Brocolli, Chicken, Cheesy Rice Casserole

10 Sunday Oct 2010

Posted by in broccoli, casserole, cheesy rice casserole, chicken, chicken and rice casserole, Recipe, rice

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This is a really great casserole.
It has chicken and cheese. It has the healthy broccoli in it. And it is quick to put together.
I always use long grain white rice, but feel free to use whatever kind you prefer.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
You will need a 2 quart greased casserole dish, preferably with a lid.

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked white rice
1(10-1/4 oz) can condensed cream of chicken OR cream of mushroom soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 cups fresh or frozen cut up broccoli
1/4 cup chopped onion, optional
2 cups chopped up cooked chicken
4 slices American cheese, optional

If you are using fresh broccoli, you may want to partially cook it first before adding it. Otherwise it may stay somewhat crunchy.
In a large bowl, mix the soup and the rice.
Add the cheddar cheese, chicken, broccoli, and optional onion.
Pour into the prepared casserole dish.
If using, lay the slices of cheese over the rice mixture. Using the cheese slices will add a little more creaminess to the finished meal.
Cover the casserole and bake for about 30 – 40 minutes until bubbly and or cheese slices are melted.
Remove from the oven.
Take off lid and stir in the melted cheese.

Serves 6.

Pumpkin Custard

10 Sunday Oct 2010

Posted by in dessert, pumpkin, pumpkin custard, pumpkin pie filling, Recipe

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This is my recipe for pumpkin pie filling, just baked in a casserole with no crust.
This is a great way to go gluten free without having to have special flour too.

You will need a 1-1/2 to 2 quart casserole dish Or 6 (6oz.) custard dishes.
You will also need a 2 quart saucepan.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ingredients:

15 or 16 oz pureed pumpkin
3/4 cup brown sugar
1-1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1(12oz) can evaporated milk OR 1/2 cup regular milk
2 eggs

In your saucepan, combine the pumpkin,brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
Heat and stir over medium heat just til mixture comes to a sputtering boil.
Turn down to a simmer and keep stirring for 3-5 minutes until the pumpkin mixture has thickened somewhat and is shiny.
Pour into a large bowl and mix in the milk and than add the eggs one at a time.
Stir, or beat with mixer, while you are adding the milk and eggs.
Pour the custard into the casserole dish and bake for 45-50 minutes or into the individual custard dishes and bake for 30 minutes.
Check after 30 minutes for the casserole or 25 minutes for the custard dishes. Insert the tip of a knife into the center of the custard and if done, the knife will come out clean. It will be wet but have no custard clinging to it.

Since there is no crust for any of the liquid from the filling to absorb, there may be some liquid rise to the top of the custard.
This is normal.
It may go away during baking and it may not.
If it doesn’t and you don’t want it there, when the custard is cool blot the top of it with a paper towel.

Serves 6.

 

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.

 

Pear Bread

01 Friday Oct 2010

Posted by in pear bread recipe, pears, quick bread, Recipe

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If you have never tried pear bread, there is no time like the present. This quick bread is so moist and so yummy that you’ll wonder why you haven’t tried it sooner.

You will need two 9″x5″ loaf pans, greased
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ingredients:

3 eggs
1-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups peeled,cored and finely chopped pears
1 teaspoon lemon juice

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, cooking oil, and vanilla extract.
Mix in the cinnamon.
Stir in the baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Mix in the flour.
Toss the pears and the lemon juice and add to the batter.
Mix well and divide batter between the 2 pans.
Bake for 55-60 minutes until the loaves test done when checked with a toothpick.
Cool in pans for 10 minutes.
Loosen and turn out onto wire racks to cool.

Makes 2 tasty loaves.



Pear Orange Butter

01 Friday Oct 2010

Posted by in pear butter, pear orange butter, preserves, Recipe

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This isn’t just plain pear butter. It has a bit of orange flavor and ginger too.
Great on biscuits!
Just try it and you won’t be disappointed.

You will need a 4-5 quart pot for making the butter.
A colander or food mill is needed. Or you can peel the pears and puree them in a blender.
You will need 3 pint jars or 5-6 half-pint jars along with lids, prepared.
A water bath canner.

Ingredients:

4 lbs. ripe, juicy pears, cored and chopped
1 cup orange juice
3 Tbs. lemon juice
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Combine the pears, orange juice, and lemon juice in your large pot.
Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce the heat to low.
Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until pears are very soft. Stir occasionally.
Remove from heat and run through a colander or food mill, or puree if you peeled the pears.
Return the puree to the pot and add the sugar, stirring til it is dissolved.
Simmer for 40 minutes until butter gets fairly thick.
Stir almost constantly.
Stir in the ginger and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
Remove from heat and put the butter into jars and seal.
Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes.

Cheesy Biscuits

27 Monday Sep 2010

Posted by in Biscuits, cheddar cheese, cheesy biscuits, garlic, parsley, Recipe, side dish

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I love cheesy biscuits. They remind me somewhat of Cheddar Bay biscuits at Red Lobster. Not quite the same, but it’s getting there.
I love serving them with lasagna or spaghetti. Maybe even some seafood.
If you are serving Mexican, add a bit of cumin or chili powder to give it a little different taste.

You will need to baking sheet to bake the biscuits.
You will need a biscuit cutter.
A pastry brush is helpful here.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup(1 stick) butter- if you want to cut fat lower down to 1/3 cup
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup milk

6 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
With a fork or pastry cutter, cut in the butter til dough is crumbly.
Stir in the cheese.
Pour the milk into the center of the mixture and stir, just until moistened.
Turn out onto floured counter and knead about 10 times-just til dough comes together.
With your hands or a rolling pin,pat or roll the dough until it is about 1/2″ thick.
With a biscuit cutter or cookie cutter cut out the dough.
You will have 8-10 biscuits depending on the size of the cut out biscuits and how thick you rolled them.
Put the biscuits on the baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.
The biscuits will be golden and when lightly touched, they will spring back.
While the biscuits are baking, melt the 6 Tablespoons butter and mix in the garlic powder and parsley flakes.
After removing biscuits from the oven, brush the garlic/butter mixture over the biscuits. Use all the butter up. The biscuits will soak it in.

Best served warm.

Yummy goodness!

These are also great with a chopped hot pepper thrown in with the cheese.

Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

27 Monday Sep 2010

Posted by in cookies, oatmeal, oatmeal-raisin cookies, raisins, Recipe

≈ 1 Comment

What can you say about an oatmeal raisin cookie? They are hearty and super good. The raisins just add a little somethin’, somethin’ to the humble oatmeal cookie.

You will need 2 or 3 cookie sheets.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal

In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, sugar, baking powder, baking soda,cinnamon, and cloves.
Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat in well.
Mix in the flour.
Add the oatmeal.
Stir in the raisins.
Drop cookies by scoop or spoon onto the cookie sheets.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until cookies start to brown around the edges.
Cool on a wire rack.

Makes 3-4 dozen, depending on whether you use a small scoop or a medium scoop.

Pear Crunch Pie

20 Monday Sep 2010

Posted by in dessert, pear crunch pie, pear pie, pears, pie recipe

≈ 1 Comment

If you have never had pear pie before, you are in for a treat. It is similar to apple pie, but there is that subtle difference that says pear.

This version of pear pie has a streusel topping instead of a top crust.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
You will need a 9″ pie pan.

Ingredients:
single pastry crust for 9″ pie

1/2 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
5 cups peeled and sliced pears
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
7 Tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped nuts-optional

Make pastry and put into pie pan.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
Add the peeled and sliced pears.
Mix to combine and add them to the lined pie pan.
Dot with the 1 Tablespoon butter.
Sprinkle with the lemon juice.
Set aside.
In another bowl,Mix the 1 cup flour, brown sugar,1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and the nutmeg.
Cut in the 7 Tablespoons butter until the mixture is crumbly.
Stir in the nuts if you are using.
Sprinkle this over the top of the pears.
Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 35-40 minutes until the pears are tender.

Serves 6-8.

Yummy!

Simple Pie Crust

20 Monday Sep 2010

Posted by in pie, pie crust, Recipe, shortening, simple

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This is a simple shortening pie crust. I make this one a lot. It is great when you don’t have a lot of time to devote to make a crust made with butter.
You can make it and roll it out in about 5-10 minutes.

Another reason I make it a lot is that my daughter prefers this crust to a butter crust.

This recipe is for a 9″ single crust pie shell.
If you need a double crust or a lattice crust, just double the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup solid shortening
2-3 Tablespoons cold water

With a fork, mix the flour and salt in a bowl.
Add the shortening and work it in with the fork or your hands.
The mixture should be somewhat crumbly.
The shortening should be worked through well and most of the it should be in tiny pieces, but leave a few a little bigger.
Add the water a tablespoon at a time and work it in with the fork.
The dough should just start coming together.
With your hands work the dough just until all the flour is incorporated and you can pat it into a ball.
Flatten and let rest while you flour a counter for rolling the crust out.
Roll out the dough until it is a little larger than the size of your pie pan. To test it, take your pie pan and turn it upside down over the dough.
If you have plenty of room around the pan, it is big enough.
Now carefully, roll the roll up- loosely- and transfer to the pie pan.
Trim the dough away from the edge of the pan. But leave about an inch overhang.
Fold the crust over around the edge and crimp to seal.
Make sure to leave a bit of an edge along the top of the pan.

Croutons

19 Sunday Sep 2010

Posted by in croutons, homemade, Recipe, salad topping

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I love croutons on my salad. But, I never thought about buying them. One day, I just thought, I should make my own.
They are easy to make and don’t take long at all.
You probably have everything you need to make some croutons right now in your kitchen.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
You will need a baking sheet.

Ingredients:

2 slices bread, any kind you want
butter
garlic powder
Parmesan cheese
Parsley flakes

Or try your own combination of seasonings.

Butter both sides of both slices of bread.
Sprinkle well with the garlic powder, Parmesan cheese and parsley flakes.
Stack the bread and with a knife, cube the bread and spread the pieces out on a baking sheet.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and crunchy.
Stir the cubes every 5 minutes.
At 15 minutes, check for crunchiness.
If not quite done, check again in just a few minutes.
Do not let them over brown or they will not taste very good.

You will get approximately 1-1/4 cups of croutons.

To store- put in an air tight container or a baggie.