Ham Hash

03 Wednesday Dec 2014

Posted by ruthep in Ham Hash, Ruth's yummy stuff, yummy stuff

This started out as one of my dishes named hodge podge. If I like what I came up with, it gets a name. So, this is now known as Ham Hash.

I am sure you have probably heard of Skillet Hash or Corned Beef Hash. Basically fried potatoes and roast beef. I thought that I’d try ham and see what happened.

You will need a large skillet with a lid.

Ingredients:

2 medium size potatoes, scrubbed and cubed

1 small sweet potato, peeled and chopped

1 small/medium onion, chopped

1/2 of a small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 of a small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 – 2 cups chopped ham

salt to season

pepper to season

1/2 teaspoon paprika powder

2 Tablespoons oil for coating the skillet

Directions:

Add the oil to the skillet and heat up over medium/high heat.

Add everything to the skillet, but the ham and seasonings.

Season with the salt, pepper, and paprika. Stir til everything is mixed well.

Cover with lid and check once in a while to prevent burning or sticking.

After 5 or 10 minutes, lower the heat and continue to cook until the potatoes are tender.

Dump in the ham and mix in.

Cover and let the ham heat up with the rest of the food.

Let that go for a few minutes.

Time to serve!

This will serve 4-6 depending on if you eat it alone or with something else.

Cream of Squash Soup

14 Friday Nov 2014

Posted by ruthep in pumpkin, pumpkin soup, soup, squash, squash soup, yummy stuff

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Ruth's yummy stuff, soup

This is a great and simple to make soup.

Use winter squash or pumpkin and you will have a savory treat in no time.

You will need a medium sized saucepan.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups pureed winter squash or pumpkin

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1-1/2 cups chicken broth

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon flour ( gluten free, all purpose, oat will all work fine)

a couple pinches salt

dash pepper

1 cup milk

Directions-

In a large bowl mix the broth and squash puree together. Set aside.

Melt the butter in your saucepan. Stir in the salt, pepper, nutmeg, ginger, and flour.

Stir until bubbly.

Add the milk and over medium high heat, stir continuously, until the mixture is thickened and bubbly.

Cook for another minute and keep stirring.

Add in the broth and squash.

Cook and stir until it is heated through or a little longer if you it a bit thicker.

Tips~

If you have to bake a squash for this, you will need one that is about 1-1/4 pounds. If you use pumpkin, a 15 oz. can of pureed pumpkin will give you 1-3/4 cups.

For chicken broth use bouillon and water, store bought, or some already made that you have in the freezer.

I like the mix of ginger and nutmeg, but using either one alone will work great too.

Serves 3-4.

Blueberry Banana Muffins

30 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by ruthep in banana, Blueberry, blueberry banana muffins, muffins, oat four, Ruth's yummy stuff, wheat free, yummy stuff

≈ 4 Comments

These muffins have the great tastes of blueberry and bananas and are a great way to start the day. If you don’t eat wheat, these are perfect because they don’t use wheat flour.

The banana is what makes these so nice and moist. They also keep great so are good made the night before and reheated or eaten at room temperature.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit/205 Celsius.
Grease 12 muffin cups or use liners.

Ingredients:

1-3/4 cup oat flour
1/4 cup flax meal (ground flax seed)
1/4 cup corn starch or arrowroot
1/3 cup sugar
2-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 cup mashed banana (2 large or 3 medium)
3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

In a bowl, stir together the oat flour, flax, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar.
Set aside.
In another bowl, mash the bananas. Add the milk, egg, and oil and mix well.
Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until everything is mixed well and no dry spots are visible.
Fold in the blueberries.
Divide the batter evenly amongst the 12 muffin cups.
Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes until you can lightly touch the muffin tops and they spring back.
Take out of the oven and let sit in pan for 15 minutes.
Loosen around the edges with a knife and let sit for another 15 minutes.
Carefully remove from muffin cups.

Makes 12.

*******************
You can buy oat flour or just grind dry oatmeal in a blender or food processor. If you have a spice grinder, that is perfect.

I like using olive oil because it makes for a lighter muffin.

Getting Organized

16 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by ruthep in organizing tips, Ruth's yummy stuff, yummy stuff

≈ 4 Comments

Getting organized and staying organized can be vital.

It saves you time, sometimes money, and it definitely saves your sanity.

You know the little things like keeping things in their proper space.

But, how bout keeping a running list so that when you run out of something you know to get more?
It saves you checking when you make your grocery list.

Planning meals is good.
I don’t always get it done, but it is helpful.

You know what to buy at the store,
you don’t have to wrack your brain trying to figure it out,
and if you pack lunches and/or make breakfast, things go smoother.

If you do pack lunches for work or school, leftovers can be great.
Make extra food if you can.
If that doesn’t work, make a meal and portion it into serving sizes and freeze or refrigerate for later lunches.

We are not cold cereal eaters.
Which means making breakfast every morning.

You can always bake muffins the night before
Or
you can mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another bowl and mix them and bake in the morning.

Cinnamon rolls can be left to rise in the fridge overnight.
Take out while you preheat the oven.
Bake and nice hot breakfast.

How do you find ways of making things go smoother in the kitchen?

Peanut Butter Energy Bites

22 Sunday Dec 2013

Posted by ruthep in no bake, peanut butter energy bites, Ruth's yummy stuff, yummy stuff

≈ 1 Comment

These are yummy and fast and healthy. No cooking or baking is involved. You are gonna love these!

You will need a bowl for mixing.

Ingredients:
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup flax meal (ground flax seed)
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Start with a spoon and finish with your hands.
Roll into balls and put into a container with a lid.
Refrigerate to set up.

I just keep mine in the fridge, but you don’t have to.

I get about 18. How many you get depends on how big you roll the balls.

DO NOT cook the oatmeal first!

Pear Crisp

19 Saturday Oct 2013

Posted by ruthep in pear crisp, Pear recipe, pears, yummy stuff

≈ 8 Comments

I love a nice warm from the oven crisp. Until this year, I had never tried it using pears. I don’t know why, because it tastes fabulous.

You will need a baking dish that holds 2 quarts. I usually use a round glass casserole, but you could use a 9″ square baking pan.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit/190 Celsius

Ingredients:
5 cups sliced and peeled pears
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup oat flour(all purpose flour will also work)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter

Peel and slice the pears and spread evenly in the baking dish.
In another bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
Cut in the butter until you get coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the pears.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the pears are tender when pierced with a sharp knife.

Serves 6.

Frugal Me Fridays- What Is It?

04 Friday Oct 2013

Posted by ruthep in Frugal Me Fridays, yummy stuff

≈ 6 Comments

I can’t believe it is Friday already.
I’ve been busy canning and freezing and time is just flying by.

I’ve spent a lot of years learning how to stretch a dollar.
I make everything from scratch.
I make stock from a turkey carcass.

We all have a different idea of frugality.

Some people clip coupons to save money.
I don’t use coupons much because I don’t use what I can find coupons for.

I would like to know what is frugal for you
or do you have any questions on how to be frugal with something.

Leave me a comment or send me an email.
My email is greatcookrep@live.com.

Have a great Friday!

Peaches, Pears, and Apples OH MY

01 Tuesday Oct 2013

Posted by ruthep in apples, peaches, pears, yummy stuff

≈ 2 Comments

Sunday was a busy day.
There was plenty of picking going on.

My husband, daughter, and I went to my parent’s place to pick fruit.
My sister showed up to help too.

Dad has a apple tree with a bumper crop.
A couple pear trees and a couple peach trees too.

The peach are the small white Iowa peaches.
Here is some of what we brought home.

These are not everything either.
The fruit crisper drawer is full of apples and there is a cooler full in the garage.
I have a cooler full of pears that isn’t in this pictures.
There is also a huge box of peaches sitting in the back of the truck.
Too full for us to want to move until some of the peaches are gone.

Mom and Dad also have tons at home.

I did make butterscotch peach jam yesterday.

Today I am planning on making applesauce.
I may freeze some apples today too.
Later this week, I will be doing apple butter.

The pears aren’t ripe yet.
They don’t ripen til picked off the tree.

I am still doing tomatoes too.

One day I need to find time to cook my neck pumpkin.
This I got from a friend.

I’m going to be busy.
But, a good kind of busy.

Frugal Me Fridays- Freezing Fruit

27 Friday Sep 2013

Posted by ruthep in freezing fruit, Frugal Me Fridays, fruit, yummy stuff

≈ 6 Comments

If you find yourself with an abundance of fruit, freeze it for later.

Sometimes there are discounted or free bananas because they are over-ripe.
Grab them!

If you are given fruit, take it.

Fruit is so simple to freeze.

Peel and cut if needed.
Or just wash.
Freeze.

If you want to make sure the pieces don’t stick together, freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet for a couple hours.
Take out of the freezer and put into containers or freezer bags.

Bananas are super simple.
You can freeze them for a frozen treat or for baking.

For treats, you will want to peel and either leave whole or mash.
My daughter likes them left whole, but you can mash them until smooth and than scoop out like ice cream.
If you are planning to bake with them, you can peel and mash or you can just stick the whole banana in the freezer.

My mom peels and mashes. She measures and than freezes.

I just stick the unpeeled banana in a bag and into the freezer it goes.
To use, thaw out and snip off one end of the banana and squish out the banana.
What I like about doing it this way, is that the mashing is virtually unnecessary.

I have heard frozen grapes are good treats too.
I have not tried it, but it’s an idea worth trying.

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