Category Archives: yummy stuff

Cooking Rice

16 Saturday Oct 2010

Posted by in brown rice cooking, cooking rice, rice, white rice cooking, yummy stuff

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Rice is always a good staple to have in your pantry. It is pretty versatile.

You can just have it as a side or use it in a casserole. You can even make a salad with it.

But, it all starts with cooking it first. Which is pretty easy. You don’t need a fancy rice cooker. Just a pan with a tight fitting lid.

How long it takes to cook the rice depends on the kind you buy.

Minute rice is the fastest rice to make. It is already precooked so you just have to bring it to a boil and it’s pretty much ready.

Brown rice, on the other hand, takes the longest. But, it is healthier.

Regular white rice, that you buy in the bag takes about twice the time as minute rice and a little less than half the time of brown rice.

Cooking rice is pretty simple. And you can vary the taste by the liquid and seasonings you cook it in or anything you add in when it’s done.

The basic method of cooking rice is using 2 parts liquid to 1 part rice.

Start off by deciding what flavor you want to give to your rice.
You can just use plain water with nothing added. Or, if you want to add a bit of flavor, add some salt and a little butter to the water before adding the rice.

You can also cook the rice in chicken broth.

Add different spices to the water or chicken broth. Use parsley or curry powder. Maybe lemon pepper seasoning.

After deciding how you want your rice to taste, get out a medium sized saucepan and add your broth or water to it. Add any seasonings you are using.
Turn the heat to medium high and bring to a boil.

While the cooking liquid is heating up, rinse the rice in a strainer and make sure to drain it well.

When the liquid is boil, add the rice quickly.

Let the water come back to a boil.
Cover.
Turn the heat down to low and let cook undisturbed.

For white rice, it takes about 15 minutes.
For brown rice, it takes about 40 minutes.

The rice is done when the water has all absorbed into the rice.

It’s time to serve, add in things such as cheese or salsa, or use it as an ingredient in another dish.

Overnight Carmel Apple Rolls

12 Tuesday Oct 2010

Posted by in breakfast, caramel apple rolls, caramel roll recipe, Recipe, sweet rolls, yummy stuff

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These are very good rolls. They are very light and a little different from your usual cinnamon or caramel rolls.
They are also great for mornings. You make them up the night before and stick them in the fridge. In the morning, just pop them in the oven for a yummy breakfast.

You will need a 9″x13″ baking pan.
A larger rectangular pan or platter for serving.
You will also need a rolling pin.

Ingredients:

Rolls-

2-¹/2 teaspoons  yeast
3 to 3-1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup(1/2 stick) butter
1 egg

Caramel topping-
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup applesauce
6 Tablespoons butter, melted

Filling-
4 Tablespoons(1/2 stick)butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Combine 1 cup flour, the sugar, salt, and yeast. Set aside.
In a small saucepan warm the applesauce, milk, and butter. Heat just until butter almost melts.
Add to the flour mixture with the egg.
With a spoon or mixer stir in until everything is moistened.
Add another 1-1/2 cups flour and mix in until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead in the remaining flour. The dough should be smooth and elastic.
If you have a mixer with a dough hook, use that and knead til dough is smooth and elastic.
The dough will be soft.
Put the dough into a greased bowl and cover. Put into a warm spot and let rise for about 45 minutes until double.
Grease the 9″x13″ pan. Combine the topping ingredients in the bottom and spread it out evenly.
When the dough has risen, roll it out on a floured surface into a 15″x12″ rectangle.
Spread the butter evenly over the dough.
Sprinkle the sugar and the cinnamon over the butter.
Working from the long side, roll up the dough and pinch to seal. You want to roll tight enough that the sugar and cinnamon won’t come out. But you don’t want it too tight so that the middle of the roll pops out while it bakes.
Cut the rolls into 12 even slices. Lay over the topping.
Cover the pan with buttered foil and stick in the fridge. Buttering is just in case they rise too high and hit the foil. This way they won’t stick.

Take the rolls out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Uncover the rolls and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Remove from oven and let stand for 1 minute.

Take your larger pan or platter and lay it top side down over the pan of rolls.
Quickly flip both pans at once so the pan of rolls is bottom side down over the other pan.
Carefully lift the baking pan off the rolls.
Scrape any remaining topping out of the pan onto the rolls.


Whoopie Pies

12 Tuesday Oct 2010

Posted by in Chocolate, chocolate cookies, chocolate whoopie pies recipe, cookies, whoopie pies, yummy stuff

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Whoopie pies are two soft chocolate cookies sandwiched together with a creamy vanilla filling.
Very, very yummy!

The cookie dough may seem more like a cake batter, but that is the way it is supposed to be.
Trust me.

You will need a large bowl for your cookie dough.
You will also need a second bowl for the filling.
You will need cookie sheets.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ingredients:

cookies-

1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup sour milk
1 cup hot water
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cocoa powder

filling-

2 egg whites
4 Tablespoons flour
4 Tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3-1/2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar, divided
1-1/2 cups shortening

For the cookies-
Cream the shortening and sugar together.
Add the cocoa powder and the eggs, egg yolks, and hot water.
Mix well.
Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sour milk and beat in until smooth.
With a spoon or medium size cookie scoop, drop cookies onto cookie sheets.
Try and put even numbers on each sheet so you will know you will not end up with an odd number of cookies.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool.
While they cool, make your filling.

To make the filling:
Beat together the egg whites, flour, milk, vanilla extract, 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar and the shortening. It won’t get really smooth and that’s OK.
Beat in the remaining powdered sugar until the filling is very creamy.

To assemble, spread the filling on the flat side of one cookie. Take another cookie and put it flat side against the filling to make a sandwich.

You will end up with about 34 good size whoopie pies. Maybe more, if you make them smaller.

To store them, make sure to put a paper towel in between each layer to prevent sticking.

You’re gonna love them!

Apple Butter

05 Tuesday Oct 2010

Posted by in apple, apple butter, cinnamon, preserves, Recipe, yummy stuff

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This apple butter is so much different

from store bought. It has great apple and

cinnamon flavor. You are going to love it!

 

You will need a large pot for cooking.

You will need 5-6 pint jars with flats and

rings.

A water bath canner.

 

Ingredients:

 

8 cups unsweetened applesauce

1 cup apple cider vinegar

4 cups brown sugar

4-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

 

Directions:

 

Combine the applesauce, vinegar, brown

sugar, and cinnamon in your large

cooking pot.

Bring to a boil over medium heat and

turn down to low, stirring very

frequently.

Cook until the butter reaches desired

consistency. This will take probably 45

minutes.

It is important that you keep it stirred so

it will not burn.

Remove from the heat and put into the prepared jars. Seal.

Process in a water bath canner for 10

minutes.

 

Quiche Lorraine

20 Tuesday Jul 2010

Posted by in brunch, quiche, quiche lorraine, Recipe, supper, yummy stuff

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Quiche is great for brunch or even a light supper. It is pretty simple to make.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ingredients:

1- single crust pastry for 9″ pie
6 slices bacon
1 medium onion, sliced
3 beaten eggs
1-1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash ground nutmeg
1-1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese(6 oz.)
1 Tablespoon flour

Put your pie crust into a 9″ pie plate. Over the top of the crust lay a double thickness of foil.
Put into preheated oven and bake for 8 minutes.
Take out foil.
Bake the crust 4-5 more minutes until crust is set and dry. If you hear moisture coming from the crust it is not done.
Remove from the oven and reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

While the crust is baking, cook the bacon until crisp.
Drain, but leave about 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in pan.
Crumble the bacon and set aside.
Cook the onion in the bacon drippings until tender. Takes about 5 minutes.
Drain.
Add to the crumbled bacon.

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, milk, salt, and nutmeg.
Stir in the bacon and onion.

In a separate bowl, toss the flour and cheese together.
Add that to the egg mixture.

Pour the egg mixture carefully into the hot baked pastry.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or til a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6.

A couple things to remember- DO NOT prick the crust with a fork.
Also the creamer the Swiss cheese, the creamier the resulting quiche will be.

Yummy!

Chocolate Star Cookies

19 Friday Mar 2010

Posted by in chocolate stars, cookies, peanut butter, yummy stuff

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Chocolate star cookies can also be called peanut butter blossoms. The only difference being is these use chocolate stars and peanut butter blossoms are traditionally made with Hershey kisses.
But whatever, you make them with, or call them, they are super good.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp baking soda
About 48 chocolate stars or kisses
Granulated sugar for rolling

Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl and set to the side.
Cream together the butter, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Add the peanut butter and mix well. Beat in the egg.
Add the flour mixture and blend well.
Roll the dough into about 1″ balls. Roll in granulated sugar.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10-13 minutes. The cookies will just start to color.
Remove from the oven and immediately press a star in the center of each cookie, pressing lightly.
Don’t stack for storage until the chocolate has firmed back up. The cookie will be cool and so will the chocolate, but it still may not have firmed up enough to stack without making a chocolatey mess.

Enjoy the cookies!

Lemon Bundt Cake

05 Tuesday Jan 2010

Posted by in bundt, cake, dessert, lemon, Recipe, yummy stuff

≈ 4 Comments


This cake is not overly lemony, but it has a glaze that really gives it a big shot of lemon flavor.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour a bundt or tube pan.

Ingredients:

1 cup softened butter or margarine
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
1-1/2 vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt- if using salted butter or margarine do not use
1 cup milk
1 Tablespoon grated lemon peel- optional

Glaze:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 Tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs, beating one egg in completely before adding the next one. Mix in the extracts.
Add the milk and the flour mixture alternately beginning and ending with the milk. Stir in the lemon peel, if you are using.
Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for 60-70 minutes til it tests done with a toothpick inserted near the center.
Cool for 10 minutes. Invert pan onto a wire rack for 10 more minutes.
Put waxed paper or foil underneath rack to catch extra glaze.
Let the cake cool slightly.
Combine glaze ingredients.
Drizzle over the warm cake with a spoon.
OR
If you have a pastry brush, I recommend you brush the glaze on the cake.
More will stay on the cake instead of ending up on the waxed paper.

Serves 12-16.



Cheesy Chicken Breast with Onions and Peppers

26 Sunday Jul 2009

Posted by in chicken, meal, peppers, Recipe, yummy stuff

≈ 1 Comment


This reminds me of food you can get when out to eat. It is very simple and very delicious.I came up with this one year when I had so many bell peppers I didn’t know what to do with them all.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F

Ingredients:

4 chicken breast halves
1/2 cup cheddar or Monterey jack cheese or a mix of the two
1 bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 medium size onion, halved and sliced
garlic powder
salt
pepper

In a bowl mix the peppers and onion strips and set to the side. On a baking sheet, lay out the chicken breasts and season lightly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and put the bell pepper and onion strips on the tops of the chicken breasts. Do the same with the cheese. Return to oven for 5 minutes. Take out and serve.

Serves 4.

Works best with flatter chicken breasts.

Chicken Enchilada Dip

15 Wednesday Jul 2009

Posted by in appetizer, Cheese, chicken, chicken enchilada dip, Dip, recipes, yummy stuff

≈ 1 Comment


This dip is to die for. Serve it with tortilla chips and it tastes just like you are eating chicken enchiladas.
It is a hot dip. I hope you enjoy.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/ 175 C.

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken meat
1-8oz package softened cream cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese OR cheddar/jack cheese
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1- 4 oz can diced green chili pepper- you can also use half of a fresh Anaheim chili
1 Jalapeno OR Serrano pepper, finely chopped- optional

Bake chicken in oven for about 20 minutes or until done. Take out, cool and shred or cube.
In a mixing bowl add all of the ingredients and blend well.
Transfer the mixture to a baking dish. A 2 quart casserole works really well.
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. It will be bubbly and the edges will be golden.

Black Bottom Banana Bars

14 Tuesday Jul 2009

Posted by in bananas, bars, Chocolate, cocoa, Recipe, yummy stuff

≈ 1 Comment


These are so good. They are very moist. If you love bananas and chocolate, you will love these bars.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
You will need a greased 13×9 baking pan.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups mashed bananas- you will need 3 or 4 bananas
1-1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup baking cocoa

Cream the butter and sugar.
Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until smooth. Pour half of the batter into another bowl.
To the mixing bowl add the cocoa powder and mix well.
Spread the cocoa mixture into greased pan.
Carefully spread the reserved batter over the top and use a knife to swirl the batter.
Bake for 25-30 minutes til bars test done when a toothpick is inserted in the middle.
Cool before cutting.

Makes 12-16 bars.
They are very moist so don’t stack together for storage, without putting a paper towel in between layers.