Month: March 2017

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Coconut Scones

Last night I came home in a baking mood. I looked at what I had on hand and I got excited thinking about creating a coconut scone recipe. I like scones and hot PG Tips tea with milk and a bit of sugar. So I mixed up the scones and got them in the oven. Then we sat down to family Bible reading time and soon the scones were done, right in the middle of a very interesting discussion of why Jesus looked up to heaven and blessed the food. Of course, we had to sample them and everyone approved! Here is the recipe I created!

Coconut Scones

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

3 Tablespoons sugar

1-2 teaspoons of sugar crystals or granulated sugar to sprinkle on top

1 scant Tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

⅓ cup butter or margarine

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

4-6 Tablespoons coconut milk
*Additional 1 Tablespoon coconut milk to brush on top

1 cup shredded coconut
*Additional 1-2 Tablespoons of coconut to sprinkle lightly on top

Preheat the oven to 400°. Butter a baking sheet. In a large bowl, stir in the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. In a small bowl beat the egg and vanilla and the coconut milk. Lightly mix until it forms a soft dough. Place the dough on a floured surface and gently knead it 10 times. The dough will feel springy.
Place the dough on the prepared baking sheet. Roll or hand shape it into an 8-inch circle. With a pizza cutter dipped in flour cut your dough into 8 wedges, but do not separate them. Brush the tops with the additional coconut milk and sprinkle with sugar and coconut.
Bake 14-18 minutes until the scones are lightly browning. Remove from the baking sheet and cool a bit. Serve warm.

 

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Swedish Tea Ring

Our friend Janelle has been here visiting for about a week. Today was our last day with Janelle! I wanted to make a special brunch to have with her before her flight. I made cheesy grits, fried potatoes, bacon, oven scrambled eggs and my Swedish Tea Ring. I have made this recipe for more than 20 years. It is my favorite sweet yeast dough! It is light and tender. Here is my recipe made without my favorite rolling pin and baking sheet. I can improvise!

 

Swedish Tea Ring

1 cup milk

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons yeast or 2 small packages

1/4 cup lukewarm water

2 eggs

4 1/2 cups all-purpose sifted flour ( I use unbleached)

Melted butter

1/2 lb. brown sugar 

1 Tablespoon + Cinnamon ( I like a lot of cinnamon so I keep adding)

Chopped nuts optional

You may add frosting if you wish. (Recipe below)

Preheat the oven 375°. Scald milk and pour over butter, sugar, and salt, sprinkle yeast over the lukewarm water. Cool milk to lukewarm (less than 110°), add to the yeast mixture. Add well-beaten eggs. Beat in flour to make a soft dough. Turn out on a floured board and knead until smooth. Form into ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until double in bulk. Time can vary, it took mine an hour to rise.  When light shape into 2 rectangular sheets about 1/4 inch thick. I mix the cinnamon and brown sugar in a small bowl. I brush the rolled out dough with the melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon brown sugar mixture. Roll in jelly roll fashion and shape into rings. Place on greased cookie sheets and cut with scissors at 1” intervals almost through your ring.

You may want to turn your cut slices slightly to make a fancier ring. Cover and let rise until double in bulk. Bake at 375° F for 20-30 minutes. Enjoy. Variations: While warm, frost with powdered sugar frosting and sprinkle with chopped nuts.  This makes 2 rings. I think this is the most wonderful thing I bake!

This frosting is great to drizzle on the Swedish tea ring,  cinnamon rolls or other pastries.

Simple Frosting for Pastries

2 Tablespoons of melted butter

2 cups powdered sugar

the flavoring of your choice: vanilla, almond, etc.

1-3 Tablespoons of milk added one at a time until you reach the right consistency.

Melt the butter stir in the powdered sugar and flavoring and 1 Tablespoon of the milk. Stir until creamy. Add more milk a bit at a time until you reach drizzle consistency.  Yummy!

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Lemon Crunch Pie

Lemon Crunch Pie

1 1/3 cup self-rising flour

1 cup nuts (pecans are best but walnuts are great too.)

1 stick butter or margarine softened

11 oz cream cheese

1/2 lb. powdered sugar

1 can lemon pie filling (or make your own). You can actually use any flavor you are adventurous enough to try.

Whipped topping 16 oz. divided

nuts to garnish

Layer 1 Combine flour, nuts, and butter

Press into 13×9 pan, bake in 350° oven until

lightly browned about 15 minutes

cool (If you are impatient stick it in the freezer or fridge)

Layer 2 Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar and fold in

8 oz. of whipped topping  Spread on cooled crust

Layer 3 Spread 1 can lemon pie filling

evenly over layer 2

Layer 4 Spread with whipped topping

Layer 5 Sprinkle with nuts

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Cooking Beans

I grew up cooking beans. They were a regular part of our diet. A pot of beans and a few green onions with a tomato make a wonderful meal. These would be picked from our garden right out the back door.

When asked how to cook beans or asked for a recipe to cook beans I am often surprised. Beans have always been a part of my diet. I never knew there was a recipe for cooking beans.

So here are a few ways I have tried cooking beans:

Take a package of beans from your favorite grocery store or buy your dried beans in bulk. There are many kinds of beans and they can be used in so many wonderful ways. My family’s favorite is what West Virginians call brown beans. What are brown beans? Pinto beans. I also cook white beans and occasionally butter beans.

1. First, look the beans.
What are you looking for? Many times you will find small rocks or clumps of dirt or debris in the beans. Once you have looked your beans then rinse them.

2. Soak the Beans.
To soak the beans place them in a pan of water. The water should be at least 2-3 inches over the beans. Why? Beans increase in volume as they absorb the water. There are a few ways you can soak these.

  • place the beans in a covered pot of water overnight (at least 2-3 inches above the level of the beans). In the morning either drain the water and add fresh or use the same water and begin to simmer on the stove-top until done.
  •  or you may place the beans in a covered pot of water and do a quick soak by cooking until they are boiling for 2-3 minutes and then turning off and covering for one hour. There are two thoughts about what to do next. Drain the water and add fresh or keep the water and simmer on your stove until done. You can tell they are tender by taste or you may want to put one or two on a spoon and blow on it and the skin will split when done.
  • Slow cooking. You may place the clean rinsed beans in your Crock-pot or you may do this step after either of the previous steps. Or you may look, rinse, and then place them in the Crock-pot on low. I usually do this the night before and they are ready by morning to be seasoned and eaten or used in a recipe. You might want to start them on low in the morning if they are to be eaten for your evening meal.
  • Instant Pots are really popular right now. I am still experimenting with cooking beans in the Instant Pot. I have washed the beans and added them to the InstaPot without soaking them. I added my liquid and chopped ham and used the manual setting and cooked for 50 minutes and let it slowly release. I finished seasoning the beans. They were delicious and ready to eat in 1 hour.
  • SEE Donna King’s comment below on salt brine soaking for beans. She shares the how-tos and the science of softer skins.

 

Most of my life I used one of the first two ways of soaking the beans and cooking beans. In recent years I discovered how easy it is to cook beans with the use of the Crock-pot.

Now after your beans are done you may season them. (With the exception of using a ham bone or ham to season your beans,  I would add this as it cooks) For me, this is not an exact science. I tend to add a small amount of cumin, chili powder, onions, or onion flakes, sometimes small pieces of chopped green bell pepper and/or cilantro, garlic, salt, and pepper. Start with small amounts and season to taste.

WARNING: Make sure if you are going to use tomatoes in your beans or bean recipes, that you do not add them until the beans are completely done or your beans will not get tender!

There. Now you know how I cook beans. Brown beans are one of our favorite meals with cornbread and a slice of onion or tomato. They are also a great addition to many recipes like taco salad, taco meat mixture, bean burritos, chili, etc. So add some beans to your diet for nutritional and financial benefits!
If you have any more questions about how to cook beans please let me know.

 

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Dark Chocolate No-Bake Cookies

Dark Chocolate is my favorite. And sometimes you just NEED chocolate you know? When you have no sweets made, you make some. This is my version of No-Bakes. This makes a small batch.

Dark Chocolate No-Bake Cookies

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1/4 cup butter

2 Tablespoons of Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa

1/4 cup natural crunchy peanut butter

1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Old Country Style Muesli  + 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (or for gluten-free use  1 ½ cups of oats)

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 ½ minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter, Muesli, oats, and vanilla. Drop by spoonfuls on waxed paper. Let cool if you can wait! These set up really fast.

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My Chicken Curry Recipe

I used to make Chicken Curry in huge batches and freeze them. Lately, I haven’t been making it very much. When I did my menu plan this month I included this recipe. I no longer need the big batches. Yes, it is sad and happy. I miss having all my kids around the table. I am happy for them that they have their own adventures, though. Today my table only included 4 of us. We enjoyed a time of sharing what we are each working on and talking about complex math problems.

So here is my take on Chicken Curry! A big batch of 8-10 servings. Some to freeze for later or some to have for tomorrow’s lunch.

Chicken Curry

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped green peppers

6 cups cooked chicken, chopped

2 Tablespoons of curry powder

salt to taste (1-1/2 teaspoons – 1 Tablespoon at my house)

1 cup water

1/2 cup lemon juice

2 cups  tomato sauce

4 cloves (not bulbs!) of garlic crushed or chopped finely

6-8 cups of cooked rice

Cook onion and green pepper in the oil until tender. Add the chicken. Sauté briefly. In a small bowl mix the salt and curry powder. Add tomato sauce and pour mixture over the chicken mixture. Mix. Heat a bit until hot and bubbly. Serve over rice.

Chicken Curry
Curry Chicken Skillet
Chicken Curry
Chicken Curry

Let me know what you think of this recipe. Please share your favorite curry recipe below or send me an email. I love to hear from you and I love to try new recipes.

 

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Chicken and Cabbage

Barbecued chicken
Chicken legs are on sale! So I bought some. I laid them out on a pan reversing each one to conserve space.  I brushed them with barbecue sauce (Sweet Baby Rays) and baked them for about 15 minutes at 350°until they started to look like they were beginning to brown. Then I drained the liquid from the pan and turned the legs over and brushed that side with sauce. I baked them 15 minutes more and checked the temp. I want the chicken to reach 165°. After the chicken reaches 165° if the top does not look slightly browned, then I place it under the broiler for the last 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, I sliced a head of cabbage and placed it in an oiled pan. I drizzled it with olive oil and salt and pepper and baked it in the oven for about 40 minutes.

You could, of course, cook the legs by using only the broiler if you prefer but then you couldn’t cook the cabbage at the same time. You can bake them at the same time. I place the chicken on the bottom rack.

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Leftovers

There are many ways to save time and money on groceries. One way is to cook the right amount! And throw away less. I hate throwing food away! But sometimes even with the best of intentions, you will end up with leftovers. Or maybe you save money by cooking ahead and having “planned overs”. I do both.

Today I looked into my refrigerator and realized I had leftover white beans. I knew I had to make something with these or freeze them. I decided to make my version of White Bean Chili. I did not measure anything. I heated the beans and I stirred a couple of spoonfuls of Better Than Bouillon into them as well as two cans of chiles. I had a couple of chicken breasts which I quickly boiled on top of the stove and chopped in my little Ninja. I stirred it all together and voila’ White Bean Chili!

I would like to encourage you to be creative with your cooking as well as with your use of leftovers! In all my years I only remember one creation from leftovers that we had to throw away! So as Miss Frizzle would say, “take chances, make mistakes, get messy!” You may discover something great!

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Sunday Dinner

Do you remember Sunday dinners? Grandmother’s iron skillet and her home cooking perhaps? Your mom’s cooking? I have memories of meals at my grandmother’s house. My grandmother baked biscuits and cakes in an iron skillet! There was always a lot of food! I remember my mom and her sisters cooking together making homemade chicken pot pies for the freezer, homemade sausage, sauerkraut, and sometimes holiday meals. Home cooking whether it was simple or elaborate was celebrated and a part of every day!

Sometimes a smell can transport me to another time and place. Many memories are formed as we do normal everyday things. Or at least what used to be normal. Sharing in the necessary processes of life creates memories. Whether that is folding laundry together, snapping beans, cooking dinner together, doing dishes, canning, quilting, grocery shopping, clipping coupons, etc. There are many everyday tasks that need to be done and they are so much more fun when done together.

The last couple of years Americans have seen a change in the way we eat. In 2016 for the first time,  Americans spent more money eating out than on groceries and cooking and eating at home. Many things have contributed to this change from work schedules, extracurricular activities, rising costs of food and higher incomes.

There are several benefits to cooking and eating at home. It is healthier and more economical than other options. Eating out comes with a price tag! Restaurant food typically has more salt, saturated fat, calories and less fiber. It also costs more. Missing out on the experience of family mealtime is a big cost. I think it takes me more time to go out to eat than it does to get dinner on the table. With a little planning and some simple recipes, you can have dinner on the table in less than an hour. You can create a master shopping list and menu plan that will help you put together a healthy meal fast.

Whether you plan to eat at home or have last minute company to feed or get an unexpected snowfall in winter, having a plan to eat at home can be a blessing! I would like to encourage you to gather your family around the dinner table this week! Whether you just do Sunday dinner or one weeknight meal together, get started making memories with your family!

http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2016/06/americans-spend-more-on-restaurants-than-groceries.html

https://qz.com/706550/no-one-cooks-anymore/

 

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Italian Vegetable Casserole

What’s for dinner?

Tonight I decided to make a recipe I haven’t made in awhile. Italian Vegetable Casserole. Don’t let the ingredients scare you. This unseemly combination really has a surprising flavor much like lasagna without the gluten or noodles.

Italian Vegetable Casserole

Ingredients:

4 cups white beans, already cooked and drained or 2 cans of white beans (drained)

1 – 8 oz. bag of washed fresh spinach (3 cups) or 1 bag 20 oz.  frozen  spinach

1 clove garlic

1/2 onion chopped

3 carrots shredded

2 cups of spaghetti sauce (or 1 cup sauce and 1 cup paste plus 3/4 tsp. oregano, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper )

3 cups shredded jack cheese or mozzarella cheese

2 cups cottage cheese

Parmesan Cheese (approximately 1/2 cup) and some additional to sprinkle on at the table.

Preheat your oven to 375°. Saute garlic, onion, in  2 tsp. oil. Add carrots, and spinach, and cook 3-4 minutes. Stir in sauce.  Spread 1/2 beans in  9 X 13 casserole. Layer 1/2 cottage cheese, 1 cup cheese, and 1/2 vegetable mixture. Repeat, and end with the last cup of cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. To make and freeze for later. Cover with heavy foil and freeze. To eat now bake uncovered at 375° for 1 hour or until done. Let set a few minutes when it comes from the oven to set. Serves 6-8.

I used dry beans I had cooked in my crock pot. I forgot to drain my beans so my casserole was a bit soupy. I did serve it over some leftover rice. The flavor was wonderful.

Hints: I used my Ninja food chopper to chop the onions and carrots.