Minestrone Soup

Deb Black shared this fantastic soup recipe with me. It will really hit the spot on cold, wintry days. Make a snowman with the kids and then have a hot bowl of soup!

3 Tbsp. of bacon grease (or cook 3 slices of chopped bacon)

1 clove of garlic minced

1 medium onion chopped

1/4 cup fresh minced parsley or 2 Tbsp. dried parsley

2 stalks celery chopped

2 carrots, diced or chopped

1 large potato diced

1/2 medium cabbage, finely chopped or coarsely grated in food processor

Saute all of these in a large pot about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often until vegetables are tender.

Add the following to the vegetables:

1 28 oz can of tomatoes-slightly blended if desired

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. salt

1 15 oz. can of kidney, white pinto or northern beans

2 qts. of soup stock - chicken or beef (2 qts. of water with 2 Tbsp. of beef or chicken bouillon)

Simmer for 45 minutes - add noodles and cook for another 10 to 12 minutes.

Thanks Deb for sharing.

-Debbie -

Kentucky Rice Casserole

A New Festive Side Dish!

My friend just gave me this recipe and suggested we use it as a side dish for a Christmas Dinner we are planning. When she told me the ingredients, I was a little skeptical but I made it today and it was delicious. A very unusual combining of rice, mushroom soup, onion and of all things, pecans.
However, both my husband and I loved the flavor and it was moist and fluffy.

1 cup uncooked rice (do not use quick-cooking rice)
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 Tbsp. chopped onion
1 10 0z. can beef broth (I used a 14 oz can of Swansons beef broth and it worked fine)
1 10 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients and pour into an ungreased 6 x 10 baking dish. Bake uncovered for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the center is just set. Do not overcook.

Serves 8.

Note: Can be prepared early in the day and baked when ready to serve. Cream of chicken soup may be substituted for the cream of mushroom.

Happy Cooking!

-Debbie-

Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin Muffins, the perfect Thanksgiving Breakfast while you wait for the Thanksgiving Feast!

Many thanks to my friend, Deb Black for this recipe! She said she wanted to get a picture of the muffins out of the pan but her family gobbled them up before she could snap a picture! What better recommendation for a recipe could there be than that.

1 cup flour (white or wheat)
1 cup oats (uncooked)
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup walnuts or pecans

(I also added 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/4 cup coconut) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.Mix all together.
Coat muffin tin with non-stick spray or muffin papers. Spoon into muffin tin- will fill the tins
but the muffins don't rise much.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

A great muffin to eat for breakfast- very filling.

Thanks again for sharing Deb.

-Debbie-

Broccoli Cheese Soup

I LOVE FALL!

I love everything about the Fall season. That nip in the air, the earthy smell of leaves as they swirl and dance with the wind and a good bowl of hot, steaming soup! It just feels so comforting as the earth slows down and readies itself for the resting season of winter.

This is a wonderful, rich soup that is just perfect to warm you up on a cold, blustery day.

1 can chicken broth or 3 bouillon cubes and water to make 2 cups

1 1/2 lbs. fresh broccoli (chopped)

1 large onion (diced)

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1/4 cup butter

1/4 tsp. white pepper 2 cups milk (whole milk is best)

1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Cook broccoli and onions in broth until tender. In a separate pan, melt butter, stir in flour and seasonings. Slowly add milk, cooking and stirring until thickened and bubbly. Add this white sauce to broth base. Add cheese, heat until melted. Serve hot.

Note: Don't bring to a boil just until hot enough to eat.

Happy Fall!

Debbie

Orange Zucchini Bread

TENDER, MOIST AND DELICIOUS

The orange zest in this zucchini bread really gives the bread a pick-me-up. It's very subtle and blends beautifully with the zucchini. This is an unusual combination that really works!

3 eggs

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 cup oil

3 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. nutmeg ( I usually do about 1/2 tsp. of nutmeg)

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups peeled and grated zucchini

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1 cup raisins

Grated rind of 1 orange

Beat eggs; gradually beat in sugars and then oil. Combine dry ingredients; add to first mixture alternately with zucchini. Stir in vanilla, nuts, raisins and grated orange rind. Pour into two greased and floured (8 x 4 x 3 inch ) loaf pans. Bake 1 hour at 325. Let stand 10 minutes; turn onto rack to cool.

Note: Be sure and grease your pans with something like solid Crisco, sprinkle with flour and then dump out any excess flour. If you just spray with Pam the sides don't raise like they should.

Pine Creek Applesauce BBQ Sauce

At our last cabin Association work day, we served these BBQ pork sandwiches and they were delicious. At first the recipe sounded a little strange to me because it uses applesauce and spices in the sauce but I really liked the result. If you think about it, pork and apples are a perfect combination but you usually don't think about combining them for a sandwich. Thanks Donna for this great new recipe. I'll be using it for many years to come.

1 cup applesauce

1/2 cup ketchup

2 cups brown sugar

6 Tbs. lemon juice

1/2 t. pepper

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t paprika

1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 t. cinnamon

In a pan heat all together stirring frequently until it come to a boil. Pour over cooked, shredded pork and let simmer for an hour or so.

I cooked about a 5 lb. pork roast in the crock pot for about 8 hours on low. Then I drained some of the juice off and added the applesauce BBQ sauce and let it set on warm for about 1 1/2 hours before serving. Add a little of the drained off juice if it seems a little dry.

If you want to double this recipe, you can have a bowl of sauce that people may add extra if they choose to.

This recipe would be perfect for those large family Halloween parties. Give it a try and see what you think.

-Debbie-

Scotch-A-Roo's

This has been one of my all time favorite recipes! I hadn't made it for awhile but my daughter in law made it the last time she came to the cabin. Thing was, hers tasted better than mine! I hate to admit that but I had to take a cooking lesson from my 22 year old daughter in law. Hers were soft and chewy and mine were harder. In comparing our recipes, she just cooked the karo syrup mixture a shorter time. I'm giving you directions for her recipe. These are easy to make and EVERYONE loves them. Great for picnics.

1 cup karo syrup

1 cup white sugar

1 cup peanut butter

5 to 6 cups Rice Krispies, depending how gooey you want them (Usually I add 5 to 5 1/2 cups or so)


Topping:

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

Combine karo syrup and sugar. Mix and bring to a boil for 30 seconds or so. Take off heat and add peanut butter. Stir. Add Rice Krispies. Put mixture into a buttered 9 x 13 inch pan. (If you like a thicker bar, you can put in a 9 x 9 pan.)


Melt the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips for 45 seconds in the microwave or until melted so you can mix chips together. Add to the top of warm krispies. Let cool and enjoy! Yum!!!

Thanks for the great recipe!

Debbie

Whole Wheat Rosette Rolls

These are my all time favorite whole wheat rolls! They are tender and have a honey sweet flavor. If you tend to shy away from whole wheat, just give these yummy rolls a try. I will give you two methods to make them: 1. by hand and 2. in the bread machine. Either way works great but the bread machine is easier.

HAND MIX METHOD

Put in a bowl:

1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour

2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast

_________________________________

Put in pan and heat until warm:

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup cup sour cream

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/2 tsp. salt

Add pan ingredients to flour and yeast mixture and then add 2 eggs.

Beat at low speed using electric mixer for 1/2 minutes and then 3 minutes on high speed.

Using a spoon, stir in about 1 1/2 more cups of whole wheat flour and then turn out on a floured surface and knead in rest of four to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes. (Total amount of whole wheat four used is about 3 1/2 to 4 cups)

Shape into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl; turn one. Cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with Pam and let rise in a warm place until double (about 1 hour).


Punch down and then divide dough in half. Shape into rosettes. Again, cover pan of rolls with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with Pam and let rise until nearly double (about 30 minutes). Remove plastic wrap and bake in a 375 degree oven for 13 to 15 minutes. Brush with melted butter, if desired.

Makes about 24 rolls.

BREAD MACHINE METHOD

Add to bread machine pan in this order:

First spray pan with Pam.

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup melted butter or margarine

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

Then add 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast

Use only the dough cycle.

The dough should "slap" the sides and start to form a soft ball that turns around. Slowly sprinkle in more flour as needed to get this result. At the end of the dough cycle, put the ball of dough in a greased pan, turn once, and let rise until double. About an hour.

Punch down, let rest a few minutes, and then shape into rosettes.

Cover the pan of rolls with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with Pam. Let rise about 30 minutes and then bake in a 375 degree oven for 13 to 15 minutes. Brush tops with butter.

Good luck!

Debbie

Cilantro Dressing

An Awesome Dressing On Any Salad!

This is the "Cafe Rio" type dressing that tastes so good on all salads, especially taco type salads! I even like it on baked potatoes for an extra zippy taste.

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 clove garlic

1/4 bunch of washed cilantro- No Stems

1 Tbsp. white vinegar

1/2 jalapeno pepper - No Seeds (wear gloves to clean out seeds)

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. salt

Put everything but the mayonnaise in the blender and blend well. ( If things are not blending well enough, add a tablespoon or two of mayo to lubricate the mixture) Then add the rest of the mayonnaise and blend until really smooth.

We had a 40th Surprise Birthday Party for my son-in-law last week and served these burritos with beans & rice, pulled pork, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and the fantastic Cilantro Dressing. We had about 30 people and most went back for seconds. So Good!

Enjoy you summer family time!

-Debbie-

Pulled Pork

So Delicious and Feeds a Large Crowd!














This is one of our families favorite recipes! It is so easy to prepare and everyone likes it! Use it to make filling for burritos, tacos, or even drain juice and put of a hard roll. It is perfect for "Cafe Rio" type salads. I will post the Cilantro Dressing that goes so well with the salad on my next post.

This is a great option for family reunions as it can be done in large roasters and easily served from the roaster.

1 Boneless Pork Roast (Costco has great pork roast, 2 to a package)

1 Pkg. McCormick Southwest Marinade

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

Mix all ingredients together. Pour over meat and cook on high in crock pot for 4-5 hours or until a fork will pull meat apart easily. Shred pork and keep in juices until you serve it. Serve with Zatarains's black beans and rice (made to instructions on box) Costco's Tortillas (the type you have to cook), and lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, and green onions.

This is a wonderful recipe for family reunions because you can make it in large roasters and serve right from the roaster.

I hope you find joy with your families this summer!

-Debbie-

Twice Baked Red Potatoes

Nothing is better than a new red potato dug fresh from the garden!












I like red potatoes no matter how they are fixed but this little recipe is especially tasty and I like them warm or even the baked leftovers eaten cold for a picnic. (Be sure and refrigerate leftovers) The combination of spices and cheeses in the potato filling are really delicious and complement each other.

1 1/2 lbs. small red potatoes

2 to 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Cheddar/Jack Cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1 pkg. (3 0z.) cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup minced green onions

1 tsp. dried basil

1 garlic clove minced

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 to 1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 lb. sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled or 1/3 cup Hormel precooked Real Crumbled Bacon

Wash the potatoes well and then dry. Pierce the potatoes and rub skins with oil. Place in a baking dish and bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 50 min. or until tender. Allow to cool to touch.

In a bowl, combine Cheddar/Jack Cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, onions, basil, garlic, salt, pepper and bacon. In another bowl. scoop out the potato pulp with a melon baller. (Leave enough potato in the shell so it can stand up.) Mash up the potatoes and then stir in cheese mixture. Fill the shells and sprinkle a little parsley on top. Bake in a 350 degree oven until heated well through.

Note: These can be made the day before and then refrigerated and baked fresh when you need them.

Happy 4th!

-Debbie-

Artichoke Rice Salad

A Great Summer Salad!


Light and Refreshing!










I love this salad. It is a little sour and has a slight bite with the green olives. It makes such a nice summer dinner with a crusty bread or rolls. I often double this to take to a group picnic.

1 pkg. chicken Rice-A-Roni

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 green pepper chopped

8 to 10 green olives with pimento, chopped

2 jars marinated in oil artichokes (abt. 8 to 10 oz jars) Dice and reserve liquid

1/4 tsp. curry powder

1/3 cup mayonnaise

Optional: I like to add cooked diced chicken breast when I use it as a main dish salad.

Make rice per package instructions. Cool completely and then combine rice, onion, pepper, olives and artichokes.

In a separate bowl, mix mayonnaise, oil reserved from the artichokes and curry powder. Pour this dressing over rice mixture.

Refrigerate overnight to let flavors mellow.

Happy picnics!

- Debbie -

Coconut Chicken & Pineapple Yams

Not Old and True,


But Good and New!








Over the weekend, I did some babysitting at my daughter's home. When the children were all asleep, I entertained myself with her cookbooks. I found this recipe in a collection of her husbands relatives favorite recipes. We made it tonight and really enjoyed the new and interesting flavor.

1 container pina colada yogurt
4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
1/2 cup coconut, shredded

Dip chicken breasts in yogurt. Make sure chicken is completely coated. Then mix coconut and bread crumbs together. Roll dipped chicken in coconut mixture. Place chicken in a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.




Since it was a hot night, I cooked our chicken and yams in the box oven. I used about 17 coals and cooked the chicken about an hour.






Pineapple Yams


I went through my recipe collection looking for a recipe that I felt would go with the coconut chicken. This yam recipe was just right and the flavors really blended well. It is a little of a "hooker by crooker" recipe so you will need to taste as you go to get the right amount of spices
that you like.

1 lb. yams (I think it was about 1 1/2 cups of yams)
1 pinch cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch allspice
1/4 cup honey
1 egg
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1 Tbsp. crushed pineapple

or

1/2 cup orange juice and
1/2 tsp. grated orange rind

Boil yams until tender and then skin and mash the pulp. Add the spices (to taste), honey, egg and either pineapple or orange juice. Whip everything until light and fluffy. Pour into a greased casserole dish and bake about 45 minutes.

Wishing you sunny skies and fair breezes.

- Debbie -

P.S. For instructions and directions for making a box oven, go to the Labels and click on Box Oven.

Dad's 6 Minute Cake

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DAD!

THANKS FOR THE FUN RECIPE!

I inherited my love of experimental cooking or as my Mom calls it,"Frizzle Cooking", from my Dad. When he retired, he kind of took over the kitchen and has perfected whole wheat cooking, especially his bread. I told Dad that I had a little microwave recipe for a chocolate cake that I just wasn't quite happy with and Dad took on the challenge and this little recipe is the result. It is good, easy, and inexpensive to make. Ty it, it's fun!

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup whole wheat four ( I tried white flour and it turned out fine)

2 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder

1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup oil

dash of salt

Mix everything together with a mixer and then add:

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking powder

Mix well and then pour in a 8 x 8 inch glass pan that has been greased with solid shortening and then dusted with flour.

Sprinkle 1/3 cup of chopped walnuts and 1/2 cup chocolate chips over the top and put in the microwave for 6 minutes on Hi power. This is best eaten hot out of the microwave. I like to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

This was the cake I made and it really turned out quite well. The nuts stayed on top but the chocolate chips sink to the bottom.

I love you Dad! Thanks for the bounty of good memories you have made for me. No girl could have had a better Dad!

Happy Father's Day to all of our wonderful Dads!

- Debbie -

Crockpot Beef Sandwiches

My son just got married in April and this Mother's Day my new little Daughter-in-Law gave me a very special gift. Being newly weds, they are on a very limited budget so she hand wrote 25 recipe cards of her families favorite recipes. For me, this was the highest form of recipe sharing and I will treasure these 25 recipes forever. Thanks Amy!

1 3 to 5 lb. rump roast
2 cans beef broth
1 pkg. Italian Dressing Mix
1 pkg. Au Jus Sauce Mix

Brown meat on all sides in a small amount of oil. Put in a crock pot and add broth, dry Italian dressing mix, and Au Jus sauce mix. Cook on high for 8 to 10 hours. You may serve on hard rolls and it is also good to add grated cheese and broil until melted.

A few years ago, I bought a cookie sucker mold but I had never used it. I thought it would be fun to pat some dilly bread dough in them and make buns. It worked very well and we enjoyed our sandwiches on this delicious bread. The recipe for the bread was on my last post, June 11, 2009.
I liked how all of the buns were pretty uniform in size. You should be able to get the mold at any major craft store that carries Wilton products.






This is a great recipe for your family picnics that will be coming up.

Happy Summer!


Debbie

Dilly Bread

Tender and Flavorful--

So Good with Soup!










I visited my Mom and Dad over the weekend and my sisters and I were reminiscing over the Dilly Bread that Mom used to make in a juice can. We loved it and always asked for the "round bread". There is just something fun about eating a round slice of bread, so break out of the mold and bake round!

2 1/2 tsp of dry yeast

1/4 cup lukewarm water

1 cup creamed cottage cheese (heated to lukewarm)

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. instant minced onion, or 2 Tbsp.. finely chopped fresh onion

1 Tbsp. butter or margarine

2 tsp. dill seed

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 unbeaten egg

2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Soften yeast in water. Combine in mixing bowl cottage cheese, sugar, onion, butter, dill seed, salt, soda, egg, and softened yeast. Add flour to form a stiff dough, beating well after each addition. Cover. Let rise in warm place, 85 to 90 degrees, until light and double in bulk (about 50 to 60 min.).

Stir dough down. Turn into well-greased, 8-inch round, 1 1/2 or 2 qt. casserole. (or a clean, empty,dry 46 oz juice can). Let rise in warm place until light, 30 to 40 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes, until golden brown. Brush with soft butter and sprinkle with sea salt. If baking in a can, it will need to cook about 60 minutes. Wait about 15 minutes to remove from the pan and it is easier to get out.

Wishing you a Sunny Day!

Debbie

Chicken In A Blanket

Chicken, Cheese Sauce and Broccoli-

All Rolled Up In A Little Crepe Blanket

Okay, so the real name of this little creation is "Turkey Divan Crepes" but how Mountain sounding is that! I just thought it looked like a little silky blanket wrapping up everything. Whatever you call it, it's good!

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

3 eggs

1 cup milk

1/4 cup water

3 Tbsp. melted butter

Combine and mix well

Refrigerate the mixture at least 1 hour

Heat a 6 to 8 inch skillet on medium heat and then spray with Pam. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter in the pan and tip the pan so the batter covers all of the bottom. Cook about one minute and then turn. Cook about a minute longer. Remove to plate and repeat until all of the batter is used. (I use an 8 inch pancake griddle and it works very well)

2 pkgs. 10 oz. frozen broccoli spears - cooked according to pkg. directions

2 cups chopped cooked turkey or chicken

In a saucepan add:

1/4 cup butter, melt and then add 1/4 cup flour - cook until bubbly

Stir in:

2 cups chicken broth

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

cook and stir until thickened

Put 2 cups of sour cream in a bowl and then gradually add hot cheese sauce stirring constantly.

Lay one crepe in a baking pan that has been sprayed with Pam, add chicken, broccoli, and cheese sauce. Roll the crepe up and then make another one. When all of your crepes are finished, pour the remaining cheese sauce over the crepes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 -20 minutes. Near the end, you may add a little more grated cheese for garnish.

May you find joy on your journey!

Debbie

Three Bear Gingerbread Pancakes with Lemon Syrup

Goldilocks would definitely have loved these little cakes. Fun for kids and the big kid in all of us!







These little gingerbread cakes have been a favorite for many years. The lemon syrup is a perfect pairing with the gingerbread flavor. I found the little pancake molds at a dollar store a few years ago and they have been so much fun to make for the grandkids. Of course the pancakes taste just a good in their round, usual form but the little bear cakes just make you want to smile. So fun! The eyes are raisins, the mouth a dried cranberry and the nose a piece of dried mango rolled in a ball.


1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon

1 egg
1 1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup molasses
3 Tbs. salad oil

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon.

Beat egg with milk in a large bowl. Beat in molasses, then oil. Add flour mixture and stir just until combined. (Batter can be a little lumpy)

Pour about 1/4 cup of batter on a hot griddle.





Lemon Syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbs. cornstarch

pinch of nutmeg

1 cup hot water

2 Tbs. butter

1/2 tsp. lemon zest (only the yellow, no white of rind)

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

In a medium saucepan, mix 1/2 cup sugar, 1 Tbs. cornstarch, and a pinch of nutmeg. Gradually mix in 1 cup of hot water. Cook, stirring over medium heat until mixture is thick and clear. Add 2 Tbs. butter or margarine, 1/2 tsp. lemon zest, and 2 tsp. lemon juice. Stir until the butter melts.

Makes about 1 1/2 cup syrup

Wishing you smiles and warm hugs!

-Debbie-