My family eats in restaurants once or twice a week. There are some restaurant recipes that I just love and like to make something similar at home. It's a cold and cloudy day here in the midwest - a perfect day for a hot, comforting bowl of soup. Here are couple of my favorite copycat soup recipes. I've made both and they are close enough to the original that I can't really tell a difference. Enjoy!
Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup Copycat Recipe
This recipe makes about 9 quarts of soup. I put the extra in the freezer for future meals. It's also easy to cut the recipe in half. I serve this with garlic breadsticks or French bread and a dipping sauce made with olive oil, roasted garlic and grated parmesan cheese.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 pounds ground beef
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups diced celery
2 large cans diced tomatoes
2 15 oz cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 15 oz cans white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3 quarts beef broth
3 teaspoons oregano
2 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 cans or jars spaghetti sauce (26 - 28 oz each)
8 oz package small pasta (tiny shells, etc.)
Heat oil in a large stock pot. Brown ground beef in oil. Add onion, carrots, celery and tomatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for about 45 minutes.
Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup Copycat Recipe
I serve this soup with a salad and crusty bread or with sandwiches.
1/4 cup butter
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 lb. fresh broccoli
1 cup shredded or finely chopped carrot
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Melt butter in a large nonstick pot. Add onion and saute until onions are soft. Whisk in flour; whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Add the half-and-half whisking constantly until smooth. Add the chicken broth whisking constantly until smooth. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the broccoli and carrots. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender and soup is thickened - 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Pour soup in batches into blender and puree.* Return to pot over low heat and add the grated cheese; stir until well blended. Stir in the nutmeg and serve.
*I only puree about half - 3/4 of the soup because I like some larger pieces of vegetables in the soup. This is a personal preference.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
More Party Food Ideas
I hope everyone has recovered from their turkey comas and Black Friday shopping. The only shopping I did yesterday was at Half Price Books. I love that store.
I thought I'd post a couple more tasty appetizer recipes for your party fun today. They are both hot dips and good served with breadsticks, crackers, crostini or tortilla chips. Enjoy!
Hot Chicken Dip
1 12 oz can shredded chicken (or 1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken)
8 oz cream cheese softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
8 oz package shredded cheddar cheese (2 cups)
1 4 oz can diced green chilis, drained
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients and place in baking dish. Bake uncovered 30 minutes.
If you want your dip a little more spicy, you can add some chopped pickled jalapeno peppers. I also put more cheese on top before baking.
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
12 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese (3 cups)
12 oz shredded mozarella cheese (3 cups)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
5 slices provolone cheese
Preheat broiler. Spray a microwavable dish with cooking spray. Squeeze the thawed spinach in a towel to remove as much excess water as possible. Combine all ingredients except provolone in the dish. Mix well. Microwave on high until hot and bubbly stirring every few minutes. Top with provolone. Broil unti cheese melted and lightly browned.
This makes a lot of dip - usually more than I need for one event I put the mixture into smaller dishes and freeze for later. Just take from the freezer, microwave until hot, then top with the provolone and broil as directed.
I thought I'd post a couple more tasty appetizer recipes for your party fun today. They are both hot dips and good served with breadsticks, crackers, crostini or tortilla chips. Enjoy!
Hot Chicken Dip
1 12 oz can shredded chicken (or 1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken)
8 oz cream cheese softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
8 oz package shredded cheddar cheese (2 cups)
1 4 oz can diced green chilis, drained
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients and place in baking dish. Bake uncovered 30 minutes.
If you want your dip a little more spicy, you can add some chopped pickled jalapeno peppers. I also put more cheese on top before baking.
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
12 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese (3 cups)
12 oz shredded mozarella cheese (3 cups)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
5 slices provolone cheese
Preheat broiler. Spray a microwavable dish with cooking spray. Squeeze the thawed spinach in a towel to remove as much excess water as possible. Combine all ingredients except provolone in the dish. Mix well. Microwave on high until hot and bubbly stirring every few minutes. Top with provolone. Broil unti cheese melted and lightly browned.
This makes a lot of dip - usually more than I need for one event I put the mixture into smaller dishes and freeze for later. Just take from the freezer, microwave until hot, then top with the provolone and broil as directed.
Friday, November 28, 2008
C'est Magnifique!
No sooner do we get through Thanksgiving that it's time to celebrate yet another food holiday. It's National French Toast Day! I don't know anybody who doesn't like French toast. Here are a couple of different French toast recipes for you to try. I hope you like them.
Amaretto French Toast
I think the original recipe for this came from a Bed and Breakfast cookbook I had years ago, but I don't remember for sure. Amaretto is an almond-flavored liquer. This would still be good without the Amaretto, but it adds something a little extra to it. I just buy those little airline size bottles since I don't drink it. I make this in my electric skillet so I can cook several pieces at once and we can all eat together.
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon Amaretto
3/4 cup half and half
8 pieces thick-sliced French bread
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Butter for cooking
Beat eggs in a shallow dish. Whisk in almond extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, Amaretto and half and half. Melt about 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dip the bread into the egg mixture one piece at a time, turning the bread once until the egg mixture barely soaks through each side. Cook in the skillet until browned on one side, about 2 - 3 minutes. Before flipping, sprinkle with almonds. Flip and cook until other side is golden brown. Serve with powdered sugar and maple syrup.
Susan's Baked French Toast
I got this recipe from my dear friend Susan. It's a recipe she used for years and she doesn't remember where it came from. In her house she makes this every Christmas morning. My husband remarked that this is really more like a bread pudding than traditional style French toast. You can make it up to the point of baking the night before and refrigerate, or even some time ahead and freeze.
I am putting the recipe here exactly how she gave it to me. After making it, I think my family's personal preference would be to cut down the amount of brown sugar and flavoring, as it is very, very sweet. Also, I used almond extract and I think I would have preferred vanilla. That's what I'm going to try next time.
2 cups light brown sugar
1 stick butter or margarine
4 tablespoons vanilla, hazelnut or almond extract, divided use
4 eggs
1 ¾ cups Half & Half or milk
1 loaf Italian or French bread cut into 1 inch thick slices
Cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375. Place brown sugar into 13x9 inch baking dish.
Melt butter or margarine in microwave. Blend brown sugar, melted butter and 2 tablespoons flavoring until it makes a glaze in the bottom of the baking dish. Whisk eggs, milk and remaining flavoring in a bowl until well blended. Dip each bread slice into egg mixture, soaking both sides.
Set bread slices on top of brown sugar mixture in baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon to taste. (At this point you can refrigerate or freeze till ready to bake.)
Bake at 375 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. To serve, flip each slice of bread over so glazed side is up. Serve hot. Serves 6.
Amaretto French Toast
I think the original recipe for this came from a Bed and Breakfast cookbook I had years ago, but I don't remember for sure. Amaretto is an almond-flavored liquer. This would still be good without the Amaretto, but it adds something a little extra to it. I just buy those little airline size bottles since I don't drink it. I make this in my electric skillet so I can cook several pieces at once and we can all eat together.
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon Amaretto
3/4 cup half and half
8 pieces thick-sliced French bread
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Butter for cooking
Beat eggs in a shallow dish. Whisk in almond extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, Amaretto and half and half. Melt about 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dip the bread into the egg mixture one piece at a time, turning the bread once until the egg mixture barely soaks through each side. Cook in the skillet until browned on one side, about 2 - 3 minutes. Before flipping, sprinkle with almonds. Flip and cook until other side is golden brown. Serve with powdered sugar and maple syrup.
Susan's Baked French Toast
I got this recipe from my dear friend Susan. It's a recipe she used for years and she doesn't remember where it came from. In her house she makes this every Christmas morning. My husband remarked that this is really more like a bread pudding than traditional style French toast. You can make it up to the point of baking the night before and refrigerate, or even some time ahead and freeze.
I am putting the recipe here exactly how she gave it to me. After making it, I think my family's personal preference would be to cut down the amount of brown sugar and flavoring, as it is very, very sweet. Also, I used almond extract and I think I would have preferred vanilla. That's what I'm going to try next time.
2 cups light brown sugar
1 stick butter or margarine
4 tablespoons vanilla, hazelnut or almond extract, divided use
4 eggs
1 ¾ cups Half & Half or milk
1 loaf Italian or French bread cut into 1 inch thick slices
Cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375. Place brown sugar into 13x9 inch baking dish.
Melt butter or margarine in microwave. Blend brown sugar, melted butter and 2 tablespoons flavoring until it makes a glaze in the bottom of the baking dish. Whisk eggs, milk and remaining flavoring in a bowl until well blended. Dip each bread slice into egg mixture, soaking both sides.
Set bread slices on top of brown sugar mixture in baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon to taste. (At this point you can refrigerate or freeze till ready to bake.)
Bake at 375 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. To serve, flip each slice of bread over so glazed side is up. Serve hot. Serves 6.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Got Leftovers?
Happy Thanksgiving!! I love Christmas just like everybody else, but I think Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. You don't have to figure out what presents to get or spend a lot of money. You don't have to spend all night wrapping and putting together those "some assembly required" things. Thanksgiving is just family and good food. Relaxed. No pressure.One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving is the leftovers, but I understand some people aren't sure what to do with them. I mean you can only eat so many turkey sandwiches, right? We are having ham instead of turkey this year. I will use some of the leftovers for sandwiches. I'll also make a breakfast casserole on Saturday or Sunday morning. And of course I will use the bone and scrappy pieces for ham and beans.
Even though we aren't having turkey, I know a lot of people are, so here are a couple of my favorite recipes to use that leftover turkey. Make sure to save some of the meat and the bones for yummy turkey noodle soup. Both of these recipes are also good with chicken.
Turkey Tetrazinni
1 12 oz package frozen egg noodles, cooked
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup water
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups cubed cooked turkey
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons chopped pimiento
1 1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 375. Grease a casserole dish. Combine soup, milk, water and cheddar cheese in a 3 quart saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Stir in cooked noodles, turkey, peas and pimiento. Spoon into a greased casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese; sprinkle over casserole. Bake uncovered at 375 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Turkey Cantonese Casserole
2 1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey
2 cups thinly sliced celery
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 small can sliced water chestnuts
1 small can sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup chopped pimiento
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 cup cashew pieces
1 1/2 cups chow mein noodles
In a 2 quart casserole, combine all ingredients, except cashews and chow mein noodles. Cover and microwave on medium power for 11 minutes, stirring once. Stir in cashew pieces and chow mein noodles. Let stand covered for 2 minutes.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
National Cake Day
We have yet another off-beat food holiday to celebrate today. It's National Cake Day! Yea!! These "holidays" are great because they give me an automatic subject to blog about.
I love cake. I love pie, too. I love pretty much any and all desserts. Here are a couple of my favorite cake recipes. As usual, they are fairly quick and easy. I love good food, but I don't love spending all day cooking it.
Enjoy!
7-Up Cake
1 box lemon cake mix
1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups 7-Up
4 eggs
Icing
2 cups sugar
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple
½ cup butter
5 tablespoons flour
2 egg yolks
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9x13 baking pan (you may also use 3, 9 inch round pans).
In a large mixer bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, oil, 7-Up and eggs. Blend until moistened. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan(s). Bake at 350 for 40 – 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack. Spread top of cake with cooled icing. *
To make icing, combine sugar, pineapple, butter, flour and egg yolks in a saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil. Cook and stir until thick. Stir in coconut and nuts. Cool completely before icing cake.
*If making a layer cake, cool cake 15 – 20 minutes in pan, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. Spread icing between layers and on top and sides of cake.
Pecan Fudge Sheetcake
1 box chocolate fudge cake mix, plus ingredients to make cake
½ cup butter
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 pound powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 15 ½ x 10 ½ x 1 jelly roll pan. Prepare cake as directed. Pour into prepared jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 for 20 – 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Frost while still warm.
For frosting, place butter, milk and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan. Stir on low heat until butter is melted. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract stirring until smooth. Stir in pecans. Pour over warm cake. Cool completely.
I love cake. I love pie, too. I love pretty much any and all desserts. Here are a couple of my favorite cake recipes. As usual, they are fairly quick and easy. I love good food, but I don't love spending all day cooking it.
Enjoy!
7-Up Cake
1 box lemon cake mix
1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups 7-Up
4 eggs
Icing
2 cups sugar
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple
½ cup butter
5 tablespoons flour
2 egg yolks
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9x13 baking pan (you may also use 3, 9 inch round pans).
In a large mixer bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, oil, 7-Up and eggs. Blend until moistened. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan(s). Bake at 350 for 40 – 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack. Spread top of cake with cooled icing. *
To make icing, combine sugar, pineapple, butter, flour and egg yolks in a saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil. Cook and stir until thick. Stir in coconut and nuts. Cool completely before icing cake.
*If making a layer cake, cool cake 15 – 20 minutes in pan, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. Spread icing between layers and on top and sides of cake.
Pecan Fudge Sheetcake
1 box chocolate fudge cake mix, plus ingredients to make cake
½ cup butter
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 pound powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 15 ½ x 10 ½ x 1 jelly roll pan. Prepare cake as directed. Pour into prepared jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 for 20 – 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Frost while still warm.
For frosting, place butter, milk and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan. Stir on low heat until butter is melted. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract stirring until smooth. Stir in pecans. Pour over warm cake. Cool completely.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Are You Ready to Party?
It's that time of year. There will be lots of opportunities for get togethers with family and friends and lots of reasons to make fun appetizers and finger foods. I always make appetizer foods for Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, and there are a few other times during the holiday season that I make them as well. Every few days over the next several weeks I will post some of my favorite recipes. I hope you'll try some and let me know how you like them.
Sausage Stars
1 pound pork breakfast sausage cooked, crumbled and cooled
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 cup prepared ranch dressing
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
1 finely chopped red bell pepper
1 package won ton wrappers
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350. Spray muffin pans with cooking spray. Press one won ton wrapper into each muffin tin to make a cup. Bake at 350 for about 5 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from tins and cool. These can be made ahead and stored in a zip loc bag.
Combine sausage, cheeses, dressing, olives and bell pepper. Mix well. Place prepared won ton cups on a baking sheet. Fill with sausage mixture. Bake at 350 until hot a bubbly.
Creamy Shrimp Spread
1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp, cooked
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 finely chopped green onion
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Dash hot sauce
Dash black pepper
Place shrimp in food processor and pulse until finely chopped, but not mushy. In a medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients; stir in shrimp. Pack mixture into serving dish, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours. Allow to come to room temperature before serving. Serve with crackers.
Sausage Stars
1 pound pork breakfast sausage cooked, crumbled and cooled
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 cup prepared ranch dressing
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
1 finely chopped red bell pepper
1 package won ton wrappers
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350. Spray muffin pans with cooking spray. Press one won ton wrapper into each muffin tin to make a cup. Bake at 350 for about 5 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from tins and cool. These can be made ahead and stored in a zip loc bag.
Combine sausage, cheeses, dressing, olives and bell pepper. Mix well. Place prepared won ton cups on a baking sheet. Fill with sausage mixture. Bake at 350 until hot a bubbly.
Creamy Shrimp Spread
1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp, cooked
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 finely chopped green onion
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Dash hot sauce
Dash black pepper
Place shrimp in food processor and pulse until finely chopped, but not mushy. In a medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients; stir in shrimp. Pack mixture into serving dish, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours. Allow to come to room temperature before serving. Serve with crackers.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Goin' Nutty
Well shoot! Yesterday was National Cashew Day and I missed it! Oh well - better late than never. I have no idea where I got this recipe, but I know it's good. I hope you like it.
Caramel Cashew Blondies
18 caramels
1/3 cup butter
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup salted cashews
Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan.
In a saucepan, cook and stir caramels, butter and milk over low heat until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat; stir in sugar. Combine eggs and vanilla; stir into caramel mixture. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; stir into caramel mixture until blended. Fold in the cashews. Spread into a buttered 9-inch square baking pan. Bake at 350 for 24 - 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and cut into bars.
Caramel Cashew Blondies
18 caramels
1/3 cup butter
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup salted cashews
Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan.
In a saucepan, cook and stir caramels, butter and milk over low heat until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat; stir in sugar. Combine eggs and vanilla; stir into caramel mixture. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; stir into caramel mixture until blended. Fold in the cashews. Spread into a buttered 9-inch square baking pan. Bake at 350 for 24 - 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and cut into bars.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Got the Munchies?
I love, love, love munching on crunchy, salty, nutty stuff. While I have nothing against the standard Chex Party Mix, there are many other options for crunchy snacking. I almost never buy any type of premade snack mix. They are too salty and don't have much flavor - and they never, never put enough nuts in for me. The regular packaged Chex Mix doesn't have any nuts. What's up with that?
Here are a few of my favorite snack mix recipes. They are all quick and easy to make, and they taste really great. Try one (or all of them) to snack on or to give as gifts.
Oriental Cashew Crunch
I cut this recipe off my cereal box many years ago. It's my favorite snack mix recipe.
1 16 oz box (8 cups) Quaker Oat Squares Cereal
1 3 oz can chow mein noodles
1 1/2 cups cashews
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Heat oven to 250. Mix cereal, noodles and cashews in a 13 x 9 pan. In a small bowl, mix oil, soy sauce, garlic powder and onion powder. Pour over cereal mixture tossing to coat. Bake at 250 for one hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Cool.
Sweet and Crunchy Nuts
This recipe came from a Splenda magazine ad. You can also use the same amount of regular sugar instead of the Splenda.
3/4 cup pecan halves
3/4 cup walnut halves
1/2 cup whole, blanched almonds
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/3 cup Splenda (or sugar)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 300. Spray a 15 x 10 x 1 jelly roll pan with cooking spray.
Combine pecans, walnuts and almonds in a mixing bowl. Add egg white and toss to coat. Combine splenda (or sugar) and cinnamon; sprinkle over nuts; toss to coat. Spread mixture evenly in prepared pan.
Bake 30 minutes or until nuts are toasted, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool on waxed paper. Store in an airtight tin.
Mexican Munch
I don't remember where this recipe came from. It's got all kinds of goodies in it and a bit of a kick. Try some of the different seasoning mixes like chipotle flavor for a change from the standard taco flavor.
1 4 oz can shoe string potato sticks
1 3 oz can french fried onions
2 cups Corn Chex cereal
1 cup Cheerios cereal
1 cup chow mein noodles
3/4 cup peanuts
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/4 - 1/3 envelope taco seasoning
1/4 cup melted butter
Preheat oven to 250. Combine all ingredients, except seasoning and butter in a 9 x 13 pan. Stir seasoning into butter and pour over cereal mixture, tossing to coat. Bake at 250 for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool.
Here are a few of my favorite snack mix recipes. They are all quick and easy to make, and they taste really great. Try one (or all of them) to snack on or to give as gifts.
Oriental Cashew Crunch
I cut this recipe off my cereal box many years ago. It's my favorite snack mix recipe.
1 16 oz box (8 cups) Quaker Oat Squares Cereal
1 3 oz can chow mein noodles
1 1/2 cups cashews
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Heat oven to 250. Mix cereal, noodles and cashews in a 13 x 9 pan. In a small bowl, mix oil, soy sauce, garlic powder and onion powder. Pour over cereal mixture tossing to coat. Bake at 250 for one hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Cool.
Sweet and Crunchy Nuts
This recipe came from a Splenda magazine ad. You can also use the same amount of regular sugar instead of the Splenda.
3/4 cup pecan halves
3/4 cup walnut halves
1/2 cup whole, blanched almonds
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/3 cup Splenda (or sugar)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 300. Spray a 15 x 10 x 1 jelly roll pan with cooking spray.
Combine pecans, walnuts and almonds in a mixing bowl. Add egg white and toss to coat. Combine splenda (or sugar) and cinnamon; sprinkle over nuts; toss to coat. Spread mixture evenly in prepared pan.
Bake 30 minutes or until nuts are toasted, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool on waxed paper. Store in an airtight tin.
Mexican Munch
I don't remember where this recipe came from. It's got all kinds of goodies in it and a bit of a kick. Try some of the different seasoning mixes like chipotle flavor for a change from the standard taco flavor.
1 4 oz can shoe string potato sticks
1 3 oz can french fried onions
2 cups Corn Chex cereal
1 cup Cheerios cereal
1 cup chow mein noodles
3/4 cup peanuts
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/4 - 1/3 envelope taco seasoning
1/4 cup melted butter
Preheat oven to 250. Combine all ingredients, except seasoning and butter in a 9 x 13 pan. Stir seasoning into butter and pour over cereal mixture, tossing to coat. Bake at 250 for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Fun Food
Today's post is just going to be a quick one. Every week my son, my husband and I have "family night." That's one night a week where we do something together as a family like play games or watch a movie together. Not that we don't do those things any other time, but we have that to make sure we do something at least once a week. Another family night tradition is having a "fun food" for dinner. That translates into something my four-year-old thinks is "awesome." My son loves breakfast food and he loves peanut butter and banana sandwiches. So last night I decided to combine the two and created this fun recipe. It turned out really good. I'm going to try experimenting with different types of fillings later on.
I just kind of made this up as I went along so I don't have a true recipe with measurements and all that. Just base amounts on the number of sandwiches you want to make.
Peanut Butter and Banana Stuffed Crunchy French Toast
Cinnamon swirl bread (2 slices per sandwich) *
Peanut butter (smooth or chunky - your choice)
Sliced bananas **
Eggs (two eggs and about 1/4 cup milk will make four - five sandwiches)
Milk
Crushed cereal flakes***
Butter
Spread peanut butter on one side of each bread slice. Place sliced bananas on one piece of bread then top with another piece. You will have a sandwich with banana slices in the middle and peanut butter on both sides of the bananas. Beat eggs with milk. Dip sandwiches into egg mixture coating both sides of exposed bread. Dip each side of the coated sandwich in the cereal crumbs to coat. Melt butter on a nonstick griddle or skillet. Cook sandwiches untils golden brown on both sides. Serve with maple syrup, honey or jam.
*This would also be good with raisin bread or plain.
**You could try other types of fruit such as raisins or sliced apples.
***I used crushed Honey Bunches of Oats because that's what I had and I thought it would go well with the peanut butter and bananas. Any type of flake cereal would work - corn flakes, Frosted Flakes, etc.
I just kind of made this up as I went along so I don't have a true recipe with measurements and all that. Just base amounts on the number of sandwiches you want to make.
Peanut Butter and Banana Stuffed Crunchy French Toast
Cinnamon swirl bread (2 slices per sandwich) *
Peanut butter (smooth or chunky - your choice)
Sliced bananas **
Eggs (two eggs and about 1/4 cup milk will make four - five sandwiches)
Milk
Crushed cereal flakes***
Butter
Spread peanut butter on one side of each bread slice. Place sliced bananas on one piece of bread then top with another piece. You will have a sandwich with banana slices in the middle and peanut butter on both sides of the bananas. Beat eggs with milk. Dip sandwiches into egg mixture coating both sides of exposed bread. Dip each side of the coated sandwich in the cereal crumbs to coat. Melt butter on a nonstick griddle or skillet. Cook sandwiches untils golden brown on both sides. Serve with maple syrup, honey or jam.
*This would also be good with raisin bread or plain.
**You could try other types of fruit such as raisins or sliced apples.
***I used crushed Honey Bunches of Oats because that's what I had and I thought it would go well with the peanut butter and bananas. Any type of flake cereal would work - corn flakes, Frosted Flakes, etc.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
National Bundt Cake Day
Well, I think tomorrow is National Bundt Cake Day. I say "I think" because I can't seem to find a definitive answer. The first National Bundt Cake Day was November 15, 2006 and was started to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Nordic Ware, the manufacturer of the Bundt pan. I don't know if they intended it to be an annual event or not. I found on FoodReference.com that National Bundt Cake Day is now celebrated the Thursday prior to Thanksgiving each year. So that's what I'm going with. I don't see any reason why we can't have Bundt Day every year, do you? Any day is a good day for a Bundt cake in my opinion.
I love Bundt cakes. Whenever I bake cakes they are almost always Bundts. I have a regular 12-cup size Bundt pan, as well as two pans that have six mini Bundts in each pan. One of the mini pans is the regular Bundt shape and the other has three different fancy shapes. Those are fun to use for gifts.
I hope you'll consider celebrating National Bundt Day by baking your favorite Bundt cake. I have included the recipe for one of my favorites here.
Luscious Lemony Bundt Cake
1 box lemon cake mix
1 small box lemon instant pudding
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
Powdered sugar
Frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
Heat oven to 350. Spray Bundt pan with cooking spray and coat lightly with flour.
In a large mixer bowl, blend cake mix, pudding, water and oil until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat on high speed for 8 minutes (yes EIGHT). Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes or until tootpick inserted halfway between the edge and center of the pan comes out clean.
Invert hot cake onto a wire rack set over baking sheet. Prepare a very thin glaze using powdered sugar and thawed lemonade concentrate. Spoon generously over hot cake making sure to cover cake completely. Allow cake to cool for 20 minutes or so and spoon more glaze over the cake. Allow cake to cool completely and glaze one more time. Glazing the cake while hot allows much of the glaze to soak into the cake providing more moistness. The second and third glazings allow a nice glaze to form on the outside of the cake - kind of like a doughnut.
For a final presentation you can make some additional glaze with a thicker consistency to drizzle over the cake, if you like.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Cooking Basics: Selecting and Using Knives
Knives are probably the most important tool you will use in the kitchen. Selecting knives is also a very personal decision. It is so important that chefs be comfortable with the knives they use that most have their own personal set that they carry with them.
You have probably heard this advice many times, but it is just as true, if not more so, for knives as with any other tool. Buy the best quality knives you can afford. Knives are not something you want to buy at the local dollar store. Good knives can be pricey, but will actually be a better value in the long run. Quality knives will last longer than those of inferior quality. They will also hold a sharp edge better and will be easier to work with. I bought my knives one at a time as I could afford them. After about a year, I owned a complete set that I have been very happy with and have had for many years.
I suggest you visit a cutlery store where you can actually hold and try a variety of knives. It is very important that you purchase knives that feel comfortable in your hand and that you can use properly. Once you've tried them, you can purchase them wherever you like. You might be able to find some good deals online. If you do order online, just make sure that you are ordering the same knife that you selected in the store. Most quality manufacturers have several different lines.
The links below have some good general information about selecting and caring for knives.
Nice and Sharp
Video from LeGourmet.tv
Choosing Knives from Epinions.com
The two manufacturers I see television chefs use most often are J.A. Henckels and Wusthof, but I’m sure these aren’t the only manufacturers that make good quality knives. The knives I use in my kitchen are made by J.A. Henckels. Their Web site has a lot of good information about their knives, as well as how to select and care for them. There are also videos showing how to use the different types of knives. Wusthof has similar information available on its Web site. I have included links to both Web sites below.
Wusthof
J.A. Henckels
Types of Knives
So how many knives should a well-equipped kitchen have? You can probably accomplish most any chopping, dicing or slicing task with three knives – a chef’s knife, a paring knife and a serrated knife. If budget is a concern, purchase a good chef’s knife first – it is used more often than any other knife and can perform almost any kitchen job if necessary. Next purchase the paring knife and then the serrated knife. After you have these three basic knives, then you might consider adding specialty knives that you might have a need for. For example, if you cut a lot of your own meat, a butcher knife will be handy. If you debone a lot of chickens, then you might want to purchase a boning knife.
Here is specific information about each type of knife.
While I have a chef’s knife, I tend to prefer the Santoku knife. You may have seen television chefs, in particular Rachael Ray, using this type of knife. This is an Asian style knife with a broad blade and very sharp edge. Those little dents on the side of the blade allow you to slice very thinly as they keep the food from sticking to the blade. It works well for many of the same tasks as the chef’s knife. Because the blade isn’t curved, it can’t be rocked like the chef’s knife, and because of this, some chefs do not like to use it for mincing or chopping. I believe it is a matter of personal preference. I find myself reaching for my Santoku much more often than my chef’s knife – especially since I can’t seem to get the hang of that rocking thing anyway.
Paring Knife
The paring knife is used for cleaning, paring, peeling and slicing small fruits and vegetables. The small blade makes it seem like an extension of your thumb and forefinger, which allows it to be very efficient.
I also use a utility knife for the same tasks as a paring knife. They are very similar, but the utility knife has a much longer blade and can also be used for carving and for small chopping or dicing tasks. If you can only afford one of these knives, you may find the utility knife to be more versatile. While I do use my paring knife, I probably use the utility knife about twice as often.
Serrated Knife
A serrated knife, also called a bread knife, can be used to cut bread, cakes, tomatoes or other soft foods without squishing them. They are used with a kind of sawing motion to cut through the food. You should never cut meat with a serrated knife because it will not produce smooth, even slices. Despite what the Ginsu commercial says, you shouldn’t cut soda cans with them either.
Knife Storage and Care
Knives should be stored so that the blades do not bump against other things and become damaged. Professional chefs have cool little cases that they carry their knives in. I found some plastic covers that fit over the various types of knives. This protects the blades and also keeps you from cutting yourself when reaching into the drawer. A knife block is another option, but I don’t have enough counter space for one of those.
You should always wash your knives by hand and dry them immediately. This will help keep the blades sharp and prevent rusting. Dishwasher detergents and movement inside the dishwasher can dull the blades.
Use a butcher’s steel on your knives regularly to keep the edges aligned. Using the steel prior to each use is recommended, but I find using it every three or four uses keeps the blades sharp. If your knives need to be sharpened, I recommend having it professionally done unless you are experienced with sharpening. It’s easy to make things worse if you don’t know what you’re doing.
You have probably heard this advice many times, but it is just as true, if not more so, for knives as with any other tool. Buy the best quality knives you can afford. Knives are not something you want to buy at the local dollar store. Good knives can be pricey, but will actually be a better value in the long run. Quality knives will last longer than those of inferior quality. They will also hold a sharp edge better and will be easier to work with. I bought my knives one at a time as I could afford them. After about a year, I owned a complete set that I have been very happy with and have had for many years.
I suggest you visit a cutlery store where you can actually hold and try a variety of knives. It is very important that you purchase knives that feel comfortable in your hand and that you can use properly. Once you've tried them, you can purchase them wherever you like. You might be able to find some good deals online. If you do order online, just make sure that you are ordering the same knife that you selected in the store. Most quality manufacturers have several different lines.
The links below have some good general information about selecting and caring for knives.
Nice and Sharp
Video from LeGourmet.tv
Choosing Knives from Epinions.com
The two manufacturers I see television chefs use most often are J.A. Henckels and Wusthof, but I’m sure these aren’t the only manufacturers that make good quality knives. The knives I use in my kitchen are made by J.A. Henckels. Their Web site has a lot of good information about their knives, as well as how to select and care for them. There are also videos showing how to use the different types of knives. Wusthof has similar information available on its Web site. I have included links to both Web sites below.
Wusthof
J.A. Henckels
Types of Knives
So how many knives should a well-equipped kitchen have? You can probably accomplish most any chopping, dicing or slicing task with three knives – a chef’s knife, a paring knife and a serrated knife. If budget is a concern, purchase a good chef’s knife first – it is used more often than any other knife and can perform almost any kitchen job if necessary. Next purchase the paring knife and then the serrated knife. After you have these three basic knives, then you might consider adding specialty knives that you might have a need for. For example, if you cut a lot of your own meat, a butcher knife will be handy. If you debone a lot of chickens, then you might want to purchase a boning knife.
Here is specific information about each type of knife.
Chef’s Knife 
The chef’s knife (also sometimes called the cook’s knife) is the all around workhorse knife of the kitchen. It is used for everything from dicing onions to slicing vegetables, mincing garlic. It can also be used for peeling larger fruits and vegetables. I use my chef’s knife to peel pineapple. The curved blade allows the knife to be rocked against the cutting board for quick cutting. (That’s the skill I somehow haven’t been able to master.). The knife comes in a variety of lengths. The most popular length is 8”. You should try different lengths to determine which you are most comfortable with.
While I have a chef’s knife, I tend to prefer the Santoku knife. You may have seen television chefs, in particular Rachael Ray, using this type of knife. This is an Asian style knife with a broad blade and very sharp edge. Those little dents on the side of the blade allow you to slice very thinly as they keep the food from sticking to the blade. It works well for many of the same tasks as the chef’s knife. Because the blade isn’t curved, it can’t be rocked like the chef’s knife, and because of this, some chefs do not like to use it for mincing or chopping. I believe it is a matter of personal preference. I find myself reaching for my Santoku much more often than my chef’s knife – especially since I can’t seem to get the hang of that rocking thing anyway.Paring Knife
The paring knife is used for cleaning, paring, peeling and slicing small fruits and vegetables. The small blade makes it seem like an extension of your thumb and forefinger, which allows it to be very efficient.
I also use a utility knife for the same tasks as a paring knife. They are very similar, but the utility knife has a much longer blade and can also be used for carving and for small chopping or dicing tasks. If you can only afford one of these knives, you may find the utility knife to be more versatile. While I do use my paring knife, I probably use the utility knife about twice as often.Serrated Knife
A serrated knife, also called a bread knife, can be used to cut bread, cakes, tomatoes or other soft foods without squishing them. They are used with a kind of sawing motion to cut through the food. You should never cut meat with a serrated knife because it will not produce smooth, even slices. Despite what the Ginsu commercial says, you shouldn’t cut soda cans with them either.
Knife Storage and Care
Knives should be stored so that the blades do not bump against other things and become damaged. Professional chefs have cool little cases that they carry their knives in. I found some plastic covers that fit over the various types of knives. This protects the blades and also keeps you from cutting yourself when reaching into the drawer. A knife block is another option, but I don’t have enough counter space for one of those.
You should always wash your knives by hand and dry them immediately. This will help keep the blades sharp and prevent rusting. Dishwasher detergents and movement inside the dishwasher can dull the blades.
Use a butcher’s steel on your knives regularly to keep the edges aligned. Using the steel prior to each use is recommended, but I find using it every three or four uses keeps the blades sharp. If your knives need to be sharpened, I recommend having it professionally done unless you are experienced with sharpening. It’s easy to make things worse if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Always use your knives on a cutting surface that gives with the knife. Cutting surfaces should be made of wood or plastic. Hard boards, such as glass and ceramic can dull the knives.
Knife Skills
The more you practice, the more comfortable you will become with using knives. If you take the time to learn and practice proper techniques, cooking will be more enjoyable and will take less effort. That being said, you may never be able to chop and mince like a professional chef. If I try to move my knife really fast like they do, I just end up cutting myself. Just find a technique that you are comfortable with and works for you. I think the best way to learn techniques like this is by watching, so I have included some links to videos that demonstrate knife skills and cutting techniques.
Knife Skills
The more you practice, the more comfortable you will become with using knives. If you take the time to learn and practice proper techniques, cooking will be more enjoyable and will take less effort. That being said, you may never be able to chop and mince like a professional chef. If I try to move my knife really fast like they do, I just end up cutting myself. Just find a technique that you are comfortable with and works for you. I think the best way to learn techniques like this is by watching, so I have included some links to videos that demonstrate knife skills and cutting techniques.
This is a series of 16 videos on how to use a variety of different types of knives, including a pineapple knife – I didn’t even know there was such a thing.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Happy Homemade Bread Day!
Can you believe it's Homemade Bread Day again already? I swear I was just baking a loaf for this last week! Seriously - I don’t know where they come up with some of these "holidays", but the food related ones at least give me a built in topic for my posts. I couldn’t find any information on Homemade Bread Day, so I don’t know if its creators had a specific kind of bread in mind. While I love homemade yeast bread, I never make it – I haven’t made any for at least 20 years anyway. I just don’t have the patience for all that kneading and rising. Lazy – I know.
Now I do enjoy making quick breads and biscuits, and since those are bread too, and I couldn’t find anything saying they didn’t count, here are a couple of my favorite drop biscuit recipes to celebrate Homemade Bread Day.
I’m also including some links to sites with bread recipes and info for those of you with more patience than me.
Bread Baking on About.com
Cookingbread.com
The Fresh Loaf
Best Bread Recipes
Better Bread Recipes
Cheddar Pecan Biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 cup buttermilk *
1/4 cup melted butter
Preheat oven to 400. Grease a baking sheet.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, mustard, baking soda and salt until well combined. Stir in cheese and pecans. Add buttermilk and melted butter and stir just until a soft dough forms.
Drop by 1/4 cupfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes or until tops are lightly browned.
Garlic Herb Biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1 cup buttermilk*
3 tablepoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove minced garlic
Preheat oven to 425. Grease a baking sheet.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, thyme and black pepper. Add buttermilk, scallions and oil. Stir just until a soft dough forms.
Drop by 1/4 cupfuls onto baking sheet. Bake about 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
Melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute or until garlic is fragrant, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Brush garlic butter over biscuits.
*If you don't happen to have buttermilk (which I never do) this easy substitute works just as well. To make 1 cup buttermilk, place 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice in an liquid measuring cup. Add regular milk to make 1 cup. Let stand 5 minutes before using.
Now I do enjoy making quick breads and biscuits, and since those are bread too, and I couldn’t find anything saying they didn’t count, here are a couple of my favorite drop biscuit recipes to celebrate Homemade Bread Day.
I’m also including some links to sites with bread recipes and info for those of you with more patience than me.
Bread Baking on About.com
Cookingbread.com
The Fresh Loaf
Best Bread Recipes
Better Bread Recipes
Cheddar Pecan Biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 cup buttermilk *
1/4 cup melted butter
Preheat oven to 400. Grease a baking sheet.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, mustard, baking soda and salt until well combined. Stir in cheese and pecans. Add buttermilk and melted butter and stir just until a soft dough forms.
Drop by 1/4 cupfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes or until tops are lightly browned.
Garlic Herb Biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1 cup buttermilk*
3 tablepoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove minced garlic
Preheat oven to 425. Grease a baking sheet.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, thyme and black pepper. Add buttermilk, scallions and oil. Stir just until a soft dough forms.
Drop by 1/4 cupfuls onto baking sheet. Bake about 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
Melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute or until garlic is fragrant, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Brush garlic butter over biscuits.
*If you don't happen to have buttermilk (which I never do) this easy substitute works just as well. To make 1 cup buttermilk, place 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice in an liquid measuring cup. Add regular milk to make 1 cup. Let stand 5 minutes before using.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Getting Ready for Thanksgiving
I think Thanksgiving might be my favorite holiday. For us it's a day to relax with family and eat good food. No gifts to buy. No stress. No pressure. To make sure it stays that way I usually keep the menu fairly simple and make things ahead if I can.
We don't have exactly the same menu each year. Sometimes we have turkey. Sometimes we don't. The last two years we had glazed cornish game hens. This year we are having glazed spiral ham. My mom makes the ham and it's delicious.
Since there are only five of us for dinner, I don't make a lot of side dishes. I don't like to eat leftovers for a week. We'll have plenty of ham leftover for sandwiches, and I'll make a big pot of ham and beans with the bone and the little scrappy pieces. Yum!
Here's my simple, but tasty, menu:
Glazed Spiral Ham
Baked Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Butter
Green Beans (I'm not sure what I'm going to do with these yet)
Waldorf Salad
Pumpkin Pie Squares
Mini Pecan Tarts
Today I am making the mini pecan tarts and will freeze them. My husband and stepdad love pecan pie. I can eat about two bites and that's it. It's way too rich for me. I love the little tarts though. They aren't nearly as sweet and rich as pecan pie, but still have the flavor so everybody is happy. We also love pumpkin pie, but we like the pumpkin pie dessert squares even better. Even people who don't like pumpkin pie seem to like these.
Mini Pecan Tarts
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup flour
1 egg
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coarsely broken pecans
Combine cream cheese and 1/2 cup softened butter. Stir in flour. Blend well. Chill for about 1 hour.
Heat oven to 325. Form dough into 24 1-inch balls. Place each ball into a mini muffin cup and press to form a crust. Mix egg, brown sugar, melted butter and vanill until well blended. Place about 2/3 of the pecans into the crust lined muffin cups. Pour the egg mixture into the cups filling about 3/4 full. Sprinkle remaining pecans on top of each tart. Bake at 325 for about 25 minutes or until filling is set. Cool. Remove from pans.
Pumpkin Pie Squares
Crust
1 box yellow cake mix (reserve one cup for topping)
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg, beaten
Filling
2 eggs
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 16 oz can pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Topping
1 cup reserved cake mix
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, softened
Heat oven to 350 (325 if using a glass pan). Grease bottom only of a 9x13 baking dish. Reserve 1 cup of cake mix and pour remaining mix into a bowl. Add melted butter and beaten egg. Mix thoroughly and press into prepared pan.
Beat two eggs slightly in a large bowl. Add remaining filling ingredients and mix well. Pour over crust.
Mix 1 cup reserved cake mix and remaining topping ingredients with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool. Cut into squares and serve with whipped cream.
We don't have exactly the same menu each year. Sometimes we have turkey. Sometimes we don't. The last two years we had glazed cornish game hens. This year we are having glazed spiral ham. My mom makes the ham and it's delicious.
Since there are only five of us for dinner, I don't make a lot of side dishes. I don't like to eat leftovers for a week. We'll have plenty of ham leftover for sandwiches, and I'll make a big pot of ham and beans with the bone and the little scrappy pieces. Yum!
Here's my simple, but tasty, menu:
Glazed Spiral Ham
Baked Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Butter
Green Beans (I'm not sure what I'm going to do with these yet)
Waldorf Salad
Pumpkin Pie Squares
Mini Pecan Tarts
Today I am making the mini pecan tarts and will freeze them. My husband and stepdad love pecan pie. I can eat about two bites and that's it. It's way too rich for me. I love the little tarts though. They aren't nearly as sweet and rich as pecan pie, but still have the flavor so everybody is happy. We also love pumpkin pie, but we like the pumpkin pie dessert squares even better. Even people who don't like pumpkin pie seem to like these.
Mini Pecan Tarts
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup flour
1 egg
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coarsely broken pecans
Combine cream cheese and 1/2 cup softened butter. Stir in flour. Blend well. Chill for about 1 hour.
Heat oven to 325. Form dough into 24 1-inch balls. Place each ball into a mini muffin cup and press to form a crust. Mix egg, brown sugar, melted butter and vanill until well blended. Place about 2/3 of the pecans into the crust lined muffin cups. Pour the egg mixture into the cups filling about 3/4 full. Sprinkle remaining pecans on top of each tart. Bake at 325 for about 25 minutes or until filling is set. Cool. Remove from pans.
Pumpkin Pie Squares
Crust
1 box yellow cake mix (reserve one cup for topping)
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg, beaten
Filling
2 eggs
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 16 oz can pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Topping
1 cup reserved cake mix
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, softened
Heat oven to 350 (325 if using a glass pan). Grease bottom only of a 9x13 baking dish. Reserve 1 cup of cake mix and pour remaining mix into a bowl. Add melted butter and beaten egg. Mix thoroughly and press into prepared pan.
Beat two eggs slightly in a large bowl. Add remaining filling ingredients and mix well. Pour over crust.
Mix 1 cup reserved cake mix and remaining topping ingredients with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool. Cut into squares and serve with whipped cream.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
For the Love of Breakfast
I love breakfast food. Unfortunately, since my husband and I both work full-time, we don't have time for a big, sit-down breakfast during the week. I usually make a hearty breakfast on Sundays. We sometimes have breakfast food for dinner too.
Here is one of my favorite breakfast casserole recipes that's super tasty and easy. I serve it with scrambled eggs and blueberry muffins. Since there aren't any eggs in it, it keeps pretty well for a few days in the fridge. I sometimes take leftovers to work and microwave them for breakfast or lunch during the week. You can also leave out the meat and serve this as a great side dish for any meal.
Easy Hashbrown Casserole
1 32 oz package frozen hasbrown potatoes
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1 16 oz carton sour cream
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 cup cubed, cooked ham or 1/2 pound bacon cut in pieces and cooked to your liking
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Heat oven to 350. Melt butter over low heat. Stir in cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat. In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Add cheese mixture and stir until blended. Stir in hasbrowns. Spread in a 9 x 13, buttered baking dish. Dot with butter. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
I sometimes sprinkle extra cheese on the top too. Yummy!
Enjoy!
Here is one of my favorite breakfast casserole recipes that's super tasty and easy. I serve it with scrambled eggs and blueberry muffins. Since there aren't any eggs in it, it keeps pretty well for a few days in the fridge. I sometimes take leftovers to work and microwave them for breakfast or lunch during the week. You can also leave out the meat and serve this as a great side dish for any meal.
Easy Hashbrown Casserole
1 32 oz package frozen hasbrown potatoes
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1 16 oz carton sour cream
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 cup cubed, cooked ham or 1/2 pound bacon cut in pieces and cooked to your liking
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Heat oven to 350. Melt butter over low heat. Stir in cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat. In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Add cheese mixture and stir until blended. Stir in hasbrowns. Spread in a 9 x 13, buttered baking dish. Dot with butter. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
I sometimes sprinkle extra cheese on the top too. Yummy!
Enjoy!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Let's Wing It!
We love chicken wings at our house. Along with the classic Buffalo wings, we also like lots of other sauces. I'm always looking for something a little different. I just wanted to share one I made earlier this week for dinner. My son, who is almost five and doesn't seem to like very many things I cook, proclaimed them to be "awesome."
Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons ground ginger (or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 cloves minced garlic
20 whole chicken wings, cut apart and tips discarded
Combine all ingredients, except wings; mix well. Place wings in a large zip-loc bag. Pour about half the marinade over the wings. Marinate wings for at least one hour and up to 24 hours. Reserve remaining marinade to baste the wings during cooking.
Heat oven to 375. Remove wings from marinade and discard marinade left in the bag. Arrange wings in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet (trust me - the foil is very important). Brush wings with some of the reserved marinade. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn wings and baste with a little more marinade. Bake another 15 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450. Baste one more time and bake for about 15 more minutes or until wings are brown and slightly crispy.
You can heat any remaining marinade until slightly thickened and use as a dipping sauce. I served the wings with egg rolls and roasted asparagus. They'd also be good with fried rice, lo-mein noodles or some other Asian-style side dish.
Enjoy!
Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons ground ginger (or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 cloves minced garlic
20 whole chicken wings, cut apart and tips discarded
Combine all ingredients, except wings; mix well. Place wings in a large zip-loc bag. Pour about half the marinade over the wings. Marinate wings for at least one hour and up to 24 hours. Reserve remaining marinade to baste the wings during cooking.
Heat oven to 375. Remove wings from marinade and discard marinade left in the bag. Arrange wings in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet (trust me - the foil is very important). Brush wings with some of the reserved marinade. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn wings and baste with a little more marinade. Bake another 15 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450. Baste one more time and bake for about 15 more minutes or until wings are brown and slightly crispy.
You can heat any remaining marinade until slightly thickened and use as a dipping sauce. I served the wings with egg rolls and roasted asparagus. They'd also be good with fried rice, lo-mein noodles or some other Asian-style side dish.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Chili
Chili is one of my favorite comfort foods. I can eat it anytime of year, but it’s especially yummy when it’s cold and dreary outside like it is here today.
I usually eat my chili with good ol' saltines (Keebler Zesta are the best IMO). I break only one at a time into my chili because I don't like them to get soggy. I also like chili with cornbread or on rice. Once in awhile, I relive my childhood and eat it with a peanut butter sandwich. When my elementary school lunchroom served chili, it always came with a half peanut butter sandwich. I'm not sure why, but I still like them together. When I eat that combo in front of other people they look at me funny, but you should try it sometime. It's tasty.
Chili Links
Here are links to a few good chili recipe sites.
Famous Chili Recipes
Good Chili Recipes
All Recipes
About.com: Southern Food - Chili Recipes and Information
Recipes
There are almost as many different recipes for chili as there are people. While I have a good, basic ground beef and beans recipe, I also have a few others that I enjoy from time to time. I understand that in Texas, real chili is made with chunks of beef and no beans. I didn't include such a recipe because I only want to post recipes that I have actually tried myself. If that's how you like your chili, I hope you'll share your recipe with me. Another one, I have not tried is Cincinnati chili and would like to try that one sometime too. Feel free to post a comment with your favorite chili recipe.
Here are a few of my favorites that I have made. I threw in my favorite cornbread recipe as a little bonus.
Easy Throw Together Chili with Beans
I don’t use a specific recipe for my basic chili. I just kind of throw stuff together until it has the consistency and flavor that I want. I use different meats, beans, seasonings and tomatoes, depending on my mood and what I have. It never comes out exactly the same way twice, but it’s always good. Here are the basics for a regular size pot. I usually make several quarts at a time and freeze the leftovers in individual servings for later.
2 pounds ground meat (beef, pork, turkey, venison, or a combination)
1 large diced onion
2 cloves minced garlic
2 15 oz cans tomatoes and/or tomato sauce (I usually use one can of diced, crushed, stewed or whole (broken up) and one can of sauce so it’s not super-chunky, but you can use all tomatoes or all sauce if you prefer.)
1 15 oz can beans (I use chili, red kidney, pinto or black beans)
1 or 2 packages of chili seasoning (I use Williams seasoning, which seasons 2 pounds of meat and isn’t overly salty like some others. If you use a brand that only seasons one pound, you’ll need two.)
Additional chili powder (to taste)
Additional cumin (to taste)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Brown the meat and onions in a large pot. Drain fat, if necessary. Add garlic, tomatoes, beans and chili seasoning. Taste and add additional chili powder, cumin and/or salt and pepper if needed. If the chili is too thick, add more tomato sauce, tomato or V-8 juice, beef broth or beer. To thicken and add a more intense tomato flavor, add tomato paste. Simmer chili for at least 30 minutes, then adjust seasonings again if needed.
Serve with any or all the following:
Shredded cheese
Sliced jalapeno peppers
Sliced green onion
Sour cream
Tortilla chips
Crackers
Cornbread (see below for a yummy recipe)
Double Corn Muffins
1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 15 oz can cream style corn
¼ cup milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon canola oil
Preheat oven to 375. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Combine corn, milk, egg and oil in a separate bowl. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until blended. Don’t overmix or your cornbread will be tough and if you make muffins, they’ll be pointy on top. Nobody likes a pointy muffin. Pour into a greased 8” cast iron skillet, 8x11 inch baking pan or muffin tins (fill half full and don’t use papers as the muffins will stick to it.) Bake until golden brown. About 20 minutes for muffins and 30 minutes for larger pan.
You can also add shredded cheddar cheese and/or chopped green chiles. Yummy!
White Chicken Chili
I used to completely avoid any kind of chicken dish that was referred to as “chili”. I grew up on good ol’ ground beef chili, and using chicken and no tomatoes didn’t make a bit of sense to me. Then I finally tried some at Ruby Tuesday and loved it! Here is my recipe for a similar dish.
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, in bite size chunks
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 15 oz cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 14 ½ oz can chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon pepper
2 4 oz cans diced green chiles
Sour cream, optional
Monterey Jack cheese, optional
Saute chicken, onion and garlic in olive oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, salt, oregano, pepper and chiles. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve topped with sour cream and Monterey Jack cheese, if desired.
College Dorm Veggie Chili
I am not a vegetarian (not even a little bit), but this chili is really good and really easy. You just open up a bunch of cans, dump them together, throw in a couple spices and heat it up. I made this often during my college days when I was short on money, space and cooking equipment. It’s really good served over rice with shredded cheese.
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can any other beans (pinto, red, garbanzo, etc.), drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can Mexican corn
1 24 oz jar salsa (mild, hot – whatever)
Chili powder to taste
Cumin to taste
Water, broth, beer or other liquid as needed
(You can also add one pound of browned ground beef, but you really won’t miss it. It’s good for you to go meatless once in awhile.)
Mix all ingredients, except water, in a pot. Add liquid as needed for consistency. Heat to a boiling and simmer for a few minutes. Serve over rice or corn chips with shredded cheese, jalapenos, sour cream or other desired toppings.
Note: This can also be made in the crockpot. Mix all ingredients in the pot and cook on low for 4 – 6 hours.
I usually eat my chili with good ol' saltines (Keebler Zesta are the best IMO). I break only one at a time into my chili because I don't like them to get soggy. I also like chili with cornbread or on rice. Once in awhile, I relive my childhood and eat it with a peanut butter sandwich. When my elementary school lunchroom served chili, it always came with a half peanut butter sandwich. I'm not sure why, but I still like them together. When I eat that combo in front of other people they look at me funny, but you should try it sometime. It's tasty.
Chili Links
Here are links to a few good chili recipe sites.
Famous Chili Recipes
Good Chili Recipes
All Recipes
About.com: Southern Food - Chili Recipes and Information
Recipes
There are almost as many different recipes for chili as there are people. While I have a good, basic ground beef and beans recipe, I also have a few others that I enjoy from time to time. I understand that in Texas, real chili is made with chunks of beef and no beans. I didn't include such a recipe because I only want to post recipes that I have actually tried myself. If that's how you like your chili, I hope you'll share your recipe with me. Another one, I have not tried is Cincinnati chili and would like to try that one sometime too. Feel free to post a comment with your favorite chili recipe.
Here are a few of my favorites that I have made. I threw in my favorite cornbread recipe as a little bonus.
Easy Throw Together Chili with Beans
I don’t use a specific recipe for my basic chili. I just kind of throw stuff together until it has the consistency and flavor that I want. I use different meats, beans, seasonings and tomatoes, depending on my mood and what I have. It never comes out exactly the same way twice, but it’s always good. Here are the basics for a regular size pot. I usually make several quarts at a time and freeze the leftovers in individual servings for later.
2 pounds ground meat (beef, pork, turkey, venison, or a combination)
1 large diced onion
2 cloves minced garlic
2 15 oz cans tomatoes and/or tomato sauce (I usually use one can of diced, crushed, stewed or whole (broken up) and one can of sauce so it’s not super-chunky, but you can use all tomatoes or all sauce if you prefer.)
1 15 oz can beans (I use chili, red kidney, pinto or black beans)
1 or 2 packages of chili seasoning (I use Williams seasoning, which seasons 2 pounds of meat and isn’t overly salty like some others. If you use a brand that only seasons one pound, you’ll need two.)
Additional chili powder (to taste)
Additional cumin (to taste)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Brown the meat and onions in a large pot. Drain fat, if necessary. Add garlic, tomatoes, beans and chili seasoning. Taste and add additional chili powder, cumin and/or salt and pepper if needed. If the chili is too thick, add more tomato sauce, tomato or V-8 juice, beef broth or beer. To thicken and add a more intense tomato flavor, add tomato paste. Simmer chili for at least 30 minutes, then adjust seasonings again if needed.
Serve with any or all the following:
Shredded cheese
Sliced jalapeno peppers
Sliced green onion
Sour cream
Tortilla chips
Crackers
Cornbread (see below for a yummy recipe)
Double Corn Muffins
1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 15 oz can cream style corn
¼ cup milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon canola oil
Preheat oven to 375. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Combine corn, milk, egg and oil in a separate bowl. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until blended. Don’t overmix or your cornbread will be tough and if you make muffins, they’ll be pointy on top. Nobody likes a pointy muffin. Pour into a greased 8” cast iron skillet, 8x11 inch baking pan or muffin tins (fill half full and don’t use papers as the muffins will stick to it.) Bake until golden brown. About 20 minutes for muffins and 30 minutes for larger pan.
You can also add shredded cheddar cheese and/or chopped green chiles. Yummy!
White Chicken Chili
I used to completely avoid any kind of chicken dish that was referred to as “chili”. I grew up on good ol’ ground beef chili, and using chicken and no tomatoes didn’t make a bit of sense to me. Then I finally tried some at Ruby Tuesday and loved it! Here is my recipe for a similar dish.
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, in bite size chunks
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 15 oz cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 14 ½ oz can chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon pepper
2 4 oz cans diced green chiles
Sour cream, optional
Monterey Jack cheese, optional
Saute chicken, onion and garlic in olive oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, salt, oregano, pepper and chiles. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve topped with sour cream and Monterey Jack cheese, if desired.
College Dorm Veggie Chili
I am not a vegetarian (not even a little bit), but this chili is really good and really easy. You just open up a bunch of cans, dump them together, throw in a couple spices and heat it up. I made this often during my college days when I was short on money, space and cooking equipment. It’s really good served over rice with shredded cheese.
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can any other beans (pinto, red, garbanzo, etc.), drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can Mexican corn
1 24 oz jar salsa (mild, hot – whatever)
Chili powder to taste
Cumin to taste
Water, broth, beer or other liquid as needed
(You can also add one pound of browned ground beef, but you really won’t miss it. It’s good for you to go meatless once in awhile.)
Mix all ingredients, except water, in a pot. Add liquid as needed for consistency. Heat to a boiling and simmer for a few minutes. Serve over rice or corn chips with shredded cheese, jalapenos, sour cream or other desired toppings.
Note: This can also be made in the crockpot. Mix all ingredients in the pot and cook on low for 4 – 6 hours.
Monday, November 10, 2008
In Season: Apples
Want strawberries or asparagus in the middle of winter? No problem. How about pears in April? Just head to your local supermarket. Advances in technology and transportation allow us to eat almost any food anytime of the year, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best way to eat. In general, foods that are in season are more affordable – and tastier – than those that are not. Eating foods in season is also healthier for the environment.A food that almost everybody loves that is in season right now is apples. There are thousands of varieties of apples, they taste great and they are very versatile. You can use apples in any meal or menu course from breakfast to dinner; from appetizers to desserts.
Apple Links
The links below provide tons of information about apples, including selection, storage and preparation information, recipes and usage charts.
Washington Apple Commission
Michigan Apple Committee
All About Apples
Apple Facts – University of Illinois Extension
My Favorite Apple Recipes
Here are some of my favorite apple recipes. I have made all these and know that they are good. I hope you will enjoy some of them.
Caramelized Onion and White Cheddar Dip with Apples and Dark Bread
This “yummo” appetizer recipe comes from Rachael Ray and is available on the Food Network Web Site.
Caramelized Onion and White Cheddar Dip with Apples and Dark Bread
Spiced Apple Cranberry Cider
I make this cider when we have company during the holidays. Heat it on the stove and keep it hot all day in a slow cooker set on low. It'll make you feel all warm and toasty.
2 quarts apple cider
1 1/2 quarts cranberry juice (cranberry apple and cranberry raspberry are good too)
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 cinnamon sticks
1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves
1 orange, thinly sliced
Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil and simmer 15 - 20 minutes. Remove cinnamon, cloves and orange slices before serving.
Apple Walnut Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
The original recipe called for fresh or frozen cranberries, but I like the flavor of the dressing better with the cranberry sauce - and I can make it anytime of year this way. You may or may not need to add a little sugar depending on how sweet you like your dressing.
Dressing
¼ cup canned cranberry sauce
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped red onion
1 tablespoon sugar (optional – depending on how sweet you like the dressing)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¾ - 1 cup canola oil
Whisk together all ingredients except oil, until well-blended. Whisk in the oil gradually until the dressing has the consistency and flavor you like. The dressing can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Bring the dressing to room temperature and shake or whisk before using.
Salad
Mixed salad greens
Sweet, crisp apples, thinly sliced (Red Delicious, Honeycrisp, etc.)
Toasted walnuts
Make one large or individual salads. Toss with just enough dressing to coat and pass extra dressing at the table. This is also good with mild cheese, such as goat cheese or Chevre. If you like blue cheese, that would probably work, as well. My family doesn’t like blue cheese, so I can’t swear to that one.
Chicken and Apple Panini
This is a really simple and tasty sandwich. You don't need a fancy smancy panini press to make these tasty sandwiches. I use my indoor contact grill (e.g. George Foreman) to grill and smoosh at the same time.
Two thick slices bakery style bread (any type you like)
Softened butter
Sweet mustard (e.g. honey mustard, cranberry mustard, etc.)
Roasted chicken breast (leftovers from a rotisserie chicken are great)
Havarti, cheddar or other mild cheese
Thinly sliced apple
Spread both slices of bread with butter on one side. Spread the other side with mustard. Layer chicken, cheese and apple on one slice. Top with the other slice. Grill on an indoor contact grill or in a hot skillet until golden brown and cheese melts. If you grill in a skilled, smash the sandwich with a spatula while cooking. Panini are supposed to be “smooshed”.
Hidden Secret Apple Cake
This simple to make dessert is really good served warm with vanilla ice cream. It's also pretty darn yummy for breakfast.
8 medium apples, peeled and sliced
Sugar
Cinnamon
¾ cup butter or margarine, melted
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 egg
1 pinch salt
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350. Place apples in a 9 or 10 inch pie plate. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar to taste (depends on tartness of the apples). In a bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth. Pour over apples. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes, or until brown.
Shredded Apple Pie
This is my family’s all time favorite apple pie recipe. My husband never wants me to make “regular” apple pie anymore. You can use any sweet cooking apple in this recipe. My favorite is Johnathon, but Golden Delicious and Johnagolds also work well.
9-inch pie crust (unbaked)*
½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ cups sugar
Pinch salt
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups shredded apples
½ teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 400. Mix melted butter with cinnamon, sugar and salt and eggs. Blend in apples. Pour into pie shell and bake at 400 until apples are tender, crust is golden and filling is set (20 – 30 minutes). If the edge of the crust browns too quickly, cover the edge with foil. Serve with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream or whipped cream.
*You can use a packaged, refrigerated pie crust, frozen or your favorite recipe. Personally, I don't find making my own pie crust worthwhile. The refrigerated crusts are just as good as any I would make myself and save me lots of time. If you are a die-hard, homemade crust fan, by all means go for it!
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