Category Archives: yummy stuff

Baked Empanadas

06 Wednesday Apr 2011

Posted by in Empanadas, ground beef, meat pie, olives, raisins, yummy stuff

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Empanadas are like baby meat pies. The meat is ground beef that has been seasoned.
This recipe, I got from “The Pie and Pastry Bible” written by Rose Bevy Beranbaum.
I just use a simple pie crust but the rest is essentially hers.
The raisins and olives are optional but highly recommended.

This makes 12 empanadas.

Ingredients:

Simple pie crust for 9″ 2 crust pie

MEAT FILLING-

2 Tablespoons raisins- optional
1 Tablespoon water for raisins
2 teaspoons lard or olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
a pinch of sugar
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 pound ground beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 pepper
3/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder OR 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
7 pimento stuffed olives, chopped- optional

Make the pie crust and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Cover with towel and refrigerate until ready to use.
Soak the raisins in the water for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Chop olives. Add to raisins.
Make the filling.
Put a skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Add the onions and sugar.
Stir occasionally until they turn golden- about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and sprinkle with the paprika and cumin. Stir and cook for 2 minutes to bring out the flavor of the spices.
Add the meat, salt, pepper, chile powder, thyme, and oregano.
Cook until meat is browned all over.
Remove from heat and stir in the olives and rains.
Set aside and let the meat cool thoroughly before making the empanads.

One by one, roll each piece of dough into about a 6″ circle. Just shape it the best you can.
Add 3 Tablespoons meat filling to the rolled out dough.
Bring the bottom edge up over the meat and seal closed. Just fold it over and press with your fingers.
Lay on a cookie sheet.
Repeat with all the dough and meat.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Stick the empanadas in the fridge until the oven is ready.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pies are golden.
Cool for a few minutes before serving.

Deviled Eggs

05 Tuesday Apr 2011

Posted by in Deviled Eggs, eggs, side dish, yummy stuff

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I love Deviled Eggs. In my opinion, you just can’t go wrong serving these as a side dish.
My favorite part( except for the eating) is that you can make these ahead and chill in the fridge til everything else is ready.

Ingredients:

5 eggs, hard boiled and peeled
1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing like Miracle Whip
1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
salt
pepper
paprika- optional

To cook the eggs-
Place eggs in a pan and cover with water.
Place over heat and bring to a boil.
Turn off the heat and cover pan with lid.
Let sit for 15 minutes.
Drain.
Cover eggs with cold water.
When able to handle eggs, tap each egg on the side of pan to crack the shell.
Let eggs sit back in pan to cool farther.
Carefully peel the eggs.

To make the Deviled Eggs-
Slice each egg lengthwise.
Scoop out the egg yolks into a bowl.
With a fork or spoon, mash up the yolks.
Add the mayonnaise, mustard and sprinkle with salt and better.
Stir well and taste to see if you need more salt or pepper.
Fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture. Use the fork or spoon or if you want to go fancy scoop the yolk mixture into a plastic baggie and close it up. Snip off the corner and pipe the mixture into the whites.
Sprinkle with the paprika if you want. Not too heavy, just a little to add a bit of color and taste.

Makes 10 Deviled Eggs.

Chocolate Syrup

04 Monday Apr 2011

Posted by in Chocolate, chocolate syrup, ice cream topping, milk flavoring, yummy stuff

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This chocolate syrup is great for making chocolate milk or spooning over ice cream.
It’s not as sweet as the chocolate syrup you’d buy at the store. It is a darker tasting chocolate.

It is really simple to make.
Makes 2 to 2-1/4 cups syrup.

You will need a 2 quart saucepan.

Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/4 cups sugar
1-1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla or chocolate extract

In your saucepan combine all the ingredients.
Heat to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Turn down heat to low and let it simmer but continue to keep stirring for another 3-5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and cool slightly before putting in a container.
Keep it stored in the fridge.

Brown Bread

02 Saturday Apr 2011

Posted by in bread, Brown bread, Monroe High brown bread, Recipe, yummy stuff

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If you ever went to Monroe Elementary or Monroe High School in Monroe, IA during the 1970s or 80s than you know all about this brown bread.
This bread’s coloring and sweetness comes from molasses.
It is light and fluffy with a glaze that is brushed on soon after taking out of the oven.

Makes 3 loaves in 8″x4″ loaf pans.

Ingredients:

BREAD-
1 cup warm milk
1 cup warm water
2 packages dry yeast (4-1/2 teaspoons)
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup whole wheat meal or oatmeal( Roman meal is a great substitute for the wheat but can be very hard to find)
6-7 cups flour

GLAZE-
1 egg yolk
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon milk

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in 1/2 of the warm water.
Add the rest of the liquid, molasses, shortening, eggs, salt, and oatmeal.
Stir well.
Add flour a few cups at a time, stirring well after each addition.
When you can’t stir anymore with a spoon, switch to your hands and mix well.
Turn out onto floured surface.
Knead until you have a soft dough that stays together, adding flour if needed.
Put dough back into the bowl and cover with a towel or plastic wrap.
Let rise.
Punch down.
Divide into three and put in loaf pans.
Let rise.
During the second rising preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bake approximately 30 minutes until bread seems done. Use the thump test.
Mix glaze ingredients together in a small bowl.
Brush glaze over the hot bread.
Remove from pans to cooling rack.

Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie

01 Friday Apr 2011

Posted by in apple, apple butter pumpkin pie, pie, pumpkin, yummy stuff

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This pie is AMAZING! It is like eating a pumpkin pie and an apple pie at the same time.

You can make it with a streusel topping or forgo it and serve with whipped cream.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
You will need a 9″ pie pan. A deep dish preferably.

Ingredients:

Dough for one 9″ pie crust

FILLING-
1 cup cooked pumpkin puree
1 cup apple butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 beaten eggs
3/4 cup milk

STREUSEL TOPPING- OPTIONAL
3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans-optional

Roll out pie crust dough and put in pie pan.
In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, apple butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Stir in eggs and milk.
Pour into pie crust.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
If not using streusel, take pie out of oven and let cool on wire rack.
If you plan to use the streusel, make that while the pie is baking.
For the streusel- stir together the flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter til mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the optional pecans.
After the pie tests done, take the pie out of the oven and sprinkle with the topping.
Bake for another 15 minutes.
Remove to a rack to cool.

Serves 6-8.

Grilled Pork Tacos

24 Thursday Mar 2011

Posted by in grilled pork tacos, pork, Recipe, tacos, yummy stuff

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These tacos are a great way to use up leftover pork roast or pork chops.
Simple to put together and yummy!
What more could you ask for?

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons cooking oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced OR 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups cooked and shredded pork
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 to 1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
8 to 10 count package flour tortillas

Heat cooking oil in a skillet. Cook the onion and garlic until tender.
Add the pork and cook until it is heated through.
Pour into a bowl.
Heat the tortillas just until pliable.
Divide the pork onto the center of each of the tortillas.
Top with the cheese, salsa, and black olives.
Fold the tortilla over.
Melt the butter in the skillet.
Grill the tacos on each side for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Makes 8 to 10 tacos.

Chicken Enchiladas

09 Wednesday Mar 2011

Posted by in chicken, chicken enchiladas, Recipe, yummy stuff

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Chicken enchiladas are so yummy. I first made these years ago when my husband asked for enchiladas. He actually wanted beef, but I could only find this recipe for the chicken variety.
Now, he would just as soon have these.
This makes a big pan so it is great for a big family or even leftovers later on.

Bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grease a 3 quart baking pan.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup chopped onion
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 an Anaheim chili pepper or a 4 oz. can chopped chili pepper,drained
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 Tablespoon milk
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cumin, depending on preference
2 cups cooked chopped chicken

12 taco or fajita size flour tortillas

10-3/4 oz can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
3/4 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

In a small saucepan, cook the onion in the butter until the onion is soft.
Stir in 1 Tablespoon of the chili pepper.
In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, 1 Tablespoon milk, and the cumin.
Add the chicken and onion mixture.
To assemble:
Put about 3 Tablespoons chicken mixture along the edge of a flour tortilla.
Roll up and lay in a greased 3 quart baking dish.
A 9″x13″ cake pan will work. The enchiladas will fit very snugly together.
Continue until all are made and put in pan.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make the sauce:
Mix the 1 cup milk, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and the rest of the chili pepper.
Spread over the enchiladas.
Cover the pan with lid or aluminum foil.
Bake for 35 minutes.
Uncover.
Sprinkle with cheese and bake another 5 minutes until cheese is melted.

Makes 6 servings.

Yummy Lasagna

26 Saturday Feb 2011

Posted by in Italian food, lasagna, yummy stuff

≈ 1 Comment

This lasagna is so good. Very filling too. If it is too much for one meal, it heats up well for leftovers.
You can even freeze what’s left for another meal down the road.

You will need a 9″x13″ pan.

This meal will take 3 to 3-1/2 hours from start to finish so allow that much time.

Ingredients:

MEAT SAUCE
1 lb ground beef
12 oz pork sausage- Italian or regular
24 oz tomato sauce
12 oz tomato paste
2 teaspoons garlic powder or 2 minced cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

CHEESE MIXTURE
3 eggs
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1-1/2 Tablespoons dried
24 oz cottage cheese
8 oz ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

9 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
6 slices provolone cheese
12 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

In a 3 quart saucepan cook the meats together until done. Drain.
Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste,garlic powder OR cloves, sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer over low heat for 1 hour.
In a bowl, mix the cottage cheese, eggs, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and parsley.
Cook the noodles. Drain and rinse to cool and so they won’t stick together.
Put 1 cup meat sauce in the bottom of the baking pan. Spread it out as best as you can.
Layer 3 lasagna noodles,
the provolone cheese,
2 cups of the cheese mixture,
1 cup of the mozzarella,
3 lasagna noodles,
2 cups meat sauce,
the rest of the cheese mixture,
1 cup mozzarella,
3 lasagna noodles
the rest of the meat sauce,
the rest of the mozzarella cheese.

The dish will be super full.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cover the dish with foil. Bake for 50 minutes.
Uncover. Bake 20 more minutes.
Take out of oven and let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Serve and enjoy.
12 large servings.

Pig ‘n Blankets

19 Saturday Feb 2011

Posted by in kids foods, Pigs 'n blankets, Recipe, yummy stuff

≈ 1 Comment

Pig ‘n blankets are easy to make and kids love them. Many adults do too.
Use the ready made biscuit dough or make it from scratch. Great either way.

Preheat your oven to 415 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ingredients:

1 package hot dogs
1 batch biscuit dough or a can of biscuit dough.
2 or 3 slices American cheese, depending on how many hot dogs in the package

Make the biscuit dough and divide it so you have a piece for each hot dog.
Or, if using canned biscuit dough just separate the pieces- 1 biscuit per hot dog.
Make slits in each one of the hot dogs. Don’t go all the way through. You just want a deep pocket to hold the cheese.
Slice the cheese into thin pieces. You will want to slice it into 3 or 4 pieces per slice. So if you have 7 or 8 hot dogs you need 2 slices. If 10 or 12 hot dogs you will need 3 slices.
Carefully put the cheese into the hot dog slits.
Flatten out each piece of biscuit dough.
Lay the hot dog cheese side down and close the dough around the hot dog.
Work it to smooth it out.
You can cover the whole hot dog or leave ends uncovered- your choice.

Bake on a baking sheet for 12-15 minutes until the blankets are golden.

Golden Cinnamon- Pumpkin Bars

10 Thursday Feb 2011

Posted by in butterscotch chips, cinnamon, pumpkin, pumpkin bars, yummy stuff

≈ 1 Comment


These bars are moist and big on cinnamon flavor.Originally the recipe called for cinnamon chips, but I only had butterscotch so I used them and they turned out great. So, that is what I always use.
They also call for whole wheat flour instead of white, so make sure you have that on hand to make these.
Yummy!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lightly grease a 9″x13″ baking pan.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup(1-1/2 sticks) butter
1-1/3 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 egg
1 cup pureed pumpkin
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup cinnamon OR butterscotch chips

In the microwave or on the stove, melt the butter.
Add the brown sugar and combine.
Return to heat briefly to dissolve more of the sugar.
Let sit and cool to the touch.
Beat in the vanilla extract, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and ginger.
Beat in the egg.
Add the pumpkin, flour, and chips and mix well.
Spread the batter in the baking pan.

Bake in the preheated oven 40-45 minutes until it tests done using the toothpick test. Moist crumbs may cling to the toothpick and it is still done.
Take out of oven and cool on a rack.

Cut into bars.