a grocery list, trying to decide what to make, when I decided to try some new recipes. My husband unwittingly inspired me to do this when he brought home a sampler pack of spices from his business trip to Turkey. I took out my big 'ol Good Housekeeping cookbook, (my cooking Bible) and a "healthy cooking" type cookbook I'd rarely used because I didn't know what some of the ingredients were. Made a list, shopped, and cooked. Here are the results:
1. The "healthy cooking" cookbook introduced me to lemongrass, thai fish sauce, and red curry paste. The recipes using those ingredients were just okay. Other recipes were terrible and I couldn't find some of the crazy ingredients! I've given up on that cookbook because, let's be honest, it's winter, I'm in the suburbs, in the Midwest...not gonna find that stuff at my neighborhood grocery store! The only one I kept after ditching the cookbook was "Sticky Sesame Bananas," where I got to caramelize sugar, pour it over bananas and dip them into a sugar/vanilla/mascarpone cheese concoction. YUM!
2. MUCH better results with the Good Housekeeping book! I've made homemade meatballs, stuffed cabbage, lemon icebox cookies, sweet potato pie, Italian sausage and peppers, cottage pie (because, did you know, that shepherd's pie is made with lamb, but if you make it with ground beef, it's cottage pie?), turkey chili, omelets, and frittata.
Okay, they're not ALL turning out great. For example, I needed to contribute something to the weekly brunch at my mom's group one Tuesday morning. The frittata recipe (beside my successful omelet recipe, below) looked easy enough. Just cook it "until the middle is almost set, about 10 minutes." Ten minutes goes by and it's looking like raw eggs in the pan still, so I keep cooking it. Fifteen, then twenty. Okay, this has got to be long enough, I think. I pop it in the broiler for one minute like it said, take it out...still looks goopy - pop it back into the broiler one more minute...yes! It looks like I think it should (wish I had a picture for this recipe), so I sliced it and...it's CRUNCHY on the bottom. Not just, well, it's still edible kinda crunchy. No, it's NASTY CRUNCHY. I cut myself a sliver. Yuck! Steve's curious, so I cut him a sliver. "We have a problem," he says. Yep. Five minutes later, I was walking out the door with a huge tray of orange smiles.
I'm very proud of my omelets. I wish I'd have taken a photo, but that was before it occurred to me that I could digitally document this foray into cooking. It's a simple recipe and I'm a bit ashamed it's taken me this long to figure it out, but I learned that the PAN is the key. Yep, I thought I'd been making omelets all along, you see, but I finally got a 10" pan in my box of pans (I mean OUR box of pans) for
make your filling beforehand. I halved the following recipe:
1Tb. olive oil
1 small onion
1 green pepper
8 oz. mushrooms
1/4 tsp. salt
cook until vegetables are tender and liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes
add 4 oz. sliced ham, finely chopped (about 1 c.) and heat through. Use 1/4 filling for each omelet.
8 large eggs
1/2 c. water
1/2 tsp. salt
4 tsp. butter (or margarine, but I've converted to the good stuff for cooking)
1. Prepare filling. In a med. bowl, with a wire whisk, beat eggs, water, and salt. (Water? I'd been using milk, so there ya go, something new)
2. In a nonstick 10 INCH SKILLET melt 1 tsp. butter over med-high heat. Pour 1/2 c. egg mixture into skillet. Cook, gently lifting edge of eggs with heat-safe rubber spatula and tilting pan to allow uncooked eggs to run underneath, until eggs are set, about 1 minute. Spoon 1/4 of filling over half the omelet. Fold unfilled half of omelet over filling and sline onto warm plate. Repeat with remining butter, egg mixture, and filling. If desired, keep omeltes warm in 200 oven until all omelets are cooked. Makes 4 main-dish servings.
Soon, I'll be making omelets for my sons. In the meantime, I'm adjusting to the fact that they are big enough to feed themselves Cheerios. Here they are eating breakfast before this morning's mom's group
So is the pie:
I think I'll go have a piece now.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Happy New Year! Happy New Dish!
Boy o boy, did we have a good time over New Year's! It was our first New Year's celebration with kids and it was magical! Just kidding. It was a night much like every other night, but we spent it at Grandma A's house. The boys were fed and wrestled to bed. Speaking of feeding, here are a couple 'foodie' shots you haven't seen yet:
Nathan blowing raspberries with his veggies at Princess Juliana Airport in St. Maarten
Matthew now puts his hand in his mouth after EVERY BITE!
Once the boys were finally asleep, Steve and I rung in the New Year with his family playing euchre and killer scrabble, watching football and Dick Clark - er, Ryan Seacrest's?- New Year's Rockin' Eve, followed by a kiss and me immediately retiring at 12:01! Who in their right mind stays up till midnight when the babes are asleep by 8? Okay, one was up till 9, but you know what I mean.
Here's a funny New Year's Eve story: I made a cheese ball for the party that was quite delish, and my mom loaned me her pretty chip and dip bowl to take to my mother-in-law's. Well, Someone Who Will Remain Unnamed put the bowl in the refrigerator's door-shelf area, then proceeded to open the door and the dish dropped on the floor, breaking the edge of the leaf off. GRRR! This is probably a health hazard, but the dip was so good, we decided to scoop out the fragments and still serve the cheese ball. The broken edge wasn't very noticeable and an unsuspecting guest was enjoying the dip when she suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, no! What's on that cracker? Did I break a tooth?" Utterly humiliated, I had to admit what happened and that she probably was eating a shard of broken porcelain. Needless to say, she moved on to another cheese ball. I on the other hand, devoured most of my cheese ball.
Even funnier? I knew my mom used the dish at every holiday and get-together she hosted, so I spent an hour searching the internet for a replacement dish. Someone Who Will Remain Unnamed must not be the only person who's broken this bowl because I found chip plates sans bowl for sale, but only one set. I determined that paying 57% of the sale price for shipping was beyond my budget and confessed Someone Who Will Remain Unnamed's discretion to my mom, praying it wasn't a family heirloom. She laughed and said, "Finally I have a reason to throw this dish away! I took it out of Grandma's garage sale years ago because I never had one! I hate this dish!" Utterly amazed - and relieved - I learned the only reason she used that dish at every party was because it was the only one she had. Guess what she's getting for her next birthday?
Broken Dish Cheese Ball
1 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened
2 small packages of chipped beef, chopped small
1 bunch of green onions, sliced
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. lemon juice
mix it all together and let it chill before the party.
Don't drop the dish!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Slow Cooker Pot Roast and Chili
What's for dinner? Tonight I'm making Slow Cooker Pot Roast and I thought I'd share the recipe because I know a couple of my readers are collecting slow cooker recipes. I'm adding the chili, too, one of my favorite recipes.
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
4 lbs. chuck roast
salt and pepper to taste
1 pkt. dry onion soup mix
1 c. water
3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 stalk celery, chopped
Season the chuck roast with salt and pepper to taste. Brown on all sides in a large skillet over high heat.
Place in the slow cooker and add the soup mix, water, carrots, onion, potatoes and celery.
Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Crock Pot Chili
2 med. onions, coarsely chopped
1-1.5 lbs ground beef, browned and drained
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 c. finely diced green peppers
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
30-32 oz beans (kidney and/or pinto)
8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 tsp. beaumonde spice, optional
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 Tbs. (or more) chili powder
1 tsp. dried basil
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover. Cook on low 8-12 hours or high 5-6 hours.
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
4 lbs. chuck roast
salt and pepper to taste
1 pkt. dry onion soup mix
1 c. water
3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 stalk celery, chopped
Season the chuck roast with salt and pepper to taste. Brown on all sides in a large skillet over high heat.
Place in the slow cooker and add the soup mix, water, carrots, onion, potatoes and celery.
Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Crock Pot Chili
2 med. onions, coarsely chopped
1-1.5 lbs ground beef, browned and drained
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 c. finely diced green peppers
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
30-32 oz beans (kidney and/or pinto)
8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 tsp. beaumonde spice, optional
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 Tbs. (or more) chili powder
1 tsp. dried basil
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover. Cook on low 8-12 hours or high 5-6 hours.
Friday, October 23, 2009
This Week in Numbers
1 golden shower from Matthew, on me!
2 high chairs were moved into the dining room because I promised Matthew I would if he slept through the night after having cereal.
3 nights of uninterrupted sleep...it's getting better all the time.
4 times I've left the house - not bad!
5 poopy diapers changed on Thursday alone.
6 twins were at the Moms and Muffins meeting on Tuesday
Loads of fun with buddies G and A in their scary costumes, and girlfriend M, whose sister Z took a nap.
7 loads of laundry done (so far!)
8 baby baths are given in our house each week
12 yellow roses were given to me from my wonderful husband
20 baby fingernails are clipped each week
36 degrees is the temperature right now, with periods of freezing rain and snow. Gosh I love Minnesota.
40 minutes it will take to bake the Poppyseed Chicken, a favorite recipe from Steve's family. Can't wait for dinner tonight:
Poppyseed Chicken
4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
8 oz. sour cream
1.5 sleeves Ritz crackers, crushed
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1-2 Tbs. poppyseed
1 stick butter, melted
Mix shredded chicken, soup and sour cream and spread into a 9 X 13 pan. Mix crushed crackers and poppyseeds and sprinkle on top of chicken mixure. Drizzle butter over pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until crackers are slightly browned and mixture is heated through. Serves 8
42 naps are taken each week...ah, so peaceful. I use that time to blog and cook (and do laundry, clean the house, take out the dirty diapers...you get the picture).
60 minutes is how long it took to bake Oatmeal Cake, an old family recipe passed on to me from my mom. The boys helped:
Mmm...can't wait to eat the cake! What? How many more months till we can eat real food? Dang.
Oatmeal Cake
1 c. oatmeal
1.5 c boiling water
Mix and let stand. Meanwhile cream together:
1 c. margarine or butter
1c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 c. brown sugar
Then add:
1.5 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
Add oatmeal and mix well. Pour in a loaf pan or 9 X 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes (I needed 60 for the loaf pan).
126 diapers used per week, approximately!
200 smiles and laughs!
2 high chairs were moved into the dining room because I promised Matthew I would if he slept through the night after having cereal.
3 nights of uninterrupted sleep...it's getting better all the time.
4 times I've left the house - not bad!
5 poopy diapers changed on Thursday alone.
6 twins were at the Moms and Muffins meeting on Tuesday
Loads of fun with buddies G and A in their scary costumes, and girlfriend M, whose sister Z took a nap.
7 loads of laundry done (so far!)
8 baby baths are given in our house each week
12 yellow roses were given to me from my wonderful husband
20 baby fingernails are clipped each week
36 degrees is the temperature right now, with periods of freezing rain and snow. Gosh I love Minnesota.
40 minutes it will take to bake the Poppyseed Chicken, a favorite recipe from Steve's family. Can't wait for dinner tonight:
Poppyseed Chicken
4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
8 oz. sour cream
1.5 sleeves Ritz crackers, crushed
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1-2 Tbs. poppyseed
1 stick butter, melted
Mix shredded chicken, soup and sour cream and spread into a 9 X 13 pan. Mix crushed crackers and poppyseeds and sprinkle on top of chicken mixure. Drizzle butter over pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until crackers are slightly browned and mixture is heated through. Serves 8
42 naps are taken each week...ah, so peaceful. I use that time to blog and cook (and do laundry, clean the house, take out the dirty diapers...you get the picture).
60 minutes is how long it took to bake Oatmeal Cake, an old family recipe passed on to me from my mom. The boys helped:
Oatmeal Cake
1 c. oatmeal
1.5 c boiling water
Mix and let stand. Meanwhile cream together:
1 c. margarine or butter
1c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 c. brown sugar
Then add:
1.5 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
Add oatmeal and mix well. Pour in a loaf pan or 9 X 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes (I needed 60 for the loaf pan).
126 diapers used per week, approximately!
200 smiles and laughs!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Crackpot Happiness
When Hubs and I got engaged, I became terrified. I realized that I didn't know how to cook! I'd been watching my mom cook my whole life, and, of course, EATING my whole life, but until I got engaged, I'd never thought much about actually COOKING (heaven forbid)!
So, my marvelous mom and fabulous mother-in-law took pity on me and threw two INCREDIBLE bridal showers! For one, people had to bring their favorite recipes on cards mailed in their invitations, and the other was a Pamperd Bride shower, where the guests bought Pampered Chef cooking gadgets for ME. It was an incredible way to start out married life, with a kitchen full of high-quality products and a boatload of recipes.
That being said, I must confess that hands down, my all-time FAVORITE kitchen gadget is my Crock Pot! Seven and a half years ago, Mrs. K and Mrs. M bought me a Crock Pot and a "Fix it and Forget it" cookbook. They look like they are about 20 years old and have been through a war, that's how much I use them!
At first, I thought it way too old-ladyish. What can you cook in a Crock Pot besides meatballs? I don't even like meatballs (except for Grandma P's homemade meatballs, mmm...)! But then, I got desperate.
I was teaching.
I was WAY too tired after a whole day of herding cats to make a meal, and I was sick of eating quick-fix food. So, I dug through the closets and cabinets and pulled out the Crock Pot and "Fix it..." book. (Perhaps it's more PC to say "slow cooker" but I like to say Crock Pot, mostly because in one of my cookbooks [CCC 2003, page 60] , my mom's recipe has a typo that says "May be put in crackpot to simmer or stove top," which makes me laugh so hard! Crackpot!)
The experimentation began. My husband, bless his heart, will try anything I cook (at least once). I'm not sure if because he's an adventurous eater or he just knows what's best for him, but I love him for it. After the meal, I'd ask him if the recipe was a "keeper," and if it was, it would get entered into our special cookbook.
The special cookbook was a shower gift from Aunt J. It cost her very little, but its contents are priceless. She wrote on the front page of a blank journal:
Dear Kim,
This book is to fill with your favorite recipes. Whenever you come across a good recipe, be sure to write it down on an old receipt, scrap paper or even a napkin. Then write it in this book. You will find that you will use this book most of the time. I sometimes take mine to the grocery store with me. Love to you and Happy Cooking!
J.
And she was right! It's bulging with my favorites cut from magazines, rewritten from other cookbooks, snipped off of boxes, newspapers and all taped in there, along with several of the recipe cards from my shower.
It's FULL of crock pot recipes. Honestly, I sometimes think I could write a book about crock pot recipes. But then I realize it's already been done. Because many of my recipes came from it. So I don't.
I LOVE smelling a roast cooking in the Crock Pot on a cold Minnesota winter afternoon, after coming home from a hard day of middle school. All you have to do is set the table and make a salad, and voila! a hot, homemade, healthy dinner. There's nothing like it!
Except for chili.
And Chicken Tortilla Soup.
And Chicken in a Pot.
And Sour Cream Beef.
And Slow Simmered Beef Stew.
And Chicken Cacciatore.
And Wild Rice Hot Dish.
And Golden Glow Pork Chops.
And Pork Chop Dinner.
And Violette's Lasagna.
And Homemade BBQ (Mom's Crackpot recipe!)
And Spiced Cider
I'm getting hungry.
My friends found out I'm an old crackpot lady and have been asking me for recipes ever since. Here's the easiest and yummiest, all-time favorite crack pot recipe I have (from Fix it and Forget it):
Chicken Tortilla Soup
4 chicken breast halves
(2) 15 oz. cans black beans, drained
(2) 15 oz cans Mexican stewed tomatoes, or Ro-tel (I like diced tomatoes with green chilis better than stewed, but that's just what I do)
1 c. salsa
1 Tbs. cumin (DO NOT SKIP THIS INGREDIENT!!!! Trust me.)
(1) 4 oz. can chopped green chilis
(1) 14.5 oz can tomato sauce (I've used tomato soup before, too)
tortilla chips and grated cheese
Combine all ingredients except chips and cheese in Crock Pot. Cover, cook on low 8 hours. Just before serving, remove chicken and slice into bite-sized pieces. Stir into soup. Serve topped with cheese and chips.
Here's one we just did two weekends ago, when it was chilly here:
Hot Spiced Cider (from allrecipes.com)
1/4 c. brown sugar (I reduced it to 2 Tbs. based on reviews and it was good)
1/2 tsp. of whole allspice (okay, I used ground, but it still was good)
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp. of salt (can anyone tell me why?)
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 large orange, quartered with peel
2 quarts of apple cider
The recipe says you can make it in your coffee pot, but I'm not into cleaning coffee pots, so I dumped it into my crackpot and turned it up on high for a couple hours. Delicious!
I'll write some more recipes for you later. Gotta try a couple out again before I pass them on to you!
Love to you and Happy Cooking!
So, my marvelous mom and fabulous mother-in-law took pity on me and threw two INCREDIBLE bridal showers! For one, people had to bring their favorite recipes on cards mailed in their invitations, and the other was a Pamperd Bride shower, where the guests bought Pampered Chef cooking gadgets for ME. It was an incredible way to start out married life, with a kitchen full of high-quality products and a boatload of recipes.
That being said, I must confess that hands down, my all-time FAVORITE kitchen gadget is my Crock Pot! Seven and a half years ago, Mrs. K and Mrs. M bought me a Crock Pot and a "Fix it and Forget it" cookbook. They look like they are about 20 years old and have been through a war, that's how much I use them!
At first, I thought it way too old-ladyish. What can you cook in a Crock Pot besides meatballs? I don't even like meatballs (except for Grandma P's homemade meatballs, mmm...)! But then, I got desperate.
I was teaching.
I was WAY too tired after a whole day of herding cats to make a meal, and I was sick of eating quick-fix food. So, I dug through the closets and cabinets and pulled out the Crock Pot and "Fix it..." book. (Perhaps it's more PC to say "slow cooker" but I like to say Crock Pot, mostly because in one of my cookbooks [CCC 2003, page 60] , my mom's recipe has a typo that says "May be put in crackpot to simmer or stove top," which makes me laugh so hard! Crackpot!)
The experimentation began. My husband, bless his heart, will try anything I cook (at least once). I'm not sure if because he's an adventurous eater or he just knows what's best for him, but I love him for it. After the meal, I'd ask him if the recipe was a "keeper," and if it was, it would get entered into our special cookbook.
The special cookbook was a shower gift from Aunt J. It cost her very little, but its contents are priceless. She wrote on the front page of a blank journal:
Dear Kim,
This book is to fill with your favorite recipes. Whenever you come across a good recipe, be sure to write it down on an old receipt, scrap paper or even a napkin. Then write it in this book. You will find that you will use this book most of the time. I sometimes take mine to the grocery store with me. Love to you and Happy Cooking!
J.
And she was right! It's bulging with my favorites cut from magazines, rewritten from other cookbooks, snipped off of boxes, newspapers and all taped in there, along with several of the recipe cards from my shower.
It's FULL of crock pot recipes. Honestly, I sometimes think I could write a book about crock pot recipes. But then I realize it's already been done. Because many of my recipes came from it. So I don't.
I LOVE smelling a roast cooking in the Crock Pot on a cold Minnesota winter afternoon, after coming home from a hard day of middle school. All you have to do is set the table and make a salad, and voila! a hot, homemade, healthy dinner. There's nothing like it!
Except for chili.
And Chicken Tortilla Soup.
And Chicken in a Pot.
And Sour Cream Beef.
And Slow Simmered Beef Stew.
And Chicken Cacciatore.
And Wild Rice Hot Dish.
And Golden Glow Pork Chops.
And Pork Chop Dinner.
And Violette's Lasagna.
And Homemade BBQ (Mom's Crackpot recipe!)
And Spiced Cider
I'm getting hungry.
My friends found out I'm an old crackpot lady and have been asking me for recipes ever since. Here's the easiest and yummiest, all-time favorite crack pot recipe I have (from Fix it and Forget it):
Chicken Tortilla Soup
4 chicken breast halves
(2) 15 oz. cans black beans, drained
(2) 15 oz cans Mexican stewed tomatoes, or Ro-tel (I like diced tomatoes with green chilis better than stewed, but that's just what I do)
1 c. salsa
1 Tbs. cumin (DO NOT SKIP THIS INGREDIENT!!!! Trust me.)
(1) 4 oz. can chopped green chilis
(1) 14.5 oz can tomato sauce (I've used tomato soup before, too)
tortilla chips and grated cheese
Combine all ingredients except chips and cheese in Crock Pot. Cover, cook on low 8 hours. Just before serving, remove chicken and slice into bite-sized pieces. Stir into soup. Serve topped with cheese and chips.
Here's one we just did two weekends ago, when it was chilly here:
Hot Spiced Cider (from allrecipes.com)
1/4 c. brown sugar (I reduced it to 2 Tbs. based on reviews and it was good)
1/2 tsp. of whole allspice (okay, I used ground, but it still was good)
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp. of salt (can anyone tell me why?)
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 large orange, quartered with peel
2 quarts of apple cider
The recipe says you can make it in your coffee pot, but I'm not into cleaning coffee pots, so I dumped it into my crackpot and turned it up on high for a couple hours. Delicious!
I'll write some more recipes for you later. Gotta try a couple out again before I pass them on to you!
Love to you and Happy Cooking!
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