Scalloped Potaotes

 

Growing up my Mother made the best scalloped potatoes, they are one of my greatest comfort foods.  Basic but so yummy.  One of the best things about the potatoes, if there were any left from the meal, was breakfast the next morning.  She would warm them in a frying pan and they got a little crispy and so delightful.  This to me is great comfort food.  Missing both Mom and Dad a lot right now and the weather has turned cooler so for dinner and breakfast I turned to comfort food.

 

Mom's Scalloped Potatoes

 

4-5 medium russet potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly (I use my food processor)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 cube butter, cut into pieces

flour

salt

milk

 

Butter a casserole dish or a 9x13 pan and dust with flour.  Layer potatoes, onion, butter pieces, sprinkle salt and flour (about 1 to 1 1/2  T. flour per layer)  repeat until the potatoes are all layered leave about 3/4 inch to the top of the pan.  Cover with milk until all of the flour is mixed covered.  Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours. The milk on top should be golden brown when baking is completed.

 

Hint I usually start them in the microwave for about 10 mins to reduce the cooking time.  AND I place the casserole or baking pan on  a foil lined cooking sheet in the oven to prevent the milk bubbling over and making a mess. 

 

Variations

Some people put cheddar cheese in the layering as well but this was something we have never done. This was a recipe that was a staple for her family as they lived through very hard times.  They used the basics.  I don't change the goodness she made.  I often doubled the recipe for my family to ensure that we had enough for breakfast and we now like to put an over easy egg and bacon  to the side, we don't make them often but they are a treat when we do.



Chilly Winter Weather means Soups Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Copy Cat)

I am sure this has been posted by me before.  It's cold here in Utah and add the wind to the cold well it just makes soup for dinner the go to thing.  So I just wanted to share this one again.  One of my fav's.  Just add some of my breadsticks to it and yum. 

 

 

Zuppa Toscana- (Olive Garden copy cat)

1½ Mild or Medium Italian sausage
2 medium potatoes, cut in half lengthwise, and then cut into 1/4" slices
3/4 c. onions, diced
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. kale leaves, chopped (or less depending on picky eaters)
2 cans chicken broth
1 qt. water
1 c. heavy whipping cream

Cook Italian sausage until brown, drain on a paper towel to remove fat.   Cook bacon and remove from pan, place on paper towel as well, crumble when cool. Place onions in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until onions are almost clear.  Add garlic to the onions and cook an additional 1-minute. Add chicken broth, water, and potatoes, simmer 15 minutes. Add crumbled bacon, sausage, kale, and cream. Simmer 4 minutes and serve.

Briques (Brik in Tunisia)

This is a copy cat of sorts from the Gourmet Guys father from his time working in Tunisia.  It is his version of Briques that are served in Tunisia.  It is a family favorite that we only make occasionally because they are deep fried!

Briques

12 inch thin flour tortillas
leftover ham, pork roast,  turkey or chicken, cut into cubes (We prefer Ham)
eggs
green onions, diced finely (optional)

Take a tortilla, place ham in a circle in the center with the green onion, place egg in the center.  With egg white seal the tortilla in half and deep fry until golden brown, drain and cool.( The Gourmet Guy and his father liked them so that the eggs were barely cooked but the rest of us like it done a little more!) Eat it like an upside down Taco.

 

The Gourmet Guys dad was the original Gourmet Guy!  He was the real cook in his family while my Gourmet Guy was growing up.  He traveled a great deal and had a knack for tasting something that he liked and being able to replicate it when he got home.

 

(In Tunisia is made with a sticky lump dough and filled with tuna, or ground meat, and topped with anchovies, capers and cheese.)

It's a Graduation Celebration (Natalie's cookie fun)

Time to Celebrate Rachel's accomplishment!  She has been working hard to earn her Master's Degree.  She is a wife, mother of two little ones, as well as a full time teacher, and teacher on special assignment at her school.  To say she has been busy the last couple of years is an understatement.  A good portion of our extended family were able to go and cheer her on as she received her diploma.  Natalie made her some of her fabulous cookies to celebrate with afterwards.  Time to play!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Tex-Mex Tortilla Soup

2 whole large chicken breasts, skinned  and boned,                                   

2 c. water                                                                                     
1 14.5 oz. can beef broth                                                  
1 14.5 oz. can chicken broth                                             
1 14.5 oz. can tomatoes, cut up                                                     
½ c. onion, chopped                                                                       
½ c. green pepper, chopped                                               
1 8 &2/4 oz. whole kernel corn, drained                                       
1 t. chili powder
½ t. cumin
1/8 t. black pepper
Tortilla chips, 3 c. coarsely crushed
4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, about 1 c., grated
1 avocado, peeled, pit removed and cut up
 

Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes; set aside.  In a large saucepan combine water, chicken broth, beef broth, undrained tomatoes, onion, and green pepper. Bring to boiling.  Add chicken; reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for 10 mins.  Add corn, chili powder, cumin, and pepper. Simmer, covered, for 10 mins more.  To serve, place crushed tortilla chips into each bowl.  Ladle soup over tortilla chips.  Sprinkle with cheese, avocado, and cilantro if desired.  Serve with lime wedges, if desired.  Makes 6 servings.

 This is one of my favorite go to recipes because I have all of the ingredients in my pantry 98% of the time and because literally everyone in my family loves this soup.  I make a double batch because it is great for leftovers and or freezes really well, minus the cheese, for another time.

Copy Cat - Peanut Butter Cups

Peanut Butter Cups

1 pkg. graham crackers

2 c. peanut butter
4 c. powdered sugar
2 sticks softened butter, not melted
1 pkg. chocolate chips.

Mix together graham crackers, peanut butter, powdered sugar and softened butter, blend well.  Form into balls or place in mini cupcake holders.  Melt chocolate chips and spread over the peanut butter mixture. 

(Grandpa Smith really loved these for special treats.)

 

Homemade Chicken and Noodles

Feeling a little ambitious today as I start my largest batch of homemade noodles ever.  Intending to share with others and have a meal for us as well.  Wish I still had little ones to help me roll them out on the counter to dry.  I will always be grateful that my mom shared this skill with me as my family was just beginning. on my large island in my kitchen the noodles filled a space of about a 4.5x 4.5 area.  I think mom would be proud.

Pasta Fagioli (Copy Cat with my modifiations)

 

Pasta Fagioli

2 lbs. ground  beef (next time I will make it with sweet Italian sausage)
1 onion, chopped
3  carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 c. minced dry garlic (added for my own personal taste)
1 qt. canned tomatoes (the original called for 2 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes), undrained
1 15 oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed (white kidney beans)
3 10 oz. cans beef broth
3 t. oregano
2 t. ground pepper
5 t. parsley
1/2 t. Tabasco sauce (originally called for a full teaspoon)
1 24 oz. Prego Traditional Spaghetti Sauce (my personal preference)
8 oz. small cut pasta

Brown beef and place in lined crock pot with everything but the pasta.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours or low 5-6 hours. (for my personal crock pot 4 hours was not long enough for the vegetables to be tender)  30 minutes before serving add the pasta. 

*This makes a large batch of soup in the future I will take 1/2 of the soup out before adding the pasta and freeze for another meal and add the pasta at that time.  To make it gluten free just make sure the beef stock is gluten free and use a gluten free pasta.  This is compared to Olive Garden in the original recipe but I don't think it is the same, but it is a keeper for me.

Stoup- ( Italian Sub Soup from Rachel Ray) A combination of soup and stew a family favorite

Soups are some of my favorite things to make. I have a large arsenal of recipes that I like to use.  This one was on the old "Thirty Minute Meals" show of Rachel Ray's on the Food Network.  This particular recipe is one that everyone in the family likes which is rare. 

Italian Sub Soup (from Rachel Ray)

 1 lb. mild Italian sausage, fried

¼ lb. pepperoni stick, diced

1 ham steak, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, seeded, quartered and diced

1 15 oz can diced tomatoes

salt and freshly ground pepper

6 c. chicken stock

½ lb. gemelli pasta or other short-cut pasta

In a soup pot preheat to med. heat.   Brown the sausage and crumble, drain off excess grease.  Then add ham and pepperoni.  Cook meats together for two minutes then add peppers and onions and cook for 2-3 minutes more.  Add diced tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.  Add chicken stock and bring stoup to a boil.  Stir in pasta and cook for 8 minutes.  Make croutons while pasta cooks.

Croutons

5 c. cubed crusty bread

3 lg. cloves garlic, removed from the skin

½ c. grated Parmigiana-reggiano cheese

1 t. crushed red pepper flakes

½ t. dried oregano

 In a large skillet heat ¼ c. of olive oil.  Add garlic and cook 1 minute.  Add bread to oil, and toss, toast for 5-6 minutes.   Season the toasty bread cubes with red pepper flakes, oregano and lots of grated cheese.



 

Ladle the soup and float several toasty garlic breads cubes in each bowl. 

Slow Roasted BBQ Ribs (Pork)

Slow Roasted BBQ Ribs

Barbeque Sauce

2 T. brown sugar                                                
1 t. paprika                                                                    
1 t. dry mustard                                                 
1 t. salt                                                                        
1/8 t. cayenne pepper                                                    
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
¼. c. vinegar
1 c. tomato juice
¼ c. ketchup
1 medium onion, chopped
 

Pork or Beef Ribs (I prefer the boneless, country style the Gourmet Guy prefers the beef short ribs)

Bake in 400 degree oven for 1 hour.  Remove from pan and place into a roasting pan.  Cover with BBQ Sauce, bake at 325 for 3-4 hours, covered.  You can also cook it longer at 250 degrees.  Remove the lid in the last half hour to thicken up the sauce. This can also be placed in a slow cooker for 3-4 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low. Serve over rice or noodles.

(This was one of Grandma Rayda Stevenson’s favorite recipes.  It was always fun to have dinner at her house when she served these and her homemade rolls.  It was one of the first recipes I asked for from her,)

Mega Meal Day(s) New Dietary Challenges

I got the urge to make Chicken Pot Pie for dinner a week or so ago.  The recipe I have makes a huge batch, big enough that I always made two and froze one for another day.  Now that it is just the Gourmet Guy and I at home I usually cut it in half and still make two and freeze one for another day.  I decided that I would make the full recipe and freeze a couple for us and some small ones for my Mother-in-law.  Simply doing that put me in the mood to make some meals ahead and freeze them for my daughter in Idaho who is having a baby at the end of the month.  Since they don't live half way across the country anymore I can take them to her frozen and not have to do all of the work while I am there. Instead I and can play with the Grand kids and snuggle the newborn and not be in the kitchen all of the time, except for that days meals.  She will have eight meals for days when she just needs to pull one out of the freezer, and as mom of three small children and a newborn she will need them.

 

NEW DIETARY CHALLENGES

Over the years we have had favorite meals as a family. Recently we have had new challenges that have caused us to rethink some of our recipes.  We have a  dairy allergy, gluten intolerance, and most recently a severe nut allergy that gave us quite a scare, as well as diabetes!!!! Actually the nut allergy was one we were aware of but it was hidden in with another ingredient and caused a life threatening experience.  We have to read labels much better than we have ever before and she will have to stay away from bakeries in general from now on. Preparing meals for all twenty three, with the newest addition is going to be more and more of a challenge! As I had these mega cooking and days I had to alter some of the ingredients and my taste buds were put to the test.

 

 Using:

10 lbs of potatoes

1 med bag of carrots

4 stalks of celery

5 onions, diced

1 medium bag of frozen mixed vegetables

6 14.5 cans of beef broth

4 14.5 cans of chicken broth

3 4 oz. mushrooms

6 4 oz. cans tomato sauce (what I keep in my storage)

1 6 oz. can tomato paste

2 10 3/4 cans tomato soup

4 10 3/4 cans cream of chicken soup

1 quart tomatoes, home canned

1 pint tomatoes, home canned

3 sleeves of Ritz crackers

4 c. sour cream

1 lb. butter

 

After two days of cooking (I kind of went crazy)  I ended up with 20 meals, 7 mini meals and 

3 1/2 dozen cinnamon rolls. Part of the meals were non dairy. My Mother-in-law took home 9 mini meals this morning when she left our home.

 

After loading my freezer I realized I was able to share with some others in my neighborhood and took some of the warm cinnamon rolls to five families and three meals as well.  It was great fun!  Now to finish putting away Christmas decorations.  I would rather be cooking!!!!!!

Cream Of Broccoli Soup

 

Broccoli Soup

6 c. chicken broth

½ c. onion

2 t. salt

2 heads broccoli, cut into small pieces

 1 1/2 c, butter

1 1/2 c. flour  

2 quarts half and half (I use 1 quart half and half and one quart milk)  

1 15 oz. jar Cheese Whiz            

Place broth, onion, salt, and broccoli in a large pan and cook until tender.  In a separate pan melt butter, gradually stir in flour until blended, add half and half, heat until thickened.  Mix into vegetables and add Cheese Whiz.  Serve warm.  .

 

Grandma Rayda's Butter horn Rolls

Butter Horn Rolls
 

2c. milk, scalded

1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
3 t salt
2 pkgs. yeast
1 c. water
6 eggs, beaten
8-10 c. flour, add until dough is soft but not stiff

Bake at 400 for 15 mins.

 

(Grandma Rayda Stevenson made these rolls all of the time.  She had it down to an art and had made them so often that she made them from memory.  The aroma in the house was wonderful as they baked.  We could always look forward to them buttered and toasted the next morning for breakfast; we loved the “breakfast toast”.)

Pumpkin Roll (modification)

 

 Pumpkin Roll

3 eggs, beat on high for 5 minutes.

1 c. sugar gradually added to the eggs
2/3 c. pumpkin (stir into the above mixture)
1 t. lemon juice

In another bowl mix.

3/4 c. flour                                         

1 t. baking powder                               
2 t. cinnamon                                       
1 t. ginger
½ t. nutmeg
½ t. salt
 

Stir the above together and fold into pumpkin mixture.  Spread in a greased and floured jelly roll pan. (Parchment lined then floured and greased makes it easier to roll.  Wax paper can also be used) Top with 1 c. finely chopped walnuts (optional)  Bake at 375 for 15 mins.  Turn out on tea towel, cool.  Spread filling over cake.  Roll and chill.

Filling

1 c powdered sugar               (note we do one and half of the filling recipe to make a thicker filling)

8 oz. cream cheese
4 T. butter
½ t. vanilla

Beat until smooth.

(lg can of prepared pumpkin pie filling makes five pumpkin rolls.  The pumpkin roll freezes well.  Any left over pumpkin can also be frozen, simply measure out and place in a zipper freezer  label and freeze.)

Pasta Shells

This is one of the cookbooks I have collected over the years.  I chose this recipe because I literally had all of the ingredients in my pantry/fridge.  I only had the medium shells so it took longer to stuff them than it would have with the larger shells.  I also put the meat in with the cheese mixture and pulled some of my own homemade marinara sauce (recipe on the bottom of the blog as Lauri's Italian Sauce) out of the freezer.  What I realized is that the reason I chose this recipe on the fly is because I always have these ingredients in stock and it tasted much like my own. I would also use Sweet Italian Sausage rather than the ground beef in the future.  This is so close to the way I make my own Manicotti, not very risky but good flavors and seemed comfortable.

(From the Cookbook-Church Suppers)
 Stuffed Shells

25 jumbo shell
2 c. ricotta cheese
8 oz. mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 t. salt
1/8 t black pepper
1 t dried parsley
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 . ground beef
1 28 oz. jar spaghetti sauce.

Cook shells according to the package directions; drain.  In a large bowl, combine the cheeses, eggs, salt, pepper, parsley, and oregano.  Preheat the oven to 350. Fill each shell with 2 T of the mixture.  In a large skillet, brown the beef and mix with the spaghetti sauce.  Spread a thin layer of sauce in 3 qt. rectangular baking dish.  Place the shells 1 deep in the dish and cover with sauce.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Make 6 servings. 

German Chocolate Cake

German Chocolate Cake

½ c. shortening

1 ½ c. sugar
3 eggs, beaten separately
pinch of salt
1 t. soda
1½ c. buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1½ squares of baker’s chocolate

Cream sugar and shortening, add egg yolks, melted chocolate and a little red food coloring

Alternate buttermilk, with soda added, with flour.  Fold in egg whites.  Bake in layer pans 30-35 minutes at 350.

German Cake Icing:

1 can evaporated milk

1 c. sugar
3 egg yolks
1 t. vanilla
¾ small package of coconut
pecans, finely chopped

Mix ingredients except the coconut and cook, about 12 minutes at a boil.  Stirring constantly not to let it scorch.  Cool and spread on cake.

(This was a recipe that Grandma Smith was well known for.  It was a treat for my sister and me to get this cake for our birthdays.  Two days before she passed away she was concerned that she had not been able to get a birthday cake made for Rosemarie. She had all of the ingredients purchased and waiting on her counter top.  We were all touched that she worried about the cake not being taken care of even as she was dying.  I love the frosting but cheat and put it on a much moister cake than the above recipe.  However, this is her true recipe.)

Sheperd's Pie or Green Bean Casserole (Multitasking)

(individual portions for tonight and one for a freezer meal for another night, multitasking)

 

 

Shepherds’ Pie or Green Bean Casserole

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped
1 15 ½ oz. can green beans, drained
1 10 ¾ oz. can of tomato soup
3-4 medium potatoes
cheddar cheese, grated

Peel potatoes and cut into smaller pieces to speed up the cooking time, add to salted boiling water.  In a large frying pan brown the ground beef, add the onions when the meat is no longer pink.  When the onions become translucent, stir in the green beans and tomato soup, heat through.  Place the meat mixture into an oven safe casserole dish and top with the mashed potatoes and cheese.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes until the cheese is bubbly on top. 

Chicken Pot Pie (update)

(for this post/batch I only did a half of a recipe and still had enough for 2 ramekins for a dinner, a freezer meal for the "Gourmet Guy" and I and a small freezer meal for my Mother-in-law.  I also had two previously grilled chicken breasts in the freezer that I used on the fly for this instead of cooking a whole chicken like I typically do.

Chicken Pot Pie

 

Boil a chicken roaster or use rotisserie chicken left overs or any leftovers you many have such as turkey.
 

Make Gravy:                                                       Half recipe gravy:

2/3 c. margarine or butter                                  ½ c. butter                    
2/3 c. flour                                                         ½ c. flour                                  
1 t. salt                                                               ½ t. salt                                   
½ t. pepper                                                          ¼ t. pepper
3½ c. broth                                                         1¾ c. broth
1 1/3 c. milk                                                        ¾ c. milk

Melt butter over low heat, blend in flour, salt, and pepper.  Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly, remove from heat.  Stir in broth and milk.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir one minute.  Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients.  (reserve about 1/3 of gravy for top when serving.)

Stir in

2-4 boiled potatoes, cut up
cooked meat                               
1 4 oz. can mushrooms
1 16 oz. bag of frozen vegetables

Pie Crust

1/3 c. plus 1 T. shortening                                         
1 c. flour                                                                       
1/2 t. salt
 2-3 T .cold water

(Double for two crust)

Pie crusts did not come easy to me until my mother-in-law showed me how to make them.  The method of rolling them out in wax paper was the best advice I have ever had.  A double pie crust recipe was perfect to top all of these.  For the full recipe it would take two double pie crust recipes to top all of the mixture.  These freeze really well for up to about six months.  Because they freeze like a brick they should be taken out the night before and placed in the fridge to thaw.  They may still be partly frozen and need to be out on the counter for an hour before baking.  I have put them in completely frozen and it took at least two hours to cook through and some even longer.  Bake them at 425 until the mixture bubbles through the slits on the top of the pie and the crust is golden brown. the fruits  of one evening, four meals and I did extra potatoes and mashed them for a couple of other projects that will be in the next few days,  Maybe it is has been awhile but they were the best tasting mashed potatoes that I have make in quite awhile, I guess good practice for the upcoming holiday! 

 

 And the chicken filling inside of the flaky crust was just the meal I was looking for that night. Pure comfort food.



 

The efforts of the night and multitasking in a nice way!

Best Lasagna Ever!

Our daughter in Kansas City just had a little baby girl. I am here to help her out for a few days and to play with the her sweet little girls. I have been doing some cooking for her while she recovers and making doubles so that after I leave she can pull something out for dinner on her hectic days (with a 20 month old and a newborn there maybe a few!)

I made a marinara sauce several days in advance for several meals that I would be serving. I think sitting and marinating helped the sauce "mature!" At home I would use the tomatoes that I had canned for myself and I don't add sugar so the taste was a little different. But I made my usual recipe, below, only a smaller batch.

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

1/2-3/4 c. chopped dried onion or two chopped fresh onions
2 T. minced dried garlic or 5 cloves fresh garlic minced (if using fresh onion and garlic saute 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.

For Lasagna:
Place marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13pan. Place lasagna noodles (uncooked) on top and then layer with Cottage cheese, Cheddar cheese, Mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers again. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for one hour. If freezing cover with foil and freeze, thaw and bake, saves up to six months in the freezer.

The one thing that made this lasagna so good was the local Italian Sausage that I used along with the ground beef I just wish I could take a case of this home with me. Because the marinara sauce was being used in several things I didn't put as much sauce as I typically do and there was a lot of the meat mixture it all blended together so well.

Seriously one of the best Lasagnas I have ever made!

Chocolate Chip Macaroon Bars

1 roll premaid chocolate chip cookie dough
4 graham crackers, crumbled
1 oz bag caramel chips
1/2 c. walnuts or pecans, chopped
1/2 bag coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk

In a 9x13 pan cover with parchment paper and sray with a cooking spray. Spread the dough evenly out in the bottom of the pan, top with graham crackers, then caramels, walnuts, coconut, and pour the sweetened condensed milk on top of it all. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes.


Cydney loves to come up with these cookie bars and this is the latest one that she found. The are yummy and very rich.