I Love To Cook, Do You?

2009-01-27T01:49:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been working a lot of overtime and no time to post. I hope to be able to find the time to post more. Today I will post a few recipes from the members of my cruise forum.

Name: Fern

1 lb bag of Kroger Great Northern Beans
1/2 cup chopped onion (or more depending on how much you like onion)
1/2 cup chopped celery leaves (whatever's in the middle of the stalk)
1/2 cup chopped carrot (1 large carrot)
1 smoked ham hock (I use Petit Jean)

The day before, put the beans in the pot, cover with water and let it sit on the counter. Also, chop all the veggies and put them in the fridge.

That evening, drain the beans and put them back in the crockpot. Add 4 cups of water (BJ, since you like your soup "soupy" you may want to add 6 cups ). Put all the veggies and the ham hock into the crockpot, too. Add salt and pepper to taste (I don't use salt). Put the pot in the fridge. Whoever gets up first (that would be David, here!) takes the pot out and plugs it in on low. Let it cook 10-12 (or more) hours. About an hour before you're ready to eat take out the ham hock and cut off the "good" stuff to add to the beans. Discard the rest of the ham hock.

Cornbread: Buy Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix and follow directions for cornbread , or make your own!
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Name:BGSimp

Crab & Artichoke Dip

8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup Light Mayo
8 oz. Artificial Crab, chopped
1 can Artichokes, chopped
3/4 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
( Plus a little for the top )
Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 375.
Mix Cream Cheese & Mayo together. Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
Put in a pie plate sprayed with a little Pam. Sprinkle the top with a
little more Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes until lightly browned.
ENJOY !!!!!
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Name: FLLady

SWEET AND SPICY PORK CHOPS

Brown 4-6 chops in 2 tablespons oil
toward the end add:
1 medium onion sliced then add:
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine, 1 pound can of tomatoes, cut up with liquid
2/3 cups Heinz catshup
1/2 teaspoon oregano

Pour over pork chops, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Makes 2 cups of sauce serve over egg noodles or rice.

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Name: SeaTrekker

No-Bake Key Lime Cheesecake

8 oz cream cheese softened
1/3 Cup granulated sugar
1/2 Key Lime juice
2 8oz containers whipped topping
1 9 inch prepared graham cracker pie crust.
1/4 C toasted almonds lime lime slices
Beat cream cheese with mixer or fork until smooth.
Slowly add in granulated sugar.
Pour in Key lime juise, blending until smooth. Fold in one of the containers of topping, blend well. Spoon mixture in to granam cracker crust. Chill until firm (about 4 hours) top with additional 8 oz whipped cream, if desired.
Garnish with lime slices or toasted almonds
ENJOY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Name: Tina

Panko Parmesan Crusted Chicken

6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts-cut in half or strips or left whole.
salt pepper
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1 cup panko crumbs
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Combine the panko and parm cheese. Preheat the oven to 400.

Salt and pepper chicken. Dip the chicken in the flour, then the egg, then the panko mixture. Place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with Pam. Spray top of chicken with Pam too. Cook in preheated 400 oven for 45 mins or until done. (depending on size)

May add a tomatoe or other sauce on top before serving.

Beats pan fried chicken but is just as crisp. Tastes like the skin is still on and the chicken is moist. I've tried other oven fried chicken but always felt it was a little dry or not crisp enough.
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Name: Tweety

Chocolate Raspberry Torte

1 pkg (8 oz) BAKERS Semi Sweet Baking Chocolate, divided
A pkg (2-layer size) devil’s food cake mix
1 pkg (8 oz) PHILADELPHIA cream cheese, softened
4 squares BAKERS Premium White Baking Chocolate, melted, cooled
1 tub (8 oz) COOL WHIP whipped topping, thawed, divided
1 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 cup raspberries

MELT 4 of the semi sweet chocolate squares as directed on package; cool slightly. Prepare cake batter as directed on package, adding the melted semi sweet chocolate with the water; pour into prepared 2 (9-inch) round baking pans. Bake as directed on package. Cool in pan 10 min; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Wrap cake layers tightly in plastic wrap; freeze 1 hour.

MEANWHILE, beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer until creamy. Add melted white chocolate; mix well. Gently stir in half of the whipped topping. Refrigerate until ready to use.

CUT each cake layer horizontally in half (you will have 4 layers) Place 1 of the bottom cake layers on serving plate; spread top with ½ cup of the jam. Top with 2/3 cup of the cream cheese mixture. Repeat cake, jam and cream cheese mixture layers 2 more times, top with remaining cake layer.

MICROWAVE remaining whipped topping and remaining 4 semi sweet chocolate squares in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min; stir. Microwave an additional 30 sec. or until chocolate is melted. Stir until well blended. Spread over top of torte. Garnish with raspberries. Store in refrigerator.
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That was just a few of the recipes posted in Cruise Talk Cafe. From time to time I will post more. My cruiser friends know good food and love to cook.

Laura

The Best Of The Cruise Lines

2008-06-04T02:49:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to cruise. Here are a few of my favorite recipes from the cruise Lines.

If you love Carnival's Chocolate Melting Cake, here is the recipe.

Chocolate Melting Cake

Ingredients:
1 pound dark chocolate
1 pound butter
10 eggs (room temperature)
10 ounces sugar
6 ounces flour

Melt chocolate and butter. Mix the eggs and sugar and whisk for a few minutes. Add the flour. Add the egg mixture to the melted chocolate and mix well. Pour the mixture in to a greased mold. Bake at 400 for 14 minutes.
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Disney Cruise Lines serves this wonderful souffle.

Chocolate Souffle Palo

Make this irresistible, classic dessert for sweet memories of dinner at Palo. This soufflé is by far the most popular choice in the sophisticated restaurant.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing the soufflé cups
6 tablespoons sugar, plus more for dusting the soufflé cups
1 cup of milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa
2 ounces (2/3 cup) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted
4 eggs, separated
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Set a full Kettle of water on to boil.
Butter 6 4-ounce soufflé cups and coat with sugar; set aside.
Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cocoa to the butter and beat with a whisk until it has smooth, pastelike consistency. Reduce heat and cook for 1 minute.
Slowly add the hot milk, whisking until smooth, then blend in melted chocolate. let cool for 5 minutes, then stir in egg yolks.
Beat egg whites in a separate bowl until frothy. Slowly add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff, glossy peaks form. Stir a heaping spoonful of egg whites into the chocolate, then fold in the remaining whites just until combined.
Pour the batter into prepared soufflé cups. Place cups in a large baking dish and add enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the soufflé cups.
Bake for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Vanilla Sauce for Chocolate Soufflé
The warm Vanilla Sauce is the perfect complement when making the irresistible, Chocolate Soufflé.

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/4 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3 tablespoons sugar
2 small egg yolks
Directions
Bring cream and vanilla bean to a low boil in saucepan over medium heat.
Combine sugar and egg yolks.
Add 2 spoonfuls of boiling cream to egg mixture and stir well, then pour back into the remaining cream and continue to cook over low heat, stirring constantly for 3 to 4 minutes.
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From NCL This fruity soup sounds wonderful

Ice Chilled Banana Soup with Yogurt and Mango

1. Blend the ripe bananas in buttermilk and honey.

2. Add the ice cream and yogurt and blend smooth.

3. Add more honey for taste if needed.

4. Ladle into soup cups and top with diced mango; serve immediately.

Ingredients
1/4 cup ripe bananas
1 3/4 cup banana ice cream
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp
buttermilk
1 3/4 tbsp honey
1 1/2 cups yogurt
1/3 cup fresh diced mango
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CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE'S ROASTED PUMPKIN SOUP

Servings: 10
1 medium or large onion, quartered
1 leek, white part only, cut in chunks (4 oz)
6 cloves garlic
2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil
7 cups chicken stock
1 (16-oz) can pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon chicken base, not bouillon
salt to taste (use caution, there is salt in the soup already)
1 1/4 cups heavy cream, plus 3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

This is just a few of the many delights served on cruises. Another time I will offer more of the Cruisers favorites.

Crock Pot Meals

2008-02-14T00:09:00.000-08:00

Most of the Moms today also have jobs outside the house. Crockpots are a great way to prepare a dinner in the morning and have it ready to eat for dinner. I love mine and use it a lot. It is nice to come home knowing that dinner is going to be ready. With little effort I can have dinner on the table in no time at all. Over the years I have cooked many meals in crockpots. Following are a few of my favorite recipes.

Seven Layer Casserole with Ground Beef

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup uncooked rice, washed and drained
1 cup whole kernel corn, drained
dash salt and pepper
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce and 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
3/4 to 1 pound extra lean ground beef, uncooked and broken up
dash salt and pepper
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
4 strips bacon, cut in half
shredded cheese, if desired for topping

PREPARATION:
Place ingredients in a buttered 1 1/2 quart casserole in order given. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour. Uncover and cook 30 minutes longer, until bacon is crisp. If desired, top with shredded cheese the last 10 to 15 minutes.Seven layer casserole serves 4.

Home-Style Ribs

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 to 3 lb. country style pork ribs, boneless
1 tbsp. oil
1 large onion, quartered & sliced 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick
.
Sauce:
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup tomato ketchup
1 tbsp. prepared mustard
3 tbsp. brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
Dash black pepper
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon celery seed

PREPARATION:
Trim excess fat from ribs. In a large skillet, brown ribs in oil; transfer to the slow cooker. Place onion slices over the pork ribs. Combine all remaining ingredients; pour over ribs and onions. Cover and cook on low for 8 - 10 hours Serves 6

All Day Crockpot Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
Marinade:
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
dash ground allspice
dash ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
.
Chicken and Remaining Ingredients
6 chicken breast halves
6 to 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained
1 small bell pepper, green or red, seeded, cut in strips
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold milk
1/4 cup cold water

PREPARATION:
Combine marinade ingredients in a non-reactive container with lid or a large sealable food storage bag; blend well. Add the chicken to marinade; cover or close bag and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.
Place the marinated chicken in the slow cooker. Add marinade to cover chicken. Sauté mushrooms in the butter, then add to chicken and marinade in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours. About 1 hour before done, add mandarin orange sections, green pepper and ginger; stir well. When done, mix together the cornstarch, milk and cold water, then gradually add into the slow cooker while stirring; cover and cook 15 minutes longer, until thickened.
Serves 6.

Cheesy Slow Cooker Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
6 boneless chicken breast halves, without skin
salt and pepper, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup

PREPARATION:
Rinse chicken and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix undiluted soup and pour over chicken in a Crock Pot. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours. Serve over rice or noodles.Serves 6.
Everybody loves Chili!

Black Bean Chili With Beef

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup cooked black beans
1 lb. stew beef, cubed
2 tablespoons bacon drippings or vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green peppers
1/2 cup diced green chile peppers
3 tbsp. tomato paste
3 to 4 beef bouillon cubes, or beef base
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. salt and pepper
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or mild Cheddar cheese
PREPARATION:

Brown stew beef in bacon drippings or oil with onion and green pepper. Combine all ingredients except cheese and cook 6 to 8 hours on low.Serve hot in bowls with a little cheese sprinkled over each serving.

Another Chili

Crockpot Chili

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds ground round, browned and drained
2 cans kidney beans (15 ounces each) , canned, drained
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
6 ounces black olives, pitted and drained
1/2 cup water

PREPARATION:
Brown and drain ground round in skillet.
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and mix thoroughly.
Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Rick's Note: Goes well with grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese sprinkled on top.Can be frozen and then reheated in a sauce pan later in the week for quick dinners

Beef Pot Roast with Sour Cream

INGREDIENTS:
4 to 5 pound lean chuck roast
1 clove garlic, mashed
salt and pepper to taste
1 large carrot, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 small onion, sliced
3/4 c. sour cream mixed with 3 Tbs. flour and 1/2 cup dry white wine

PREPARATION:
Rub roast with garlic and season with salt and pepper. Place in the Crockpot and add chopped carrot, celery, and sliced onion. Cover and cook on low 10 to 12 hours. Add sour cream mixture 30 to 40 minutes before done. Serve with hot cooked noodles.

I sometimes double the sour cream mixture

Italian Sausage Spaghetti Sauce

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds Italian sausage (sweet, hot, or mild)
48 to 54 ounces spaghetti sauce, about 2 large jars
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
green bell pepper, sliced thin
1 lg. onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
3/4 cup water

PREPARATION:
Place sausage in skillet and cover in water. Simmer 10 minutes; drain. Meanwhile, place all remaining ingredients in the crockpot. Cut Italian sausage into large chunks and add to the pot; cover and cook on LOW 4 to 5 hours.
Increase to HIGH and cook 1 hour longer. Serve sauce over spaghetti and sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serves 10 to 12.

Everyone Loves Chicken!

2008-02-10T02:19:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things to prepare is chicken. I have many chicken recipes that I collected over the years. Following are a few of my favorite tried and true recipes.

CREAMY CHICKEN BREASTS

SERVINGS
Original recipe yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS
2 chicken breasts, cooked and deboned
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1/2 cup butter
40 round crackers

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Chop chicken into small pieces and place in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Mix soup and sour cream and pour over chicken. Dot with butter or margarine. Crumble crackers finely and put on top of chicken mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.

SAVORY ROSEMARY CHICKEN

Delicious, easy to prepare one dish meal!

yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS
8 chicken thighs
6 small red potatoes, quartered
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Place chicken and potatoes into a large bowl. Pour olive oil over them, and stir to coat. Scatter the chicken and potato pieces in a large baking dish, or cookie sheet with sides. Sprinkle with rosemary, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, uncovered. Baste during the last 15 minutes for extra crispness.

CREAMY MUSHROOM CHICKEN
yield: 2 servings

INGREDIENTS
4 chicken thighs
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2 carrots, shredded
1 large onion, sliced
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, layer in the following order: onion, bell pepper, carrots and chicken. Pour soup over the top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes.

ORANGE CHICKEN
yield: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS
1 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
8 chicken thighs

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a small bowl, stir together the orange juice, soy sauce, onion soup mix and garlic powder; set aside. Rinse chicken, and pat dry. Place chicken thighs into a 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Pour the orange juice mixture over.
Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour and 30 minutes in the preheated oven, basting every half hour. If using boneless chicken, reduce cooking time to 1 hour.

CREAMY CHICKEN RICE BAKE WITH VEGETABLES
yield: 5 servings

INGREDIENTS
5 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
2 teaspoons garlic powder, divided
2 teaspoons onion powder, divided
2 teaspoons ground black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon salt, divided
3 tablespoons dried minced onion, divided
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
2 (10.75 ounce) packages chicken flavored rice mix (e.g. Rice A Roni)
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/4 cups milk

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to broil.
Place chicken in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. In a small bowl combine 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon dried minced onion and oregano. Sprinkle over chicken, coating both sides.
Place chicken under broiler for 10 minutes, or until browned and crispy.
In a medium bowl combine rice mix, chicken soup and milk; mix well until lumps are gone. Stir in 1 teaspoon garlic, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons dried minced onion.
Take chicken out of oven and remove chicken from pan. Spoon rice mixture into the pan and place chicken on top; cover.
Reduce oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Bake for 30 minutes, or until rice and chicken are cooked through.

GARLIC BROILED CHICKEN
yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley
6 boneless chicken thighs, with skin
dried parsley, to taste

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven broiler. Lightly grease a baking pan.
In a microwave safe bowl, mix the butter, garlic, soy sauce, pepper, and parsley. Cook 2 minutes on High in the microwave, or until butter is melted.
Arrange chicken on the baking pan, and coat with the butter mixture, reserving some of the mixture for basting.
Broil chicken 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until juices run clear, turning occasionally and basting with remaining butter mixture. Sprinkle with parsley to serve.

Cold Weather Calls For Chowder!

2007-11-24T07:23:00.000-08:00

Chowder makes a great winter warm up. I have selected a few recipes that I think are delicious. These are great by the cup with a sandwich for lunch. Or can be served as a starter for any meal. Enjoy!

New England Clam Chowder

1/4 cup cut-up bacon or lean salt pork
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cans minced or whole clams, drained (reserve liquid)*
1 cup finely chopped potato
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
2 cups milk

cook and stir bacon and onion in saucepan until bacon is crisp and onion is tender. Add enough water, if necessary, to reserved clam liquid to measure 1 cup. Stir clams, liquid, potato, salt and pepper into onion mixture. Heat to boiling. Cover and cook until potato is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in milk. Heat, stirring occasionally, just until hot (do not boil).

* 1 pint shucked fresh clams with liquid can be substituted. Chop clams and add with the potatoes.

Broccoli-Cheddar Cheese Chowder

1/2 cups milk
1 (11 ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 cup frozen loose-pack chopped broccoli
1/2 cup frozen loose-pack hash brown potatoes
1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn

In a medium saucepan stir together milk and soup. Cook and stir over medium heat till bubbly. Remove from the heat. Stir in broccoli, hash browns, corn, and pimiento; cool. Pour mixture into a 1-quart freezer container. Seal, label, and freeze.
To serve, transfer frozen mixture to a large saucepan. Cover and cook over medium low heat for 40-45 minutes or till heated through. stirring occasionally.
Makes 6 servings.

Corn Chowder

6 slices bacon
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1(17 ounce) can whole kernel corn
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk

Cut bacon in 1-inch pieces. Cook in a large saucepan until crisp. Remove bacon. Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings in pan. Add onion and celery. Sauté until onion is tender. Add potatoes, corn and liquid, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Combine flour and 1/4 cup milk in a small bowl until smooth. Stir in remaining milk. Pour into corn mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full boil. Stir and boil 1 minute. Stir in bacon. Heat 5 minutes.
Makes about 6 cups.

Seafood Chowder

1 1/2 pounds unpeeled, medium-size shrimp
Vegetable cooking spray
1 teaspoon olive oil1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup diced sweet red pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 (10 1/2 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
3 cups peeled, diced red potatoes
1 cup diced carrot
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 (12 ounce) cans evaporated milk
1 (16 ounce) can cream-style corn
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 pound fresh crabmeat, drained and flaked

Peel and de-vein shrimp; set aside. Coat a Dutch oven with cooking spray; add oil, and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion and next 3 ingredients; cook until tender. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually stir in chicken broth, water and next 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, stirring often, 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Stir in milk, corn and hot sauce; return to a boil. Add reserved shrimp and crabmeat; cook 5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink, stirring constantly. Remove and discard bay leaves.
Makes 10 servings.

2007-11-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

Today many people live the a low carbohydrate lifestyle. I am one of them. I started by using Dr Atkins low carbohydrate diet. I have several of Dr Atkins books and love the recipes. I find the food to be very good. Who knew dieting could be so tasty? The following are recipes I use from Dr Atkins that I really love.

Chicken Breasts with Tarragon Cream Sauce

Servings: 4
Prep time: 0:05:00
Bake/Cook time: 0:20:00
Calories: 485
Fat: 30 grams
Protein: 49 grams
Carbohydrates: 1 grams
Fiber: 0 grams
Net Carbs: 1 grams

Tarragon is a favorite herb in French cooking. It has a delicate, licorice-like flavor that goes well with poultry. Roasted green beans or asparagus make a fine accompaniment.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon or 3/4 teaspoon dried
Salt
Pepper

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter with oil. Brown chicken breasts on both sides. Reduce heat and cook, covered, 15 minutes, just until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to a serving platter; tent with foil to keep warm. Add cream to skillet; scraping up brown bits. Stir in mustard and tarragon. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken.

Italian Sausage and Peppers

Servings: 4
Prep time: 0:00:00
Bake/Cook time: 1:10:00
Calories: 640
Fat: 49 grams
Protein: 36 grams
Carbohydrates: 14 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Net Carbs: 12 grams

This classic Italian comfort food is simple to make, addictively delicious and a great crowd-pleaser.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 pound hot Italian sausage
1 small red onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
4 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a knife and peeled
1 red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into ½-inch strips
1 (14 ½-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
Salt and pepper

Heat oil in a large saucepan or high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add sweet sausage and hot sausage and brown on all side, 5 to 7 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium and add onion and garlic. Cook until vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes. Add red pepper, green pepper and tomatoes, bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover partially and simmer for 10 minutes.
Uncover and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.

These are just 2 of the recipes from Dr Atkins that I really enjoy. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Thanksgiving Pies And Other Holiday Goodies

2007-11-06T02:44:00.000-08:00

The following are recipes I found in My Mothers "holiday recipe box"
To my Mother the annual apple harvest meant the start of holiday cooking. She would cook all these wonderful goodies and put them in the freezer for the holidays. These are just a few of her favorite recipes. I treasure her recipes and will hand them down to my daughter. I must confess I did not inherit my mothers talent for baking pies. I tried over and over but was never succesful. after many tries to make a decent pies I gave up. I usually purchase pies from the bakery.
Basic Pie Crust
Makes 2 8 or 9 inch pie crusts
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp of salt
¾ cup of shortening
In a medium bowl with a fork stir the flour and salt
With a pastry blender cut the shortening into the flour until it is coarse crumbs
Sprinkle 5-8 tbsp of cold water one at a time mixing lightly with a fork after each addition until pastry is moist enough to hold together. Shape pastry into a ball. For a 2 crust pie divide pastry into 2 pieces one slightly larger than the other. Take the larger piece and roll it out on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pinto about 1/8” thick and about 2” larger than the pie plate all around. Carefully transfer to the pie plate. Roll out the ball for the top of the pie the same way. Bake as directed in pie recipe.
The above is my Mothers basic pie crust. As far as I know she used it for most of her pies. Following are her favorite recipes for Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pie

Addie's Apple Pie
Pie crust as above.
2/3 to ¾ cup of sugar, ½ of this can be brown sugar if desired
2 tbsp of all purpose flour
½ tsp of cinnamon
¼ tsp of nutmeg
½ tsp of grated lemon peel
1 to 2 tsp of lemon juice
6 to 7 cups of peeled and cored apples
6 pats of butter or margarine
Preheat oven to 425F
Place bottom pie crust in pie plate. Put ½ the apples in the piecrust, sprinkle with sugar mixture. Place in the rest of the apples and sprinkle with the rest of the sugar mixture. Dot the top with butter or margarine pats. Put on top of pie crust and bake 40 to 50 minutes.
Mom’s Pumpkin or Squash Pie
Unbaked 9” pie shell
1 cup of sugar
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp ground clove
1 ½ cups of pumpkin. This can be canned or fresh made from pumpkin
Or use fresh or frozen, thawed squash
1 2/3 cup of evaporated milk, undiluted
2 eggs well beaten
Refrigerate the pie shell for at least 1 hour before use. Heat oven to 425F. Combine sugar, salt and spices. Add pumpkin, milk and eggs and beat until smooth. Pour into pie shell and bake at 425F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and continue baking for 35 minutes or until custard is set. Cool
After she had an ample supply of apple and pumpkin and squash pies safely in the freezer she would work on her breads. Following are her favorites. The recipes for Date Nut Bread and Cranberry Walnut Bread are my favorite ones. These recipes represent my Mothers unique ideas to me. Both of these recipes are from her favorite cookbook. She changed the amounts of every ingredient to suit her own taste. That was my Mother always trying to make a good thing better.
According to Addie no holiday menu is complete without at least one bread. Here are a few of her favorites.
Date Nut Bread
1 ½ cup of chopped walnuts
2 cups of cut up pitted dates
3 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
6 tablespoons of shortening
1 ½ cups of boiling water
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups sugar
3 cups of sifted all purpose flour
With a fork mix walnuts, dates, soda and salt. Add shortening and water and let stand for 20 minutes. Start heating oven to 350F Grease 2 9”x 5”x 3” loaf pans. With a fork beat eggs then beat in vanilla, sugar and flour. Mix in date mixture until just blended. Turn into pans. Bake for 1 hour 5 minutes or until cake tester inserted into center of loaf comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes then remove from pans to wire rack to finish cooling. Wrap and store. This bread freezes well.
Cranberry Walnut Bread
4 cups of sifted all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
1 ½ cups of sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup of orange juice
2 tsp of grated orange rind
6 tablespoons of white vinegar plus enough water to make 1 1/3 cups
½ cup of melted shortening
2 cups halved of coarsely chopped cranberries
2 cups of chopped walnuts
Start heating oven to 350F. Grease a 9”x 5”x 3” loaf pan. In a mixing bowl, sift flour, soda, salt and sugar. With a fork beat egg and stir in orange juice and rind, vinegar-water mixture and melted shortening. Add all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until flour is moistened. Add cranberries and walnuts and turn into a baking pan. Bake for 60 - 70 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes then remove to racks to finish cooling.
This next recipe, Suet Pudding is an old family favorite handed down from my Grandmother. It is actually a steamed bread. My mother would make up several batches of this and add it to the goodies in the freezer.
Grammie Berry’s Suet Pudding
2 ½ cups of flour
1 tsp soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
1 cup raisins
1 cup of milk
1 cup of suet, chopped small
1 cup of molasses
Sift flour, soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon together. Add raisins and suet. Mix milk and molasses add the flour mixture add raisins and suet and mix well. Divide into 2-1 pound coffee cans cover with plastic. Steam on top of stove for 3 hours in a covered pan over low heat. Check water level often keeping about 2 inches of water in the pan at al times. Cool, remove from cans wrap well and freeze.
When you thaw the Suet Pudding for serving mix the following sauce for a topping.
Suet Pudding Egg Sauce
Cream ½ cup of butter or margarine with 1 ½ cups of sugar. Add 1 egg and beat well. Add 1 or 2 tbsp of boiling water and ½ tsp of vanilla. Heat before serving.
Christmas in our home was always a fun time filled with family and friends. Of course there was a never ending stream of food for the holidays. The following recipes will be some of those goodies that we snacked on endlessly from Thanksgiving until New Years.
I think my Mother stole the following recipe from the jar of Marshmallow Fluff.

Oh So Good Fudge

2 ½ cups of sugar
½ stick of butter or margarine
¾ cup of evaporated milk
1- 7 ½ oz jar of Marshmallow Fluff
¾ tsp of vanilla
1 12 oz package of chocolate chips
½ cup of chopped nuts
Grease a 9”square baking pan and set aside. In a large saucepan combine the first 5 ingredients. Stir over low heat until blended. Stir over low heat to a full rolling boil being careful not to mistake escaping air bubbles for boiling. Boil slowly, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and chocolate chips until chips are melted. Add nuts and turn into greased pan and cool. Makes 2 ½ lbs.
Butterscotch or peanut butter chips can be substituted for a change of pace.

Another holiday favorite was Scotcheroos. This is a sinfully delicious treat for the real chocolate and peanut butter lover.

Scotcheroos
6 cups of Rice Krispies
1 cup of light Karo syrup
1 cup of peanut butter
½ cup of sugar
12 0z pkg of chocolate chips
12 oz pkg of butterscotch chips
Melt the Karo and sugar together until sugar dissolves. Stir in the peanut butter while still over the heat. Add the Rice Krispies. Pour and press the mixture into a 13”x9” buttered pan Melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips in a saucepan then spread over the Rice Krispies mixture. Chill and cut into squares.

Somewhere along the way my Mother came across a recipe which she put on the table one Christmas day. Everyone loved it and it is still used in my home today. One of the best things about this recipe is that you can change the flavors and fruits to suit your tastes. You can also use low fat or light ingredients. I always found it fun to use my imagination and change the flavors a lot.

Moms Favorite Fun Fruit Salad

1 16 oz container of cottage cheese
1 12 0z container of Kool Whip
1- 6 oz pkg of jello any flavor
1 16 oz can of fruit, (I usually use a can of tropical fruits)
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and chill. This can also be put into a mold. I have added food color to this and placed it on a tray shaped as a Christmas tree or a heart or something to match the occasion.

Many years have passed since those wonderful simple days of my childhood. As a working woman I do things much different from my mother. I rely on my crock pot a lot to cook while I am at work. It is so easy to put a roast in the crock pot and go about my day. When I come home I just make salad or vegetables to serve with it. In my spare time I enjoy cooking and can often be found in the kitchen cooking something.

2007-11-05T00:19:00.000-08:00

The following recipes are a few taken from a cookbook I was writing with other ladies from all over the USA It was to be a project featuring regional recipes. Each of us putting in the specialities from our regions. Only two of us ever finished our sections. Needless to say the project never was completed and our cookbook never got published. My section was titled "A Taste Of New England" Here are a couple of recipes from this.
Born and raised in Massachusetts I grew up in Melrose, a suburb north of Boston. It was the 50’s and life was simple. My collection of recipes reflect the simple family meals we ate back then. To me these are the ultimate “comfort foods”.
Saturday was “bean day” We always had baked beans for dinner on Saturday. To this day in my mind I can still smell them baking in the oven all day. My mother had a crock just for beans. Today I use a crock pot. Her recipe is as follows.
Addie's Home Baked Beans
1 lb Soldier beans ( My mother used these, I use Jacobs Cattle)
2 tsp dry mustard
Pepper
Salt
2 medium onions, quartered
½ cup of brown sugar
½ cup of molasses
¼ lb of salt pork
Pick over and wash the beans. Soak overnight in water making sure they stay under the water. Assemble all ingredients in 2 qt bean pot or crock pot early in the morning. Add water until beans are covered. Bake 6-8 hours in oven at 250F. Check to be sure the beans do not go dry, add water as necessary.

Serves 4-6 people
Mom always served cole slaw with her beans. I have not her recipe but here is my recipe
Secret Ingredient Cole Slaw
1 small head of cabbage
1 carrot
1 onion
1 16 oz can of crushed pineapple
Mayonnaise to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Shred cabbage, grate carrot and dice onion. Drain liquid from pineapple. Mix all together add mayonnaise, salt and pepper. This recipe adjusts up and down easily to accommodate more or less people.
My Mother always served home made steamed brown bread with this meal. I do not have her recipe for that. I remember the warm spicy aroma it made while it sat steaming on the stove.
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My Mother always made a wonderful macaroni and cheese and served it as a side dish with baked ham. Over the years I have changed this recipe to be a one dish complete meal. I have never used specific amounts of any ingredients and my recipe is as follows. I will put amounts to give guidelines.

Laura’s Leftover Ham and Macaroni Dinner
Leftover ham cubed approximately 1-2 cups
Macaroni or egg noodles 2 cups of elbow macaroni or the whole bag of egg noodles.
1 - 2 cups of extra sharp shredded cheese, more or less to taste
1 1/2 cup of frozen peas
Milk
2 tbsp of butter
Pepper
Salt, if desired
breadcrumbs
Cook macaroni/noodles according to package directions and drain. Assemble in large casserole pan with butter and pepper and salt. Add meat and peas and mix. Add cheese and enough milk to nearly cover the other ingredients. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top and I always sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on the top. bake at 350F for 45-60 minutes.

Different Life Styles

2007-11-03T03:03:00.000-07:00

In the interest of a healthy lifestyle people tend to follow different lifestyles when it comes to food. The different ones that come to mind are low fat, organic, low carb, low cholesterol and low salt. For myself I try to live a low carb lifestyle. I will publish recipes from these different lifestyle choices. Todays recipes will be in the low fat category. Stir Fry Recipes are very popular for people following a low fat lifestyle. The following are several stir fry recipes I have found to be good.

Shrimp Stir Fry
3/4 lb salad shrimp, thawed

3 large garlic cloves, minced

3/4 c onion, sliced

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 Tb olive oil

1-1/2 c snow peas

1-1/2 c red pepper, chopped

1-1/2 c carrots, chopped

1-1/2 c brocolli, chopped

2 Tb vegetable broth

1 Tb lemon juice

Place drained shrimp in a bowl. Add cayenne to shrimp. Toss well.
Heat oil in a wok on high.
Sauté shrimp stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
Place sautéed shrimp back into the bowl leaving the liquids in the wok.
Combine the onions and garlic in the wok and sauté, about 3 minutes.
Add peas, vegetables and broth to the wok.
Reduce heat to medium and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.
Return shrimp to wok, add lemon juice and cook for 1 more minute.

Servings 6, Fat 2.5g, Calories 153

Chicken With Rice Stir Fry

2 pounds chicken breast cut in squares
1 medium white onion diced
2 cloves garlic diced
1 red bell pepper sliced
1 green bell pepper sliced
2 cups cooked basmati rice
1 cup uncooked pea pods
1 cup carrots (raw) cut lengthwise two inches long
1 orange bell pepper sliced
1/2 cup corn starch
1/2 cup broccoli (raw)
1/2 cup cauliflower (raw)
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup of soy sauce
1/4 cup of teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

Heat cooking wok to high temperature add cooking oil. Cook chicken until almost done, Add all raw vegetables and garlic cook until crispy and chicken is done. In saucepan heat orange juice, teriyaki sauce and soy sauce, add 1/2 cup of water to the mixture. In a cup or bowl, mix the corn starch with water but do not make the mixture too thin. Slowly mix in the water and cornstarch with the orange juice mixture. Stir until thickened but not too thick. Add the salt and pepper. Put a serving of cooked rice on each plate, Spoon the vegetable mixture on top of the rice. Pour orange sauce over the rice and vegetables.

Recipe serves 6

Both of these recipes are very good and make quick and easy meals.

Enjoy!

Lessons Learned From Mom

2007-11-02T01:09:00.000-07:00

My Mother was my biggest influence when it comes to cooking. She was a wonderful cook. She comes from the beautiful Maine coast. Her cooking was basic down home New England style cooking. I tend to follow her style. One of the first things I ever learned to cook was Hersheys Cocoa Fudge. The recipe came from the tin of Hersheys Cocoa. Following is this very basic recipe.

HERSHEY'S COCOA FUDGE

2/3 c. Hershey's cocoa
3 c. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Thoroughly combine dry ingredients in a heavy 4 quart saucepan; stir in milk. Bring to a bubbly boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring to 234 degrees (soft ball stage). Bulb of candy thermometer should not rest on bottom of saucepan. Remove from heat add butter and vanilla. Do not stir. Cool at room temperature to 110 degrees. Beat until fudge thickens and loses some of its gloss. Quickly spread in a lightly buttered 8 or 9 inch square pan. Cool. Cut into squares.

Mom and I usually made this fudge together on Friday night. I did not have to get up in the morning to go to school. I was allowed to stay up late to watch tv. I remember watching her beat the fudge to thicken it. When it reached the right consistency she would pour it in the buttered pan. Then she would give me the cooking pot to scrape out. This was my favorite part of cooking this recipe. I got to officially taste the fudge.

On one memorable occasion I decided to make pancakes for my mother. It was to be a surprise for her when she got up. I got out the cook book and found the recipe I was looking for. I set to work assembling the ingredients and began mixing the batter. Things were going just fine then mom got up. She came down the hall and startled me. I hit the canister of flour. It went to the floor with a thud. A cloud of flour filled the kitchen and flour was everywhere. To make matters worse when I picked up the canister and put it on the counter I knocked off the eggs I had put there. plop.....plop..... the eggs hit the floor. Now I had flour everywhere and a slimy gooey mess on the floor. Needless to say, mom was not very happy with my surprise. She scolded me about cooking when she was not there to help me. My punishment was to clean up the mess. Well, I sure worked hard cleaning up that mess. It seemed the more I swept and picked up the more that was still on the floor. I finally got it all up and in the trash can. I do believe that if I went back to the home of my child hood I would still find traces of that flour. It was just everywhere!!

In this blog I hope to put in recipes and cooking ideas. I think menu planning with the recipes to go along with the dishes would be fun and useful. If any of the readers have ideas for this blog be sure to email me. I am always open to suggestion. How about some readers recipes? Send in your recipes and I can post them for everyones enjoyment.