Scrumptious Sunday – National Dairy Month


Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks
CHEESE FONDUE

1/2 pound swiss cheese, shredded
1 1/4 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic, Jar
1 cup white wine (Reisling is y favorite)
salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
Brandy (optional)
1 loaf crusty French bread, cut into bite size pieces

  • Dredge the cheese with the flour.
  • Pour wine into fondue pot and stir in garlic.
  • When wine is heated, NOT boiling, add the cheese by handfuls, stirring well in between.
  • Stir continuously until mixture begins to bubble.
  • Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.
  • Add Brandy if adding.
  • Remove dish from stove and immediately set over the heating element.
  • Enjoy.

TACO CHEESE DIP

8 ounces cream cheese
16 ounces sour cream
1 package taco seasoning
1 jar jalapeno bean dip
1 bunch green onions, chopped fine

  • Blend together well and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
  • Serve with tortilla chips

I do the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks, Tasty Thursday hosted by Pumpkin Patch, Watchin’ What We Eat hosted by Lorie at Honey I Shrank Myself and Slow Cooking Thursday hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. Doing them all make great additions to help keeping me on track and finding so new recipes!

Favorite Ingredient Friday ~ Brown Sugar Bourbon Marinade

Today is refreshing drinks edition, but I’d already planned to post this so I’ll leave this for a great BBQ marinade and also direct you to my recipe for Patio Coolers (which I posted recently for Scrumptious Sunday – yum – they’re like cool aid for adults.

hosted by Overwhelmed with Joy
BROWN SUGAR BOURBON MARINADE

1/4 cup PACKED brown sugar
1 bunch green onions, minced
1/3 cup Bourbon
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
1 teaspoon dry Coleman’s mustard
1 teaspoon white pepper

  • Mix together well until all sugar is dissolved.
  • In a large ziploc bag add desired meat and pour marinade over.
  • Release as much air as possible and massage marinade into meat for a minute or so.
  • Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. Turn the bag periodically.
  • Grill & Enjoy!

I do the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks and Slow Cooking Thursday hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. Doing them all make great additions to help keeping me on track and finding so new recipes!

Cooking by Trial and Error AKA no 2 recipes ever taste the same!

In continuing the theme of revealing secret recipes, I have a few more thoughts. I try to be very thorough when writing recipes so that those with little experience in the kitchen, those working toward reducing weight and those who want an acceptable finished meal will all be satisfied. But, when I’m not composing recipes for posting, I’m a verrrrrrrrrry impromptu chef, I have a menu in mind, but it is altered (sometimes very seriously) according to my whim of the moment and the ingredients I have on hand. I wish that style of cooking could be taught, but it either comes naturally or it’s an acquired skill and kind of like riding a horse, it takes a lot of practice, some daring courage, and a serious willingness to keep getting back in the saddle until you have the knack of it. I know the dogs love my failed attempts.

Because of this, there is no real “secret” recipe. Secret recipes tend to come from cooks like me and are then altered again by cooks like me to meet their own criteria and so a secret recipe kind of becomes like a whispered secret being passed around a circle of friends, it is never the same thing by the time it gets to the end. You know, it’s how ‘There’s a black cat in the street’ becomes ‘there’s a bucket and it’s empty’ or how Baked Bean Dinner becomes Joe’s famous BBQ beans. LOL

Tuesday's Romance of Cookery and Housekeeping – Peanut Butter Fruit Roll Ups

PEANUT BUTTER AND FRUIT ROLL UPS

1 1/2 cup flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons butter
1/2+ cup milk
3 tablespoons JIF creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons golden raisins*

  • Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder.
  • Cut in 2 tablespoons of cold butter until it reaches a consistency of cornmeal.
  • Add the milk, mixing until a soft dough forms.
  • Pat into a rectangular shape 1/2 inch thick on a floured surface.
  • Cream the peanut butter and 2 teaspoons butter and spread onto dough.
  • Sprinkle the raisins randomly on top.
  • Roll up like cinnamon rolls.
  • Slice off 1/2 inch rolls and place in a well greased baking dish.
  • Bake 18-20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
*I have used cut up chunks of dried apricots and they were really yummy too. If you prefer the original recipe called for currants instead of golden raisins, 1 tablespoon less of peanut butter and lard instead of the 2 tablespoons of butter.

Recipe (page 440) adapted from ‘A Thousand Ways to Please a Husband’
by Louise Bennett Weaver and Helen Cowles LeCron


I do the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks and Slow Cooking Thursday hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. Doing them all make great additions to help keeping me on track and finding so new recipes!

Sesame Garlic Green Beans


Lorie over at Honey I Shrank Myself is starting a new meme,
Watchin’ What We Eat Wednesday. It starts June 18th.
I know I need to and am looking forward to some great new recipes and tips to help.
So head on over for all the info and join the fun.

SESAME GARLIC GREEN BEANS

1 1/2 pounds trimmed green beans
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cloves minced garlic
  • Cook the green beans for 5 minutes in boiling water
  • While the beans are cooking, combine soy sauce, sugar and oil. Set aside.
  • Drain the beans and set them aside.
  • Spray a saute’ pan with PURE.
  • Over medium heat saute’ garlic until soft.
  • Add the beans. Stir a few minutes until they are well coated with garlic.
  • Add the soy sauce mixture, stirring constantly until most of the liquid is absorbed.
  • Enjoy.

Menu Plan Monday

MONDAY ~ Chicken Fried Chicken with Peppered Gravy & Salad
TUESDAY ~ Chicken & Onions in White Wine Cream Sauce & Salad
WEDNESDAY ~ Chicken Chili & Chile Cornbread
THURSDAY ~ Spaghetti Bolegnese, Salad & Garlic Bread
FRIDAY ~ Pizza
SATURDAY ~ Leftovers
SUNDAY ~ Carnitas & Salad

I do the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks and Slow Cooking Thursday hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. Doing them all make great additions to help keeping me on track and finding so new recipes!


Scrumptious Sunday collides with Tasty Thursday – Picnic Side Dishes & BBQ – ColeSlaw and Links


Scrumptious Sunday is hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks
Tasty Thursday is hosted by Pumpkin Patch

COLE SLAW

1 small head green cabbage, washed and shredded
1/4-1/2 head red cabbage, washed and shredded
1-2 bunch(es) green onions, washed and sliced thin
1/2 cup golden raisins
3 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • In a small bowl whisk together the honey, vinegar, mayonnaise, oil and mustard.
  • Pour over the raisins and chill for a few minutes while you wash and shred the cabbages and onions.
  • Toss cabbages, onions and raisins with marinade together.
  • Chill
  • Enjoy

Here are a few more for this theme that I previously posted:
BBQ Beef
Oven BBQ Chicken
Potato Salad and Deviled Eggs
BBQ Beans
Broccoli Slaw Salad

Menu Plan Monday

MONDAY ~ Lemon Pepper Chicken & Broccoli Rice Pilaf
TUESDAY ~ Twisted Red Pepper Steak & Salad
WEDNESDAY ~ Seafood Salad & Parmesan Rolls
THURSDAY ~ Oven Barbecued Chicken & Potato Salad
FRIDAY ~ Meatloaf with a Kick & Twice Baked Potatoes
SATURDAY ~ Taco Ring Salad & Refried Beans
SUNDAY ~ Sauteed Garlic Shrimp & Salad

I do the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks and Slow Cooking Thursday hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. Doing them all make great additions to help keeping me on track and finding so new recipes!

Tuesday's Romance of Cookery and Housekeeping

APPLE DUMPLINGS

2 apples
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons milk
1 jumbo egg

  • Mix the flour, baking powder and salt.
  • Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter.
  • Add the milk and mix to a soft dough.
  • Roll on a well floured board until 1/4 inch thick.
  • Cut dough into 4 squares.
  • Wash, peel and core apples. Cut into quarters and then in half again.
  • Mix together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  • Sprinkle over the apple pieces.
  • In each square of dough place 4 pieces of apple in the center.
  • Moisten the corners of the dough and bring them all together and twist gently squeezing them together.
  • Lightly spray the bottom of a baking dish.
  • Place all 4 dumplings in dish and bake 30 minutes at 350 oven.
  • Brush with egg and and bake 5-10 minutes more until golden.
  • Serve with fresh vanilla ice cream or a cream cheese glaze.
Adapted from ‘A Thousand Ways to Please a Husband’
by Louise Bennett Weaver and Helen Cowles LeCron Recipe (page 238)


I do the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks and Slow Cooking Thursday hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. Doing them all make great additions to help keeping me on track and finding so new recipes!

Scrumptios Sunday bonus dessert pasta recipe – Noodle Pudding


Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks
NOODLE PUDDING
better known as KUGEL as you will find over at JOY OF DESSERTS
I gotta try her recipe too – mine never had a topping but Joy’s sure sounds yummy

2 cups dry wide egg noodles
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup sugar
8 ounce crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 cup golden raisins
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/4 cup milk

  • Cook and drain the noodles
  • Combine all other ingredients together
  • Fold into warm noodles
  • Generously spray an 8×8 baking dish with PURE
  • Gently spread entire mixture into dish evenly
  • Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes

I remember the first time I had this – my little Jewish neighbor brought it over as a welcome to the neighborhood back in 1986. She called it noodle pudding. It was so delicious. I wanted to ask her for the recipe, but I’d just met her and I was young and shy. I made her my floating fruit cake in the same pan she’d brought over and returned it to her to ask for the recipe. I remember how hard she laughed at me. She said it was a Jewish custom to always return a plate, bowl or dish full and of course I could have the recipe. We became fast friends and shared LOTS of recipes before I moved.

Joy is right about the sugar, but I have played with the recipe over the years to keep it sweet while dealing with sugar intolerances. The pineapple has been a good substitute. Another great option is adding the following.
1 teaspoon rum
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

JELL-O LIMITED TIME FLAVORS

Have you seen JELL-O’s new Limited time flavors?
Strawberry Daiquiri, Pina Colada and Margarita. They are so yummy.
I mixed Strawberry Daiquiri with peach chunks and it makes a great snack.

Scrumptious Sunday Pasta collides again with Slow Cooking Thrusday with crock pot Lasagna

Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks and
Slow Cooking Thursday is hosted by Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.
Crockpot Lasagna

1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1 medium onion, chopped
2 teaspoons garlic, minced jar
14.5 ounce can Hunt’s Diced Balsamic vinegar, Basil and olive oil tomatoes
13.5 ounce can Popeye chopped Spinach
15 ounce can Contadina Italian Herb tomato sauce
2 tablespoons Classico Sun Dried tomato pesto
1 tablespoon Pampered Chef Italian Herb mix or equivalent
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
16 ounces ricotta cheese
8 Lasagna noodles, no boil bake
8 ounces mozzarella cheese
PURE

  • Brown hamburger with onion and garlic. Drain off fat.
  • Mix together the diced tomatoes and spinach, juice and all.
  • Whisk together the sauce,pesto and seasonings.
  • Pour the tomato and spinach mixture over the meat mixture and toss together. Allow to drain again.
  • Generously spray the crock pot liner with PURE.
  • Layer as follows & cook on low 3 hours
1/2 of the sauce
noodles broken to fit
meat mixture
noodles
ricotta cheese
meat mixture
noodles broken to fit
other 1/2 of sauce
mozzarella cheese

I cut into here so you could see the layers

I do the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by aura at I’m an Organizing Junkie, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks and Slow Cooking Thursday hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. Doing them all make great additions to help keeping me on track and finding so new recipes!