Category: MISC

PICKLED EGGS

I used to make these for our VFW and they were a favorite!

PICKLED EGGS
1 dozen JUMBO eggs
1 1/2 cups vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 onion, sliced into thin rings
1 whole dried chile pepper

  • Hard boil the eggs.
  • Drain and fill with cold water. Allow eggs to sit in cold water for 20 minutes.
  • Peel the eggs and place in a glass jar, alternating with the onion rings. Add the red pepper.
  • In a medium saucepan combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and cloves. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes.
  • Pour the hot vinegar solution over the eggs. Cover tightly and let stand in refrigerator for several days before serving.

BAKED APPLES

before & after – I change to a serving bowl as the baking bowl gets pretty sticky.

BAKED APPLES
per apple:
1/2 cup sugar
scant tablespoon small bead tapioca
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup apricot pineapple jam
1-2 tablespoons golden raisins

  • Wash and core apples (slice off bottom if need be so apple sits flat.
  • In a small saucepan combine other ingredients and bring to a boil.
  • Pour evenly over apples.
  • Bake 45 minutes or until fork tender.
  • Cool slightly.
  • Best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

LEMON APPLE CRISP

LEMON APPLE CRISP

CRISP
2-3 large Granny Smith apples (4 Cups)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup apple juice

TOPPING
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 small box Cook & Serve Lemon Pudding (NOT instant)

Preheat oven to 350°.
In a large mixing bowl combine all CRISP ingredients and mix well. Pour into an un-greased stoneware pan.
In a mixing bowl combine the topping ingredients and mix until crumbly.
Sprinkle topping over apple mixture.
Bake 45-60 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is crisp and golden.
Serve warm with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream.

Anyone remember the HELM’S BAKERY?




Photos from the This Site
Barbara and I were chatting about cream puffs and eclairs and maple bars tonight and the whole topic evoked a childhood food memory for me of the Helm’s Bakery. As a young child growing up in southern California, the Helm’s Bakery truck and his ‘toot toot’ horn were as familiar as the ice cream man and his music. He was the pied piper of pastries, we would follow him anywhere and sometimes did. He had long pull out drawers full of eclairs, maple bars – real pastries, donuts, cakes, pies, cookies, brownies, fresh baked breads sometimes still warm from the oven… He catered to the SAHMs or ‘housewives’ of yesteryear before supermarkets at a time when the family car had been driven to work by dad. Shortly after I remember him appearing in our neighborhood he was gone.

I decided to do a little research and was surprised to find they had gone out of business just shortly after I discovered them as a young girl, but more importantly had been the bread supplier to the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, created an athletic hall of fame in 1936 that became a model for many of today’s hall of fames and even supplied bread to the Apollo 11 mission to the moon.

I went on about their maple bars for so long Barbara has now challenged me to recreate their recipe. I’m no pastry chef, but welcome the challenge. I can taste them and smell them already.

NOT YOUR GRANDMOTHER’S POTATO CASSEROLE

Remember when I found this thrift store find?  Well, here is the first recipe and it was a resounding success. 
When I actually made this recipe I realized it really was my grandmother’s recipe.  One that was undoubtedly passed around bymany women at neighborhood coffee clatches, tupperware parties and PTA meetings.  I did update it a bit and hubby can’t seem to get enough of it.
POTATO CASSEROLE
2 pound package frozen hash browns
1 can cream of chicken celery soup
1 teaspoon garlic salt 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pint 8 ounces sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

12 tablespoons butter, melted, divided 8 tablespoons and 4 tablespoons
2 cups corn flakes Special K original
2 cups 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt  1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon parsley
  • Preheat oven 325 degrees.
  • Rub the inside of a 2 quart casserole with butter or spray with PURE.
  • Whisk together the sour cream, soup, 1/2 cup melted butter and seasonings.
  • In a large bowl toss the frozen hash browns with the wet ingredients and 1/2 the cheese until well blended.
  • Arrange the hash brown mixture in the prepared baking dish.
  • Top with remaining cheese.
  • Top with the Special K.
  • Pour remaining butter evenly over top.
  • Bake 1 hour on lowest shelf in oven.
Better the next day and the next and the next…

CHICKEN BRUSCHETTA SKIPPER STYLE

CHICKEN BRUSCHETTA SKIPPER STYLE
2 large boneless & skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
3+3 tablespoons butter
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon minced garlic, jar
8 oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts
2 tablespoons Classico tomato pesto
1 small onion, diced
4 tablespoons flour
8-16 ounces cooked pasta
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese

  • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Cook pasta, drain and set aside.
  • Melt first 3 tablespoons butter in large skillet.
  • Saute’ chicken pieces a few minutes and then add onion and garlic. Saute’ until cooked through.
  • In a small food processor chop artichoke hearts until smooth and creamy.
  • Drain chicken and onion mixture.
  • In the same skillet, melt the additional 3 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour until golden. Add milk and whisk until smooth.
  • Add the artichoke hearts and pesto and blend until smooth.
  • In a large mixing bowl toss the pasta, chicken mixture and sauce mixture with the Parmesan cheese and mix well.
  • Pour into a greased 9×9 casserole.
  • Top with mozzarella cheese.
  • Bake 30-45 minutes until crispy.

CHICKEN SPINACH TOSS

CHICKEN SPINACH TOSS
1/4 pound bacon, diced
2 cups rotisserie chicken pieces
1 avocado, sliced
1 large bunch spinach
1 large green onions, sliced
1 orange, cut into pieces
1/2 cup pomegranate pieces
Juice of 1 lemon
1 batch Champagne Salad Dressing
Homemade Parmesan Cheese Bread 

  • Wash spinach leaves and dry well.
  • Toss with the onions, oranges and pomegranate seeds.
  • Sprinkle lemon juice over spinach mix and refrigerate.
  • Brown the bacon pieces until crisp.
  • Add chicken pieces until heated through.
  • Slice avocados, plate them and season with salt and pepper.
  • Pour desired amount of dressing over the spinach mix and toss well. 
  • Top with chicken bacon mixture.
  • Enjoy!

PORK in ORANGE SAUCE

My wonderful SIL recently (this was originally posted 11-19-2010) returned from a cruise to Panama – lucky her! – she had a great time, but lucky me – she sent me a new cookbook of Mexican recipes.  I have tried 3 recipes so far this week and we loved all 3!!!!!!!!!  But, hubby all but licked his plate on this one tonight. And this recipe was soooooooooo simple!  I did tweak the original recipe to suit us, but the basics are all still there.

2 pound pork tenderloin, cut into pieces
1/3 cup diced dried apricots
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon cumin
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
sliced oranges for garnish
mashed potatoes (original recipe called for mashed sweet potatoes but hubby doesn’t care for them)

  • In a large bowl combine vinegar, cumin, garlic, red pepper and salt.
  • Drop in pork cubes and make sure they are completely coated.
  • Cover and refrigerate 6 hours or more.
  • Remove pork pieces from marindae, but reserve the marinade.
  • Pat the meat dry.*
  • In a heavy skillet, melt the butter.
  • Brown the pork cubes until golden.
  • Add the reserved marinade and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until pork is tender (30 minutes or so).
  • Stir in orange and lemon juices last 15 minutes.

*Next time I will brown the pork first and then marinade the meat so there is a bit of a crusty edge.

NOTE:  Any time you marinade in vinegar, meat will take longer to brown.

CUCUMBER POMEGRANATE SALAD

Need a quick, easy and pretty side dish for Thanksgiving?  I have it right here for you!

CUCUMBER POMEGRANATE SALAD

1-2 large cucumbers, sliced thin
1 bunch green onions, sliced 
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
  • Arrange cucumbers, green onions and pomegranate seeds on serving plate.
  • Generously salt and pepper.
  • Pour dressing over top.
  • Chill.
  • Enjoy!

HOME MADE CHUNKY BANANA APPLE SAUCE

HOME MADE CHUNKY BANANA APPLE SAUCE

4 large Apples (I like Pink Lady or Braeburns)
3 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 can peach nectar (Papaya or pineapple are good too or plain orange juice in a pinch)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cup sugar

  • In a large sauce pan pour nectar over raisins and let sit while you prepare apples.
  • Wash, core, peel and chop apples.
  • Peel bananas and mash.
  • Add water to sauce pan and stir in sugar until dissolved.
  • Add cinnamon and mix well.
  • Add apples and bananas to the raisins and cook over medium heat until until apples are tender and mush easily.
  • Mush to desired consistency.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Cool and chill.
  • Can be kept in refrigerator for a week though it never lasts that long around here.
  • Also freezes well in small batches.

TUNA CAKES with FRENCH REMOULADE SAUCE

TUNA CAKES with FRENCH REMOULADE SAUCE
CAKES
12 ounce can all white albacore tuna, drained well**
1 large egg
1/8 cup mayonnaise
panko crumbs
sea salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon green Tabasco sauce

SAUCE
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
1/2 cup safflower oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 cup powdered sugar

  • In a medium mixing bowl whisk egg until golden and consistency is smooth.
  • Add mayonnaise, salt, pepper and green Tabasco sauce, whisking until well blended.
  • Add enough panko crumbs to make a paste.
  • Add tuna and blend well.
  • Form 6 cakes or logs.
  • Set cakes on paper towels and chill 30 minutes.  The paper towels will draw out excess moisture
  • In a cast iron pan melt butter.
  • Roll cakes in panko crumbs.
  • When butter is frothy, add tuna cakes.
  • Brown each side until golden.
  • In a food processor mix together all the sauce ingredients until well blended.
  • Microwave 1 minute until hot.
  • Pour over tuna cakes and enjoy.

**Crab or Salmon works well too.