Waffles with flair

Waffles (Family Batch)

2 3/4 c. flour
3 t. baking powder
3/4 t. salt
1 1/2 T. sugar
10 T. vegetable oil
5 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk

Small Batch:
1 ¾ c. flour
2 t. baking powder
½ t. salt
1 T. sugar
7 T. vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 c. milk

Mix ingredients, do not over stir.

We like to make waffles with extra flair by putting extra thin slices of bacon on top of the batter and place the lid down. The thin sliced bacon cooks just like frying or microwaving.

Only the really thin sliced bacon will cook enough doing it this way.

I only buy the really thin bacon to use in waffles.

With the remaining bacon I divide it up and freeze in smaller packages for another time.

Serve warm! The leftover waffles can be frozen and reheated in a toaster.

This is the type of bacon that I usually buy because the shrinkage is far less and you get more for your money. If you buy it on sale and freeze it can by used at a later time. I also like to cook extra and crumble it up and freeze for salads or soups then I only have to clean the mess up once.

Service

Recently a very good friend of our family passed away. She had been a very close friend of my mother's and both of them had been such a good example of "Service" to me during my life. When my own mother passed away and we were sorting through her things my sister and I each took one of her casserole dishes as a memory. She took these casserole dishes to many families over the years, if you look carefully you can still see her name on the side on a piece of medical tape. This was the beginning of my own "Rainy Day" meals and Master Mixes. Thanks for getting me started Mom, this casserole dish stands proudly in my cabinet as an example.

Rainy Day Meals

"Rainy Day Meals
Just for those “kind” of days!"

When I take meals to others I always include an ingredient list due to the increase in food allergies these days. I also include instructions for meal preparation and serving along with a poem that I wrote for "Rainy Day Meals." I will always try to take the meal in containers that can be tossed or reused. It may not look as elegant as a in casserole dish or nice serving bowl but in most cases the meals are intended to assist in times of illness or need and so I don't want to add pressure to have those items returned. Simply my way of helping out when I can.

Penne Caprese

We love Pizza Margherita and Caprese Salad so Kerry came up with this pasta dish to serve with the Grilled Dilled Cod, it was yummy as well.

Penne Caprese

Ingredients:

8 oz. penne pasta
2 ea peeled garlic clove
4 roma tomatoes
2-3 sprigs basil
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup grated fresh mozzarella
coarse ground salt
fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Cook pasta until al dente. Cut tomatoes into eighths. Chop garlic. Strip leaves from basil and stack together. Slice to make a chiffonade. In a sauté pan, heat oil, add garlic and tomatoes and cook until about half done. Add cooked pasta and two-thirds of the basil and toss well. Salt and pepper to taste. Turn into a serving dish, top with remaining basil and grated fresh mozzarella.

Kerry's Grilled Dilled Cod

I am such a lucky woman because I have a husband who loves to cook and try new things! This is one of his latest creations. It just melted in my mouth!

Grilled Dilled Cod

Ingredients:
2-4 cod filets
1 peeled garlic clove
4-5 chives
1 sprig fresh dill
2-3 sprigs thyme
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
coarse ground salt
fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Strip leaves from thyme, chop garlic, dill and chives and combine with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Coat filets with olive oil and place on medium hot grill. Turn once after three to five minutes. Coat top of filets with herb/oil mixture and complete cooking for additional three to five minutes. Serve with Penne Caprese.

Focaccia Bread

Focaccia Bread

1/2 c. water
1/4 c. milk
3 T potato flakes or buds
1 T plus 2 t olive oil
2 t finely chopped rosemary
1 1/2-2 c. unbleached flour
1 pkg quick rise yeast
1 t sugar
1/2 t plus 1/8 t salt


Heat water and milk to 130, add potato flakes. Mix in 1 T and 1 t of rosemary, rest 5 mins. In medium bowl mix 1 1/2 c. flour into the milk mix into a soft dough . Sprinkle counter top with flour and knead until the dough is elastic adding flour if it is too sticky. Let the dough rest for 10 mins. Grease a pie plate with olive oil and place dough in the pan and turn over, press dough evenly into pan. Let raise until double in pan. Preheat oven to 400, chop Rosemary and mix into the remaining olive oil and salt. After dough has doubled in pan gently press fingertip in surface to make an indentation, spread on surface of the bread. Bake for 20-25 mins. , or until golden brown. Remove from the pan and place on wire rack. Serve warm.

Or, one of my favorite ways to have handy in my pantry.

Focaccia Bread Mix

2½ c. white flour
1 T. yeast
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt
2 T. powdered milk

Combine 1 c. water and 2 T. butter. Warm until the butter melts.

Add the mix to the butter mixture and knead well. Divide into two loaves. Press into two 8” round pans, lightly greased and sprinkled with corn meal. Dimple the tops of the foccacia with your fingertips. Sprinkle with olive oil, herbs and cheese. Bake at 375’ for 20-25 minutes.

Grandma's Dill Dip

Dill Dip

1 T. parsley flakes
1 t. Bonn Appetit (I like this better than most of the recipes that call for regular seasoned salt)
1 T. diced or fresh onion
1 t. dill weed
1 t. chives
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. sour cream

Mix all ingredients together and chill before serving.

We use this at most of our family gatherings and it usually doesn't make it to the table because we snack on it with the fresh veggies while we are getting everything ready to go for the rest of the meal.

Spring!!!!

I love to decorate my table for the season and or holiday. This is my Mothers China and my Depression Glassware combined for a Spring effect. The tablecloth came from Chinatown several years ago when I was able to go to San Francisco with Kerry. The candle holders and flower container are from one of the four wedding receptions we have had. Just pulling things I had together to change the room up a little bit.

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

2-3 c. cooked chicken or turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
10-12 corn tortillas
2 c. Monterey Jack Cheese (or half Jack half Cheddar)
Hatches green chile sauce

Mix the chicken, onion and two thirds of the cheese in a large bowl. Place the tortillas between paper towels and microwave for 15-20 seconds to soften. In a 9x13 pan pour some of the sauce on the bottom, enough to cover the bottom slightly. Place a couple of spoonfuls of the chicken mixture into a tortilla and roll, placing seam side down in the pan. Continue until all of the chicken is used and placed in the pan. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and top with the remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated 350 oven for 25 mins. Take foil off and bake for another 5 mins. to brown. Top with sour cream and Guacamole and serve with refried beans, Spanish Rice or corn.

Guacamole

2 ripe avocados, peeled and mashed roughly
1/4 small onion, chopped finely
1 T. lime juice, fresh is best
1 small Roma tomato, diced small
garlic salt, to taste

Blend ingredients and serve with tortilla chips or as a garnish.

Lima Bean Soup

Dried Lima Bean Soup

8 c. potato broth, vegetable broth, or water
1 c. dried baby Lima beans
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. butter
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 t. each dried thyme and basil leaves
1/2 t. black pepper
2 cloves garlic
1/2 c. chopped parsley
salt to taste
Parmesan Cheese

Simmer broth and beans for one hour. Meanwhile, saute onion and garlic in butter until translucent. Stir carrot into the onion mixture with basil,thyme and black pepper. Set the mixture aside. After beans have cooked, stir in vegetable mixture cover and simmer 30 minutes more. Puree half of the beans with the 2 cloves of garlic and parsley. Combine the puree with remaining soup. Heat to steaming. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese.


(It's great to pull all of these ingredients together from the pantry to make a wonderful soup. It's so easy you almost forget about it. Serve with Bread sticks or homemade biscuits.)