What I love, What I do, (from the Kitchen): May 2014

Monday, May 26, 2014

Lemon Blueberry Loaf

Lemon Blueberry Loaf

1/3 c melted butter
1 c sugar
3 T lemon juice
2 eggs
1 1/2 c flour
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/2 c milk
2 T lemon zest
1 c frozen blueberries

Mix together butter, 1 c. sugar, juice, and eggs. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt with egg mixture and milk. Fold in lemon zest and blueberries. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 60 mins.

Glaze

2 T lemon juice
1 T butter, melted
1 c powdered sugar

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Roasted Beet Salad (My Copy Cat)

While visiting Seattle in March the "Gourmet Guy" and I went to Ivar's on the wharf. We of course had some delicious fresh seafood that night but we also shared a salad the we both talked about for a couple of days. For a few weeks I tried to find a recipe and then I finally broke it down and found or made up my own version of, here is my Roasted Beet Salad

Roasted Beets

1 gold beet
1 red beet

Remove the greens and wash thoroughly, cover in foil separately so that the red color doesn't bleed into the pretty color of the yellow. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 50-55 mins. depending on the size of the beets. Cool, remove the skin, and cut into 3/4 inch cubes.

Vanilla Vinaigrette

1/3 c. olive oil
3 T white vinegar
1 T sugar
1/4 t ground pepper
2 t pure vanilla extract
1/2 t. salt

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Chill. Shake vigorously before serving

Candied Cashews

1/4 c. sugar
2 T water
1 1/4 c lightly toasted cashews

Dissolve sugar in water and bring to a boil. Add the nuts and coat evenly place on parchment and let stand.

Add the above recipes to a bed of mixed greens and slivers of white cheddar cheese, serve.

(On the spring salad menu we noticed the same vinaigrette with strawberries instead of beets and candied almonds instead of cashews. Oh the possibilities.)

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli

1 lb. boneless beef chuck or round steak, slice thin
1 14 oz. can beef broth
1/2 c. soy sauce (La Choy is gluten free)
1 T sesame oil
1/3 c. brown sugar
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T cornstarch
2 T cooled sauce (at the end of cooking time)
Broccoli, fresh florets. (frozen can be used as well just add a little cooking time)
Mushrooms, fresh or canned, to taste

Combine broth, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, and garlic mix well. Pour over the meat in the bottom of the crock pot. Cover, cook on low for 7 hours. At the end of the cooking time remove 2 T of the sauce and let cool, combine with the cornstarch and add to the meat mixture and stir well. Add the broccoli and mushrooms, stir cover for another 30 mins. Serve over hot rice.

(I have had this one tucked away for awhile, it is so easy and yummy and will become a staple in my rotation. To make it even easier use a crock pot liner and clean up is a breeze.)

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Coconut Fruit Dip

Coconut Dip

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 15 oz. Cream of Coconut (not coconut oil or water!)
8 oz. Cool whip

Mix cream cheese and cream of coconut until WELL blended. Fold in cool whip and chill. Serve with fresh fruit. (Makes a very large batch.)

(This is my adaptation from a recipe I found on line. It was a huge success with my family. I made the mistake of doubling the recipe for a family event, it wasn't necessary to double it. The benefit was having it in the fridge for snacks!)

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Buttermilk Baked Chicken

Buttermilk Baked Chicken

2 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. sour cream
1 1 oz. packet ranch dressing
1 T salt
3 lb. bone in chicken breasts or thighs
5 slices white bread, sandwich

Mix buttermilk, sour cream, 2 T of the ranch mix, and salt until well combined. In a large zip style bag add the mixture and the chicken. Marinate 30-60 minutes. While the chicken marinates place bread into a food processor and process until finely ground. Add the seasoning mix. Place on a baking sheet and place in a 450 oven until golden brown (3-5 minutes) Put the chicken into the mixture and then place on a greased baking sheet. Bake on the lowest rack in the oven for about 10 minutes, move the baking sheet up on level and reduce temperature to 400. Bake until the chicken is golden and internal temperature is 160 for light meat 175 for dark. 20-25 minutes, the breading may look burned but it is not.

My mom used to make the best fried chicken when I was growing up but because of the grease I have not done it in my own family. I found this recipe years ago when I received a free copy of Cook's Country Magazine. I have been going to try it since then. I finally did and it is one I will make again. Since I was making an "old fashioned recipe" I decided to do red potatoes and peas like she used to make as well. Yummy dinner.

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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?)