Category: RECIPES

Farmhouse Dressing

1 cup Buttermilk
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Blend together in mini food processor or whisk vigorously. Chill overnight before serving.

Cheddar Cheese Bread or Biscuits

2 1/2 cups Bisquick
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons poppy, celery OR caraway seeds (Your Choice)
1 egg
1 cup milk

Combine Bisquick and seeds and mix well. Add cheese and mix again. Whisk egg and milk together. Gradually add egg mixture to Bisquick mixture and mix until well blended. Spoon into a well grease loaf pan and bake 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees. If making biscuits either spoon drop onto a well greased cookie sheet or use a mini-muffin pan.

RIB STICKING WINTER SOUP

Rib Sticking Winter Soup

2 pounds ground beef
1-6 oz. Contadina Italian tomato paste
1-28 oz. Contadina diced tomatoes with garlic and herbs
1 medium onion, diced
3 teaspoons minced jar garlic
1/2 cup split peas, rinsed
1/2 cup yellow peas, rinsed
1/4 cup barley
1 Tablespoon Paprika
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 1/2 quarts water
1 cup pasta, elbow or egg noodle

In a large pot brown hamburger, onion and garlic. Drain fat. Add everything except pasta, mix well and bring to a simmer. Simmer slowly on low heat for 2 hours. Add pasta and simmer another 45 minutes. Serve with fresh baked biscuits, beer bread or crackers.

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~*~BBQ BEEF or PORK- the easiest and tastiest EVER~*~

Hubby and I are supposed to go out for Valentines, but we’re also supposed to have yet another blizzard on Valentines Day, so I may be making this recipe instead:

BBQ BEEF

3-4 pound chuck roast or boneless beef ribs*
1 large onion, chopped small
1 12 oz. coca-cola
2 cups Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce
1 cup ketchup OR 1 cup mustard**
1 cup packed brown sugar

  • Put the meat and coca-cola in 6 quart crock pot on low for one hour.
  • Do NOT use high, you can’t cook this recipe fast, it just doesn’t work.
  • After an hour, add the remaining ingredient.
  • Stir well and put the lid on.
  • Cook on low for 5 hours.
  • When done, meat will be in shreds and fat will have all but dissolved into the sauce.
  • Serve over mashed potatoes or on buns.

*You can use stew eat, but it isn’t as good. You need the striation and marbling of fat. The combination of the marbling and the coca-cola tenderizes the meat and makes it yummy.

**Ketchup makes it a little sweeter while mustard makes it more tart.

~*~Dinner Challenge Update~*~Stuffed Spinach Manicotti Shells~*~

1 1/2 pound ground beef
1 medium finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic or 2 teaspoons minced jar garlic
1 box chopped frozen spinach (thawed & drained)
salt & pepper to taste
14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 can Contadina tomato paste
10 ounces beef broth (I use granules and make my own)
2 tablespoons Classico sun-dried tomato peso
1/4 cup butter
2-8ounce shredded mozzarella cheese packages
1 box organic pasta Manicotti Shells, prepared very Al dente
  • Brown hamburger. Add garlic and onion about half way through. When the hamburger is browned, add spinach and heat through. Salt and pepper to taste. Drain off fat.
  • Mix all other ingredients together except the shells and cheese and bring to a simmering boil. Add one third of the sauce to the meat mixture.
  • Stuff the shells with the meat mixture. Continue until all shells are full. This recipe serves 4, but at this point since there are just the 2 of us now, I tend to either A) have leftovers or B) try to think ahead and prep meals to freeze for easy cooking on the nights we’re busy with appointments, but still need a home cooked meal. This Manicotti recipe is great for that. The shells come in a box with 2 layers of plastic protectors. I make sure to save one to protect the shells I’m going to freeze. I prepare the recipe like normal, but split it in half before baking and freeze half. As you can see it all slips easily into a gallon size ziploc bag. After removing everything, I roll the bag up and stick in the freezer door until the next time I prep the whole recipe.
  • In a small greased casserole layer some sauce on bottom. Lay in half the shells, pour more sauce over top reserving half the sauce for the freezer. Put that sauce in a quart size ziploc. Top with the cheese. Cover with foil and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove fol and return to oven for an additional 20 minutes.
  • In the gallon sized ziploc bag slide the extra tray of shells into it. Slide the bag of sauce on top of that as well as the second bag of mozzarella cheese. Zip shut and freeze. You now have a home cooked meal for another night.

Super Bowl Hot Wings & Nacho Buffalo Bleu Cheese Dip

It doesn’t matter who you were rooting for, you CAN’T, I repeat CAN’T watch the SUPER BOWL unless you have hot wings and buffalo cheese dip!


Personally I’m so glad the Giants won. What more could you ask for but to have back to back years with boy next door American quarterbacks (brothers no less). These two give the whole sports image icon a super boost. I’d rather have my kids looking up to either Eli or Payton Manning over say Michael Vick. It just oozes, American flag, fireworks, Chevy, hot dogs and apple pie. Oh and mom was there too!

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup bleu cheese dressing **
1/2 cup Frank’s hot sauce
1 can Rotel Original tomatoes & chiles (drained)
1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat cream cheese in mixing bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds to soften it. Whisk in the bleu cheese dressing, hot sauce, tomatoes and bleu cheese crumbles until smooth. Pour into a 9 inch stoneware casserole. Bake 20-30 minutes or until cooked through. Serve immediately with Hot wings. **

**See recipes on side bar

~*~Sauteed Garlic Shrimp Pasta~*~5 night dinner challenge update~*~

This is the simplest recipe and smells and tastes great too.

16 medium shrimp
1/2 pound organic spaghetti
2 cloves garlic or 2 teaspoons minced jar garlic
1 bunch chopped green onions
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup cream sherry
shredded parmesan cheese

Trim Shrimp and rinse well. In skillet melt butter and oil together and bring to a medium high heat. Add shrimp and saute’ well. Add garlic and onions and continue sauteing about 5 minutes. Add sherry and lower heat and cook until a thick glaze sauce forms. Toss with pasta. Shred parmesan on top and serve immediately.

~*~Grandma's Oatmeal Chews~*~

2 cups oatmeal (quick or regular)
1 1/2 cups flour + 1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup Mrs. Richardson’s Butterscotch Caramel Ice Cream topping*
1/2 cup Mrs. Richardson’s Hot Fudge Ice Cream Topping*
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cup Nestle’s milk chocolate chips**
1/2 cup walnuts

  • Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
  • Generously spray the bottom of a 10×15 jelly roll pan (stainless steel cookie sheet).
  • Combine oatmeal, 1 1/2 cup flour, brown sugar, baking soda and butter. Mix until crumbly. Reserve 1+ cup of mixture. Press remaining mixture onto bottom of prepared pan and bake 15 minutes.
  • Combine butterscotch caramel topping with 1/4 cup flour and whisk until smooth. Drizzle this over prepared crust when removed from oven. In a complimentary pattern drizzle hot fudge. Top with raisins and chocolate chips and nuts if desired. Crumble reserve oat mixture over top.
  • Bake another 15 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

*You may need to microwave for 20-30 seconds so this is pourable
**I often interchange these for peanut butter chips for a little different flavor

~*~Favorite Ingredient Friday – Individual Oven Omelettes~*~


Ingredients are per person:
2 eggs
1 ounce heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
PURE
1/3 cup finely diced ham, sausage or crumbled bacon
1 slice cheddar cheese, the size of a single layer over the meat
1/4 cup shredded cheddar or jack cheese


Using oven proof Pyrex dishes generously spray them with PURE. In the bottom of each one, layer the meat, slice of cheese and salt & pepper.

Whisk together the eggs and cream and then add the baking powder and whisk until smooth. You can whisk all the portions together and then proportion them out after. It just makes it less of a mess and hassle ~ especially if you’re preparing for a large number of people.

Pour equal amounts into each dish and top with shredded cheese. Place them all on a cookie sheet and bake for a total of 25 minutes or more as needed until centers don’t jiggle and edges are golden brown. Check after 10 minutes and adjust oven temp if necessary. You want the centers to quit jiggling about the same time the edges turn brown. The pictures above in the oven were taken at 10 minutes, 20 minutes and 25 minutes. As you can see, they become like little souffle’s.

THURSDAY 13 edition my #2 (130) Spices & their uses


hosted by Thursday Thirteen edition 130

  • 1) Cinnamon is derived from a Malaysian word which means ‘sweet wood’ and its flavor is due to an aromatic essential oil which is really only a small component of its whole. It is largely used in the preparation of desserts here in the USA and in the middle east it is often used with chicken and lamb. Cinnamon is also sometimes used in pickling. Cinnamon bark is one of the few spices that can be consumed directly. It once had a reputation as a cure for colds. It has also been used to treat digestive problems as well as food preservation. It has been used to treat toothaches and bad breath.
  • 2) Thyme is a member of the mint family, with over 100 varieties. Common varieties include: garden, lemon. Thyme is a welcome flavor in salads, soups, sauces, meats, vegetable as well as many breads and desserts. Lemon thyme works well with fish. Repels most insects. You can make a cup of tea from the thyme leaves and spray it around doors and windows to repel insects.
  • 3) Oregano is derived from Greek and means mountain delight. The dried herb is more potent than the fresh. It is usually paired with basil for Italian recipes.
  • 4) Basil was originally native to India. Basil is considered the King of herbs and its name is from the Greek meaning ‘rich’. It is believed it was used in medicinal baths for royalty. It is recommended that basil be used fresh and is usually paired with tomato. When soaked in water, the seeds become gelatinous and some cultures use them to thicken soups.
  • 5) Paprika is made from grinding the dried seeds of red peppers. It is often used to give color as well as flavor.
  • 6 & 7) Nutmeg & Mace are derived from the same plant. Nutmeg is from the actually seed while mace is the red covering over the seed. It is used primarily in desserts.
  • 8) White Pepper is actually from the black pepper. White pepper is from the seed only whereas black pepper is the whole fruit. Flavors do differ slightly and white pepper is preferred in recipes where black pepper would stand out.
  • 9) Rosemary means dew of the sea and is also from the mint family. Its taste can be quite bitter, but it works well with oily foods such as lamb or fish.
  • 10) Cream of Tartar is an acidic powder that is used in baking. It is the ingredient added to baking soda to create baking powder. Tartaric acid is a brownish-red acid powder that is used on the walls of casks to help age wine. Cream of tartar is also used to give a creamier texture to sugary things like candy and frosting and to stabilize and increase the volume of beaten egg whites. When used in meringue it gives a more stable and longer lasting height. Cream of tartar can be used to clean brass and copper cookware too.
  • 11) Mustard means burning wine. It was first used as a medicinal herb and later used as a culinary one. It was used as a cure for everything from a toothache to scorpion stings. Mustard by itself as a powder is bland, but when mixed with water and it grows into something quite potent.
  • 12) Cardamon‘s primary use is a flavoring for coffee but is also used to flavor sweet baking recipes.
  • 13) Vanilla is a flavoring developed from orchids. Though there are many differing types of vanilla, the most common is the Mexican version while Madagascar is the largest producer. You can easily make your own by adding two vanilla beans to 8 ounces of your favorite liquor. Let it set for a month before using. Commonly used are vodka, bourbon but I prefer a golden rum.

5 Night Dinner Challenge Update & Recipe

So we were supposed to have Shrimp Pasta and Salad, but hubby drank the last of the white wine I ‘d been saving for the recipe so I had to do a last minute substitution for the shrimp pasta or go to the store and it was just too cold here today ~ I didn’t want to leave the house! So we had spicy tuna casserole instead.


SPICY TUNA CASSEROLE
1 large can white meat chicken
1 small can albacore tuna
3 green onions, chopped fine
1 can cream of celery soup
4 tablespoons Frank’s hot sauce
salt & pepper
1 cup milk
2 cups al dente egg noodles
1 can Leseur baby peas
3 slices provolone cheese
1 1/2 cup crumbled potato chips

Drain chicken and tuna thoroughly. Chop the green onions fine. Mix soup and milk together thoroughly. Add salt and pepper and then hot sauce. Add the green onions and meat mix to the soup fix. Fold in noodles.

Pour 1/2 into baking dishes, layer cheese and pour remaining 1/2 on top of cheese. Top with crumbled potato chips and bake at 350 degrees fr 45 minutes.

5 night dinner challenge Update & recipes

Today was a super easy! Lunch was Kraft ~ yes, even I use the box stuff now and then, but I ‘doctor’ it up good. I add 1 tablespoon of Frank’s hot sauce, 1/2 cup real shredded cheddar cheese and I had some left over grilled sausages that I sliced up. We loved a hearty comfort meal on such a cold day ~ it actually reached 8 degrees today.

Here’s my update for the 5 night dinner challenge hosted by Sommer Designs.

Dinner was Baked Crunchy Chicken and I made a surprise for hubby, grams old decadent brownies ~ I forgot how rich those are and now we have those leftover for tomorrow night. We ate the salad while everything was in the oven baking.

BAKED CRUNCHY CHICKEN
1 boneless chicken per person
1 slice thinly sliced provolone cheese
1 green onion per person, chopped
1/2 cup stove top stuffing per person
1 can cream of mushroom, celery or chicken soup (your choice)
1 Tablespoon butter per person

Spray baking dish lightly with PURE. Arrange chicken breasts in bottom, sprinkle green onions (I was out of onions so I used tomatoes tonight) over top of chicken breasts and then lay a piece of cheese over each chicken breast. Spoon soup over and around the chicken breasts. Melt butter and toss with stuffing mix. Layer stuffing mix on and around chicken. Bake at 35 degrees for 45 minutes.

After I get this in the oven, I start the brownies and then they’re finished just in time for dessert.

DECADENT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES (make 4 ramekins)
2 Tablespoons butter + 1 Tablespoon butter
1 ounce Baker’s Bittersweet Chocolate
1 ounce Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1 1/4 ounce Baker’s sweet German chocolate
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon flour
1/8 scant teaspoon baking powder
1/8 scant teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in microwave safe ramekin for 30 seconds, add the bittersweet & semi-sweet chocolate and microwave in 30 second increments until you can stir it smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. Mix together the egg and sugar and beat on high with a hand mixer until slightly thick and turns a dull yellow. Lower speed and add chocolate mixture to egg mixture. By hand stir in the flour mixture until consistent in color. Spoon into ramekins and bake on cookie sheet for 25 minutes or until centers are set. Just after you put these in, prepare the topping. Melt the other tablespoon of butter and then add the German sweet chocolate and melt until you can stir smooth. Just after the brownies come out of the oven, pour the topping over.

WARNING: THESE ARE RICH & DECADENT!