Lemon Bars

This recipe is one of my all-time favorite dessert recipes, and my oldest son was home this past week between college apartments and anything lemony is his favorite as well. My mother-in-law brought me a bottle of Italian Volcano Lemon Juice I wanted to try, so I decided to make a batch of these sweet and tangy, soft and flaky treats. I have had this recipe for going on 25 years, and it never fails. I think I got it from a caterer I used to use in my "professional life" -- she used to put them in her boxed lunches and they were such a treat! The crust is buttery, sweet and flaky, and the filling is soft and tangy -- such a great combination.

(By the way -- the lemon juice is fabulous. I don't usually use bottle juice, preferring the taste of fresh lemons, but this juice is so good I may never juice another lemon! My mother-in-law bought it at Costo, but our local Kroger has it as well.)

Lemon Bars
makes 24

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1 cup butter, or margarine
½ cup powdered sugar
4 beaten eggs
2 cups sugar
⅓ cup lemon juice
½ t. lemon extract
¼ cup flour
½ t. baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix 2 cups flour, butter and powdered sugar and spread into 13 x 9 pan.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

While crust is baking, mix eggs, sugar, lemon juice, extract, 1/4 c. flour and baking powder. When crust time is up, remove from oven and carefully pour the filling over the hot crust. Place back in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool completely. Cut and dust tops with extra powdered sugar, if desired.

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More Breakfast

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Jamie requested more prepare-ahead breakfast recipes, and I happen to have quite a few that have already been posted here over the years, so I'm gathering them up and posting them with their links.

The muffins and scones can all be frozen and then reheated in the oven. Scones can be placed right in a hot oven from the freezer (I only freeze scones that have not been iced, because the icing does not reheat so well), but I usually let muffins thaw overnight. If you have forgotten to thaw the muffins, or you just can't make up your mind about what you want until the coffee is brewing in the morning, take a frozen muffin and defrost it for one minute in the microwave (about 30% power). One minute should be about all you need, maybe another 15 seconds or so. You can do the same thing with the coffee cake -- and it's so good you might want to pull out two pieces instead of one.

When I bake for the freezer I place muffins and scones in a freezer bag and then place them inside another freezer bag. It sounds like excess, but I really do think it keeps baked goods better. I individually wrap the coffee cake and then place the wrapped pieces inside a freezer bag.

The Baked Oatmeal can be prepared during the day, baked in the evening, and then refrigerated until morning. I can eat off of a pan of Baked Oatmeal all week -- just place a portion in a bowl, pour some milk or cream on top and them microwave on medium until hot.

The same goes for the breakfast casseroles. Just wrap the baked casserole tightly and store in the refrigerator, taking as many portions as desired and heating them in the microwave on medium until hot.

Blueberry Buttermilk Scones

Lemon Cream Scones

Oatmeal Raisin Scones

Chocolate Chip Cherry Scones

Classic Crumb Coffee Cake

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Pumpkin Muffins and Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Bacon and Potato Frittata

Ham and Potato Omelet

Baked Oatmeal

Crunchy Granola -- way better than store-bought cold cereal


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Breakfast in the Freezer

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Jamie got me thinking last week about how nice it would be to not have to think about breakfast every day (or more realistically, not to feel guilty over my kids eating cold cereal -- or PopTarts! -- every day). I got my act together and on Saturday I planned about an hour -- that's all -- and made a loaf of French toast and a big batch of pancakes. It was so nice to be able to offer the children (and myself) a nice hot breakfast this week, in no more time than it takes to make toast.

Freezer French Toast

equipment:
shallow bowl or glass dish
measuring cups
spatula
frying pan or skillet
baking rack
pan or cookie sheet that will fit in the freezer
freezer bags
wax paper

ingredients:
1 loaf white bread
5 large eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
1 t. vanilla
butter for frying

Whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla. Heat griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter to pan and heat until foamy. Dip bread, one slice at a time (as many as your pan will hold) and place on hot pan. Cook until golden brown on one side, then flip. Remove toast from pan and place toast on a baking rack. I like to cool the pan off a little between batches so the butter doesn't burn, so move pan off heat for a minute. While the pan is cooling, place toast slices on pan or cookie sheet. Place pan in freezer. Repeat cooking and freezing process with entire loaf of bread. As you are cooking bread, every five minutes or so remove bread from freezer and place in a freezer bag with wax paper in between stacks.

Reheat in the toaster on "frozen" setting or slightly longer than a piece of bread.



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Freezer Pancakes

equipment:
large mixing bowl
measuring cups
ice cream scoop or 1/3 cup measuring cup
spatula
frying pan or skillet
baking rack
pan or cookie sheet that will fit in the freezer
freezer bags
wax paper

ingredients:
2 eggs
2 - 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 t. baking soda
2 - 1/2 cups flour
2 T. sugar
4 t. melted butter or oil
3 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t. vanilla


Beat all ingredients together until smooth. Using ice cream scoop or 1/3 measuring cup, scoop batter onto lightly greased griddle. Flip when bubbles appear. Remove pancakes from pan and place on a baking rack. Continue cooking pancakes. While you have pancakes cooking, occasionally move cool pancakes to pan or cookie sheet. Place pan in freezer. Repeat cooking and freezing process with entire bowl of batter. As you are cooking pancakes, every five minutes or so remove pancakes from freezer and place in a freezer bag with wax paper in between stacks.

My pancakes tend to be a little messy because I am always flipping them before they are ready (tsk, tsk!), so I use this little trick to make them look perfect when I serve them. Take your (impeccably) clean kitchen shears and cut off any out-of-circumference bits -- then your pancakes will look just like a professional's pancakes!

Reheat in the microwave on high. It usually takes about a minute for three pancakes in my micro.






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Spanish Pan Roast

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This dish was a delightful meal we enjoyed Sunday evening and I can't wait for the next Spanish feast day when I can enjoy it again (not that we have to wait for a feast day). I saw this recipe at Barb's place and when I saw it I realized immediately it would be a dish I would love. It's just the kind of thing I would order at a restaurant, and it was a good as any professional chef could create, if I do say so myself (of course, I only followed directions, so my part was easy). The original recipe came from Cooking Light and I modified it just a bit.

First, I could not find Spanish paprika any where. Our small town is such a culinary dead end, sometimes it drives me nuts. But as it turned out, the dish was plenty smoky from the chorizo, and plenty spicy as well. I substituted a half teaspoon of regular paprika and a pinch of cayenne for the Spanish paprika called for.

And then there was the chorizo -- I could not find smoked chorizo, but I did find fresh and it was delicious. I added the fresh chorizo to the pan at the beginning of the cook time with the potatoes so it would have plenty of time to get done. And as I stretched out some of the other cooking times, it was perfect in the end -- and I really liked the softer texture of the fresh chorizo as opposed to the denser smoked chorizo, so I would seek out the fresh again.

Now, lets talk beers. This recipe calls for a pilsner, which I believe is a bottom-fermented beer first brewed in the Bohemian city of Pilsen. If you know a good Pilsner, go ahead and use it. I had to take a shot in the dark and chose Beck's which is fairly available and a very tasty German beer (somebody has to finish off the bottle you know). I think St. Pauli Girl Lager can be classified as a pilsner and is actually brewed in the same brewery as Beck's, but I think St. Pauli Girl is a lesser quality beer (meaning: I think I recall that fact; not: I have that opinion), so if you can get Beck's, or something else you like, get it.Unless you really hate beer or can not drink it, I would not omit it -- it really lends itself not only to the flavor but to the texture of the veggies -- it's a wet roast instead of dry. If you really can't have beer, go ahead and cook the dish without. It will be a different dish, but I think it would still be excellent.

The recipe below is with all my changes -- you can find the original recipe here for comparison.

Spanish Pan Roast
serves 6

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1 pound red potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 pound large peeled and cleaned shrimp
5 links fresh Spanish chorizo
1 pound green beans, trimmed
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup pilsner beer
1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika (see note above for substitution)
2 red bell peppers, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine potatoes, oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and sausage links (do not cut them if they are fresh) in a large roasting pan, tossing well to coat potatoes with oil. Arrange
in a single layer in pan. Bake at 400° for 15 - 20 minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned.

Stir green beans, garlic, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper into pan. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Add beer, paprika, and bell pepper, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook for 10 minutes. Nestle shrimp into vegetable mixture. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until potatoes and green beans are tender and shrimp are done.


Slice sausages into serving-size pieces. Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Taste and adjust salt and pepper seasoning if necessary, and serve.

Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed and serve.

Source: modified from Cooking Light via Mom's Fridge

Blueberry Crumb Bars

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It must be the season for fruit pie bars -- just in the past few days I've seen peach bars, blackberry bars, lemon bars. They are all delicious ways to make an easy-to-bake and easy-to-eat pie. We went to the home of dear friends last week to swim in their pool and enjoy pizza, salad, sangria and dessert. They provided the pool and we provided the rest. The pizza we picked up, the sangria came in a bottle, the salad was just a quick toss, and the dessert was Blueberry Crumb Bars. These yummy little bars were sweet and tart with a little bit of lemon zest and some slightly tart blueberries. If I had tasted the blueberries, I would have added more sugar, but everyone seemed to like the bars with a little zip to them. The recipe is super easy -- you can put them together before the oven preheats. I found the recipe at allrecipes and only modified it a little -- I think the next time I make them I'll substitute half the Crisco with butter -- I bet the crumb would be even tastier.

Blueberry Crumb Bars
24 bars

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1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup shortening
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 pinch ground cinnamon (optional -- I did not use)
4 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
3 teaspoons cornstarch
zest of one lemon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan. In a large mixing bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and cinnamon, if desired. Add shortening and using the whisk attachment of the mixer, stir slowly until dough is crumbly (alternately you can cut the egg and shortening in with a pastry cutter). Add egg and mix to combine. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan. In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Source: modified from allrecipes.com

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Beans and Wieners

Just so you know, so you can imagine me talking to you here instead of writing, in our house we pronounce this dish "Beans and Vieners," like the good Germans that we are. Not that this is a German dish -- at all. This is just good, old-fashioned, American budget food. But just because it's budget food doesn't mean it has to be tasteless slop, and it doesn't mean it can't have a little character to its name. ;-)

This recipe comes, for the most part, from Pioneer Woman. I don't think I've ever posted one of her recipes before. Not that they aren't good recipes; I'm certain they are. I admit that I am not much of a joiner, however, and that means I don't really hang out at her place. She has plenty of fans -- she doesn't need me. And, honestly, there are good recipes every where. But, sometime I must have stopped by her place and found Baked Beans. I made them a few times earlier this year and they are good -- really good. My father-in-law claimed they were the best beans he'd ever eaten, and coming from a 72-year-old man, I think that says something (or maybe he was just buttering me up for some dessert!). They were missing something in my opinion, however, and that is vieners. I like vieners with my beans. They just go together, like meatballs and spaghetti, and burgers and fries. Can't have one without the other (well, I can actually have burgers without fries, but you know what I mean).

And so, I make Pioneer Woman's Baked Beans (or Pam Anderson's beans to be precise) and I add vieners. They are a perfect meal, paired with a pan of corn bread, and they are cheap eats. This recipe feeds a crowd -- my family for main dish-size servings, with leftovers for a lunch or two during the week. They are called Quick Southern-Style Baked Beans by Pam Anderson and the southern touch, I believe, comes from the vinegar. They are tangy, and I add an extra 2 T. brown sugar to get the balance right for my family. They also have the added flavor that the green peppers offer -- really, really yum! I use Bush's Original Baked Beans, just so you know, Sweet Baby Ray's Original sauce, and Ball Park Angus Beef Hot Dogs.

I use my Lodge 5 quart dutch oven to cook these beans, and I have made a note in the recipe that you will need a dish larger than the one recommended at Pioneer Woman -- the hot dogs add to the volume you are cooking. As you can see from the picture, there is plenty of room in my dutch oven, but you might have a big mess if you try to fit all that into a standard 13 x 9 (which hold about 3.5 quarts).

Baked Beans and Wieners
Serves up to 18

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8 slices bacon,quartered

1 medium onion, cut into small dice

1 medium green pepper, cut into small dice

3 large cans (28 ounces each) pork and beans

3/4 cup barbecue sauce

1/2 cup plus 2 T. brown sugar

1/4 cup distilled or cider vinegar

2 teaspoons dry mustard or 2 tablespoons Dijon (I use Dijon)

1 package wieners, cut into thirds or quartered

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Fry bacon in large, deep skillet until bacon has partially cooked. Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels. Add onions and peppers to drippings in pan and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Combine beans, sauce, sugar, vinegar, mustard, onions, peppers and bacon in a large ovenproof dish. You will need a dish larger than a 13 x 9 to add the wieners. You can divide between two dishes if necessary. Bake until beans are bubbly and sauce is thickened, about 90 minutes (less time needed if you divide beans between two dishes). Add wieners, stir, and continue baking until sauce is thick and syrupy, about 30 minutes longer.

I serve Beans and Wieners with Cornbread, and fresh fruit, like apple slices and grapes.

Source: modified from Pioneer Woman

The gift of recipes

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Many years ago I gathered and published into a cookbook recipes from families in our school community, intended as a gift to the faculty and administrators of the school. We had plenty of copies, however, and many families benefited from the collection in their own kitchens. As the person who processed all the handwritten recipes into a publishable format, I got to know quite a few of those mamas, as well as their style in the kitchen. Some were "scratch cooks" as I often call those who bake and cook the way their mothers did, using recipes passed down in the family. Some were "modern cooks" who used modern ingredients to create fusion foods -- combinations of multi-cultural dishes. It was all good.

I remember one woman in particular who told me some of her best recipes came to her as a wedding gift, from a dear friend who could not afford a pricey gift, but instead gave her a gift from the heart -- some of her best recipes. As a private business woman with a catering business she had some real keepers, and had gifted them to her friend to start her own collection in her own newlywed's kitchen. How precious, I remember thinking -- how very personal.

It was not long after that I started my own collection for my two young cousins Amy and Jill, and then several years later for my niece Rachel. I gave them my very favorites -- easy recipes that a young woman can make with little experience, and family recipes -- dishes they may have enjoyed in my mother's or my kitchen.

I came across some blank recipe cards recently when I was cleaning a kitchen drawer and I was reminded that I had not gifted any new recipes in at least a year. Having just baked a loaf of banana bread, I sat down with the recipe and copied it -- I'll give a handful of new recipes to Rachel for her upcoming birthday. Years ago I gave her to box to hold the recipes. Maybe this year an apron and some kitchen tools for her hope chest.

I have never known a woman who did not treasure a hand-copied recipe from a beloved family member. Those recipes always seem to taste so much better. They elicit memories and warm feelings that make the food created so much better, so much more real, if that's possible.

When money is tight we often resort to homemade gifts, but you don't have to wait for crunch time to give family recipes. Offered in a collection box, or tied with some kitchen twine, paired with some wooden spoons and a set of stainless measuring cups, the gift of family recipes are heartfelt and cherished and can be given for any special occasion.




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My menus have a new place of their own

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at For Which We Give Thanks.

You'll find them posted there weekly from now on.

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Loosemeat Sandwiches

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Every mom needs a few good budget-minded, simple dishes that she can whip up in a snap. For me, this sandwich is one of those. When I buy my meat (lately on a monthly basis), I always buy an extra 3-plus-pound package of ground meat and divide it up into 1-plus-pound portions. I can make some quick burgers for lunch, some taco meat for Walking Tacos, or Loosemeat Sandwiches. If your kids like simple flavors (and no vegetables spoiling their meat) this sammie is for you. It's just meat and seasoning -- the raw onion is completely optional. And it's so quick and easy, it often is a substitute dish for whatever was on my menu that just didn't happen.

The recipe came from Rachel Ray, but it is apparently a regional dish from Iowa, and Maid-Rite claims theirs as number one. I have never been to Iowa so I can't say whether our Loosemeat is true Loosemeat, but it tastes good by my standards. I eat mine with chopped raw onion, as does my husband and one of the kids. Two of the kids top their sandwiches with BBQ sauce, which is probably a major Loosemeat faux pas, but I cannot account for the tastes of my offspring. ;-)

Loosemeat Sandwiches
serves 6

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1 T. vegetable oil
1¼ lb. ground chuck
1 cup chicken stock (or bouillon cube dissolved in water)
1 t. sweet paprika
1 t. Worchestershire sauce
salt and pepper
6 hamburger buns
½ yellow onion, chopped finely

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and meat. Brown meat, breaking up with the back of a spoon. Add chicken stock. Season with paprika, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. When the liquid comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer. Cook 15 minutes. Pile meat on buns and top with chopped onions.

Serve with tater tots or oven fries, and a Wedge Salad or Cabbage Slaw. Add a chocolate malt for a real diner treat.

Source: Rachel Ray

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Banana Bread

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You probably have a recipe for banana bread. Or two. Or three. I do. I think I have five. Or six. That doesn't mean that any of them are sub-par recipes. On the contrary. They are all good. And they all fill different needs. One has chocolate, another chocolate chips. One is très rich, made with sour cream. Another is low in fat. This one I am posting today has a little bit of spice, and is flexible when it comes to the dairy added. You can use buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream and I often use a mixture, depending on what is in the fridge and needs to be used up. Today I had some yogurt that was dated yesterday and so I used all yogurt. As my kids would say, "It's all good."

This recipe is just slightly modified from the King Arthur Flour cookbook. It calls for a teaspoon of cinnamon, but that's too much for me. It also calls for a 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, but I use whole nutmeg and just a couple of scrapes on a micro plane is plenty -- probably 1/8 teaspoon. I also simplify the process -- instead of mixing the dry ingredients all together in a separate bowl, I just add them directly to the wet -- saving another dirty bowl.

This bread is moist and can be fairly low in fat if you use low fat buttermilk or low fat yogurt.

Banana Bread
makes 1 loaf

printer version

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
⅓ cup oil
1 cup mashed bananas (2-3 medium)
2 t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. nutmeg
2⅔ cups flour
1 cup buttermilk, yogurt, or sour cream
1 cup walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar and oil. Blend in the mashed banana and vanilla. Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour. Stir just until mixture is almost completely combined, with some flour left unmixed. Add buttermilk or sour cream or yogurt, mixing just until combined.

Pour into a greased 5x7 pan. Bake for 1 hour, until toothpick comes out clean. Tent with aluminum foil if bread browns too quickly.

Source: modified from King Arthur Flour cookbook

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Gelato di Fragola

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I apologize that it took me so long to get this recipe posted after I teased the readers of my other blog last week. This truly is some of the best food I have ever tasted. I made it for the feast of St. Clare last week, enjoyed with some pizzelles, and then I made it again over the weekend for my son's birthday. It is divine! And it's so easy, you can make it in no time at all.

I love strawberries, so that's a definite plus for this recipe in my book, but I'm guessing you could try it with another fruit -- using the same quantities and adjusting for sweetness. The recipe came from italylogue.com and they claim to have obtained it from the owner of Mio Gelato in Portland, Oregon. According to the notes made with the recipe, if you use stone fruits like peaches, you'll need the optional dash of lemon juice. I did not use the lemon juice with the strawberries -- they were "bright" enough.

Strawberry Gelato

printer version

1 lb. fresh strawberries, washed, stemmed and quartered
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups cold whipping cream
1 1/2 cups cold water
dash of lemon juice (optional -- use if fruit needs a boost in flavor)

Place berries and sugar into a blender or food processor and blend until liquid and smooth. (This is also where you’ll add lemon juice if necessary.) Add the cream and water and process until thoroughly combined. Freeze as indicated by the manufacturer of your ice cream maker. Remove from ice cream maker and place in a freezer safe container with a lid. Freeze for several hours or until the desired consistency.

NOTE: if you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can still make homemade ice cream. The machines do a fantastic and effortless (for you, at least) job of aerating the ice cream, but you can do an acceptable job without one, too. Just pour the chilled mixture into an airtight container and put it in your freezer. Take it out every so often (half-hour intervals or less, depending on how much it’s freezing between the times you take it out) and give it a really good stir. Then pop it back into the freezer. Keep doing this until it’s pretty frozen.

Source: italylogue.com

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Crispy Baked Teriyaki Chicken

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When I saw this recipe for baked chicken at Annie's Eats, I put it on my list of recipes to try. I knew my kids would love it. I wasn't certain about my husband, however. Sometimes he balks at chicken -- he's just a beef kind of guy. But I'm trying to keep him alive a little bit longer, so I force-feed him boneless, skinless chicken breast quite often. He loved this recipe. I had him at the dipping sauce. He poured it on his white rice and even dipped his spicy broccoli in it. I did not follow the recipe exactly, but we liked it anyway. I did not want to purchase the Japanese alcohol -- just another thing to store away -- so I used what I had on hand and it was wonderful. I wouldn't change a thing. I have posted it the way I made it and I think it's more user-friendly for the average home cook. I upped the quantity on the sauce because I knew the kids would use it for more than dipping. And they did. I also upped the quantity on the chicken for our larger family. Posted as I made it.

Annie's picture is much better than mine, and I did not get the sauce in the pic, so pop over there to see how pretty it actually is.

Crispy Baked Teriyaki Chicken
serves 6-8

printer version

For the sauce:
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. orange juice
6 T. sherry
6 T. sugar

For the chicken:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 t. garlic powder
2 t. salt
½ t. pepper
2 large eggs
3 cups panko breadcrumbs
4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Nonstick cooking spray

To make the sauce, combine the soy sauce, orange juice, sugar and sherry in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 6 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 475˚ F. In a shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk together the flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper. In a second bowl, lightly beat the eggs together with a few tablespoons of water. Place the panko in a third shallow bowl or pie plate. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

Cut the chicken breasts into halves so that you have twice as many thin pieces. Lightly season both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Using tongs and working with one piece of chicken at a time, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture to coat both sides. Shake lightly to remove any excess. Then dip into the eggs and shake gently to remove any excess. Finally place in the panko, turning to coat well. Transfer to the prepared wire rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. Once all the chicken pieces are in place, spray lightly with cooking spray (this kitchen tool comes in very handy).

Bake for 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the bread crumbs are golden. Let rest a few minutes before slicing and serving. Serve with the teriyaki dipping sauce.

Serving suggestion: steamed white rice and Broccoli Arrabiata

Source: modified from Annie's Eats

Cowboy Caviar

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This appetizer has become a favorite appetizer in our house and has been for a few years. It is requested frequently by my children, and even my aunt who hates beans! ( I don't understand how anyone can hate beans, buts she does. However, she can eat her weight in Cowboy Caviar!). It is so healthy I can even justify making it and eating it for dinner. Paired with baked tortilla chips or baked pita chips, it can make a healthy addition to the appetizer table or even to an entire dinner of appetizers.

The recipe has been modified from allrecipes -- I've fine tuned it to our liking.

Cowboy Caviar

printer version

1 can black-eyed peas (15 ounce)
1 can black beans (15 ounce) rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen yellow corn, thawed and drained
½ cup chopped red or green onion
½ cup chopped green bell pepper
1 can diced jalapeno peppers (4 ounce)
1 can diced tomatoes, drained (14.5 ounce)
½ cup Italian-style salad dressing mixed with 1/4 cup water (I used my standard cheater dressing, a one to one combination of Girard's Olde Venice and T. Marzetti's Sweet Italian).
½ teasp garlic powder

In a medium bowl, combine black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, onion, green bell pepper, jalapeno peppers and tomatoes. Season with Italian-style salad dressing and garlic powder; mix well. Cover, and refrigerate overnight to blend flavors. Serve with chips to dip.

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Weekly Menu

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Saturday
Lunch: Sub sammies
Dinner: Pizza

Sunday -- We have a birthday boy -- his pick for dinner
Dinner: Grilled Chicken Tenders with Teriyaki, BBQ and Buffalo dipping sauces, Oven Fries, Cucumber Tomato Salad, Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Monday
Lunch: Bean, avocado and cheese quesadillas
Dinner: Pizza and a pool party

Tuesday
Lunch: Burgers on the grill, chips, and watermelon slices
Dinner: Boys' night out

Wednesday
Lunch: Coney dogs, carrot sticks
Dinner: Chicken Quesadillas on the grill, Guacamole and salsa

Thursday
Lunch: Loosemeat sandwiches, tater tots
Dinner: Baked Beans and weiners, Corn bread

Friday -- Feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux
Lunch: Cheese, fruit and bread
Dinner: Mexican Roasted Corn, Cucumber Tomato Salad, bread, Honey Cake

* Tried and true
* new to me

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Pizza Rolls

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Lunch is such an issue in my house. My picky children just don't like to eat the same thing all the time. I could eat peanut butter and jelly every day. They balk if I serve the same thing two weeks in a row. Most of the time I just ignore their complaints, but once in a great while I create something new, and to their liking. These pizza rolls were created to shush them. They are just like cinnamon rolls, but with pizza toppings inside instead of cinnamon and sugar. They are really yummy. I used pepperoni and cheese, but you could use cooked sausage, or veggies, or make it into something else entirely -- like corned beef, Swiss and sauerkraut, or ham and Swiss with Dijon mayo -- the possibilities are endless. They would be great to serve at a party or for a ball game on the television.

Pizza Rolls
serves 6

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1 cup warm water
2 t. yeast (or one package)
2 T. sugar
2 T. olive oil
1 t. salt
3 - 3 1/2 cups flour (amount needed depends on brand of flour and humidity)

6 oz. package sliced pepperoni
8 oz. package shredded pizza cheese (or mozzarella)
14 can pizza sauce, or 2 cups homemade

Combine water, yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 c. flour, oil and salt and mix with dough hook until dough forms (or if mixing by hand, with a spoon). Add flour, 1/4 c. at a time, kneading at low speed until a smooth elastic dough forms,
about 5 minutes, in mixer (or if kneading by hand, turn onto floured surface
and knead until smooth and elastic). Place in a greased bowl, turning once. Cover and let rise about one hour, until doubled. Punch down. Roll dough out into a rectangle 24 inches long and about 10 inches wide on a lightly floured surface.

Spread with about 2/3 cup sauce. Place pepperoni and cheese in bowl of food processor and pulse until chopped finely (but not pureed -- see picture of mixture). Spread pepperoni mixture over sauce. Roll up from long side and pinch edges to seal.



Cut in half and then cut each half in half. Cut each quarter into three pieces for a total of twelve rolls. Place rolls in a greased 13 x 9 pan. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. and when preheated, bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until rolls are golden brown and when poked in the middle look completely baked.

Let cool for 10 minutes or so and serve with leftover sauce warmed up.

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Wordless Wednesday -- to drink with your Sloppy Joe

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Sloppy Joes

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You thought you just dumped a can of Manwich into a pot of browned beef for Sloppy Joes, didn't you? Well, you could. But I highly recommend that you not. This recipe is almost as easy -- o.k. you have to chop a few veggies-- but, because it's packed with veggies you can declare a veggie-free night! Served with some tater tots and ketchup, and root beer floats, your kids will declare you mother of the year (mine did!).

The recipe came from Simply Recipes and I only adjusted the seasoning a little with a bit more sugar and a tad more than a pinch of cayenne (how much is a pinch anyway?). My kids liked the carrots in the mix (I didn't mention the celery and they didn't discover it) -- they said it looked like Bolognese, and I guess it did. If your kids are vegetable detectives, mince the carrots, celery and onions very finely. I used carrots instead of the alternate bell pepper, but I would try bell pepper next time (we liked the carrots, but I think the pepper would be good as well).

Sloppy Joes

serves 4-6

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1 T. olive oil
1/2 cup minced carrots (can sub chopped bell pepper)
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium onion)
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
1 1/4 lb ground beef
1/2 cup ketchup
2 cups tomato sauce
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. red wine vinegar
2 T. brown sugar (I used more like 4 T.)
Pinch ground cloves
1/2 t. dried thyme
Pinch cayenne pepper
black pepper, to taste

2 T. melted butter
hamburger buns

Heat olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent, about 5-10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Remove from heat. Remove vegetables from the pan to a medium sized bowl, set aside.

Using the same pan (or you can cook the meat at the same time as the vegetables in a separate pan to save time), generously salt the bottom of the pan (about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon). Heat the pan on high. Crumble the ground beef into the pan. You will likely need to do this in two batches, otherwise you will crowd the pan and the beef won't easily brown. Do not stir the ground beef, just let it cook until it is well browned on one side. Then flip the pieces over and brown the second side. Use a slotted spoon to remove the ground beef from the pan (can add to the set-aside vegetables), salt the pan again and repeat with the rest of the ground beef.

Strain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.

Return the cooked ground beef and vegetables to the pan. Add the ketchup, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and brown sugar to the pan. Stir to mix well. Add ground cloves, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Lower the heat to medium low and let simmer for 20 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 425 degrees (you'll need it for the tater tots as well as the buns).

Brush cut sides of buns with melted butter. Place cut sides down on a cookie sheet and bake for 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve Sloppy Joe on toasted buns with a side of tater tots and root beer floats (or maybe a chocolate malt!).

Serving suggestion: tater tots, fresh fruit (watermelon slices in the summer, grapes in the winter) and a milkshake or root beer float

Source: modified from Simply Recipes

Dill Pickle Potato Salad

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In the summer, I love potato salad. I could easily eat it several times a week, but I do get a little bored with the same couple recipes. I went looking the other day for a new recipe and found this yummy version studded with chopped dill pickles -- yum! It had a great dressing -- tangy from mustard and pickle juice, paired with the hard-boiled eggs, scallions, red onion and the pieces of dill pickle -- it was unbeatable and great with hamburgers.

The recipe is a take on Tyler Florence's Potato Salad, but modified a little. His is pretty dressing-heavy and though I like the dressing, I don't think it needs quite that much. I also don't really like capers, so I cut them out. I also use Idaho potatoes, because I prefer the texture, but use what you like (or have on-hand).

I have a great tip for stirring potato salads that keeps them from breaking up too much. After adding the potatoes to the dressing (or vice versa) in a large bowl, pour all of the potatoes and dressing into another large bowl. Pour potatoes and dressing back and fourth several times until potatoes are thoroughly dressed, taking care to be gentle with potatoes. Another tip: I reserve a little of the dressing until serving time because I find that warm potatoes really soak up the dressing and sometimes leave the salad dry.

Get everything diced up while your potatoes are cooking.

Dill Pickle Potato Salad
serves 6-8

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2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced in a large dice (like you would for mashed potatoes)
2 large eggs
Kosher salt
1/3 cup sliced scallions, white and green
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise (I use light)
3 T. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup finely chopped dill pickles plus 3 T. juice
1/3 cup finely diced red onion
2 T. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 T. minced fresh dill
2 T. lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper

Place potatoes in cool water and boil until tender. At the same time boil the eggs, drain off hot water and fill pan with cold water. Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them cool.

Reserve some scallion greens for garnish. Meanwhile, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, pickles and their juice, onion, remaining scallions, parsley, and lemon juice in a bowl large enough to hold the potatoes. Remove about 1/2 cup of dressing from the bowl and reserve. Peel the cool eggs, cut them and add them to the bowl. Stick a fork into the potatoes and lift them one at a time out of the colander. Break up the potatoes by hand into rough chunks, add them to the bowl. Pour potatoes and dressing back and forth between two large bowls until thoroughly dressed. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve. When ready to serve, add reserved dressing and stir very gently.

Source: modified from Tyler Florence

S'more Bars

I have to apologize that it took me a whole week to share these little lovelies with you. I made them last Sunday and I have, honestly, been thinking about them since the last one was consumed sometime in the hours after I went to bed Sunday and when I awoke Monday. They didn't even have a chance to be my breakfast on Monday morning. Drats! My oldest teenage son has an enormous appetite and sweets left untended during the night are gone by morning.

It was probably for the better because one bar after dinner gave me heartburn. Paired with black coffee in the morning, it would surely have been trouble, albeit worth every nibble. These bars are just as good as a true-blue s'more, maybe better. The crust has the flavor of a s'more, but with added buttery goodness. The melted chocolate stays pretty gooey even after they cool, and the marshmallow bakes up and gets just a little bit sticky -- perfect texture.

I had a little trouble getting the top crust right, and in fact, the marshmallow oozed up through the cracks in it. Christy at The Girl Who Ate Everything (where I found this gem) patted her top crust onto parchment and then transferred it to the bars. I, in my usual impatience, could not be bothered, so I sort of pressed walnut-size pieces flat with my palm and then placed them carefully on top of the marshmallow. The cracks, however, allowed the marshmallow to ooze. That was not really enough of a negative thing for me to alter my method next time. However, if you want a pretty top on your bars, you better do what Christy did. I was not able to find jumbo Hershey bars at my grocer (we -- jokingly --call my discount grocer the Communist grocer because you get what you get), so I used four regular bars. I would do the same again so my change is noted below.

S'more Bars
16 bars

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1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 regular-size Hershey bars
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (7 1/2 oz jar)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.

Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff. (I pressed walnut-size pieces flat in my palm and placed them over the marshmallow. Try to get them to meet so the marshmallow does not ooze up.)

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Makes 16 cookie bars.

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

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Weekly Menu

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I'm starting to feel the way I usually do at the end of the summer -- tired of grilling, tired of not wanting to heat the oven because of the heat outdoors, and anxious to make stews, and casseroles, and cold weather food. What can I say? I prefer cold weather to hot weather, and I'm ready for a switch. Trying a few new recipes this week should help my attitude, and we have two lovely saints to celebrate this week -- St. Theresa Benedicta and St. Clare.

Saturday
Lunch: Skyline Chilitos
Dinner: Pimento Cheese and Bacon Burgers, potato salad, fruit kebabs

Sunday
Lunch: Roast Beef Sandwiches with Mustard Sauce, crudites
Dinner: Crispy Baked Chicken Teriyaki, steamed broccoli, rice, Lemon Meringue Pie

Monday -- Feast of St. Theresa Benedicta
Lunch: Grilled turkey and cheese sandwiches
Dinner: German Style Bratwurst, German potato salad, cucumber and tomato slices, Käsekuchen

Tuesday
Lunch: Pizza Bread
Dinner: Sloppy Joes, tater tots, Root Beer floats (no veggie night!)

Wednesday -- Feast of St. Clare
Lunch: Tomato, Bacon and Grilled Cheese Sammies, fresh fruit
Dinner: Bella Bruschetta Salad, bread, pizzelles and Strawberry Gelato

Thursday -- Feast of St. Jane Frances de Chantal (make a donation of food to the poor)
Lunch: Bagels and cream cheese
Dinner: Dirty Rice, green beans, Corn Bread

Friday
Lunch: Bread, cheese, fruit
Dinner: Scrambled Egg Tacos, Fried potatoes, salsa and avocado slices
* Tried and true
* New to me

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Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

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We're back to dessert, and this one is a classic. Chocolate Mayonnaise cake is a cake made with, duh, mayonnaise, which replaces the eggs and the fat in a regular scratch cake. It's a dense cake, slightly moist, but not quite fudgy moist. It has great chocolate flavor, and a depth of flavor not found in a regular chocolate cake made with eggs and fat. I have, with success, used low fat mayonnaise and salad dressing in this cake, so it could be a low fat choice (if you skip the frosting and maybe just dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar).

This recipe was passed down from my husband's grandmother, and to me that makes it a better recipe than one found in any old cookbook. I've said before that a recipe that evokes emotion is a recipe to keep. I love thinking about my husband's father eating this cake as a little boy, and then my own husband eating it as a little boy. Those images make the cake even sweeter. The frosting is my own.

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
serves 12-20

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3 cups flour
3 t. baking soda
1/8 t. salt
6 T. cocoa
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
3 t. vanilla
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup salad dressing (Miracle Whip)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 13 x 9 or two 8-inch cake pans.

Mix together in a large bowl the flour, soda, salt, cocoa and sugar. In another bowl, mix milk, vanilla, mayonnaise and Miracle Whip. Turn mixer on to medium-low and add about a third of the mayonnaise mixture, mixing thoroughly. Add the second third, then mix, and add last of mayonnaise mixture. Turn mixer on medium-high and beat until smooth.

Divide batter between cake pans (or put all the batter into 13 x 9). Bake for 30-35 minutes for round pans or 40-45 minutes for an oblong pan, until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a cooling rack (not necessary for oblong pan). When cake is cool, frost with frosting of your choice.




Chocolate Frosting

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5 T. butter, softened, but not mushy
6 T. cocoa
4 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk added one tablespoon at a time (I used about 6 T.)

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and cocoa until well blended.
Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, blending thoroughly.
Add vanilla and milk, one tablespoon at a time.
Whip for about a minute after final addition of milk,
until spreading consistency is desired.

Frost top of bottom layer.
Add top layer and frost top and sides.

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Bacon, Tomato and Grilled Cheese

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I really wanted to bring you another dessert tonight, but I was afraid you would think that's all I feed my family. So, instead I bring a very tasty (albeit quite unhealthy) sandwich. We ate these yummy sammies for lunch this week and I'm afraid they might become a habit if I don't stop buying bacon. Oh well, we're working hard and working all those calories off!

I know you don't need a recipe, but because this is a cooking blog, I'm writing it down.

Bacon, Tomato and Grilled Cheese

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for each sandwich:
2 pieces bacon fried and halved
2 thin slices fresh beefsteak tomato (or whatever kind you have)
1 1/2 slices Velveeta cheese
2 slices white bread (or wheat, if you must)
a bit of butter for grilling

Preheat skillet or griddle.

Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place one slice of bread butter side down on hot griddle. Add bacon slices, cheese slice and then tomato slices. Grill until golden brown, flip, and grill the other side until golden. Serve.


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Easy Fruit Cobbler

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Boy, it's been dessert time around here. Yes, I bake when I'm stressed, and yes, I eat when I bake. So we've had a few more desserts than we need...hey, it's vacation season, and even though (or maybe because) we're not on vacation, we can still enjoy some treats.

This dessert I made because I had fresh peaches that were going to go bad. I hate to waste good fruit (I usually cut it up and make these). I had quite a few peaches and cobbler just sounded so good. This is a recipe I obtained from USA Today many moons ago. It's super easy, and served warm with a scoop of ice cream, it's a perfect summer dessert. It's flexible too -- you can use almost any fruit.

Easy Fruit Cobbler
serves 4

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4 T. butter
¾ cup flour
¾ cup sugar
1 t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
¾ cup milk
2 cups sliced fresh peaches or nectarines (or a 12-ounce package of frozen berries) or whole blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or a combination of fruits
1 T. sugar


Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position, and heat oven to 350 degrees.

Place butter in an 8-inch square or 9-inch round pan; set in oven to melt. When butter has melted, remove pan from oven.

Whisk flour, 3/4 cup of sugar, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Add milk; whisk to form a smooth batter. Pour batter into pan, then scatter fruit over batter. Sprinkle with remaining 1 Tb. of sugar.

Bake until batter browns and fruit bubbles, 50 to 60 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of whipped cream or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.

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