Layman's Croissants

For your average home baker, croissants are a daunting venture. There's the pounds of butter. The rolling of the dough. The rising. Did I mention the butter? It's a very delicate procedure. When it works right, you have melt-in-your mouth buttery goodness. One little slip-up in measuring or dough that is too warm, and you end up with a lot of wasted butter. No one wants that!

Another alternative is to buy rolls-in-a-tube. Don't get me wrong. The ease and convenience of refrigerated rolls has it's place in anyone's kitchen. However, if you have a little time and want something just a bit better, you must try these. They are very similar in texture to the crescent rolls you find at the supermarket. But with a lighter flakiness closer to the traditional croissant.

The process is relatively simple. The hard part is the time. From start to finish it will probably take you about 4-5 hours. If you don't have the time, you could complete the process up to the refrigeration part and then finish the rest when you can.

(click to enlarge)

Like Water for the Thirsty

Nothing gets my fire stoked more than a brand new cookbook. The crackle of the glue on a ne'er opened spine. The smell of freshly printed pages. The beautiful pictures. The unchartered territory of new recipes.

Today my Dad gave me a great present. While the books have had their spines cracked already, the pictures and the new recipes are still there. Not to mention the QUANTITY. He brought me a BOX of cookbooks.

Even the kitten was excited!

I can't wait for the kids to go to bed so I can sit down and look through them!

Real Chefs Do It With Knives

In his book, Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain states that you aren't a real chef until you have calluses, scars and fresh cuts on your hands. Apparently this proves your mettle. Even better if you can keep cooking whilst putting pressure on the wound.

I certainly can't call myself a chef. I haven't earned the famed "toque blanche," the white chef top hat with 100 pleats. You only earn this after you prove that you can cook an egg 100 different ways. And I don't like eggs.

Yesterday, however, I think I moved one step closer to at least being a scarred cook. While peeling potatoes for a potato salad, I gouged a good 1/8-inch out of the top of my index finger.

I did have to relegate the peeling duties to my older boys, but I kept chopping those potatoes with one hand while squeezing a washcloth with the other.

While I can't hope to ever gain respect from someone like Anthony, perhaps I won't hear him making fun of me like he does Emeril or Rachael Ray.

Warning: Blood and guts below

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

My muse, the zucchini plant. It is providing me with plenty of bounty to test recipes containing its fruit.
What better way to eat your vegetables than surrounded by butter, sugar, and some chocolate?
As is my usual method, I googled the word "zucchini." Up popped a chocolate zucchini bread. Who could resist? Added bonus, it called for unsweetened chocolate squares. Of which I have 4 boxes that I got for .25 after Christmas.
I made the first two loaves on Friday night. As I tried to pop them out of the loaf pans I immediately knew this recipe wouldn't last. I'd need to make some adjustments if I were to make it again.
First of all, the original called for chocolate chips. And 1 cup of oil.
The loaf was a greasy mess on top and all the chocolate chips sank to the bottom making it nearly impossible to get it out of the pan. I didn't like the fact that I couldn't even tell there was any chocolate in it. It didn't taste like chocolate, it didn't look like chocolate.
I made some notes and came up with the recipe you see below. Instead of oil, I used half butter and half applesauce. This kept the moistness of the bread intact but cut down on the grease and the calories.
Also, instead of the unsweetened chocolate, I used the equivalent in cocoa powder. The loaf still wasn't as dark in chocolate color as I had imagined, but at least you could taste the chocolate.

(click to enlarge recipe and print)

From The Pantry, Please--Condensed Tomato Soup

I'm not the type of person that can throw open the pantry and pull out a little of this and a little of that and make dinner.

I meticulously plan out menu's and subsequently shopping lists. Otherwise we'd end up having Taco Bell every night.

In an effort to cut down on some of my grocery shopping I'm trying to be better about shopping loss leaders at the store. What ends up happening is that I get a bunch of cans in the cupboard and still don't know what to fix.

Does anyone else here have that problem?

That's why I'm starting this little segment called From The Pantry. Each week I will showcase a meal made mostly out of items you might find in the pantry.

To unveil this segment with a bang--- Condensed Tomato Soup!!


I'm not usually a big fan of using condensed soups. They are high in sodium, for one thing. Two, they don't usually taste as good as their fresh counterparts.

However! They go on sale in the store quite frequently, and there are lower sodium options. Though they are (of course) more expensive. Condensed soups are definitely an option when stocking up the pantry.

I was a little surprised by the reaction of the kids. They loved the Beefy Mac. Forget all those fancy meals. The kids want macaroni and hamburger.

I thought the meal was palatable. I might add some more spices next time. Perhaps a few more vegetables. Otherwise it was fine as is.

Scooped straight from the Campbell's Website-- Behold the Beefy Mac:


(click recipe to enlarge and print)

Butternut Squash Tortellini with Butter-Sage Sauce

As you saw from the previous post, I have a wagon load of butternut squash. Short of eating it for breakfast (pancakes?!) I'm a bit at a loss as to how to use it all.

I have a couple of recipes that I had always used in the past. I figured I would peel and dice what we harvested, boil it down, and put it in freezer bags. Until I peeled one. Holy Smokes! It isn't an easy chore.

My new plan of attack is to roast all of it and then freeze the innards.

I was watching the Food Network the other day and I saw Giada De Laurentiis making a Butternut Squash Tortellini in butter-sage sauce.

My family loves anything that is stuffed into pasta so I figured this would be a big hit.

I had tried to make my own ravioli in the past, but it was such a pain I gave up on it and fixed something different. Watching the way Giada folded her tortellini made it seem much simpler.

Armed with my little helper and several roasted butternut squash we made a good attempt at Giada's recipe. I did not use the cranberries or walnuts in my sauce. This would've been a little too gourmet for the kids. I think I would've liked it.

Ultimately, two of my three kids didn't like it. One kid and a dad thought it was excellent. I'm on the fence. The tortellini fell into a category I don't like about squash and pumpkin recipes. It was on the sweet side. Even with the ricotta cheese and the sage, it was still too sweet for me. I don't think I will go to the trouble of making it again until I can figure out what to pair with it to make it less sweet.

I was hopeful for this recipe, because if you use all the ingredients listed it has a
Superfood factor of 5.

Superfoods--Butternut Squash

Our butternut squash crop was a raging success this year. The above wagonful is only part of it. We gave away quite a few.

The good news is that butternut squash as well as most of the winter squash, are very good for you. It is high in fiber, beta-carotene, vitamin c, manganese, magnesium, and potassium.

Australia considers the squash a form of pumpkin, and indeed it can be interchanged quite easily for any recipe calling for pumpkin. I have not tried it yet, but I have a recipe for squash pie instead of pumpkin. With the booty I have sitting around waiting to be used up, it just might come to that.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I had an ever increasing number of bananas filling up my freezer. Couple that with the fact that my kids are getting tired of cold cereal for breakfast, and I needed to come up with a muffin. Preferably a banana one.

This recipe tasted very similar to banana bread. I think if I were to make it again, I would add some spices. A little nutmeg? Some cinnamon? Perhaps some pumpkin pie spice.

I made half a batch without nuts. There's some crazies that live here that don't like nuts. The other half I added some chopped pecans to.

I preferred the nut filled version. It evened out the chocolate chips a bit.

All in all it wasn't a bad recipe. With a little tweaking I think I could make these a regular item on our menu.

If you use walnuts or almonds, that gives this recipe a Superfood factor of 2.

(click to enlarge recipe)

Rice Pudding

I don't know how it is at your house, but we either have way too much rice or not enough. I usually err on the side of caution and make way too much.

Sometimes my kids like to eat it for breakfast the day after with a little milk and sugar. But mostly it sits in my refrigerator until it turns green on top.

The hubby loves rice pudding. I have looked over many recipes trying to find one to use up the rice in my refrigerator. Usually it calls for an obscene amount of milk (2 quarts?!) or heavy cream.

Yesterday I finally found the recipe I was looking for. The milk is under control, there's only one egg and no cream to be found. It makes about twice as much as I can buy in the store, but not so much that it will go bad before we could eat it.

Sprinkle with a little cinnamon and it has a SuperFood factor of 1.
(click to englarge)

Super Food--Almonds

I want to feed myself better. I do not want to crave sweets, soda, and salty processed foods.

It's not that I don't like fruits and vegetables. It's just easier to pick up that bag of potato chips than to chop myself a salad.

Slowly, but surely, I am trying to add good habits in my routine that will replace the bad ones.

I've been intrigued by the so-called "Super Foods" for awhile. There are several books and cookbooks that tell you what those superfoods are. I have written down all the lists and taken out duplicates. It's not rocket science. We all know that these foods are good for us. Sometimes it just takes a little visual reminder.

Mine is in the front of my planner. It's a glaring page of food that I should be eating. I can't seem to find potato chips on there anywhere.

I have a nasty habit of getting hungry about 10:30 every morning. I'm not ready to fix myself lunch. So I usually reach for a handful of potato chips. I am going to replace that habit. I bought myself some almonds. Mind you, they are salted. But that's what I'm looking for with the potato chips. And almonds are a superfood. My justification is that the almonds are still better for me than the chips. And perhaps once I kick my salt addiction, I can then find the au naturale version just as satisfying.

Almonds do have fat in them, but they are low in the saturated fat variety. They are also filled with phytochemicals, zinc, magnesium, protein and folic acid.

I will make a separate post with a list of the compiled Superfoods. Then whenever you see Superfood in a post it will direct you to that list.


Update: Make sure your almonds, even if salted, are dry roasted! The kind you buy in the can at the grocery store can be roasted in oils!

Blog Rebirth

It started with a comment to my Aunt.

It went a little something like this, "I have so many recipes in my "Recipes To Try" folder, I could make a new recipe every night for a year."

Two days later the light bulb went on in my head.

I haven't been very good about keeping up with this site. I apologize to my regulars. I haven't been a highly adventurous cook as of late. We've been eating a lot of our old stand-by meals. I'm sure none of you want to see a post with me opening a couple of cans of spaghetti sauce and pouring it over noodles.

I've been on a couple months hiatus. But it's time to get back in the swing of things. New categories, new recipes, new look.

Beer-Braised Chicken with Rice

I've been experimenting with braising, mostly because of my fantastic new Le Creuset dutch oven. It is inspiring, a work of art, a thing of beauty. For tonight's dinner adventure, I started with this Emeril recipe and adapted it a bit based on what I had in my kitchen and the braising tips I've been picking up lately. The end result was delicious, if I do say so myself -- tender, juicy, and flavorful.

Beer-Braised Chicken with Rice
adapted from Emeril Lagasse
(click recipe to enlarge)
Is this whole post a thinly veiled excuse to show off my fantastic new dutch oven? Maybe...

Corn Dogs

I had two packages of hot dogs in my freezer that I wanted to use up. I didn't have any buns. One of my sons likes to take just plain hot dogs cut into circles in his lunch. Although I think he was tiring of them. I also had this bag of onion rings and a bag of french fries left over from a certain blog party. I decided that we would have a "We Made It Through Wednesday" Party night. So I made those hot dogs into homemade, just like the carnival, corn dogs.















I started with a recipe from Allrecipes.
After the batter was made, I found that I had to add a bit more milk to allow me to actually dip the hot dogs. I also did not deep fry them, as in a deep fryer. Instead I filled a skillet with oil. That seemed to work just fine. Make sure you watch them carefully, and don't forget to flip them over.
(click on recipe to enlarge)

Cheesecake Dip and Fruit Kabobs

I've squashed school lunches for my children.

Last year I was convinced my children weren't eating the lunch at school. How did I surmise this? When they got home from school, they ate everything in sight and ate dinner also. I hemmed and hawed over whether we would continue the hot lunch thing. The decision got a little easier once I saw the menus for a month or two. The kids were basically eating the same menu on a 3 week rotation. And it was nothing but spaghetti, chicken nuggets and Turkey Gravy over mashed potatoes. Once I found out the price was going up .20 a day and I knew we would have 3 kids in school all day, I decided that we would be packing lunches this year.

This in itself presents a whole new problem. What do you put in there? Will they eat it? How can I get them to eat more veggies and fruit yet not make them the laughing stock of the lunchroom?

I'm on the look out for good ideas and recipes. If you have any to share, feel free to leave your ideas in the comments or email one of us.

One of the things I tried is the Cheesecake dip with Fruit Kabobs and Cinnamon Raisin Bagel chips as seen above.

Cheesecake Dip

3 oz. Neufchatel cheese
2 tablespoons white sugar
3 tablespoons low-fat milk
2 cup frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a mixing bowl, combine the Neufchatel cheese, sugar, and milk. Mix thoroughly until well blended and smooth. Gently combine the whipped topping and vanilla with the mixture. Serve chilled.

I used cinnamon bagel chips and banana, grape and pineapple kabobs. But you could use pita chips or apple chips, and any variation of fruits your kids like. Hint: To keep sliced apples and bananas from turning brown, soak them in a cup of water with 1 teaspoon of lemon or lime juice. Or soak them in pineapple or orange juice. I've heard 7-up or Sprite works also, but I can't confirm that.

A Compiled List of Superfoods

This list is comprised of various people's versions of what the Superfoods are.

1. Almonds
(Why almonds?)

2. Apples
3. Apricots
4. Avocado
5. Bananas
(Why bananas?)

6. Barley
7. Beans
8. Blueberries
9. Broccoli
10. Butternut Squash
    
(Why winter squash?)

11. Carrots
12. Chili Peppers
13. Chocolate (yes! Make it the dark variety though and 100 calories or less a day)
    
14. Cinnamon
15. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
16. Garlic
17. Grains (whole)
18. Grape Juice/Red wine
    
19. Honey
20. Kiwi
21. Mango
22. Oats
23. Onions
24. Oranges
25. Papaya
26. Pineapple
27. Pomegranates
28. Pumpkin
29. Salmon
30. Soy/Tofu
31. Spinach
    
32. Strawberries
    
33. Sweet Potatoes
34. Tea (white, green and black)
35. Tomatoes
36. Turkey
37. Walnuts
    

Sauteed Salmon Steaks

Friends, I do not like seafood. Anything that lives its life in the watery depths is not for me. That said, we've been making an effort to eat more fish in our household, both because it is so very good for you (those omega-3s, you know) and because the hubby's high cholesterol rules out many other forms of protein.

So I have to tell you that I was delighted by this salmon recipe. Not only was I able to eat it without gagging -- I actually liked it! Fish skeptics, I implore you: Give this recipe a try. Your heart and your taste buds will thank you. And, honestly, it's very quick and easy to prepare.

We served this salmon with Trader Joe's wasabi mayonnaise and some fresh sliced tomatoes. (Oh, and a few stiff margaritas.) My in-laws would have replaced the wasabi mayo with homemade tartar sauce, which would also have been delightful.

photo courtesy the talented click.

Sauteed Salmon Steaks
(adapted from Cooks.com and my in-laws' salmon-sauteeing skills)

3 T butter
1 T soy sauce
a dash (or three) of garlic powder
1 T vegetable oil
about 1 lb of salmon, cut into steaks (skin on)

(Don't skimp on the oil -- this keeps the salmon from sticking to the pan, which is essential to your success. Also, I started skin-side down because that's the way I've seen others do it. Is it right? I'm not sure. I don't claim to be a salmon expert. But I play one on the Internet.)

Melt butter and combine with soy sauce and garlic powder.

Heat oil in skillet; add salmon steaks.

Baste salmon steaks. Cook about 5 minutes or until browned on one side. Turn, baste, and cook until salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork.

You can add lemon slices after the first flip, or you can sprinkle on some lemon juice, if you like.

Pork Chops Adobado

I found this recipe for pork chops at Smitten Kitchen and knew it was for me. Easy and delicious -- what could be better? I served the pork chops with cheesy grits and a side salad. The family (children excepted) tore through the chops with a fervor; there's nary a leftover in sight. (What is it with toddlers? Why won't they eat meat?)



Pork Chops Adobado
The Louisville Courier-Journal, 9/12/01 via Smitten Kitchen

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 to 5 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon fresh
1 teaspoon ground cumin (I was fresh out of ground cumin, so I sprinkled on a few cumin seeds instead. Worked out fine.)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
4 boneless pork chops, about an inch thick (My chops were bone-in. I noticed no difference, except that they perhaps took a bit longer to cook.)

(If you're grilling the chops, heat your grill as necessary.)

In a small skillet over low heat, combine olive oil, garlic and oregano. Heat for 2 minutes or until they become aromatic. Stir in cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Place the pork chops in a wide pan and pour the seasoned oil over them. Rub the mixture into the pork and let it stand at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate all day or overnight. Broil or grill about 5 minutes per side, or until pork is done to desired taste.

Serves 4.

Cheese Ravioli with Pumpkin Sauce

The kids were skeptical.

"Why can't you just put spaghetti sauce on it?"
"Because I don't have any spaghetti sauce, besides we had spaghetti last week."
"But, MOooooooooom."
"Oh, hush. Here, try this."
"Yummm!"
"See? What did I tell you?"

I found this to be quite a pleasant departure from the usual marinara sauce.

By using frozen ravioli, this meal really would take even less than 30 minutes to make.

I wish I knew who to give credit to. Like many of my recipes this was just sitting in my "Recipes To Try" folder.

I found the sauce to be a little on the sweet side. I think maybe next time I would use less brown sugar. Maybe 1 1/2 tablespoons. Then I would add a pinch of sage. Sage tastes so good with pumpkin. And don't be tempted to double the sauce. Unless you want to put some in the freezer. I doubled the sauce. And I boiled two bags of ravioli. Needless to say I have enough sauce to probably cover at least 2 more bags of ravioli. I would say with two bags of ravioli this could feed a family of 5 comfortably. Also the sour cream in the recipe could easily be substituted with plain yogurt. You would still get the creamy effect without the fat.

Cheese Ravioli with Pumpkin Sauce

1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin
2 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 (25-ounce) bags frozen cheese ravioli
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream or plain yogurt
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

1. Set a large pan of water on high heat to boil.
   
2. To make sauce, use a medium sauce saucepan and combine pumpkin, broth, brown sugar, butter, garlic powder, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir until butter melts and the sauce is heated through. This should take approximately 10 minutes.
3. Add ravioli to boiling water. When they rise to the top, scoop out and drain.
   
4. Take sauce off of heat and stir in sour cream. Serve over ravioli and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
   

Rachael Ray's Turkey Bolognese Sauce

I can't even take credit for this one. But I am sharing it because I like Rachael's recipes where she makes one meal turn into three different ones. I am horrible about using up leftovers. Mainly because I don't like eating the same thing over and over again. The thought had never occurred to me, before I started watching Rachael Ray, that I could make something different out of leftovers.

I made the Turkey Bolognese sauce last Friday night and served it Spaghetti style. Tonight I will make the Southwest Chili with Baked Potatoes. I don't have a picture, sorry, but trust me when I tell you it is GOOD!

The link is here. It includes the "master recipe" and links to what you can make with the leftovers.

Pasta Alprimacarbvera

If you were looking for a nice low-fat, healthy dish--this is not it.

Kelly helped me name it because I had no idea what to call it. It's a little like a Primavera because of the peas and the the onions. A little like a Carbonara because of the bacon. But there's no eggs in it. Throw a little Alfredo sauce on top and that makes Alprimacarbvera.

My family sucked it up and left the platter spinning on the table (they didn't even seem to notice there were PEAS in it!). That's five-stars in my restaurant.


Pasta Alprimacarbvera

2 (9-oz) packages fettuccine pasta
4 slices smoked center-cut bacon
1 cup chopped red onion
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 cup frozen green peas
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup half-and-half
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid.
Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp.Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in the pan; crumble. Add 1 cup chopped onions, bottled minced garlic, and thyme to drippings in pan; saute 2 minutes. Stir in green peas; saute 1 minute. Add shredded zucchini to pan; saute 1 1/2 minutes. Add pasta, reserved cooking liquid, and half and half to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, tossing to combine. Remove from heat. Add butter, salt, and pepper to pan; toss until butter melts. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and Parmesan cheese. Yield: 8 servings.

Barley Risotto with Peppers and Carrots

I got this recipe from Bon Appetit. They have a section where people can write in and request recipes for dishes they've had at restaurants. This happens to be a dish they serve at Rutgers University. In the cafeteria. Can you believe it? I don't remember cafeteria food tasting so good. But I suppose Rutgers costs a lot of money. Must. impress. the. parents. who. are. shelling. it. out.

Anyway, I'm always trying to get more grains into my kids diet. (What?! Processed flour isn't a grain?)

Unfortunately, the kids said it was good, but left it sitting on their plates. Ruggless and I ate the whole bowl.

Barley Risotto with Carrots and Red Peppers

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup finely chopped carrot
1/3 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup pearl barley
2 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 teaspoon curry powder

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add carrot and red pepper; saute 3 minutes. Add barley and stir 1 minute. Add broth and curry powder. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until barley and vegetables are tender; about 45 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 4 servings.

Apple Craisin Slaw

I love coleslaw. I don't love that icky dressing that says "coleslaw" at the grocery store. This recipe makes it's own dressing.

This recipe was inspired by a recipe in Cooking Light. However, I didn't use their dressing, or raisins. I made my fool-proof, low-carb dressing and used Craisins instead. It's just what I happened to have on hand. But feel free to use either.

It reminded me of a cross breed between a Waldorf Salad and coleslaw. I loved it. I even ate the leftovers the next day. Which is amazing. I'm not very good about eating up our leftovers.



Apple and Craisin Slaw

1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 packet artificial sweetner (such as nutrisweet) or 1 teaspoon Splenda
2 cups unpeeled chopped apples (about 2 medium)
1 cup Craisins
1 (16 oz) package cabbage and carrot coleslaw

Combine the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add chopped apple, Craisins and coleslaw; toss to combine. Yield 8 servings.

Rosemary-Garlic Chicken

This dish utilizes a very inexpensive cut of chicken. The chicken thigh.

The original recipe called for the chicken to be grilled, but I broiled it. An interesting feature of this recipe is that you simmer it first in broth. This somewhat cooks it so that it doesn't need to be on the grill so long. If you are like me, grilling chicken usually ends up with burnt outside, undercooked inside. This seems to solve that problem.

The herb sauce that you baste it with smells so good in the kitchen. And the meat is tender and juicy. I highly recommend this recipe.

I used the leftover broth from the simmering to make gravy and served this with mashed potatoes.

Rosemary-Garlic Chicken

4 cups chicken broth
1 Tablespoon black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (3-4 lbs.)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, packed
3 Tablespoons fresh rosemary (I used dried)
3 Tablespoons garlic, chopped
1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, chopped (I used ginger paste that I had in the fridge.)

Combine broth, peppercorns, and bay leaf in a large pot; cover and bring to a boil. Add chicken, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare garlic sauce by placing olive oil, parsley, rosemary, garlic, pepper and ginger in a food processor or blender.

Remove chicken from pot and pat dry.

Baste with half the garlic sauce.

If grilling, grill the skin side down for about 5 minutes. Turn over when skin is golden and crisp.

If broiling, place on an aluminum covered cookie sheet. When skin turns golden then it is done.

Slumgullion

According to Merriam Webster, a slumgullion is a meat stew. I wouldn't really classify this as a stew. More of a hash. My family loves it, and it couldn't be easier. In fact you could easily have all the ingredients in your freezer at all times. I've adapted the recipe to my own needs, but I will link to the original below.

I like to use the frozen cubed potatoes (dubbed Southern Hash browns in my store). I also tend to use turkey or beef kielbasa. Whichever is cheaper that day. You will need an onion and a green pepper or two, depending on taste. I believe Ore-Ida makes hash browns with bell pepper and onion already in them (o'Brien?) which make prep even easier. Another benefit is that I use my electric skillet, and the kitchen doesn't tend to heat up as much.



Slumgullion
adapted from
allrecipes.com

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 package frozen cubed hash browns
1 bell pepper, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 packages turkey or beef kielbasa, sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in electric skillet or large pan. Pour hash browns in to pan and stir to coat with oil. Let cook until no longer frozen and slightly browned. Add onion and bell pepper. Stir occasionally until onion is translucent and pepper is soft. Top with kielbasa. Cover and let cook until kielbasa is heated through. Serves 1 man, 1 woman, two preteens with big appetites and a 5 year-old with leftovers.

Sesame Brown Rice Salad with Shredded Chicken and Peanuts

I guess I'm obsessed with carrots and peanuts lately. Can't get enough of 'em.

My family inhaled this salad -- it's a bit tart, with a nice level of sesame flavor. And it's super easy to make. (Because me, I'm all about easy.)


Sesame Brown Rice Salad with Shredded Chicken and Peanuts
adapted from Cooking Light June 2007
(This recipe claims to serve four, but it barely served three in my house. Adjust accordingly.)

1 cup long-grain brown rice
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup dry-roasted peanuts
1/2 t salt
2 T lime juice
4 t canola oil
1 t dark sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced

Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Transfer rice to a large bowl; fluff with a fork. Cool. Add chicken, carrot, onions, peanuts, and salt. Toss to combine.

Combine lime juice and remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle oil mixture over rice mixture; toss to combine.

Kelly's notes:

• The recipe calls for cilantro, but because I can't eat the stuff, I left it out. Add in 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro if you like it. (Blech.)
• Also, I discovered while the dish was in progress that my garlic bulbs, delivered by Peapod not three days ago, were moldy and sprouting. Thus, I substituted garlic powder, and it worked out just fine. (When will I learn not to order produce from Peapod??)
• In retrospect, I think the recipe could use a higher proportion of rice and carrots, but that's just me.

Taco Salad

I love this taco salad. I shamelessly stole the recipe from my friend Mary Beth, and now I make it all the time. It is as easy as it is delicious.

Mary Beth's Taco Salad
(Note: The amounts in this recipe are approximate. I always just eyeball it. My quantities are sufficient to feed three adults and two toddlers; adjust as necessary for your serving needs.)

1 bag of salad greens (hearts of romaine do nicely)
1 pound of browned ground beef (or soy grounds) seasoned with taco seasonings
2 medium tomatoes, cubed
2 avocados, cubed
about 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
about 1/2 cup to 1 cup tortilla chips, roughly broken into large pieces
French dressing, to taste

In a large salad bowl, mix all of the ingredients together until everything is evenly coated with the French dressing. Serve.

I like to serve this salad with cheese quesadillas on the side.

This dish is very easy to customize. You could add corn, beans, olives, your favorite salsa, or jalapeño slices; you could swap out chicken for the ground beef; or you could even serve it in those taco shell bowls. (Yum! I just thought of that. I'll have to try it next time.)

Carrot Salad ala Kelly

Rug's Bug was kind enough to invite me to contribute to her recipes blog -- I am honored and flattered. I hope my contributions measure up.

My first recipe for your consideration: Last night, I had a hankering for a carrot salad. I had a few recipes to consider (several offered up by Rug's Bug), but I was running low in the ingredients department and needed something simple, quick, and with very few ingredient requirements. Thus, this carrot salad was born. The hubby inhaled it faster than the Dyson could have, which I take to be high praise.







Carrot Salad
serves 3

3 carrots
about 2 T light balsamic vinaigrette
1/4 cup peanuts

Peel the carrots, discarding the outer skin, and then just keep on peeling those suckers until you have a big ol' pile of long, wide carrot strips, sort of like carrot linguine. Toss the carrots in the balsamic vinaigrette until evenly coated.

(At this point, I put the whole shebang in the refrigerator for a few hours to let the carrots soak up the dressing, but that's probably optional.)

Crush the peanuts. To do this, I put them in a ziplock bag and then pounded on them with a big mallet. (Be careful you don't go too wild and end up with peanut butter!) Toss the crushed peanuts with the carrots, and serve.

Zucchini Patties

What do you do when your garden suddenly goes from nothing to this?!


You start shredding zucchini. I told Ruggless I would need a food processor by the end of the month.



This recipe was super simple and it tasted very good. Sometimes zucchini dishes taste bland or the texture is mushy. These were neither. Even my pickiest eater asked for seconds.



(click to enlarge)

Snickerdoodles

Click on the picture for a larger image of the recipe

Black Bean Cakes

I saw this recipe in Cooking Pleasures magazine. It sounded a lot like the Morningstar Spicy Black Bean Burgers, so I just had to try it.

I did run into a couple of snags. The first night I made it, they weren't sticking together very well. Ruggless patted my shoulders and went to Taco Bell to get a Grande Meal. He's nice like that.

I didn't want to waste the ingredients--so I put the bowl in the fridge for a day or two until I could figure out what went wrong.

When I finally had the guts and a backup meal, I tried it again. First I took the potato masher and mashed the beans a bit. Then I added another egg and some breadcrumbs. This helped immensely.


I would suggest making these in the morning and letting them sit in the refrigerator all day. Then making the patties to fry at night. The other thing that helped was I got out my stainless steel pan. The pan needed to be really hot and the non-stick variety didn't seem to do the trick.

Black Bean Cakes
adapted from Cooking Pleasures Magazine

2 cans (16-oz each) black beans, drained but not rinsed
4 green onions, finely chopped (white would also do)
3 eggs
1 cup diced bell pepper
1 cup corn flakes cereal, crushed
1/2 cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 to 6 dashes hot pepper sauce
approximately 2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a medium sized bowl. Mash beans together slightly before adding eggs. Refrigerate 4 to 8 hours.
2. Shape bean mixture into (3-inch patties) using about 1/3 cup per patty.
3. Heat oil over medium heat until hot. Gently cook patties in batches, 6 to 8 minutes or until slightly browned, turning once. Serve with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa.

Makes 12 patties

Homemade Bagels

I tried something I had never done before. Bagels.

I love homemade bread, but the kneading and the rising and punching and the shaping... really wears me out. Thanks to my KitchenAid, I don't need to be so intimidated.

I've set aside two days a week for what I like to call, "Thinking Ahead Cooking". We once again have a deep freeze in which to store things. So Tuesday is baking day and Friday is Main Dish day.

We've planted a small garden this year. I hope to have zucchini, butternut squash, tomato sauce and applesauce in the freezer. And next year we will plant even more. I'm excited to have asparagus, strawberries and maybe I'll be brave enough to plant my own pie pumpkins. But until then I will have to make due with the farmer stands that dot my little area of town. In fact I think I will pick up some cherries and tomatoes this weekend.

So back to the bagels. Now that I made them once--I think the whole process will be much quicker next time. And trust me, there will be a next time, because once you taste them you will never shove a store bought one in your mouth again.

I got the recipe here. I followed Nicole's directions exactly. Except for that part about bread flour. I didn't have any and I wasn't planning on going to the store. So I used all-purpose. I think the bread flour would've produced a smoother dough. But overall I'm happy with the results. Next I'm going to try whole wheat flour. Because really, isn't that the whole point of making your own? They should taste much better than anything you can buy and be better for you as well.

If anyone has a favorite recipe that they like to set back in the freezer, let me know. You can be featured here! I hope to be posting more freezer meals here in the future.

Cinnamon Puffs

I'd love to give credit where credit is due, but I can't remember where I got this recipe.

I'm not much of a morning person. So breakfast is always a challenge for me. With the kids home from school and the hubby on a new schedule, I actually need to have something other than cereal and milk in the house for breakfast.

I was a bit scared when the recipe said, "Serve Warm." I can't see myself whipping up a fresh batch of muffins before, oh, noon. So I made them last night and then rewarmed them in the oven before putting on the cinnamon-sugar topping.

They tasted super yummy with a fresh cup of java. I will definitely be making more of these to put in the freezer.

Cinnamon Puffs

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups milk
1/3 cup butter, plus 1/4 cup, melted and divided
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl.

Combine eggs, milk, and 1/3 cup melted butter in a small bowl. Pour mixture into dry ingredients. Stirring just until moistened. Batter may be lumpy. Spoon into lightly greased or paper muffin cups, filling 3/4's full.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish. When muffins are cool enough to handle, dip the tops in remaining 1/4 cup melted butter, then coat with cinnamon-sugar topping. Serve warm.

Easy Lemon Bars

I say "easy" because even though I felt really yucky yesterday, I managed to throw these together for a BBQ that never happened.

I started with a recipe for The Ultimate Lemon Bar from epicurious.com. But instead of making my own lemon curd, I used the jar version instead. So basically I just used their shortbread recipe.

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 jar lemon curd

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and the sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in the flour until incorporated.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with the bottom and 2 sides lined with aluminum foil. A metal pan is preferred. If using a glass pan lower the temperature by 25 degrees.

Pat the dough into the prepared pan. Use a fork to prick the dough all over.

Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and the top is pale golden. Do not let it brown.

While the shortbread is baking, scoop lemon curd out of the jar and using a whisk make it smooth enough to spread.

When shortbread is done, remove it from the oven. Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees and pour the lemon curd on top of the shortbread. Return to the oven for 10 minutes.

Cool the lemon bars, completely in the pan, on a wire rack. Refrigerate the pan for 30 minutes to set the lemon curd before cutting into bars.

Put some powdered sugar in a strainer and tap over the lemon bars.

Peanut Butter Cookies

I'm not usually one for baking cookies. But I had this really big jar of organic peanut butter in my pantry that no one would eat. So I decided that it would best be disguised in cookies.

They turned out very good. Even though I'm not a huge fan of peanut butter, I had my fair share of these cookies. Dare I say they are even better than Great Harvest's?

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Mix margarine, peanut butter, sugar and eggs with an electric mixer. Stir in baking powder, baking soda, and flour.

If dough is sticky, chill in the refrigerator for a few minutes. Then roll into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Flatten criss cross style with a fork dipped in sugar.

Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

Italian Pot Roast

I told you I'd be posting pictures of the Italian Pot Roast recipe I made from Elise's website. Yummy it was good! I didn't change anything except that I used cubed beef instead of a whole roast. 1. because I had it on hand and 2. I didn't have 4 hours to cook it.

Lemon Turkey Cutlets, Rice Pilaf and Roasted Broccoli with Garlic

The recipe for the Rice Pilaf can be found here. Elise is one of my new favorite food bloggers. I have several of her entries marked. And I've already tried her Italian Pot Roast. Pictures to come!

The Roasted Broccoli can be found here. Kalyn is another food blogger that I've been trying many recipes from lately. She follows the South Beach Diet and her recipes are geared to that lifestyle. I do not follow the South Beach Diet, but the recipes look great and, hey, if the dish is healthier than fast food, I'm in!

The recipe for the Lemon Turkey Cutlets is:

• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless Turkey Cutlets
• salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 egg beaten
• 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup Italian style breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  
• 2 Tbs. finely chopped onion
• 2 swirls of olive oil around the pan

Rinse cutlets with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle cutlets with salt and pepper. Place flour in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, combine egg and lemon juice.
In a third medium bowl, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and onion. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Working in batches, dip cutlets into flour, then egg, and then bread crumbs. Place cutlets in hot oil and cook until brown, about 3 minutes per side.

Honestly? I usually skip the all-purpose flour part. The breadcrumbs stick just fine even without it.

I love this recipe because it is moderately low in fat and because it takes about 15 minutes start to finish. Yummy.

Cajun Chili

I totally stole this recipe from Kelly. It has become a go-to-recipe when I can't think of something to fix. It's fast and simple. See the original posted at Kelly's website,Cajun Chili:Kid Tested. And might I add that her pictures are much better than mine.

The first time I made it, I stuck to the recipe with the exception of using ground turkey instead of pork.

This time I made some changes. I had to double the recipe, because the first time I made it there wasn't nearly enough. Plus I added some carrots (because I have to sneak them in), some white beans and I used ground beef (Buy One Get One Free at the Supermarket!) Oh and one last thing: I didn't have any beer in the house. Yes, I understand the irony in that(For those who don't know, the hubby's second job is to deliver beer). I used 2 cups of beef broth instead. Here's my version. I would highly recommend trying this! I thought it might be spicy and I don't like real chili. Seeing pictures of Kelly's kids eating it made me think it wouldn't be too hot. And it is definitely not your ordinary chili. Try it both ways and see how you like it.

Cajun Chili Remixed (recipe is doubled to make about 10 servings)

2 lbs ground beef, ground turkey or ground pork (you could even mix and match if you wanted)
2 Tablespoons Chili Powder (trust me. It won't be too much)
2 Tablespoons Cumin
8 shakes of the Cayenne Pepper sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 stalks of celery, chopped
a handful of grated carrots
2 cups of beef broth
1 can (28 oz) of crushed tomatoes (don't drain!)
a handful of cilantro, chopped, if desired (I didn't have any)
2 (14.5 oz) cans of Great Northern White beans, drained
salt to taste
garnish with cheese and sour cream, if desired

Using a large pot or stock pot, brown the hamburger a bit and then add the chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper sauce ( I didn't do this and my chili powder started to burn!) . Brown for 5 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, celery and carrots. Let simmer until vegetables start to soften a bit.

Add the beef broth and tomatoes. Stir well, making sure to get all the sticky stuff off the bottom of the pan. Add the cilantro, if using, and the canned beans. Bring to a boil. Season with salt to taste. (I found the broth was salty enough and didn't need to add more. )

Serve garnished with cheese and sour cream, if desired.

Chicken Francese

What do I do with this package of chicken? Do you ever find yourself saying that?
I use a website called Allrecipes quite a bit. There is a feature called "ingredient search" that has proven itself invaluable time and time again. Last night I typed in, "chicken cutlets, chicken broth, and parsley" and this is what it came up with. It was very tasty, and didn't take very long at all. I served it with peas and mushrooms in a butter sauce and garlic mashed potatoes.


INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour 4 eggs, beaten 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1/2 cup white wine 2 cups chicken broth 1 teaspoon chopped fresh

parsley salt and pepper to taste 1/4 cup butter 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon cornstarch

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Coat chicken with flour, then egg beat, then saute in a large skillet until almost cooked through. Drain on paper toweling.
2.	Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
3.	In a medium saucepan combine the wine, broth, parsley, salt and pepper to taste, butter or margarine and lemon juice over medium low heat. Stir together while heating slowly. When butter or margarine has melted, slowly stir in cornstarch until sauce thickens slightly. Place chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish and pour sauce over all.
4.	Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

Taken from Allrecipes.com

White Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies

Recipe Courtesy of Kelly, courtesy of Airan's co-worker.. and who knows where she got it.

These were fantabulous cookies. I mean, really good. Yummy.

I've had "pumpkin" cookies before. They are usually super sweet with some sort of glaze on top. Yuck. I'm proud to announce that there is no glaze on top of these and the white chocolate adds to the flavor of the pumpkin.

I had never made these cookies before.. so I've learned a couple of secrets. First, I will copy the recipe exactly as it was given to me and then tell you what I figured out.

White Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, softened)
1 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup pure pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
10 oz. white chocolate, coarsely chopped (use one that has cocoa butter in it)
1 cup pecan halves and pieces, toasted (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, and baking soda in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in pumpkin puree. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture just until combined. Stir in chocolate and nuts.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoons 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake until set, 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
Store cookies in foil or in a baking tin.

The only alterations to the recipe I made were: I used 1 stick of butter and one stick of margarine. This makes cookies not crunchy, but they don't spread out all over the place either. I also didn't have any cocoa butter white chocolate. I only had a 12 oz. bag of white chocolate chips. So I dumped the whole thing in there. There were too many chips in my opinion. If you are using nuts, then the 12 oz bag would probably be fine. I can't cook with nuts, because the hubby doesn't like them. I know, weird. Anyway, I would probably half the bag.

The cookies are more cake-like than cookie like. They did not spread as much as I thought they would. Perhaps from the margarine. So my first batch turned out like golf balls. With burned bottoms.

The next batch, I made the cookies bigger than a tablespoon. I spread them out a bit with the back of my spoon to make them thinner and rounder. Then I only baked them for 15 minutes instead of 20. I suppose if there was more batter and less chocolate, you would probably have to bake them a bit longer.

It is very important to not store them stacked together. Because of their cake-like consistency, they will stick in one big clump. I found that out when I put some in a sandwich bag for lunches.

Otherwise, they were great cookies and didn't last long around here. I will definitely make them again.

Ranch Dressing

Ranch Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp. dried chives
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Mix all ingredients together. Chill for 30 minutes or longer to let flavors blend.

If you want it more like ranch dip, replace the 1/2 cup butter milk with 1/2 cup sour cream. If you want it lower in fat, replace the sour cream with plain yogurt. If it's not as liquid as you would like make it with 1 cup buttermilk and leave out the sour cream.

Thai Chicken

Thai Chicken Recipe

1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 Tbs all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp ginger
2 Tbs curry powder
2 Tbs honey
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cups water
2 carrots, sliced
cooked rice

In a large skillet, saute onion in vegetable oil until light brown. Add chicken and brown both sides. Sprinkle flour, ginger and curry powder into pan and stir. Add honey, soy sauce, bouillon cubes and water, bring to boil; simmer for 5 minutes. Add carrots. Stir and simmer uncovered for another 25 to 30 minutes. Serve over rice.
Tip: This is a good way to use up leftover rice as well. Instead of serving it over rice, dump the leftovers into the pan with the chicken. The rice will warm and suck up the juices... good as new.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
pinch of salt
1 1/2 squares (1.5 oz) unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
1 1/2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

In small bowl mix at medium speed, sugar, butter (softened), and salt until light and fluffy.
Add melted chocolate, milk and vanilla extract, beating until well blended.

Chicken Fried Steak

Chicken Fried Steak
1 lb. cube steak
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
oil for frying

Mix egg and buttermilk together in a shallow dish. Add pepper and salt to milk mixture. In another shallow dish mix flour and garlic powder.
Take cube steak and dip in flour mixture, then dip in egg mixture. Dip in flour again and place on a plate. Continue with remaining steaks.
In the meantime, heat oil to 365 degrees. Fry each steak until golden brown.

Serve with mashed potatoes and cream gravy. (Hint: The gravy was Jimmy Dean's Cream Gravy mix.... )

White Chip Chocolate Cookies/Banana Bread

White Chip Chocolate Cookies courtesy of Nestle
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup butter or margarine, softened (I use 1 of each. A stick of butter and a stick of margarine)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
2 cups (12 oz pkg) white baking chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by well rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until centers are set. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.

Banana Bread

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup nuts, optional
3 bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
1 tsp soda

Cream butter, sugar and eggs together. Add baking soda. Stir in flour and bananas. Fold in nuts, if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

Confused Soup

It was a marriage of two of my favorite soups. Chicken Noodle and White Bean Potato. I had intended to make Chicken Noodle soup last week. It never got made so I had celery and carrots to deal with. And of course the never ending supply of potatoes. So I mixed 'em all up. I don't know what to call it. It was perfect for a stormy chilly night. I served it with some homemade whole wheat bread.

Rug's Bug's Confused Soup

4 cups chicken broth
2 stalks of celery, sliced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 tsp. dry dill
1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced.
2 (14.5 oz) cans Great Northern beans, drained

Place 4 cups of chicken broth in stock pot. Put celery, carrots and onion in with chicken broth. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until onion is translucent and carrots are soft.

In the meantime, brown chicken breasts in skillet until almost cooked through. Remove from heat until cool enough to dice.

Place potatoes and spices in pot. Add chicken. When potatoes are tender, add beans just until warmed through.

Note: My chicken broth was salty enough, but feel free to add more salt to broth. You can add more spices and pepper too if needed.

Mashed Potato Cakes

Mashed Potato Cakes

1 egg
1 cup leftover mashed potatoes
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 to 2 Tbs. milk
2 to 3 Tbs. shortening or vegetable oil
RB's Additions:
1 tsp. of garlic juice (the juice that surrounds the store bought minced garlic I buy)
1/2 cup of cheese (if adding cheese, you might want to take salt down to 1/2 tsp. so they won't be too salty)

Beat the egg. Mix the beaten egg with the mashed potatoes. Stir in the dry ingredients. Add the milk and mix well. The batter should be very thick. Melt the shortening or heat the oil in a skillet. Spoon batter into the skillet to form 3" to 3 1/2" wide cakes about 1/2" thick. Brown on one side, over medium heat. Turn and brown on the other side.

Spiced Potato Doughnuts

The results are in. Spiced Potato Doughnuts are a hit in our house.

I had to smack some hands to keep enough on the plate for a picture.









As you can see, I had a helper. He started out rolling the dough and cutting the holes out of the center. From the picture, you can't see that he tied his shirt around his waist to keep it out of the flour. He was cutting out holes and donuts faster than I could fry them. His father, the critic, came in and said, "Make them bigger and a little thicker. "

The donut "stick" was born. Father declared it perfect.

Inspired by his success he went Avant Garde on us. All sorts of interesting shapes were fried.
When I first started mixing the dough, my #1 boy asked me if he was going to like them. As I type, he's in the kitchen making his own shapes to fry.

Here's the recipe:

Spiced Potato Doughnuts

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp double-acting baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 large eggs
3 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups mashed cooked russet (baking) potatoes (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp freshly grated orange zest if desired
1 tsp vanilla
vegetable oil for frying

For the coating:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, or to taste


1. Into a bowl sift the flour, the baking powder, the salt, the cinnamon, and the nutmeg. In a small bowl whisk together the eggs, the butter, the sugar, the potatoes, the milk, the zest, and the vanilla until the mixture is combined well, add the potato mixture to the flour mixture, and stir the dough until it is just combined. Chill the dough, covered, for 1 hour, or until it is cold and can be handled easily. Roll out half the dough 1/2 inch thick on a well-floured surface and with a 3- to 3 1/2 inch doughnut cutter cut out doughnuts, reserving the center pieces. With the other half of the dough either cut out round doughnuts in the same manner or shape the dough into crullers. For the crullers, roll the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle about 14- by 5-inches and cut into 5- by 1/2 inch strips. To form each cruller twist 2 strips of dough together and pinch the ends to secure them. Fry the round doughnuts, the reserved doughnut centers, and the crullers in batches in 2 inches of 375°F. oil, or until they are golden, transferring them as they are fried to paper towels to drain.
2. While the doughnuts are still warm roll them, 1 at a time, in the sugar mixture, coating them well. The doughnuts keep, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 1 day.

To make the coating: In a shallow bowl stir together the sugar and the cinnamon.

Yield: 20 doughnuts.

Hungarian Goulash

Blogger's killin' me today. It's taken all day to write two entries on two blogs. Hopefully, it's because they are improving it somehow.

Today I have spent breaking out all the fall/winter clothes and packing away the shorts. I can't say that I'm depressed about that. I hate summer clothes. Give me sweaters and cute boots any day.

I wanted to share a recipe with you that I've found to be quite useful. It's called Hungarian Goulash, and it doesn't even closely resemble what my mom called goulash when I was a kid. (Remind me to blog about my favorite childhood foods someday. It seems I'm always talking about stuff I didn't like. Don't get me started on Spanish Rice)

The reason I tried this recipe even though it had "goulash" in the title, was because it went into the crockpot. Thursday night when the whole fam damily came home from soccer our dinner was waiting for us. Nice.

I love that it uses the cheapest cut of beef known to man. Top Round. It stews in it's own juices all day long and is tender and wonderful for dinner. I prefer to buy it already cut into cubes (think stew meat) but certainly you could use whatever you had on hand and cut it yourself. My family ate the whole crockpot full in one sitting. No leftovers for Ruggy the next day. He had to have a bologna sandwich (hahahahahaha).

Hungarian Goulash

2 lbs round steak - cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 Tbs all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
1 can (14.5 oz) tomatoes
1 cup sour cream

Put steak cubes, onion, and garlic in slow cooker. Stir in flour and mix to coat steak. Add all remaining ingredients except sour cream. Stir well and cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Add sour cream 30 minutes before serving and stir thoroughly. Serve over hot noodles.

Beef Carnitas

I made this recipe last week. I thought it was really good. I used the meat to make Carnitas Tacos. It was a nice change of pace from the usual tacos. Here's the recipe, enjoy!

Beef Carnitas
from the September 2006 Cooking Light Magazine

cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 lbs. beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup less-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 large unpeeled orange wedge

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; saute 4 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; saute 1 minute. Add beef; saute 5 minutes or until beef is browned on all sides. Stir in broth, sugar, salt, and pepper; nestle orange section into beef mixture. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Remove and discard orange. Continue simmering, uncovered, 8 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently. Yield: 4 cups with a serving size of 1/2 cup.

Corn Pone

Corn Pone

Bottom Layer:
1 lb hamburger, browned and drained
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1 can sweet corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes
Leftover cooked rice, optional (I've never used the rice)

Cornbread:
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil


1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2.Brown hamburger and onion together. Drain grease.
3.Place hamburger mixture in the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish. Add corn, beans, tomatoes and rice, if using.
4. To make cornbread: In a large bowl, combine corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add milk, egg and oil. Beat until fairly smooth, about 1 minute (don't mix it too much it will turn tough).
5. Drop cornbread batter by the tablespoon over the top. Bake in oven for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Serve with sour cream, cheese and salsa, if desired.