Nell Cooks

My Grandmothers Cider Pie

2011-12-09T14:01:00.001-05:00

My Grandmother wasn't known for her cooking skills, before age caught up with her she did enjoy and was good at baking though. A simple pie she would make was a Cider Pie. I am not sure of where she actually found the original recipe, but it is very easy to make and can in fact be a vegan dish depending on how to create the crust.

Personally I cannot remember what type of crust she made with the pie, but I prefer to make it with a graham cracker crust. In doing so it does feel that it is a tad healthier for you. Please excuse the steam in the photo, I took the picture just after I poured the filling into the crust, before it had a chance to chill, I didn't want to forget.

Graham Cracker crust:
18 graham crackers, crushed (2 packages)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl, mix well. Stir in melted butter with a fork until well combined. Divide mixture between 2 pie pans and firmly press into pan and up sides.

Bake for 15 minutes and aromatic. Let cool completely before filling.

Grandma's Cider Pie:

1 1/3 cup sugar
10 Tbs cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
5 cups cider

Mix dry ingredients in a large pot on the stove, add cider. Stir and cook constantly until clear over medium high heat. Pour into a baked pie shell, chill and serve with whipped cream.

Spicy Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

2011-10-28T20:15:00.000-04:00

Sorry, no photo for this one, and there is only a dab left, so not much to go from there either. As you probably have been able to tell, I love pureed soup, and I also happen to love butternut squash soup. It is a fantastic squash to work with because it does not have the stringy characteristics that others do.

This is very similar to my other soups, but I like the spice combination on this one. For the record, the squash to apple ratio should be about 3:1. I really enjoy the addition of the cayenne pepper in this soup, i think that it adds a great kick. I made a whole wheat bread to accompany it and it was a very filling meal.

1 medium onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 Tbs butter
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, and cut into 1-2" cubes
1 large apple, peeled, cored and chopped
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a heavy soup pot over medium high heat, add onion, celery and carrot. Sauté for around 5 minutes, do not let the vegetables brown, lower the heat if they threaten to.

Add the squash, apple, broth and water to the pot, cover and cook over medium heat for around 30 minutes or until the squash and apple are soft. Add the spices, then puree with a hand blender or counter blender until smooth (if counter blender return to pot) adjust seasoning and simmer for a few minutes.

Serve and enjoy.

Italian Plum Cake

2011-09-23T16:51:00.000-04:00

My cousin referred me to this blog Imbi & Itchy, if the link does not work, you can see who I am following publicly and the link should work there. This is another food blog (what else) and I have had so much fun poking through all of the neat recipes that have been tried from all over the world. I highly recommend checking it out, it is a great place to poke and find something new!

Today I made the Italian Plum Cake, let me just say AWESOME!! I am not a cake fan, it is all too sweet for me. This may be an odd statement because I have a terrible sweet tooth, but something about cake doesn't do it for me. I am much more of a pie girl. This is more like a cobbler, and not overly sweet, permitting the fresh plums to shine through.

Here is a picture of my Plum Cake! It was taken with my cell phone, so the quality isn't as good as normal. I highly recommend that you click through and try her recipe!

Pizza Sauce

2011-09-23T16:39:00.001-04:00

We eat pizza sometimes once a week, if not every other week. We very rarely order it, maybe a couple times a year, instead we always make pizza at home. I have a pizza stone that I put in my oven when I turn it on and I have a long wooden paddle to put the pizza in and pull it out with. My kids prefer homemade pizza to purchased, and frequently tell me so!! :-) Typically I have used whatever tomato sauce I have on hand for my pizza, but this year, with my abundance of tomatoes I decided to make my own pizza sauce, and we have already tired it out. The verdict? Great!! This recipe was taken and edited from my Ball Canning Cookbook.

Makes about 6 pint jars.

13 cups of fresh plum tomato purée
1/2 cup bottled lemon juice
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder

Prepare canner, jars and lids.

Place half of the tomato purée in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Maintaining a constant boil, add remaining tomato purée, 1 cup at a time. Stir in lemon juice, oregano, pepper, salt, garlic and onion powder. Boil hard, stirring frequently until mixture is the consistency of a thin commercial sauce, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

Ladle hot sauce into hot jars leaving 1/2" headspace, remove air bubble, adjust headspace, wipe rim…the normal canning processes.

Process for 35 minutes in a hot water bath.

Curried Butternut Squash, Yam and Apple Soup

2011-09-16T13:29:00.000-04:00

Sounds like a mouthful doesn't it! I must admit I wasn't able to taste this until I had some leftover for lunch today, and even still I didn't quite taste it in its glory. I will take the enthusiasm of my husband and sons as proof enough that it tastes fabulous. I have a cold, I can taste nothing. But to me it was hot, thick and satisfying in my stomach.

This is a great crockpot recipe, and of course my favorite dish, SOUP!! I call yams "sweet potatoes", to me they are interchangeable vegetables, but to be accurate, I made sure to say "yam" in the title.

2 Tbs butter
2 cups of chopped onion
1 Tbs curry powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2lbs peeled, seeded and chopped into 1-2" cubes of butternut squash
1lb peeled and chopped into 1-2" cubes of sweet potatoes or yams
1lb peeled, cored and chopped apples
1/4 cup white rice (next time I am putting brown in)
6 cups of chicken stock
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper

Melt butter in a skillet and add onions. Cook until onions are translucent, but not browned. Sprinkle curry and ginger and mix well. Sauté for another 5 minutes, or until fragrant, remove from heat and pour mixture into slow cooker.

Place squash, yams, apple and rice in slow cooker (in that order), pour chicken stock over mix and add salt and pepper (DO NOT STIR). Cook on high for 1 hour, then reduce to low for 5 more hours.

Stir mixture and puree with a hand blender or blender until smooth.

Lo Mein

2011-09-09T15:11:00.000-04:00

Made this last night for dinner, I used chicken, but after the fact I can easily see how it could be made with a variety of other meats or completely meatless. We love chinese food, LOVE IT!! My kids love it, and I wish that I knew how to it more. So in with that desire, I am attempting to learn, I can follow a recipe, so there is no reason not to try!

This recipe says that it makes enough for 6-8 people…But I doubled it anyway because it was our main and only dish for dinner. Yes we did have leftovers, but I cannot see it really feeding that many people in its original form. I'd double it, as I did, if you plan to use it as your key dish during the meal.

In addition, so many different vegetables could be added to this dish. Don't have one of the veggies listed? Substitute something else, or add more to your liking!

Lo Mein

1/2 pound angel hair pasta
3 Tbs hoisin sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 Tbs minced fresh ginger
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 to 5 shiitake mushroom caps, thinly sliced ( I used about 3/4 of a 10oz container of baby portabella mushrooms)
1/2 cup carrots, julienne
1 cup broccoli florets, blanched and shocked in ice water before using
1 cup sugar snap pea pods, halved
1 (15oz) can chinese baby corn, drained and cut into thirds

Meat options: 1 to 1 1/4 pounds of choice of chicken, beef, pork, tofu…cut into bite-size strips

Cook the noodles according to the package directions until just tender. Drain, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and set aside.

In a small bowl, mis the hoisin sauce, chicken broth, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch, set aside.

Heat 1 Tbs of the vegetable oil in a large wok or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the finer for 30 seconds, then add the onion and stir-fry for an additional 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and carrots and stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Finally add the broccoli, pea-pods and corn. Stir-fry it all together for another 2 minutes then transfer mixture to a plate if you are planning on using meat (if not skip meat step, do not remove veggies from pan and continue on in directions).

Heat the remaining Tbs of oil in the pan. Add half of the meat of choice and stir-fry it until it is no longer pink, remove from pan and do the same with the remaining meat.

Return all meat, vegetables and noodles to the pan, pour sauce over it. Using two spatulas, or a pasta hook and large wooden spoon lightly toss the mixture until heated through, about 3 minutes.

Salsa for canning

2011-09-09T14:49:00.000-04:00

It is that time of year again, the bounty from the garden is bursting through the door, the public farmers market is full of sweet scents, my body is tingling to get in the kitchen and preserve what I can from the summer for the cold winter ahead.

I have been making this salsa recipe for the last four or five years, and I am not sure if I ever make it the same way. I never remember from the year before how many jalapeño peppers I put in it, so each year it is a guessing game. Currently my jars are labeled by batch, so once we get into the jars, we can then know which one is hotter than the other.

I must say that we eat a lot of salsa, it is a relatively healthy snack, and it can be used in recipes in addition to eaten alone, and out house feels odd when the shelf is empty. We ran out the end of May this year, so I made an extra batch in hopes that it will get us through until the canning season next year.

Nell's Salsa for canning

10 cups roughly chopped tomatoes
5 cups seeded and chopped bell peppers
5 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups hot peppers, chopped and seeded (this makes a salsa with a little kick, but still okay for my kids, add more for a hotter salsa)
1 1/4 cups cider vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs cilantro, chopped fine
3 tsp salt
1/2 can of tomato juice (23oz) (I have been known to use V8 before)
1 6oz can tomato paste

Combine all ingredients except tomato paste in large sauce pot. Simmer until desired thickness (about an hour for me) Stir in tomato paste and simmer for about another 10 minutes, stir well.

Ladle hot salsa into hot jars leaving 1/4" head-space. Process 15 minutes in a hot water bath.

Pork loin marinade

2011-07-29T13:20:00.002-04:00

This is a good way to marinade pork loin, easy and pretty simple.

3lb pork loin (or less)

1 cup beer

½ cup honey

½ cup Dijon mustard

½ cup oil

2 Tbs onion powder (or fresh onion minced, but use more of course)

1 ½ tsp rosemary

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp pepper

Combine marinade ingredients and place in ziplock bag along with the meat. Place bag in bowl and permit to meld for 12-24 hours.

Grill on a preheated grill.

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak

2011-07-29T13:16:00.001-04:00

Guess what! I got my hands on flank steak for $2.99 a pound a Price Rite! Since it is normally $9.99 a pound at my local supermarket, I tend to think that this price was AWESOME! Here is a quick little marinade that I put it in before I grilled it.

Prepping the meat for the marinade:

Be sure to score the meat against the grain about ½” apart before you put it in the marinade, I find that it helps the meat absorb as much as possible, and lets admit it, flank steak is not know to be very tender unless you marinade it and cut it against the grain.

1/3 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 Tbs red wine vinegar

1/3 cup soy sauce

¼ cup molasses

½ tsp ground pepper

Combine above ingredients and mix well. Place 1lb flank steak in zip lock bag along with marinade. Squish everything around to be sure that the meat if full coated. Place bag in a bowl and in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours… or in the morning if you don’t remember to do it the night before.

Grill on a preheated grill about 5-6 minutes per side. Remember flank steak is best medium rare because the more done it gets, the tougher the meat will become. AND REMEMBER TO CUT IT AGAINST THE GRAIN, or you will be chewing and chewing….

While the meat is cooking take the remaining marinade and bring it to a boil on top of the stove, make sure you stir it or it'll boil over. Use this as a sauce to top your meat if you'd like!

Bean Salsa Salad

2011-07-29T13:05:00.001-04:00

A great summer salad to serve at picnics or at home with a quick meal. I find it a great little kid food cause they love the beans and can pick up the pieces with their fingers. It is important to let this sit and incorporate the flavors together to make it yummy!! It is best made at least 4 hours ahead, but better 24 hours ahead.

Yield 10 cups:

1 16oz can corn, drained and rinsed

1 16oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 16oz can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup chopped tomato

⅓ cup sliced green onion or sweet onion like Valencia

2 Tbs olive oil

3 Tbs red wine vinegar

1 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped

1 ½ tsp cumin

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.

Lately I have been adding either 1 minced jalapeno or 1 can diced green chili’s to the mix as well. Both with great, but different results!

Whole Wheat Pizza dough

2011-07-29T12:58:00.001-04:00

I keep promising to post this recipe for a few people, today I have forced myself to dig around and find the couple of recipes at the front of my brain that should be posted here. I am much more of a cook I feel when the weather is cooler. I have such a hard time turning on the stove/oven when it is hot outside. Instead I cook as much as humanly possible on the grill, and yes that includes sometimes pizza.

Makes a 1lb ball:

1 cup whole wheat flour (often times I substitute white whole wheat flour here)

1 cup white flour (I always use white whole wheat flour here, it is interchangeable with white flour)

1 package rapid rise/quick rising yeast (2 ¼ tsp yeast)

1 tsp salt

½ tsp sugar

¾ cup hot water (remember not too hot so that you kill the yeast)

1 Tbs olive oil

Combine flour, yeast, salt and sugar in food processor, pulse. Combine water and oil in measuring cup, add to flour mixture while running. (no Amelia Bedelia antics here)

Once combined, run 1 minute to knead. If dough is too sticky and does not form in to a ball, add 1 Tbs of flour. Remove from processor and let rest on a lightly floured cutting board for 10-20 minutes.

Greek Pasta Chicken

2011-05-20T19:02:00.002-04:00

There would have been enough left over for lunch for 1 tomorrow, but my husband is eating them up right now cause he just "can't wait". If that is not an endorsement, I don't know what is.

Timing is everything with this dish, I see so many recipes that say approximate time to complete the tasks at hand, but I don’t think anyone except professionals with assistants can ever accomplish them in the allotted time. I apologize for the extreme basic directions, but I found as I put together the dish this way it all came together while hot and nothing was waiting for something else to finish.

1lb of pasta

1 Tbs olive oil

½ Tbs butter

3 cloves garlic, crushed

½ cup chopped onion (1 medium)

1lb boneless skinless chicken, cut into bite size pieces

1 10oz jar artichokes in marinade, drained with marinade reserved and artichokes chopped

I jar capers, drained

1 14.5oz can of Italian style diced tomatoes

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

3 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped

2 Tbs lemon juice

2 tsp dried oregano

2 lemons, wedged for serving

Fill pot with water and a dash of salt, set and begin heating. While heating prep your items, peel and crush your garlic, peel and chop your onion. (I put both in a bowl together since they are added together). Prep all the rest of the items that you will need for the rest of the recipe at this time as well. I have them in various bowls or on the cutting board waiting to be added, or just simply opening the can of tomatoes, or draining the capers.

Right before you are ready to add the pasta to the boiling water, it is time to rock and roll. Start heating the olive oil and butter together over medium high in a large skillet. Add the pasta to the boiling water and then add the onion and garlic (to the skillet with the oil and butter) and sauté for 2 minutes, then add the chicken and liquid from the artichokes (skillet). Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 5-6minutes stirring occasionally. The pasta should be just about finished by this point…Add the artichokes, capers, tomatoes, feta, parsley, lemon juice and dried oregano to the chicken/onion mixture, stir to mix thoroughly, about 2 minutes more. During this 2 minutes you can drain your now cooked pasta and add it to your serving dish, then add the chicken mixture to the dish as well and toss well.

Serve with lemon wedges for some fresh lemony goodness squeezed on top!

Soy-Peach Pork Chops

2011-05-06T08:30:00.002-04:00

I am out of habit, which means I completely forgot to take a photo of tonights meal. I could take one of the little plastic container that is holding the leftovers for my husbands lunch today, but it wouldn't give the same effect I'm afraid.

This glaze/sauce in hind sight could be used for tofu or thin chicken cutlets as well.

4 boneless 1" pork chops
salt/pepper
olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
4 tsp minced garlic
2 Tbs soy sauce
½ cup peach jam (or a full half pint jelly jar)
1/3 cup chopped green onions

Season pork chops with salt and pepper, brown in oil over medium high heat. About 5 minutes per side. Set chops aside and scrape up brown bits from bottom of pan. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes, add garlic and saute until fragrant (around 60 seconds). Add jam and soy sauce, stir till bubbly and well mixed. Return chops to pan, lower heat to simmer and sprinkle with green onions. Cover and let meld together for about 3-5 minutes. serve

Nell's Pork Medallions

2011-04-07T21:05:00.000-04:00

I'm at a loss as to what to call these, they are so simple and scrumptious….

1 medium pork loin
⅓ cup flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
3 eggs
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs butter

Prep work:
   Place flour on small plate, mix with salt and pepper
   beat eggs in a bowl
   place bread crumbs in another bowl

Melt olive oil and butter together in a frying pan. In a stock pot, create 4-5 softly crumbled foil balls to create sort of a shelf so that what sits on the foil doesn't touch the bottom of the pan. Add about 1 cup of water, maybe less depending on your pot size, be sure it only comes up halfway max on the foil balls. bring to a simmer while you:

Slice loin into 1" medallions, pound each one 1 or 2 times with a meat cleaver. I whack mine 1 with the bumpy side, then the second time with the flat side. Dredge one at a time in the flour, then the egg and finally the bread crumbs placing the breaded item in the now hot frying pan. Working in small batches brown both sides (about 2 minutes each). Strategically place them as they finish browning in the pot on top of the tin foil. The dredging process and browning moves quickly, so be sure to have everything ready. Once they are all browned and in the pot, cover with a lid and bring water to a boil, let it go for about 20 minutes. Remove and serve with fresh lemon wedges.

The steaming part really adds moisture to the meat, making it almost fork tender. A little bit of fresh squeezed lemon juice is all they need.

German-Style Potato Salad

2011-04-07T20:48:00.001-04:00

Dinner tonight was fantastic! Different than what I typically make, so perhaps that is partially why it was so good. We all need a change up now and then. We had pork medallions, I'm not sure what to call them, but they are so tender, and were partially steamed! To go with it we had the broiled asparagus and German Potato Salad.

Per request of Jamie, who doesn't have the cookbook the recipe came from, here you go!

I used the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, I love this cookbook and I think it should be a staple in every kitchen. I have a few different editions because there is always something a little different or missing in every new edition. I use my pink "breast cancer awareness" one the most.

1¼ pounds red or white potatoes
5 slices bacon (it calls for 4, I use 5)
½ cup chopped onion
1 Tbs flour
1 Tbs sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp celery seeds
½ tsp dry mustard
¼ tsp black pepper
⅔ cup water
¼ cup white vinegar

In a medium saucepan place halved potatoes add a small amount of water to cover, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Drain well, cool slightly and then peel and cut potatoes into ¼" slices. Set aside (you wont even need a knife to peel them, just use your fingers)

For dressing, in a large skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon, reserving 2 tablespoons of the drippings in skillet. Drain bacon on paper towels, and crumble.

Add onion to the reserved drippings, cook over medium heat until tender. Stir in flour, sugar, salt, celery seed, dry mustard and pepper. Add the water and vinegar. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add potatoes and bacon, cook stirring gently for 1-2 minutes more or until heated through

Seriously...

2011-04-01T11:20:00.000-04:00

I have a pile of post it notes in front of me, all scribbled and stained from being part of my cooking process. However as I established recipes on them, often I have forgotten to write the title of the recipe down thinking that I would be blogging the recipe within a few days and not forget the other "key" ingredients. For example….

I can tell that I used this as a glaze, and I am going to deduce that it was for a pork loin because of the internal temperature. I remember liking the maple glaze, but obviously this recipe didn't hit me in the head and stay in my memory, that, or I am just a little nuts.

Then there was this one.

I couldn't tell you what this was for….

Nell's Meat Hot Sauce

2011-04-01T10:48:00.001-04:00

I am sorry that it has been so long since I have posted, I keep saying that I need to post, yet I have not gotten around to it.

Every region or city is known (or at least should be) for a local dish or delicacy. In our area one of the most popular is the Garbage Plate, invented by Nick Tahou's or Nick Tahou's wiki in 1918. This dish is a hodgepodge of starches and meats with the only hint of a fruit or veggie being the ketchup squirted on top or the slight chance of celery in the macaroni salad. There are such a wide range of combinations that include potatoes (either french fries or home-fries) mac salad and/or beans, then topped with a meat (hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, fish or a combination of both. Then the hole concoction is topped with meat hot sauce, ketchup, mustard and diced onions (and then sometimes topped with a fried egg). Does it surprise you that it has been listed as the the most unhealthy food in New York State? It may look or sound atrocious to any non native of the area, but is loved by locals, and is wildly copied by many restaurants (trash plate, sloppy plate, etc).

I enjoy making plates at home with a variety of basics. I either use home-fries, tater tots or french fries with macaroni salad and typically cheeseburgers. For years I have been trying and trying to come up with a meat hot sauce to top it with (I prefer them smothered) that is comparable to the Nick Tahou's secret recipe. After many disappointing and failed attempts, I have finally come up with something that I am thrilled with.

1 pound ground beef
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup bbq sauce
1 Tbs chili powder
2 Tbs ground mustard
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin
1 Tbs worcestershire sauce
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 cup water

Saute beef and onions in pan over medium high heat continually mashing with a potato masher. Just before it is completely done add the garlic, cook for another 30 seconds or so. Drain fat and then pulse in food processor for only 2-3 times, then return mixture to pan. Add remaining ingredients and bring to simmer, simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally….

Maple-Parsnip Soup

2011-02-16T08:29:00.001-05:00

This is going to either be a hit or miss with my viewing public. However like all of my meals it is a cheap, yet hearty meal, easy to whip up on a cold night. I always try to gear my meals according to the season, what is fresh, local and ultimatly in season.

Personally I love parsnips, they are not as widely accepted in my household, but I do make them occasionally to satisfy my palate, and to give everyone some variety. (that gives me an idea for a post, but I will save that thought for a later time)

If you love parsnips, you will love this soup, no doubt about it! It came from my Mother, who found it in a cookbook by a Canadian author, but that is the extent of my knoledge of its origin.

3 Tbs olive oil or butter
1 pound parsnips, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 Tbs Dijon mustard
salt to taste

Melt butter (or heat olive oil) in a soup pot. Add parsnips, onion and garlic and saute until onions are translucent but not brown. Add broth and nutmeg, bring to a simmer and cover cooking until parsnips are soft. (30-40 minutes) Remove from heat and add evaporated milk. Puree soup in a blender or with a hand blender until smooth. Return to pot and add maple syrup, mustard and salt.

****A tip for adding the mustard, add it like you would add an egg to hot milk. Pour a small amount of the hot soup into a bowl with the mustard and whisk, then add the entire mixture to the rest of the batch, that way the mustard will not be lumpy.***

Spaghetti Puttanesca

2011-02-09T15:22:00.000-05:00

I love flavor….I especially love the flavor that anchovies give to a dish….My husband does too, but has instructed me to never tell him if they are in a dish, the flavor he likes, the knowledge of their existence he does not. I love tossing capers, anchovies and olive oil in pasta, oh so good!!

This is a little spicy. My 2 year old liked it the 1st night, but didn't like the leftovers because they had had time to stew and the heat had intensified. My addition of cheese on the top is a nono from what I have been instructed from italian cuisine (but it was good)

1lb spaghetti cooked according to your preference (we always use whole wheat)
1 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 tin of anchovies, drained and chopped
1 small can of tomato paste
1 3oz jar of Nonpareil Capers
40 big green pitted greek olives, sliced in half
1 tsp red pepper flakes

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan, add the garlic, cook until golden. Next add the tomatoes, anchovies, tomato paste, capers, olives and pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat for around 10 minutes stirring occasionally.

Toss with pasta and serve.

Pork and Udon Noodle Soup

2011-02-09T14:42:00.001-05:00

Oh my goodness this was great! This was the first time that I have worked with udon noodles, and they were great. I can't wait to find something else that I can do with them.

This soup is topped with a poached egg, it is the perfect topping, so don't skip it, the runnyness of the yolk is a great addition. I am a complete failure when it comes to poaching eggs. I do not have a special pan to do so, and no matter how many times I have tried to do the swirling water method, I fail. My method may not be poaching per say, but it works and is still just as healthy. I found the original recipe in one of the mens fitness magazines that Jason brought home, but I couldn't tell you which one, I just tore the recipe out for future reference.

My recipe will feed about 4 people

1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 scallions, chopped
½ lb ground pork
2 tsp soy sauce
½ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp pepper
6 cups beef stock
4 eggs
8 oz udon noodles

Before starting the rest of the preparation, fill a large pot with water and start it heating for the noodles, that way it'll be ready to go when you are. If it gets ahead of you, cover and turn it to a simmer till you are ready to go.

In large soup pot heat olive oil, add ginger and cook until fragrant ( about 1-2 minutes) add garlic and cook for an additional minute, but don't let it brown or it will become bitter. Add half of the scallions (reserving the other half) ground pork, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Cook until pork is cooked through. Be sure to break up the meat as it cooks so it doesn't turn into large lumps. I use a potato masher like this when i brown meat to prevent it from clumping up. Once meat it cooked add the stock and bring to a boil.

Poaching the eggs:
My method of poaching eggs is easy. For it you will need a cooking spray, a sauce pan and a few 6oz ramekins.
Fill the sauce pan about halfway up with water, bring to a simmer, meanwhile spray ramekins with cooking spray and crack an egg into each one. Place in hot water and cover with a lid, cook until desired doneness, but be sure to leave the yolk a little runny for this recipe.

While you are poaching the eggs add the noodles to the water you thoughtfully brought to a boil ahead of time, cook for about 6 minutes (al dente). When finished, drain and divide into bowls, top with soup and a poached egg on top, sprinkle with reserved green onions.

Sour Cream Pork Chops

2011-02-09T14:09:00.000-05:00

I was given a recipe for meat in a sour cream sauce….The ultimate flavor of the recipe is great, and I don't plan on making any adjustments there, that said there are a few places that I have plans for. When I pulled my dish out of the oven, the sauce was runny and watery, so I poured it off and brought it to a boil on the stove, whisking in 2 Tablespoons of flour. That help thicken up the sauce to a nice consistency that I then drizzled on my chops. Hindsight also makes me think that sauteed mushrooms would be an excellent addition to the dish.

So with my modifications, next time I make this I will make it the following way. And yes I will be making it again because Albert gobbled it down and wanted more and more.

Preheat oven to 350℉

6 pork chops, pork loin, or even perhaps chicken breasts
¼ cup flour
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
olive oil
2 cups mushrooms, sliced

2 cups chicken or veggie stock
2 bay leaves
½ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup honey
2 cups sour cream (I used light)
2 Tbs flour

Combine flour, oregano, salt and pepper on a small plate. Dredge meat in flour mixture and brown in hot olive oil quickly. Once they are nicely browned place in a 13x9 baking dish. Add sliced mushrooms to saute pan and saute uncovered till golden.

Meanwhile, combine stock, bay leaves, vinegar, honey and sour cream in sauce pan, whisk to combine and bring to a boil. Sprinkle in flour and return to a boil whisking continuously (if you don't there will be lumps) Once sauce is a nice consistency add the cooked mushrooms and pour concoction over the meat.

Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the thickness of your meat.

In theory this recipe should work out better than it did the first time for me because of my changes. However full disclosure I haven't tested it out yet with said changes. If anyone does please let me know how it worked, and I will do the same next time I create it.

Roasted garlic potatoes

2011-02-09T13:47:00.001-05:00

I do a lot of veggies this way, my brussel sprouts, asparagus and yes potato wedges, I find them divine, and apparently so does my family, because the gobble them up. It is a recipe that I never measure, I just eyeball, so feel free to adjust to your tastes or quantity needed.

4 large white potatoes, cut into wedges
6 cloves garlic minced
1/3 cup olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
sometimes if I have it, I chop up fresh rosemary and add that too!

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well, let rest for at least 30 minutes (but lets be honest, we don't all think ahead all the time, so sometimes I skip this step). Pour onto a rimmed cookie sheet and bake at 450 until nicely browned (be sure to stir every 10 minutes or so) Sometimes I turn on the broiler at the end to finish the toasting.

Potato-fennel Soup

2011-02-09T13:41:00.002-05:00

I have never been the best at coming up with ideas for Fennel bulbs, I always just end up putting them in a salad cut up. However, yesterday I didn't feel like green salad, I felt like soup. This is heavy on the potatoes, so it isn't overwhelmingly anisey from the fennel, but the hint of fennel is warming and satisfying. Since this is once again a pureed soup, your chopping method is unimportant.

olive oil
1 large fennel bulb, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
4 cups peeled and chopped white potatoes
4 cups chicken or veggie broth
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 cup fat free milk

Heat olive oil in large soup pot, add fennel and onion and saute on medium for about 5 minutes, or until veggies are tender but not browned. Add potatoes, broth and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and puree with a submersion blender or traditional blender. If using a regular blender return soup to pot once pureed. Add milk, salt and garlic powder, bring to a simmer, but do not boil. Adjust seasonings and enjoy!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-01-29T08:35:00.000-05:00

These by far, are the BEST cookies, and I refuse to make chocolate chip cookies with white flour anymore. This isn't a recipe that I came up with on my own, in fact I found it a while back on the Betty Crocker website, and it is fantastic! Remember the 1st batch of cookies in the oven will take the longest to cook because the cookie sheets have not been heated up previously.

3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 package (12oz or 2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips

preheat oven to 375F

Cream together both sugars and butter, add vanilla and egg. Mix well to combine. In separate bowl combine flour, soda and salt. Add slowly to butter mixture with mixer on. Dough will be stiff. Mix in the chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet (I use my oxo scoop) Bake for about 10 mins, let rest on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes before placing on wire rack to cool.

Gingerbread and Raspberry Trifle

2011-01-10T14:42:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! What happened to the end of 2010? I meant to post so much more, but the holidays just got away from me. I'm sorry if I left anyone hanging.

I did discover a great recipe that I made for Christmas dinner dessert with my family. It is a fantastic trifle that is made over a course of a few days, each step takes only a short time, and I was able to squeeze them all in during naps and whatnot. We completely forgot to take a photograph of it before we dug into it, but at least attempted to get a good one after the fact...

Ingredients:

Vanilla custard
9 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
3 cups whole milk
1 1/4 tsp vanilla

The custard can be made up to 3 days before you are ready to assemble and thusly eat this dessert. Beat yolks and sugar on high speed until the mixture is pale yellow and thick (2-3 minutes) reduce speed to low and beat in flour. In a medium saucepan bring the milk to a boil, stirring constantly as to not burn it. Slowly pour half the milk into the egg mixture and beat until well blended, pour mixture back into saucepan with remaining milk and stir well. Whisking constantly bring contents to a boil. Allow to boil for 1 minute while whisking continually, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. let cool slightly, then cover the surface with a piece of plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. let cool completely then refrigerate until ready to use.

Gingerbread
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, slightly softened
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup dark molasses
2 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup buttermilk

Can be made up to 2 days before serving. Preheat oven to 350, and grease and flour a 9" cake pan. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, beat the butter until it's soft and creamy, about 1 minute. Remember to scrape down the sides, then add the sugar and molasses and beat again until the mixture is well blended and fluffy, about 2 minutes more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating 30 seconds after each addition. Slowly pour in the buttermilk and beat well. Reduce the mixer's speed to low and slowly add half the flour mixture to the bowl and beat until blended, repeat with the other half. Pour batter into pan and bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Let cool completely and store wrapped until ready to use.

Filling
3 (12-ounce) packages frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed and drained
3 Tbs sugar
1 cup chilled heavy cream
2 tsp confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla

When ready to assemble, toss berries with the 3 Tbs sugar. Remove gingerbread from pan and using a serrated knife to slice it into 4 equal wedges. Turn each wedge onto it side and slice into 3 equal pieces. Stack them, slice the pile in half, and cut off 1 1/2" from the tips, reserving the pieces. Arrange a layer of six cake wedges over the bottom of a 2 1/2 quart bowl. Fill the center with a few of the trimmings. Spoon and spread 3/4 cup of the raspberry mixture over the cake, then top the fruit with 1 cup of custard. Repeat the layering 3 more times with the remaining ingredients. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours to let the flavors meld.

Before serving, make the whipped cream by combining the heavy cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla in a bowl and beating until soft peaks form. Spread on the top of the trifle.

Leek and Potato Soup

2010-12-07T16:11:00.002-05:00

Made this last night, it was scrumptious! My middle child is beginning to be a bit more finicky in his foods, I'm not a short order cook, so he either eats what's offered or waits till the next meal. He eats soup mostly through a straw and this one he loved! He ate 2 bowls full and even tried using his spoon quite successfully.

1 stick butter (half of a cup) divided
4 leeks, washed and chopped
1 large onion, chopped fine
3 cups peeled and diced potatoes
7 1/2 cups chicken stock (i used 8 bouillon cubes and 7.5 cups water)
salt and pepper

Melt half of the butter in a large soup pot, add the leeks and onion and cook gently till they are softened but not browned, about 7 minutes or so. Add potatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes before adding stock. Cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Remove soup from heat and puree completely using a hand blender or traditional blender. Taste and add any necessary salt and pepper (i only added pepper to mine, it was salty enough already). Chop up remaining butter and stir into soup. Serve with fresh crusty bread!

My Thanksgiving plan

2010-11-22T11:46:00.000-05:00

I should be coming up with some delightful Thanksgiving Day recipes for everyone to use, If I can think of any that might help I will post if I get a moment.

This year for Thanksgiving we are spending it with my husbands family. It is one of the consequences of being married, there is never enough of you to go around, and you can never see everyone on holidays. Subsequently one of us is left feeling a little empty by the end of the day. But we make the most of it and enjoy the time we do share with each other. If I had a large enough house it would be an easy fix, I'd cook the meal here and bring everyone together.

I am bringing the dessert coarse to the Thanksgiving day meal this year. On my list of things to make:

2-3 Pumpkin Pies
1 Pumpkin Cheesecake
1 Pecan Tart
1 batch Chocolate Tartlets
1 Cranberry-Apple Pie
1 batch Oatmeal Pumpkin cookies
1 loaf Cranberry Bread

I am beginning my baking marathon tomorrow with the cranberry bread and cookies. They are the easiest to prepare and can be made a day or two in advance. Wish me luck, not only will I have my own 3 kids in the house on Wednesday during my baking marathon, but I will have an additional 8 year old and 3 year old as well. However, I have hopes that they will actually all entertain each other to make my day easier.

Cottage Pie

2010-11-15T22:09:00.000-05:00

Did you know that Shepherds pie traditionally is made with lamb, whereas Cottage Pie is made with beef? Me either till I did some research about it. I love lamb, but it's rather pricy compared to a pound of ground beef. I do own a meat grinder, so I guess I could get lamb and grind it myself, but like I said its pricy, and if i am going to spend the money on lamb, I am going to enjoy it nice and rare with some of my homemade mint jelly!

I cannot remember where I found this recipe, but I did read quite a few before I ventured out to try it on my own. This is what happens when you plan tacos for a meal, but do not have any lettuce or tomatoes in the house, but still have defrosted ground beef.

4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 Tbs butter
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
5 carrots, chopped even
1 Tbs oil
1 onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef
2 Tbs flour
1 Tbs ketchup
3/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Cook potatoes until tender, drain and mash with butter and cheese, salt and pepper, set aside. Boil carrots until tender, mash coarsely and set aside. Heat oil in a large frying pan, add onion and cook until clear, add ground been and cook until well brown. Pour off excess fat, then stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Add ketchup and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Spread the ground beef in an even layer on the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish, spread the mashed carrotts on top, then top with the mashed potatoes, sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until golden.

I did read one recipe that added a tablespoon of minced onion to the potatoes with the cheese, that sounded really good, and I will try that next time I make this!

Stuffed peppers

2010-11-15T21:52:00.000-05:00

I am going to have to search my brain for this one. I made these last week, and I was really happy with the results! Stuffed peppers are always a comfort food for many people, something that doesn't really change much from recipe to recipe, however I am thrilled with my results. Instead of using rice I used Israeli couscous, and the result was great! They are such a simple dish, with not many ingredients, but sometimes simple is best.

1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous
3 cups chicken broth (i used bouillon cubes)
4 large green peppers
1 pound ground turkey
1 Tbs olive oil
1 large onion chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 15oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 Tbs dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
dash hot sauce
1/4 cup water

Bring the couscous and chicken broth to a boil, cover and let simmer till most of the liquid is absorbed, it takes about 15 minutes. Cut tops off of peppers, and remove ribs from the inside of the peppers. Bring another pot of water to a boil (large enough to hold the peppers completely submerged) When the water comes to a full rolling boil add the peppers (but not the tops) and boil for 3 minutes, remove immediately and let drain. This step can be done while you do the next step, but I cannot write them at the same time.
Heat olive oil in a skillet. Remove stem from the tops, then dice the remaining pepper from the tops and add it along with the onion and garlic to the olive oil. Saute until tender but not brown, remove from pan and set aside. Brown ground turkey, making sure to keep it from getting to clumpy. Drain any juices and add onion/pepper mixture, tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper mix and let the mixture heat through. Add the couscous and mix. They may need to be combined in a separate bowl, depending on how big your skillet is. In a small bowl combine, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and water, stir well. Stuff peppers with filling and drizzle ketchup mixture on the top. Bake in an oven proof dish with a little bit of water in the bottom for about 50 minutes at 350'.

Oatmeal Pancakes

2010-10-25T08:11:00.000-04:00

We had these for dinner a while back and they were great! Very hearty and full of texture, yet light and soft. Do not plan on making large pancakes with this batter, because it is so "thick" it takes longer to cook through. It is best to make cakes that are roughly about 5" in diameter.

1/4 cup flour
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbs butter, melted
1 egg
cooking spray

Combine first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.
Combine buttermilk, butter and egg in a small bowl, add all at once to flour/oatmeal mixture, stirring just until moist.
Heat a nonstick griddle over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Spoon about 2 ½ Tbs of batter per pancake onto griddle. Turn pancakes over when tops are covered with bubbles and undersides are brown. Makes about 3 servings of 4 pancakes each.

Creamy Kale and Kielbasa Soup

2010-10-22T13:21:00.001-04:00

I made this a few weeks ago, and we gobbled it down! It is fantastic and in fact we are having it for dinner again tonight! It is a great way to get some leafy greens in your diet! Do not add any extra salt to the pot, the kielbasa is salty enough on its own. If I see a low sodium kielbasa, I might try that next time I make it. The original recipe called for half and half, but i used skim milk in place without any issue, it is an easy and fast way to cut out some extra fat.

1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 14oz kielbasa
3 potatoes, scrubbed and diced
3 cups of chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 cups of kale (rinsed, trimmed and torn in to pieces)
1 cup milk
fresh ground black pepper

In soup pot, over medium heat, saute onions and garlic in olive oil for 1-2 minutes. Add kielbasa and saute for an additional 2 minutes, gradually adding the potatoes. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes. Next add the wine, chicken broth and the kale. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the milk, simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally but be careful to not let the mixture boil. Serve with pepper.

End of the Canning Season

2010-10-07T20:37:00.001-04:00

I’m tired, I have a few recipes that I have tested out lately that I really want to share with you all, but now is just not the time. You are just going to have to wait my friends.

I finished my canning last weekend. I did a few fruits again this year now that I have more people in my household to eat them. I had put up peaches a few years ago, but alas I was the only peach eater in my house, and it was more than enough for me. Now that Albert is eating a ton, and Norah will be starting food this winter I thought now was the time to do a few peaches and pears that would be easy for her to chomp on and a little taste of summer for me. Canning peaches for me now is a bittersweet activity. It is the only thing I can remember my Grandmother canning, although I know she in her day did everything under the sun. We would always bring her fresh peaches from our area to can, and she made great canned peaches! Now only if the rest of her cooking was the same…..Grandma died on Mothers Day of 2009, and when I put my peaches up I could hear her in my head saying that you must leave a pit in each jar to improve the flavor…She is probably rolling over in her grave because I chose not to this year.

Here is a photo of my summers work. I do not have a pressure canner, so I have stayed away from anything that is missing the acidity to safely can it in a hot water bath. I’d really like to get my hands on a good pressure canner so that I can try my hand at some other goodies, but they run pretty high, and since the entire point of me canning is to be able to feed my family on a critically tight budget, oh well. But I do have a nice deep freezer that had been stuffed with quart and gallon bags of veggies, and we all know they will taste much better frozen than they ever would canned.

Starting from the top left:

Left hand group of shelves:

Tomato juice, BBQ sauce, corn zucchini relish, zesty zucchini relish

Pears, Peaches, Salsa

Cinnamon Apples, Sauerkraut, ketchup

Orange Marmalade, Blueberry jam, crabapple jelly, blackberry jam

Strawberry jam, pear butter, peach jam, mint jelly

Raspberry jam, raspberry jelly, black raspberry jam

Currant jelly, raspberry jalapeño sauce, blackberry jelly, jalapeño jelly

Right hand group of shelves:

Maple syrup

Zucchini relish, raspberry vinegar, chive vinegar

Apple pie filling, applesauce

Sweet pickles, watermelon rind pickles, dilly beans

Sour pickles, dill pickles

Dill pickles

More dill pickles

We eat a lot of jams and jelly as you can tell, however I have made extra this year to use as holiday presents. And we have already gone through about 6 pints of salsa, I hope that the salsa I made lasts till next years batch.

I have had a lot of interest in my canning, do you think I could make some money teaching people how to do it? What would you be willing to pay for my time alone, not including supplies?

Please Vote

2010-09-27T09:31:00.000-04:00

Now it has come down to the shameless plug! Do you like that photo above? The one of my fabulous pickles pre-brine?

I have entered it in a contest to possibly win a weekend away with my husband! Please vote for me here:
http://apps.facebook.com/contestshq/contests/51211/voteable_entries/8336805?order=recency

You can vote every 24hours until October 29th 2010! Thank you so much, and If i do win, part of the package includes fun activities at the New York State Wine and Culinary Center! Think of all the fun recipe ideas I will encounter and be able to share with you! It's a win/win situation!

Barbecue Sauce

2010-09-16T13:22:00.001-04:00

Tried this out, and we cracked into one of the jars the very next day. It's great, not overly sweet and perfect for whatever you want to use it for.

11 cups tomato purée
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1½ cups chopped red chili peppers (i used jalapenos)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 Tbs cumin seeds
1 Tbs dry mustard
1 cup molasses
1 Tbs pickling salt
1¾ cups red wine vinegar

In a large nonreactive pot, bring to a boil the tomato purée, celery, onion, bell and chili peppers and garlic. Reduce the heat, and simmer the vegetables until they are soft and the mixture is reduced by about one third.
Tie the peppercorns in a spice bag or cheesecloth and toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan until they are fragrant.
Purée the mixture through a food mill, and return it to the pot. Add the spice bag, cumin seeds and remaining ingredients. Cook the sauce until it is about as thick as ketchup, about 1-2 hours. As the mixture thickens, stir often to prevent sticking.
Remove the spice bag. Ladle the sauce in to pint or half pint jars. Seal and process in a hot water bath for 20 minutes.

I'm guessing that if you didn't want to can and process this it could easily be frozen in small amounts as well.

Pumpkin Soup

2010-09-12T19:04:00.001-04:00

Just made this tonight with a fresh pie pumpkin I got from the public market this past Thursday. I still have half of it left, and it is roasting right now to become something yet to be determined.

I bet the color of this soup will change with the pumpkins; as they become more full of color and flavor, so will the taste. We enjoyed this soup with a loaf of fresh bread.

Make sure that you do not omit the fresh tarragon, it is a key ingredient in this simple soup.

1 Tbs sunflower oil
2 Tbs butter
1 large onion, sliced
11/2 pounds pumpkin, cut into large chunks
1 pound potatoes, peeled and sliced
21/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
a good pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
21/2 cups milk
2 tsp lemon juice
salt and ground black pepper

Heat the oil and butter in a heavy pan and fry the onion for about 4-5 minutes over a gentle heat until soft but not brown, stirring frequently. Add the pumpkin and sliced potatoes, stir well, then cover and sweat over a low heat for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are almost tender. Be sure to stir frequently to prevent sticking.
Add the stock, nutmeg, tarragon and seasoning, stir to combine. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Allow to cool slightly, then poor into a food processor, blender (or use a hand blender) and process until smooth. Pour back into a clean pot and add the milk. Heat gently, then add lemon juice and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Sour Cream Apple Tart

2010-09-12T11:38:00.001-04:00

My goodness, this was an absolutely delicious tart! I thought it would be very sweet with all of the sugar directly added, but the sour cream offsets the sugar perfectly and it is a delicate blend of flavor, and not overly sweet. I used fresh Golden Delicious apples in this recipe, I think that McIntosh apples would be excellent as well.

Sour Cream Apple Tart

2 cups sifted flour
¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 Tbs sugar
½ cup cold butter (1 stick)
~
3½ cups apples, peeled, pared and sliced into thin wedges
¾ cup sugar
¾ tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 tsp sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and the 2 tablespoons of sugar in food processor. Add the butter and process until the mixture takes on the texture of corn meal. Turn into an 8x8x2 or 9x9x2 tart pan with a removable bottom. Press into an even layer on the bottom and sides of pan, make sure that it isn't too thick on the corners.

Add sliced apples to the pan. Combine sugar, cinnamon and allspice and sprinkle over apples. Bake at 400˚ for 15 minutes. Combine sour cream and egg and pour over apples and then bake for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with a mixture of the teaspoon of sugar and the ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon. Serve slightly warm, or cold.

Chicken Pot Pie

2010-09-12T10:39:00.004-04:00

This should have been in the oven for at least 10 more
minutes to get the top a rich golden brown. However Albert
was having a meltdown because it was not dinner time yet
so it got pulled early.

kinda blurry, but extra crust and filling became a single
serve pie for Owen.

I made Chicken pot pie this past week; it was a great way to use up the extra chicken breasts that were in the fridge. Actually to be honest, the bulk pack of bone in chicken breasts came with 5 and I intended for the extra chicken to become another meal. This is a great way to use up extra pre cooked meat left over from a whole chicken, or even leftover turkey could be substituted without any changes. Of course if you wanted to just make this without leftover chicken in the fridge, you could easily poach the chicken in a pot.

The original recipe for this got edited so much that I have numerous scratch marks in my recipe book. This is what works for us and our tastes. Many chicken pie recipes call for only a single crust or biscuit topping on top, personally I like a 2 crust pie. The crunchy pie crust blends well with the creamy savory filling inside.

I use my standard flakey crust recipe for a 2 crust pie. Then I partially blind bake the bottom part of the pie before adding the filling.

Chicken Pot Pie

2-2½ cups cooked shredded chicken

2 cups chicken broth

1½ Tbl vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into bite size chunks

2 celery ribs, cut into bite size bites, crosswise

1 medium potato cut into ½ inch chunky

1 cup chopped mushrooms

salt and ground black pepper

4 Tbl unsalted butter

½ cup flour

1½ cups milk

½ tsp dried thyme

3 Tbs dry sherry

3 Tbs minced fresh parsley leaves

preheat oven to 400°

In a large sauté pan heat vegetable oil. Add onion, carrots, celery and potatoes, and sauté until just tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. While the vegetables are sautéing shred the chicken. Combine the vegetables with the chicken in a large bowl and set aside.

Heat the butter over medium heat in the now empty pan, when the butter is down foaming add the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken broth, milk and thyme. Bring to a simmer and continue simmering until sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper and sherry. Pour sauce over the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Pour into pie shell and top with top portion of crust. Bake until pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, somewhere between 30-40 mins.

Spaghetti with Eggplant, Tomatoes and Mozzarella

2010-08-27T10:53:00.001-04:00

I have been making this dish for quite some time, and it is always a hit in the house. It is best at this time of year when the tomatoes, basil and eggplant are all fresh and still warm from the sun! But I have been known to make it at other times just cause it is so yummy. There are stains on this page of my cookbook, so it must be good!

1 large eggplant (about 1¾ pounds) cut into ½-inch cubes
¼ cup olive oil
¾ tsp salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds tomatoes, chopped (about 4 cups)
¾ pound spaghetti (we always have whole wheat) cooked according to your taste
3 Tbs chopped fresh basil
½ pound fresh mozzarella, cut into ½-inch cubes (but we always use 1 pound)

Pre-heat oven to 425˚F.

Toss the eggplant with 2 Tbs oil, 1/4 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper. Spread the eggplant out on a baking sheet and roast, stirring occasionally, until tender and brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 Tbs of oil in a large frying pan over moderate heat. Add the onion and cook until almost caramelized. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes, remaining salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Increase the heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally until the sauce in thickened. It takes about 10 minutes.

Toss the pasta with the eggplant, tomato sauce, basil and finally the mozzarella and serve at once.

Herbed Ricotta Tart

2010-08-21T09:09:00.000-04:00

I subscribe to Cooking Light Magazine and I really like the recipes that they publish. I often find that some issues are full of possibilities, whereas others are not as appealing to my palate. The most recent August issue has some great ideas and we tried the Herbed Ricotta Tart this past week. It was great, and I can see a lot of options available for it. It is basically a quiche, but the ricotta cheese changes the texture creating a more creamy texture. This recipe stands just fine on its own, and doesn't need to be tweaked at all, however I can foresee using the basic recipe and changing up the herbs, or adding other items to the mix.

The recipe called for one of the pizza crusts that come in a tube, my budget and self worth wouldn't let me even think of purchasing one of those when I have a perfectly good, easy and yummy pizza crust recipe myself. The use of a pizza crust with a tart/quiche was new to me, and lent an interesting texture to the final outcome. I do think that next time I will try using my flaky pastry crust that I typically use with quiche instead. To me the pizza crust dominated the filling.

1 (11-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
Cooking spray
2 cups thinly sliced green onions
1 1/3 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh chives
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Unroll dough, and press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan coated with cooking spray.

3. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add thinly sliced green onions to pan; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine cooked green onions, ricotta cheese, sliced fresh chives, minced fresh dill, salt, freshly ground black pepper, eggs, and egg white. Pour onion mixture into prepared crust; sprinkle mixture with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes or until center is set. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 6 wedges.

Roasted Vegetable Casserole

2010-08-18T16:25:00.001-04:00

I got this one from my Mom. I used it last night with some of the free zucchini I received from our neighbors across the street. They are inundated with squash at the moment, and I am a happy neighbor to take it. I have been freezing shredded squash in 2 cup portions to use throughout the winter to make breads, brownies, cookies and such. I hope they give me more!! :-)

My only issue with this was that I used way too much squash in it so the flavors were not as robust as they should have been. Also i used both zucchini and yellow squash which worked out just fine, I just had too much like I said already.

I took a few photographs of this dish, but I think I like this one the best with the steam blurring the picture a bit, kinda artsy.

¼ cup olive oil
4-5 medium ret potatoes, unpeeled and cut into ½" cubes
3 medium zucchini, cut in 1½" chunks
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4-5 medium tomatoes diced
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ cup chopped fresh basil
2 tsp chopped fresh oregano
⅔ cup plus 2 Tbs freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
⅓ cup water
2 tsp white wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 425˚F. Oil a 9 x 13" baking dish with 1 Tbs oil.

Combine potatoes, zucchini, onion, and tomatoes in baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add herbs and ⅔ cup cheese, tossing until well-mixed.

Combine water and vinegar. Drizzle over potato mixture. Spread vegetables out evenly in baking pan, then sprinkle with remaining 3 Tbs of olive oil. Bake on upper rack of oven until potatoes are tender, turning occasionally, for about 50 minutes. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 Tbs cheese and bake 10 minutes more. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Zucchini Cookies

2010-08-17T14:10:00.001-04:00

I got this recipe from my cousin Angel, so thank you Angel! It is an AWESOME cookie, and was a huge hit in our house! It is very much a cake like cookie, so don't expect something like a traditional chocolate chip recipe.

As you see at the end of the recipe chocolate chips are an option to add if so desired. I added 1cup of chocolate chips to the recipe and was very happy with the results.

1/2 cup butter (room temp)

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups grated zucchini

Mix butter, egg, vanilla & sugars – then the baking soda and cocoa then the zucchini and finally the flour. Drop rounded spoonfuls onto baking sheet the bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen.

Optional additions – a scant cup of chocolate chips in the batter or swipe of cream cheese frosting on top.

Grilled Basil Chicken with Baby Greens

2010-08-17T14:01:00.001-04:00

The original recipe for this came from my Good Housekeeping 100 Best Chicken Recipes. As I was working on the meal I adjusted a few things for my needs and tastes. It got 4 thumbs up by my husband and older son, so I guess the tweeks worked. Here is the recipe with my changes.

serves 4 - 6 depending on size of breasts or size of people

1 large bunch of basil
4 medium bone-in Chicken Breast halves skin on
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 qt ripe grape tomatoes or 4 ripe medium tomatoes
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup while wine vinegar
2 tsp freshly grated lemon peel
1 tsp Dijon mustard
8 cups fresh spinach ( they called for baby greens here, but i used spinach and it was great)

prep grill ( preheat, oil)

while it is preheating: from bunch of basil, reserve 8 large leaves and measure 1 cup loosely packed small leaves. Finely slice enough remaining leaves to equal 1/2 cup loosely pack. cover and refrigerate small and sliced leaves.

Place 2 reserved large basil leaves under the skin of each chicken breast, sprinkle breasts with 1/4 tsp of the salt and 1/8th tsp of the pepper. Place breasts skin side up on grill on medium high heat. Grill chicken, turning only once, until the juices run clear when the thickest part of breast is pierced with a tip of a knife and skin is brown and crisp, about 25 minutes.

chop tomatoes and combine with oil, vinegar, lemon peel, mustard, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and remaining 1/8th tsp pepper in a small bowl.

To serve, in large bowl, toss baby greens with small basil leaves. Stir sliced basil leaves into tomato mixture. Toss greens with 1/2 cup tomato mixture. Arrange greens on plates, top with chicken breasts and spoon remaining tomato mixture over breasts.

I served this recipe with white Jasmine rice.

Canning Season!

2010-07-20T13:49:00.002-04:00

So far this year I have done 3 batches of Strawberry jam and 2 batches of black raspberry jam! This weekend, its pickle time!!!

Still to do: tomato salsa, mint jelly, tomato juice and maybe apple jelly this year.

Raspberry jam is in the fall! My parents have a great big ever-bearing raspberry patch, and we get so many berries that i turn many into jam! yum!

Each year I attempt to do something new with my jars, I don't always repeat what was done last year, but sometimes I do. This year I am going to try candied apples, those red things that are cinnamon in flavor.

Do you put up items???
Do you have any suggestions for items that I could try.

Chicken French

2010-06-29T13:11:00.001-04:00

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
5 eggs
3/4 c parmesan cheese
2 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
1 cup flour + 1 Tbs (divided)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup butter
4 minced garlic cloves
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup white wine
1/3 cup lemon juice

Mix together eggs, cheese and parsley in a shallow dish. Between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, pound chicken breasts thin, then lightly salt and pepper the chicken. Begin heating the olive oil in a skillet. Dredge chicken in the 1 cup of flour, then dip in the egg mixture. Fry in the olive oil until brown on both sides and then remove the chicken to a platter. In the same skillet saute garlic lightly then add wine and bring to a boil before adding the broth, lemon juice and butter. Once butter is melted, whisk in the remaining 1 Tbs of flour and continue whisking until the sauce begins to thicken slightly. Return chicken to pan and bring to a boil and then simmer for about 3-5 minutes covered.

Serve on top of a bed of thin whole wheat spaghetti.

Last minute spaghetti sauce...

2010-06-27T18:53:00.001-04:00

Yup! I was out of sauce and in an adventures mood. Often I'll make my own with canned tomatoes and herbs, but this time I spun it differently and I loved the results!

I browned 1lb of ground beef then added Goya Sofrito, which I had sitting in the cupboard. With this I added 2 14.5oz cans of stewed tomatoes and one 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes. 1 Tbs of sugar and a huge handful of fresh basil that I cut from my herbs outside and then washed and chopped. I let it all simmer together for the time it took to cook my whole wheat pasta and it was yummy! It reminded me a lot of my moms sauce she used to can every year.

It's Okay to mess up

2010-06-22T14:44:00.004-04:00

So..... how many people think that all my recipes turn out fabulous? Would you be surprised that I cannot make a grilled cheese sandwich to save my life?? My husbands theory is that it is too simple and that I do not have the attention span to make the simple things. For example the other weekend I attempted to make easy pancakes from bisquick mix...yeah that didn't work, i measured wrong and ended up having to dump it all, we were out of mix and i needed to add more... Anyway i opened up my cookbook, found a recipe for buttermilk pancakes and voila, fab pancakes....I can do the complicated stuff that requires me to be busy, but the simple no brainer stuff? my brain doesn't want to stop thinking to do it.

Last night was a perfect example of this in a way. Last night was taco night and I will admit I typically buy taco seasoning from Aldi for 29 cents a package, cheap, easy and tasty. well my shelves were lacking said mix and I ventured online to see what spice combination I would find to use in its place. Typically when i look for recipes online i look at quite a few and then take tips from all of them to form my finished product. Instead this time I just grabbed the first one and went with it.

I used this recipe from Allrecipes.com and quadrupled it from its current state thinking I have 2lbs of ground beef.... Then I added 5 heaping Tablespoons to the meat.....

Ingredients

1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Jason said next time we'll just spray everything with pepper spray and to be sure we got it ourselves as well. my nostrils were burning, next time think about how much cumin 1.5 tsp equals......good thing i tasted it before I gave any to Albert, and Owen did fine but had 3 glasses of milk. Even Jason who loves spicy food had a stomach ache. oops

Asparagus Quiche

2010-06-14T14:24:00.003-04:00

I made this last week, and it turned out wonderful. It was not the first time I attempted to put asparagus in my quiche, but lets just say I have had a few learning experiences along the way. Jason and I have discussed changes over those "experiments" too, and the end result is great!

I do not use cream in my quiches, in fact I use skim milk. I do not think that it effects the finished product, and in using skim it cuts out a lot of the fat. I make my own crust, but a store purchased crust would work fine too.

1 bunch of fresh asparagus
2 Tbs butter
1 1/4 cup milk
4 eggs
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 Tbs flour
8 oz grated Monterey jack cheese
crust for a 9" pie dish

Roll out crust to fit pie dish, and line dish with it. line crust with foil, and pour either dried beans or pie weights. Bake in a 425° F oven for 8 - 10 minutes. remove from oven and remove weights and foil. and turn the oven down to 350°F

Melt butter in a large skillet (one that has a lid) saute the asparagus in the butter for about 6-10 minutes with the lid on. It will be finished when it is fork tender. Remove from heat and chop asparagus on an angle into 1" pieces, removing a few to decorate the top of the finished quiche if you'd like.

beat 4 eggs and milk together in a bowl, add salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. In a separate bowl toss grated cheese with the flour.

Assembly: sprinkle asparagus into the bottom of the pie dish, spreading it out around the dish, add the cheese/flour mixture on top of the asparagus. Finally pour the egg mixture on top. Bake in a 350°F oven for about 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

LET REST FOR 10-15 MINUTES before you cut into it!!!!

The quiche on top is zucchini and green onion. I made it the same way except for I didn't saute the onion and zucchini as long and instead of cayenne pepper I used 1/4 tsp of nutmeg.

Potato Salad

2010-05-27T09:39:00.002-04:00

I never liked potato salad as a kid, something about cold potatoes gave me the willies. However like other things I didn't like as a child, this is one that now has my fancy. One technique that I learned from a friend was to mix the salad with your hands rather than a spoon, it helps incorporate the ingredients together better.

I have not included amounts with my ingredients, I prefer to eyeball it.

cut potatoes to bit size pieces before boiling or roasting, and leave the skin on, its good for you and adds texture to the salad.
diced celery
diced sweet onion (i like vidalia)
diced sweet pickles
chopped hard boiled eggs
yellow mustard
mayonnaise
corse salt
fresh ground pepper
dash of white wine vinegar

Simple Broiled Haddock

2010-03-14T13:37:00.001-04:00

Mmmmmhhhh fish! I love fish, and now it is much more affordable with the frozen filets in the air tight packages. Aldi's has a great and affordable selection of fish that is super scrumptious!

4 Haddock Fillets
butter
kosher or sea salt
1 cup breadcrumbs seasoned with ground pepper and about 1-2 Tbs Herbes de Provence

lay the filets on a foiled lined broiler pan, sprinkle with kosher or sea salt. Lay pats of butter on each filet, (i can be quite liberal with the butter) just don't have it overlapping each other. sprinkle with bread crumbs to cover each filet. (you may need to have more breadcrumbs depending on how much fish you have.

Broil in a hot oven 6" from flame for 10 minutes per 1" of fish (Thickness, not length) Watch closely, bread crumbs can catch fire!

Ham and Bean soup!

2010-02-14T18:58:00.001-05:00

Tonight we kicked the ham that has been feeding us all week. It was a 6-7lb bone in smoked butt that had some great flavor and turned into some yummy dishes. Tonight we kicked the ham and will still have leftover soup for lunches this week! Yeah for soup!

I had to call my Mom for how she did her soup to be sure that I didn't goof it up, nothing worse than bland soup, but this was anything but bland! I started it about 12:30pm and we ate dinner at 5:30pm.

saute onion and celery in pot in olive oil until soft on the outside, yet still crunchy on the inside. I guestimated the measurements that i used for the whole recipe, it all depends on how big your bone is. I would guess that I had about 1 1/2 cups of both onion and celery.

Add your ham bone with meat still on it and one to one and a half bags of dried beans. ( i mixed it up and used about 1/2 cup of three different kinds of dried beans) a bay leaf, coarse salt and ground pepper. Cover with enough water to cover and bring to a boil.

Once boiling turn down to low and cover. About one hour before eating, or about 4 hours later pull out ham bone with meat to a plate and let cool. Once cool enough to handle tear meat from bone and add back to pot.

*Note, you may need to add more water to the pot as the beans absorb water.

It was good!

Breading for baked chicken fingers

2010-02-11T19:25:00.001-05:00

I know that i just posted about how I typically buy a whole chicken and chop it up myself, and I do! Today I was in Wegmans and I always walk by the meats to see what has been priced to sell immediately because the sell by date is nearby! I found a 8lb roaster chicken for $2.11!! It will be just fine when I defrost it for a future meal. Remember that when you are shopping for meat, if the sell by date is nearby, the meat will still be fine if you stick it in the freezer and use it at another date.

Getting back on track, i do sometimes purchase chicken tenderloins, which can be cheaper because they can be cut from scraps and such, and yes sometimes i'm lazy too!

Breading things typically calls for flour, egg, breading, and that is fine and dandy, but often a mess and incredibly unhealthy depending on how you do it. When baking breaded items, it can also be difficult to achieve a good level of crispness too. This method of making baked chicken fingers only calls for the chicken tenders to be coated in vegetable oil before breading, much easier on the busy cook.

1 lb Chicken tenderloins or chicken breasts cut into strips
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups panko
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (i used the shaker that we have in the house for pasta night, it works)
2 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

combine chicken and oil in a bowl and mix around to evenly coat chicken. Combine remaining ingredients in a large zip lock bag, shake to mix. Add a few chicken pieces at a time and shake to coat, like shake and bake! lay out on a cookie sheet. repeat.

Place in a preheated 400°F oven for 10 minutes, then flip chicken and return to oven for an additional 5-10 minutes or until cooked through. don't overcook though, there is nothing worse than dry chicken.

serve with your favorite dipping sauce! I like honey mustard myself made from 2 parts honey, 2 parts dijon mustard and 2 parts vegetable oil. I found that combo online somewhere and it is awesome!

Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot

2010-02-04T19:45:00.001-05:00

So I really enjoy how easy this was, but I definitely think that i am going to tweak the recipe a bit before I make it again. That said I am typing it here as originally found, but that is only because my taste buds are not a fan of white pepper, and for me it was too potent in the recipe. The boys liked it though. I tend to steer towards using an entire bird rather than boneless chicken breasts. A 5-6lb roaster bird cost us $4.00 where as 4 boneless and skinless breasts would be closer to $6.00. This way i save money and get more meat. I can always hack up the bird into pieces if need be, and even bone and skin them too. The more "intact" the bird, the cheaper the price.

Be sure to read the recipe in its entirety cause it does call for the chicken to be rubbed down with the spices the night before and left to soak them in overnight. I didn't do this and it turned out yummy, but I can easily see how left to soak all night long would draw the flavor all the way through the bird.

4 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 large roasting chicken (if it has a pop up timer, great!)
1 cup onion, chopped

Combine spices in a small bowl and mix well. Remove giblets and wash and pat dry chicken. Rub the spice mixture into the chicken, all over the top, bottom, under the skin, behind the wings, everywhere! Place in a zip lock bag and refrigerate overnight. (I'd also be sure to put the bag in a dish to catch any raw chicken juices that might seep out on accident)

Before cooking, dump chopped onion in the bottom of the crock pot, place the seasoned chicken (without the plastic bag) on top of the onion. Replace lid. Do not worry about adding any liquid, NONE is needed, the chicken will make its own juices and baste itself. My bird was half submerged in its juices when it was finished!

Cook on low 4-8 hours. The time varies greatly because crock pots do. I have a great crock pot, I started my bird at 1:30 and it was finished by 5:30 and the meat was falling off the bone! Chances are you know your crock pot.

I found this recipe on recipezaar.com

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Butter

2010-02-03T16:23:00.003-05:00

This recipe came in my Cookbook Digest magazine. i enjoy the no frill aspect of this magazine cause it makes my imagination run away with what the recipes are like.

1 pound sweet potatoes
2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
about 1 1/4 cups of flour, plus more for rolling
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
salt and fresh ground black pepper

Bake the sweet potatoes until tender when pierced with a fork. Let cool slightly, then peel them and mash. Let the puree cool completely.
Stir the parmesan cheese and nutmeg into the sweet potato puree, mix in enough flour to form a firm, slightly elastic dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 equal portions. Using your hands, gently roll 1 portion to form a 1/2 inch thick rope. Cut it crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces. Roll each pieces over the tines of a dinner fork to form grooves. Arrange the gnocchi in a single layer on a floured baking sheet. Repeat wit the remaining 3 portions of dough.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in 2 batches, cook the gnocchi in the boiling water for 4 minutes, or until they float and are tender. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a platter.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the garlic and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the sage and cook for 2 minutes, until crisp. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Spoon the butter sauce over the gnocchi, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and serve. Serves 4

Caramel Popcorn

2009-12-05T21:26:00.002-05:00

We pop our popcorn on the stove, it is cheaper and healthier to just buy the kernels and add what you want to it, i love just a tad bit of salt. But for this recipe i didn't cause of the topping.

1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 quarts popped popcorn

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Place popcorn in a very large bowl.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.
Place in two large shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.

Tomato Soup

2009-11-21T17:08:00.002-05:00

Easy tomato soup, it is very popular in our house, and depending on how you do it, it is much healthier than the canned variety.

It is all done in one pot to save cleaning up time as well, so be sure to take that into account before you begin, is your pan large enough? I use a 6qt dutch oven to do most of my soups, it is non stick to help with the sauteing portion at the beginning of many of my recipes.

3-4 stalks celery diced
1 large onion diced
olive oil

In pot saute celery and onion in olive oil until tender but definitely not mushy!

Add either 2qts tomato juice (i can my own) OR 1 standard retail thing of juice that holds 48oz or so. Heat slowly over medium heat, when at a simmer add 1 drained can of corn or a scant 2cups of frozen corn, About 5-6 cranks of freshly ground pepper and 1 tsp of coarse salt (I always have Kosher or Sea Salt available) Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium and cover letting cook for about 20 minutes.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

2009-11-03T09:46:00.003-05:00

Why do people act afraid at the mere mention of brussel sprouts? If it is because they are frequently boiled and served as is, i guess i understand, but with a little jazzing up, they can be a sweet and crispy addition to a meal.

This time of year we eat brussel sprouts multiple times per week. I buy 1 or 2 stalks a week when they are fresh from the field, and we gobble them up. I always make them the same way too.

My recipe!

Snap off as many fresh brussel sprouts as needed for your meal. Make sure to trim the tough end off that was once attached to the stalk.

Cut all sprouts in half and rinse under cold water, drain well, and blot with a dry cloth.

Mince 4 large cloves of garlic and toss with sprouts in a large bowl. Drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil. about 1 tsp of corse salt and the same of freshly ground pepper. Toss

Pour out onto a cookie sheet and place in a preheated oven at 500'F. Make sure to check them every 5 mins or so and flip around with a flipper. after about 10-12 mins turn the oven up to broil and cook for an additional 3-5 mins or until sprouts are grilled well, and some of the leaves are turning crispy.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2009-11-01T15:09:00.003-05:00

We had these for breakfast this morning, and I just had to share cause they were so darn yummy. And there is very little sugar in them at all!

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar

In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt, stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Nell's Mac and Cheese

2009-06-03T19:15:00.002-04:00

When I make mac and cheese i like to use any shape pasta other than elbow macaroni. I find that other shapes hold the cheese better and make it hold together more. My favorite is rotini. Also my recipe uses whole wheat pasta, cause it is what i typically have in the house, but it can easily be made with regular pasta without any recipe changes.

1 lb pasta (a typical container is about this size)

1 24oz container of cottage cheese

1 16oz sour cream OR plain yogurt

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

2 tsp dried mustard

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese grated

8 oz Monterey Jack cheese grated

paprika

2 cups panko

1/4 c butter (1/2 stick)

1 2.8oz can French's Fried onions (the small can)

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain well and set aside. Combine cottage cheese, sour cream or yogurt, eggs, salt, pepper and dried mustard in LARGE bowl. Mix well. Add shredded cheese and mix until combined. Stir in cooked pasta.

Turn into a greased 10x13 baking dish and sprinkle paprika over the top.

In small bowl melt butter and then add panko, mixing with fork until well combined. Sprinkle all over the top of the casserole and then sprinkle the FF onions over the top of that. Bake in a 350' oven for about 1 hr.

Breakfast

2009-05-05T08:26:00.002-04:00

Sorry that things have been missing. I have a ton of excuses, but I am sure you have heard them all. Here is what i have for breakfast most mornings!

Oatmeal

1/2 c water

1/2 c vanilla soy milk

1/4 c dried fruit (i vary, today its dried blueberries)

cook on top of stove until mixture just comes to a boil, stirring constantly as to not burn milk. As soon as it starts to boil turn off heat and add:

1/2 c quick oats

Stir to mix and cover for 5 minutes or until mixture doesn't look soupy. Pour into bowl and add 1/2 c real maple syrup.

Freezing

2009-03-26T12:27:00.001-04:00

Plan Ahead!

I save a ton of money every year freezing veggies when they are cheep, fresh and local in the summer! I always blanch green beans and freeze them in 1 quart zip lock freezer bags for veggies with a meal or an addition to soups or stews. Then they only have to be cooked quickly and remain crisp.

I also freeze corn when it is at its sweetest. I always buy and cook a dozen ears and cut off the cob whatever we don't eat in a meal and freeze it in the same way i freeze the beans. It is easy to open a frozen bag and dump the contents into my soup or pan, and it is so inexpensive and yummy.

Don't worry, I'll remind you when i begin doing it myself.

It was Beef Stew and Biscuits

2009-03-26T10:47:00.001-04:00

Last night we had beef stew and biscuits, here is my recipe

Beef Stew

4 Tbs flour

2 lbs beef stew meat cut into 3/4" pieces

2 Tbs cooking oil

1 cup vegetable juice

2 cups beef broth

1 cup water

1 medium onion cut into wedges

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

2 beef bouillon cubes

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried marjoram

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 bay leaf

3 cups cubed potatoes

1 cup frozen cut green beans

1 cup frozen whole kernel corn

1 cup sliced carrots

coat meat cubes with flour (shake them together in a plastic ziplock bag). In a large saucepan or Dutch oven brown meat in hot oil; drain off the fat. Add vegetable juice, broth, water, onion worcestershire sauce, bouillon cubes, oregano, marjoram, pepper and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered for 1 1/2 hours.

Stir in potatoes, green beans, corn and carrots. Return to boiling, reduce heat once again to a simmer and cook covered for another 30 minutes or until veggies are tender. Find the bay leaf and discard it (or wait for it to turn up in someone's bowl)

Mom's Baking Powder Biscuits

2 cups flour

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

2 tsp sugar

1 stick butter

2/3 cup milk

Sift together first 5 ingredients. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add Milk all at once. Stir only until dough follows a fork. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead gently for 1/2 minute. dough should be JUST past the sticky stage. Pat dough until it is 1/2" thick and cut with a glass. Bake on ungreased baking sheet at 450' for 10-12 minutes.

Quiche

2009-03-25T08:32:00.001-04:00

Last night we had quiche, YUM! I have a basic recipe that I use for quiche, and then i add whatever sounds yummy to it. I can't eat a lot of it, but it's worth whatever i can sneak in. I also use dairy free cheese sometimes when i can or silken tofu.

1 pre-baked pie shell (i make mine and bake it for 10 mins at 350', don't forget the pie weights)

4 eggs

2 cups milk

6 oz shredded cheese ( I use a combo of swiss and Monterey Jack or Cheddar)

1 Tbl. flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 medium onion sliced (can be omitted, but adds great flavor)

Bonus items such as bacon, mushrooms, asparagus, ham, cooked chicken, broccoli

Saute onion until soft and lightly browned, dump into cooked pie shell. Add other bonus items to pie shell spreading over bottom. Last night i used cut up cooked bacon and COOKED mushrooms (any veggie you may add will need to be steamed before had to release the water so you don't end up with watery quiche) beat eggs and add milk, mix well and add salt and pepper. In separate bowl mix shredded cheese with flour and then spread cheese mixture over bonus items in pie crust. Pour egg mixture into pie plate and bake in a 350' oven for 1 hour or until pie is firm in the center and browned on top. Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

We had Bacon and mushroom quiche last night with steamed broccoli! We ate the entire thing! Good thing i made two! But Albe has been spitting up horribly this morning, so i guess i wont be eating any of the second one.

Switch up

2009-03-20T16:35:00.001-04:00

But be willing to stray if need be :-) My mom invited Owen over to her house for dinner and the cabbage dish makes a lot, so Jason and I will eat leftovers that would be eaten for lunches instead for dinner. Yeah I get off from cooking!

Cabbage and Tofu over Rice

2009-03-20T09:43:00.003-04:00

Tofu and Marinade

2 12-ounce cakes tofu, pressed

1 Tbs vegetable oil

2 1/2 Tbs tamari soy sauce

2 1/2 Tbs water

1 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce

Cabbage

1 medium onion, chopped

2 Tbs vegetable oil

4 cups shredded cabbage

Sauce

2 Tbs tomato paste

1 Tbs vinegar

1 tsp dried dill

1 tsp salt

1/2 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

fresh ground black pepper

1/3 cup water

~~~~~~~~~

1 Tbs currants

cooked brown rice

1 dill pickle, minced

sour cream

preheat oven to 375' combine marinade ingredients in a ceramic or glass 9" baking dish. Cut tofu into cubes or triangles. For cubes, cut each cake like a Rubik's Cube: into three slices horizontally and then three slices from front to back and three slices from side to side. for triangles, cut each cake into three slices horizontally, stack the slices, and cut down through them from corner to corner on each diagonal. Place pieces of tofu into the baking dish with the marinade. bake turning the tofu two or three times during the baking, using a rubber spatula to keep tofu from breaking. takes any where from 35-40 minutes or until the marinade is absorbed or evaporated and the tofu is browned.

To prepare the cabbage, saute the onion in the oil in a large heavy skillet. When the onion is almost translucent, add the cabbage. Sirring occasionally, saute until the cabbage is somewhat reduced, about 5 minutes, but do not let the onions brown.

Combine sauce ingredients and pour them over the cabbage. Add the currants and stir to coat the cabbage evenly with the sauce Remove from the heat, Cover the skilled with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake at 375' for about 30 minutes. Serve the cabbage over rice. Top with minced pickle and baked tofu, add a spoonful of sour cream if desired.

Recipe is from Sundays At Moosewood Restaurant and is very good as odd as it sounds. It is Finish in origin according to the cookbook. I do not add the sour cream do to my allergy and i have not had any fresh currants yet to use so i make it without them until they are fresh in my Mom's garden this summer.

March Menu

2009-03-20T09:32:00.001-04:00

When I say that I plan out the month ahead or at least two weeks, it means just that. Check out our March menu! There are always staples on it such as taco's and spagetti, but you never know what i am going to add as i find new recipes. Sometimes meals go together. Such as St. Patty's Day Irish Beef Hand pockets and Tofu and Cabbage go together in a week because they each take 1/2 can of tomato paste and half a cabbage. Other meals work like that too so save ingredients and use them all. In making the menu i save a lot of money on grocery shopping, I shop every Monday am and make my list Sunday pm after I see the adds for the week ahead. That way i can go through the kitchen, check what i need for the weeks upcoming meals and put it on the list along with other staples that we need. It helps control impulse buying and keeps my bill low. I hit both Wegmans and Aldi's. Wegmans for the marked down meat from the weekend and few items that are not at Aldi's and then Aldis for the main shopping trip. If you see me out on other days, well something has gone ary and be very very worried!

Dinner March 19th

2009-03-19T17:51:00.000-04:00

Home Made Garbage plates!

cheeseburgers

mac salad

homefries

meat hot sauce ~Nick Tahou's style

*I like to make my homefries from cooked potatoes, they are yummier in our opinion!

Nick Tahou's Style Meat Hot Sauce

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp oil

1 lb triple ground beef (i put mine in the food processor)

1 c water

1 can tomato paste

1/2 Tbsp brown sugar (optional, i don't like it)

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp chili powder

1 1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp powdered cloves

1 tsp salt to taste

In large skillet fry chopped onion and garlic in oil until soft. Add meat, stirring constantly with a fork to keep the texture fine. Once meat is brown add water and tomato paste, simmer 10 minutes. Add sugar and spices, simmer 30 minutes adding water if necessary to keep it moist but not soupy.

Planning is key

2009-03-19T17:47:00.000-04:00

Anyone who has been following my menu updates may realize that i plan meals ahead for my family. If I didn't there would be trouble, but seriously I have found that it is a easy way to save money and have great food at the same time.

In our house we have a separate calender just for evening meals. I try to plan at least two weeks ahead and anyone can look to the calender and know what will be for dinner. I find that this helps me to then plan my weekly shopping list, keep to the list and make our tight budget go further. When i shop i keep to the list and then save money. I also have found that we eat a ton healthier cause it keeps us from having quick, expensive premade foods that are chocked full of preservatives, salt and no good things.

I have a variety of recipes, and i love to read cookbooks and try new things. I'll try to cite what i can when i can. Enjoy!

******Nell Cooks******

My Grandmothers Cider Pie

Spicy Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Italian Plum Cake

Pizza Sauce

Curried Butternut Squash, Yam and Apple Soup

Lo Mein

Salsa for canning

Pork loin marinade

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak

Bean Salsa Salad

Whole Wheat Pizza dough

Greek Pasta Chicken

Soy-Peach Pork Chops

Nell's Pork Medallions

German-Style Potato Salad

Seriously...

Nell's Meat Hot Sauce

Maple-Parsnip Soup

Spaghetti Puttanesca

Pork and Udon Noodle Soup

Sour Cream Pork Chops

Roasted garlic potatoes

Potato-fennel Soup

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gingerbread and Raspberry Trifle

Leek and Potato Soup

My Thanksgiving plan

Cottage Pie

Stuffed peppers

Oatmeal Pancakes

Creamy Kale and Kielbasa Soup

End of the Canning Season

Please Vote

Barbecue Sauce

Pumpkin Soup

Sour Cream Apple Tart

Chicken Pot Pie

Spaghetti with Eggplant, Tomatoes and Mozzarella

Herbed Ricotta Tart

Roasted Vegetable Casserole

Chocolate Zucchini Cookies

Grilled Basil Chicken with Baby Greens

Canning Season!

Chicken French

Last minute spaghetti sauce...

It's Okay to mess up

Ingredients

Asparagus Quiche

Potato Salad

Simple Broiled Haddock

Ham and Bean soup!

Breading for baked chicken fingers

Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Butter

Caramel Popcorn

Tomato Soup

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Pumpkin Pancakes

Nell's Mac and Cheese

Breakfast

Freezing

It was Beef Stew and Biscuits

Quiche

Switch up

Cabbage and Tofu over Rice

March Menu

Dinner March 19th

Planning is key

Nell Cooks