Slow Cooker Apple Butter

 

Apple Butter

8 large apples, pared, cored and quartered then diced or sliced

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp. orange peel

1 cup of apple cider or water

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

3 tsps. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp each of allspice, nutmeg, cloves

2 tbsps. lemon juice

 I decided to use my crockpot to make the apple butter.  The original recipe calls for making apple sauce (using an additional 1/4 cup liquid).  I skipped this step and just dumped everything into the crockpot.   

I started my crock on low and when this proved to be too slow, I moved the heat up to High for four or five hours, then reduced it to Low once more and allowed all of this to cook for about 20 hours total.   

My crockpot runs a little hot in one area, so I was careful to stir frequently.  I also smashed apples as they were tender enough to break up.  

The next morning, I allowed this to cool for about an hour, then put the apple mixture into my blender and blended on low until it was smooth.  If you do this be sure to remove the center of the lid to allow steam to escape.

Barbecue Meatballs

 

I've seen Ruth Ann Zimmerman make Cheddar Meatballs and they look so good every time I see one of her photos.  I thought they were Barbecue Cheddar Meatballs...So that's the recipe I went looking for online.  Then I looked at her recipe.  Two different things.  However, by that point, I'd gotten my mouth fixed, as we say in the South, for some Barbecue Cheddar Meatballs.  So I pursued that recipe instead.  

Of course, I didn't follow that recipe either.  You know me.  I always just use another recipe as a jumping off point.  What I ended up doing was making my usual meatball mixtures. I followed Ruth Ann's recipe only in the matter of what size to make the meatballs.  These are not tiny meatballs.  Think tennis balls.  1/2 cup meat mixture per meatball.  Then I looked at the sauce on Six Sisters website on their version and decided that I wanted to do that, but again, not exactly.  I added my own spin there as well.

What we ended up with was a really good supper entree.  It was comforting and cozy, the exact sort of thing you'd want to eat on a cold brisk autumn day, or even one that was warm but just looked dreary out the window. 

Here's what I'd change in the future. I shredded cheese to put in the meatballs.  It literally just disappeared.  Perhaps the flavor was there but the bit of melty cheese I was looking for wasn't.  In future I think I'd be prone to dicing into fine cubes and mixing it in that way.  Or skipping it altogether and perhaps serve it with some shredded cheese on top.  Shredded mixed with the meat mixture seemed a waste of effort and an additional cost in my opinion. I'll include that in the recipe as I made it that way the first time, but just know this is my opinion.

The leftovers of this were really good, too, by the way and improved in the reheating process.  Do give this one a try!

Barbecued Cheddar Meatballs

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup diced onion

2 cloves finely minced garlic

1 egg

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup barbecue sauce

salt and pepper 

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 

Sauce:

1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes

1/4 cup brown sugar (NOT packed)

1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce

Preheat oven to 375F.  Mix all the meatball ingredients except cheese.  Once the egg and all is well incorporated then add cheddar if using.  Form mixture into large meatballs.  Ruth Ann's recipe said 1/2 cups. I guesstimated and formed roughly tennis ball sized meatballs.  I think I ended up with a dozen meatballs total.    Place in baking pan.

Mix sauce ingredients. Pour over meatballs.  Bake until baked through, roughly 30-40 minutes.  This is not the way the Six Sisters recipe reads.  They combine sauce ingredients and pour over top after the meatballs are done.  I did things my way and really appreciated the caramelization of the tomatoes and Barbecue sauce over the meat.

These meatballs can be served over grits, mashed potatoes or rice.  I think they'd make a terrific meatball sub, too.  I'm going to try them served that way one day soon.  On a butter toasted hoagie bun, topped with Cheddar and put under the broiler. Gosh that would be good!

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Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

 

Katie forwarded this idea to me a couple of weeks ago.  I scanned through the ingredient list and realized that every item was something we generally have on hand.  I looked up the full recipe and tagged it for the future.

I wanted an easy meal Friday night and not one that I'd already planned.  We'd had a cooler (relatively compared to the last three weeks of high 90's low 100's) and it was drizzling rain.  It seemed a day for a comforting sort of easy meal.

I pulled up the recipe once more and decided it's day had come.  Oddly, I stuck pretty hard to the original recipe with only minor alterations due to outages in my kitchen.

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion

1 medium green bell pepper

8 ounces mushrooms (I used a 6.5 ounce can of mushrooms since I had no fresh on hand)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp. steak or burger seasoning blend

1 tsp. powdered garlic (use fresh or minced if you have it, I didn't)

2 tbsp. ketchup

1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 cup A-1 steak sauce (or store brand)

1 cup beef broth

2 tbsps. cornstarch

Other:

Hamburger buns, 6-8

A mixture of sharp cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, shredded  (original recipe called for Provolone slices)

Brown beef over medium heat, then add onions and peppers, mushrooms, salt, pepper, seasoning blend and garlic.  Cook until onions and peppers are just tender.  Add sauce ingredients and mix thoroughly over medium heat.  The sauce will thicken slightly.  

Warm buns.  Spoon on mixture then top with shredded cheeses. 

Recipes says six servings.  I think you can manage eight easily.

This was delicious.  It was a big heat with the whole family.  I will definitely be rotating this into our menu plans in future.

Simply Delicious Pork Chops

I've seen a recipe a few times on YouTube shorts with pork chops that intrigued me.  It was the use of a Sour Cream and Onion dip that I wondered about.  Now you might know this but California Sour Cream and Onion dip is one of my favorites.  I make it with half the amount of onion soup mix just to reduce the saltiness.

In need of a meal this week, I decided to make the recipe I'd been seeing online.  I thought I'd try this recipe but it's so hot just now that I didn't want to turn on the oven at all. I didn't have room in the toaster oven for a pan to fit the size of my chops.  I decided to use the slow cooker and that evolved into tweaking the recipe a bit.

I opted to make this a one pot meal.  It was a huge hit with all four of my household members.  I'll definitely do this again and I'll likely keep it as a slow cooker meal.

Simply Delicious Pork Chops

4 1 inch thick well trimmed center cut pork chops (I used bone in)

1/2 packet instant onion soup mix

1 1/4- cups sour cream

4 medium potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1/2 of a medium onion, cut into slices

Seasoning of choice (I used a Montreal Steak Seasoning)

Spray slow cooker with non-stick spray.  Layer potatoes and onions in bottom of pan.  Place chops on top, then season with Steak seasoning (or your choice of seasoning).  Mix soup mix and sour cream.  Spread over top of chops and onto any exposed potatoes.  Put on lid and cook for 5 hours on High heat.  I find my own slow cooker is a bit fast so I lowered the temperature to Medium after about 4 hours.

Caleb ate every bite, Katie remarked on how good it was and John told me while the sides I'd served were good, the pork chop and potato dish was the real star.  I was very pleased with the way this turned out.

Skillet Mock Street Corn

 

I loved that this recipe was so simple and had so few ingredients.  It was a super tasty side to our spicy Crock-Pot Birria Tacos.  Super quick to prepare as well!

Skillet Mock Street Corn

2 15-ounce cans whole kernel corn, drained (or sub in 4 cups frozen)

2 tbsps. Butter

1 tbsp. fresh lime juice

4 ounces cream cheese

1 tbsp. fresh cilantro or 1/4 cup diced green onion

Heat skillet.  Melt butter and add corn, stirring and heating for a few minutes then add in the lime juice and cream cheese.  Stir until well blended and heated through.  Toss with cilantro or green onion.

I'd think if you had cream cheese with chives on hand this would go as well with the corn and you could skip the cilantro or green onion entirely. 

Crock Pot Birria Tacos - A bit Spicy!

 

A couple of years ago, Katie made Birria tacos and brought me a sampling.  I thought it was pretty good, if a little too hot for my tastes.  Recently when we went out to the new Mexican restaurant, I tried their version.  It was far too mild.  Just call me Goldilocks, despite my brunette head, okay?

I decided to try my own hand at this dish, and I have to say after eating them tonight that I was well pleased.  I had everything I used on hand, as part of my usual pantry ingredients.    While I tend to avoid recipes with a load of ingredients, these are all necessary for the flavor profile.  I know I served this on the first day of August, but it would be a lovely warming dish to serve once the weather is cold.  

I will say that I think you're wise to taste test the chipotle in adobo sauce to see how warm it might be and then add accordingly.  I've recently learned that chipotle peppers are actually smoked jalapenos in a seasoned sauce.  And jalapenos can vary widely in heat index.  I've had chipotles that were just pleasantly smoky tasting and barely warm.  These were fairly hot, so I added five. I knew I wouldn't be adding the Guajillo peppers the recipe called for and I didn't want to compromise the taste of the sauce too much. The Consommé was still a bit spicy but in a very pleasant tongue and lip tingling way. 

You'll have chipotle peppers left over (and tomato paste too, most likely).  Just scoop the peppers and a bit of sauce into individual piles on a cookie sheet covered with parchment and freeze, then pop the puck into a baggie to save to use later in other dishes.  Or more Birria!

I'll share the link to the recipe that Katie forwarded to me and then I'll post the ingredients I myself used as the recipe.  

I liked the broth I teste so well that I sipped a cup of it yesterday after I'd finished cooking the roast, before blending the broth and other ingredients into the thick consommé we had today for dipping.  And yes, I did keep the beef and the broth in the fridge for 24 hours before reheating and serving as tonight's meal.  

Click on the title to go to the original recipe on Pinterest.  And read on for how I made it.

Crock Pot Birria Tacos

2-pound boneless chuck roast

2 tbsps. olive oil

salt and pepper

5-6 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo sauce

1 small onion, sliced

8 smashed cloves garlic

32 ounces of water

14.5-ounce can of fire-roasted tomatoes 

4 tsps.  beef bouillon powder

3 bay leaves

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tbsp. cumin

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1 tbsp. dried oregano

1 tbsp. dried cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Salt and pepper the roast, then brown in a hot pan.  Now add all the other ingredients and cook on low heat for 8 hours.  It smells amazing as it's cooking.  

Remove meat and then blend the remaining sauces and ingredients in the pan. I allowed mine to cool completely, since I was serving it the next day.  If you are blending hot liquids, then please do it in small batches and follow all precautions.

The original recipe says to save the fat.  My roast was so lean that there was no fat on the broth at all.  There is a good reason for saving that savory fat though if you have it.  You'll want to heat the fat in a frying pan and use that to fry the corn tortillas for serving the tacos.  I can tell you this does add another layer of flavor to this dish.  

Shred beef.  Mix with 1-2 cups of the Birria Consommé, just enough to moisten it.  Heat and serve remaining Birria Consommé on the side for dipping.

This meat mixed with the blended sauce reheated extremely well the next day.  The consommé has a slight thickness to it once blended.  I didn't think we needed all of it for the meal, so I put 1.5 pints of it into the freezer.  I'm just going to reuse that next time I decide to make Birria Tacos.  I mean it's already fully seasoned...It would also make a great soup or chili base.

I served this on homemade flour tortillas with a side of a mock street corn (I'll share that recipe next) and a salad.  We topped the tacos with cheddar, diced green onion and Kate and I opted to have cilantro as well.  We both like the flavor of cilantro.  Caleb and John passed on that.  

Ham and Broccoli Pie

 

Karla, friend and reader, went online to hunt for this recipe.  I do believe it's the same as the one I was reminiscing about, though I don't think my former recipe called for fresh broccoli.  I'm pretty sure it called for frozen.   I recall it being very good.  Will my 60 something self like it as well as my 20 something self?  We'll see!

I would love to try this sometime substituting chicken for the ham.  I think the flavors would work just as well.

HAM AND BROCCOLI PIE

1 bunch fresh broccoli 2 stalks celery, sliced 1 onion, coarsely chopped 2 tbsp. butter, melted 2 tbsp. cornstarch 2 tsp. dry mustard 1/4 tsp. marjoram 1/4 tsp. grated lemon rind 1/8 tsp. pepper 2 c. milk 2 tbsp. lemon juice 2 c. chopped cooked ham 1 recipe pie pastry Separate broccoli into flowerets. Place in large saucepan with 1/2 inch boiling water. Simmer, covered, for 5 minutes; drain. Saute celery and onion in butter in skillet for 3 minutes. Combine cornstarch, mustard, marjoram, lemon rind and pepper in medium saucepan; stir in milk gradually. Add celery and onion mixture. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice, broccoli and ham. Pour into 2 quart casserole. Roll out pastry; cut into strips. Arrange lattice-fashion over top; flute edge. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Yield 4-6 servings.

Just an afterthought...I wonder if this would be just as good with a cheese sauce instead of the lemon sauce?  I will say the lemon sauce is so light that it is perfect for a summer day.

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Spoon Bread Ham Supper

Recently I came across a very good price on a half shank ham that was a bit less than $1 a pound.  I bought it, cut it into two meatless portions and the shank bone portion which had plenty of meat on it.  I cooked it in the crockpot last week while I was out one day and we've been eating off that meat in some form or another.  We had a ham supper, ham sandwiches, a few bits of ham tossed into a German potatoes and today I decided that was enough.  I was beginning to feel as I do at Christmas when we've eaten an overload of turkey.  

I removed what meat I could from the bone and made one more recipe and put that shank bone, with plenty of meat yet, into the freezer.  I look forward to a pot of Fifteen Bean Soup when really cold weather rolls around once more.  That won't be for months yet.

I reminisced on Blue House Journal about two recipes I'd made often in the early days of my first marriage.  One was a Spoon Bread Ham Supper dish.  The other was a Ham and Broccoli Pie.   

Both were in a Woman's Day 365 Menus and Recipes magazine that was specially published.  I think there may have been more than one volume of this published.  I bought my own copy in the late 1970's and I used that magazine often to try out new recipes.  It is from that same publication that I found my first really good homemade brownie recipe.  There was an almond cake that I really liked, a sausage stuffed acorn squash, and these two dishes.  I know there were other recipes as well.

Thank you to friend and reader, Karla, who took time to look up both recipes for me.  The recipe below reads exactly as I recall the one in the magazine reading.  That's how I made it and how I served it.

Spoon Bread Ham Supper
1/2 cup chopped green onion with tops
5 tablespoons butter, melted
1 package (8 1/2 oz) corn muffin mix
1 cup chopped cooked ham
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon sesame seed

Saute onion in 1 tablespoon butter 5 minutes. Combine corn muffin mix, ham, 2 tablespoons butter, eggs, milk, mustard and 1 cup Cheddar cheese. Add onion and mix just until blended. Pour into buttered 1 1/2-quart casserole. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and 2 tablespoons butter and sesame seed. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Cut in wedges and serve hot with Mushroom Sauce*. 4 to 5 servings.

*Mushroom Sauce: stir 1/3 cup milk into 1 can (10 3/4 oz0 condensed cream of mushroom soup. Heat to boiling; simmer 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Ironically, I didn't see Karla's comment with this recipe until I'd decided to wing it and make my own version.  I used the Jiffy Corn Casserole recipe as my Spoonbread topping.  I added in some of my homegrown chopped green onions and I did not sauté it in butter.  It was absolutely delicious, and we didn't miss the Sesame Seed or Mushroom Sauce at all.

Let me know if you try either variation of the recipe and tell me how you liked it.

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Broccoli Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Homemade Ranch Mix

 

Early this week, Katie asked if I'd make Spinach stuffed Chicken.  I haven't made it in ages and it did sound good, but no spinach on hand, neither fresh nor frozen.  When I told her this, she said, "Then try some Broccoli and Cheese stuffed breasts instead."  She knew full well I had a LOT Of the little individual packets of broccoli frozen in the freezer, courtesy Sam passing me the extra lunch food items given out by the school.

I didn't look up a recipe.  I just thought about how I'd want it to taste.  I debated on plain cheddar and broccoli, but I wanted a little something more.  I happened to see a short video of someone making a Ranch Cheese Ball...And that's where my mind began to come up with a plan.

Now I will tell you that I'd planned to use a packet of dry Ranch seasoning.  I didn't have one on hand, but we've often enough dumped a bunch of herbs, garlic and onion powder into mayonnaise and milk and made our own.  That's what I did.  I'll share my herb and seasoning mix below this recipe.

It turned out to be quite good!  Here's my recipe:

Broccoli Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

6 ounces softened cream cheese

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1.5 cups finely chopped broccoli florets

Ranch dressing mix (see below for my homemade dry mix)

3-4 boneless skinless breasts

Butterfly breasts.  I cut a line down the middle of the breast and then filleted either side of the line.

Mix cream cheese, broccoli, seasoning, cheddar well.  Divide into portions and put a portion at the smallest end of each breast then roll into bundles.  Mine were like long jelly rolls.   I placed mine in a slow cooker on High for two hours then cooked on low for two more hours.  

This served three but could easily have been halved to serve more with an additional side dish.  I served it with Mashed Potatoes and a salad.

 My Ranch Mix

1 tsp. Chives

1 tsp. dried Celery leaves

1 tsp. Dill Weed

1 tbsp. Parsley flakes

1 tsp. Tarragon leaves (in future, I'll half this)

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. Lemon pepper

This was quite good but the Tarragon kind of took over the other flavors a bit.  I'm not accustomed to using Tarragon but there it was on the herb and spice shelf so in it went.  I would have liked the tang of buttermilk powder and that's why I decided to add the lemon pepper.  I really liked that added touch.

I mixed a little of this with some salt and sprinkled over the top of my chicken.  

My family all liked it.  Katie and John both complimented me on this dish and I found it to be quite good myself.  

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Contest Winning Corn Moussaka

I found the original of this recipe in a 1980 Better Homes and Gardens Magazine.  It was a contest winner dish at that time.  It appealed to me on the basis that it used corn and ground beef, both of which I typically had on hand.  I didn't keep cottage cheese on hand then, but I felt the recipe was economical enough I could afford that addition to my budget.  Nowadays, I'd probably substitute in a Bechamel sauce.   

This recipe stood the test of time.  I have made it on average at least twice a year since 1980.  In a household where I typically 'shake things up' often and am always trying new recipes.  

Recently I've added allspice and oregano to the sauce base.  You really do want the warm flavor of cinnamon and allspice in this casserole for that indefinable flavor.  

Corn Moussaka

1 17-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained

1 1/2 pounds ground beef *

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1/2 tsp garlic salt** 

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1/2 tsp oregano

2 slightly beaten eggs

1 1 /2 cups cottage cheese with chives, drained*** 

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

slivered almonds (optional)

Spread corn in an ungreased shallow casserole, 10 x 7.  In medium skillet, brown ground beef.  Drain fat if necessary.  Add flour; cook and stir for 1 minute.  Add tomato sauce, flour, garlic, and cinnamon.  Pour over corn in dish.  Bake at 350F for 15 minutes. 

Mix cottage cheese and eggs.  Spread over warm meat mixture.  Top with cheeses.  Sprinkle almonds on top of the cheese.  Bake 10-15 minutes more. *I usually end up baking a little longer.  The cottage cheese topping should be just soft set.  If it is a little wobblier than you feel comfortable with, cook up to 1/2 hour, but check every five minutes.  The point is not to cook the cheese dry and hard atop the meat mixture.****

  *I've never used more than a pound of meat in this recipe

**I use 1 teaspoon minced garlic

***/****I have never noticed the part where it says to drain the cottage cheese! You could easily skip the draining and just add in a couple of tablespoons of flour and stir well.   I add 1 tablespoon dried chives to plain cottage cheese.

You can skip the whole cottage cheese thing and just make a 2-cup recipe of Bechamel sauce.  I stir two beaten eggs into my sauce to make it 'set' up nicely.  

NOTES:  I just made an Eggplant and Potato Moussaka.  My take was that I'd rather have used the meat filling from this recipe.  And next time I will!

You can use either sliced grilled Eggplant or thick slices of Potato that has been well browned on both sides in this dish.  Layer the vegetables and meat the way you do in Italian Lasagna.  Adding a bit of grated Parmesan between layers and to the top of the dish is delicious.  

Banana Pineapple Bread

This recipe came to me with two stainless steel loaf pans I'd purchased a couple of years ago.  I tried it then and found the recipe problematic.  It was good, but it definitely needed some work.  For one thing the loaf pans are about half the depth of a standard loaf pan.  The recipe came with each pan.  And according to the recipe, it would fit in the one pan.  I could tell just reading through the quantity of ingredients that was not going to work. I think at the time I baked my first trial run of the batter by dividing it in half, putting some in each pan.  And I do recall I had issues, but the overall taste was good and a nice change from my usual banana bread recipe.

So, I tried this recipe again this week when I had two very ripe bananas.  I won't tell a fib: it's still a problem recipe but it's sooo good!  I'm going to send it out here and the next time I try it I will note any changes I make.  I'll also submit the recipe as it was written and write what my experiences were this time around.

Banana Pineapple Bread

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 eggs

1 cup drained, crushed pineapple

3 ripe bananas

1 cup oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup chopped walnuts

The recipe states to mix all dry ingredients in one bowl and all wet ingredients in a second bowl then combine them.  Mix in nuts.  It says to bake in 'bread' pan and doesn't mention greasing or spraying the pan.  It goes on to say bake for 40-50 minutes at 350F.

First, I'll tell you what I did wrong.  I had two bananas.  I didn't drain my pineapple exactly, but I kind of did as I dipped it from the can and into my measuring cup.  I figured with the lack of the third banana the added moisture wasn't going to be a problem.  I purposely cut back the sugar to 1.5 cups.  It just seemed excessive with the pineapple, even though it was packed in juice.

I have a load of walnuts and could have used them, but I also had a bag of cashews in the cabinet that are going uneaten and decided to use a cup of those instead.  Yes, they are salted.  I didn't see that as a problem.  I figured with all the sweetness in the loaf the salt wasn't going to be too dominant.

I did grease my pan.  I couldn't imagine the bread coming out of the pan otherwise.  

I was using the stainless-steel loaf pans that this recipe came with another dish.  Those are 8x3 x2.  I poured all of the batter into the regular loaf pan (9 x 5), the one that is an actual loaf bread pan.  It filled it to the brim.  I knew I was in trouble then.   Didn't stop me though it did make me pause.   

Next time, I'll bake it in the extra-long (16 x 4) pan I bought, the one meant to make angel food cake in a loaf form.  I have a 13-inch-long pan but feel it would still be too small for this amount of batter.  Alternatively, I could bake a half dozen or even nine muffins and the regular loaf...Just thinking here to give you all ideas.  

I baked it for 50 minutes.  When I inserted my pick off center it came out clean, but I noted a suspicious extra jiggle.  Good for Quiche or egg custard.  Not so much with bread.  I checked in the center, and it came out coated in batter.  At that point, we had to leave home for a birthday party.  I left it in the oven, though I did shut it off.  When I returned, I checked the loaf again with my stainless-steel pick and it still came out coated in batter.  I reheated the oven, kept the loaf in the oven the whole while and baked for an hour more, checking it periodically.  The pick never did come out clean.  I don't know if I kept hitting a big piece of banana or not, but I couldn't justify baking it any longer. At that point, I simply pulled it from the oven because the outer edges were getting a bit overdone.  

Later note:  It was just a very moist bread but definitely cooked through.  Still think next time I need to use two regular loaf pans or the longer Angel Food Cake pan that I have on hand.

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Tuscan Chicken Pasta

I found this recipe on a money saving site I visit weekly.  In reading through the recipe, I was struck immediately by the fact that this recipe used only ingredients I typically keep on hand.  It is fairly frugal, using a good substitute of ingredients to replace one that is typically costly.  I saved a bit more by using a substitute for another ingredient, which is near enough the original to taste the same.  

The site I visited had this listed as a freezer meal and suggested that you make it in two 9x9 pans.  That was what I'd planned to do but instead, I ended up making it as a regular meal and am freezing the leftovers.

I cooked my chicken first in the crock pot, but you could sub in any leftover cooked chicken if it's not pre-seasoned.  I upped the flavor profile just a little and altered the liquid...in other words I've adjusted the recipe and made it my own take on the original, so I won't be passing credit to anyone else due to all the substitutions.    

This was a huge hit with my family and as I said, there were enough leftovers to freeze and have another time.  Again, I am much amused at how I can take something from the freezer and end up putting back an entire meal, lol.  

Tuscan Chicken Pasta

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

4 tsps. of minced garlic

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano 

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup chopped sundried tomatoes (not oil packed)

8 ounces cream cheese, softened, cubed

3 cups whole milk

1/2 stick butter (1/4 cup)

4-6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese

16 ounces pasta of choice, cooked

Place chicken in the crockpot and cook on high for 3-5 hours or low for 4-6 hours. Once chicken is cooked you can cut it into chunks or use a fork to make thick rustic bits.  Top with seasonings and dried tomatoes.  Stir and continue to cook on low.

To make sauce: Heat milk, cream cheese and butter.  Cook until slightly thickened.  Add sauce to crockpot.  I let mine cook for another hour on low and then switched the slow cooker over to warm.   I added in the cooked pasta about 15 minutes before I planned to serve it.

notes:  The original recipe called only for basil.  I didn't find that gave me quite enough flavor.   

Because I don't use freshly minced garlic, using water packed minced, I did add in the garlic powder just to bring up the garlic flavor a little bit.

The original recipe called for 2 cups of milk.  We like our pasta a little more saucy.  I ended up adding in extra milk.  I didn't have the Parmesan cheese (my daughter brought it to me when she came in from work) and I knew that the cheese was going to cause the sauce to thicken more and then the pasta would absorb quite a bit once it was added.  That extra cup of milk was the perfect amount.

Not only did we get 3 generous and 1 toddler sized portion, but I put aside a full portion for my daughter's work.  I still had enough leftovers to freeze in a 9x9 pan.  The original recipe said to bake at 350F from frozen for 40-50 minutes, if thawed for 30-40 minutes.

I've noticed that there are many online recipes for this dish and most include fresh spinach, which I think would be a delicious addition.

The Good Housekeeping Cookbook Yellow Cake

 

I recently wanted a single layer cake, but I remembered that the Dinette Cake from The Betty Crocker Cookbook, while a favorite is a bit coarse and dense.  Perfect for a Strawberry Shortcake, or a coffee cake like cake with a Broiled frosting but not light and airy like the cake I wanted.  

Since The Good Housekeeping Cookbook was right beside my chair it was easy to find a new recipe to try.  I've linked this cookbook and the other one, too, for those of you interested in checking them out on Amazon.

This recipe is different than most cake recipes.  First there is the question of what fat you will use.  The recipe says that butter will give you a rich flavor, while shortening will give you a more delicate flavor and crumb.  I'd be very curious what coconut fat might do for the cake.  I didn't have any on hand, so I subbed in the butter with a bit of shortening to make the full half cup fat required.

Then there is the question of temperatures. * If using two 8-inch rounds or you want to make 24 21/2-inch cupcakes, then 350F is the suggested temperature.  If using the 9-inch square, then the directions say to temperature should be 325F.

Whatever pan size you choose, do be sure to grease and flour the pan(s) or line with paper cupcake liners.

Yellow Cake

 2 cups flour

2 tsps. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup room temp fat (butter or shortening)

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup milk

Preheat oven.  See notes above * to determine temperature.

Mix flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

Beat fat with sugar for five minutes on medium speed.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla.  

Lower speed to the lowest setting.  Alternate flour mixture with the milk, beating well after each addition.

Pour into greased floured pan(s).

Bake at 350F (8-inch rounds or cupcake pans) or 325F (9-inch square).   8-inch pans bake for 30 minutes (mine took 35 minutes), cupcakes bake for 20-25 minutes and 9-inch square bakes for 40-45 minutes.  

Cool in pan(s) on wire racks for 10 minutes, then turn out onto the rack to cool completely.

I was so pleased at how silky this batter turned out.  The layers are tender and lovely.  I planned to freeze one layer, but it was truly a smaller cake than I'd thought it might be.  

I've debated the difference in baking times, and I'll bet that the longer slower bake time in the 9-inch pan will get you a slightly heavier cake with a consistency closer to a moist pound cake.  I plan to test that theory out one day soon.

I made mine lemon by using lemon extract in the batter for a subtle delicate lemon flavor and iced with a half recipe of buttercream frosting that I flavored with pure lemon juice.  I used only the half recipe of frosting because I didn't want a very rich cake overall, just something with subtle sweetness.

Cheesy Salsa Chicken and Rice

 

This was one of those desperation dinners.  I waited too late in the day to allow for a long thawing of meat.  The weather had changed from a previous forecast and was quite cool, rather than warm.  I had no clue what I might make but what was on the menu didn't appeal in the least.  

Out of desperation something was born that my family raved over.  I thought I'd share that with you all here.

This is a variation on Chicken and Rice but with a fresh twist that made it most welcome on the dinner table.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice

Chicken for four people (I used boneless skinless thighs, but any boneless chicken would work well)

Tajin seasoning 

1 cup salsa

1 cup shredded cheddar (what I had on hand.  I used a sharp cheddar.  I think Pepper Jack would have been equally delicious)

Prepared Mexican rice (from scratch or a packet.  Mine had been frozen from a previous meal and was thawed.)

I baked the chicken, covered, at 350F until I could easily pull the pieces apart and separate.  I drained off the liquids that accumulated in the bottom of the pan then laid the chicken back out on the pan and seasoned liberally with the Tajin seasoning.  I also added a bit of salt.  I baked about 20 minutes, turned it and then seasoned again on that side.  At about the 35-minute mark, I removed chicken from the pan.  

I spread the rice on the bottom of the pan.  Lay the chicken pieces on top of the rice base.  Then spread the salsa evenly over each piece of chicken and then with cheese.  Bake at 350 for another 10-15 minutes until everything is hot, melted and bubbly.  

We served this with a simple salad and Mexican Cornbread.  Tortillas would also make a great side and you could add beans if you needed to stretch the meal further.  

Mock Chop Suey

 

I got this recipe via Jennifer Brockman of A Country Life.  You can view her original recipe here. It sounded really good to me when she was making it in a recent video, and I thought I'd try it out on my family.  I happened to have all the ingredients including the chow mein noodles on hand.  

She mentioned in the video that the recipe was well over 60 years old.  I am pretty sure I've had it before, made as she shared it.  She'd found the recipe in an old collaborative cookbook, one of those sold by churches or women's clubs.

The recipe I'm sharing below is based on the one Jennifer shared but I'm adding in my variations and I'm including one ingredient that I didn't use, but Katie and I both felt it would be a great addition.  The dish definitely needed the added texture.

All in all, this is a good recipe, uses pretty much basic pantry ingredients and isn't cost prohibitive to make.  

Mock Chop Suey

1 pound ground beef

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped mushrooms (I used baby Bellas)

1 cup grated carrot (just something I had already on hand, so no harm in adding it right?)

1.5 cups chopped onion

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 can drained, diced water chestnuts (You really need this crunch in this dish so try to add it.  I didn't have it but next time I make this I will.)

1 cup water

1 tsp. powdered beef broth

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup uncooked white rice

salt and pepper to taste

Chow Mein Noodles

Brown ground beef, then add in the onions, celery, mushrooms, carrot, and garlic.  I considered adding in some shredded broccoli stalks as well.  I'm a big proponent of adding in all the extra vegetables I can to these sorts of dishes.

Once the meat is browned and the vegetables are soft add in the water, broth powder, soy sauce, soups, rice, and basic measures of salt and pepper. I used a little less salt and a good 1/2 tsp of pepper.  Mix well.  Remove from heat.  

Pour into a baking dish.  Jennifer filled a 9 X 13 pan.  I used two 9-inch square pans and divided equally among the two pans. 

Cover pan.  Bake at 350F for 1 hour and 20 minutes.  Remove cover, top with chow mein noodles and bake an additional 10 minutes.

I opted to bake one pan now and put the other pan into the freezer to have as a future entree. I labeled with cooking time and temp for future use.

Mongolian Beef Noodles

 

I'm always interested in trying a spin on a familiar taste profile that is a little less expensive to make.  Six years ago, Bess made an absolutely awesome Mongolian Beef that used boneless Chuck Roast.  It was made in the slow cooker, and it was wonderful.  We asked to put it on a repeating cycle while she and Sam lived here.  Back then, boneless chuck roasts were an inexpensive meat to have on hand.  Nowadays though it's pricey as can be.  In fact, I am seeing more of the English cut or Arm roasts on sale than Chuck Roasts and those are still rather pricey for my taste.  

In the meantime, I was interested when I saw a video of Mandy from Mandy in the Making preparing a version of Mongolian Beef that used ground meat.  She made a couple of suggestions about serving and it sounded interesting, so we tried it.  It was a little lackluster in my opinion.

But I couldn't quite let go of the idea.  I knew that one of her suggestions I hadn't followed and that was to double the sauce ingredients.   Then I came across another blogger's recipe which also sounded good.  I decided to try it again and this time add the touches I'd felt were missing the first time around.  Only I couldn't find the second blogger's recipe when I went to look for it.  So, I grabbed another recipe from a Bing search that came from the website, 12tomatoes.com.  I tweaked a few things based on what I had on hand, then I added all the toppings I'd felt were missing before.

The result was terrific.  It was so good that dibs got called right away on the leftovers a few days later when we were doing a clear out the fridge night.

I used thin whole wheat spaghetti noodles because it's what I had on hand.  I think the broader flatter noodle really would work best with this recipe to give the sauce more surface to cling to.

I used raw grated carrot, fresh lime wedges, chili garlic sauce, green and pickled onions on our bowls of noodles.  That was what I had on hand.  I think you could pickle shredded carrots or have sliced fresh radishes and that would be very nice on top as well.   I know that John would love this dish with slices of fresh cucumber surrounding the plate.  

I served with steamed broccoli but thought after that if I could manage a crisp tender broccoli, it would be good, tossed right in with the sauce and noodles.   Cooked diced baby bella mushrooms in with the beef would be a nice way to extend the meat if you had additional company.  

I think this would make a great rice bowl as well.

Mongolian Beef Noodles

8 ounces Fettuccini noodles

1 pound ground beef

4 cloves of garlic, minced (or 4 tsps. of minced garlic)

1/4-inch slice ginger root, grated 

1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce

3 tbsps. honey

1.5 tsps. sesame oil

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/4 c. loosely packed brown sugar

1/4 c. Hoisin sauce, I often don't have this and leave it out

1/4 c. Beef Broth

2 tbsps. cornstarch

1/4 cup water

For garnishing:   raw grated carrot

                              Pickled red onion

                              Diced Green onion tops

                              Lime wedges

                              Chili Garlic sauce

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.  Salt well.  Add fettuccini and cook according to package directions.

Brown ground beef.  Add garlic and cook for a moment or two.  Add the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a gentle simmer.  Make a slurry of cornstarch and water.  Remove pan from heat, stir in the slurry and then return to heat stirring the whole while.

Serve beef over noodles and top as you like.

July 1, 2024 update:  I recently used ground chicken in this recipe and it worked beautifully.  I was blessed to find packages marked down for about $1/pound.  I like ground chicken far better than I do ground turkey.  It's less grainy and takes on the flavors in this dish very well  

The Good Housekeeping Cookbook Pie Crust Recipe

 

I just tried a new pie crust recipe today and I have to say that this might be 'the one' for me from here on.  It turned out really nicely though I skipped one step and failed to take note of another which I'll share below so you will be informed, but this really turned out just lovely.  It was light, golden and flaky.  I used it to top Chicken Pot Pie today.  I'm curious to see how this works as the bottom of a pie in future.

The recipe is unusual in that they call for both shortening and butter.  I've seen recipes that called for one or the other but never both.  In going back later to the front of the chapter on Pie & Tarts, I found this explanation:  The single most important factor in the quest for tender pastry is the fat.  Butter gives a dough rich flavor, crispness and color; vegetable shortening makes it flaky.   We use butter and shortening to give piecrust the best qualities of each.  To keep fat in the dough chilled and firm, use ice water to bring the ingredients together.  And be sure both the butter and the shortening are well chilled. (I failed to chill my shortening).  The pieces of fat should hold their shape.  The kitchen should be cool, too.  If you must make pie on a hot day, chill the flour.

I have to laugh over that last line, ' if you must make pie on a hot day...'.  It's almost like a warning against even trying isn't it?  My second thought was that it would be ideal to have pastry pre-made and chilled in the fridge or keep a few disks in the freezer to take out and thaw to use.  You'd naturally want to thaw it in the fridge to insure it stayed properly cool on those hot days.

Pastry Dough for 1-Crust Pie

Chilling pie dough before baking helps it retain its shape.

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoons salt

4 tablespoons cold butter or margarine, cut into pieces.

2 tablespoons shortening (remember this too should be cold)

3-5 tablespoons ice water

In large bowl whisk flour and salt.    With a pastry blender (two knives or a fork) cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly after each addition, until dough is just moist enough to hold together.

Shape into a dish; wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight. (If chilled overnight allow to stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes prior to rolling out.)

On lightly floured surface, roll into a 12-inch round.  

Refrigerate or freeze until firm.  Fill and bake as directed in your pie recipe.  Makes one 9-inch crust.

My notes:  I didn't read that the shortening should be chilled.  It was fairly cool in my kitchen today, so the shortening was fairly firm anyway.

I use my KitchenAid mixer and the paddle to cut in the shortening and stop immediately when there are no big lumps, and the crumbs look coarse.

I've always struggled with knowing just how much water to add to get pastry to the right consistency.  I did add the water in one tablespoon increments.  Today it took 4.5 and I literally stopped the very moment the dough started to come together in one ball.  It will still be slightly crumbly, but will hold together once you start forming it into a disc.

Kidney Bean Salad

 

I found this cookbook a few years ago in a thrift store.  The price was low and the words in the title appealed to me for the most obvious reasons.  I love good food and I like cooking budget food.  You can still find this cookbook online.  The publication date is 1971. 

This particular recipe sounded odd, but I was making a complete menu right from the pages of the book.  I'm happy to say that this salad tasted really good!  Yes, these are unusual ingredients to combine to make a salad but there you are.

Kidney Bean Bowl

1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained (I rinsed, too)

1/2 cup sliced celery

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1/4 teaspoon salt

dash pepper

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 cup diced, unpeeled apple

1/3 cup diced process American Cheese

(I used cheddar from Aldi)

Lettuce

Combine beans, celery, onions, salt, pepper, mayonnaise.  Cover and chill.  Stir in apple and cheese before serving.  Serve in lettuce lined bowls.   Serves 8.