Now that I have started back to work, getting dinner ready and on the table when I get home quickly is key.
Having certain ingredients prepared ahead a good idea. Bell Peppers cut up freeze really well.
Quick and Easy Fajitas
Frozen chicken ( cooked or uncooked) cut into strips
1-2 Bell Peppers cut up
1/2 onion cup up in strips.
Have it all frozen together and dump into a frying pan on low heat. In about 20 minutes everything should be unfrozen and chicken if it wasn't cooked, it will be cooked. Add Fajita seasoning and dinner is done.
Frozen grated cheese also freezes well. Frozen cheese isn't great to just eat, but it works great in lasagnas and casseroles.Bricks of cheese also freeze well, but they are very crumbly so again they are only good for use in casseroles.
The crockpot is a very handy tool. I love being able to throw in a bunch of ingredients in the morning and coming home to a warm yummy smelly meal at night.
This casserole is really easy to make and really good.
2-3 cups of cooked noodles
1 can of tuna
1 can of creme of mushroom soup ( look at last weeks recipe if you want to make your own)
butter
1 onion diced up
Salt and Vinegar potato chips.
Cook noodles in large pot of salted water.
While the noodles are cooking, take a tbsp of butter and melt it in saucepan. Add onions and cook till soft. Mix in 1 can of creme of mushroom soup and 1 can of tuna.
When the noodles are done cooking, drain. Add to the mushroom tuna mixture. Put into a greased casserole dish. Put crushed potatoes chips over top and cook in the oven for 30 mins at 350F.
Serves 2-3
I usually make a double batch of this as it makes great leftovers for lunch the next day.
Due to Benjy's apparent milk intolerance, I cannot have any milk either as we are still Breastfeeding. I really like Tuna Casserole. The core ingredient besides tuna and noodles is a can of cream of mushroom soup. Looking at a can we had in our cupboard, there didn't seem to be too ingredients so I thought I would make my own. The Chief decided to google to see if he could find a recipe for it and he did. I tried it and it turned out perfectly. We couldn't even tell it was not the "real" stuff.
In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and red pepper; drain off liquids.
Stir in the garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar; mix thoroughly. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
To get the flavours to really mellow, putting it into a crock pot for a few hours is a great way to keep it warm and allow the flavours to mix. We serve outs on hamburger buns. It is also great left overs for lunch the next day.
My husband named them Megwich ( inside of manwich).
Madame Benoit's Molasses Hands ( with some adaptations from Me)
5 c flour
1 tbsp baking soda
2.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup lard or shortening
1 cup sugar ( white or brown)
1 egg, beaten
1 cup molasses
1/2 cup strong tea ( different teas add different flavours so experiment)
Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking poweder, and spices.
In a separate bowl, cream the lard, gradually adding in the sugar and eggs. Beat until light cream consistency. Add the molasses and tea, then slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix well and refrigerate for a few hours.
Roll on a well flour surface to 1/4 inch thich and cut out with cookie cutters. Recipe makes at least 10 dozen 1.5 inch cookies.
Bake at 400F for anywhere from 7 to 10 minutes depending on oven.
1 Package of Manicotti Shells (14 shells is best) 1 Package of Frozen Spinach, thawed and drained 1 lb. of cooked ground beef (or any other type of ground meat. Sausage meat, removed the casing is also good) 1 Cup of Shredded Cheese (Mozzerella is best, but we used Cheddar and it was fine) 1 lb. of Ricotta Cheese (400-450g container; Half fat Ricotta can be used) 2, 700ml Jars of Pasta Sauce, preferably Catelli's Garden Select Parmesan and Romano or Tomato and Basil (My tomato allergy forced us to substitute one jar of pasta sauce for a jar of alfredo sauce) 2 Eggs lightly beaten Seasonings for the meat mixture (preferably Italian Herbs, like Savory, Basil, Thyme, etc...)
Preheat oven to 350F. Boil the shells until they are slightly flexible, not too hard, but not soft and fully cooked either. Mix together spinach, meat, shredded cheese, ricotta cheese and 2 eggs until you have a uniform mixture. Prepare the pans, at least 1-inch deep, big enough to fill at least 4 shells per pan (we used 4 9 x 9 foil pans). Grease the tins, and put sauce at the bottom of the tins, not too much, just enough to cover the bottom. To fill the shells, take a ziplock bag and cut out one bottom corner. Fill the bag with meat and cheese mixture, and use the bag to squeeze the filling into each shell. Place the shells into the pan and once the pan is full, cover the noodles with sauce, and garnish with parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, covered, and then uncovered for 10 more minutes. Serves 5-7. If you have extra filling leftover which can happen take about a cup and 1/2 of noodles, some type of sauce and lots of cheese. Mix the noodles, sauce and leftover filling together and cover it in the cheese. Bake the same way as the manicotti and it makes a really yummy pasta bake. Okay I didn't try it when I made it due to using tomatoes, but according to the men in my life it was really good.
I have made this recipe lots, both plain and in cinnamon rolls. Recently though I made this bread into cinnamon rolls loafs. It is so yummy.
Amish White Bread ( originally from All Recipes.com)
COOK TIME: 30 Min READY IN: 2 Hrs 30 Min RECIPE YIELD: 2 - 9x5 inch loaves INGREDIENTS
• 2 cups warm water (45 degrees C) • 2/3 cup white sugar • 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt • 1/4 cup vegetable oil • 5-6 cups bread flour
DIRECTIONS 1. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam. 2. Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp warm cloth). Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. ***(Make sure the kitchen is fairly warm.. If need be turn the oven on to a low temperature, wait a few minutes and then open the door.If your kitchen is still a little chilly, put saran wrap onto of the bowl, then put on the damp warm cloth.) 3. Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans. 4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.
Yummy Variation#1: Rather than making it into loaves, roll out the dough, put butter, cinnamon and sugar on it. Roll it into a roll, cut into 1.5 inch chunks and put into a square pan. Let it then rise to 1 inch about the pans and cook as above. (The bread does get bigger in the oven as well) It makes big cinnamon rolls that are great to have first thing in the morning. Yummy variation #2: Roll out the dough, put butter, cinnamon and sugar on it. Roll it all up into a loaf and put this into the pan to rise. Depending on the amount of sugar used this makes a very sweet, decadent cinnamon roll. Eat it fresh out of the oven or save it till later. It is very good (and quite fattening) with butter melted onto it. If it is cold, put the butter on it and put it into the microwave for 30-45 seconds.
This is a really easy recipe Pie crust recipe
1 lb of Lard ( Tenderflake) or Crisco--comes in a box
6 cups of flour
1 can of clear pop not diet( Sprite, Gingerale, 7up etc)
Yummy Apple Pies I made
Cut the lard up into the six cups of flour using two knives until it resembles a crumbly mixture. Then pour the can of pop into it and mix together. It makes a really good pie crust with enough crust for roughly 6 pies( depending on the size)
Prepare a box of white cake mix. Pour into a greased 9X13 pan. Take Lemon pudding ( either from a can or some that you have prepared) and put blobs on top of the cake. As the cake bakes, the cake will bake over the pudding. Bake the cake as directed on box.
Once the cake cools top it with this:
1 container of lemon or vanilla frosting (add lemon juice to vanilla) mixed with 1/2 to 2/3 a container of cool whip
Mix frosting and cool whip to together.
This makes a really yummy summer dessert.
It must be refrigerated if there happen to be any leftovers.
Meg's Note:
A cool variation although I haven't tried it would be to use a chocolate pudding with white cake and vanilla icing or for even a more death by chocolate combination, chocolate pudding with chocolate cake with chocolate icing.
My goal is to bring you a tasty recipe every Tuesday. Any recipe that I share is something that I have made and know works out well.
This week's recipe is the perfect addition to any Autumn Party.
Kettle Corn ( author unknown)
1/2 cup of popcorn 1/4 cup vegetable oil or butter flavoured oil ( I used canola) 1 1/2 -3 tbsp brown sugar ( lightly sweet to very sweet Salt to taste
Heat oil in a large heavy saucepan that has a lid ( Dutch oven/ spagetti pot) Pour in the popcorn, sprinkle sugar on top, and cover Once the popcorn starts popping, shake continuously until all the popcorn is popped. ( Using oven mitts to hold the lid on as you shake is a good idea) Transfer to serving bowl and salt lightly. Makes 8-10 cups
Side note: Making only 1-2 batches at a time. Any more than that the sugar begins to caramelize in the pot and burn.
I am unfortunately allergic to tomatoes. I developed this allergy when I was 18. I get lovely rashes and headaches when I eat most things with tomatoes in it, but oddly enough, BBQ sauce in small amounts does not bother me.
But no pasta sauce, salsa, or pretty much most things with tomato paste in them. Most things I have lived without, but I have really missed chili. So I did some experimenting the other night and actually came up with a pretty good substitute.
I pureed 1 red pepper with a medium onion with some water. Then I also pureed about 2 cups of zucchini with some water. I mixed them together in a pot with some ground chicken I had fried up. I also added a pack of Old El Paso chili seasoning, a can of white kidney beans, and 1/2 jar of green tomatillo salsa. The end result was quite yummy.
My red pepper chili
Comparing my red pepper chili to the regular chili I made for my tomato loving husband. Doesn't look half bad..
It is the last few weeks of school, so I am wrapping up my food and nutrition class. We made manicotti yesterday, made bannock today, and will be making cupcakes and butter tart squares tomorrow.
The bannock turned out really well. For those not familiar with bannock it is a flat bread made by aboriginal people. It is pretty popular around here with the First Nations people.
It is really easy to make
2 cups Flour
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp baking powder
2 pinches of salt.
Enough water to create a dough.
Mix together and form into hand size patties. Take a pan with about 1/2 inch of oil in the bottom, heat and cook the bannock until golden brown and then flip. We another class I made bannock tacos ( they called them Indian Tacos) or with jam or just butter. My class did a great job in creating it today and it was quite yummy.
Tomorrow we are making cupcakes for the graduation and butter tart bars as well. I will post pictures of the finished product of the cupcakes as they will be made into mini graduation hat heads.
This weekend, I am just in the mood to bake and relax. My classes are all planned for next week. My course starts on Monday so after that I will be pretty busy. I organized the living room a bit and plan to tackle the downstairs bathroom tomorrow, as it doesn't get cleaned often ( due to it not being our main bathroom). My doctors appointment is quickly approaching and I am getting excited. I don't want to get my hopes up too much, as she might say to me to just keeping trying for a bit longer. I hope that doesn't happen.
So my two cooking experiments today were Soft Pretzels and Quick Spice Buns.
Soft Pretzels
My "Pretzel"
For 3 dozen 6-inch sticks or For 1 dozen 6-inch Pretzels
( I didn't find the dough went that far, I got 1 dozen sticks total)
1 tbsp Yeast
1 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
2 tbsp softened butter or softened margarine
1 cup warm (115-+ deg F) water
2 3/4 cups flour
Coarse Salt to sprinkle on Pretzels before baking
5 tsp baking soda mixed in 4 cups water in a non-aluminum saucepan.
1 large slotted spoon to "go fishing"
Greased cookie sheet
Preheat oven to 475 F
Put yeast, sugar, salt, butter/marg, water and ONE CUP of the flour into a medium mixing bowl and pour in the water.
Stir till all smooth, and yeast starts to bubble.
At this point add the rest of the flour, stir till it is mixed in.
When mixture is too stiff to stir with a spoon, begin kneading.
Knead dough till smooth and till it no longer sticks to the bowl and your hands
Allow dough to rise to about double its height.
While dough is rising, grease the cookie sheet. and prepare the baking soda-water mixture and bring to a boil on stove.
When dough is risen enough, punch down, knead for a minute or so, then divide and roll the 6-inch sticks with your hands, to about 1/2 inch in diameter, or 12-15-inch long rolls to make into the pretzel shape.
Allow sticks or pretzels to sit for about 1-2 mins. Place them into boiling water-baking soda mixture one or two at a time.
Let the pretzels boil for 1 minute 10 seconds, then flip them over with the slotted spoon and boil on the other side for 1 minute and 10 seconds.
This boiling step gives them a firm skin and adds some flavour. Not boiling long enough leaves them too soft and allows them to rise too much. Boiling too long makes them tough.
Fish them out of the water, let them drip off and place them on the greased cookie sheet.
When all the pretzels or sticks are done, sprinkle the coarse salt on them.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or till sticks or pretzels are golden brown.
http://strothotte.com/pretzels.php
The Quick Spice Buns are very similar to Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls
One of the buns I made today
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
softened butter
1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and sugar, until the flour is granular in texture. Add buttermilk to make a stiff dough. Knead lightly on a lightly floured board. Roll to 1/4 inch thickness to form a rectangle. Spread with softened butter and sprinkle with brown sugar and spices. Roll up like ajelly roll and cut into 3/4 inch slices. Place on a buttered baking sheet, cut side down. Bake for 15-20 mins in a 450F oven. Serve as is or ice with Butter Icing
Butter Icing
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp buttermilk or milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-2 1/4 cup sifted icing sugar
Cream butter. Add milk, vanilla, and a little of the icing sugar. Mix well. Gradually add remaining icing sugar while mixing until it reaches good spreading consistency. Icing should hold its shape.
I got this recipe from a Dairy Cookbook, can't remember the exact name though.
