Recently, I have had a lot of busy lunch times and late nights while we work on the goat pen.
So...quick lunches and some midnight snacks.
Thought I would post a few of my favorites for a quick meal or snack.
I have a microwave, and this is when it comes in handy!
My favorites:
Baked Potatoes. I microwave a potato and stuff it with any of the following (or a combo) :
Sausage and gravy (no time to make biscuits!)
Taco meat and salsa
Chili (or any thick soup or stew)
Scrambled eggs and bacon
Broccoli (with or without cheese sauce)
Kim chi (an acquired taste, to be sure) or sauerkraut
Radish sprouts, mushrooms and walnuts, a little Italian dressing on top (Hey, I'm weird)
In fact, anything you like to snack on is pretty good in a baked potato---unless it is obvious stuff like ice cream, now that would be pretty icky (YMMV).
Stuffed tomatoes are pretty good, too! Cut off the stem part and then hollow out the tomato. Dice what you dig out and mix it with your filling.
Stuff them with any cold salad:
Chicken salad
Ham salad
Macaroni salad
Tuna salad
Egg salad (my favorite)
Leftover fried rice
For a midnight snack comfort food, little beats Creamed Eggs on Toast.
Boil 2 eggs, peel, slice and mix with 1 cup medium white sauce
White sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk (works best if milk is warmed or room temp)
Melt butter, whisk in flour and then whisk in milk. Stir over medium heat until thick.
Okay, mix in the sliced hard boiled eggs and pour it over a couple slices of whole wheat toast. (I tear my toast into small pieces like my grandmother used to for me when I was little)
Salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika or some green onion if you like, maybe a bit of crumbled bacon.
My fall back is to grab a bowl of cereal..usually Raisin Bran, Life or Wheat Chex. But since I rarely have cold cereal in the house, I usually end up with one of the above choices.
:
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Monday, October 31, 2011
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
A Super Easy Recipe and Penelope Pics!
I just posted the recipe for my easy hummus over at Krazo Acres for Carolyn-Renee and I thought I'd share the recipe here. We eat hummus 2 or 3 times a week, as it is our *go to* snack item here!
Super Easy Hummus Recipe--
1 can Garbanzo Beans (chickpeas)
2 tablespoons Tahini (sesame seed paste) OR 1 tablespoon Sesame Seed Oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 to 2 cloves garlic (optional)
pinch of salt
Drain can of beans (save the liquid!), dump the beans in a blender and add the rest of the ingredients. Start on a medium speed and add a couple tablespoons of the bean liquid as it is blending. Taste every once in a while to see if the texture is smooth enough for you. I usually hit the puree button on my blender. Refrigerate for a bit to chill it and always refrigerate leftover hummus! If serving for a party, *fancy it up* by serving in a pretty bowl and sprinkling some toasted sesame seeds on top or some minced parsley on top or shaking a little paprika on top.
Tahini is pricey, but I have found that using the sesame seed oil gives the same flavor profile PLUS you don't get that *mealy* texture that some folks don't like. Get the Toasted Sesame Seed Oil if you can...richer flavor.
Now, I always add in a clove of garlic while it is blending as my family likes that. Other *add-ins* I use:
Roasted red bell peppers
OR
Marinated artichoke hearts--well drained
OR
Sun Dried Tomatoes or one fresh tomato-seeded and chopped
We eat it with pita bread, pita chips, on tortillas, with corn chips, on bread. Like I said, it is a mainstay here!
I usually make my hummus from dried beans that I crock-pot cook overnight, but I started off making it from canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and still keep a stock of canned beans just in case we run out and need to make it in a hurry!
*****************************
Penelope news...
Penelope aka *Chicken Butt* was out wandering the yard yesterday with the goats.
She gets along just fine with all of our little herd.
Her downy butt feathers are growing in more:
Yesterday evening, I FINALLY got the chance to get a pic of her riding Champagne (her favorite riding goat, apparently). Unfortunately, the pictures turned out a bit dark, but I hope you can see her. She is on the back of the white goat:
I know...hard to see. :(
I'll try to catch her having a daytime ride so I can get a better pic!
Super Easy Hummus Recipe--
1 can Garbanzo Beans (chickpeas)
2 tablespoons Tahini (sesame seed paste) OR 1 tablespoon Sesame Seed Oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 to 2 cloves garlic (optional)
pinch of salt
Drain can of beans (save the liquid!), dump the beans in a blender and add the rest of the ingredients. Start on a medium speed and add a couple tablespoons of the bean liquid as it is blending. Taste every once in a while to see if the texture is smooth enough for you. I usually hit the puree button on my blender. Refrigerate for a bit to chill it and always refrigerate leftover hummus! If serving for a party, *fancy it up* by serving in a pretty bowl and sprinkling some toasted sesame seeds on top or some minced parsley on top or shaking a little paprika on top.
Tahini is pricey, but I have found that using the sesame seed oil gives the same flavor profile PLUS you don't get that *mealy* texture that some folks don't like. Get the Toasted Sesame Seed Oil if you can...richer flavor.
Now, I always add in a clove of garlic while it is blending as my family likes that. Other *add-ins* I use:
Roasted red bell peppers
OR
Marinated artichoke hearts--well drained
OR
Sun Dried Tomatoes or one fresh tomato-seeded and chopped
We eat it with pita bread, pita chips, on tortillas, with corn chips, on bread. Like I said, it is a mainstay here!
I usually make my hummus from dried beans that I crock-pot cook overnight, but I started off making it from canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and still keep a stock of canned beans just in case we run out and need to make it in a hurry!
*****************************
Penelope news...
Penelope aka *Chicken Butt* was out wandering the yard yesterday with the goats.
Her downy butt feathers are growing in more:
Yesterday evening, I FINALLY got the chance to get a pic of her riding Champagne (her favorite riding goat, apparently). Unfortunately, the pictures turned out a bit dark, but I hope you can see her. She is on the back of the white goat:
I'll try to catch her having a daytime ride so I can get a better pic!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Hot Weather and Meals...
The weather has been so hot all of my baking has come to a screeching halt.
I am making cajeta about every three days and canning that, so I try to make mealtime simple.Tonight we ate very late, around 10 pm. We took a siesta after lunch, so the timing actually worked out pretty good.
We have had a few meals cooked on the grill, but unless you start the grill after sundown, it is just too freakin' hot to stand out there by a hot grill in the blazing sun!
A lot of the time, I have found what works easiest here is to cook the meat the night before and just keep it in the fridge until needed the next day.
A lot of our meals have been cool salads topped with chicken or steak cut into strips. A healthful balanced meal!
Also, Greek or Middle-Eastern food---PERFECT for hot weather!
A favorite here is a menu roughly like this:
Pita Bread
Greek Beef Strips
Hummus
Greek Yogurt
Greek Spinach
Olives
Herbed Goat Cheese (I make that myself) of Feta (also make feta)
Salad Greens
Tomatoes with olive oil and snipped herbs (marinate overnight)
I set it out as a buffet and everyone fixes their plates with what they want.
Here are some quick and easy recipes for making your own Greek buffet:
Hummus:
1 can Garbanzo(chickpeas) beans
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons tahini (ground sesame seeds, if you do not have any, increase sesame oil to 2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
A pinch of Salt
Drain and reserve liquid from garbanzo beans. Pour beans in blender and add remaining ingredients.
Puree until mixture is smooth and of the right consistency, adding reserved liquid from beans as needed.
Serve with pita bread or pita chips.
Greek Beef:
1 pound beef cut into bite sized pieces (You can use skirt steak, any steak, even slice part of a roast into small pieces for this, it will get tender)
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
3 tablespoons vinegar (red wine vinegar is best for this) OR 1/4 cup red wine
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced dried onion or 1 teaspoon raw onion minced
1 teaspoon beef bouillon or one beef bouillon cube mixed with one cup water until dissolved
1 tablespoon corn starch or 1 tablespoon flour
Mix vinegar (or wine) with ginger, cloves cinnamon, paprika, garlic, salt, pepper, onion and beef bouillon water.
Marinate beef in water for one hour (or longer...I have even marinated overnight, but one hour is the minimum)
Remove beef from liquid (SAVE LIQUID!) and brown in 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter until brown.
Pour marinade liquid into pan with beef and cover. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes on medium low.
Mix tablespoon corn starch (or flour) with 1/4 cup water until well dissolved, add to pan and cook uncovered until the sauce thickens on medium heat. You want the sauce very, very thick. It may take about 10 to 15 minutes to cook it down.
When done, serve alongside pita bread, etc.
Greek Spinach is simple spinach cooked with garlic. You cook it in a searing pan or skillet instead of a pot with water.Just plop a pat of butter in, add about a teaspoon to a tablespoon of minced garlic and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and cook a bunch of spinach until wilted. If you are using frozen spinach, let it thaw out first, squeeze as much liquid out as you can, then toss it in the pan with the butter and garlic.Heat thorough and serve hot.
Herbed Tomatoes
Two tomatoes, diced small
Finely minced herbs or dried herbs: Oregano, chives, garlic, marjoram and dill or a combination to your liking.
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Mix all of the above together and marinate, covered, overnight.
Good to add to pita sandwiches or on salads or on crustinis
I am making cajeta about every three days and canning that, so I try to make mealtime simple.Tonight we ate very late, around 10 pm. We took a siesta after lunch, so the timing actually worked out pretty good.
We have had a few meals cooked on the grill, but unless you start the grill after sundown, it is just too freakin' hot to stand out there by a hot grill in the blazing sun!
A lot of the time, I have found what works easiest here is to cook the meat the night before and just keep it in the fridge until needed the next day.
A lot of our meals have been cool salads topped with chicken or steak cut into strips. A healthful balanced meal!
Also, Greek or Middle-Eastern food---PERFECT for hot weather!
A favorite here is a menu roughly like this:
Pita Bread
Greek Beef Strips
Hummus
Greek Yogurt
Greek Spinach
Olives
Herbed Goat Cheese (I make that myself) of Feta (also make feta)
Salad Greens
Tomatoes with olive oil and snipped herbs (marinate overnight)
I set it out as a buffet and everyone fixes their plates with what they want.
Here are some quick and easy recipes for making your own Greek buffet:
Hummus:
1 can Garbanzo(chickpeas) beans
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons tahini (ground sesame seeds, if you do not have any, increase sesame oil to 2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
A pinch of Salt
Drain and reserve liquid from garbanzo beans. Pour beans in blender and add remaining ingredients.
Puree until mixture is smooth and of the right consistency, adding reserved liquid from beans as needed.
Serve with pita bread or pita chips.
Greek Beef:
1 pound beef cut into bite sized pieces (You can use skirt steak, any steak, even slice part of a roast into small pieces for this, it will get tender)
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
3 tablespoons vinegar (red wine vinegar is best for this) OR 1/4 cup red wine
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced dried onion or 1 teaspoon raw onion minced
1 teaspoon beef bouillon or one beef bouillon cube mixed with one cup water until dissolved
1 tablespoon corn starch or 1 tablespoon flour
Mix vinegar (or wine) with ginger, cloves cinnamon, paprika, garlic, salt, pepper, onion and beef bouillon water.
Marinate beef in water for one hour (or longer...I have even marinated overnight, but one hour is the minimum)
Remove beef from liquid (SAVE LIQUID!) and brown in 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter until brown.
Pour marinade liquid into pan with beef and cover. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes on medium low.
Mix tablespoon corn starch (or flour) with 1/4 cup water until well dissolved, add to pan and cook uncovered until the sauce thickens on medium heat. You want the sauce very, very thick. It may take about 10 to 15 minutes to cook it down.
When done, serve alongside pita bread, etc.
Greek Spinach is simple spinach cooked with garlic. You cook it in a searing pan or skillet instead of a pot with water.Just plop a pat of butter in, add about a teaspoon to a tablespoon of minced garlic and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and cook a bunch of spinach until wilted. If you are using frozen spinach, let it thaw out first, squeeze as much liquid out as you can, then toss it in the pan with the butter and garlic.Heat thorough and serve hot.
Herbed Tomatoes
Two tomatoes, diced small
Finely minced herbs or dried herbs: Oregano, chives, garlic, marjoram and dill or a combination to your liking.
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Mix all of the above together and marinate, covered, overnight.
Good to add to pita sandwiches or on salads or on crustinis
Thursday, July 21, 2011
A Couple of Recipes
I use a lot of chimmichurri and a lot of hot sauce here, so here's my personal recipes for both!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Things Are Tough All Over
It's rough out there.
The economy has tanked. Not is going to tank or will soon tank, it HAS tanked.
The US has hit it's credit limit. Congress has 11 weeks to raise that limit or risk another recession/depression.
Read about it here
You know, when an average person hits their credit limit, the local bank or credit union tells them "Nope, no more. You have to pay off your debts---or at least put a substantial dent in them before we will even think about giving you more credit."
Apparently, governments do not operate the same way. They run up more and more bills and figure our children or grandchildren or great-grandchildren, etc. will be able to pay the bills.
Crops this year will not be the greatest. State wide droughts in some areas, state wide flooding in others have rendered a lot of cropland in the US useless or close to it this growing season.
Estimates I have read places the losses at astronomical levels.
1/5 of the rice crop (in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas), gone due to flooding.
Possible 1/4 of the this years wheat and corn crop gone.
Ranchers having to slaughter herds of cattle and flocks of sheep due to lack of hay to feed them and the high price of corn. Some of the big pig farms in the mid-west considering culling their herds...and some have already started.
If you have the funds, get a freezer as I suspect the supermarkets will have a lot of meat specials in the next few months.
Add more rice, wheat and corn to your food storage if you have the funds.
Buy specials when and where you can and get that pressure canner and dehydrator going!
*******************************
There was a special at our supermarket last week on spinach...fresh and frozen!
I loaded up on both and we have been enjoying nice fresh salads and various spinach dishes.
Last night I fixed a Greek dinner and spinach was one of the stars of the meal...everyone loved the dish and asked for seconds...and thirds! Yes! Teenagers loving spinach!
Greek Spinach
***********
1 pound fresh spinach or 1 pack frozen--thawed out and drained til dry as possible
1 teaspoon minced garlic--or one clove minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 or 3 fresh mushrooms, sliced thin (optional--I had a few I got from the MUST SELL NOW! cart in the produce section...they were cheap and didn't look too bad)
Sesame seeds for garnish
Melt butter in pan, add olive oil and minced garlic and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add spinach and mushrooms and cook, stirring often until fresh spinach is wilted or frozen spinach is heated through.
Put in serving bowl and sprinkle a teaspoon of sesame seeds on top for garnish
Serve hot.
Like I said, everyone loved it! It is such an easy recipe, too.
The Greek dinner I fixed was cheap and easy.
Home made pita bread ( Here's the recipe I use )
1/2 cup yogurt mixed with 1 cup diced up peeled cucumber
Home made feta cheese
Cous-cous
Shredded lettuce
Chopped artichoke hearts (I use canned ones I got on sale)
Greek beef in sauce ( I used about a pound of steak, cut in bite sized pieces, seared in butter, added 1/2 teaspoon of powdered cloves, 1 teaspoon onion powder,1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, pepper, garlic powder, a bit of salt, 3/4 cup water...cooked it in that --covered--for about a half hour, then added 1/2 cup water mixed with 2 tablespoons corn starch to thicken, stirred until thick, then served)
With the spinach it was a healthy and filling and tasty meal for all.
I know...no black olives...sigh. But they were jst not in the budget this month!
*********************************
I try to stretch our food budget as much as possible. I buy meat, veggies (fresh, frozen and canned), pasta, etc on sale as often as possible while still feeding the family healthy meals.
Dessert here is a rarity...and when I do serve dessert, it usually is fresh fruit or yogurt and fresh fruit.
Thank goodness for the goats and chickens! I haven't had to buy eggs in ages and the goats milk provides yogurt and sour cream and milk for drinking and baking. I have recently started making cheese and have successfully made feta cheese and a nice soft goat cheese that I enhanced with the addition of fresh herbs.
Going to try for ice cream this weekend, I think. I have not been able to make butter yet from goats milk, but am still trying!
We only use butter here. I simply hate the taste and texture of margarine *shudder*. Margarine is simply nasty! That is one item on my shopping list I cannot compromise on! Before anyone gets ruffled about fat content, etc., I find that I use far less butter than most people use margarine. Butter has a better *mouth feel* as the food experts say, less is needed to give an intense taste and the natural fat (as opposed to the plastic tasting margarine)gives a silkier texture that is more satisfying. I am sure a lot of my readers have that *one item* they draw the line at, too! Heh-heh...my mom has one brand of sliced ham she will eat...and no other! She can tell a generic brand from *her* brand at 50 feet, lol!
********************************
One of my sons has been going through a rough patch and it weighs heavily on my heart.
He had a good job, but it was hurting his health.The stress was high and the hours were horribly long (80+ hours a week) and because he worked such a long schedule, most of his meals were of the *grab and go* variety. At age 30, he was having what the hospital was calling *heart events*. His blood pressure sky-rocketed and repeated visits to the doctor ended up with the doctor telling him that either he would have to quit, or face the very real probability of dying young from a heart attack. So, he quit the job and got the rest the doctor ordered, along with medication, exercise and a diet change. Thankfully, he is doing MUCH better. He dropped the weight the doctor told him to drop, his blood pressure dropped and dropped until it was hovering at the right levels (whew!).
That part was good.
But being without a job was bad.
He gave up and cut corners as much as humanly possible. He sold everything he had that was possible to sell. Still, he got behind on his car note, so, sadly, he took his car back to the bank.
Happily, he has now found a job...a job with normal hours, a lot less stress and a fairly okay (if lower) paycheck. He has gone back to school (local college with online courses) to get a degree so that his employment future will be brighter.
Some friends have been giving him a ride to work, but that ends in about a week.
This all leads to:
My son needs a bicycle.The bicycle would be used for him to get to and from work and to attend those classes where he is required to show up at the school.
He is a large guy (6 ft 10in), so a normal little Schwinn from Wal-Mart just won't work. He has found a bicycle and negotiated a price, but needs a little help.
I have emptied out my paltry bank account to help him out and he is still a little short.
If any of my readers has just $5 they can send him, it would be greatly appreciated.
Greg Moore
1331 Woodrow St
Shreveport, La 71103
I know it sounds awful asking this way, but he is at the end of his rope, I am at the end of mine and I can't help him anymore until the first of the month when the fella gets paid, and even then it is going to be tight around here. I just couldn't think of any thing else to do.
I figured that 5 bucks was not a lot to ask and if just 10 or 12 people respond, that would be enough to get Greg *over the hump*. If there is any excess funds, it won't go to waste, he'll put it towards his college courses.
Thanks to anyone that can help.
BTW, my son has no clue I am doing this...and will probably be annoyed at me when he finds out.
I guess I am just a mama that won't give up being a mama and fighting for my kids in any way I can.
The economy has tanked. Not is going to tank or will soon tank, it HAS tanked.
The US has hit it's credit limit. Congress has 11 weeks to raise that limit or risk another recession/depression.
Read about it here
You know, when an average person hits their credit limit, the local bank or credit union tells them "Nope, no more. You have to pay off your debts---or at least put a substantial dent in them before we will even think about giving you more credit."
Apparently, governments do not operate the same way. They run up more and more bills and figure our children or grandchildren or great-grandchildren, etc. will be able to pay the bills.
Crops this year will not be the greatest. State wide droughts in some areas, state wide flooding in others have rendered a lot of cropland in the US useless or close to it this growing season.
Estimates I have read places the losses at astronomical levels.
1/5 of the rice crop (in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas), gone due to flooding.
Possible 1/4 of the this years wheat and corn crop gone.
Ranchers having to slaughter herds of cattle and flocks of sheep due to lack of hay to feed them and the high price of corn. Some of the big pig farms in the mid-west considering culling their herds...and some have already started.
If you have the funds, get a freezer as I suspect the supermarkets will have a lot of meat specials in the next few months.
Add more rice, wheat and corn to your food storage if you have the funds.
Buy specials when and where you can and get that pressure canner and dehydrator going!
*******************************
There was a special at our supermarket last week on spinach...fresh and frozen!
I loaded up on both and we have been enjoying nice fresh salads and various spinach dishes.
Last night I fixed a Greek dinner and spinach was one of the stars of the meal...everyone loved the dish and asked for seconds...and thirds! Yes! Teenagers loving spinach!
Greek Spinach
***********
1 pound fresh spinach or 1 pack frozen--thawed out and drained til dry as possible
1 teaspoon minced garlic--or one clove minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 or 3 fresh mushrooms, sliced thin (optional--I had a few I got from the MUST SELL NOW! cart in the produce section...they were cheap and didn't look too bad)
Sesame seeds for garnish
Melt butter in pan, add olive oil and minced garlic and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add spinach and mushrooms and cook, stirring often until fresh spinach is wilted or frozen spinach is heated through.
Put in serving bowl and sprinkle a teaspoon of sesame seeds on top for garnish
Serve hot.
Like I said, everyone loved it! It is such an easy recipe, too.
The Greek dinner I fixed was cheap and easy.
Home made pita bread ( Here's the recipe I use )
1/2 cup yogurt mixed with 1 cup diced up peeled cucumber
Home made feta cheese
Cous-cous
Shredded lettuce
Chopped artichoke hearts (I use canned ones I got on sale)
Greek beef in sauce ( I used about a pound of steak, cut in bite sized pieces, seared in butter, added 1/2 teaspoon of powdered cloves, 1 teaspoon onion powder,1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, pepper, garlic powder, a bit of salt, 3/4 cup water...cooked it in that --covered--for about a half hour, then added 1/2 cup water mixed with 2 tablespoons corn starch to thicken, stirred until thick, then served)
With the spinach it was a healthy and filling and tasty meal for all.
I know...no black olives...sigh. But they were jst not in the budget this month!
*********************************
I try to stretch our food budget as much as possible. I buy meat, veggies (fresh, frozen and canned), pasta, etc on sale as often as possible while still feeding the family healthy meals.
Dessert here is a rarity...and when I do serve dessert, it usually is fresh fruit or yogurt and fresh fruit.
Thank goodness for the goats and chickens! I haven't had to buy eggs in ages and the goats milk provides yogurt and sour cream and milk for drinking and baking. I have recently started making cheese and have successfully made feta cheese and a nice soft goat cheese that I enhanced with the addition of fresh herbs.
Going to try for ice cream this weekend, I think. I have not been able to make butter yet from goats milk, but am still trying!
We only use butter here. I simply hate the taste and texture of margarine *shudder*. Margarine is simply nasty! That is one item on my shopping list I cannot compromise on! Before anyone gets ruffled about fat content, etc., I find that I use far less butter than most people use margarine. Butter has a better *mouth feel* as the food experts say, less is needed to give an intense taste and the natural fat (as opposed to the plastic tasting margarine)gives a silkier texture that is more satisfying. I am sure a lot of my readers have that *one item* they draw the line at, too! Heh-heh...my mom has one brand of sliced ham she will eat...and no other! She can tell a generic brand from *her* brand at 50 feet, lol!
********************************
One of my sons has been going through a rough patch and it weighs heavily on my heart.
He had a good job, but it was hurting his health.The stress was high and the hours were horribly long (80+ hours a week) and because he worked such a long schedule, most of his meals were of the *grab and go* variety. At age 30, he was having what the hospital was calling *heart events*. His blood pressure sky-rocketed and repeated visits to the doctor ended up with the doctor telling him that either he would have to quit, or face the very real probability of dying young from a heart attack. So, he quit the job and got the rest the doctor ordered, along with medication, exercise and a diet change. Thankfully, he is doing MUCH better. He dropped the weight the doctor told him to drop, his blood pressure dropped and dropped until it was hovering at the right levels (whew!).
That part was good.
But being without a job was bad.
He gave up and cut corners as much as humanly possible. He sold everything he had that was possible to sell. Still, he got behind on his car note, so, sadly, he took his car back to the bank.
Happily, he has now found a job...a job with normal hours, a lot less stress and a fairly okay (if lower) paycheck. He has gone back to school (local college with online courses) to get a degree so that his employment future will be brighter.
Some friends have been giving him a ride to work, but that ends in about a week.
This all leads to:
My son needs a bicycle.The bicycle would be used for him to get to and from work and to attend those classes where he is required to show up at the school.
He is a large guy (6 ft 10in), so a normal little Schwinn from Wal-Mart just won't work. He has found a bicycle and negotiated a price, but needs a little help.
I have emptied out my paltry bank account to help him out and he is still a little short.
If any of my readers has just $5 they can send him, it would be greatly appreciated.
Greg Moore
1331 Woodrow St
Shreveport, La 71103
I know it sounds awful asking this way, but he is at the end of his rope, I am at the end of mine and I can't help him anymore until the first of the month when the fella gets paid, and even then it is going to be tight around here. I just couldn't think of any thing else to do.
I figured that 5 bucks was not a lot to ask and if just 10 or 12 people respond, that would be enough to get Greg *over the hump*. If there is any excess funds, it won't go to waste, he'll put it towards his college courses.
Thanks to anyone that can help.
BTW, my son has no clue I am doing this...and will probably be annoyed at me when he finds out.
I guess I am just a mama that won't give up being a mama and fighting for my kids in any way I can.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Monday Recipes...Leftover Madness!
Yesterday we had a lovely ham for dinner. Of course, we have leftovers...lovely, succulent ham leftovers, the best kind!
Tonight for dinner, we'll have one of the Darlin' Man's favorite dishes...
Ham Hash
********
1 cup diced ham
2 cups diced potatoes
1/2 cup diced onions
2 tablespoons butter
Melt butter in cast iron skillet or frying pan. Add potatoes and ham. Cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, then add onions and saute for additional 5 minutes, stirring so it doesn't burn/scorch.
Serve hot.
A simple dish, but it disappears from plates FAST around here.
I, personally, am drooling in anticipation of MY favorite ham leftover dish..
Hawaiian Ham Croquettes
********************
1 cup finely minced or diced ham
1/4 cup green pepper finely diced
1/4 cup finely minced pineapple (you can use crushed pineapple--well drained)
3 tablespoons finely diced celery
1 egg
1/2 to 1 cup dry breadcrumbs (really, it is personal preference here, plus local humidity)
Mix all of the above together, make small patties--about a teaspoon of mixture to a patty and fry in oil (just enough oil to cover). Drain on paper towels.
I make a sauce to go with the croquettes by using about a tablespoon of the frying oil, 1/4 cup pineapple juice, 3 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon of (powdered) ginger with a teaspoon or so of cornstarch and 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water. I serve the ham croquettes over rice and spoon on a bit of the sauce.
Of course, there is always ham and beans when we get down to the bone, ham salad to be made with all the bits and pieces, omelets with ham and cheese, etc.
I love the versatility of ham!
Tonight for dinner, we'll have one of the Darlin' Man's favorite dishes...
Ham Hash
********
1 cup diced ham
2 cups diced potatoes
1/2 cup diced onions
2 tablespoons butter
Melt butter in cast iron skillet or frying pan. Add potatoes and ham. Cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, then add onions and saute for additional 5 minutes, stirring so it doesn't burn/scorch.
Serve hot.
A simple dish, but it disappears from plates FAST around here.
I, personally, am drooling in anticipation of MY favorite ham leftover dish..
Hawaiian Ham Croquettes
********************
1 cup finely minced or diced ham
1/4 cup green pepper finely diced
1/4 cup finely minced pineapple (you can use crushed pineapple--well drained)
3 tablespoons finely diced celery
1 egg
1/2 to 1 cup dry breadcrumbs (really, it is personal preference here, plus local humidity)
Mix all of the above together, make small patties--about a teaspoon of mixture to a patty and fry in oil (just enough oil to cover). Drain on paper towels.
I make a sauce to go with the croquettes by using about a tablespoon of the frying oil, 1/4 cup pineapple juice, 3 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon of (powdered) ginger with a teaspoon or so of cornstarch and 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water. I serve the ham croquettes over rice and spoon on a bit of the sauce.
Of course, there is always ham and beans when we get down to the bone, ham salad to be made with all the bits and pieces, omelets with ham and cheese, etc.
I love the versatility of ham!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Good Things Abound!
Good morning all!
I am a bit more cheerful today as I spent the past week battling a kidney infection. I hate getting those, they are so sneaky! At first I thought it was my back and treated it as such...then realized it was my kidneys, so I had to switch my approach. No, didn't go to the doctor, as the last time I did for a kidney infection, the idiot medical professionals gave me meds it turned out I was allergic to and it darn near killed me!
So, herbal teas with honey were the order of the day here! (I made teas with ginger, raw honey, parsley and cinnamon) Also upped my water intake and this morning I am about 80% back to normal...or my usual abnormal normal!
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Was doing a bit of browsing on the internet and found THIS SHIRT .
Pretty nifty idea! Wish I had thought of it!
Another nifty thing is the Knot Bandana .
Cool item to stuff in your bug out bag or to tie on your backpack on a camping trip.
Same folks also carry a First Aid Bandana
I like little, inexpensive *gee whiz* items like those!
***********************************************
For those of you in the SouthEastern US, I found this:
Wish I lived closer! Looks good! (He also shows that nifty shirt in the video)
If you have the chance, check out Sootch00's other videos, he has some good ones on food prep, home defense, etc.
*********************************************
My recipe for Italian Cabbage/Sausage soup turned out pretty good.
I thought I had all the ingredients, but a quick check after posting that yesterday proved me wrong.
No white wine and no can of white beans (and not enough time to cook up a batch of dried ones).
So, I used barley instead of beans and added a can of diced tomatoes to make up for the lack of wine.
Everyone loved it!
With a nice crusty loaf of home made bread, it was wonderful and warming!
*********************************************
Well, it's time for another cup of hot tea...
I am brewing some chai tea this morning,I'll add cinnamon, ginger slices and some cream. Yum!
That and a couple of slices of home made bread with butter and honey will be breakfast.
I found a juicer recently at Goodwill and have it cleaned, up and running, so for lunch I am planning on a bowl of soup leftover from last night and a glass of carrot, celery and apple juice for lunch. All those are good for the kidneys, so I hope to keep the Good Things in my system to get back to 100%.
********************************************
Hope you have lots of Good Things in your day!!
I am a bit more cheerful today as I spent the past week battling a kidney infection. I hate getting those, they are so sneaky! At first I thought it was my back and treated it as such...then realized it was my kidneys, so I had to switch my approach. No, didn't go to the doctor, as the last time I did for a kidney infection, the idiot medical professionals gave me meds it turned out I was allergic to and it darn near killed me!
So, herbal teas with honey were the order of the day here! (I made teas with ginger, raw honey, parsley and cinnamon) Also upped my water intake and this morning I am about 80% back to normal...or my usual abnormal normal!
********************************************
Was doing a bit of browsing on the internet and found THIS SHIRT .
Pretty nifty idea! Wish I had thought of it!
Another nifty thing is the Knot Bandana .
Cool item to stuff in your bug out bag or to tie on your backpack on a camping trip.
Same folks also carry a First Aid Bandana
I like little, inexpensive *gee whiz* items like those!
***********************************************
For those of you in the SouthEastern US, I found this:
Wish I lived closer! Looks good! (He also shows that nifty shirt in the video)
If you have the chance, check out Sootch00's other videos, he has some good ones on food prep, home defense, etc.
*********************************************
My recipe for Italian Cabbage/Sausage soup turned out pretty good.
I thought I had all the ingredients, but a quick check after posting that yesterday proved me wrong.
No white wine and no can of white beans (and not enough time to cook up a batch of dried ones).
So, I used barley instead of beans and added a can of diced tomatoes to make up for the lack of wine.
Everyone loved it!
With a nice crusty loaf of home made bread, it was wonderful and warming!
*********************************************
Well, it's time for another cup of hot tea...
I am brewing some chai tea this morning,I'll add cinnamon, ginger slices and some cream. Yum!
That and a couple of slices of home made bread with butter and honey will be breakfast.
I found a juicer recently at Goodwill and have it cleaned, up and running, so for lunch I am planning on a bowl of soup leftover from last night and a glass of carrot, celery and apple juice for lunch. All those are good for the kidneys, so I hope to keep the Good Things in my system to get back to 100%.
********************************************
Hope you have lots of Good Things in your day!!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Varying Menus and New Things
One problem I think all of us is the tendency to get into a *rut* cooking meals. We don't intend to, it is just that once we have our hands (and brains) full with the day to day dealings of jobs, family, farm, livestock or whatever, sometimes it's just easier to fix something that 1) We know everyone will eat 2) We have memorized the recipe to and, 3) We usually have the fixin's on hand.
It also makes grocery shopping much easier! When you have a menu that is regular, you can estimate your grocery bill better and breeze through the store tossing your stand-by items in the cart.
In talking to other home-makers, I find that most of us are on a two week rotation of recipes.
I am trying to shake that up a bit here, as I am as guilty of *recipe repeats* as anyone else!
So, I have decided to start adding in a new recipe once a week. I have oodles of cookbooks and the whole internet at my fingertips, so new recipes are not hard to find!
Tonight, it'll be a new soup recipe found at Simply Recipes:
Click here for this recipe and many others!
2 Add the minced onion (save the sliced onion for later) and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Once the onions give up some of their water, use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
3 Add the white wine and the beans and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. If you want, for a thicker base, use an immersion blender to blend some (or all) of the beans and onions.
4 Add the water, stock, salt, cabbage, sliced onion half, bay leaves and browned sausage. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, then uncover and continue cooking until the cabbage is tender, about another 10-20 minutes.
To serve, sprinkle on chopped parsley and grated cheese.
It also makes grocery shopping much easier! When you have a menu that is regular, you can estimate your grocery bill better and breeze through the store tossing your stand-by items in the cart.
In talking to other home-makers, I find that most of us are on a two week rotation of recipes.
I am trying to shake that up a bit here, as I am as guilty of *recipe repeats* as anyone else!
So, I have decided to start adding in a new recipe once a week. I have oodles of cookbooks and the whole internet at my fingertips, so new recipes are not hard to find!
Tonight, it'll be a new soup recipe found at Simply Recipes:
Click here for this recipe and many others!
Italian Sausage and Cabbage Stew Recipe
We use savoy cabbage for this recipe, but you could use regular cabbage, or even collard greens or dinosaur kale. If you want to make this stew vegetarian, leave out the sausage and double the beans.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, bulk, or removed from casings
- 1 large yellow onion, half sliced and half minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups white wine
- 1 15-ounce can of white beans (cannellini, Great Northern, or Navy), drained
- 1 quart vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 quart water
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1 2-pound savoy cabbage, quartered, then sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup chopped parsley, loosely packed
- 1/2 cup to a cup of freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese for garnish
Method
1 Heat the olive oil on medium-high heat in a large (8-quart), thick-bottomed pot. Add the sausage, breaking it up into pieces as you put it into the pot in a single layer. When the sausage has nicely browned, remove it with a slotted spoon and set aside.2 Add the minced onion (save the sliced onion for later) and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Once the onions give up some of their water, use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
3 Add the white wine and the beans and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. If you want, for a thicker base, use an immersion blender to blend some (or all) of the beans and onions.
4 Add the water, stock, salt, cabbage, sliced onion half, bay leaves and browned sausage. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, then uncover and continue cooking until the cabbage is tender, about another 10-20 minutes.
To serve, sprinkle on chopped parsley and grated cheese.
Serves 8 to 10.
I have everything, so I think it'll turn out okay. I plan on making a nice crusty loaf of bread to go with it and maybe tapioca for dessert.
So, that's the new recipe I plan on doing this week....as time goes on, I hope to vary the menu more wildly.
I do have some limitations. Two people in the house are allergic to shellfish, one is allergic to all seafood (yes, that would be me) and the kids have a couple of foods each that they just won't eat. All kids are like that, I was, but I later grew out of it.
So, surprise the family tonight and slip in an unfamiliar recipe!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Still on the health kick here!
So, I cornered the fella and the kids last night and forced them to watch Chow Down on Hulu.
Then we had a family discussion.
The fella said he could give up anything EXCEPT: Real Butter and Salt.
Girl said she could give up everything except: Red Meat and Candy.
Boy said he would eat more salads, but wouldn't give up : Red Meat and Salt and Butter.
...sigh....
See what I am up against?
I have my weaknesses as well. Mine are bread and my beloved Dr. Pepper.
Soooo...no soda for me and we have finished up (last night) the last delicious loaf of crusty home baked bread. I used it to make meatball subs.
Since everyone prefers butter and I absolutely HATE nasty margarine (seriously, it is worse for your health than butter in equal amounts!), we will continue to use real butter.
I am real cautious with salt in my cooking, so I will try to stealthily banish the salt shaker from the table.
Red meat? Well, last night the meatball subs I made were (DON'T TELL THE KIDS!) 1/3 actual lean ground chuck. The other 2/3rds? Tofu, bread crumbs, an egg, chopped onion and celery and grated carrots!
And the fella and the kids LOVED them! (Sneaky sneaky me!)
I baked the meatballs (no fried food is the first major change here!), then soaked and simmered them in a lovely tomato sauce spiced with garlic, oregano, a bit of basil and a touch of cloves.Had a big salad with the subs.
Because I am a "leftover queen" as the fella says, tonight we will have duck wraps and a Korean soba noodle soup.
I have a duck carcass left over from Christmas that I wrapped up and put in the freezer. Took it out this morning and tossed it in the stockpot along with chopped celery, onion and garlic.Later, after it has simmered for a few hours, I will strain out the solids and have a beautiful soup stock to start my soup with. I will pick out the meat and bones, discard the bones and save the meat for my wraps.
Into the stock will go sliced leeks, sliced carrots and soba noodles. I will whirl the cooked celery, garlic and onion in a blender and stir that into the stock, along with some red bean paste and a touch of sesame oil.
The wraps will have duck meat, lettuce, green onion and avocado and a dressing I will make.
I am making the wraps this morning---whole wheat, so I won't have to deal with trying to make them at dinner time.
Here's the recipe I use:
Then we had a family discussion.
The fella said he could give up anything EXCEPT: Real Butter and Salt.
Girl said she could give up everything except: Red Meat and Candy.
Boy said he would eat more salads, but wouldn't give up : Red Meat and Salt and Butter.
...sigh....
See what I am up against?
I have my weaknesses as well. Mine are bread and my beloved Dr. Pepper.
Soooo...no soda for me and we have finished up (last night) the last delicious loaf of crusty home baked bread. I used it to make meatball subs.
Since everyone prefers butter and I absolutely HATE nasty margarine (seriously, it is worse for your health than butter in equal amounts!), we will continue to use real butter.
I am real cautious with salt in my cooking, so I will try to stealthily banish the salt shaker from the table.
Red meat? Well, last night the meatball subs I made were (DON'T TELL THE KIDS!) 1/3 actual lean ground chuck. The other 2/3rds? Tofu, bread crumbs, an egg, chopped onion and celery and grated carrots!
And the fella and the kids LOVED them! (Sneaky sneaky me!)
I baked the meatballs (no fried food is the first major change here!), then soaked and simmered them in a lovely tomato sauce spiced with garlic, oregano, a bit of basil and a touch of cloves.Had a big salad with the subs.
Because I am a "leftover queen" as the fella says, tonight we will have duck wraps and a Korean soba noodle soup.
I have a duck carcass left over from Christmas that I wrapped up and put in the freezer. Took it out this morning and tossed it in the stockpot along with chopped celery, onion and garlic.Later, after it has simmered for a few hours, I will strain out the solids and have a beautiful soup stock to start my soup with. I will pick out the meat and bones, discard the bones and save the meat for my wraps.
Into the stock will go sliced leeks, sliced carrots and soba noodles. I will whirl the cooked celery, garlic and onion in a blender and stir that into the stock, along with some red bean paste and a touch of sesame oil.
The wraps will have duck meat, lettuce, green onion and avocado and a dressing I will make.
I am making the wraps this morning---whole wheat, so I won't have to deal with trying to make them at dinner time.
Here's the recipe I use:
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup warm water
Directions
- In a large bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking powder. Pour in water; stir to combine. Mix in additional water in 1 tablespoon increments, until a soft pliable dough is formed.
- Knead briefly on a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Flour each ball well, place between two pieces of wax paper and roll out to desired size and thickness.
- Heat an ungreased skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Peel away wax paper and grill rounds until brown flecks appear underneath. Turn and cook other side. Serve warm or cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Christmas Preparation Commences! COOKIE RECIPES!!!
Christmas, Yule, Winter Solstice, Winter Holiday...whatever you wish to call it....it is right around the corner! (Sorry I missed the start of Hanukkah!)
Almost all cultures/societies/religions have some sort of celebration in the colder winter season. I think humans need a holiday/feast day/celebration at this point of the year.
It is cold and possibly snowy. Everyone is getting cranky and showing signs of cabin fever. Spring is s-o-o-o-o-o far away. We have to have something to look forward to!
It seems all the celebrations involve LIGHT....Pagans have the Yule log and burning torches, Jews light the Menorah, Christians celebrate the arrival of the "Light of the World" and light candles and/or decorate trees with lights, various Asian cultures light lanterns for their celebrations.
And all us humans FEAST!
There is a special satisfaction in creating a meal of stupendous proportions in the depths of winter. The heady aromas of roast meat, the enticing scent of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, the sweet smell of cookies and homemade candy wafting through the house. The table groaning under the unaccustomed weight of so much food!
And the cookies...oh, yes, the cookies! I adore baking cookies almost as much as I like eating them!
This year I will have snickerdoodles, spritz, Scottish shortbread, sugar cookies, jam thumbprints, and several others. I will also bake gingerbread cookies.
I pack a lot of cookies into tins to give as gifts. Last year my Darlin' Man was in Iraq and I sent about 30 pounds of cookies to him, which he shared with other guys (and gals) in his unit.The snickerdoodles were the most sought after!
Snickerdoodles (Please read ENTIRE recipe before starting!)
Almost all cultures/societies/religions have some sort of celebration in the colder winter season. I think humans need a holiday/feast day/celebration at this point of the year.
It is cold and possibly snowy. Everyone is getting cranky and showing signs of cabin fever. Spring is s-o-o-o-o-o far away. We have to have something to look forward to!
It seems all the celebrations involve LIGHT....Pagans have the Yule log and burning torches, Jews light the Menorah, Christians celebrate the arrival of the "Light of the World" and light candles and/or decorate trees with lights, various Asian cultures light lanterns for their celebrations.
And all us humans FEAST!
There is a special satisfaction in creating a meal of stupendous proportions in the depths of winter. The heady aromas of roast meat, the enticing scent of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, the sweet smell of cookies and homemade candy wafting through the house. The table groaning under the unaccustomed weight of so much food!
And the cookies...oh, yes, the cookies! I adore baking cookies almost as much as I like eating them!
This year I will have snickerdoodles, spritz, Scottish shortbread, sugar cookies, jam thumbprints, and several others. I will also bake gingerbread cookies.
I pack a lot of cookies into tins to give as gifts. Last year my Darlin' Man was in Iraq and I sent about 30 pounds of cookies to him, which he shared with other guys (and gals) in his unit.The snickerdoodles were the most sought after!
Snickerdoodles (Please read ENTIRE recipe before starting!)
Makes three dozen 3 to 4-inch cookies. Your mileage will vary by the size scoop you use.
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 stick or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, plus more if needed
2 large eggs
Preheat the oven to 400°, with one rack in top third and one rack in bottom third of oven. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper; set aside.
Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs, and beat to combine. Add dry ingredients, and beat to combine. At this point, I chilled the dough for an hour (or you can overnight) before scooping it, because I otherwise found it too difficult to scoop into balls.If you can't wait for it to chill, don't scoop, pinch off dough and roll into balls.
Once dough has chilled, in a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the ground cinnamon. Use a small ice-cream scoop to form balls of the dough, and roll in cinnamon sugar. Place about two inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are set in center and begin to crack (they will not brown much, if at all), about 10-12 minutes.. Transfer the sheets to a wire rack to cool about five minutes before transferring the cookies to the rack. In theory, they can be stored in an airtight container up to two weeks, but I say good luck with that! They are SO GOOD warm from the oven!!!
Now, if you don't have Cream of Tartar in your baking pantry, use TWO teaspoons of baking powder and proceed with recipe.If you don't have an ice cream scoop, pinch off chunks of dough and roll into balls about the size of a ping pong ball (about an inch in diameter or a little less), roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture and place balls on cooking sheet and squash down with the a drinking glass (that's what I normally do)
These cookies ship well, so if you are mailing them, pack them tightly in a tin, layering wax or parchment paper between each layer.
They are terrific with a mug of hot chocolate, cup of coffee or cup of hot tea or mulled cider. They also work well with a glass of cold milk...so it's the perfect cookie to leave out for Santa!
I know a lot of folks out there are dieting...but this is not a recipe for dieters! Never, EVER substitute margarine for butter---the results will NOT be "just as good"--it will screw up the baking, the flavor, the texture...margarine will just screw up cookies---period!
Jam Thumbprint Cookies
Christmas morning here will find my household opening gifts while having a traditional (for me) breakfast:
Big mugs of hot chocolate and Scottish Shortbread!
I luvs me some Scottish Shortbread!!!
Scottish Shortbread
This Martha Stewarts recipe, that I used last year...turned out REALLY good!
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 stick or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, plus more if needed
2 large eggs
Preheat the oven to 400°, with one rack in top third and one rack in bottom third of oven. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper; set aside.
Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs, and beat to combine. Add dry ingredients, and beat to combine. At this point, I chilled the dough for an hour (or you can overnight) before scooping it, because I otherwise found it too difficult to scoop into balls.If you can't wait for it to chill, don't scoop, pinch off dough and roll into balls.
Once dough has chilled, in a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the ground cinnamon. Use a small ice-cream scoop to form balls of the dough, and roll in cinnamon sugar. Place about two inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are set in center and begin to crack (they will not brown much, if at all), about 10-12 minutes.. Transfer the sheets to a wire rack to cool about five minutes before transferring the cookies to the rack. In theory, they can be stored in an airtight container up to two weeks, but I say good luck with that! They are SO GOOD warm from the oven!!!
Now, if you don't have Cream of Tartar in your baking pantry, use TWO teaspoons of baking powder and proceed with recipe.If you don't have an ice cream scoop, pinch off chunks of dough and roll into balls about the size of a ping pong ball (about an inch in diameter or a little less), roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture and place balls on cooking sheet and squash down with the a drinking glass (that's what I normally do)
These cookies ship well, so if you are mailing them, pack them tightly in a tin, layering wax or parchment paper between each layer.
They are terrific with a mug of hot chocolate, cup of coffee or cup of hot tea or mulled cider. They also work well with a glass of cold milk...so it's the perfect cookie to leave out for Santa!
I know a lot of folks out there are dieting...but this is not a recipe for dieters! Never, EVER substitute margarine for butter---the results will NOT be "just as good"--it will screw up the baking, the flavor, the texture...margarine will just screw up cookies---period!
Jam Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup butter softened slightly
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
- 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 1/3 cup strawberry preserves or apricot jam or orange marmalade or blackberry or raspberry seedless jam
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease cookie sheets, or line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, vanilla, and salt. Gradually mix in flour.
- Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls. Dip in lightly beaten egg whites, then roll in finely chopped walnuts. Place 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets. Press down center of each with thumb.Fill thumbprint with scant teaspoon of jam. You can wait until cookies are cool to fill thumbprint with jam, but I am always so busy, it is easier for me to fill before baking.I usually mix it up a bit so that there are a variety of jams--that one of someone doesn't like strawberry jam, they can nibble away on the ones filled with blackberry or apricot jam!
- Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. If you are shipping cookie, layer with wax or parchment paper, otherwise they will stick together. These will keep pretty well for about a week.
Christmas morning here will find my household opening gifts while having a traditional (for me) breakfast:
Big mugs of hot chocolate and Scottish Shortbread!
I luvs me some Scottish Shortbread!!!
Scottish Shortbread
This Martha Stewarts recipe, that I used last year...turned out REALLY good!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Long Promised Recipes!
Sorry for the delay!
First...my much loved Cheeseburger meatloaf. My kids love this, my Darlin' Man adores it and I am kinda fond of it, too!
Now, you can use your favorite meatloaf recipe and just top it with cheese and bacon, or you can use my recipe!
Ingredients:
1 pound hamburger
1 egg
1 cup bread or cracker crumbs (I use bread crumbs)
1 cup French Onion soup (NOT dry stuff, if you use the dry mix, make it! I use Wolfgang Pucks canned French onion soup--one can)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped mushrooms (fresh if possible!)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 large onion, sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup shredded cheese (I use a combo of cheddar and mozzarella)
4 slices bacon--cooked!
Preheat oven to 365
In large bowl, mix hamburger, egg, bread crumbs, mushrooms and French Onion soup.
Pat mixture into round cast iron skillet.
Put in oven.
While meat loaf is cooking, melt butter in pan and add onions. Cook until caramelized (brown and limp, but not burnt!)
Cook bacon slices until crisp.
Bake meatloaf for 45 minutes, remove from oven, drain off fat, top with caramelized onion, shredded cheese and bacon slices (in that order). Put meatloaf back in oven for 15 minutes.
Carefully remove meatloaf from skillet and serve on large plate/platter that is covered with shredded lettuce and top with fresh tomato slices, if desired.
It looks like a giant bacon cheeseburger!
My kids loved this when they were little and up until their teens. The Darlin' Man's two kids, who had this for dinner last week, are already asking when I am making it again!
I sometimes *boost* the nutrition by adding a half cup to a cup of grated squash, carrots or other mild flavored healthy veggies to the meatloaf mixture. (And squash hating kids never realize what they are eating!)
I have to add that I frequently grate up or finely dice summer squash (yellow crook neck) and add it to meatloaf, spaghetti sauce, chili and other foods where it's presence can go virtually undetected by squash hating individuals! If you saute the diced squash with your meat, it will take on the flavor of the meat!
I think I have shared this next recipe, but it bears repeating as it is so easy and you can change it around to accommodate whatever you have in your cabinets or fridge!
Poor Mans Pasta
Cook enough pasta to feed your family...it can be macaroni, noodles, spaghetti, whatever you have in the pasta category.
Saute one pound meat with garlic in olive oil or butter. Sliced up Polish sausage, crumbled sausage, whatever you have.
Add fresh or dried herbs to meat last 5 minutes of cooking.
Dump the cooked, drained pasta into a casserole dish, dump in the meat mixture and toss.
Add a fresh veggie, diced. I prefer tomatoes or snow peas. One cup should do it!
Toss some more.
Toss some shredded cheese in and toss again.
Bake in oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
If you have it, crumble some cooked bacon on top, if not, don't worry about it.
One dish easy meal to set on the table with a salad and some garlic bread!
I use a lot of ground beef here. It is versatile and I can stretch it out really well.You can use spices and herbs and sauces to change the *character*. It can be "All American" as in my Cheeseburger Meatloaf, you can even change that to a Greek dish by adding sliced black olives, topping it with feta cheese and serving on a bed of spinach and topping with some chopped artichoke hearts!
Tonight the menu is decidedly Southern in character...pinto beans, rice, collard greens, sliced tomatoes and cornbread.
I have a habit of serving meatless meals twice a week. It's healthy, inexpensive and it stretches my grocery budget! It also gives me the opportunity to cook items in my food storage so I can rotate those food stocks. It is also important to help my family adjust their palates and digestive systems so that if we do get stuck using mainly food storage items, there will be no appetite fatigue or intestinal troubles.
First...my much loved Cheeseburger meatloaf. My kids love this, my Darlin' Man adores it and I am kinda fond of it, too!
Now, you can use your favorite meatloaf recipe and just top it with cheese and bacon, or you can use my recipe!
Ingredients:
1 pound hamburger
1 egg
1 cup bread or cracker crumbs (I use bread crumbs)
1 cup French Onion soup (NOT dry stuff, if you use the dry mix, make it! I use Wolfgang Pucks canned French onion soup--one can)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped mushrooms (fresh if possible!)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 large onion, sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup shredded cheese (I use a combo of cheddar and mozzarella)
4 slices bacon--cooked!
Preheat oven to 365
In large bowl, mix hamburger, egg, bread crumbs, mushrooms and French Onion soup.
Pat mixture into round cast iron skillet.
Put in oven.
While meat loaf is cooking, melt butter in pan and add onions. Cook until caramelized (brown and limp, but not burnt!)
Cook bacon slices until crisp.
Bake meatloaf for 45 minutes, remove from oven, drain off fat, top with caramelized onion, shredded cheese and bacon slices (in that order). Put meatloaf back in oven for 15 minutes.
Carefully remove meatloaf from skillet and serve on large plate/platter that is covered with shredded lettuce and top with fresh tomato slices, if desired.
It looks like a giant bacon cheeseburger!
My kids loved this when they were little and up until their teens. The Darlin' Man's two kids, who had this for dinner last week, are already asking when I am making it again!
I sometimes *boost* the nutrition by adding a half cup to a cup of grated squash, carrots or other mild flavored healthy veggies to the meatloaf mixture. (And squash hating kids never realize what they are eating!)
I have to add that I frequently grate up or finely dice summer squash (yellow crook neck) and add it to meatloaf, spaghetti sauce, chili and other foods where it's presence can go virtually undetected by squash hating individuals! If you saute the diced squash with your meat, it will take on the flavor of the meat!
I think I have shared this next recipe, but it bears repeating as it is so easy and you can change it around to accommodate whatever you have in your cabinets or fridge!
Poor Mans Pasta
Cook enough pasta to feed your family...it can be macaroni, noodles, spaghetti, whatever you have in the pasta category.
Saute one pound meat with garlic in olive oil or butter. Sliced up Polish sausage, crumbled sausage, whatever you have.
Add fresh or dried herbs to meat last 5 minutes of cooking.
Dump the cooked, drained pasta into a casserole dish, dump in the meat mixture and toss.
Add a fresh veggie, diced. I prefer tomatoes or snow peas. One cup should do it!
Toss some more.
Toss some shredded cheese in and toss again.
Bake in oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
If you have it, crumble some cooked bacon on top, if not, don't worry about it.
One dish easy meal to set on the table with a salad and some garlic bread!
I use a lot of ground beef here. It is versatile and I can stretch it out really well.You can use spices and herbs and sauces to change the *character*. It can be "All American" as in my Cheeseburger Meatloaf, you can even change that to a Greek dish by adding sliced black olives, topping it with feta cheese and serving on a bed of spinach and topping with some chopped artichoke hearts!
Tonight the menu is decidedly Southern in character...pinto beans, rice, collard greens, sliced tomatoes and cornbread.
I have a habit of serving meatless meals twice a week. It's healthy, inexpensive and it stretches my grocery budget! It also gives me the opportunity to cook items in my food storage so I can rotate those food stocks. It is also important to help my family adjust their palates and digestive systems so that if we do get stuck using mainly food storage items, there will be no appetite fatigue or intestinal troubles.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Some FABULOUS Recipes!
These are NOT *my* recipes. I found them while wandering through blogs one day and since that blog hasn't been added to in over a year, I figured I would share them here...just going to copy a couple of them, though...go peruse over at:
http://mormonfoodstorage.blogspot.com
for many more recipes!
I was just concerned that this blog would get closed down before everyone got to copy down these incredible recipes!
First:
Chocolate Raspberry Spread
5 cups prepared fruit (buy about 2 quarts fully ripe red raspberries)
1 box powdered fruit pectin
5 squares unsweetened baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp butter (optional)
7 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl
Bring boiling water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.
Crush raspberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. (Press half of the pulp through a sieve to remove some of the seeds, if desired.) Measure exactly 5 cups prepared fruit into 6 or 8 quart saucepot.
Stir pectin into prepared fruit in saucepot. Add chocolate; mix well. Add butter to reduce foaming, if desired. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Adjust time according to your altitude.
Makes: About 10 half pints
Talk about "food, GLORIOUS food!"
Old posts on there also address the topics of food storage, preparedness, etc.
A few other blogs I would like to point out are:
http://baconandeggs-scifichick.blogspot.com/ from my friend SciFiChick in which she talks recipes, gardening, her travels, etc. Good reading!
http://purecajunsunshine.blogspot.com/ Now, I know she hasn't added to it in 10 months, HOWEVER, you would be an idiot if you didn't go over there and check out all her information. More stuff there than you will find in 10 books on preparedness. Recipes, herbal remedies, everything you need to not only survive, but prosper! Links to some of the best info out in the web world as well!
http://www.selfsustainedliving.net/ Great blog, great lady! Support her if you can! She sells soaps and cheeses and a pdf tutorial on the art of making cheese.
That should get you started.
When you are reading a blog, and you are enjoying it, take note of what blogs that person reads (if they list them). I read a great many more than what I have included in this post, but if you check the side-bar, it shows the blogs I am following.
Read, have fun and learn!
http://mormonfoodstorage.blogspot.com
for many more recipes!
I was just concerned that this blog would get closed down before everyone got to copy down these incredible recipes!
First:
5 cups prepared fruit (buy about 2 quarts fully ripe red raspberries)
1 box powdered fruit pectin
5 squares unsweetened baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp butter (optional)
7 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl
Bring boiling water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.
Crush raspberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. (Press half of the pulp through a sieve to remove some of the seeds, if desired.) Measure exactly 5 cups prepared fruit into 6 or 8 quart saucepot.
Stir pectin into prepared fruit in saucepot. Add chocolate; mix well. Add butter to reduce foaming, if desired. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Adjust time according to your altitude.
Makes: About 10 half pints
Now, this one:
Black Forest Cherry Jam
6 cups prepared fruit (black or Bing cherries)
3 unsweetened chocolate squares
4 cups granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. Amaretto (or 2 t. almond flavoring)
1 (8 ounce) box Sure-Jell
1/2 teaspoon margarine or butter
Pit the cherries if necessary, then chop them up. Crush the remains
thoroughly, 1 cup at a time. If using frozen berries, use both liquid
and solids; they all were part of the original fresh berry. Measure 6 cups
of crushed fruit into 6- or 8-quart heavy saucepan.
Break the chocolate squares into smaller pieces and add them to
saucepan.
Measure sugar into separate bowl. Mix 1/4 cup sugar from measured amount
with pectin in small bowl.
Stir pectin sugar mixture into fruit in saucepan. Add butter. Bring
quickly to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring
constantly. Remove from heat.
Skim foam and ladle into pint or half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch
headspace and process 10 minutes in boiling water canner.Talk about "food, GLORIOUS food!"
Old posts on there also address the topics of food storage, preparedness, etc.
A few other blogs I would like to point out are:
http://baconandeggs-scifichick.blogspot.com/ from my friend SciFiChick in which she talks recipes, gardening, her travels, etc. Good reading!
http://purecajunsunshine.blogspot.com/ Now, I know she hasn't added to it in 10 months, HOWEVER, you would be an idiot if you didn't go over there and check out all her information. More stuff there than you will find in 10 books on preparedness. Recipes, herbal remedies, everything you need to not only survive, but prosper! Links to some of the best info out in the web world as well!
http://www.selfsustainedliving.net/ Great blog, great lady! Support her if you can! She sells soaps and cheeses and a pdf tutorial on the art of making cheese.
That should get you started.
When you are reading a blog, and you are enjoying it, take note of what blogs that person reads (if they list them). I read a great many more than what I have included in this post, but if you check the side-bar, it shows the blogs I am following.
Read, have fun and learn!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Cookbooks, TV and other random stuff
If you have a printer, fire that puppy up!
You might want to stock up on extra ink cartridges first, though!
Go Here:
http://digital.lib.msu.edu/projects/cookbooks/html/browse.html
This site has many, MANY out of print cookbooks.
Some are from the early 1800s, so measurements, and even ingredients are sometimes a confusing thing, lol!
The attitudes of some of the authors can be a bit off-putting...especially cook books written by men but directed toward women and references to foreign born peoples or ethnic groups.
But, the recipes are OUTSTANDING!
**********************************************************
On to TV.
I am currently downloading the latest episode of "Survivors", a BBC drama.
It originally came out in the 1970s, right now the 2nd season of the remake is going on.
The premise:
A plague has struck, almost everyone has died. Survivors is the story of those who didn't die in the months afterwards. It is set in England.
The acting, plot lines, stories, characters...everything is wonderfully done!
If you have access to the BBC, watch it. If you can download it, do so.
It is very much TV worth watching!
*********************************************************
Movie worth watching:
Book of Eli
Please.
Go see this movie.
It is a post apocalyptic movie, but is so well done--it is absolutely brilliant.
I promise you will enjoy it.
For those concerned with such things, there are a few bad words. I think the *F* bomb gets dropped maybe 3 or 4 times (actually not that much for todays movies), but in the context where it is used, not out of line.
*********************************************************
Question of the Day:
If right this minute:
All the stores closed down
There was no more gasoline to be had
The government was no longer there to help you...federal, state or local...
You and your family are now ON YOUR OWN
DO YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES TO SURVIVE?
Think about it...think about your pantry, your garden, your livestock, your firearms and ammo, your first aid and hygiene supplies...everything.
Try to sleep well tonight....
You might want to stock up on extra ink cartridges first, though!
Go Here:
http://digital.lib.msu.edu/projects/cookbooks/html/browse.html
This site has many, MANY out of print cookbooks.
Some are from the early 1800s, so measurements, and even ingredients are sometimes a confusing thing, lol!
The attitudes of some of the authors can be a bit off-putting...especially cook books written by men but directed toward women and references to foreign born peoples or ethnic groups.
But, the recipes are OUTSTANDING!
**********************************************************
On to TV.
I am currently downloading the latest episode of "Survivors", a BBC drama.
It originally came out in the 1970s, right now the 2nd season of the remake is going on.
The premise:
A plague has struck, almost everyone has died. Survivors is the story of those who didn't die in the months afterwards. It is set in England.
The acting, plot lines, stories, characters...everything is wonderfully done!
If you have access to the BBC, watch it. If you can download it, do so.
It is very much TV worth watching!
*********************************************************
Movie worth watching:
Book of Eli
Please.
Go see this movie.
It is a post apocalyptic movie, but is so well done--it is absolutely brilliant.
I promise you will enjoy it.
For those concerned with such things, there are a few bad words. I think the *F* bomb gets dropped maybe 3 or 4 times (actually not that much for todays movies), but in the context where it is used, not out of line.
*********************************************************
Question of the Day:
If right this minute:
All the stores closed down
There was no more gasoline to be had
The government was no longer there to help you...federal, state or local...
You and your family are now ON YOUR OWN
DO YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES TO SURVIVE?
Think about it...think about your pantry, your garden, your livestock, your firearms and ammo, your first aid and hygiene supplies...everything.
Try to sleep well tonight....
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Striking Oil!
We already covered flavored vinegars...now we are going to cover oils to put in your pantry.
These oils are good for many uses....vinegarettes, grilling, frying, etc. Anywhere you would use a non-flavored oil.
I normally only use three types of oil in cooking, baking, etc.
Olive Oil (usually extra-virgin olive oil)
Sunflower seed oil
Coconut Oil
Now, Coconut oil deserves it own entire post, so we'll ignore that wonderful product of nature right now and concentrate on the other two.
You can also use canola oil (aka rapeseed oil...they use the name *canola* to make it sound more consumer friendly!)
I usually use the Extra Virgin Olive Oil for those flavored oils intended for salad dressings and grilling. If I plan on frying food in the oil, I use the sunflower seed oil (or canola oil).
What you'll need:
Pint jars (or go whole hog and buy pretty bottles if you like)
Oils of choice.
Herbs, fruit, nuts, etc. for oil flavorings.
You can use a food processor to finely mince or dice your herbs, but I generally just chop my herbs and such rather coarsely.
Here are some great combos:
basil, oregano, onion, garlic
sage, dill, coriander
sun dried tomatoes, basil, onion, garlic
lemon rind, dill, fennel
rosemary, thyme, garlic
pine nut, basil, garlic
garlic, onion, hot peppers
I also like simple *one note* oils.
Sun-dried tomatoes are a great *one note* oil.
Basic recipe for that:
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup olive oil
Heat the olive oil until hot, but not simmering or boiling.
Put tomatoes in bottom of pint canning jar. Pour warm oil over tomatoes. Tightly cap.
Let rest in back of pantry three days, gently shaking jar once a day.
Drain oil through fine cheesecloth or a fine sieve (you do NOT want any *particulate* matter in the finished oil). Can or bottle strained oil. I generally use the oily tomatoes for cooking or put them in the compost heap.
Tomato oil is excellent for making an oil and vinegar drizzle on a summer salad or for brushing on steaks on the grill. Also good on fish!
Hot Cha Cha Oil
2 Habanero Peppers
1 Jalapeno Pepper
1 and 1/2 cups Olive Oil
WEAR GLOVES! You WILL need a pair of latex /rubber gloves to make this oil!
Carefully remove stem and seeds from peppers. Slice all three peppers into thin strips. Heat olive oil to very warm (no simmering/boiling). Put pepper strips into pint canning jar, pour oil over and cap tightly. Let set in back of pantry for 2 days, strain, discard pepper strips.
This oil is to be used sparingly. (Unless you are into very hot foods!)
Brush onto shrimp on the grill. Or fish or steak and chops. Add a few drops to pan when you are frying chicken to give it a spicy POP!
Citrus and Spice Oil
1/2 a lemon peel, cut in strips
1/2 a lime peel, cut in strips
1/4 orange peel, cut in strips
With ALL citrus peels, try to have as little of the white inner peel as possible, you want the yellow, green or orange skin, so to speak.
1 One inch piece of cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 cups sunflower (my preference) or olive oil
Put the peels and the cinnamon and cloves in a quart canning jar. Warm the oil and pour over the peels and spices. Tightly cap. Set in pantry for 3 to 4 days, mix by turning gently.
Strain.
This oil is lovely to use for salad dressings. Also good for frying bananas, apples and other fruit.
For cake recipes that use oil try substituting this oil (if you made it with sunflower oil) for the oil called for. Brush on chicken on the grill or that you bake/roast.
You make the other oils in the same manner.
Some folks also make their oils by putting the vegetable matter in the jar, filling the jar with oil, tightly capping the jar and them setting the jar outside in the sunshine for 3 days to a week, inverting the jar once a day.
Remember to label all oils with the type, date made and type of oil used.
These oils are good for many uses....vinegarettes, grilling, frying, etc. Anywhere you would use a non-flavored oil.
I normally only use three types of oil in cooking, baking, etc.
Olive Oil (usually extra-virgin olive oil)
Sunflower seed oil
Coconut Oil
Now, Coconut oil deserves it own entire post, so we'll ignore that wonderful product of nature right now and concentrate on the other two.
You can also use canola oil (aka rapeseed oil...they use the name *canola* to make it sound more consumer friendly!)
I usually use the Extra Virgin Olive Oil for those flavored oils intended for salad dressings and grilling. If I plan on frying food in the oil, I use the sunflower seed oil (or canola oil).
What you'll need:
Pint jars (or go whole hog and buy pretty bottles if you like)
Oils of choice.
Herbs, fruit, nuts, etc. for oil flavorings.
You can use a food processor to finely mince or dice your herbs, but I generally just chop my herbs and such rather coarsely.
Here are some great combos:
basil, oregano, onion, garlic
sage, dill, coriander
sun dried tomatoes, basil, onion, garlic
lemon rind, dill, fennel
rosemary, thyme, garlic
pine nut, basil, garlic
garlic, onion, hot peppers
I also like simple *one note* oils.
Sun-dried tomatoes are a great *one note* oil.
Basic recipe for that:
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup olive oil
Heat the olive oil until hot, but not simmering or boiling.
Put tomatoes in bottom of pint canning jar. Pour warm oil over tomatoes. Tightly cap.
Let rest in back of pantry three days, gently shaking jar once a day.
Drain oil through fine cheesecloth or a fine sieve (you do NOT want any *particulate* matter in the finished oil). Can or bottle strained oil. I generally use the oily tomatoes for cooking or put them in the compost heap.
Tomato oil is excellent for making an oil and vinegar drizzle on a summer salad or for brushing on steaks on the grill. Also good on fish!
Hot Cha Cha Oil
2 Habanero Peppers
1 Jalapeno Pepper
1 and 1/2 cups Olive Oil
WEAR GLOVES! You WILL need a pair of latex /rubber gloves to make this oil!
Carefully remove stem and seeds from peppers. Slice all three peppers into thin strips. Heat olive oil to very warm (no simmering/boiling). Put pepper strips into pint canning jar, pour oil over and cap tightly. Let set in back of pantry for 2 days, strain, discard pepper strips.
This oil is to be used sparingly. (Unless you are into very hot foods!)
Brush onto shrimp on the grill. Or fish or steak and chops. Add a few drops to pan when you are frying chicken to give it a spicy POP!
Citrus and Spice Oil
1/2 a lemon peel, cut in strips
1/2 a lime peel, cut in strips
1/4 orange peel, cut in strips
With ALL citrus peels, try to have as little of the white inner peel as possible, you want the yellow, green or orange skin, so to speak.
1 One inch piece of cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 cups sunflower (my preference) or olive oil
Put the peels and the cinnamon and cloves in a quart canning jar. Warm the oil and pour over the peels and spices. Tightly cap. Set in pantry for 3 to 4 days, mix by turning gently.
Strain.
This oil is lovely to use for salad dressings. Also good for frying bananas, apples and other fruit.
For cake recipes that use oil try substituting this oil (if you made it with sunflower oil) for the oil called for. Brush on chicken on the grill or that you bake/roast.
You make the other oils in the same manner.
Some folks also make their oils by putting the vegetable matter in the jar, filling the jar with oil, tightly capping the jar and them setting the jar outside in the sunshine for 3 days to a week, inverting the jar once a day.
Remember to label all oils with the type, date made and type of oil used.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Cooking With Preps, Part Two
In a post last fall, I posted some simple recipes for cooking with preps out of your food storage...
Now we will get a bit more complicated recipes, but they are really good!
Wheatberry Blender Pancake Mix:
1 cup milk (3 tablespoons powdered milk + 1 cup water)
1 cup Wheat kernels, whole and uncooked
2 eggs (2 tablespoons powdered eggs + 1/4 cup water)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Oil
2 teaspoons honey or sugar
Put milk and wheat kernels in blender.
Blend on highest speed for 4 or 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth.
Add all other ingredients to mixture in blender and blend on low.
Pour out batter into pancakes from the actual blender jar (only one thing to wash!)
onto hot greased prepared griddle or large frying pan.
Cook, flipping pancakes when bubbles pop and create holes.
Serve hot with honey/syrup/jam.
Indian Fry Bread
Mix together:
2 cups white flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup non-instant powdered milk (read the labels!)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons honey or sugar
When that is well mixed:
Add:
1 1/2 cups very hot water
Work fast working ingredients together and knead for 5 minutes.
Take golf-ball sized pieces from the dough , pull and stretch with hands into a circle of about 6 to 8 inches. (Oil your hands a bit first with salad oil or shortening so dough doesn't stick to hands)
You can also roll out the dough balls on a counter--oil the counter a touch first--put a piece of waxed paper over the dough ball and roll it out.
Fry in hot oil. I usually fry mine in a cast iron skillet in about an inch of oil.
Drain them on a plate or in a basket lined with paper towels or a clean dish towel.
I top mine with a lot of different things, these are so versatile!
Toppings:
Chili
Re-fried beans and grated cheese
Lettuce, diced tomatoes, onions, olives, some cilantro and salsa
Sugar and cinnamon
Chicken or tuna salad
Basic Granola
2 1/2 cups Sugar
1 1/2 cups Water
6 Tablespoons Oil
1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
10 cups Rolled Oats (uncooked)
In a pan, combine the sugar, water, oil and salt. Heat until sugar is dissolved, but do not boil. Pour syrup over the oats and stir until well coated. Add a little more rolled oats if the texture seems too moist. Place in baking pans or on cookie sheets about 1/2 inch deep. Bake at 425 degrees F, 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Bake 15 minutes longer if you want it crunchier. Store in an airtight container.
Add-ins (after cooking:)
Slivered almonds
Dried Cranberries
Raisins
Walnuts
Peanuts
Shredded Coconut
Dried (crystallized) Pineapple
Dried diced Apple
Dried Apricots
Just add in whatever appeals to you...Nuts, Dried Fruit, Chocolate Chips...mix together with your add-ins well. I usually let it *rest* after I add in goodies for 3 days in a tightly sealed container.
You can eat Granola *out of hand*, as a cold cereal or as a hot cereal when you add hot milk.
So there's a few good recipes for you!
Now we will get a bit more complicated recipes, but they are really good!
Wheatberry Blender Pancake Mix:
1 cup milk (3 tablespoons powdered milk + 1 cup water)
1 cup Wheat kernels, whole and uncooked
2 eggs (2 tablespoons powdered eggs + 1/4 cup water)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Oil
2 teaspoons honey or sugar
Put milk and wheat kernels in blender.
Blend on highest speed for 4 or 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth.
Add all other ingredients to mixture in blender and blend on low.
Pour out batter into pancakes from the actual blender jar (only one thing to wash!)
onto hot greased prepared griddle or large frying pan.
Cook, flipping pancakes when bubbles pop and create holes.
Serve hot with honey/syrup/jam.
Indian Fry Bread
Mix together:
2 cups white flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup non-instant powdered milk (read the labels!)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons honey or sugar
When that is well mixed:
Add:
1 1/2 cups very hot water
Work fast working ingredients together and knead for 5 minutes.
Take golf-ball sized pieces from the dough , pull and stretch with hands into a circle of about 6 to 8 inches. (Oil your hands a bit first with salad oil or shortening so dough doesn't stick to hands)
You can also roll out the dough balls on a counter--oil the counter a touch first--put a piece of waxed paper over the dough ball and roll it out.
Fry in hot oil. I usually fry mine in a cast iron skillet in about an inch of oil.
Drain them on a plate or in a basket lined with paper towels or a clean dish towel.
I top mine with a lot of different things, these are so versatile!
Toppings:
Chili
Re-fried beans and grated cheese
Lettuce, diced tomatoes, onions, olives, some cilantro and salsa
Sugar and cinnamon
Chicken or tuna salad
Basic Granola
2 1/2 cups Sugar
1 1/2 cups Water
6 Tablespoons Oil
1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
10 cups Rolled Oats (uncooked)
In a pan, combine the sugar, water, oil and salt. Heat until sugar is dissolved, but do not boil. Pour syrup over the oats and stir until well coated. Add a little more rolled oats if the texture seems too moist. Place in baking pans or on cookie sheets about 1/2 inch deep. Bake at 425 degrees F, 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Bake 15 minutes longer if you want it crunchier. Store in an airtight container.
Add-ins (after cooking:)
Slivered almonds
Dried Cranberries
Raisins
Walnuts
Peanuts
Shredded Coconut
Dried (crystallized) Pineapple
Dried diced Apple
Dried Apricots
Just add in whatever appeals to you...Nuts, Dried Fruit, Chocolate Chips...mix together with your add-ins well. I usually let it *rest* after I add in goodies for 3 days in a tightly sealed container.
You can eat Granola *out of hand*, as a cold cereal or as a hot cereal when you add hot milk.
So there's a few good recipes for you!
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