Gravy

08 Friday Apr 2011

Posted by in broth, brothy, creamy, gravy, yummy stuff

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Who doesn’t love gravy? Either with mashed potatoes or maybe just with bread.
Growing up,we’d have roast one night and the next day Mom would use the drippings to make gravy, heat up pieces of leftover meat in it, and we’d have homemade bread with gravy poured over.

There are two types of gravy.
A creamy gravy made with milk.
The other type is a brothy gravy made with water.

Both are great. They have a slightly different taste of course. But still great.

Ingredients:

Pan drippings from roasted meat or 2 cups broth
1/2 cup water OR milk
2 Tablespoons flour

In a pan, bring your drippings or broth to a boil.
Put the liquid and flour in a jar or other container with a tight fitting lid. Put the lid on and shake well til thoroughly mixed.
When the broth has come to a full boil, pour in the flour mixture.
Stir constantly and bring the gravy back up to a boil.
Turn the heat down if needed so the bottom won’t burn.
Keep stirring for 1-2 minutes until the gravy has thickened to the consistency you want.

Remove from heat and serve.

Makes about 2 to 2-1/2 cups.

French Toast

07 Thursday Apr 2011

Posted by in breakfast, can't use eggs, cinnamon, French Toast, maple syrup, powdered sugar, vanilla extract

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French toast is a great breakfast. It’s very simple to make.
Serve with butter and maple syrup or, my personal favorite, powdered sugar.

Ingredients:
5 eggs
1/4 to 1/3 cups sugar
1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk

8-10 slices bread

You want a deep, wide bowl to be able to lay a slice of bread down into.
In a bowl combine the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and milk. Whisk well so it won’t separate.
Heat a skillet or grill to medium-high heat.
Butter or oil the pan.
Lay a slice of bread into the egg mixture and get it well coated on one side. Flip it over to coat the second side.
Put the bread in the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden.
Repeat with remaining bread.

You may need to stir the mix every few slices since the cinnamon seems to want to settle at the bottom.
A good tip so you don’t drip egg mixture all over while transferring the slices to the pan, hold another plain slice of bread underneath so it drips on that and not the counter or stove.

8-10 pieces French toast

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.

Applesauce-Oatmeal Cookies

04 Friday Mar 2011

Posted by in applesauce, cookies, oatmeal, oatmeal-applesauce cookies

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My mom used to make these all the time while I was growing up.
They are moister than plain oatmeal cookies and they have great apple flavor.

Oven 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Baking time is 8-10 minutes

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1-1/4 cups flour
1-1/4 cups dry oatmeal

In a large bowl, cream the butter.
Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and baking soda. Blend it all together well.
Beat in the egg and applesauce.
Mix in the flour and the dry oatmeal.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Drop the dough onto ungreased cookie sheets using a teaspoon or small cookie scoop.
Bake 8-10 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned.

You will get approximately 30 cookies.