I'm about to make the following, which is major comfort food from my childhood (fairly indicative of the fact that my dad's family is genetically predisposed not to have high cholesterol). Yum.
German Potato Salad
6 potatoes
1/2 lb bacon
4 Tbsp bacon grease
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c vinegar
1 c water
1/2 c pickles, diced
1/3 c onion
summer sausage, optional
1. chop and boil potatoes
2. fry bacon, drain (saving grease as needed), and crumble
3. combine grease and flour in the bacon pan, adding sugar, vinegar, and water. Cook, stirring until thick.
4. add onion and pickles, pour over drained potatoes
5. chill in a 2 qt baking dish and cook later at 350F for 30 min (with sausage on top) OR cut up sausage, add to hot potato mixture, and eat when heated through
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
soup #7
Monday night was the final soup night of 2009. To mark the occasion, and to honor the upcoming holiday, I made Christmas soup (which was actually this recipe for Pasta Fagoli, heeding the recommendation of many to replace the called-for bacon with Italian sausage, and using tiny bowtie pasta). This is really good soup.
In attendance: me, Amanda, Laura, Jessica, Kristin, Adam F., Lindsey, and Jennifer
Extra tidbits: the soup was made in a borrowed stock pot much bigger than my own. In addition to the usual bread from the bakery, guests contributed homemade peanut brittle and cookies, author-gifted yummy chocolate something, and the drink of the evening: Sparkling Mary Pickfords*
To spare: much. Some was given away to a friend in need of a few meals for the week and the rest is still being consumed by me :)
*Sparkling Mary Pickford
2 Tbsp white rum
2 Tbsp pineapple juice
1 tsp grenadine syrup
1/2 c Champagne or sparkling wine
Shake rum, pineapple juice and grenadine with about 4 ice cubes.
Strain into the glass and fill up with ice-cold champagne.
In attendance: me, Amanda, Laura, Jessica, Kristin, Adam F., Lindsey, and Jennifer
Extra tidbits: the soup was made in a borrowed stock pot much bigger than my own. In addition to the usual bread from the bakery, guests contributed homemade peanut brittle and cookies, author-gifted yummy chocolate something, and the drink of the evening: Sparkling Mary Pickfords*
To spare: much. Some was given away to a friend in need of a few meals for the week and the rest is still being consumed by me :)
*Sparkling Mary Pickford
2 Tbsp white rum
2 Tbsp pineapple juice
1 tsp grenadine syrup
1/2 c Champagne or sparkling wine
Shake rum, pineapple juice and grenadine with about 4 ice cubes.
Strain into the glass and fill up with ice-cold champagne.
gravy catastrophe
Somewhere in the midst of all the Thanksgiving afternoon eating, I managed to drop the gravy boat. And this was not your ordinary dropping of the gravy boat. What happened, in no particular order:
- gravy was dropped (well, obviously this happened first)
- my food was covered in gravy grease
- my wine glass tipped over onto my cousin's plate (though he went ahead and ate the wine-soaked turkey and almost liked it)
- gravy glopped all over our side of the table, and the floor, which happened to be the carpet in the middle of the living room (perhaps we'll eat downstairs again next time)
- grease splashed on the couch behind me (again, eating downstairs)
- grease got on various articles of clothing of the three cousins to my left
- my wardrobe staple brown sweater from Gap is forever ruined
- the edge of my plate cracked such that it, too, was forever ruined
If anything, I was reminded of two things. One, no wonder I cried when spilling something or breaking something when I was little; it's traumatic! Two, as a host I would have been as gracious as my mother, who had to remind me quite a few times that none of this was a big deal. Sheesh.
- gravy was dropped (well, obviously this happened first)
- my food was covered in gravy grease
- my wine glass tipped over onto my cousin's plate (though he went ahead and ate the wine-soaked turkey and almost liked it)
- gravy glopped all over our side of the table, and the floor, which happened to be the carpet in the middle of the living room (perhaps we'll eat downstairs again next time)
- grease splashed on the couch behind me (again, eating downstairs)
- grease got on various articles of clothing of the three cousins to my left
- my wardrobe staple brown sweater from Gap is forever ruined
- the edge of my plate cracked such that it, too, was forever ruined
If anything, I was reminded of two things. One, no wonder I cried when spilling something or breaking something when I was little; it's traumatic! Two, as a host I would have been as gracious as my mother, who had to remind me quite a few times that none of this was a big deal. Sheesh.
simple baked apples
Nothing is more fat-free, oil-free, and meat-free than fruit. But the baked apples I made as a dessert option for my dad ended up as a hit for everyone. Here's the recipe from allrecipes.com, though I only used 1/4 c sugar, replaced the individual spices with just cinnamon and bit of pumpkin pie spice, omitted the walnuts, and used skim milk:
Ingredients:
6 apples - peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup whole milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 2 quart casserole dish, or coat with non-stick cooking spray.
Place apples in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Stir spice mixture into apples until evenly distributed. Fold in raisins and walnuts. Spoon into prepared dish. Pour milk evenly over apple mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until soft and bubbly. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Ingredients:
6 apples - peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup whole milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 2 quart casserole dish, or coat with non-stick cooking spray.
Place apples in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Stir spice mixture into apples until evenly distributed. Fold in raisins and walnuts. Spoon into prepared dish. Pour milk evenly over apple mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until soft and bubbly. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
moo shu vegetables
One of the trials and travails of my family's Thanksgiving experience was my dad's temporary, doctor-ordered no meat, no fats, no oils, no alcohol diet. Most of the Thanksgiving day food was adapted in one way or another, but there were still plenty of meals we needed to eat while I was home. I was excited to traverse the internet to find something that we all could enjoy and as a group we landed on Moo Shu Vegetables cobbled together from a few different sources. Here's my best approximation of the result:
much Olive Oil-based cooking spray
a plop of minced garlic
a bag of broccoli slaw
a bag of shredded cabbage
some red pepper flakes
some garlic flakes
generous squirts of lime juice and teriyaki
served on flour tortillas with either plum sauce, soy sauce, or extra teriyaki
This was extremely yummy.
much Olive Oil-based cooking spray
a plop of minced garlic
a bag of broccoli slaw
a bag of shredded cabbage
some red pepper flakes
some garlic flakes
generous squirts of lime juice and teriyaki
served on flour tortillas with either plum sauce, soy sauce, or extra teriyaki
This was extremely yummy.
Point West French Chocolate Pie
Though this pie was one of my mom's many, many contributions to the Thanksgiving menu this year, I was thrilled to have the chance to make it on her behalf.**
So I'm chugging along, creaming things, melting things, beating each egg for 5 minutes, when suddenly it dawns on me that something seems to be missing from the instructions. Where does it say how long to bake it? Wait. What? You don't bake this pie!? There are eggs in there!! Uhhh... I like this pie so much that I needed to stop thinking about it at this point and finish up. And yes, I ate at least two pieces and so far I'm fine. ;)
(from Eet Smakelijk)
9" baked pastry shell or graham cracker crust
Filling:
3/4 c butter
1 c sugar
2 (1 oz each) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
3 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
sweetened whipped cream
Cream butter. Add sugar slowly and whip till smooth. Blend in chocolate. Add eggs one at a time, whipping 5 mins after each (very important). Add vanilla. Pour into pie shell. Chill several hours. Top with whipped cream.
8 servings
**especially since I have a very distinct memory of her making this pie when I was little: when she stepped away from the mixer (while it was beating one of the eggs), it decided to explode chocolate pie filling all over the kitchen--every horizontal and vertical surface. And, if I'm not mistaken, we had carpet in that kitchen at that particular time. Gross.
So I'm chugging along, creaming things, melting things, beating each egg for 5 minutes, when suddenly it dawns on me that something seems to be missing from the instructions. Where does it say how long to bake it? Wait. What? You don't bake this pie!? There are eggs in there!! Uhhh... I like this pie so much that I needed to stop thinking about it at this point and finish up. And yes, I ate at least two pieces and so far I'm fine. ;)
(from Eet Smakelijk)
9" baked pastry shell or graham cracker crust
Filling:
3/4 c butter
1 c sugar
2 (1 oz each) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
3 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
sweetened whipped cream
Cream butter. Add sugar slowly and whip till smooth. Blend in chocolate. Add eggs one at a time, whipping 5 mins after each (very important). Add vanilla. Pour into pie shell. Chill several hours. Top with whipped cream.
8 servings
**especially since I have a very distinct memory of her making this pie when I was little: when she stepped away from the mixer (while it was beating one of the eggs), it decided to explode chocolate pie filling all over the kitchen--every horizontal and vertical surface. And, if I'm not mistaken, we had carpet in that kitchen at that particular time. Gross.
mac & cheese
Right before Thanksgiving, on a night that I could ill-afford the time, I came across this idea for homemade mac & cheese (though the actual recipe is one link further). It looked amazing, so I made it. My biggest mistake was not using much sharper cheese, and I probably should have used a smaller pan than a 9x13, but I'll make it again for sure. Maybe I'll try blending the "sauce" in my Magic Bullet. Oh, and what I originally thought were diced tomatoes were, in fact, red peppers. I ended up using canned, diced tomatoes and didn't like the flavor they added to the dish. Next time I'll either use fresh ones or keep them out.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Thanksgiving evening soup
This is my grandma's soup recipe. We'll be having it as our Thanksgiving evening meal but I'm posting it early so my mom can have the ingredients on-hand. :)
GRANDMA’S MEATBALL MINESTRONE
Mini meatballs (see recipe below)
1 big can tomatoes, undrained
1 can kidney beans, undrained
1 can corn, undrained
2 c water
½ c red wine or water
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 med onion, chopped
1 c + elbow macaroni
2 zucchini, sliced
Parmesan cheese
1. Prepare meatballs
2. Mix tomatoes – onion; boil and add meatballs. Refrigerate if necessary
3. Heat and add macaroni and zucchini; simmer until cooked
4. Serve with grate Parmesan cheese
MINI MEATBALLS
1 lb ground beef
1 egg
1 small onion, chopped
¼ c bread crumbs
¼ c milk
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp parsley
1 tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp basil
Salt and pepper
1. Mix ingredients. Shape into 1-inch balls
2. Bake in lightly greased pan at 400 degrees for 15-20 min
3. Freeze on cookie sheet about 3 hours
4. Place in freezer containers
GRANDMA’S MEATBALL MINESTRONE
Mini meatballs (see recipe below)
1 big can tomatoes, undrained
1 can kidney beans, undrained
1 can corn, undrained
2 c water
½ c red wine or water
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 med onion, chopped
1 c + elbow macaroni
2 zucchini, sliced
Parmesan cheese
1. Prepare meatballs
2. Mix tomatoes – onion; boil and add meatballs. Refrigerate if necessary
3. Heat and add macaroni and zucchini; simmer until cooked
4. Serve with grate Parmesan cheese
MINI MEATBALLS
1 lb ground beef
1 egg
1 small onion, chopped
¼ c bread crumbs
¼ c milk
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp parsley
1 tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp basil
Salt and pepper
1. Mix ingredients. Shape into 1-inch balls
2. Bake in lightly greased pan at 400 degrees for 15-20 min
3. Freeze on cookie sheet about 3 hours
4. Place in freezer containers
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
soup #6
Monday night I made Unstuffed Pepper Soup, a recipe I found in my mom's files while home this past weekend. I immediately knew it was going to be my next soup and it was a hit. Because a lot of the ingredients come from cans, it was a very low-fuss construction with little clean-up required. Always a plus.
Here's the recipe!
Unstuffed Pepper Soup
1 1/2 lb ground beef
3 lg green peppers, chopped
1 lg onion, chopped
2 - 14 oz cans beef broth
2 - 10 oz cans tomato soup
1 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 - 4 oz can mushrooms
1 1/2 c. cooked rice
1. brown ground beef along with the pepper and onion
2. stir in broth, soup, tomatoes, and mushrooms
3. boil and reduce heat, simmer for 30 min
4. add cooked rice and heat through
Serves 10
In attendance: Me, Jenny, Laura, Lindsey, Jen, Kristin
Extra tidbits: French bread from Wealthy Street Bakery
To spare: Three more bowls. This recipe definitely serves 10 without any modifications.
Here's the recipe!
Unstuffed Pepper Soup
1 1/2 lb ground beef
3 lg green peppers, chopped
1 lg onion, chopped
2 - 14 oz cans beef broth
2 - 10 oz cans tomato soup
1 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 - 4 oz can mushrooms
1 1/2 c. cooked rice
1. brown ground beef along with the pepper and onion
2. stir in broth, soup, tomatoes, and mushrooms
3. boil and reduce heat, simmer for 30 min
4. add cooked rice and heat through
Serves 10
In attendance: Me, Jenny, Laura, Lindsey, Jen, Kristin
Extra tidbits: French bread from Wealthy Street Bakery
To spare: Three more bowls. This recipe definitely serves 10 without any modifications.
chocolate harvest cake
Last week I was having my first experience with strange back pain. Not cool. But my mother, always eager to make things better, directed my attention to a slew of holiday cake recipes to take my mind off the pain. :) Of course I asked her which one we would be making when I came home for the weekend. We very quickly settled on one called Chocolate Harvest Cake. Weird name if you ask me, but boy was it yummy. Quite amazing, actually.
It came together in a snap (especially when I wasn't the one doing all of the steps myself and the dishes magically ended up clean without me). I would make it again in a heartbeat. Or make just the cake in a 9 x 13 with another frosting. Or no frosting at all.
Oh, an I discovered the existence of powdered buttermilk. I imagine it keeps longer than the liquid stuff even though you have to keep it refrigerated.
Here's the recipe (the original of which can be found here):
Chocolate Harvest Cake
One-Bowl Cake:
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup water
2/3 cup cooking oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Pumpkin Cream Filling:
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Chocolate Glaze:
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
Cake Toppers:
Seedless red grapes, whole blackberries or raspberries, toasted hazelnuts, or shredded orange peel
Directions
1. PREPARE OVEN AND PANS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9x 1-1/2-inch round baking pans; set aside.
2. COMBINE INGREDIENTS: In an extra-large bowl combine buttermilk, water, oil, sugar, eggs, baking soda, and salt. Using a large wire whisk, whisk until well combined. Add flour and cocoa powder; whisk vigorously until smooth. Divide batter between prepared pans.
3. DO THE TOUCH TEST: Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until top springs back when lightly touched in center. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely.
4. PREPARE PUMPKIN CREAM FILLING: In a medium bowl whisk together cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar, and cinnamon until thickened. Place one cake layer on plate. Spread filling over top. Top with second cake layer.
5. MAKE CHOCOLATE GLAZE: In a saucepan bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate (do not stir). Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour over cake, allowing glaze to drip down sides. Chill until set, about 30 minutes. Top with desired toppers. Makes 14 servings.
It came together in a snap (especially when I wasn't the one doing all of the steps myself and the dishes magically ended up clean without me). I would make it again in a heartbeat. Or make just the cake in a 9 x 13 with another frosting. Or no frosting at all.
Oh, an I discovered the existence of powdered buttermilk. I imagine it keeps longer than the liquid stuff even though you have to keep it refrigerated.
Here's the recipe (the original of which can be found here):
Chocolate Harvest Cake
One-Bowl Cake:
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup water
2/3 cup cooking oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Pumpkin Cream Filling:
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Chocolate Glaze:
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
Cake Toppers:
Seedless red grapes, whole blackberries or raspberries, toasted hazelnuts, or shredded orange peel
Directions
1. PREPARE OVEN AND PANS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9x 1-1/2-inch round baking pans; set aside.
2. COMBINE INGREDIENTS: In an extra-large bowl combine buttermilk, water, oil, sugar, eggs, baking soda, and salt. Using a large wire whisk, whisk until well combined. Add flour and cocoa powder; whisk vigorously until smooth. Divide batter between prepared pans.
3. DO THE TOUCH TEST: Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until top springs back when lightly touched in center. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely.
4. PREPARE PUMPKIN CREAM FILLING: In a medium bowl whisk together cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar, and cinnamon until thickened. Place one cake layer on plate. Spread filling over top. Top with second cake layer.
5. MAKE CHOCOLATE GLAZE: In a saucepan bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate (do not stir). Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour over cake, allowing glaze to drip down sides. Chill until set, about 30 minutes. Top with desired toppers. Makes 14 servings.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
ice cream sandwiches for 96
Last night at my church's mid-week meal I made ice cream sandwiches from scratch for dessert. They started with brownies baked super thin--I combined a 9 x 13 and 8 x 8 mix (times 4) and baked them on a huge pan (maybe 12 x 18?) so they were about a 1/4-inch thick. Then I sliced chocolate chip ice cream into 1/2-inch thick slabs with a two-handled knife and put that on the bottom layer before sticking it back in the freezer for a while. I cut the top layer into 8 smaller pieces so I could lift them onto the bottom layer much easier. When that was done I cut the whole thing up into individual portions with a pizza cutter. It was awesome! Though I do think I lost a layer of skin on my hands from the ice cream stage...
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
eggs and zucchini
I knew coming home from work last night that I wasn't going to do anything inspiring for dinner. Having had cereal for breakfast would keep me from having again for dinner (this time), but I wasn't going to aim much higher than that, especially since I still have a few dirty dishes in the sink from the weekend. But I knew that I needed to eat more vegetables and that I had a few small zucchini hanging out on the counter. In a matter of minutes I had a meal that surprised me with its tastiness: zucchini stir-fried in olive oil, Garden Fresh salsa mixed in to warm it, and scrambled eggs piled on top. I added a piece of toast with homemade apple butter and I was all set!
pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
I had another half of a can of pumpkin left and a party to which I needed to bring food. Thus, these cookies (from another favorite food blog) were made. These were fantastic. And I actually followed this recipe completely, even down to this head-scratcher: "dissolve 1 tsp of baking soda in 1 tsp milk." Wha?
moroccan-spiced spaghetti squash
A few weeks ago I bought a spaghetti squash at the market and it was starting to get a little iffy, so when I saw this recipe (from a favorite food blog) I knew Friday night was the time to do it. Because I don't have a microwave I opted for the bake-it method, which allowed me the time to make the "sauce" and cook some basmati rice.
Spaghetti squash is an amazing specimen. It really does come out of the skin looking like spaghetti and I'm sure it would taste wonderful with red sauce. However, I had a special sauce of my own waiting, particularly because I did not have most of what the recipe called for. So I swapped cinnamon for coriander, chili powder for cayenne, and left off the fresh cilantro. I also added chickpeas as suggested. This tasted incredible. And I've been enjoying the leftovers for a few lunches. :)
Spaghetti squash is an amazing specimen. It really does come out of the skin looking like spaghetti and I'm sure it would taste wonderful with red sauce. However, I had a special sauce of my own waiting, particularly because I did not have most of what the recipe called for. So I swapped cinnamon for coriander, chili powder for cayenne, and left off the fresh cilantro. I also added chickpeas as suggested. This tasted incredible. And I've been enjoying the leftovers for a few lunches. :)
Friday, November 6, 2009
Pumpkin Cake
A while back I read somewhere that canned pumpkin was going to be sparsely available this year so I grabbed a few large cans and stuck them in my pantry (ha! my pantry is a 12" x 14" shelf!). I pulled one out last night to make a pumpkin cake to bring to work just because it's a Friday. The recipe I followed is this one, but only for the cake itself.
As I often do with allrecipes.com, I browsed through the reviews and comments and was pleased to find that I could make this cake in a 9 x 13 pan without compromising quality (totally true!), seeing as how a 10 x 15 pan does not even fit in my oven. :( I also took the suggestion of not using all the sugar and next time will also make the oil/applesauce swap.
For the frosting I used this recipe. Kind of. Again, I took the offered advice not to use all of the called-for sugar, adding only 2 cups of powdered sugar. However, I managed to miss the translation from "1/2 cup butter" on paper to the tablespoon-to-cup measurements on the stick of butter itself. So I ended up with twice as much butter (two sticks!). The only thing strange was the consistency of the finished frosting. I suppose I could have kept adding sugar to bulk it up, but it already tasted the way I wanted it to. Oh well. Next time ;)
As I often do with allrecipes.com, I browsed through the reviews and comments and was pleased to find that I could make this cake in a 9 x 13 pan without compromising quality (totally true!), seeing as how a 10 x 15 pan does not even fit in my oven. :( I also took the suggestion of not using all the sugar and next time will also make the oil/applesauce swap.
For the frosting I used this recipe. Kind of. Again, I took the offered advice not to use all of the called-for sugar, adding only 2 cups of powdered sugar. However, I managed to miss the translation from "1/2 cup butter" on paper to the tablespoon-to-cup measurements on the stick of butter itself. So I ended up with twice as much butter (two sticks!). The only thing strange was the consistency of the finished frosting. I suppose I could have kept adding sugar to bulk it up, but it already tasted the way I wanted it to. Oh well. Next time ;)
soup #5
On Monday I decided to make the winner of our company's recent Chili Cook-off. Strange thing was, there's no chili of any kind in the recipe. However, it was very tasty and not a bean was left at the end of the night. Here's the recipe:
1 lb ground beef
3/4 lb bacon, cut into small pieces
1 cup chopped onion
2 - 15 oz (or close) cans pork and beans
1 - 16 oz (or close) can kidney beans, drained
1 - 16 oz (or close) butter beans, drained
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp liquid smoke
3 Tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
Brown the ground beef in a skillet; drain off excess drippings. Place beef in a Crock Pot. Brown bacon and onions; drain. Add bacon, onions, and remaining ingredients to the pot. Stir together well. Cover and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours. Makes 6 servings.
In attendance: me, Amanda, Laura, Lindsey, Jessica, Adam, Jill, and Jenny
Extra tidbits: cornbread muffins and a Vienna loaf from Meijer
To spare: none.
1 lb ground beef
3/4 lb bacon, cut into small pieces
1 cup chopped onion
2 - 15 oz (or close) cans pork and beans
1 - 16 oz (or close) can kidney beans, drained
1 - 16 oz (or close) butter beans, drained
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp liquid smoke
3 Tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
Brown the ground beef in a skillet; drain off excess drippings. Place beef in a Crock Pot. Brown bacon and onions; drain. Add bacon, onions, and remaining ingredients to the pot. Stir together well. Cover and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours. Makes 6 servings.
In attendance: me, Amanda, Laura, Lindsey, Jessica, Adam, Jill, and Jenny
Extra tidbits: cornbread muffins and a Vienna loaf from Meijer
To spare: none.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
stuffed pumpkin
I'm a bit of a food blog junkie, so when I saw this picture I knew I was going to try the recipe. Off I went to the market to buy a 3-ish pound pumpkin. They're cute at that size! The recipe I actually followed is this one, so I also bought bread, cheese, bacon, and cream. Yes, anything stuffed with bread, (three kinds of) cheese, garlic, bacon, and cream is bound to be tasty. I found that baking it for 2 hours isn't really long enough for the pumpkin itself to become mushy, so next time I'll be sure to go a little longer, making sure it's really done before taking it out. However, 2 hours was long enough for it to be totally yummy, especially after a long fall walk and during a movie, along with good red wine and a friend (thanks for your oven and for eating with me, Kristin!).
Friday, October 30, 2009
meatloaf
After writing on Facebook yesterday that I wanted meatloaf, and though I had tempting offers of someone else's leftovers or dinner at the end of a 10-hour drive, I found myself at the grocery store after work, recipe in hand.
A bit of background on this: 1) I couldn't find a recipe quickly that matched my idea of the meatloaf I had growing up (mom, you did put oatmeal in yours, right? I'll need that recipe if you have it somewhere), 2) I have been house-sitting for the last week, so had even less of an idea of what I had in my own house than I usually do.
All I really managed to buy was the meat. I forgot that I didn't have milk, that I only had two pieces of bread, and no mustard. So, here's the original list of ingredients and what I did instead (the whole recipe is here):
A bit of background on this: 1) I couldn't find a recipe quickly that matched my idea of the meatloaf I had growing up (mom, you did put oatmeal in yours, right? I'll need that recipe if you have it somewhere), 2) I have been house-sitting for the last week, so had even less of an idea of what I had in my own house than I usually do.
All I really managed to buy was the meat. I forgot that I didn't have milk, that I only had two pieces of bread, and no mustard. So, here's the original list of ingredients and what I did instead (the whole recipe is here):
- 1 pound Lean Ground Beef - this I had
- 1 cup Milk- nope, 1 cup of water instead
- 1 whole Egg- check
- 3 slices Bread, Torn Up Into Small Pieces - kind of
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce - yep
- ½ Tablespoons Onion Powder (or 1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onion) - went with the actual onion
- ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt - a few shakes of the salt shaker
- ½ teaspoons Dry Ground Mustard - nope, nor did I have real mustard. I used curry instead. It's yellow, right?
- ¼ teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper - dumped some in from the little box
- ¼ teaspoons Hot Sauce - I added chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoons Garlic Powder - two dollops of real garlic
- ½ cups Ketchup - definitely had this
- ¼ cups Maple Syrup (or Brown Sugar) - sweet seemed weird after all the savory, so I skipped this
Thursday, October 29, 2009
chocolate, bacon, browned butter cookies
We had a Bake-Off of sorts at work recently, and though I knew I wouldn't be a match for pies and cakes, I decided to take the opportunity to make something strange from scratch. So I found a recipe for cookies with browned butter, three kinds of chocolate, and bacon. They were great, though a little time-intensive. This was a recipe I wanted to follow to the letter, making sure I had everything called for and prepped as directed. So yes, I shaved chocolate and cut chocolate and broke chocolate and browned butter and cooked bacon and cut bacon and stirred the pre-flour mixture for quite a few minutes. The whole experience in my tiny kitchen was quite enjoyable, though I need to remember that my largest cookie sheet, while appearing to fit inside my oven, doesn't actually allow the door to close all the way. I loved the cookies and I think others did, too. The most common reaction was, "do I see bacon in there?" That made me smile. Next time I"ll cook the bacon a little longer so it's crispier and maybe add a little more than is called for. And perhaps only use one or two kinds of chocolate instead of three.
The recipe is this one.
The recipe is this one.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
soup #4
Last night I made Mulligatawny Soup at the suggestion of my friend Kristin. And I only needed a few things from the farmer's market to make it happen. Carrots, onion, celery, and butter were the base to which was added flour, curry, chicken stock, grated apple, chicken, and basmati rice. Next time I'll dice the apples (as suggested) and add more rice. Also, because I started with a no-salt chicken stock, I ended up adding a lot of salt back in.
In attendance: Me, Jenny, Amanda, Lindsey, Jessica (Kristin got in in the leftovers)
Extra tidbits: bread was frozen from last week, but I didn't notice a difference
To spare: two more bowls. I finally only made a single batch and it worked out well this time.
P.S. the soup looked nothing like the picture in the link. Maybe because I never added heavy cream?
In attendance: Me, Jenny, Amanda, Lindsey, Jessica (Kristin got in in the leftovers)
Extra tidbits: bread was frozen from last week, but I didn't notice a difference
To spare: two more bowls. I finally only made a single batch and it worked out well this time.
P.S. the soup looked nothing like the picture in the link. Maybe because I never added heavy cream?
po-tay-toe salad
The only reason I can think of for making potato salad to bring to a church potluck on Sunday is that I had all the ingredients on-hand. Potatoes, celery, and onion from the farmer's market got sauced with mustard, Miracle Whip, dill, and a little garlic. It was a bit sharp, but yummy nonetheless. I had intended to add some hard-boiled eggs, but given that fact that I grew up with an egg cooker, I still cannot remember how to hard boil an egg on the stovetop. Discovering not one but three undercooked eggs while attempting to peel them is disgusting. But the potato salad turned out well and was entirely consumed by others at the meal.
B & B and a greasy spoon
I spent two days in Ludington this past weekend, bouncing back and forth between yummy B & B breakfast and dinners at a local greasy spoon. Toss in a little brandy while doing a puzzle and a peanut butter sandwich between hikes in the state park and you have a lovely example of the diversity of food the area had to offer.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
deconstructed spaghetti
Last night I lightly sauteed zucchini in some olive oil, put it in the bottom of a bowl, poured some tomato garlic spaghetti sauce over it (thanks for that, Daniel!), added a little cheese, and topped it all with piping-hot pasta shells. This actually tasted amazing!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
not my own
tonight I will be enjoying the culinary stylings of this place:
http://www.electriccheetah.com/
yum.
update: I had the Thanksgiving Salad (savory baked bread pudding, cranberry apple chutney, roasted turkey breast, and Mud Lake Greens with apple cider vinnagrette) and sweet potato fries with honey and dill aioli dipping sauces.
A.ma.zing.
http://www.electriccheetah.com/
yum.
update: I had the Thanksgiving Salad (savory baked bread pudding, cranberry apple chutney, roasted turkey breast, and Mud Lake Greens with apple cider vinnagrette) and sweet potato fries with honey and dill aioli dipping sauces.
A.ma.zing.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
soup #3
Last night I served Goulash (from tastykitchen.com, aka, "Feels and Smells Like My Nana's House Soup"). It consisted of ground beef, onion, green beans, carrots/peas/corn, and pasta. Could possible have done better with the spices. Chili powder maybe? Oregano? It ended up being an add your own kind of deal. Bread and butter also, of course.
In attendance: me, Amanda, Laura, Lindsey
Extra tidbits: A double batch was made at home in Lansing in a ginormous pot on mom's stove. Perhaps should have waited to add the pasta until close to the end. It got quite soggy and added sweetness I wasn't expecting.
To spare: an embarrassing amount. Plenty in the freezer for some other time and maybe some to take to work for sharing.
In attendance: me, Amanda, Laura, Lindsey
Extra tidbits: A double batch was made at home in Lansing in a ginormous pot on mom's stove. Perhaps should have waited to add the pasta until close to the end. It got quite soggy and added sweetness I wasn't expecting.
To spare: an embarrassing amount. Plenty in the freezer for some other time and maybe some to take to work for sharing.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
lotsa cake
Last night I make 6 9x13 cakes for a crowd of 120 people. I made 4 boxes of chocolate swirled with 2 boxes of yellow. 18 eggs, 7-1/3 cups of water, and 4 cups of unsweetened applesauce (yes, instead of the oil) later, they were frosted with more chocolate. A very nice ending to a simple dinner of sloppy joes, chips, and salad.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
adventures with oatmeal
There was a stretch for a while when I was eating oatmeal every morning for breakfast. I had received a huge box of the individual packets of flavored, instant stuff and needed to work through that. I would add fresh or dried fruit or nuts occasionally, but not too often given the already sky-high sugar and fat content.
Then I started on the old-fashioned oats. These take some commitment to make, especially if I thought I was going to make and eat it before leaving for work in the morning. This kind really is my favorite.
But then I inherited a bag of plain, instant from my sister and started eating that at work for breakfast in the morning. But it definitely needed some help. Usually I'd add some sugar, dried fruit, and almonds, or a peach or something. My most creative moments, however, came when I decided to try adding hot chocolate mix (which is always available in the break room). This resulted in very yummy chocolate oatmeal, to which I sometimes added dried cherries. I gave the French Vanilla cappuccino mix a try, too, which was also quite tasty.
Yesterday I actually made the old-fashioned stuff at home before shoving it in a mug and running out the door. I had added cinnamon, some nutmeg, a little ginger, no sugar, and a fresh peach. Not a good idea. Today I had it with brown sugar and a peach. Much, much better.
Then I started on the old-fashioned oats. These take some commitment to make, especially if I thought I was going to make and eat it before leaving for work in the morning. This kind really is my favorite.
But then I inherited a bag of plain, instant from my sister and started eating that at work for breakfast in the morning. But it definitely needed some help. Usually I'd add some sugar, dried fruit, and almonds, or a peach or something. My most creative moments, however, came when I decided to try adding hot chocolate mix (which is always available in the break room). This resulted in very yummy chocolate oatmeal, to which I sometimes added dried cherries. I gave the French Vanilla cappuccino mix a try, too, which was also quite tasty.
Yesterday I actually made the old-fashioned stuff at home before shoving it in a mug and running out the door. I had added cinnamon, some nutmeg, a little ginger, no sugar, and a fresh peach. Not a good idea. Today I had it with brown sugar and a peach. Much, much better.
Monday, September 28, 2009
greens in peanut sauce
For a few of my meals for the week, I made Greens in Peanut Sauce from Simply in Season with the rainbow chard I bought at the market on Saturday. It consists of onion, garlic, tomato, curry, cumin, peanut butter, and lots of greens with white, red, orange, and purple stems. I also added some cooked chicken. Not a bad way to eat normally-bitter greens.
Note to self: there's a reason this is listed as a "side dish." I don't think these kinds of greens are meant to be consumed in larger than side-dish quantities, or for too many days in a row. Next time I'll make it with some kind of meat and serve it to more people than myself, because overall it really is a good recipe.
Note to self: there's a reason this is listed as a "side dish." I don't think these kinds of greens are meant to be consumed in larger than side-dish quantities, or for too many days in a row. Next time I'll make it with some kind of meat and serve it to more people than myself, because overall it really is a good recipe.
vegetable pizza
One of my all-time favorite foods. Made for a movie night with Baker Babes. No low-fat cream cheese this time...and broccoli, red pepper, and carrots fresh from the market. Oh, and I added spinach herb dip mix to the cream cheese along with tons of dill. Plenty for the party and for the household potluck on Sunday. Yum.
to market, to market...
...to buy apples, peaches, rainbow chard, and flowers
home again, home again...don't carry super-ripe peaches next to the apples banging against your hip for the mile walk home. They will arrive totally bruised, but still yummy.
home again, home again...don't carry super-ripe peaches next to the apples banging against your hip for the mile walk home. They will arrive totally bruised, but still yummy.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
poultry pasta primavera
Last weekend at the market I bought broccoli, a sweet red pepper, and carrots in preparation for this recipe from Simply in Season. What I didn't have (or buy, or make) was yogurt cheese, fresh parsley, and oregano. So I used extra basil, dill, spinach herb mix, and shredded CoJack instead. Add garlic, some flour, milk, shredded cooked chicken, parmesan, and pasta and you get one tasty meal with almost two more meals to spare. I'll eat some for lunch tomorrow with leftover WSB bread.
Tidbit learned: "primavera" refers to the vegetables
Tidbit learned: "primavera" refers to the vegetables
zucchini brownies
I volunteered to bring snacks to group fellowship at BSF this week, so I choose Zucchini Brownies from Simply in Season. I had everything on-hand (one zucchini was enough for 2 cups) except for plain yogurt so, with Miriam's approval, I substituted the lowfat vanilla yogurt I already had and left out all of the white sugar. Also at her suggestion, I loaded the top with mini chocolate chips to add more chocolate and distract from the green zucchini shreds that poked out everywhere. They were a very big hit.
soup #2
On Monday, September 21, I made Aunt Carrie's Taco Soup, which I think should be re-named Salsa Soup
This was pretty much straight off the recipe card. I tripled everything but the mexicorn, used low-sodium chicken broth, and shredded chicken from the chicken breasts Daniel bought when he moved into his apartment next door. A little tough, but the acid from the salsa softened things up enough. Also, I used black, kidney, and white beans.
In attendance: me, Kristin, Jessica, Laura, Lindsey, Jenny, Mimi
Extras: WSB French bread, chips, improvised seating away from the table, dishes done before choir
To spare: two more meals for me
This was pretty much straight off the recipe card. I tripled everything but the mexicorn, used low-sodium chicken broth, and shredded chicken from the chicken breasts Daniel bought when he moved into his apartment next door. A little tough, but the acid from the salsa softened things up enough. Also, I used black, kidney, and white beans.
In attendance: me, Kristin, Jessica, Laura, Lindsey, Jenny, Mimi
Extras: WSB French bread, chips, improvised seating away from the table, dishes done before choir
To spare: two more meals for me
soup #1
On Tuesday, September 7 I made Mrs. Holesinger's Cheese Vegetable Soup for the first bi-monthly soup and bread night. I used no-salt chicken bullion, a mixture of fresh and frozen vegetables, the Healthy Choice version of cream of chicken soup, and 2% Velveeta cheese. I think this is a recipe you can't mess up.
In attendance: me, Kristin, and Amanda
Extras: Wealthy Street Bakery (WSB) French bread, White Zinfandel
To spare: lots of leftovers for everyone
In attendance: me, Kristin, and Amanda
Extras: Wealthy Street Bakery (WSB) French bread, White Zinfandel
To spare: lots of leftovers for everyone
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)