These last few weeks have been crazy busy and hot. Heat means I can't bake and I miss it. It happened to cool down over the weekend--and rain finally! Oh how I love cool, rainy days. They remind me of fall and I love fall, in all its dreary, drab, cold and wet wonder. Cool weather makes me crave soup!
I have been on what I affectionately call a "Soup Kick" for several years now. I eat soup year-round as opposed to those who only eat it when there's snow on the ground. What could be better than a piping hot bowl of soup in the middle of July?! Maybe a frosty bowl of ice cream... In all seriousness, I love soup. It's like a liquid hotdish and I so enjoy a good hotdish. And bonus: My husband will eat soup while he mostly whines about having hotdish.
If you want to think in terms of weight loss, soup is great! A good veggie soup with 99% fat free broth and lean chicken--it's perfect. It's hearty, filling and good for you. And since you cook all those veggies in the soup, and don't drain out the nutrients, you reap all the goodness those vegetables carry. Add a little barley, which is gluten free, fat free and a whole grain, and you have a one pot meal. That's the other beauty of soup--you typically cook it all in one pot or throw the ingredients into a crock pot, start it to simmer and WALK AWAY. What could be easier?!
Yes, soup is wonderful. Soup is also good to soothe the soul and is often a comfort food for me. It's been a stressful few days here, a stressful few weeks--months--heck, years! And being as food is my coping mechanism, it's not hard to see why I turn to such a comfort food as soup when I'm feeling stressed out and lonely.
So tonight I'm making soup. I cannot lay much claim to this recipe as I found it on the back of the Quaker Barley box, but it's really very tasty and will likely make you feel like a warm hug has embraced you. I usually have all these ingredients on hand, or some form of them, so it's easy to toss together and let simmer away. It will also freeze wonderfully, so you can plunk some in the back of your freezer for when the days are short, the air is icy, and you need a burst of warmth from within.
Quaker Hearty Vegetable Barley Soup
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
7 cups water
1 (14.5 oz) can unsalted whole tomatoes, undrained, cut into pieces (or run through blender to puree)
1/2 cup Quaker Medium Barley, uncooked
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup sliced carrots
2 beef bouillon cubes, or 2 tsp. beef bouillon granules
1/2 tsp dried basil, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 (9 oz) pkg frozen mixed vegetables or equivalent in fresh veggies
In 4 qt saucepan or Dutch oven, brown hamburger. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is tender. Drain off fat. Stir in remaining ingredients except frozen vegetables. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 50-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add frozen vegetables and cook about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Additional water may be added if soup becomes too thick upon standing. Makes 12 (1 cup) servings.
Try this with my Whole Wheat Beer Bread and you'll be slumped over in your recliner, lids heavy, fighting off that post dinner nap before the 6 o'clock news is over!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Sweet End to Bitter Week
Tonight I have been sitting here, the 2012 London Olympics on in the background, trying to find inspiration for a post. You might think with all the talent coming over the air-waves I could find some inspiration, but when the majority of my thoughts are consumed by food--good food--it's hard to find inspiration watching so many phenominal physical specimans. My husband and I have been joking about what our Olympic talent might be. We have decided he could be an Olympic truck driver and I would be an Olympic pee'er. I admire these athletes--the drive and ambition and hard work it takes to accomplish their dreams it's absolutely amazing to me, because I am nothing like that!
My thoughts in recent days have been consumed by the fact that our humble abode has been invaded by mice. A whole variety of mice. We hear them scurrying overhead at all hours of the day and night. We even here them forging new paths in the wee hours of the morning. Bonus: I have been lucky enough to have them invade my car! This means WAR! I have stocked up on sticky traps and snap traps and I am ready for battle! Time to take back the quiet of the night and quiet my mind.
We have also run into a hiccup in our house building project with the ceiling paint, which has mysteriously developed a perfect crackle finish over what is supposed to be a lovely, clean, smooth finish. Now we have to decide if we want to texture it to cover it up and keep the project going, or sand it and re-do it. I do not like textured ceilings or walls, but I can't hardly stand the thought of dealing with these mice much longer. I have not had a good week, which means I have been craving chocolate and sweets.
You might well wonder how in the world am I going to relate Olympics, rodent invasions and crackled ceilings to cooking or baking, but stay with me here.
So I decided to make some Reese's Peanut Butter Bars because they satisfy a variety of cravings. I broke up some graham crackers and plunked them into the food processor, clicked it into place, pressed start and...nothing. Damn thing broke for the third time. But I was not to be deterred by this fact. A few choice words as I stomped over to grab a bag and rolling pin was enough to keep me forging ahead. I melted the butter and mixed in the peanut butter and thought about the first time I made that recipe, which was many years ago on a visit to Appleton, MN. A cousin and I were bored so her mother suggested we make some bars, and this was the recipe we made. I remember thinking how foreign it was that her mother would leave us to that task unattended.
Here's my recipe, tried and true!
Reese's Peanut Butter Bars
1 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
2 - 2 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
2 cups powdered sugar
1 bag chocolate chips (I prefer milk or a combo of milk & semi-sweet)
Melt butter in microwave safe bowl. Stir in peanut butter. Add graham crackers and powdered sugar. Mix well. Spread in lightly greased 9x13 pan. Melt chocolate and spread over top. Cool. Cut. Enjoy!
Tomorrow is Monday...yuck. Back to the grind!
My thoughts in recent days have been consumed by the fact that our humble abode has been invaded by mice. A whole variety of mice. We hear them scurrying overhead at all hours of the day and night. We even here them forging new paths in the wee hours of the morning. Bonus: I have been lucky enough to have them invade my car! This means WAR! I have stocked up on sticky traps and snap traps and I am ready for battle! Time to take back the quiet of the night and quiet my mind.
We have also run into a hiccup in our house building project with the ceiling paint, which has mysteriously developed a perfect crackle finish over what is supposed to be a lovely, clean, smooth finish. Now we have to decide if we want to texture it to cover it up and keep the project going, or sand it and re-do it. I do not like textured ceilings or walls, but I can't hardly stand the thought of dealing with these mice much longer. I have not had a good week, which means I have been craving chocolate and sweets.
You might well wonder how in the world am I going to relate Olympics, rodent invasions and crackled ceilings to cooking or baking, but stay with me here.
So I decided to make some Reese's Peanut Butter Bars because they satisfy a variety of cravings. I broke up some graham crackers and plunked them into the food processor, clicked it into place, pressed start and...nothing. Damn thing broke for the third time. But I was not to be deterred by this fact. A few choice words as I stomped over to grab a bag and rolling pin was enough to keep me forging ahead. I melted the butter and mixed in the peanut butter and thought about the first time I made that recipe, which was many years ago on a visit to Appleton, MN. A cousin and I were bored so her mother suggested we make some bars, and this was the recipe we made. I remember thinking how foreign it was that her mother would leave us to that task unattended.
Here's my recipe, tried and true!
Reese's Peanut Butter Bars
1 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
2 - 2 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
2 cups powdered sugar
1 bag chocolate chips (I prefer milk or a combo of milk & semi-sweet)
Melt butter in microwave safe bowl. Stir in peanut butter. Add graham crackers and powdered sugar. Mix well. Spread in lightly greased 9x13 pan. Melt chocolate and spread over top. Cool. Cut. Enjoy!
Tomorrow is Monday...yuck. Back to the grind!
Monday, July 16, 2012
Cooking to Save My Spirit
Lately I have felt like I am living in a void, like my spirit is being slowly sucked from deep within. I can feel it as it seeps through on its way out. Sometimes I fear it's a mid-life crisis creeping up, but mostly I think it stems from the fact I am not doing what I anticipated I would be doing at this point in my life.
I sometimes think I have an underlying struggle with depression. I cycle through moods, and sometimes I seem to get stuck at a certain spot. For a couple years now I have been stuck on the notion I'm not doing what I wanted with my life at this point, and my life feels empty because of it. And I get angry because what I want seems so simple for most people, and I don't understand why it should be so hard for me. Then I struggle with my purpose in life, and I can say now what a hard place that is be. When you don't feel like you have purpose, you don't feel like your life has meaning. You start to feel like you mean nothing to no one, and you retreat into a darker place. It's hard to find something to live for when your whole life to a certain point was laid out to achieve this one goal God has decided probably just isn't for you. Very vicious cycle of sadness, anger, loss, hope...
So how do I break free and feel good again? I bake. I cook. I create something someone will enjoy. I may not be the best, but people seem to enjoy it. And I like to learn about different things. What can I learn about today? If I spend too much time dwelling on what's bad about my life I forget to enjoy what's good, and though it might not feel like it some days, there's a lot of good in my life!
It's summer! Time to enjoy summer veggies. Here's a salad I concocted a few years ago. The ingredients list is all in proportion to what the consumer wants. If you want more of one thing, and less of another, it will still work!
Cucumber Tomato Salad for One
1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped into bite-sized chunks
1/2 tomato or whole Roma tomato, chopped into bite-size chunks
6 black olives, sliced
2-3 T. shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
1-2 T. Italian or Balsamic dressing (I'm really liking Ken's Steak House-House Italian)
Sprinkle of roasted sunflower seeds, optional
Mix and enjoy. Yes, it's that easy!
Here's another creation I made earlier last week. I used half the batch to make Cheesy Hamburger Potato Bake, and put the rest in the freezer for some other yummy dish!
Cheesy Hamburger Gravy
1 1/2 lbs. hamburger
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2/3-3/4 of soup can of milk (about 1 cup)
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
2 oz. Velveeta
Brown and drain hamburger. Add soup, milk and onion soup mix. Simmer. Add cheeses (can add more or less as desired) and stir until melted. Use or freeze. Could halve onion soup mix to save on sodium because this mixture is pretty salty.
To make Cheesy Hamburger Potato Bake:
Make 4 servings instant mashed potatoes or similar amount of homemade potatoes. Spread roughly half to two-thirds in the bottom of a greased 8x6 or 8x8 glass baking dish. Spread Cheesy Hamburger Gravy mix over. Dot/spread remaining potatoes over top and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until bubbly around edge and potatoes have started to brown slightly. My husband and I got 2 meals out a 8x6 pan.
Other ways to use the gravy mix:
Over egg noodles. Could add a few dollops of sour cream for a cheesy stroganoff. Could grab out of the freezer for a quick meal with boiled potatoes or rice. Or cut a loaf of French or Italian bread in half length-wise and hollow out middle. Put in cheesy hamburger mixture, wrap in tin foil and bake for about 30 minutes at 375. Add some mixed veggies and throw it over a layer of crescent rolls in a pan and top with mashed potatoes, bake at 375 for maybe 30 minutes or so for a quick Shepard's pie. Put between two pie crusts for cheesy hamburger pot pie. Spread a prepared biscuit (such as Pillsbury) in a greased muffin tin. Spread up the sides, fill with cheesy hamburger mixture and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until biscuit is done. Cheesy Hamburger Pasties! Add shredded hash browns and bake for a while in the oven for a hearty winter meal. Also good on buns as a sandwich mix. That's just what I've thought to do with it while I sit here typing! The possibilities could be endless...
I already feel better. Like I have contributed something to this world that is as simple as a fresh summer salad and good, hearty Midwestern fare. Cooking and baking are my therapy. I just get a little off track once in a while...
I sometimes think I have an underlying struggle with depression. I cycle through moods, and sometimes I seem to get stuck at a certain spot. For a couple years now I have been stuck on the notion I'm not doing what I wanted with my life at this point, and my life feels empty because of it. And I get angry because what I want seems so simple for most people, and I don't understand why it should be so hard for me. Then I struggle with my purpose in life, and I can say now what a hard place that is be. When you don't feel like you have purpose, you don't feel like your life has meaning. You start to feel like you mean nothing to no one, and you retreat into a darker place. It's hard to find something to live for when your whole life to a certain point was laid out to achieve this one goal God has decided probably just isn't for you. Very vicious cycle of sadness, anger, loss, hope...
So how do I break free and feel good again? I bake. I cook. I create something someone will enjoy. I may not be the best, but people seem to enjoy it. And I like to learn about different things. What can I learn about today? If I spend too much time dwelling on what's bad about my life I forget to enjoy what's good, and though it might not feel like it some days, there's a lot of good in my life!
It's summer! Time to enjoy summer veggies. Here's a salad I concocted a few years ago. The ingredients list is all in proportion to what the consumer wants. If you want more of one thing, and less of another, it will still work!
Cucumber Tomato Salad for One
1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped into bite-sized chunks
1/2 tomato or whole Roma tomato, chopped into bite-size chunks
6 black olives, sliced
2-3 T. shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
1-2 T. Italian or Balsamic dressing (I'm really liking Ken's Steak House-House Italian)
Sprinkle of roasted sunflower seeds, optional
Mix and enjoy. Yes, it's that easy!
Here's another creation I made earlier last week. I used half the batch to make Cheesy Hamburger Potato Bake, and put the rest in the freezer for some other yummy dish!
Cheesy Hamburger Gravy
1 1/2 lbs. hamburger
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2/3-3/4 of soup can of milk (about 1 cup)
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
2 oz. Velveeta
Brown and drain hamburger. Add soup, milk and onion soup mix. Simmer. Add cheeses (can add more or less as desired) and stir until melted. Use or freeze. Could halve onion soup mix to save on sodium because this mixture is pretty salty.
To make Cheesy Hamburger Potato Bake:
Make 4 servings instant mashed potatoes or similar amount of homemade potatoes. Spread roughly half to two-thirds in the bottom of a greased 8x6 or 8x8 glass baking dish. Spread Cheesy Hamburger Gravy mix over. Dot/spread remaining potatoes over top and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until bubbly around edge and potatoes have started to brown slightly. My husband and I got 2 meals out a 8x6 pan.
Other ways to use the gravy mix:
Over egg noodles. Could add a few dollops of sour cream for a cheesy stroganoff. Could grab out of the freezer for a quick meal with boiled potatoes or rice. Or cut a loaf of French or Italian bread in half length-wise and hollow out middle. Put in cheesy hamburger mixture, wrap in tin foil and bake for about 30 minutes at 375. Add some mixed veggies and throw it over a layer of crescent rolls in a pan and top with mashed potatoes, bake at 375 for maybe 30 minutes or so for a quick Shepard's pie. Put between two pie crusts for cheesy hamburger pot pie. Spread a prepared biscuit (such as Pillsbury) in a greased muffin tin. Spread up the sides, fill with cheesy hamburger mixture and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until biscuit is done. Cheesy Hamburger Pasties! Add shredded hash browns and bake for a while in the oven for a hearty winter meal. Also good on buns as a sandwich mix. That's just what I've thought to do with it while I sit here typing! The possibilities could be endless...
I already feel better. Like I have contributed something to this world that is as simple as a fresh summer salad and good, hearty Midwestern fare. Cooking and baking are my therapy. I just get a little off track once in a while...
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Happy Birthday Pumpkin Nose!
Today is my husband's 46th birthday. He hasn't had a good day. He had a truck break down 600 miles from home and he had to drive down to fix it. Not a fun way to spend your birthday when you had much more entertaining things planned for your day, and my dear hubby never likes to take a day for himself. He thinks of it as any other day--i.e. no good reason to sit around doing nothing or celebrate. It's taken a few years for me to appreciate and embrace this asepct of his psyche, but I have finally come around. I was glad when he said he would spend the day at an auction and spend his evening watching the NASCAR race (and Oh how I hate NASCAR!). But then the truck pooped out. Always something! Just one of the many challenges of being a small business owner. I'm glad he possesses the ambition and drive to continue being his own boss and takes pride in his accomplishments. One of the reasons I married him!
In preparation for his big day, I asked what he wanted for his birthday treat with an idea of what he'd choose--white on white. He really likes my white cake with white frosting. Sure enough "White on white" is what he told me as I stirred up a batch of Scotcheroos, which he then tried to claim as his birthday treat. I reminded him it was 2 days to his birthday and the bars didn't count! (Mostly I'd been craving them and I don't need to run the oven to make them, a win-win on a hot day).
I guess that means I need to give out a few secrets here... A few of my coveted recipes. WARNING: This message will explode in 60 seconds! Better print it off now!
First up: Scotcheroos, a.k.a KR Kryptonite (because he can't keep his fingers out of the pan no matter how hard he tries), or in our house simply Rice Krispie Bars. When I first joined this cohort and asked what type of treat I should make, I was told Rice Krispie Bars. Naturally I made the traditional marshmallow based goodie. Everyone stared at them in disappointment and I seem to remember something about "These aren't what Grandma makes..."
KR Kryptonite
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
Boil for a couple minutes--until the sugar melts or a soft ball stage. I test with my fingers, which can sometimes hurt, but it's effective. Do not overboil or you'll break your knife trying to cut them!
Stir in:
 |
Add:
6-7 cups Rice Krispie cereal
Spread in lightly greased 9x13 cake pan.
Melt together and spread over top of bars:
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
I made these a short time ago and my mother in law complimented me on my recipe, to which I replied I used half a cup of white and half a cup of brown sugar. "Oh, you do?" she said. I said, "Ya, it's your recipe from the family cookbook!" We had a good laugh over that! I did switched up the topping, though and stole it from another good family friend. The original family recipe uses all semisweet chips and a GR amount of peanut butter: a blob.
White on White Cake
1 Ducan Hines white mix
Ingredients to make cake using extra large eggs--use the whole egg!
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Bake as directed on box. Check for doneness after about 26 minutes, as you won't want to overbake your cake. One cake mix will make a decent 9x13 (quarter sheet) cake or 24 regular sized cupcakes. Cool completely before decorating.
For fancier, more professional looking cakes, you can make 2 batches of cake mix. Each cake mix yeilds about 4 1/2 cups of batter. For a 9x13 cake, you'll want 7 cups of batter and for an 8' double layer round cake, you'll need 3 cups of batter per layer. If you're going to turn the cake out of the pan, be sure to heavily grease and/or flour the pan(s) or use parchment paper. Decorator's Icing
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup Crisco shortening (not butter flavor and do not use generic brands)
1 tsp. clear vanilla extract or other flavoring
hint of almond extract (and I do mean "hint"-- 1/8 tsp or less), optional
pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. merigne powder
2-3 T. water
You can vary the fat amounts, i.e. use all Crisco or all butter or some other combination of the two. Omit salt if using salted butter. Crisco leaves a snow white icing while butter gives the icing a pretty, light, ivory color. Color icing if desired. You can fill a double layer cake with fruit or custard fillings, add crushed Oreos or chopped candy if desired. Be sure to outline the bottom layer with a bead of icing before adding the filling to prevent the filling from spilling out once the cake is decorated.
I have dabbled in cake decorating for years. I have yet to master the art, but enjoy creating from time to time. My last two "creations" have looked pretty pathetic, but have served a purpose. As my father always used to say: It all looks the same when it hits the bottom. So it may not look very fancy, but it's gonna taste pretty darn good!
Monday, June 4, 2012
My First Rhubarb Dessert
I have been away from cooking for what feels like too long--I think it equates to about 2 weeks. I am back on the wagon again, for a bit.
It's early summer, and here in the Midwest that means rhubarb! Everywhere rhubarb! This year's crop has been fantastic. We had an unusually warm winter which led to an unusually warm spring, and the rhubarb came to life by early May. This time of year I am always reminded of my very first trip here to SD with my husband, then boyfriend, to visit his family. It was the first time I met them Up to that point in my life I had declared I did not like rhubarb and never would. The first thing offered to me was a rhubarb dessert. I remember thinking about what I had been taught, that it would be rude to refuse what was offered, and I wanted to make a good impression. So I cringed and took a bite. If anyone had been looking, they might have seen my eyes light up, then roll back as I realized what I'd been missing out on all those years. That dessert was unbelievably delicious! Who knew, 10 years later, that that dessert would become an early summer tradition and trigger so many memories for me. Naturally, I must share this with the masses! It's an old recipe found in my husband's family cookbook; a recipe my father-in-law's mother used to make, and he's 70 years old, so you know these simple ingredients in just the right mixture can stand the test of time!
Rhubarb Dessert
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Bottom Crust:
1 1/2 cups Flour
2 T. + 2 tsp. Powdered Sugar
3/4 cup Butter
Combine. Pat firmly into bottom of greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
In the meantime...
Beat 3 eggs until foamy--about 3-4 minutes. Add:
4 T. Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
2 1/4 cups Sugar
4-5 cups Rhubarb, sliced, diced, anyway you like it
Mix until rhubarb is coated. Pour over crust and bake 35-40 minutes, starting at 375 degrees and reducing to 350 degrees about half way through. Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or Cool Whip. Refrigerate leftovers.
Marriage isn't as easy as I thought it would be. My husband and I have been through some tough times. But foods like this rhubarb dessert remind me of what's good about our marriage, and what's always been good about our life together. We are simple like the ingredients in this recipe, and I think we're just the right mixture. Sometimes we bake up better than others, but in the end we're pretty good together. :)
It's early summer, and here in the Midwest that means rhubarb! Everywhere rhubarb! This year's crop has been fantastic. We had an unusually warm winter which led to an unusually warm spring, and the rhubarb came to life by early May. This time of year I am always reminded of my very first trip here to SD with my husband, then boyfriend, to visit his family. It was the first time I met them Up to that point in my life I had declared I did not like rhubarb and never would. The first thing offered to me was a rhubarb dessert. I remember thinking about what I had been taught, that it would be rude to refuse what was offered, and I wanted to make a good impression. So I cringed and took a bite. If anyone had been looking, they might have seen my eyes light up, then roll back as I realized what I'd been missing out on all those years. That dessert was unbelievably delicious! Who knew, 10 years later, that that dessert would become an early summer tradition and trigger so many memories for me. Naturally, I must share this with the masses! It's an old recipe found in my husband's family cookbook; a recipe my father-in-law's mother used to make, and he's 70 years old, so you know these simple ingredients in just the right mixture can stand the test of time!
Rhubarb Dessert
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Bottom Crust:
1 1/2 cups Flour
2 T. + 2 tsp. Powdered Sugar
3/4 cup Butter
Combine. Pat firmly into bottom of greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
In the meantime...
Beat 3 eggs until foamy--about 3-4 minutes. Add:
4 T. Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
2 1/4 cups Sugar
4-5 cups Rhubarb, sliced, diced, anyway you like it
Mix until rhubarb is coated. Pour over crust and bake 35-40 minutes, starting at 375 degrees and reducing to 350 degrees about half way through. Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or Cool Whip. Refrigerate leftovers.
Marriage isn't as easy as I thought it would be. My husband and I have been through some tough times. But foods like this rhubarb dessert remind me of what's good about our marriage, and what's always been good about our life together. We are simple like the ingredients in this recipe, and I think we're just the right mixture. Sometimes we bake up better than others, but in the end we're pretty good together. :)
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Crabby, Crabby, Crabby!
I think it's safe to say I've been quite a crab these last couple of days. Sometimes I wonder if my moods cycle with my body or if it's just life stressors working their magic on me, because I can't always pinpoint the reason for my crabbiness.
Mother's Day is coming up and for many Barren Betties it's one of the hardest "holidays" of the year. It's a reminder that we still don't get the opportunity to enjoy breakfast in bed with a snotty nosed toddler, or a necklace with our children's birthstones, or a homemade card that says, "I love you Mommy!" It's another day where we feel alone and singled out as the last woman on earth to feel the happiness having children can bring to your life. I am lucky because I have 2 wonderful stepchildren who give me the opportunity to feel "mom-like" from time to time. Sometimes I even get wonderful Happy Mother's Day Stepmom cards, and I get what I think must be "that feeling." I feel so proud of them, so happy and touched that they thought of me, and that maybe they do appreciate what little I am able to do for them. Nonetheless, I told my husband I didn't want to celebrate Mother's Day last year and I think I'll make the same declaration this year. I just don't feel like I've earned it, especially now that the kids are pretty much off on their own and don't need me as much. I also don't want to be reminded that I'm nobody's "real" mom.
So I suppose my crabbiness stems from this. It's also been crazy busy around here trying to tie up loose ends and make final decisions on our house, something I'm not very good at--decision making! Building a house has been a challenging project for me because there are so many decisions to be made. Why can't it be as easy as baking a cake? Then the only decision you have is "What flavor?" Today, though, through my seriously foul mood, I knew I had to bake something! Baking has become a coping mechanism for me, as has eating. When I am feeling especially down, I know I can pull something delicious out of the oven and almost instantly feel better. Because I was feeling more feisty than depressed, I decided tonight was a good night for a new recipe. We haven't been eating very well this week, so I was ready for a good, meat & potatoes meal. And while that was cooking, I made some Pity Party Chocolate Chip cookie bars, because I was too tired and lazy to make cookies.
My dear husband went back for seconds on this recipe (and thirds on the cookie bars...), and we agreed it's definitely a "make again meal." I felt better seeing him eat and enjoy the meal and dessert, then I unloaded my frustrations for the day while he sat back and listened. Bless his heart, that's what I needed most today.
The recipe is an easy way to make Salisbury Steak, a meal that always reminds me of my Grandma S. I can't say I particularly liked her version, though it didn't matter what Grandma made, it was good! For some reason, though, when I hear Salisbury Steak I think of her and the meals I shared at her dinner table for the few months she & Grandpa were kind enough to take me in. And salute to you Grandpa, because I completely ignored the gravy starter in this recipe and made your never fail roux. Alright, here it is:
Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy
1 egg
1 can (10.5 oz) condensed French onion soup, undiluted, divided
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. salt (optional)
Pinch pepper
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 T. flour
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. yellow mustard
6 c. hot cooked noodles
Chopped fresh parsley, optional
In large bowl, beat egg. Stir in beef, 1/3 cup soup, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Mix gently. Shape into 6 oval patties. Brown in a skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside, discard drippings. Whisk together flour and water in skillet. Add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and remaining soup. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Return patties to skillet, cover and simmer 15 minutes until meat is no longer pink. Serve patties and gravy over noodles. Garnish with parsley. Serves 6.
My changes: As usual, I halved the recipe. I happened to have a 2 lb package of hamburger thawed, so I used 1 lb beef. I added roughly half an egg (the other half went into cookie bars) and a 1/4 cup bread crumbs. Just a sprinkle of salt, though, because gravy will be salty. I made the whole recipe of gravy because I figured "What will I do with a partially used can of soup?" I also started my gravy with a roux, so instead of using the flour and water combo, I used 1 T. flour with 1 T. butter. I also added about a half a soup can, maybe a third, of water because the gravy thickened up quite well. I served ours with boiled potatoes and what my husband deems "magic vegetables," otherwise known as mixed vegetables. Really hit the spot and can't wait to eat it warmed over in my toaster oven for lunch tomorrow! Hopefully I won't be so crabby. At least it will be Friday.
Mother's Day is coming up and for many Barren Betties it's one of the hardest "holidays" of the year. It's a reminder that we still don't get the opportunity to enjoy breakfast in bed with a snotty nosed toddler, or a necklace with our children's birthstones, or a homemade card that says, "I love you Mommy!" It's another day where we feel alone and singled out as the last woman on earth to feel the happiness having children can bring to your life. I am lucky because I have 2 wonderful stepchildren who give me the opportunity to feel "mom-like" from time to time. Sometimes I even get wonderful Happy Mother's Day Stepmom cards, and I get what I think must be "that feeling." I feel so proud of them, so happy and touched that they thought of me, and that maybe they do appreciate what little I am able to do for them. Nonetheless, I told my husband I didn't want to celebrate Mother's Day last year and I think I'll make the same declaration this year. I just don't feel like I've earned it, especially now that the kids are pretty much off on their own and don't need me as much. I also don't want to be reminded that I'm nobody's "real" mom.
So I suppose my crabbiness stems from this. It's also been crazy busy around here trying to tie up loose ends and make final decisions on our house, something I'm not very good at--decision making! Building a house has been a challenging project for me because there are so many decisions to be made. Why can't it be as easy as baking a cake? Then the only decision you have is "What flavor?" Today, though, through my seriously foul mood, I knew I had to bake something! Baking has become a coping mechanism for me, as has eating. When I am feeling especially down, I know I can pull something delicious out of the oven and almost instantly feel better. Because I was feeling more feisty than depressed, I decided tonight was a good night for a new recipe. We haven't been eating very well this week, so I was ready for a good, meat & potatoes meal. And while that was cooking, I made some Pity Party Chocolate Chip cookie bars, because I was too tired and lazy to make cookies.
My dear husband went back for seconds on this recipe (and thirds on the cookie bars...), and we agreed it's definitely a "make again meal." I felt better seeing him eat and enjoy the meal and dessert, then I unloaded my frustrations for the day while he sat back and listened. Bless his heart, that's what I needed most today.
The recipe is an easy way to make Salisbury Steak, a meal that always reminds me of my Grandma S. I can't say I particularly liked her version, though it didn't matter what Grandma made, it was good! For some reason, though, when I hear Salisbury Steak I think of her and the meals I shared at her dinner table for the few months she & Grandpa were kind enough to take me in. And salute to you Grandpa, because I completely ignored the gravy starter in this recipe and made your never fail roux. Alright, here it is:
 |
| Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy |
1 egg
1 can (10.5 oz) condensed French onion soup, undiluted, divided
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. salt (optional)
Pinch pepper
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 T. flour
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. yellow mustard
6 c. hot cooked noodles
Chopped fresh parsley, optional
In large bowl, beat egg. Stir in beef, 1/3 cup soup, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Mix gently. Shape into 6 oval patties. Brown in a skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside, discard drippings. Whisk together flour and water in skillet. Add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and remaining soup. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Return patties to skillet, cover and simmer 15 minutes until meat is no longer pink. Serve patties and gravy over noodles. Garnish with parsley. Serves 6.
My changes: As usual, I halved the recipe. I happened to have a 2 lb package of hamburger thawed, so I used 1 lb beef. I added roughly half an egg (the other half went into cookie bars) and a 1/4 cup bread crumbs. Just a sprinkle of salt, though, because gravy will be salty. I made the whole recipe of gravy because I figured "What will I do with a partially used can of soup?" I also started my gravy with a roux, so instead of using the flour and water combo, I used 1 T. flour with 1 T. butter. I also added about a half a soup can, maybe a third, of water because the gravy thickened up quite well. I served ours with boiled potatoes and what my husband deems "magic vegetables," otherwise known as mixed vegetables. Really hit the spot and can't wait to eat it warmed over in my toaster oven for lunch tomorrow! Hopefully I won't be so crabby. At least it will be Friday.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Rainy Weekend Americanized Mexican Eats
It
has been cold and rainy here in SD. I'm not complaining. I quite enjoy these
rainy days, though they always make me feel like curling up in my old recliner
with a good movie. Unfortunately, there just isn't time for that today. I
managed to get my rump out the door and go to yoga this morning and I am so
glad I did! It will keep me motivated to push on through this day and not fall
into Grandma's old recliner.
I was making myself some coffee, though I swear I'm going to quit (they say caffeine can lead to early miscarriage, so I've sworn off of it in the past. However, these days I don't worry about it as much because when you can't even get pregnant to start, it's not worth worrying over 1 cup of coffee in the morning) and I was thinking about baking today and that I'm craving some Americanized Mexican food. I think I'm going to make Taco Skillet Supper tonight. I found this recipe in a cookbook put out by Herberger's (one of my Salvation Army finds...) and thought it sounded just odd enough to maybe be good, and I tell you what--It's surprisingly good! So I encourage you to look past this rather odd combo to see the flavor potential, and how incredibly easy it is to prepare! I'm not going to promise low fat, gluten free (though you could probably easily convert it), low carb or anything like that, but rather promise a good, hearty, Midwestern Americanized Mexican dish!
Taco
Skillet Supper
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 (10.5 oz) can bacon-bean soup
1/2 soup can of water
1 cup grated cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or "Mexican" blend cheese)
Chopped tomatoes
Lettuce
Taco chips
Sour cream
Salsa
Mix ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, milk & seasoning together. Shape into patties (about hamburger size or smaller). Brown patties. Mix soup and water and pour over patties. Cook about 15 minutes more or until patties are done. Top with cheese and your favorite toppings. Good served with Mexican rice. Serves 4-6.
When I first made these I made 2 mistakes: 1) I made the patties way too big. I think I got 3 patties out of all that hamburger because the recipe says "serves 4". I think you could easily make 6-8 smaller patties and they'd be more managable and better for leftovers; 2) I tried frying these in a pan that wasn't non-stick and didn't have enough fat so they stuck to the pan like none other because of the egg in the mixture. So make sure to fry these in a non-stick skillet or maybe grill them. I also use only 1 lb of hamburger and just adjust accordingly or use 1/2 lb ground pork!
For a nice side dish, here's approximately how to make Mexican rice. Martha, a Mexican immigrant and good friend of ours from our time living in Wisconsin, once tried to tell me how to make her rice. Here's what I remember with my own American twists and fill-in's to make it work.
Mexican Rice
1 cup long grain white rice
1-2 T. olive oil, corn oil or butter
1/4 cup or more to taste of chopped onion
1/4 cup or more to taste of chopped green pepper
1 glove garlic crushed or a few sprinkles garlic powder
1 small can tomato sauce
2 cups water or chicken broth
Tabasco
Salt
Pepper
Cook onion and pepper in hot oil until tender, adding garlic about half way through. Add rice and cook about 3-5 minutes to get it coated with oil and starting to toast. Add liquid and tomato sauce, season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. You may need to add a bit more liquid as it cooks. Throw in a couple squirts of Tabasco, and give 'er a mix. This is a simple dish. It's not knock your socks off, but just a simply flavored side. You could add cheese to the top or jalapenos instead of green peppers. Some people might want to add some cumin and/or chili powder for extra kick and flavor. I like it simple. You could also half the tomato sauce if you don't like it so tomatoey.
Well, looks like the rain has eased up a bit. DH has requested my presence at our new house to help him sweep the floor and prepare for insulation Monday. Then it's to town for appliance shopping! I wish I could say I look forward to it, but shopping with a man isnt' my idea of a good time. :)
I was making myself some coffee, though I swear I'm going to quit (they say caffeine can lead to early miscarriage, so I've sworn off of it in the past. However, these days I don't worry about it as much because when you can't even get pregnant to start, it's not worth worrying over 1 cup of coffee in the morning) and I was thinking about baking today and that I'm craving some Americanized Mexican food. I think I'm going to make Taco Skillet Supper tonight. I found this recipe in a cookbook put out by Herberger's (one of my Salvation Army finds...) and thought it sounded just odd enough to maybe be good, and I tell you what--It's surprisingly good! So I encourage you to look past this rather odd combo to see the flavor potential, and how incredibly easy it is to prepare! I'm not going to promise low fat, gluten free (though you could probably easily convert it), low carb or anything like that, but rather promise a good, hearty, Midwestern Americanized Mexican dish!
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 (10.5 oz) can bacon-bean soup
1/2 soup can of water
1 cup grated cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or "Mexican" blend cheese)
Chopped tomatoes
Lettuce
Taco chips
Sour cream
Salsa
Mix ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, milk & seasoning together. Shape into patties (about hamburger size or smaller). Brown patties. Mix soup and water and pour over patties. Cook about 15 minutes more or until patties are done. Top with cheese and your favorite toppings. Good served with Mexican rice. Serves 4-6.
When I first made these I made 2 mistakes: 1) I made the patties way too big. I think I got 3 patties out of all that hamburger because the recipe says "serves 4". I think you could easily make 6-8 smaller patties and they'd be more managable and better for leftovers; 2) I tried frying these in a pan that wasn't non-stick and didn't have enough fat so they stuck to the pan like none other because of the egg in the mixture. So make sure to fry these in a non-stick skillet or maybe grill them. I also use only 1 lb of hamburger and just adjust accordingly or use 1/2 lb ground pork!
For a nice side dish, here's approximately how to make Mexican rice. Martha, a Mexican immigrant and good friend of ours from our time living in Wisconsin, once tried to tell me how to make her rice. Here's what I remember with my own American twists and fill-in's to make it work.
Mexican Rice
1 cup long grain white rice
1-2 T. olive oil, corn oil or butter
1/4 cup or more to taste of chopped onion
1/4 cup or more to taste of chopped green pepper
1 glove garlic crushed or a few sprinkles garlic powder
1 small can tomato sauce
2 cups water or chicken broth
Tabasco
Salt
Pepper
Cook onion and pepper in hot oil until tender, adding garlic about half way through. Add rice and cook about 3-5 minutes to get it coated with oil and starting to toast. Add liquid and tomato sauce, season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. You may need to add a bit more liquid as it cooks. Throw in a couple squirts of Tabasco, and give 'er a mix. This is a simple dish. It's not knock your socks off, but just a simply flavored side. You could add cheese to the top or jalapenos instead of green peppers. Some people might want to add some cumin and/or chili powder for extra kick and flavor. I like it simple. You could also half the tomato sauce if you don't like it so tomatoey.
Well, looks like the rain has eased up a bit. DH has requested my presence at our new house to help him sweep the floor and prepare for insulation Monday. Then it's to town for appliance shopping! I wish I could say I look forward to it, but shopping with a man isnt' my idea of a good time. :)
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Sunday
Sunday's are supposed to be the Lord's day for rest. I haven't done much resting today, though I regret to admit, we skipped church this morning... But it gave me time to start in on a busy day.
I woke up and thought about breakfast. That's what food addicts do--we think about food first thing and last thing (I was reading a recipe book before bed, too). Wanting something out of the ordinary, but still along the line of ordinary, I thought about an oven pancake. I was thinking Pannekoeken, and I thought about a recipe called Flying Flapjacks that I've had in my binder for several years now. However, it never turns out! Why I thought this morning would be any different, I don't know; I guess I was feeling optimistic. As you can guess, it didn't turn out. It burned, and it wasn't cooked through, and I honestly didn't even sample it. The dogs enjoyed it. I gave up and ate some fresh fruit and some of last night's beer bread.
As dinner time approached (for those of you who are not from SD, dinner is the noon meal), I knew I could do better and went with an old faithful of pork loin and Very Yummy Rice. Today's inspiration turned into a fall themed meal day as I spent the afternoon making apple bars and a tiramisu cheese cake I saw in my latest issue of Taste of Home magazine.
Pork loin is a great way to stock up on a choicer cut of meat for a reasonable price, especially for a small family. Typically it's just my husband and I for all our meals. Large pork loins will often go on sale at the grocery store for $3/lb, give or take. I pick them up for under $20 and that will make probably 6-10 meals for us. I slice the loin into individual pork chops and larger 1 lb mini-loins. I throw them in freezer safe bags and label with the date, and into the freezer they go!
Here's how I do my mini-loins. I should say, I'm not a huge pork fan. So this pork loin has a beef twist which I think makes it better. You can do this with a fresh hunk of pork or a frozen chunk, as well as beef roast. I simple place the meat in a glass baking dish, usually my 8x8 Pyrex, and sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of onion soup mix in, and about a teaspoon or two of beef bouillon (1-2 cube crumbled), a sprinkle of black pepper, and I grab some fresh garlic and smear about a cloves' worth over the meat. You won't need much salt, if any, because the soup mix and bouillon are both loaded with salt. I also like a sprinkle of dried thyme and rosemary for a little extra punch. Pour in about a cup of water, more or less to taste and depending on how much gravy you might want, and how long the meat will be in the oven (some water will evaporate as it cooks). I put it in the oven, preheated or not, to 375 degrees, and bake at least an hour, preferably 1 1/2-2 hrs to get the meat nice and tender. I like to make sure my meat hits an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees, especially if it started out frozen. You can easily do this same process in a crock pot.
I like gravy, and this combo makes the best gravy!!! In a medium sized frying pan, melt 2 T. butter and whisk in 2 T. flour. To make a bigger batch, you can increase the amounts of butter and flour at a 1:1 ratio. Let the butter and flour bubble up a bit. This will help cook out the pasty flour taste This is called making a roux. There's your fancy French vocab word of the day! (Thanks Grandpa Schoen for showing me how to make a roux with your creamed cauliflower. My gravy has been has never been the same--in a good way!) Slowly add your liquid to the bubbly roux, stirring constantly, until desired thickness. Yum! I smother this gravy on everything that happens upon my plate!
Here's the recipe for Very Yummy Rice. I think of this dish as purely Midwestern with its meaty, cheesy flavor and it's pretty affordable to make. It's versatile, as well. You can easily half the recipe for 2-4, or leave it as is for a larger family or potluck. You can use brown rice or a mixture with some wild rice, just cook longer. To quickly toast almonds, simply warm a frying pan and toss almonds around in pan until lightly golden brown. Remove from pan to cool until needed.
Very Yummy Rice
1/4 cup butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups regular long grain white rice
2 cans beef consomme
1/2 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cans mushrooms, undrained
1 cup toasted, slivered almonds
Saute onion in butter. Add uncooked rice and simmer 5 minutes. Pour mixture into greased 2 qt casserole. Add consumme, mushrooms with liquid, and cheese. Give it a stir and bake at 325 for about 1 hour. I cover mine for first half the cooking time to ensure the rice cooks through. Remove from oven and stir in toasted almonds.
And for dessert, my favorite part of any day, Apple Bars. This recipe comes from a friend, Susan, who is a fabulous cook. She passed this along to me one day while we were baking apple pies at her house. (That's a story, and a couple recipes, for a different day). She got this recipe from her mother-in-law.
Apple Bars
Mix as for pie crust:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 T. sugar
1 cup shortening
Add: 1 egg yolk, beaten (save the white for later!) with enough milk to equal 2/3 cup. Roll out 1/2 of dough to fit 11x13 pan (Susan uses 13x18 pan, which gives you a thinner crust).
Slice enough apples to fill pan: 4-6 cups for 11x13 pan and 10-12 cups for 13x18 pan. Place on crust. Sprinkle with:
Smaller pan: 1 cup sugar, 3 T. flour, sprinkle of cinnamon and dot with 1 T. butter
Larger pan: 2 cup sugar, 6 T. flour, sprinkle of cinnamon and dot with 2 T. butter.
Roll out second half of dough and place over top. Turn edges under and seal edges. Beat egg white until frothy and brush over crust. Sprinkle with sugar. Poke holes for venting and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Drizzle with powdered sugar glaze while still warm.
Powdered Sugar Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 T. milk or water
1/4 tsp. flavor (vanilla or almond or both)
1 tsp. butter melted
Mix all until smooth and drizzle over top of bars, breads, muffins, cookies...
Today I had about 7 cups of sliced apples. Handy tip is that one medium sized apple equals about 1 cup. I had some in the fridge from the 4H fruit sale that needed to be used up. I made my bars in my favorite 13x18 pan. I used 1 1/2 cups of sugar, 3 T. flour and about 1 1/2 T. butter to dot over all.
Uffda. Busy day, but nice to have a good Sunday dinner. Tonight for supper... leftover Hamburger Wild Rice soup and beer bread!
I woke up and thought about breakfast. That's what food addicts do--we think about food first thing and last thing (I was reading a recipe book before bed, too). Wanting something out of the ordinary, but still along the line of ordinary, I thought about an oven pancake. I was thinking Pannekoeken, and I thought about a recipe called Flying Flapjacks that I've had in my binder for several years now. However, it never turns out! Why I thought this morning would be any different, I don't know; I guess I was feeling optimistic. As you can guess, it didn't turn out. It burned, and it wasn't cooked through, and I honestly didn't even sample it. The dogs enjoyed it. I gave up and ate some fresh fruit and some of last night's beer bread.
As dinner time approached (for those of you who are not from SD, dinner is the noon meal), I knew I could do better and went with an old faithful of pork loin and Very Yummy Rice. Today's inspiration turned into a fall themed meal day as I spent the afternoon making apple bars and a tiramisu cheese cake I saw in my latest issue of Taste of Home magazine.
Pork loin is a great way to stock up on a choicer cut of meat for a reasonable price, especially for a small family. Typically it's just my husband and I for all our meals. Large pork loins will often go on sale at the grocery store for $3/lb, give or take. I pick them up for under $20 and that will make probably 6-10 meals for us. I slice the loin into individual pork chops and larger 1 lb mini-loins. I throw them in freezer safe bags and label with the date, and into the freezer they go!
Here's how I do my mini-loins. I should say, I'm not a huge pork fan. So this pork loin has a beef twist which I think makes it better. You can do this with a fresh hunk of pork or a frozen chunk, as well as beef roast. I simple place the meat in a glass baking dish, usually my 8x8 Pyrex, and sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of onion soup mix in, and about a teaspoon or two of beef bouillon (1-2 cube crumbled), a sprinkle of black pepper, and I grab some fresh garlic and smear about a cloves' worth over the meat. You won't need much salt, if any, because the soup mix and bouillon are both loaded with salt. I also like a sprinkle of dried thyme and rosemary for a little extra punch. Pour in about a cup of water, more or less to taste and depending on how much gravy you might want, and how long the meat will be in the oven (some water will evaporate as it cooks). I put it in the oven, preheated or not, to 375 degrees, and bake at least an hour, preferably 1 1/2-2 hrs to get the meat nice and tender. I like to make sure my meat hits an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees, especially if it started out frozen. You can easily do this same process in a crock pot.
I like gravy, and this combo makes the best gravy!!! In a medium sized frying pan, melt 2 T. butter and whisk in 2 T. flour. To make a bigger batch, you can increase the amounts of butter and flour at a 1:1 ratio. Let the butter and flour bubble up a bit. This will help cook out the pasty flour taste This is called making a roux. There's your fancy French vocab word of the day! (Thanks Grandpa Schoen for showing me how to make a roux with your creamed cauliflower. My gravy has been has never been the same--in a good way!) Slowly add your liquid to the bubbly roux, stirring constantly, until desired thickness. Yum! I smother this gravy on everything that happens upon my plate!
Here's the recipe for Very Yummy Rice. I think of this dish as purely Midwestern with its meaty, cheesy flavor and it's pretty affordable to make. It's versatile, as well. You can easily half the recipe for 2-4, or leave it as is for a larger family or potluck. You can use brown rice or a mixture with some wild rice, just cook longer. To quickly toast almonds, simply warm a frying pan and toss almonds around in pan until lightly golden brown. Remove from pan to cool until needed.
Very Yummy Rice
1/4 cup butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups regular long grain white rice
2 cans beef consomme
1/2 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cans mushrooms, undrained
1 cup toasted, slivered almonds
Saute onion in butter. Add uncooked rice and simmer 5 minutes. Pour mixture into greased 2 qt casserole. Add consumme, mushrooms with liquid, and cheese. Give it a stir and bake at 325 for about 1 hour. I cover mine for first half the cooking time to ensure the rice cooks through. Remove from oven and stir in toasted almonds.
And for dessert, my favorite part of any day, Apple Bars. This recipe comes from a friend, Susan, who is a fabulous cook. She passed this along to me one day while we were baking apple pies at her house. (That's a story, and a couple recipes, for a different day). She got this recipe from her mother-in-law.
Apple Bars
Mix as for pie crust:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 T. sugar
1 cup shortening
Add: 1 egg yolk, beaten (save the white for later!) with enough milk to equal 2/3 cup. Roll out 1/2 of dough to fit 11x13 pan (Susan uses 13x18 pan, which gives you a thinner crust).
Slice enough apples to fill pan: 4-6 cups for 11x13 pan and 10-12 cups for 13x18 pan. Place on crust. Sprinkle with:
Smaller pan: 1 cup sugar, 3 T. flour, sprinkle of cinnamon and dot with 1 T. butter
Larger pan: 2 cup sugar, 6 T. flour, sprinkle of cinnamon and dot with 2 T. butter.
Roll out second half of dough and place over top. Turn edges under and seal edges. Beat egg white until frothy and brush over crust. Sprinkle with sugar. Poke holes for venting and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Drizzle with powdered sugar glaze while still warm.
Powdered Sugar Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 T. milk or water
1/4 tsp. flavor (vanilla or almond or both)
1 tsp. butter melted
Mix all until smooth and drizzle over top of bars, breads, muffins, cookies...
Uffda. Busy day, but nice to have a good Sunday dinner. Tonight for supper... leftover Hamburger Wild Rice soup and beer bread!
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Pitty Party Chocolate Chip Cookies
I am an emotional eater. There I said it. We'll just get beyond the nitty, gritty, dirty details and get right to the truth. I eat to make myself feel better. It's true. I cannot deny this fact because I give myself away. Typically I crave something ooey and gooey and chocolately, like Molly's Nanny Sherry's Brownies, or Chocolate Chip Cookies or my newest vice, Caramel Fudgies from my stepson's junior prom fund raiser cookbook Cookin' with the Chargers.
Many of us have bumps and bends in our journey through life. Some bumps are a little rougher than others, and some bends a little sharper. My road is no different than most, and I've had my share of heartache. I had Hodgkin's disease when I was 22. I have been bald. I have been a cancer patient. I have had my fair share of what I affectionately call "stupid medical problems"--they never run the gamet of "normal" but usually leave my doctors puzzled.
The last 5 years I have been battling infertility. Infertility is not something people generally discuss openly, though I have found it affects more people than you might think. While I try not to be overwhelmingly vocal about my infertility issues, I have made it a point to be honest about it. I live in a town of 375 people. People wonder why we don't have children of our own. People know you, and they notice these things. Some people sheepishly ask, and feel guilty when I tell them the truth. There's no need to feel guilty asking, because when you are infertile it's hard to be left out, and for me anyway, I'd rather be asked than avoided.
Naturally, because I am an emotional eater, I have used food as a coping mechanism for all sorts of problems in my life. However, I have found some really good recipes along the way and have earned a humble reputation for being a pretty good cook. I would like to share my best recipes with you. Maybe I'll throw in some that are not my best ones, too, for reasons I don't know quite yet. Cooking and especially baking have become something of a coping mechanism for me, and I'm hoping this blog can also help me work through some of the heartache of infertility, and well, anything else that happens to pop up along this path I'm on. There are still plenty of good things along the road, and those should be celebrated with food as well--Good Food!!!
It didn't take me long to decide which recipe to put here first. It's got to be my go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookies. My husband loves them, my stepchildren love them, and it's perfect for last minute potlucks (in bar form) or late night pitty parties. Here's my favorite recipe--the best I've found yet and the only cookie recipe I have memorized! I think I found it online, and I want to say it comes from Canada, though I honestly can't remember exactly where I happened upon it. All I know is that these are so good!
Pitty Party Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 sticks of butter, softened
1 stick of margarine, softened
1 ¼ cup sugar
1 ¼ cup brown sugar
1 T. vanilla
2 eggs
2 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
4 ¼ cups all purpose flour (more or less to taste. Orignal recipe calls for 4 c.)
Cream butter, margarine and both sugars together. Add vanilla and eggs and mix well. Add remaining ingredients, adding more or less flour to taste (if the dough feels stiff, use less, if it feels soft, use more, etc. I often see how the first batch goes before I go hogwild adding flour). Drop by rounded spoonfuls or use a cookie scoop to drop onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes or until desired doneness. Best if slightly underbaked. Keep in airtight container. They probably won't last long, but they're usually best if eaten or frozen within a few days.
* These are also great as bars. The whole recipe fits nicely into a 15x18 jelly roll pan (I like non-coated aluminum pans). Bake same temp for mabye 20-25 minutes. Watch them after 15 minutes and bake until golden brown all over. Try not to over bake and enjoy!
Many of us have bumps and bends in our journey through life. Some bumps are a little rougher than others, and some bends a little sharper. My road is no different than most, and I've had my share of heartache. I had Hodgkin's disease when I was 22. I have been bald. I have been a cancer patient. I have had my fair share of what I affectionately call "stupid medical problems"--they never run the gamet of "normal" but usually leave my doctors puzzled.
The last 5 years I have been battling infertility. Infertility is not something people generally discuss openly, though I have found it affects more people than you might think. While I try not to be overwhelmingly vocal about my infertility issues, I have made it a point to be honest about it. I live in a town of 375 people. People wonder why we don't have children of our own. People know you, and they notice these things. Some people sheepishly ask, and feel guilty when I tell them the truth. There's no need to feel guilty asking, because when you are infertile it's hard to be left out, and for me anyway, I'd rather be asked than avoided.
Naturally, because I am an emotional eater, I have used food as a coping mechanism for all sorts of problems in my life. However, I have found some really good recipes along the way and have earned a humble reputation for being a pretty good cook. I would like to share my best recipes with you. Maybe I'll throw in some that are not my best ones, too, for reasons I don't know quite yet. Cooking and especially baking have become something of a coping mechanism for me, and I'm hoping this blog can also help me work through some of the heartache of infertility, and well, anything else that happens to pop up along this path I'm on. There are still plenty of good things along the road, and those should be celebrated with food as well--Good Food!!!
It didn't take me long to decide which recipe to put here first. It's got to be my go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookies. My husband loves them, my stepchildren love them, and it's perfect for last minute potlucks (in bar form) or late night pitty parties. Here's my favorite recipe--the best I've found yet and the only cookie recipe I have memorized! I think I found it online, and I want to say it comes from Canada, though I honestly can't remember exactly where I happened upon it. All I know is that these are so good!
Pitty Party Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 sticks of butter, softened1 stick of margarine, softened
1 ¼ cup sugar
1 ¼ cup brown sugar
1 T. vanilla
2 eggs
2 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
4 ¼ cups all purpose flour (more or less to taste. Orignal recipe calls for 4 c.)
Cream butter, margarine and both sugars together. Add vanilla and eggs and mix well. Add remaining ingredients, adding more or less flour to taste (if the dough feels stiff, use less, if it feels soft, use more, etc. I often see how the first batch goes before I go hogwild adding flour). Drop by rounded spoonfuls or use a cookie scoop to drop onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes or until desired doneness. Best if slightly underbaked. Keep in airtight container. They probably won't last long, but they're usually best if eaten or frozen within a few days.
* These are also great as bars. The whole recipe fits nicely into a 15x18 jelly roll pan (I like non-coated aluminum pans). Bake same temp for mabye 20-25 minutes. Watch them after 15 minutes and bake until golden brown all over. Try not to over bake and enjoy!
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