What I love, What I do, (from the Kitchen): January 2011

Monday, January 31, 2011

Broccoli Salad

This recipe has been around for a long time but I still have requests for it and so here it is. Usually we serve it in the summer but every now and then it tastes great no matter what season.

Broccoli Salad

Approx 1½ pounds Broccoli Florets
1 lb. bacon- cooked crisp and crumbled
½ lb. Swiss or Monterrey Jack cheese (grated)
1 red onion
raisins, optional

Dressing
1 c. mayonnaise
¼ c. sugar
2 t. vinegar

Thursday, January 13, 2011

"Bunnies and Bears"

One of the things that we have done as a family tradition for the holidays over the years is to make "Bunnies and Bears." My sister brought some cute molds and this recipe to us when our girls were little. Over the years we have always made them at Christmas time. Now that our girls are all grown up it is one of the things that we don't do much anymore. I was missing this tradition this year and decided to expand it to the grandchildren, it was a lot of fun carrying on the tradition to another generation. We have since added some more Christmas type molds but we still call it the Bunny and Bear recipe.

Melt the butter.

Add the brown sugar,

stir in the Karo Syrup,

and finally add the sweetened condensed milk. Bring to a boil.

Add the puffed rice and or puffed wheat cereal and start the fun.

The Gourmet Guy with our four year old grandson making the Christmas Tree shapes.

All of us around the table working with the molds and the kids decorating with lots of different sprinkles. Even the one year old was having fun at the table with us.

She was too young to use the molds but not to entertain us while we made them.

Our six year old grandson really got into making these, it was a lot of fun

A family tradition lives on.

“Bears and Bunnies”

6 oz. bag puffed rice or wheat
2 c. brown sugar
2 sticks butter
1 c. corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Boil butter, sugar, syrup and milk for about 6 minutes. Place cereal in a large bowl and pour the mixture over the tip, mix well. Spray mold with a vegetable spray and fill with the mixture. Remove from mold immediately.

Sweet Pork

We love to eat at places like Costa Vida, or Cafe Rio and are always looking for recipes that can compare to some of our favorites to make on our own.

In December our family gathered together to watch a bowl game together. We all brought finger foods and Natalie found this new recipe to try. We made mini nachos with the meat, they were so good!

SWEET PORK

2 pounds pork (we use boneless pork rib meat)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can sliced green chilies
3/4 can enchilada sauce (I use Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness but any will work)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry) or on low for 8 hours. Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Chicken Squares

These are a quick and easy meal on a busy day. I keep these ingredients on hand in my pantry to fix easily. This is not a new recipe but one that my girls all liked growing up.

Mix an 8 oz. package of cream cheese with chunk chicken or leftover turkey. (The original recipe called for pimentos but my girls didn't like them.)

Take two of the crescent rolls and pinch them together.
Each can will make four of the chicken squares.

Mix the ingredients together well. I have my own canned chicken so I have to use a little extra salt.

Place even amounts on the square crescent roll dough.

Pull the dough around the meat mixture and seal tightly. Bake until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Turkey or Chicken Squares

2 8 oz. cream cheese
½ t. salt
2-4 c. cooked turkey or chicken or 2 large cans chunk chicken
¼ t. pepper
2 8 oz. can crescent rolls

Blend cream cheese until softened. Add turkey, salt, pepper, onion, chives, and milk. Mix well. Separate the 2 cans of crescent rolls, into 8 squares. Firmly press perforations to seal. Spoon ½ c. of meat mixture into the center of each square. Draw the corners of the dough up and around the meat and twist to seal. Brush top with butter. Dip in seasoned bread crumbs or sesame seeds. Bake at 350’ on cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Vegetable Pizza

This is one of our families favorite things to fix for things like showers and parties. This is a recipe that I almost always have the ingredients on hand to make this.

The crust is so simple and quick to make. Simply pinch the crescent roll dough together and bake to a golden brown. Cool.

Mix the dressing mix, cream cheese, and mayonnaise together and top the crust. Add the vegetables of your choice and chill. The more color from the vegetables the better.

Vegetable Pizza

2 pkg. Crescent Roll dough
Ranch dressing mix
1 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ c. mayonnaise
vegetables of choice, diced into small pieces
(red onion, radishes, carrots, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes…the more color the better)

Roll the dough out on a jelly roll pan, cover the bottom, pinch the seams together to make a flat crust. Bake at 400 until golden brown, approximately 10 minutes. Let cool. Mix the dressing mix with the cream cheese and mayonnaise, blend until smooth, spread on top of the baked and cooled crust. Top with the vegetables of your choice. It is best if it has a couple of hours to chill before serving.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Wassail

I have already posted this recipe but it is mixed with some other ones. After serving it for a baby shower and neighborhood gathering I had enough requests for the recipe that I decided to repost it so here it is.

Wassail

2 c. water
1-2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 t. whole cloves

Heat one half hour but don't bring to a boil. Remove the cinnamon and cloves.
Add:
1 c. sugar
1 6 oz. can orange juice concentrate
juice of 1 lemon
6 c. water

Heat thoroughly and serve warm.

(Thanks to my sister Rosemarie for introducing this one to me!)

The Pantry

The pantry can be a life saver if it is well stocked and can help when you just don't know what to fix for dinner.

As I have made meals over the years I have stocked up on things that are common in my recipes so all I have to do is shop from my shelves. It is easy to come up with things quickly when you have supplies on hand. It may seem like a lot to have on hand but these are some of my pantry/storage staples and if you build slowly it isn't oppresive to purchase. Watch the ads and sales in your local stores.

Canned/Storage:
Tomato Sauce
Tomato Paste
chicken broth
beef broth
tuna
chicken
corn
olives
beans- kidney. canellini, black, refried
dried beans, red, white, pinto, split peas
creamed soups, mushroom. chicken. celery
tomato soup
bean with bacon soup
rice
flour
sugar
favorite spices
variety of pasta's
peanut butter

Freezer:
chicken breasts
bone in hams
chuck roasts pork roasts
pork chops
lean ground beef
ground turkey
Itailian sausage
vegetables

Refrigerator:
milk
eggs
butter
Tillamook cheddar cheese
Lowfat mozerella cheese
sour cream
cream cheese
mayonnaise
miracle whip
ketchup
mustard
half and half
cucumber
lettuce
celery
carrots
apples
limes

Pantry Shelf:
onions
avocados
tomatoes
garlic
potatoes, red and Idaho russet

Home Canned Items: (I love to can!)
tomatoes
chicken breasts
green beans
salsa
chile sauce

Favorite From the Pantry Recipes

Lauri's Italian Sauce

3 bottles whole tomatoes (4cans approx. 1 lb size)
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
3 8 oz. cans mushrooms

3 T. dried Oregano
3 T. dried Marjoram
3 T. dried Basil
1 ½ T. dried Thyme
T. Fennel (optional)
dried onion or two chopped fresh onions
2 T. minced dried garlic or 5 cloves fresh garlic minced (if using fresh onion and garlic sauté them in olive oil until transparent and then add the remaining ingredients)

Combine all of the above ingredients and bring to a boil, simmer on low heat until thickened. (I usually simmer it for several hours)

Meat Sauce

4 lbs, lean ground beef
2 chopped onions
2-3 cloves garlic, minced

Brown the meat and add the onion and garlic and cook until tender. Add to the marinara sauce and simmer.

Sour Cream Enchilladas

Mix
4 lb. hamburger
2 onions, chopped
6 carrots, grated or chopped
1 or 2 green pepper chopped
2 T. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/4 t. garlic salt

Brown beef and drain, add prepared vegetables. Cook until tender and drain, cool.*

Add to hamburger mixture
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/4 oz. can green chili's chopped (more if you want a little more spice)
1 c. sour cream
1 c. milk
Monterey jack and cheddar cheese grated (to your taste)
corn tortillas

Fill corn tortillas with meat mixture. Place seam down in a 9x13 baking pan. Layer with sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 mins. This can also be served lasagna style in a casserole dish. This saves time rolling the enchiladas. It just depends on how you want the dish to look on the plates.

*This meat mixture is great to use for other things as well, it can be used to make sloppy joes, tacos, or with other ground beef recipes. It is a great way to add more vegetables to meals with out children or picky eaters even knowing. Just freeze into portions in a zippered bag and thaw when you need a quick meal.

Tips

Always fill your sink with hot soapy water and wash as you go. This helps to keep the mess under control. (I love to cook to I really hate to clean up after!)

When you fix rice for a meal make extra and freeze some of it in a zipper bag. With this premeasured rice it is easy to do a quick thaw and serve or add to other ingredients for a quick and easy meal.

Post a shopping list where you can find it, when you run out of something simply write it down and teach your family to do the same. You are less likely to be caught off guard when you are making your favorite dish.

Make a menu and include your shopping list. You spend less time in the store when you have a plan. When you make more trips to the store you simply spend more money. Having worked with a large grocery chain I learned some of the tricks used to get you to buy more. Be prepared when you go!

Shop the Ads. Make your menu out with the ad and use the shopping list. Most people don't have time to run from store to store getting the best deal on just a few things. When you compare and find the best prices it saves you time, money, and gas.

When making dishes like lasagna, manicotti, chicken pot pie, and many casseroles make two at the same time and freeze the second one for rainy day or a sick friend. It takes little effort to make the extra and it can be a big bonus in your freezer.

Tomatoes should not be stored in the refrigerator but on your counter top. The cold causes them to break down and turn mushy.

If you need to ripen your avacados faster place them in a small paper bag with a banana or apple. The gas that they put off causes the avacado to ripen faster.

Don't store onion and garlic together because the garlic goes bad faster from the gas emitted from the onions,

Applesauce Spice Cake

2 c. sugar
1 c. shortening
2 c. thick unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
2 t. cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
1/2 t. cloves
1/2 t. allspice
1 t. salt
8 t. baking powder (that's right)
3 c. flour
1 c. nuts chopped (optional)

Cream together shortening and sugar, add eggs. Mix dry ingredients and combine both mixes. Spread on to a sheet cake pan and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Frosting:

½ c. plus 2 T. butter
5 c. powdered sugar
2½ t. Mapleline flavoring
3 T. milk

Soften butter and combine with remaining ingredients, spread on top of cake.

This is good to take to Pot Luck dinners or large gatherings. I would also freeze leftover cake in individual servings for my kids after school or when they needed a quick, small snack.

Zucchini Blues

Took it for granted
When it was planted
That I had just enough

Now during my days
I'm trying new ways
To use up all this stuff

My basement is crammed
It's been jellied and jammed
Make into bread and cake

It's been chopped and sliced
And grated and diced...
There's nothing else to make!

I've baked it and planned it
Boiled and canned it
And frozen all I need

I have had my fill
There's too much... and still
It's growing like a weed.

(After going away for a week I came home to find six zucchini that were bat size in the garden. Seems like the kids didn't look as hard as they said they did! So I thought of this poem. Anyone need some Zucchini?)