Beef Stroganoff

I remember while a member of a church in Dallas, they had this recipe for beef stroganoff which was out of this world. About a month ago, I got hungry for it so, after looking through recipes, I came up with my own. I use my crock pot to cook the beef and other ingredients. The crock pot made the meat very tender. If you are going to feed a large group, then use this recipe, because as most of you readers know, I do not cook for a small group.

5 pounds cube stew meat. (you can find this in your favorite grocery store)
2 large onions diced
1 package sliced mushrooms
3 cloves garlic (minced)
2 cups of red wine (I used a Merlot)
1 family size can of cream of mushroom soup
salt and pepper to taste.

Place all of these ingredients in a crock pot (don't brown the meat) and cook on low overnight and most of the next day. If the sauce is soupy, you can add the noodles to absorb the moisture. When ready to serve, add the sour cream and serve with a salad and fresh homemade bread.

Until next time.

Kentucky Fried Chicken Herbs

Several months ago, I listening to a program on Fox News, and this man(forgot his name) was telling the audience how he can find what a certain type of food is made. He has even written a book on this. Well, anyway he had broken the code on Kentucky Fried Chicken. I just happened to have a paper and pen so I jotted down the ingredients. I was really surprised, but most of the ingredients are what I have been putting in my marinate for years. I never thought to put in Chili Powder or paprika, but I think that paprika is one of the ingredients my mother used to put in, and I have left out. Most of these ingredients are already in your pantry.
When I made this mixture, I used 1 teaspoon for each. Now if you happen to have Italian spices in your cupboard, then you have most of the ingredients. (use about 6 teaspoons if you choose to use Italian Spices) They are as follow: OREGANO, BASIL, CHILI POWDER,GARLIC POWDER,SALT,PEPPER,ACCENT,PAPRIKA ONION POWDER,SAGE, MARJORAM,AND THYME.

Now you Know. Until next time.

Scotch Cake

This recipe is Scott's favorite dessert and so I made it for his birthday, and would like to share it with my faithful followers. It is a simple recipe, but has lots of calories because of the butter (Paula Deen would love this recipe). I got this recipe from Scott's mother, but as far as the history behind it I can't tell you. I think it came from Scotland because they do like to use lots of butter in their recipes.

Sift together: 2 cups flour and 2 cups sugar. ( I added a sprinkle of cinnamon into the mixture)

In sauce pan bring to boil: 2 sticks of butter, 4 Tablespoons cocoa (I added a little more to make the cake darker)and 1 cup water.

Pour into the flour/sugar mixture.

Mix and add 1/2 cup buttermilk, 2 eggs slightly beaten, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Mix and pour into greased and floured pan ( I used Pam baking spray) and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.

Now for the icing.

About 5 minutes before the cake is done, boil 1 stick of butter with 4 Tablespoons of Cocoa (you can add more if so desired) and 6 tablespoons milk. Remove from heat and add 1 (1pound) box (3 1/2 cups) Confectioners powdered sugar 1 Teaspoon vanilla, mix well and pour over the hot cake. sprinkle pecans on top.

This is a delicious cake for special occasions

Enjoy!
Until next time.

Hot Dog Casserole

Hello faithful followers. I decided to write about comfort foods. My favorite food is hot dogs and macaroni, so decided to combine these two with a twist. Here are the ingredients:
1 pound hot dogs Sliced
macaroni cooked according to the package
velveeta cheese About 8 ounces cubed
1 can of Rotel tomatoes
1 onion diced
1 bell pepper diced

just as the macaroni is about done (maybe 3 minutes), add the sliced hot dogs. Meanwhile, place to tomatoes in a saucepan and heat. When it is hot, add the cheese and stir until the cheese is melted. When the macaroni is done, drain and add the tomato/cheese mixture, onion and bell pepper. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix all the stuff together until the macaroni is well coated. At this time, you can serve it or add more cheese and place in a 350 Degree oven for about 20 minutes.
Serve this with green beans or salad and a roll. Enjoy.

Roasted Corn - Beer Biscuits

We had some extra roasted corn left over and I did not quite know what to do with them. I started to think; what would this roasted corn would taste like if I combined it with beer and biscuit mixture. Here is what was done with the corn. I used fresh corn,butter, salt, pepper, and basil; baked in the oven (you can use the grill if you like) wrapped in aluminum foil, at 300 degrees for about 2 hours (or until you smell the great aroma of roasting corn. Now for the recipe.


4 cups flour
1 stick butter softened at room temperature
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 Teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 ears roasted corn cut off the cob(you can use canned corn, drained or about 1 cup frozen corn thawed)
1 onion diced
1 12 ounce beer ( I used Miller Lite, but I am sure any beer will do)

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda with the butter until you have the consistency of meal ( I used the hook on my mixture to get the right texture)
Add the corn and onion to get it well distributed into the mixture.
Add the beer and continue to mix until the dough is stiff.
Place the dough on a floured board and knead. Roll out the dough and cut with a biscuit cutter.
Bake in oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

enjoy.

Something Delicious

I subscribe to Myrecipes.com, and found this recipe that I would like to share with you. I tried it and thoroughly enjoyed it. Believe it or not, it does not take that long to prepare it.

PAN-ROASTED CHICKEN CUTLETS WITH MAPLE-MUSTARD DILL SAUCE

4 (6 ounce) boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Cooking spray
2 Tablespoons chopped red onion
6 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon water1
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill (or you can use dry dill)
1 teaspoon grated orange (don't throw the orange away for you can use the juice for later.

Place the chicken in a zip lock bag (don't seal it) and pound the chicken with a mallet or a heavy skillet. You want it about 1/4 inch thick. After all the chicken has been pounded, you can now sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
Spray a large nonstick skillet with the cooking spray. Heat the skillet over a medium heat; add the chicken and cook on both sides for about 4 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan.

Reduce the heat to low. Add onion; cook 1 minute. Add syrup and remaining ingredients; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Serve sauce with chicken.


I made rice with this dish and here is what I did with the rice. Remember I told you to save the orange. Here is what I used it for: Instead of using water for the rice, I used the orange juice. You will need about 8 oranges to make two cups of juice. Heat the juice like you would the water, add the rice and cook it according to the instructions. When it is finished cooking, you can add orange zest to the rice.

Until next time.

Sloppy Joes

I don't know how many of my faithful followers use the "Manwich" style sloppy joes, but I really don't like that brand - so I have made my own Sloppy Joes from scratch. Several years back, I found a good tomato sauce recipe from the Food Network and have used it as my base for the sloppy joes. I start with;
1 onion dice
1 bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 Teaspoon Italian spices
2 teaspoons salt and pepper
1 teaspoons crushed red pepper
saute all of these ingredients in the olive oil until tender. Transfer the soft veggies into a food processor and blend until smooth. Place back into the sauce pan and add 1 large can of crushed tomatoes and 1 large can of diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil,then turn down to low for about thirty minutes or until the tomato sauce has reduced. You want the sauce to be almost to the consistency of tomato paste (thick). Now you are ready to use this for the sloppy joes -just brown some ground meat,onion, bell pepper and salt and pepper and then add the sauce.

Note: I have added some zucchini and yellow squash to the tomato sauce so that you can hid the veggies for those who do not like them.

Enjoy.

The One That You Have Been Waiting For

During the summer camp for Angelwood Children, I made some delicious biscuits for the staff and volunteers. Many of the older people remember these biscuits, but not the recipe. I found this in the newspaper several years ago, and now they are my favorite biscuits. It is like having yeast rolls and southern buttermilk biscuits in one.

Angel Biscuits

1 package yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
1/4 cup warm water (use your wrist and if it is luke warm, it is good)
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening (1 stick butter)
1 cup buttermilk

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water; set aside
Mix the dry ingredients in the order given, cutting in the shortening as you normally do for biscuits or pie dough.
Stir in the buttermilk and yeast mixture and mix thoroughly.
Now the dough is ready to refrigerate. (Up to three days)
When you are ready to use the dough, turn the dough out on a floured board and knead lightly.
Roll out and cut with a biscuit cutter, placing them on a greased pan.
Let the dough rise slightly before baking in a 400 degree oven for 12 - 15 minutes.

These are great with fried chicken or chicken-fried steak, or any of those southern meals. How about for breakfast with orange marmalade or jelly.

Enjoy folks; hopefully I can come up with some more good recipes.
Until then.

Catalina Salad

Many of you probably do not like to cook during the summer months when it is very hot. I have a great recipe that I use to make in Texas (don't really know who came up with it, but I am sure it was a Texan). If you want to, you can cut up the lettuce and add the carrots, but I am real lazy when there is package salad mix. All you need to add is the following: tomatoes, bell peppers, ranch style beans (drained and rinsed) or you can use Bush Pinto beans. Cheese, Fritos and Catalina Dressing. Just before you serve this salad, add the the cheese, fritos and dressing and mix well. This is a meal, but if you like, serve some fruit as a side.
This is very yummy, and I sometimes wonder why I don't make it more often for it is so simple.

Until next time

So Popular

I made this snack for the staff at summer camp and they like it so much, I thought that I would put it on the blog. I found this recipe in the Penzeys magazine. To me, this taste like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

PEANUT BUTTER BARS

1 cellophane wrapped package of graham crackers
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
2 sticks butter
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
1 1/2 cup peanut butter, creamy or chunky
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 12 ounce bag chocolate chips

1. Crush the graham crackers; mix in the cinnamon and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan; remove from heat and add vanilla and peanut butter and mix well.
3. Add the powdered sugar and graham crackers.
4. Stir until well combined: it will be a stiff dough.
5. Pat the mixture into an ungreased 9x13 pan.
6. Melt the chocolate either on the stove or in the microwave.
7. Spread the melted chocolate over the peanut butter mixture.
8. Refrigerate for 1 hour before cutting.

Yield : about 24 bars

New Creation

Many of my good followers know that I am a camp cook for multiple handicap children for 5 weeks during the summer. We have food provided for these children through a summer program to feed them throughout summer vacation. Well, most of these children have problem in eating hard foods like apples - so I found a way for them to enjoy this delicious fruit. I sliced the apples into eight pieces using an apple slicer; placed them in a baking dish and added brown sugar and cinnamon. I covered and then baked them in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, I diced up some rolls that the church had leftover from their dinner, and melted some butter and poured over the diced bread; and I also added more cinnamon and brown sugar and mixed until all the bread was covered; place in the oven and baked for 20 minutes. I then added the croutons to the apples and let them cook for another 30 minutes. It was delicious.
So, if you have some apples lying around and you want to do something different, try this recipe. Until then.

Okay, It Has Been A While

Dear Fellow Followers:
I am sorry that I have let you down by not writing any new recipes in the last three or so months. As you know it is hot and many people do not like to cook when it hot. However, I have found out interesting ways to use leftover baked potatoes. Here is what you can do the next time you make baked potatoes - bake extras. Put them in the fridge until you want to make potato salad. I like to put hard boiled eggs in mine and use the yolk in the dressing. Here is what I do. First, I mash the yolk, and the add mustard and mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip) to the yolk and mix well. Now if you have leftover mashed potatoes, it is also good to put in the dressing for it makes the dressing more creamy. I also put celery, onion, pickles and bell peppers in my potato salad. If you want the recipe, I will be more than happy to write it down for you, but you have to remember, I do not measure anything. Until next time...

It Has Been Awhile

I just noticed that it has been almost 2 months since I have written anything on this blog. Well, I haven't created or redo a recipe because I haven't felt well; and now it is getting too hot to cook. However, I did make some good comfort foods while my sisters were here, and one one of them was Macaroni-Tuna Salad. This is a very simple recipe.

1. Cook the macaroni according to the box. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Chop up onion, bell pepper, pickles and anything else you like to put in it.
3. Add enough mayonaise or Miracle Whip (my favorite) to coat the macaroni and veggies.
4. Put in fridge for several hours.
5. Enjoy.

This is great on a hot summer day when you don't want to heat up the house.

Fried Chicken

I was doing a test run on Fried Chicken, Mashed potatoes, with rolls and creamed spinach for a luncheon that i am preparing for the woman in my church circle. I marinated the chicken in salt, spices (mostly garlic, thyme, but if you have Montreal Chicken spice, this will do) for 24 hours and the in buttermilk for another 24 hours; this makes the chicken moist and tasty. Drain the chicken and dredge the chicken through flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Deep fry the chicken for about nine minutes; and now you can let it finish in the oven for about 30 minutes. Now for the best chicken gravy, I used 2 Tablespoons of butter, 1Tablespoon of the chicken grease, and about 1/8 cup of flour to make roux. also use 1 chicken boullion and about 2 cups of the liquid from the potatoes and about 1 cup of water. heat until the roux thickens. Season to taste. Another good hint. If your potatoes are too runny, and if you have potato flakes, sprinkle a few teaspoons into mashed potatoes and mix well. Enjoy, and I will let you all know how my real luncheon turns out.
Until then, good eating to you all.

Taste

Is it me, or are restaurants not using spices and are making their food bland? When I go to an Italian restaurant, I expect to taste Oregano, garlic, basil and all the other spices that Italians use in their sauces ans marinara. Today, I ate at a pizza restaurant and had calzone with marinara sauce; thought the calzone was okay, the marinara sauce is a lot to be desired. It was like the chef or cook just opened a can of diced tomatoes, added a few onions and then heated up the sauce calling it marinara sauce. I just want to go back in the kitchen and show them how to make a good sauce. I guess we are so spoiled from an Italian Restaurant in Garland, Texas. Now this was REAL Italian Food, for the owner was an Italian who knew how to use all the spices. I guess if I want good Italian food, I will have to make it myself.

However, there is a good pizza place that I found here in Jacksonville that makes great pizza. I have tried their eggplant parmesan and it was pretty good.

I will keep looking for a good Italian Restaurant, and maybe I will become a food critic.

Until next time.

It's Easter Time

When I was a young girl, I remember around Easter Time, each of us would receive a coconut cream chocolate egg. I have looked for them as an adult but have no luck in finding these eggs. About three years ago, I was watching an episode of Paula Deen and she was making this candy called Almond Chocolate Balls. Well, as you know, I got on line and found the recipe. To my amazement, it taste just like the Egg I remembered as a child. So, each Easter I make these coconut cream eggs. I would now like to share with you, my favorite followers.

• 1 pound box of Confectioner's sugar
• 1 stick of butter (softened)
• 14 ounces of coconut (1bag)
• 14 ounces of condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/2 cup nuts (optional)
• 12 ounces of chocolate chips ( you may need more)
  

1. Cream the butter and add the sugar until mixed well.
2. Add the condensed milk and mix well.
3. Add the coconut, and almond extract; and if you wants nuts, this is the time.
4. Shape into balls or if you have an egg mold, you can.
5. Refrigerate until the cream is hard.
6. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave.
7. If you made balls, dip the balls in the chocolate and place on waxed paper; refrigerate.
8. If you have shaped the cream into an egg shape, then you can pour the chocolate over the egg and spread to cover the egg.
   
9. Place in the refrigerator until the chocolate hardens.

Ahhhh, it brings back memories. I am one happy lady to have my coconut cream egg for Easter.

Orange Blossom Pancakes

Last week when I was sick, Scott bought me some orange juice which I didn't drink. I don't like things to go to waste, so I was looking for recipes to use the orange juice. I found this cake on the internet, but I changed the recipe to my taste. But, that is not what I am writing about today. I wanted some pancakes for breakfast so, here is the recipe.

• 1 cup of 1% milk
• 1 cup Dannon Light & Fit Vanilla yogurt

Mix these two ingredients together and set aside

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1Tablespoon sugar
• 4 eggs
• 4 Tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon orange extract (optional)
  

1. Mix all dry ingredients together and add the eggs, butter, milk mixture and orange juice and mix well.
2. Heat griddle, and pour 1/4 cup of the batter to make pancakes.
3. Turn the pancakes over when the batter bubbles.
4. Remove pancakes from griddle and serve with maple syrup and butter.

This is very delicious. Enjoy

Update

To all of my true followers, I am so sorry that it has been a while since I have written an recipes. My loving husband felt so sorry for me because my old laptop was so slow that it took forever to boot it or write in my blog, that he bought me a new laptop for my birthday.

Here it is April, and I have not written many Irish/English recipes as promised. However, I have been sick also, and during my illness, writing or even thinking about food did no appeal to me. Hopefully, I am on the mends and will get back to writing or improving recipes.

Since I don't have any recipes in mind, I thought that I would take this time to talk about my grand daughter who loves to cook, also. She is 5 years old, and already has several cook books of her own. My son is teaching her to read the recipes, find all the ingredients, make a list of ingredients not on hand, going to the store and finding the ingredients, and paying for the groceries. What a great lesson. She is very precise about measuring and following directions. I am glad to see that the art of cooking is not dead yet.

Hopefully, the next time, I will have a recipe to write about. And I hope that it will be soon.

Part Irish/Part Italian

As I was looking at Irish recipes the other day, I came across one that I remember as a child. My mother used to make one of my favorite desserts - Rice Pudding; I didn't know that it came from Ireland, for I thought rice was an oriental delicacy. As many of you know, I do not measure anything unless I am making it the first time. I got this from watching my mother, grandmother and great aunt cook. Anyway, I had some rice left over from a meal, and I decided that I wanted to make rice pudding- so, I did. I added two eggs slightly beaten, about 2 handful of raisins, cinnamon til it covered the rice, about 1 cup of brown sugar, and enough milk to cover the rice mixture. I then baked it at 350 degrees for about 1 hour. It was very good. I then ran across a recipe for rice panna cotta (this is an Italian custard). I had some of the rice pudding left, so I made the panna cotta. I heated in a microwave 2 cups of heavy cream and 1 cup sour cream for 7 minutes. In the mean time, I added 1 envelope (about 2 teaspoons Unflavored gelatin) to 2 Tablespoons of cold warm and let it bloom. After the cream is hot enough but not boiling, add the gelatin until it is melted, then add the rice pudding. Pour in a decorative mold; refrigerate. It is very delicious.

The Traditional Dinner for St.Patty's Day

Many think that the traditional meal for St. Patrick's Day is Corned Beef and Cabbage, but it isn't. This dish became traditional when the Irish came to America. Corned Beef and Cabbage was served only on special days or Holidays because beef was too expensive; but when they migrated to America, they found that beef was cheaper here. While in Ireland, main meat was lamb or mutton because they raised sheep. Some may ask, "Where is she getting this stuff?" Several years ago, when we had an ethic party, I looked up most of this information. Also, I went to History channel.com to make sure that my information is correct. It is amazing what you can find on the Internet. Anyway, to get back to the subject, Corned Beef and Cabbage is served in most pubs or Irish restaurants here in the USA, but in Ireland - they serve Irish Stew. The meat is usually lamb, potatoes, carrots, onions, and a few other veggies that I didn't catch while watching the video on the History Channel, and I didn't want to watch it again because my computer is so old and too slow (Like me). I found out that the onions were brought to Ireland when the Romans invaded it, and the potatoes came from Central America and brought to Ireland from Sir Walter Raleigh. So if you want to make the true traditional Dinner to celebrate St Patrick's Day, then have a good bowl of Irish Stew. Until then, have a great day.