Onion Rings

 Yummy!  Batter stays on well and browns nicely.  This recipe is by Marsha Moore, Poplar Bluff, Missouri and submitted to Taste of Home.  Mom used large yellow onions on this and they were great! If you have leftovers, use a toaster oven to reheat or they will be a little soggy.

Onion Rings

2 large sweet onions
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup  water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/8 50 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Vegetable oil for deep fat frying

 Cut onions into 1/2 inch slices; separate into rings. Place in a bowl; cover with ice water and soak for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine egg, water, oil and lemon juice in a bowl. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne; stir into egg mixture until smooth.

Drain onion rings; dip into batter. In an electic skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat 1 inch of oil to 375F. Fry onion rings, a few at a time, for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Yield: 4-6 servings

Editor's Note: Onion rings may be keep warm in a 300F oven while frying remainder of batch.

Curried Leek Soup

 This was so yummy.  This recipe by Arnold Foss of Mercer Maine was submitted to Taste of Home.  When I made this, I used regular evaporated milk because that is what I buy. I've also tried it with vegetable broth and it was still great.

Curried Leek Soup

3 medium leeks (white portion only), thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 can (14 1/2 oz) chicken broth
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrots
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 can (12 oz) fat-free evaporated milk

In a 3 qt saucepan, saute leeks and garlic in butter over medium heat until tender. Add the broth, water, carrots, celery, bouillon, curry powder and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Cool slightly.

Place 1 cup soup in a blender or food processor; cover and rocess until smooth. Return to pan. Add milk; heat through but do not boil. Yield: 4 servings.

Hobbit Seed Cake

I wanted a Hobbit based treat for the Dewey's 24 hour Readathon.  This is very likely what J R R Tolkein grew up eating.  I had to substitute poppy seeds for the caraway as my brother has trouble with caraway. Original recipe said to bake for 1 hour - cake is too dry.  50 minutes would work better.  Otherwise, this is a light scone in texture.

Recipe is taken from Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management, 1861 and I give credit to this link for posting it. http://www.innatthecrossroads.com/seedcake-the-hobbit/

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. of butter (2 sticks)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground mace
•  1 Tbs seeds (caraway is traditional, but I like poppy seeds)
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 2 cups flour

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the spices and seeds, followed by the eggs and brandy, beating to combine. Gradually add the flour, stirring until everything is mixed together completely. Pour this thick batter into a tin lined with buttered paper, and bake it at 350F for 50 minutes.

No pan size indicated, but other suggest 8-9 inch pan.  I used an 8 in square with parchment paper.

Mango Bread

This is a totally yummy quick bread recipe that for some reason never made it on my blog.  So now it will be!  This is from Taste of Home contributor Jo Sherley of Kuhului, HI.   Heavy on fruit, so pay attention to the pan size which is smaller than usual. Too big and the center won't be baked by the time the outside is done.  While this recipe came from the book, it is available online here.

Mango Nut Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups chopped mangoes
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or macadamia nuts

In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In another bowl beat eggs, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in mangoes, dates and nuts (batter will be tiff). Spoon into two greased 8-in x 4-in x 2-in loaf pans. Bake at 350F for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to wire racks. Yields 2 loaves

Ham and Pasta Casserole

Today's recipe is based on a recipe posted by Diana Rattray, the About.com guide for Southern Cooking.  I didn't write down the actual name of the recipe or I'd give a link to it.  This was a yummy way to use up leftover ham.  It's pretty similar to mac and cheese with extras.  I used a 2 quart, wide baking dish plus a 1 quart baking dish and there was still too many bread crumbs. So, I recommend starting with 1 cup and deciding whether the extra 1/2 cup seems too much.  I made some other variations, so this recipe reflects what I did.  If you add more pasta, you need to increase the milk or it will be too dry.

Cheesy Ham and Pasta

12 ounces penne pasta, about 3 cups
10 oz. bag of frozen peas
4 tablespoons butter
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
2 cups diced ham
2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, about 12 ounces, divided

Topping
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter

Spray a 2 quart

Handy Meat Pies

:Photo from Taste of Home. To be replaced by my own soon.

My Mom made these and they are SO good!  They aren't very large so definitely 2 for most adults. So yummy!  Mom used italian sausage (squeeze out of tubes).  You can use hot if you want.

Originally published as Handy Meat Pies in Taste of Home April/May 1998

Handy Meat Pies

3/4 pound ground beef
3/4 pound bulk pork sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tubes (12 oz each) buttermilk biscuits

• In a large skillet, cook beef and sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add onions and garlic; cook until tender. Stir in parsley, water, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Heat through. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• On a floured surface, pat 10 biscuits into 4-in. circles. Top each with about 1/3 cup of the meat mixture. Pat remaining biscuits into 5-in. circles and place over filling; seal edges with water. Press edges together with a fork dipped in flour; pierce the top.
• Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown and filling is hot.

Nutrition Facts

1 each: 214 calories, 10g fat, 29mg cholesterol, 593mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate, 11g protein.

Coconut Cake

This was absolutely yummy.  I wanted a coconut cake for my birthday and I wanted a frosting that wasn't so sweet. This was excellent!  This recipe is from Pillsbury.com.  I don't have 8 inch cake pans and used 9 inch instead, which meant that I couldn't torte them (split for 4 layers).  The center filling is just a little thicker.  I also found I didn't have to use anywhere near a whole bag of coconut.

Coconut Cake

1 box (1 lb. 2.25 oz) butter recipe yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup canned coconut milk
1/2 cup water
3 eggs
1/2 bag (14 oz) flake coconut
2 cups sugar
1 container (16 oz) sour cream
1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract

Heat oven to 350°F. Generously grease bottoms and sides of 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with shortening.  Lightly flour.  In large bowl, beat cake mix, butter, coconut milk, water and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Pour batter into pans.  Bake 33 to 38 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans to cooling racks; remove waxed paper. Cool completely, about 40 minutes.

In medium bowl, stir together 2 cups of the coconut, the sugar and sour cream. Spoon 2 cups of the mixture into large bowl; stir in whipped topping, coconut extract and 1 cup of the remaining coconut. Set aside.

Spread one-third (about 2/3 cup) of the coconut-sour cream mixture without whipped topping on first layer. Top with remaining layer, cut side down.   Frost top and side of cake with reserved coconut-whipped topping mixture. Press remaining coconut into top and side of cake. Cover; refrigerate 8 hours before serving. 

16 servings. Each serving 529 calories, 27g fat, 359 mg sodium, 66 carbs, 2g fiber, 5g protien.

Ham & Noodle Casserole

Ok, this was pretty yummy.  Not very diabetic friendly, but yummy.  FWIW, the rule of thumb if you are diabetic and want casserole is to limit your serving to 1 cup and have some salad on the side. I detest lots of added vegetables to casseroles.  I think it's a texture thing.

This recipe was submitted to Taste of Home by Ruth Hasting of Louisville, IL and is featured in one of their cookbooks (add title here).  The recipe, as it appears in the book uses low-fat this and that and I don't do that (most low fat stuff replace fat with sugar - worse for diabetics).  For mixed vegetables, I used peas and carrots. I just avoid combos that include green beans because they need to cook longer than the vegetables they are dumped in with and that result just doesn't work for me.  If you want a really strong ham flavor, quickly pan fry the ham after it is cubed. 

Ham and Noodle Casserole

6 ounces uncooked yolk-free fine noodles
1 1/2 cups (12 oz) small curd cottage cheese
1 package (10 oz) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and drained
1 cup cubed fully cooked ham
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons grated Parmesian cheese
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 tsp dill weed or 1 tbsp snipped fresh dill
1/4 tsp salt

Cook noodles according to package directions, drain. In large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add noodles and toss to coat.  Transfer to a 2 quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray.

Cover and bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake for 5-10 miutes until heated thoroughly. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Yield 4 servings.

Over-ripe Watermelon Drink

Didn't use the watermelon fast enough, so when I started slicing, I saw a lot of 'soft' watermelon.  The texture makes it inedible although the fruit is still fine.  A gal from Texas recommended trying this and it worked well!  You can add other fruit juices for a punch, or add in a little red wine or sherry for some kick.  Try a small amount before dumping your watermelon. If you don't like 'pulpy' drinks, you could use some cheesecloth to strain the watermelon pulp out. Not a step I need.

Over-Ripe Watermelon Drink

Deseed watermelon. Add in sections to a blender and pulse a few times, then put on high to blend the heck out of it. Chill.   Also, chill cans of 7 Up.

Stir watermelon before serving.  Put some ice in a glass. Fill the glass with equal portions of watermelon juice and 7 up. Add a tablespoon or two of reconstituted lemon juice. Stir. Serve. 

PB&J Supreme Sandwich

Discovered today that this sandwich recipe is not here!  So, let me tell you - this is an AWESOME Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich (PB&J).  The recipe comes from an early HGTV show (back when they featured cooking and gardening) called Savoire Faire with Nick Manojiovich.  This was from Episode 105 Sunday Stuff.  This is totally yummy.   My only change is that I don't include the honey (allergy and diabetes).  This is not diabetic friendly, so plan on this sandwich for lunch on a day when you will follow it with lots of activity.

PB&J Supreme Sandwich

Challah bread (whole wheat, 7 grain or raisin bread can substitute)
Smooth or crunchy peanut butter
Favorite Jam (mine is grape)
Raisins
Unsalted sunflower seeds
Banana, sliced
alfalfa sprouts (optional)

Spread peanut butter on both pieces of bread.
Spread jam lightly on both sides of bread.
Evenly sprinkle raisins and sunflower seeds on one bread - top with banana slices.
Add alfalfa sprouts if desired.
Put other slice on top of the other. Slice in half. Eat!

Spinach Linguine with Salmon, Lemon and Dill

What do you do when you have can after can of canned salmon?   My late brother bought a lot of this stuff and after awhile, I got a little tired of salmon cakes.  So, tried this recipe and it was darn good!

Spinach Linguine with Salmon, Lemon and Dill

From 365 Ways to Cook Pasta by Marie Simmons

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 can (7 1/4 oz) red salmon, drained
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely shredded or grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
12 oz. spinach linguine

Heat butter in a skillet, stir in garlic, saute 1 minute. Add salmon, lemon juice, lemon zest and dill; do not stir.

Meanwhile, cook the linguine in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente, or firm to the bite, about 12 minutes; drain. Place linguine in a large shallow bowl; add the salmon sauce; toss just once, being  careful not to break up the pieces of salmon.

Serves 4; Takes 25 minutes of prep and cooking.

Mini-Mexi Nachos

Mom was inspired to find this recipe when we got a deal on Taco Boats. Yes, small tacos in a boat shape intended for appetizers.  This recipe uses Tostitos Scoops. Totally yummy.  This recipe is from the cookbook from Sam's Club called Fresh, Fast and Fabulous c. 2010.

We had Velveeta to use up (from a family member) plus a package of Old El Paso™ Taco Boats™ mini soft flour tortillas that Mom bought from a grocery discounter.  This was absolutely yummy and I would have it again and again in the future.  Can you use other cheeses? Yes. You just have to figure out how to get it to melt well.  Cheese soup probably would not be a good substitute.  Mom just used a random chili seasoning mix.

Mini-Mexi Nachos

Serves 8

1 lb. ground beef
1 1/3 cups prepared  salsa
1 packet French's Chili-O Seasoning Mix
1/2 lb. Velveeta cheese
1 small can black olives, chopped
1 bag Tostitos Scoops

Cut Velveeta into cubes and set aside. Chop olives into small pieces and set aside. Brown ground beef in large skillet, drain fat and return skillet to stove top. Add salsa and chili seasoning to ground beef and mix well. Add Velveeta cubes to ground beef mixture and stir until cheese melts. Place a tablespoon of ground beef mixture into each Tostitos Scoop. garnish with chopped black olives. Repeat with remaining chips. Serve immediately.

Pub Grub for Burgers

 It's been a very long time since I've posted anything due to family deaths and health issues.  So, we are trying some new stuff again!

Classic bar food, the Bacon-Onion Jam is to die for.  If you make the Jam ahead of time, make sure that it is thoroughly hot before putting on burger (didn't heat evenly in the microwave).  This recipe is from Cuisine At Home, Issue no. 128 March/April 2018.

Classic Cheeseburgers

Combine
1.5 lb. ground chuck
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper

Top:
8 slices yellow Cheddar
4 hamburger buns, halved, brushed with unsalted melted butter and toasted

Combine chuck, oil, salt, and pepper; shape into 4 6 oz. patties. Heat a 12 inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high for 2 minutes. Add patties and cook 3 minutes; flip and cook 3 minutes more. Remove skillet form heat.

Top burgers with Cheddar, cover skillet, and allow cheese to melt, 1-2 minutes. Serve cheeseburgers on buns with Bacon-onion Jam.
4 servings. Each serving 698 calories, 23 carbs.

Bacon-Onion Jam

Cook 1 lb. thick-sliced bacon, diced
Melt:
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 cups diced yellow onions
2-3 fresh thyme sprigs

Stir in:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
salt and black pepper to taste

Cook bacon in a skillet until crisp; transfer to a paper-towel-lines plate and discard all but 1 Tbsp drippings. Melt butter with drippings over low heat. Add onions and thyme; cook, covered, until onions are translucent, 10 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, broth, tomato paste, vinegar and Worcestershire; cook until onions caramelize and become jam-like, 10-15 minutes more. Discard thyme, stir in bacon, and season jam with salt and pepper.
 Makes 16 services (2 cups). 2 Tbsp serving - 194 cal, 9 g carb.

Winter is Coming

Yes, winter is on it's way (and I'm all caught up with Game of Thrones).  I haven't been doing much quilting at all due to a lot of family situations.  A brother, sister and uncle have all passed away this passed year and we are still in recovery mode. In addition, establishing what to do with all the STUFF they left has been and continues to be a chore. Anyway, this funny was found during the elimination. There are variations on the Internet.

Minnesota Temperature Conversion Chart:

60 above
Floridans wear coats, gloves and woolly hats.  Minnesotans sunbathe.

50 above
New Yorkers try to turn on the heat. Minnesotans plant gardens.

40 above
Italian cars won't start. Minnesotans drive with the windows down.

32 above
Distilled water freezes. Lake Superior water gets thicker.

15 above
New York landlords finally turn up the heat. Minnesotans thrown on a sweatshirt.

-0-
Californians fly away to Mexico.  Minnesotans get out their winter coats.

20 below
People in Miami cease to exist. Minnesotans lick the flagpole.

60 below
Polar bears begin to evacuate the Arctic. Minnesota Boy Scouts postpone "Winter Survival" classes until it gets cold enough.

80 below
Mt. St Helens freezes. Minnesotans rent some videos.

100 below
Santa Claus abandons the North Pole. Minnesotans get frustrate when they can't thaw the keg.

297 below
Microbial life survives on dairy products. Minnesota cows complain of farmers with cold hands.

460 below
All atomic motion stops.  Minnesotans start saying . . . "Cold 'nuff for ya, eh?"

500 below
Hell freezes over.  The Vikings win the Super Bowl.

Split Pea Soup

This is my aunt's recipe.  This is a soup. If you like pea soup thick like a stew, put in only 4 cups water.

Split Pea Soup

Vilma Bezek, MN

1 1/2 c ham, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tsp salt; if desire
1 onion; diced
6 cups water; heated
4 medium potatoes; cut in 1/2 in. cubes
2 cups split peas; uncooked
1-2 carrots, shredded
1 stalk celery; diced

Put water and split peas into crock pot. Set to high. Add ham, celery and onion. Add salt if ham had been reduced sodium. Cook for 2 hours on high. Add potatoes and carrots. Cook for another 2 hours. Serve.

To prep ham: Boil ham on bone for 45 minutes. Use water for soup water. Remove ham from bone and cut into cubes and add to soup. Toss bone. Finish according to above directions. Alternative: Just put ham on bone into crockpot. Meat can be cut up and bone removed either before adding potatoes or afterwards.

NOTES : Start this at 1:30, be finished before 6 p.m.  Freezes very well. I honestly never liked split pea soup (loved the smell) until I added potatoes to it. 

Jordon Marsh's Blueberry Muffins

This is the recipe for blueberry muffins that were sold at Jordon Marsh in Massachusetts. The creator, John Pupek later opened his own shop to make the muffins, but has since retired.  I copied the recipe as is. If you would like to see them demonstrated and watch the interview, here's a link. Please note that you use the extra large muffin cups for this recipe. If you use smaller cups, adjust the amount of sugar on top and the baking time.

Pupek explained the blend of flours in his recipe and the fistful of sugar tossed on top of each sweet muffin before baking are important. Mixing the blueberries with some of the flour before adding them to the batter helps hold the blueberries in place so they don't sink and pile together on the bottom.
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups flour (unsifted, blend of bread and pastry)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups blueberries
• 2 teaspoons sugar (for tops)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

On low speed, cream butter with sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and mix until blended. Sift dry ingredients; add to eggs-and-butter mixture, alternating with milk. Mash 1/2 cup of berries and stir into mixture by hand. Add the rest of the berries whole and stir by hand. Grease muffin tins well with butter; grease the top surface of the pans as well. Pile mixture high in each muffin cup, and sprinkle the sugar over tops.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

English Muffin Bread

This is a recipe my sister tried.  I tasted it and it is TOTALLY yummy and makes the best toast. You have to toast it longer than ordinary bread, but it is perfect for melted butter or jam. This recipe was in the Complete Guide to Country Cooking from Taste of Home.  This is a no knead bread, so no bread machine or kneading at all is required! 

 

English Muffin Bread

Jane Zielinski, Rotterdam NY

5 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 packages (1/4 oz each) active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups warm milk (120 to 130 F)
1/2 cup warm water (120 to 130 F)
cornmeal

In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt and baking soda. Add warm milk and water; beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat on high for 3 minutes. Stir in remaining flour (batter will be stiff). Do not knead.  Grease two 8.5x4.5x2.5 inch loaf pans. Sprinkle pans with cornmeal. Spoon batter into the pans and sprinkle cornmeal on top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 375F for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans immediately. Cool on wire racks. Yield 2 loaves

Layered Jello Dessert

Doesn't this look yummy?

Nice striping.  Used smallish bowl for this.

There are several ways of making these jello desserts.  My Mom likes the one with sour cream.  She uses 3-5 strips depending on size of container.  There are 7 layer ones, but they are fussier and look better in glasses than larger containers.  No recipe with this one.  I'll include one with the Holiday version.  Already have the jello. :)

Celebration Cakes

Isn't this great! My sister made this for me.

This is my 2015 Birthday Cake!

Peanut Tomato Soup

This is totally yummy and can be done and in your bowl in minutes.  I love traditional Virginia Peanut Soup but at about 1,000 calories a bowl, you can only have a small serving.  You could make one of the newish recipes, but they just aren't equal to the task.  My late Dad and I agreed that this was actually superior and cheaper (admittedly, we had a certain fondness for Campbell's Tomato Soup).  For a slightly richer soup, use a little cream or half and half for part of the milk.  Recipe comes from The Peanut Butter Cookbook by William I Kaufmann (c. 1977).

Peanut Tomato Soup

1 can (10.5 oz) Campbell's Cream of Tomato Soup
1/4 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
1 1/2 cans of milk

In a saucepan, stir the soup into the peanut butter, a little at a time until well blended.  Add milk gradually while stirring (to avoid lumps).  Heat, stirring occasionally.  Serve.  Makes about 3 cups.