Victory Recipes

Chinchilla Delight Makeover

2012-01-25T10:07:00.001-08:00

Some years ago I saw a cooking show on television that showed a good breakfast treat. Take a flour tortilla, and put some cut bananas in it. Put in some chocolate chips, then fold it like a burrito. Butter both sides and fry it (first flap side down). When it is golden brown on both sides, remove it from the pan and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

I don't know what the chef called this, but my kids called it "Chinchilla delight". I had pet chinchillas at the time, and I guess they thought it was weird food. I knew their palette, and knew they wouldn't like the bananas, so I used peanut butter and chocolate chips as the filling. They liked this version.

This morning I had an idea and decided to vary my recipe. It was a BIG hit! I cut up an apple in small chunks, and sauteed it in a little bit of butter. When the apple became softer, I added about 1/3 cup of brown sugar and about 1/2 tsp of cinnamon. I cooked that for a little bit longer to try to carmelize it a little. I used this as the filling for my chinchilla delight. My kids likened it to the apple pies you get at McDonald's. :) Try it, you will like it!

Easy Cake For One Person

2011-11-13T14:40:00.000-08:00

Some friends just told me about this recipe, and made some for me to try. It's pretty good! It's not something I would feed to guests, but if you are craving something sweet, this is really simple.

INGREDIENTS:

1 angel food cake mix
1 cake mix: your favorite flavor

Mix the two cake mixes, and store in an airtight container. You could substitute brownie mix for the second cake mix. If you do, decrease the water to 2-3 tsp.

Mix:
1/4 C of the combined cake mix
3 TB water

Microwave in a bowl on high for 1 minute.

Oila! Instant one serving cake!

My friends used lemon cake mix, and topped it with some lemon curd. Yum!

Chow Mein

2011-08-18T15:41:00.001-07:00

The name "Chow Mein" means "Stir-fried noodle). It's kind of a deceptive name, because the noodles must be boiled and dried first. The "Frugal Gourmet" used to actually blow his with an electric fan to dry them. :) I just boil them as directed on the package, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process, and let stand in the collander for a few minutes. I like to buy a chinese brand of noodle because the flavor and texture are better, but you could use plain old spaghetti noodles. That's good too. Here is how I make chow mein. It probably is different from how the chinese make it, but it tastes good to me. :P

STEP 1:

Cut up the following ingredients in strips:
--1 chicken breast
--1 bell pepper
--about 1/2 head of cabbage (nappa cabbage tastes good) You could substitute broccoli, but if you use broccoli, add it to the pan last, and only cook it until it is slightly tender.
--1 onion
MIX WITH:
--Crush and chop: 3-4 cloves of garlic

STEP 2:
COOKING SAUCE 1
Mix the following to make a cooking sauce:
--1/4 to 1/3 cup of soy sauce (less if it is dark)
--3 TB hot chili garlic sauce (or hot chili bean) This can be bought in chinese grocery stores, and some supermarkets.
--About 3 TB water
--1 tsp corn starch.

STEP 3:
COOKING SAUCE 2
Mix the following:
About 1/4 C of light soy sauce
About 2 TB sesame oil

STEP 4:
Heat your wok until it is HOT. Add about 1/4 C vegetable oil. Add onions and bell peppers and stir fry for just a couple of minutes. Add the chicken. Stir fry until the chicken is no longer pink. Add the cabbage, and stir fry until it wilts. Add garlic, and cook another minute. Reduce heat to medium, and add the cooking sauce, and cook until it slightly thickens. Pour this vegetable/meat mixture in to a bowl and set aside.

STEP 5:
Rinse out the wok. (Some chinese cooks say not to do this, but I don't like burned soy sauce) Re-heat the wok until HOT. Add about another 1/4 cup of vegetable oil. Add noodles. Stir fry for a couple of minutes. Add "Cooking sauce 2" to the noodles, and stir until well coated.

STEP 6:
Return vegetable/meat mixture to the wok. Stir fry until the meat/vegetable mixture is well distributed. Serve!

Salisbury Steak

2011-08-18T15:34:00.000-07:00

I had never made Salisbury steak before, and the only time I have ever eaten it was in a frozen dinner. I knew the real thing had to be better than the frozen. This recipe did not disappoint me. I got this recipe off of "All Recipes.com", but as usual, I had to tweak a few of the ingredients. I didn't have any French onion soup, so instead I used some beef soup base mixed with dried onions. I added a little more worcestershire sauce than they called for, mainly because I like it. :) I served it with mashed potatoes and stir fried green beans with mushrooms and garlic. YUM! Here is the Allrecipe.com recipe:

Ingredients

1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed French onion soup
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
Directions

In a large bowl, mix together 1/3 cup condensed French onion soup with ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt and black pepper. Shape into 6 oval patties.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown both sides of patties. Pour off excess fat.
In a small bowl, blend flour and remaining soup until smooth. Mix in ketchup, water, Worcestershire sauce and mustard powder. Pour over meat in skillet. Cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 440 | Total Fat: 32.3g | Cholesterol: 132mg

Martha Stewart's Quinoa and Turkey patties in Pita with Tahini Sauce

2011-08-03T21:12:00.000-07:00

Quinoa-and-Turkey Patties in Pita with Tahini Sauce

Per serving: 338 calories, 9 g fat, 39 mg cholesterol, 44 g carbs, 498 mg sodium, 21 g protein, 5 g fiber

Annual Recipes 2005

YieldServes 6

Ingredients

1 cup white quinoa
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
12 ounces ground dark-meat turkey
1/4 teaspoon plus 1 pinch ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon plus 1 pinch ground cumin
Pinch of crushed red-pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 scallions, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
6 lettuce leaves, torn into large pieces
1 English (hothouse) cucumber (10 ounces), thinly sliced into rounds
1 small red onion, cut into thin half-moons
6 pita breads

Directions

Rinse quinoa thoroughly in a fine sieve; drain. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa; return to a boil. Stir quinoa; cover, and reduce heat. Simmer until quinoa is tender but still chewy, about 15 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork; let cool.
Meanwhile, process garlic, tahini, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup cold water in a food processor until smooth. If necessary, thin with water until pourable. Transfer dressing to a small bowl; cover. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Put turkey, spices, mint, scallions, and salt in a clean bowl of the food processor; pulse until a smooth paste forms. Add quinoa; process until mixture clumps around the blade, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. With dampened hands, roll about 2 tablespoons quinoa mixture into a ball; flatten slightly, and set aside on a plate. Repeat with remaining mixture to make 24 patties total.
Heat a dry large cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat until hot. Working in batches, lightly coat both sides of patties with cooking spray. Cook patties in skillet, turning once, until cooked through, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer patties to a clean plate, and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
Divide lettuce, cucumber, and red onion among pita breads; top each with 4 quinoa patties. Drizzle each sandwich with 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon tahini dressing, and fold pitas over filling.

Sweet Chili Chicken

2011-04-01T15:59:00.000-07:00

One of my most memorable meals was one I had in a restaurant in SLC, Utah. Looking back, it really was a simple recipe, but it was new to me and blew my socks off! I have recreated it, and love it.

Chicken breasts (I like to cut them in long strips, so we don't necessarily each eat a whole breast)

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup chili sauce. I use the asian kind

Saute chicken breast in olive oil until cooked through. Mix the honey and chili sauce and pour over the chicken. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove the lid and cook until the sauce is reduced to a gravy type consistency. Pour the sauce over the chicken when you serve it. This sounds simple, but it is so good, and I think you could experiment with different kinds of chili sauce.

Mom's Other Enchilada Recipe

2011-03-03T10:35:00.000-08:00

I just figured out why my siblings recipe for enchiladas seemed different from what my mother taught me. She did teach me the ground beef recipe below, but she used to always make turkey enchiladas. When my siblings talked about chicken enchilada, it didn't ring a bell in my head. But now I remember what Mom used to make. This was our standard "after thanksgiving" meal. This recipe is very forgiving, so if you don't use the exact amounts, it will still turn out good. :)

Ingredients:

About 4 cups of cut up cooked turkey

corn tortillas

cream of mushroom soup

cream of celery soup (or cream of chicken)

1 can diced green chilis

About 1 cup milk

About 1/2 Cup sour cream.

grated cheese.

For this recipe, you don't need to roll up enchiladas.

Mix the soups, green chilis, milk, and sour cream in a bowl. Spread some in the bottom of the pan to keep the food from sticking.

Layer the bottom of the pan with corn tortillas. You may need to break some in half. You only need them one layer thick.

Layer on about 2 cups of the turkey, and about a 1 1/2 cups of grated cheese.

Pour 1/3 of the soup mixture over the top.

Lay another layer of corn tortillas, and then the last 2 cups of turkey and about 1 1/2 cups of grated cheese.

Pour another 1/3 of the soup mixture on top.

Lay one last layer of corn tortillas on top. Top with another 1 1/2 cups of grated cheese. Pour remaining 1/3 of soup mixture over the top.

Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Layer one last layer

Mom's Enchiladas

2011-03-01T22:14:00.001-08:00

I got this recipe from my mother, but come to find out my siblings got a different one! :) If I use chicken in the recipe, I use one similar to the one they use. But if I am using ground beef, I like this one.

corn tortillas...I use about 15 for a 9X13 pan

About 1/2 pound of ground beef

One onion chopped

grated cheese

1 can tomato soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

about 1/2 to 1 C enchilada sauce

Heat some oil in a pan, and dip tortillas in the hot oil, on both sides. You don't really want to cook them, just let them heat up for a few seconds. This makes it so that you can roll them without them breaking. Drain on a paper towel.

Brown ground beef and onions. Drain the grease.

Mix soups and enchilada sauce. Put about a 1/2 C of the sauce mixure in the bottom of the 9x13 pan. This helps the enchiladas not to stick. Take one corn tortilla and put in some of the ground beef/ onion mixture. Add some grated cheese. Roll up and place crease side down in the pan on top of the small amount of sauce. Repeat with other tortillas. Layer more grated cheese on top of the enchiladas. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top. Bake 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Food Review: Turkey Products

2011-02-27T09:02:00.000-08:00

Lately I've tried several turkey products:

Ground turkey

When we were first married I used to buy ground turkey instead of ground beef. I didn't mind the ground turkey, although it doesn't really taste the same as ground beef. But my husband complained, so I went back to buying ground beef.

Turkey pepperoni

I think I will never go back to buying regular pepperoni again! There is so much less fat in the turkey pepperoni, and to me it tasted exactly like normal pepperoni. My kids gobbled down the pizza without even noticing a difference in taste. I'm sold on it!

Turkey Bacon

My experience with the pepperoni was so good that I decided to try turkey bacon. BLEH! Never again! What is wrong with turkey bacon? Let me count the ways:

--It doesn't crisp up. I like crisp bacon!

--It is very low fat, but the fat was so low that it kind of burned on the pan.

--It doesn't taste like bacon! In fact, it tastes gross to me. We ate it in a BLT sandwich, and it was okay in that because there were other things to mask the flavor. But when I ate a piece by itself, it tasted like fried bologna to me. Blech...I hate friend bologna.

--The only redeeming factor of turkey bacon is that it is cheaper than regular bacon.

Have you tried any other turkey products that you liked?

Stir Fry

2011-02-26T19:03:00.000-08:00

My brother "Mr. Giggles" has been asking me to write some tips for making stir fry. This is a difficult assignment for me, because my definition of "stir fry" is probably different from that of most people. Most people I know cut up all kinds of vegetables, and stir fry them with some soy sauce. That is their definition of "stir fry". You have to think of the words "stir fry" not as a recipe, but as a form of cooking. Asking for how to do stir fry is like asking how to make casserole. There are as many different recipes for stir fry as their are vegetables and meat combinations. But there are some basics to chinese cooking that can help you get started.
First of all I would suggest getting some good recipes. One of my favorite cook books was given to me by one of my missionary companions. It is written in both chinese and english. But I also have a "Sunset" chinese cook book that I like. Martin Yan has some good cook books as well.
Here are some ingredients that I always like to have around for chinese cooking:

--Fresh garlic (the bottle kind tastes sour)
--Fresh ginger (but I actually don't mind the bottle ginger)
--Soy sauce (both light and dark)
--Chinese fragrant vinegar. This is a brown vinegar, not the rice wine kind.
--Sesame oil
--Oyster flavor sauce
--Hoisin sauce
--Black bean and chili sauce
--Chili and garlic sauce
--Chinese dried noodles

One thing to keep in mind when doing chinese cooking is that the chinese like to have similar shapes to the food they cook together. I don't really follow this for this most part, except if I am cooking noodles. When I cook noodles, I like to cut my vegetables and meat in long strips to mirror the length of the noodles. So if you were to make fried rice, you would want to cube the vegetables and meat in small pieces.

Let me give you two quick simple recipes that we eat often.

Green Beans and Chicken

I buy quite a bit of fresh green beans for this dish because my family loves them. Wash them and cut off the ends.
1 Chicken breast cubed
Crush about 3 cloves of garlic
Soy Sauce

Salt to taste

Heat a wok, or other frying pan until hot. Add about 3 tablespoons. cooking oil. Stir fry the chicken until done. Remove from the pan. Add about 3 more TB. cooking oil. Cook the green beans until tender. I usually have to add a little water as I'm cooking to prevent them from burning. You could use oil instead, but I try to be healthy. ;) When the beans are about done, return the chicken to the pan. Add the garlic, and about 2 TB soy sauce. My family loves this!

Garlic Cauliflower

Cauliflower cut in florets

1 chicken breast cubed.

4-5 cloves of garlic crushed

white pepper

Salt to taste

Heat wok til it's hot. Add about 3 TB cooking oil. Cook the chicken and remove from the pan. Add more oil and cook the cauliflower. Cauliflower tends to soak up the oil, so if it starts to get too dry in the pan, I usually add a little water or broth if I have it. When it is almost tender, add the chicken back to the pan. Add the white pepper, and garlic. Add tiny amounts of water as needed to keep it from burning. You can also vary this recipe by adding a small amount of soy sauce. (like 2 TB) When the cauliflower is tender it is done.

I'll try to add more recipes as I can, but most "greens" can be cooked with just oil, garlic and salt. Good luck!

Sandwich cake

2011-02-26T18:59:00.000-08:00

Today I went to a baby shower, and they served this special sandwich. I'm not giving an exact recipe, but you will get the idea.
The person who made it said that she goes to a bakery to get the bread, and asks them to slice it lengthwise instead of in regular slices. Lay one layer of the bread on a plate. Spread on a layer of egg salad. Lay another layer of bread on top of the egg salad. Spread on a layer of tuna salad. Lay another layer of bread on top of the tuna salad. Spread a layer of deviled ham. Put one last layer of bread on top of the deviled ham.
Next soften some cream cheese and beat it until soft. This woman added some food coloring to make it festive. Spread the cream cheese over the top and sides of the sandwich. It will look like icing on a cake. Chill for at least an hour, then slice. It was fun to have because we all thought it was a layer cake at first! :)

Pesto Potatoes

2011-02-01T19:52:00.000-08:00

I was trying to come up with a good potato recipe to go with our dinner one night and I threw this one together. I had gotten some pesto at a good price, and had it on hand. I think it turned out really good.

INGREDIENTS:

Red potatoes (one per person)

1/4 C olive oil

3 tablespoons of pesto

1 tablespoon fresh chopped garlic

sea salt

Wash and quarter the potatoes. Place in a baking dish.

In a separate bowl, add pesto, garlic, and olive oil. Blend well and pour over potatoes. Stir well so that all of the potatoes are coated. Sprinkle with sea salt. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake 350 degrees about one hour until done.

Note: sea salt really does give a different flavor to the dish. If you don't normally use it, try it!

Red-Braised Meat

2011-01-26T18:53:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe that was taught to me by our chinese babysitter when we lived in Beijing. It's a good winter dish. She uses pork with the fat still on it, and cooks it until the fat is jellied, but I make a healthier version.

2 lbs lean pork, cubed

3 tb. cooking oil

3 slices ginger

1/2 C soy sauce (part dark, part light)

6-8 boiled eggs, peeled. (one per person)

3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 sections of star anise.

water

Cook pork in oil until browned. Add soy sauce, and just enough water to cover the meat. Add ginger and star anise. Bring to a boil, and simmer for about 1 hour. Add additional water as needed to keep the meat covered.

Add potatoes and boiled eggs. Do not cut the boiled eggs. Simmer 20-30 minutes. The eggs will soak up the soy sauce mixture. Serve over rice.

Delicious Sponge Rolls

2010-11-25T12:07:00.000-08:00

This roll recipe is famous in the area where I live. I decided to try it this year for thanksgiving, and I LOVE it! The person this originated from is MIldred Gibbs, but I'm not sure if she is still alive.

SPONGE ROLLS

2 C. Milk
1/3 cube margarine
1/4 C. sugar
1 cake, or 1 pkg. dry yeast
3 Tb warm water
6 to 6 1/4 C. flour
2 tsp. salt
2 eggs

Scald milk; pour over margarine. Add sugar and let cool to lukewarm. Add yeast to Warm water and let it dissolve, then add to milk mixture. Add 2 1/2 Cups flour, stir well and let rise until double in bulk, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Add salt and eggs, unbeaten, and stir well. Mix in 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups flour. It should be stiff enough to handle well. Brush oil over the top of the dough. Cover and let rise again until double in bulk. Put in pans in favorite shape. (I just made balls and put them close together on a jelly roll sheet) Let rise again and bake in 425-450 degree oven 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.

This recipe may also be used to make delicious cinnamon rolls.

Pear Clafouti

2010-08-25T14:54:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from Martha Stewart's website. I had seen it on one of her programs and had to try it out. I bought some pears from Costco recently and needed to use them up, so decided to make the recipe again. I didn't have the dried cherries, so I used some dried blueberries I had instead, and I think I liked them better. I also didn't have any cream, so I used canned evaporated milk. Don't be squeamish, it tasted fine. :P I also used two pears instead of one, and I liked that I could really taste the pear more. This recipe is so easy and is good for breakfast! It's like custard only without so many eggs.

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

Unsalted butter, for baking dish
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup dried cherries
1 large Anjou pear, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cored
3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 10-inch ceramic tart dish or 9 1/2-inch pie plate. Dust with flour, and tap out excess; set aside. Put cherries in a medium bowl, and cover with boiling water by 1 inch. Let stand until plump, about 10 minutes.
Cut pear lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices; fan over bottom of prepared dish. Blend milk, cream, eggs, vanilla, sugar, flour, and salt in a blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour batter over pear.
Drain cherries; sprinkle over batter. Bake until golden and set, about 25 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes. Cut into wedges. Clafouti can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 day.

Frog's Eye Salad

2010-07-07T11:04:00.001-07:00

I decided to post this here for those who were asking for this recipe. This is a simple summer salad that is good for taking to pot luck dinners. Probably not the healthiest, but it is tasty. :) This recipe comes from my friend Laurie M., but there are several versions floating around.

1 1/3 cup (8 oz.) Ronzoni Acini Pepe, uncooked (That is a tiny round pasta that is sold in a box)
1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks, drained. (reserve 1/4 cup juice)
1 3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 package vanilla instant pudding (small box)
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained
2 cans (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained
2 cups frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed (or you can use real whipped cream)
3 cups miniature marshmallows

Cook pasta 11 minutes. (I like mine cooked a little more, but this is Laurie's recipe) Rinse with cold water; drain well. In a large bowl, beat reserved pineapple juice, milk, sugar, and pudding for 2 minutes. Gently stir in pasta and remaining ingredients; cover. Refrigerate at least 5 hours.

Serves 12

Hot Pot

2010-06-25T15:56:00.000-07:00

Every New Year's Eve our family has a tradition of eating Chinese food. Most often, we eat "Hot Pot". This is a meal best eaten in winter months, and when you have plenty of time to eat. It's a great meal to share with guests! We do eat it other times of the year, but New Year's is our tradition. I'm going to give you the basics, but you could adapt this to your own lifestyle.

SAUCE:
First you need to make a sauce. There are many ways you could do this, but our standard is using chinese "Char Sui" barbecue sauce. (pictured below)

The way we were taught is to pour the entire jar in to a bowl, and add one egg. Add a little soy sauce to thin out the paste. Add chopped cilantro, and a splash of sesame oil. Now, you could add other things like finely chopped garlic or ginger, or even hot chili sauce, but we pretty much just use this recipe. Give each person their own bowl with some of the sauce in it.

COOKING:
Next you are going to need some kind of electric skillet to put in the middle of the table. We have an electric skillet, but we also have a "hot pot" that was given to us by a friend. With our large family, and guests, we usually use both. Fill both with chicken broth, and set on high heat. Once the broth gets boiling you can turn it down a little if needed. Keep a pitcher of water on the table to refill the pots if they start to boil down. Make sure you have a lid that fits because this sometimes comes in handy when cooking.

MEAT:
You can use just about any kind of meat you like, but we prefer pork, chicken, and shrimp. Ask your butcher to slice the pork and chicken thinly. We own a meat slicer, so we slice it ourselves. For my family, I would plan on about 2 pounds of meat. If you have left over, you can always eat it again the next day. :)

VEGETABLES:
Once again, you can use any vegetable you like but we prefer the following.
--Nappa Cabbage cut in manageable chunk size.
--Spinach leaves
--Daikon radish peeled and cut in cubes
--bean sprouts

EXTRAS:
We like:
--Firm Tofu drained cut in cubes.
--Straw mushrooms (we use canned)
--Any other mushroom you like.
--Bean thread noodles (clear noodles)

EATING:

As soon as the broth is simmering, add some of the meat, vegetables and extras to the broth. The radish takes a little longer to cook than the other food. When the pink is gone from the meat, or when the shrimp turns color, it is done. The vegetables cook very quickly, so don't let them get too soft. If the pot is particularly full, you might want to put the lid on to help bring the heat back up so that the food cooks quicker.

Each person can retrieve the food they like from the pot and dip it in their sauce and eat it. We use chop sticks to retrieve the food from the broth, but you could have a large serving spoon handy for those who are "chopstick challenged". :) Most Chinese like to drink the soup with the noodles at the end of the meal.

This is a pretty healthy meal, and tastes great! The most difficult part for most people is finding the sauce. But I think many grocery stores now days carry it. Give this dinner a try!

Recipe Challenge

2010-06-23T16:43:00.000-07:00

I recently posted a recipe for my mother's "meat rolls". Although I liked the recipe, I felt it could be improved. I asked fellow blogger Rickb, who is a chef, to see what he could do to make it better. His recipe definitely looks better! I'm going to try it! If you need a good idea for dinner, check out this recipe on his blog. :)

Food Review: Limburger Cheese

2010-06-13T13:33:00.001-07:00

My family LOVES cheese. And I don't mean the boring stuff that most people buy. My husband takes great care to find interesting cheeses for us to try. At holiday time, he makes up a cheese platter consisting of many different kinds of cheese. Once, after traveling in England, he bought some English cheddar and brought it home in his suitcase. We love all different kinds of cheese, and my children are not timid when it comes to strong cheeses like blue cheese. Yesterday, for the first time in our lives, we tried Limburger cheese.

I think my review of limburger cheese could best be summed up in the after taste I experienced. The cheese was VERY strong, but after I ate it, I felt like I had eaten something off the barnyard ground. I told my son it tasted like I had eaten cow manure. He asked how I knew what cow manure tasted like. I told him that limburger cheese came closest to what I imagine cow manure to taste like.

In some ways I wondered if I would like it better in cooking. But I don't want my entire dish of food tasting like the barnyard, so I'm afraid to try it and see.
What is your experience with limburger?

Favorite Kitchen Tools

2010-06-12T22:21:00.001-07:00

I decided that I wanted to share some of my favorite kitchen utensils. As I write, I realize I forgot to take a picture of one of my favorites; my wok and chopsticks.

First I should say that my cooking is greatly influenced by chinese cooking. I use chopsticks to turn things in hot oil. I use a wok for most of my vegetable cooking. Below is a picture of my favorite knives. The one on the left is a "rocker" knife that is really useful in chopping vegetables. It is especially useful when you want things cut finely. Next to it is my favorite cleaver. I had another cleaver that I really liked, but recently the handle on it broke. I was afraid I wouldn't find one that I liked as much, but I think I like this one even more. It is just the right size for my hands, and I love the slightly curved blade.

This next picture contains some odds and ends that I find really useful. On the left is a chinese rolling pin. I know that chefs say you should have a large rolling pin, but this one fits my hands just right and I can manipulate it easily. I prefer this to the large rolling pins. I have a large one somewhere, I just never use it.
Next to it are a garlic peeler, and a garlic press. We eat a lot of fresh garlic. The bottled stuff has a sour taste to it, and just doesn't give the right flavor. Garlic salt is nothing like the real thing, and adds more salt than I want. This garlic peeler takes the peels off so easily, and the garlic press gives just the right consistency, while releasing the oils.

This platter is one of my favorite items in my kitchen. I'm really not a person who goes for gold plated china. I love this metal platter that I bought at IKEA. It is really large and can hold a large turkey plus trimmings, or can hold several batches of cookies. And I don't know why, but the pattern just makes me happy. :) I think it only cost me about $12, but has been indispensable.

This last picture is of a purchase I made this last Christmas. I'm not sure if you can tell, but these are soup mugs. My husband and I have a thing for red bowls. We can't seem to pass up red bowls in the store. In general, whenever we eat chinese food we eat it on red plates, and in red bowls. I love having these soup bowls on the counter to add color to my kitchen, and to be ready for dinner. I bought these at World Market for about $12.

Okay, those are some of my favorite kitchen gadgets. What are some of yours?

Meat Rolls

2010-05-14T23:02:00.001-07:00

My daughter has been ribbing me about this recipe ever since I made it, but I actually like it. This is something my mother made occasionally when I was young, and I most recently used my Aunt's recipe to make it for my family. There really isn't much recipe to it, but for those cooking challenged, here is how I made it.

First make biscuit dough. I have posted a recipe once before that you could use. Click here for that recipe.

Roll out the dough to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.

In a bowl combine:

About a pound of uncooked ground beef
About 1 can vegetable soup (concentrated)

I didn't have vegetable soup when I made it, so I used 1/2 can of tomato soup, and one can of mixed vegetables (drained).

Spread meat mixture on top of biscuit dough. Roll up and slice like you would if you were making cinnamon rolls. Bake at 325 degrees for about 25 -30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, melt about 2 tbl. butter in a pan. Add about 2 tbl. flour. When it is combined well, add about 1 cup of milk, stirring constantly. I also like to add about a teaspoon of chicken soup base or bouillion. You are making a white sauce. You can adjust the amount of milk if you like the sauce to be thinner or thicker. Serve the white sauce over the meat rolls.

My daughter asked if I was going to make meat cupcakes the next night for dinner. I don't think she could get past the cinnamon roll effect. My husband suggested I make individual meat loafs in a muffin pan. ;D

Easter Story Cookies

2010-03-31T15:39:00.000-07:00

This is a great Easter activity to do with children. This activity is intended to be done on the night before Easter before going to bed.

Ingredients:
1 Cup whole pecans
1 tsp vinegar
3 eggs whites
pinch salt
1 Cup sugar
ziploc bag
wooden spoon
tape
Bible
Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Place the pecans in the ziploc bag, and let the children beat them with the wooden spoon to break in to small pieces.
Explain that after Jesus was arrested, he was beaten by the Roman soldiers.
Read John 19:1-3
Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp vinegar into a mixing bowl.
Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink.
Read John 19:28-30
Add egg whites to the vinegar. Eggs represent life.
Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.
Read John 10:10-11
Sprinkle a little salt in to each child's hand. Let them taste it, and add a pinch of salt to the bowl.
Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our sin.
Read Luke 23:27
So far the ingredients are not very appealing. Add 1 cup of sugar.
Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know that and belong to Him.
Read Psalms 34:8, and John 3:16
Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-16 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.
Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.
Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3
Fold in the broken nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper covered cookie sheet.
Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.
Read Matthew 27:57-60
Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.
Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed.
Read Matthew 27:65-66
Go to bed! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven over night. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.
Read John 16:20, 22
On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter morning, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.
Read Mattew 28:1-9
Happy Easter!

Cinnamon Rolls

2010-03-31T15:37:00.000-07:00

This is the cinnamon roll recipe I use. Sometimes they turn out GREAT, and other times they just turn out good. :) I think it has to do with how thick I roll them out. I like to roll them out a little on the thick side.

Combine:
2 C. scalded milk
1/3 C. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cubes butter
Let cool

In a separate bowl, combine
1 pkg. (or 2 1/2 tsp.) yeast
1/4 C. warm water
When yeast starts to activate, add:
3 tsp vanilla
3 eggs, beaten

Add butter mixture to yeast mixture
Add 5-6 cups flour. Let raise. Beat down, repeat.
This dough might be a little sticky.
Roll out on a floured board.
I roll out the dough, then spread melted butter on the dough.
Sprinkle with about 1/2 cup of sugar, and 4 tsp. cinnamon
Roll dough up, and slice. Place on greased cookie sheet and let rise.
Bake 375 for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Drizzle with frosting.

Frosting:
I don't have a written recipe for the frosting. I just make it by combining about 4 tablespoons softened butter or margarine with powdered sugar. I add the powdered sugar until it is thick, then I drizzle in a little milk. I also add about a teaspoon of vanilla. You want a runny icing that you can drizzle on the rolls. I prefer to let them cool a little first.

Funeral Potatoes

2009-12-26T15:47:00.000-08:00

In our church, whenever there is a funeral, we prepare and serve a luncheon for the family of the deceased. Almost every dinner includes what has come to be known as "funeral potatoes". This past month or so I have made this dish about 6 times. I have to admit I'm tired of it, but this is a good recipe to have on hand. There are several variations, but they are all pretty much the same.

8 large potatoes, skinned, boiled, and grated
1 cube margarine or butter melted
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese grated
1 16 oz. container of sour cream
3 green onions chopped

Some people skin the potatoes after boiling them, but I dont' like waiting for them to cool, so I skin them before. Some people use frozen hash browns in place of fresh potatoes. Just make sure that if you use frozen ones, you let them thaw at least partially before baking.
Combine all ingredients and put in a 9"x13" pan, and bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. After eating them, have your cholesterol checked. ;)

Chicken Taco Soup

2009-11-12T13:06:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe a long time ago, then I lost it. I could never find a replacement that I liked as much. Finally I made friends on Facebook with the person who gave it to me in the first place, and asked her to give it to me again. Thanks Krisi!
Chicken Taco Soup

3 cooked chicken breasts – cut up in small pieces
3-4 cans of beans -- I used pinto, kidney, and black.
1 can of corn
1 can diced tomatoes (if you like spicy use a can of rotel
2 cans chicken broth
(or one can chicken broth & one can tomato sauce)
8 Tbls taco seasoning (or one packet)

Put everything together in the crock-pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. This can also be made on the stovetop; basically you are just heating everything up and melding the flavors together.

Serve with any of the following for toppings:
Sour Cream
Tortilla Chips Crumbled up
Cilantro (I generally also put this into the soup if I have some on hand)
Cheese

She mentioned in the recipe that she puts some cilantro in the soup if she has some. I definitely would do this because for me that is part of what makes this soup great. I also sometimes cut up some corn tortillas in strips and fry them to go on top of the soup instead of using chips.

Sweet Potato & Hominy Stew With Cumin Polenta

2009-10-27T12:15:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens. My husband and I both liked it, although my kids weren't in love with it. But to me, this is what real Mexican food is like. It has very unusual ingredients. I happen to love hominy, so this is a good recipe for me. I found it was very important to use the lime and cilantro. The sweet potato doesn't come out tasting sweet like you would think it would. And the cinnamon is almost undetectable, but important in the flavoring. If you are adventurous, you should try this. The magazine suggested serving this stew with polenta. I am including that recipe here too. I LOVED the polenta, but as I mentioned before, I love grits too. My kids hated the polenta, but to me it was creamy, buttery, and good, like mashed potatoes. :)

Sweet Potato and Hominy Stew

6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tb. olive oil
2 14 oz cans reduced sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
3 sweet potatoes peeled and chopped (to make 5 cups)
1 Tb. chili powder
1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 14-15 oz. cans of golden hominy, rinsed and drained
1 large red sweet pepper chopped
1 18 oz tub of barbecue sauce with shredded pork. (I couldn't find this, so I just baked some pork with barbecue sauce, then shredded it)
Cilantro, chopped
lime wedges

1. In saucepan or Dutch oven, cook onion and garlic in hot oil until tender. Stir in broth and water; add sweet potatoes, chili powder, oregano, cinnamon, and cumin. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Stir in hominy, red pepper, and shredded pork. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until heated through.
2. Serve with cilantro, lime wedges, and cumin polenta. Makes 8 servings.

Cumin Polenta
from Betty Rosbottom's book, "Sunday Soup"
(I halved this for my family. Good thing since the kids didn't like it)

2 14 oz. cans reduced sodium chicken broth
2 tsp ground cumin
1 C yellow cornmeal
1/2 C whole milk
1 Tb. butter

In large heavy saucepan, combine broth and cumin; bring to boiling. Reduce heat; gradually whisk in cornmeal. Cook and stir until thick, about 6 to 8 minutes. Whisk in milk and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 8 servings.

Chickpea and Leek Soup

2009-10-14T20:48:00.000-07:00

from Jamie Oliver

This soup sounds simple, and sounds boring, but it is DELICIOUS! My family loves this soup!

12 ounces chickpeas, soaked overnight, refrigerated
1 medium potato peeled
5 to 6 leeks (I can't find small ones, so just use one large one), finely sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ounce knob butter
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pints chicken or vegetable stock
2 handfuls parmesan cheese, grated
Extra-virgin olive oil

Rinse the soaked chickpeas, cover with water, and cook with potato until tender. (I eliminate this step and just use canned chickpeas) Remove the outer skin of the leeks, slice lengthways from the root up, wash carefully and slice finely.

Warm a thick-bottomed pan, and add the tablespoon of oil and the knob of butter. Add the leeks and garlic to the pan, and sweat gently with a good pinch of salt until tender and sweet. Add the drained chickpeas and potato and cook for 1 minute. Add about 2/3 of the stock and simmer for 15 minutes. (This is when I cook the potato)
Puree half of the soup in a food processor, and leave the other half chunky. This gives a lovely smooth comforting feel but also keeps a bit of texture. Now, add enough of the remaining stock to achieve the consistency you like. Check for seasoning, and add Parmesan, to taste, to round off the flavors.

You can drizzle more olive oil on top when you serve it, and add more parmesan as desired.
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes.

Grits

2009-10-04T10:46:00.000-07:00

This isn't so much of a recipe, but an encouragement. Some time back, my husband bought a big container of grits at Costco. I had never eaten grits before, and wasn't thrilled at the prospect, so didn't use them. Yesterday I decided to try them. I LOVE them! Grits are made from corn. Think of grits as a corn form of Cream of Wheat. I ate them with butter and salt, but I think I would like them more with sugar and fruit/raisins. They are creamy and filling. I'm going to be eating grits for breakfast this coming winter!

Pico De Galla

2009-09-27T22:16:00.000-07:00

Image from
My brother "Choral Responses" posted his favorite salsa recipe. We have many salsa recipes that we like in our family, but here is our family staple. This recipe came from a friend from church who is Mexican. She doesn't measure, and neither do I. I'll give approximate amounts, but you can adjust to your liking.

2-3 Chopped large ripe tomatoes
1/2 Cup Chopped onion (white is best)
1/2 Cup chopped cilantro
3 large finely chopped/seeded fresh jalapeno peppers
1 tsp. cumin
2-3 cloves chopped garlic
the juice from half a lime
salt and pepper to taste

You could also add corn, or kidney beans if desired.

Chicken Croissant Sandwiches

2009-09-21T20:17:00.000-07:00

1 Can of cubed chicken drained (or 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken)
1 package cream cheese room temperature
1/2 C chopped celery (or more, to your taste)
1/2 C cashews (not chopped too fine) (or more, to your taste)
Mayonaisse as needed
lettuce if desired
Croissant rolls (about 6 for this amount of filling)

Combine first 5 ingredients. Add mayonnaise as needed to help combine mixture
Slice croissant rolls in half and fill with meat mixture. (I don't slice all the way through)
Top with lettuce if desired. (I don't usually use it.)

Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-09-03T20:11:00.000-07:00

When my daughter was here for a short vacation last month she made these cookies. I don't know where the recipe came from, but I think she might have gotten it off the internet. To me these are PERFECT! I was concerned that the amount of flour might be too much, because I'm always having to adjust that in recipes. But these proportions worked great for me! This is going to be my new chocolate chip cookie recipe.

1 C butter softened
1 C white sugar
1 C brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp hot water
1/2 tsp salt
2 C chocolate chips
1 C chopped nuts

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2.) Cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar till smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour. Add chocolate chips and nuts.
3.) Drop by large spoonful on to ungreased pans.
4.) Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are slightly brown. DON'T over cook!

Pancakes

2009-09-02T14:01:00.000-07:00

Combine the following:
1 1/2 C. flour
3 Tb. sugar
1 3/4 TB baking powder
1 tsp. salt

In a separate bowl combine the following:
1 1/2 C. milk
3 TB melted butter
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Add dry mixture to liquid mixture. It will look a little bubbly, and it really spreads out after you put it on the pan.

For Buttermilk pancakes:
Add 1/2 tsp. baking soda. Decrese baking powder to 1 tsp. Substitute buttermilk for regular milk.

Pizza Dough

2009-08-12T21:49:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from my brother Sticks, but I have added a couple of ingredients.

3 Cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. (or one package) yeast
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 c warm water
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 c cornmeal

Grease the pizza pan lightly.
Put the yeast, sugar, and 1/2 of warm water in a small bowl. Allow the yeast to activate. If the yeast does not start to grow and bubble, it probably is too old. Do not use it if it doesn't activate.

In a separate bowl, combine flour and salt.
Make an indentation in the flour mixture. Pour in the yeast mixture, and the 1 Cup warm water. Stir together until dough follows the spoon. Knead (using a little more flour if needed) until the dough is elastic and smooth. Allow to rise until double in size.

This next step is what I learned on television, and I really like the addition.
To roll out the dough, dust the rolling surface with cornmeal. It's okay if the cornmeal gets in to the dough, it adds a nice texture. For crispier crust, roll out thinner. For thicker crust, you can roll it to a thicker size, and allow it to rise a little more.

Place in greased pizza pan and spread with your fingers until the dough evenly covers the pan. A round pizza pan works best. Top with your favorite toppings, and bake at 350 degrees until under side of dough is lightly browned.

Pesto Pizza

2009-08-12T21:42:00.001-07:00

I saw this recipe on television last night and tried it for dinner tonight. I thought it was good, although I also made some pepperoni pizza just in case no one liked it. I added spinach, even though the tv recipe didn't call for it.

Pesto Pizza
fresh spinach leaves
tomatoes
feta cheese
red onion
chopped garlic
pesto
Balsamic Vinegar

Chop the tomatoes and onion. Put in a bowl, and add garlic. Drizzle with Balsamic vinegar.

Brush the dough with olive oil
Spread the dough with pesto
Put a layer of fresh spinach leaves.
Layer the tomato/onion mixture evenly over the spinach.
sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese on top.

Bake 350 degrees until crust is golden.

Pumpkin Dessert

2009-08-07T18:01:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
Filling:
1 large can of solid pack pumpkin
1 1/2 Cup sugar
6 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups canned milk
Mix above ingredients together until well blended. Pour in 9x13 pan. Note: If you use the canned pumpkin that already has the spices in it, you can leave out the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.
Topping:1 yellow cake mix (dry)1 1/2 cube of margarine or butter --MELTED

Sprinkled dry cake mix over pumpkin fillng evenly. Pour melted butter over the cake mix.Directions:Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hourLet it set for an hour, serve with Cool Whip and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Great warm or cold. Keep in refrigerator after serving.

Red Cooked Beef Noodles

2009-08-07T17:59:00.000-07:00

From Chinese Snacks

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. beef rump roast
2 stalks green onion
2 slices ginger root
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp. hot bean paste
1 Tbl black bean paste
1/2 C soy sauce
6 C water
3 sections of star anise
1 1/2 lbs. precooked noodles
2/3 lb. green cabbage(or other green leaf vegetable)
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 Tbl soy sauce
1 Tbl. chopped green onion
6 C hot stock
Directions:
Cut beef into bite-size pieces. Smash first 3 ingredients. Heat pan and 3 T oil; stir fry onion, ginger, garlic mixture with the hot bean paste, black bean paste, and soy sauce. Add beef pieces. Place this mixture in a pressure cooker and cook 30 minutes over medium heat. (You can also brown the meat and cook it in a crock pot) Mix sesame oil, black pepper, soy sauce and green onion. Portion in to individual serving bowls. Add hot stock, noodles and green cabbage. Ladle some of the beef mixture over the top and serve. This is one of my family's favorite meals

Number Of Servings:6

My Favorite Fudge

2009-08-07T17:58:00.000-07:00

From Nancy F.

Ingredients:
1.
18 oz (or 3 cups) chocolate chips
1/2 pound margarine
3 cups coarsely chopped nuts
One 8oz jar marshmallow whip
2 tsp. vanilla
2.
4 1/2 C sugar
1 can evaporated milk

Directions:
Combine ingredients in 1 in a large bowl.In a large pan combine ingredients from 2.Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to a gentle boil. Boil for 9 minutes, stirring often. Pour hot mixture in to bowl of ingredients in 1. Mix well, beating a little if needed. Pour into ungreased 9x13 pan, and let set. It make take a couple of days to set up. Makes 5 1/2 lb. This fudge could also be cut in individual pieces and dipped in dipping chocolate

Number Of Servings:117 1" squares

Reuben Sandwich Casserole

2009-08-07T17:56:00.000-07:00

Description:
This recipe came from PBS and is delicious! It is like making Reubens for the whole family without as much work.
Ingredients:
One large bottle of saurkraut rinsed and drained
2-3 pounds of thinly sliced cooked corned beef
Approx. 1 cup Thousand Island dressing
One pound sliced swiss cheese
Rye bread cubed
1 stick margarine or butter
Directions:
In a 9X13 pan you will layer the indgredients:First put in saurkraut. Top it with the corned beef. Next spread the thousand island dressing over the corned beef. Arrange the swiss cheese slices over the dressing. Melt the margarine. In a bowl, pour the margarine over the bread cubes to coat. Put the bread crumbs on top of the swiss cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Delicious!

Number Of Servings:10-12

Jambalaya

2009-08-07T17:54:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 pound andouille, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
3 cups chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped red bell peppers
1 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon Essence
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, plus 1/2 teaspoon
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 1/2 pounds boneless white and dark chicken meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 pound ham, cubed
3 bay leaves
3 cups medium-grain white rice
6 cups water
1/2 pound shelled shrimp
1 cup chopped green onions, green tops only
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Essence:
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Mix all ingredients and store in air tight jar.

Directions:
Heat the oil in a large cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook. Add the onions, bell peppers, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the Essence, and 1/2 teaspoon of the cayenne. Stirring often, brown the vegetables and sausage until they are caramelized, about 15 minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pot to loosen any browned particles. †Add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute. †Season the chicken with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cayenne. Add the chicken, ham, and the bay leaves to the pot. Brown the chicken for 8 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned particles.†Add the rice and stir for 2 to 3 minutes to coat evenly. Add the water, stir to combine, and cover. Cook over medium heat for 30 to 35 minutes, without stirring, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Add the shrimp during the last 5 minutes of cooking and cook until just pink. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. †Stir in the green onions and parsley, and serve.

†Number Of Servings:Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Citrus Chicken Salad

2009-08-07T17:52:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
Part 16-7 boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and cubed
6 stalks of celery diced
1 Cup slivered almonds
2 Small cans mandarin oranges drained
2 Cups red seedless grapes halved
4 green onions finely chopped
2 packages chicken flavored ramen noodles broken into bite size pieces (save the seasoning to use in dressing)
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. pepper
Part 2
Dressing: Mix the following together:
1/2 C white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/3 C sugar
2Tb orange juice concentrate
1/2 C vegetable oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
8 TB mayonnaise
2 chicken flavor packets from the ramen noodles
Directions:
Mix the ingredients in Part 1.Mix the dressing ingredients in Part 2
Cover ingredients in part 1 with dressing, and refrigerate over night.
Number Of Servings:
This would feed my family, and probably have some left over. But leftovers keep very well.

String Beans Patata

2009-08-07T17:50:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 pound tiny new potatoes
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon fresh snipped oregano
2 cloves garlic crushed
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Directions:
1. Fill a 4-quart dutch oven halfway with salted water; bring to boiling. Halve the smallest new potatoes; quarter any larger new potatoes. Add potatoes to boiling water. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; cook for 6 minutes. Add beans. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and cook for 4 to 6 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender and potatoes are tender.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine oil, vinegar, oregano, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Drain beans and potatoes well. Add beans and potatoes to the large bowl; toss gently to coat. Let stand at least 30 minutes or until mixture is room temperature. Season to taste with salt. From Simply Perfect Italian
Number Of Servings:Makes 6 cups.

Winter Salad

2009-08-07T17:49:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:1 head of Romaine lettuce
1 head of Red Leaf lettuce
2 apples cut in bite size pieces
1 pear cut in bite size pieces
1 can mandarin oranges drained
4 oz cran-raisins
1 1/2 C sliced almonds sugared (in skillet, heat almonds and 5 TB sugar until sugar crystalizes)

Dressing:Mix and marinate atleast two hours before using.
1/4 C sugar1 tsp dry mustard (or 1 TB regular mustard)
1 tsp salt
1/3 C cider vinegar
3/4 C canola or vegetable oil
2 tsp. finely chopped onion (red is best)
1 TB poppy seeds
Directions:Mix the dressing 2 hours before using. Toss salad with dressing and enjoy!
Number Of Servings:1/2 of this recipe feeds a family of 6.

Fruit Dip

2009-08-07T07:32:00.000-07:00

Dip, Dollop, and Drool

1 C Pineapple juice
3/4 C sugar
2 Tablespoons Lemon juice
2 eggs (beaten)
1 Tablespoon flour
Dash of salt

Heat all ingredients in a double boiler until thickened, stirring often with a wire whisk. Cool! Ship 1/2 pint whipping cream (or just use the ready made), and fold in to cooled mixture. Serve as a topping or dip with any fruit combination. Delicious!

French Bread

2009-08-06T19:26:00.000-07:00

from Mrs. Dick Nobis

First of all let me say that I don't usually use this recipe as a French bread recipe. To me, it doesn't taste like what I think of French bread. But I love this to use this recipe to make bread sticks.

Combine the following:

Mixture 1

1/2 C warm water

2 pkg (or 5 tsp) dry yeast

1/2 tsp sugar

Let sit for a few minutes to make sure the yeast is active. It will begin to bubble and grow. If it doesn't grow, the yeast might be too old.

Combine and mix the following:

Mixture 2

2 C. hot water

3 tablespoons sugar

3 C. all purpose flour

1 Tablespoon salt

1/3 C shortening or vegetable oil (I use vegetable oil for convenience)

When yeast mixture is active, add mixture 1 to mixture 2.

Add 3 more cups of flour. Let sit 10 minutes and then stir down. Repeat 6 more times.

LOAVES:

Mold in to loaves. Put on greased cookie sheet and brush top with beaten egg whites that have been combined with a small amount of water. Let rise until double, about 1/2 hour. Bake 325 degrees until golden brown.

BREAD STICKS:

For bread sticks, take a ball of dough and form in to long snake like form. Fold in half and twist the ends around each other. You could also just form it in to long shapes.

Brush the top of the bread with melted butter. Sprinkle the tops with Season Salt, or Parmesan cheese. (or both!) Bake 325 degrees on greased cooked sheet for about 1/2 hour, or until golden brown.

Easy-As-Pie Crust

2009-08-04T12:07:00.000-07:00

from Mrs. Steve Stratton

2 C flour, unsifted
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 C. shortening
Ice water (1/4 to 1/3 C.)

Mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening with pastry fork (to size of small peas). Sprinkle with ice water. Work clumps together with fork. Knead clumps into a ball. Makes 1 double-crust 9 inch pie.

Helpful pie making hints:

--try to keep the dough cool.
--The less you work with it, the better the crust. Don't over-knead it
--I saw a pastry chef on television who said that using a fruit juice, like apple juice, instead of water helps. The sugars in the juice help make a better gluten. I haven't tried this, but I think it would also add flavor to the crust. Just make sure to put ice in it before putting it in the dough.
--I've found that pie crusts are pretty forgiving. If it doesn't roll out perfectly, or doesn't look perfect, it still will usually taste good. :)
--As an added touch, try making cutouts from the extra dough. You can cut out small leaves, or use a cookie cutter to cut out small hearts. Use a little water or egg white to adhere the cut out to the pie top.
--Brush the top crust with some egg white mixed with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Italian Meatballs

2009-07-26T20:56:00.001-07:00

I learned to make these from my mother in law who is Italian. Mine can't compare with hers, but I think they are still pretty good. I'm not going to give exact amounts here because I don't measure.

Ground beef (you could use some sausage, but we prefer ground beef)
Seasoned bread crumbs (these are sold in a canister)
1 egg
grated parmesan cheese
Grated Romano cheese

Basically, you add enough cheese to the meat to satisfy your taste buds. :) Add the egg and mix well. Now add the bread crumbs until the mixture is dry feeling. Next form the meat mixture in to golf ball size balls. Brown in oil on medium heat. Drain off excess oil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Allow to steam for a few minutes. Then add spaghetti sauce. You could make a good spaghetti sauce from scratch by adding tomato sauce, garlic, chicken bouillon, and fresh chopped basil. When I make meatballs, I feel like I put enough effort in to the meat, so I usually just used Prego. :) Cover again and simmer on low until you are ready to eat. I like to add about 1/2 cup of water to the sauce to help the meatballs soak up the sauce. While it is simmering cook the pasta of your choice.

That's a spicy meatball! ;)

Thermos Wheat

2009-06-07T21:43:00.002-07:00

THERMOS WHEAT
1 Cup wheat
2 Cups boiling water
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Preheat a thermos by filling it with hot tap water. Bring two cups of water to a boil and add salt. Empty the tap water from the thermos. Place the wheat in the thermos and add the boiling water. Screw the lid tightly on to the thermos and allow the wheat to cook for 8 hours, or over night. Drain off any water that has not been absorbed. Serve with milk and sugar or raisins.
This can also be cooked in the crockpot over night on low. You can bag it up and freeze it to be reheated later if you want. I like to eat it in yogurt! :)

Wheat Meat

2009-06-07T21:43:00.001-07:00

WHEAT GLUTEN
9 cups finely ground whole wheat
4 1/2 cups warm water
Mix in electric mixer for 10 minutes. Let it rest for 30 minutes. Fill mixing bowl with water and knead until water is white and starchy. Pour off some of the water. Put a large bowl in the sink with a strainer inside of it. Using a very small trickle of water, begin rinsing a handful of the dough. The bran will wash off in to the bowl. This bran is good and nutritious and can be used to make bran flakes, or muffins, or even to water plants. You will be able to feel the bran as you wash the dough. When all the bran is washed away, you can flavor the gluten with the meat flavoring of your choice and use it to replace or extend meat in recipes.
FLAVORING BROTH
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 tsp seasoning salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tablespoons bouillion or soup base
4 cups water
Directions: mix together and bring to a boil. Add pieces of raw gluten "meat" and boil for 30 minutes.
For ground beef substitute, grind in a meat grinder. It can be used in many recipes that call for ground beef. You may need to add some oil with certain recipes. You can make gluten "meat" and bread and fry it. Dip in egg before breading

Creamy Cracked Wheat Cereal

2009-06-07T21:42:00.000-07:00

CREAMY CRACKED WHEAT CEREAL
1 cup uncooked cracked wheat
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup of powdered milk
4 tablespoons of sugar
Prepare cracked wheat by using a wheat grinder or a blender. Add dry milk to water, whisk, and bring to a boil at medium high temperature. Add wheat, sugar, and salt, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until water is absorbed. Makes 3 cups cereal

Rice

2009-05-26T09:49:00.001-07:00

One of my biggest pet peaves is that people buy minute rice because they don't know how to cook regular rice. Minute rice is so much more expensive, and I don't think it tastes as good. I buy rice in bulk, saving lots of money. I had a mission companion teach me her method of cooking rice, but I didn't feel it was very accurate and consistent. But then I learned how from the Frugal Gourmet and have used his method ever since.

1 Part rice
2 parts water

In other words....put in twice as much water as rice. :)

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes. Ta da! that's it.

Also, I would suggest that if you eat rice often that you buy a rice cooker. What I like best about having a rice cooker is that it doesn't take up stove space, and it keeps the rice warm after it is cooked. You can buy them relatively inexpensively at Chinese grocery stores. Also, you can usually find them at thrift stores, donated by people who received them as gifts, but never had use for them. I love rice, and could eat it every day!

Popcorn Balls

2009-05-22T11:08:00.001-07:00

This recipe came from my sister "Inklings" many years ago. I have made them alot over the years. I use slightly different proportions of candy to popcorn because I like a little more popcorn in it. But the recipe is so easy!

Melt the following over medium heat. Stir as you cook.
1 cube margarine
1 Cup brown sugar
30 marshmallows (the larger size, not miniature)

I air pop 1 large tupperware bowl of popcorn. Inklings microwaves a bag of popcorn. By hand, transfer the popcorn to another large bowl or cookie sheet to sift out the hard "Old maid" kernels. Pour candy mixture over the popcorn and stir to coat. After it is cooled, butter your hands and form it in to balls. I then put each ball in a sandwich bag to make them easier to handle when eating.

Watermelon Salad

2009-05-17T18:56:00.000-07:00

I had this salad at a DUP luncheon. It is very surprisingly good!

Water Melon Salad from Gayle S.

One 5 pound Water Melon
1 Vidalia Sweet Onion slice VERY THIN
1/4 c Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons of finely chopped mint (I omit this)
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 oz of Feta Cheese
sprinkle of Herbs de Provence

Toss All together and chill for a few hours, Serve CHILLED is best

Split Pea Soup

2009-05-15T11:55:00.000-07:00

After reading some of these recipes, I'm sure you can guess why my husband and I are over weight. But as fat laden as this recipe might be, I think it's the best split pea soup I've ever eaten. This recipe comes from the Williams and Sonoma Soup cook book.

Split Pea Soup

1 Tb olive oil
1 yellow onion finely diced
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
2 small carrots peeled and thinly sliced
1 C dried green or yellow split peas, picked over, rinsed and drained
4 Cups chicken or vegetable stock or prepared broth
6 slices bacon
2 Tbl finely chopped flat leaf (Italian) parsley
1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh marjoram or 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 tsp fnely chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme.
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

In a large saucepan over mdeium heat, warm the oiil. Add the onion and saute until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add the celery and carrots and saute until just slightly softened, 3 minutes.

Add the split peas, stock, 2 slices of the bacon, parsley, marjoram, and thyme. Reduce the heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer. Cover partially and cook until the peas are tender, 50-60 minutes. Discard the bacon.

Meanwhile, in a frying pan over mediuim heat, fry the remaining 4 slices of bacon until crips, about 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. When cool, crumble and set aside.

Coarsely puree 2 Cups of the coup in a food processor and return the pureed soup to the saucepan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Retunr the soup to medium heat, and simmer for 5 minutes longer. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish with the crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Cheese Chowder

2009-05-15T11:48:00.000-07:00

This is a kind of a mixture of two different recipes that I got from the internet. This chowder is really good in cold weather with some good bread.

Cheddar Chowder

7 C water
9 cubes chicken bouillion crumbled (I use soup base instead)
6 potatoes cubed
2 clobes garlic minced
1 large white onion chopped
3 cups chopped carrots
2 (15 oz) cans of corn
2 (15 oz) cans of peas, or frozen
2 C chopped fresh green beans
1/2 C butter or margarine
1/2 C flour
3 C milk
1 pound cheddar cheese, grated or cubed

In a large pot over medium heat, combine water, bouillion, potatoes, and garlic. Bring to a boil, then stir in onion, celerey, and carrots. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in corn, green beans, and peas and continue to cook on low heat.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the margarine. Whisk in flour all at one time to form a roux, and let cook 10 seconds. Whisk in milk a little at a time, and cook, stirring until mixture is thick and bubbly. Stir in cheese until melted. Add to soup pot with other ingredients. Stir well and heat through.

Honey Curry Chicken

2009-05-15T11:45:00.001-07:00

This recipe comes from my brother in law's mother. We eat it over rice.

Honey Curry Chicken

1/2 C Honey
1/4 C mustard
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/3 C margarine
12 chicken thighs and legs separated, and skinned

Melt margarine. Add other ingredients. Pour over skinned chicken. Bake 350 degrees for about one hour. Baste frequently while baking.

Hamburger Barley Soup

2009-05-15T11:40:00.000-07:00

I actually got this recipe from television. Kathy Lee Gifford shared this recipe that her mother often makes for the grandchildren. I love this recipe, and I think it's pretty healthy.

Hamburger Barley Soup

2 lbs of ground beef
16 oz. tomatoes chopped
6 oz. tomato juice (I usually just use tomato sauce)
7 C water
1/2 C string beans
1 Green pepper, diced
1/2 C celery chopped
Salt & Pepper: 1 tsp each. (if you are squeamish, you can cut down on the pepper)
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbl. soy sauce
1 Bay leaf
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 C pearl barley
2 carrots sliced
1 large baking potato cubed

Brown ground beef. Add all ingredients in pot except carrot and potato. Bring to a boil. Simmer 45 minutes. Add carrots, simmer 10 more minutes. Add potatoes, simmer 20 more minutes. Enjoy!

Red-Cooked Beef Noodles

2009-05-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite dishes, one that I ate often when I lived in Taiwan. My husband and children also love it.

Red-Cooked Beef Noodles

from: Chinese Snacks, Wei-Chuan cooking book

1 1/2 pounds rump roast of beef

Mixture 1:
2 stalks of green onion
2 slices ginger root
3 cloves garlic

Mixture 2:
1 tsp. "hot bean paste" (la do ban jiang)
1 Tbl. Black bean paste (he do ban jiang)
1/2 C soy sauce

Mixture 3:
6 C water
1/2 tsp MSG (optional)
3 sections star anise

1 1/2 lb precooked noodles
1/2 lb green cabbage (I like to use Swiss Chard, and I cut it in manageable size pieces.)

Mixture 4:
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 Tbl. soy sauce
1 Tbl chopped green onion
6 C hot stock

1. Cut beef rump into bite-size pieces; smash ingredients in mixture 1.
2. Heat pan and 3 T. oil. Stir-fry mixtures 1 and 2 until fragrant. Add mixture 3 and beef pieces. Place this mixture in a pressure cooker and cook 30 minutes over medium heat. This is what is known as "Red-cooked beef" (I don't own a pressure cooker, so I cook it in a crock pot until the meat is tender. You could also cook it on the stove top, simmering for one hour.)
3. Prepare mixture 4 and portion into serving bowls. Add hot stock, noodles and green cabbage. Portion red-cooked beef and some of its broth on top. Serve.

Donut Holes

2009-05-15T10:05:00.000-07:00

This recipe, which was passed down in my husband's family, comes down to us in the form of a poem. You basically add all of the ingredients in the poem, then add flour until the consistency is right.

Donut Holes

Cup of sugar
Cup of milk
Two eggs beat...
fine as silk

Baking powder..
teaspoons two
A pinch of salt
and nutmeg will do

After the above ingredients are mixed well, add flour until the consistency is somewhere between a batter and dough...like a stiff batter. Fry in medium heat oil until cooked through and golden brown, turning as needed. Place on paper towel to eliminate excess grease. Put some granulated sugar in a paper bag. Put some of the donut holes in the bag and shake to coat. Mmmmmmmm!

Baking Powder Biscuits

2009-05-13T11:51:00.000-07:00

Baking Powder Biscuits

2 C flour

1/2 tsp salt

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

2 tsp sugar

2/3 C milk

1/2 C shortening. (I use either margarine, or butter flavored Crisco)

Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, cream of tartar, and sugar. Cut in shortening until course like meal. (Use two knifes to cut it in). Add milk all at once and stir with fork until dough follows in a form around the bowl. Pat and roll to 1/2 inch thickness. (If it won't hold together, add a little more milk. Instead of rolling it out, I just form it in to biscuits in my hand. I make them thicker than 1/2 inch) Bake on ungreased pan. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Chicken Adobo

2009-05-13T11:50:00.001-07:00

Chicken Adobo

1 1/2 C water
4 pds. of chicken thighs skinned
1 to 2 cloves of garlic crushed
1/2 C vinegar
1/2 C soy sauce ( I use dark)
1 bay leaf
1 TB honey
1 dried red pepper
black pepper

Put all ingredients in pot. Bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes without stirring. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until cooked through, about one hour. You can stir after the first 10 minutes, but try not to stir too much. I serve this over rice. The juice is good on the rice too.

I like to eat this with stir fried cabbage.

sliced onion
cabbage sliced in thin strips
2 cloves of garlic
1 tb soy sauce

first stir fry the onion in a little oil. Then add cabbage and garlic. If the pan starts to get a little too dry, you can add more oil. When cabbage is almost tender, add soy sauce. don't over cook...you want the cabbage to have some crunch.

Blondies

2009-05-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

Here is a blondie recipe I found online. It says to put butterscotch chips in it, but I don't put anything in mine. I like them plain. I love blondies because they are moist and easy to make.

Ingredients
1/2 cup of butter, melted
1 cup of tightly packed dark brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1/3 cup of butterscotch chips (chopped walnuts and chocolate chips are equally tasty)
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter and flour an 8X8 pan. Whisk together the melted butter and sugar in a bowl.
2 Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk.
3 Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, mix it all together. Add the butterscotch chips or other mix-ins.
4 Pour into the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool. Cut into squares and serve.
Makes 9 blondies.

Mexican Rice

2009-05-13T10:07:00.000-07:00

Mexican rice
For our family, I use this amount:
1 cup rice
1/2 c chopped onion
1 clove garlic chopped (can use powder)
1/4 cup of either tomato sauce or enchilada sauce..whichever you have ( I think enchilada sauce tastes best. If you buy a can, you can freeze the extra in a ziploc to cut chunks from to use another time.)
2 chicken bouillion cubes dissolved in a little bit of water, or 2 tsps chicken soup base
2 cups water.

Heat a pan that has a lid to it. Add some oil, and the onions garlic. When they are tender, add the rice and stir. Add the tomato sauce. Stir until the rice is coated. Add the chicken bouillion and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes.

Conference Cake

2009-05-13T10:03:00.000-07:00

Mix the following together until crumbly:
2 1/2 Cups flour
1 Cup Brown sugar
1 Cup White sugar
1 tsp. nutmeg
2/3 C vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt

Remove 2/3 Cup of the above mixture and set aside for topping.

To the first mixture, add:
1 1/2 tsp baking powder and mix well

In a separate bowl, mix:
1 egg beaten
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 Cup water
1/2 Cup milk

Now make an indentation in the flour mixture. Add the egg/milk mixture and mix well. Put in a greased/floured 9X13 pan.
To reserved 2/3 cup of topping mixture add: 1 tsp cinnamon chopped walnuts (about a cup...or according to your likes) Sprinkle the topping mixture on top of the cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until done.