Recipes

 

Basic Brownies

1/2 C butter
1C sugar
1 t vanilla
2 eggs
2  1 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate squares OR 6T unsweetened cocoa powder and 2T vegetable oil
3/4C flour

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare an 8x8 baking pan.
2.  In a medium saucepan melt butter and add chocolate.  Stir until smooth.  Remove from heat.
3.  Stir in sugar.  Add eggs one at a time.  Add vanilla.  Stir in flour.
4.  Spread into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.
5.  Cool and cut into 16 squares.

These brownies are rich and slightly chewy and delicious.  If you like nuts you can add walnuts or pecans with the flour.  My family loved them last night.  They do not taste like a mix - and I think brownies out of the box are very tasty - but mine have super simple ingredients, no artificial anything and taste like home.  Oh, and I mix them right in the pot so I only dirty the pot, the pan and the spoon.

Roasted Chicken

6-7lb. roasting hen
2 lemons
vegetable oil
salt and pepper

1.  Remove giblets from chicken cavity.  Rinse entire bird and pat dry.
2.  Salt and pepper chicken inside and out.
3.  Slice lemons in half and put all four halves inside your bird.
4.  Put chicken in roasting pan breast side up and brush with oil.
5.  Roast in a 350 degree oven for 2-2 1/2 hours.

I have lots of friends who don't roast a whole chicken, ever!!  In fact, many of them have never prepared chicken that didn't leave a package boned, breaded and in oven ready pieces or come in a three pack skinless and boneless.  If that sounds like you, you are missing the boat and one of the best meal values around.  Whole chickens are very inexpensive and super simple to prepare.  We ate sliced breast meat last night and have plenty left over for quesadillas on Saturday.  Tonight I'm making soup with the wings and thighs and extra breast meat.  I paid $8.00 for my chicken and will get three dinners out of it.  Best of all, my children know what an actual chicken looks and tastes like.  Neither of them asked for the "nugget

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Perfect Pie Crust

A friend of mine pulled me aside at church tonight and asked me for my pie crust recipe.  I thought I would give it to you too.  It is quick, easy once you get the hang of it, and considerably less expensive and more tasty than  a store bought crust.

2 C all purpose flour
1 t salt
6 T butter
4 T shortening
1/4 - 1/2 C cold water

1.  sift together flour and salt
2.  cut in very cold butter and shortening to make a coarse, crumbly mixture
3.  add just enough ice cold water to bring dough together and form a ball
4.  split dough ball in half and make two discs.  Wrap each in plastic wrap and chill for 20-30 minutes.
5.  flour counter top and roll out each disc to 12" round of uniform thickness
6.  line your pie plate with crust, fill, top with second crust and bake as indicated according to your filling.  Most of my recipes call for a 425 degree oven for 10-12 minutes and 375 for the remainder of the cooking time.

Tips:

Don't skip the sift.  I don't sift anything I don't need to.  I don't sift for cookies, cakes, quick breads, yeast breads...or really anything else at all but pie crust and biscuits.  In both cases the sifting has a big impact on the texture.  It is worth the step.  Next, refrigerate your shortening for this recipe.  Our butter is always cold but most of us store shortening in the pantry.  You want it nice and cold for pie crust.  Finally, get a mixing bowl of ice water and dip out your 1/2 C of water from there.  Cold tap water is not cold enough.

I use this crust for sweet and savory pies.  Don't add sugar or anything else to the dough.  If you want a different flavor or appearance for different pies make your changes to the top crust only.  You might consider brushing it with milk or an egg wash, topping with kosher salt or crystallized sugar,  topping with shredded cheeses, sprinkling a cinnamon and brown sugar mixture...whatever works for you.  My favorite?  Completely plain.

Breakfast Porridge

1 1/3C quick cook oats

1/3C brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1C milk

1C water

2T butter

Bring water and milk to low boil over medium.  Add all other ingredients.  Bring back to boil and cook one minute.  Remove from heat and cover.  Rest five minutes.

I LOVE this breakfast and we are having it tomorrow.  We will all be full all morning and it is very satisfying to have a hot meal on a cold day.  When I knew I would be pressed for time I have pre-measured my oats and salt and sugar at night and stored it in a ziptop bag until morning.  Usually, I don't bother but if you are not accustomed to cooking first thing  you might want to see if taking this step helps you.  I also like to add a little variety to our porridge by adding 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa or vanilla and cinnamon.  Or mashed bananas...you get the idea.  Whatever you add to it, please promise me you will never buy instant oatmeal packets again.  You are paying too much for something that isn't half as good!!

COST $1.48/$.37 per serving

 

Potato Soup

The kids and I love potato soup.  It is the only cream soup we eat with any regularity and I really enjoy breaking away from the stock based soups my husband likes.  Because Tracy doesn't care for it, I usually make potato soup at lunch and have it for two days.  Please try this - you're going to love it and there are endless variations.

3lbs. Russet potatoes, peeled and diced

3 1/2 cups milk

4 oz. cream cheese

2 1/2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 oz. grated cheddar cheese

1.  boil potatoes until fork tender and cooked through.  Drain and return to pot.  Set aside.

2.  warm milk, butter and cream cheese in microwave safe bowl for several minutes until mixture is hot but not boiling.  This will take different lengths of time depending on your microwave so watch it.  You want to see melted butter but no bubbles in the milk.  Make sure you use a big bowl (mine has a handle) - it will be messy if you use a small one and it bubbles over.  Whisk mixture until smooth.

3.  return potatoes to the stove and add milk mixture.  Mash with potato masher until smooth.  Add salt and pepper and stir well.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

4. serve at once and garnish each bowl with cheddar cheese. Or don't.  Or choose something else to put on top...

Once that soup is in your bowl you will think of tons of toppings that will be delicious.  My favorites are:  cheddar cheese, green onions, jalapeno cheese, crumbled bacon, dollop of sour cream, diced ham, croutons, oyster crackers, cheese crackers, salsa....mmm...I'm getting hungry....

COST $4.83/$.81 per serving

 

Shepherd's Pie

Today the kids and I (my husband opted out of this one) prepared and ate shepherd's pie.  I scanned some of the cookbooks I have lining my kitchen counter and found recipes similar to what I was after - meat, a veggie and a mashed potato topping - but nothing just right for us.  I don't usually enjoy a dish prepared with cream of something soup or ketchup and that eliminated much of what I found.  Here's what I came up with:

1 lb. ground beef (93/7)
8oz. frozen green peas
1 envelope onion soup mix
5 cups mashed potatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
parsley
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1.  brown ground beef with a little olive oil.  If you are using ground beef with a higher fat content you will want to drain it before the next step.

2.  add onion soup mix and 3/4 cup of hot water.  Bring to boil and then reduce to simmer.

3.  add frozen peas.  Simmer until peas are defrosted.

4.  warm mashed potatoes in microwave.  This recipe is designed to use leftover or planned over mashed potatoes.  If you don't have any you can start from scratch or take advantage of one of the few convenience food products I advocate - instant mashed potatoes.  I don't enjoy instant potatoes by themselves but they work great in casseroles - and they are cheap, cheap cheap.  I buy the store brand in a big box with no added flavors.  Once your potatoes are warm stir in the sour cream and add parsley.  I use around 1 tablespoon of dried but this item should be added to suit your taste.

5.  pour beef mixture into a buttered 8x8 glass casserole dish (I use Pyrex).  Spoon potatoes on top and spread to cover.  Top with shredded cheese.  Or don't.  This is not a cheesy casserole.  It is not supposed to be gooey.  You should try it topped with french fried onions or buttered bread crumbs or just a little paprika.  The goal is to add a little color or texture to the top.

6.  bake in 350 degree oven for 25-30minutes.  Let rest for 10 minutes.

My daughter and I ate this for lunch and then I warmed up the rest for supper.  It was yummy and I did not have to cook twice - it also made evening clean up easier.

COST $7.00/ $1.17 per serving