I'm finally back in my kitchen, so others must be, so this is about food. Bon Appétit Ric
What's cookin'
Yesterday I made a crock pot full of ham, potatoes, and green beans with corn muffins and turtle brownies. The beans and potatoes were from our garden, and we discovered our youngest grandson is a 1st class muffin muncher. Ric
I added some cumin, caraway, and cracked pepper to the pot and thought it was yummy!
Yesterday Josh called me from bed reminding me I promised to help if he took his bow out. He did, and I went, I was rewarded with the tenderloins, he was rewarded with an 8 point.
Today, Holly and I, my FIL and MIL had a steamed shrimp appetizer. A fresh cilantro, tomato, onion, and cucumber salad, partly from my garden. A broccoli, bacon and cheddar soup, not from my garden :-( The entree was braised venison tenderloin medallions with a Cabernet sauvignon, rosemary, thyme, and shallot sauce over a bed of wild grains and rices served with a warm marbled rye and honey butter. Dessert was the easy part, caramel sundaes with caramel caribou ice cream and fresh ground French roast coffee. By the time we were done I needed a nap.
I hope you can tell, I enjoy being home in my kitchen, and my FIL loved it. LOL Ric
Guess no one's cooking Holly and Ric....
When it's chilly out I like to use the crock pot a lot. Did a pot roast the other day with potatoes and carrots.
My friend made empanadas(she left them frozen for me) so I made those tonight with rice and beans.
Gosh Ric, what a delicious dinner.....
We love corn muffins too. I use a "sweeter" recipe from the bag of yellow stoneground cornmeal which uses oil, easier and maybe slightly healthier than the way I used to with crisco.
Our fridge was going bad so I defrosted three partial containers of leftover spaghetti & meatball sauce or sausage sauce. I always seem to have about 1-2 cups of sauce left after dinner and not much demand for leftovers. I threw them all together with some browned beef and simmered--it turned out very much tastier than I expected.
And the fridge is OK after a complete defrost overnight. Phew
Ric, you are the "kitchen master" ! Talk about gourmet meals, Wow !
I have returned to the kitchen cooking up soups and baking pies, cakes, cookies and bread. I like to bake in the fall and winter as it makes the home feel warm and cozy.
Sally, glad your frig is ok.
I made lunch today, nothing complicated, just bowtie pasta with bruschetta sauce (I canned some bruschetta last year, and it makes a great pasta sauce thickened up with a little tomato paste), but I diced a few garden peppers into it! It felt SO good to be back in the kitchen... I'm looking forward to doing some serious holiday cookie baking, too!
This summer, I was knocked off my feet hard enough that even making "blue box" mac 'n cheese was a big accomplishment, LOL. Jim managed to keep us fed... we got good at "easy," including lots of dinners that were picked up or delivered! As I'm starting to do better, I'm realizing how much I've missed cooking. For many, I know it's a chore, but it's something I really get into!
I do have a basket of ripening sweet peppers, need to figure out if I'm going to make a couple of big stir fry meals (or maybe a pot of goulash) or what... we are almost out of a pepper relish (pickled mixture of sweet & hot peppers, onions, and garlic) that we've been enjoying in various dishes, so I may hit up the hot pepper patch and make up a big jar of that for the fridge this winter.
Jill, sounds like you are on the mend when you get yourself back in the kitchen. I've been there several times. I don't know if it's a feeling better thing for me or just getting tired of DH's cooking. LOL
I have to get my Potassium level up, did some research, potatoes with the skins left on is high in potassium so thinking of a potato soup. Anyone have a good recipe, I want to use kielbasi in it.
Chris--this is amazingly good! Almost "decadent"--but quite simple....
Someone in an earlier thread asked me to post this recipe and I can't remember who. Maybe Herbie. Sometime during the holidays anyhow, but here it is.
....This recipe was featured in the 1982 Southern Living recipe collection, but I use it a lot. It's a thick, rich, filling soup. Some homemade bread and maybe a salad are all you need with it. (From homophobicNC)
Special Potato Soup
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter, melted
6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, sliced
3 cups water
5 chicken flavored bouillon cubes
3/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon dried whole thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
dash of garlic powder
dash of pepper
2 cups milk
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
Sauté celery and onion in butter in a large Dutch oven until tender. Add next 9 ingredients; cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Remove from heat and mash vegetables with potato masher or put through blender or food processor. Add milk and cheese. Cook, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted. Yield: 10 cups.
**Note: meant to add a footnote that I usually have some homemade chicken stock on hand and use it in lieu of the water and bouillon. I don't add meat, but that's just my own preference. Also, I use either half evaporated milk and half water or half and half if I have it, just for the richness of flavor.
Comment--(from synda")
My recipe is about the same except i use chicken broth -instead of water and chicken flavored bouillon cubes and I use evaporated milk- instead of regular milk. And if you want to add a little twist, I have added chunks of smoked turkey or ham. And sometimes I use red potatoes and don't peel them.
Make some cheddar cheese biscuits and you'll be in heaven.
Gita
That sounds good! I think I'd be tempted to dump in a bag of frozen corn as well as the kielbasse that LadyG mentioned, for a really satisfying "chowder" type soup!
That dinner was for Holly and her folks before she flew off to Utila to hopefully dive with the whale sharks. I haven't been cooking for the dog and I, and he's not complaining since he's on weight maintenance formula. Ric
Gita, that soup sound good but needs more butter and half and half. LOL
I've always been partial to sweet crumbly corn muffins. With king syrup.
OK--now to comment on what i am cooking......
Don't laugh! I never really plan to cook anything ahead of time--BUT--then I go to a Grocery Store
and (always) check out the marked down meats, when the sell-by date is the next day or so....
My joy is getting something for next to nothing....That is WHY me freezer is perennially full!
THEN--I get home and say--"OK! Now--what can I cook out of this bargain chunk I just got????"
And--that is how my cooking plans start.
A couple of day ago--I p/u 2 large, boneless Sirloin Steaks....marked down...
Knowing I could not do anything with them, immediately, I sliced them both up in strips and froze them.
I KNEW I was going to make "Beef Stroganoff" out of all this...just not yet....
Today--I p/u 2 packages of $1 off of white mushrooms....and buy one-get one free 3lb. bags of onions.
See the direction this is going??? There was NO Sour Cream on sale--so I hope I have enough....
I would have loved to pick some up....It is an essential ingredient in Beef Strogonoff.....
Tonight--I sliced all the mushrooms and also 3 lg. onions. Guess what I will be doing tomorrow??????
Getting out my large, electric skillet and making a BIG batch of Strogonoff....
I already bought a lg. bag of home made (Amish) egg noodles...Tomorrow is cooking day!!!
And then--freezing most of it up in serving sized bowls.
As great as the weather was today--I did NOT set foot in my garden..HUGE guilt trip here!
Doesn't sound like i will be doing much of that tomorrow either....
Got 3 people waiting for Brug cuttings--but they are ALL in such wonderful bloom right now--
I do not have the heart to cut them back. Soon!!!!
And--so it goes!!!! I think I secretly LOVE cooking--just have no one to feed all this good chow to.
And--I get sick of eating the same thing over and over and over--until it is gone....
A few days ago--I picked up a small package of boneless Pork ribs...clearanced.....
Same reasoning-----made Sweet and Sour Pork with rice....It was really good!
Got about 4 lunches out of that!
Gita
Sitting here waiting for the little ghosts and such, since tonight is the night designated by something like 38 local municipal authorities. It's interesting that the only lights on in the neighborhood are the three residences where us old farts live. We all must be hoping for our grand babies to visit, seeing that the street is otherwise empty. Ric
Ric--why on Thursday????? Thats bizarre. If anything they should do Saturday instead of Sunday.
Gita, I printed out the soup recipe, thanks. I may make it today. I bought a bag of Yukon Golds so I may use them.
I did make my yearly pumpkin chowder and shared it at work, it was a hit with everyone. I think I posted the recipe before but if anyone needs it just let me know.
Ric that is a strange day to have TorT. Our town and neighboring towns went through that when Paul was on council. Halloween was on Sunday and some of the local churches didn't think it was right to have TorT Sunday night. Then they decided to have it in the daytime. All the areas ended up on different days and times and people were mad because we were getting kids by the van loads from other areas. After that ToT is on Halloween night.
Now what is King syrup?
Trick or treat on Thursday.
Maybe this article from the local paper can explain why, I know I sure can't
http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1287975311175360.xml&coll=1
Chris, Here is an amusing little story about King syrup. Ric
http://askville.amazon.com/world-King-Syrup-16oz-bottled-made/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=11889954
I guess since we lived in the Cumberland Valley and Chambersburg was one of the rail hubs we got the stuff from Baltimore, and local stores still stock it.
This message was edited Oct 29, 2010 9:46 AM
Quoted from the local newspaper article
"I know some people who double dip: They trick-or-treat in their own neighborhoods on Thursday and then visit friends or relatives on the 31st. The kids get twice the amount of candy, and we parents feel like we're getting our money's worth out of those pricey costumes.
OMG... What happened to the home made costumes, bed sheets, hobo outfits from old clothes, passing down costumes to the younger siblings??? I never bought a costume for my daughter, just make-up. To me seeing1 homemade is better then 10 Batman or Batgirl.
Ok I have seen King syrup before. Same as Karo ? (I need to go back and read that article, had to get the Halloween of my chest )
Not the same as Karo! It was the only syrup I think I knew about till I went to Molly Pitcher Waffle house with friends, in my teens. We did also have molasses, mostly for baking and candies. I think I remember my GM having a depression cook booklet, on how to substitute molasses for sugar when many things were rationed. That would be a neat one to have.
I think it's been as recent as the last 10 years I found out about Butter Pecan syrup, which is my all time favorite. I buy a supply of that every year we go to North Carolina or Willamsburg. If you can find it in Pa.it cost 11/2 to 2 times what I pay there. Ric
Our town is strict about trick or treating - from 6pm to 8 pm on the 31st. Last year, parents drove their kids here, letting the cars idle while the kids got candy. I think that is a bit much. They could at least park the cars and walk with the kids - not to mention to teach the kids to say "thank you". I don't even buy candy for myself, but pick up a bag for the kids I know. Only a few families in my neighborhood have children. I don't feel obligated to supply candy for the entire county.
My mother and grandmother used to make my Halloween costume. I felt sorry for the kids with "store bought" costumes because they weren't as nice as the ones my family made.
Trick or treat in Carlisle is Thursday 6-8 p.m. The only people who come over for candy are the neighbor kids. We made a huge crockpot of beef stew tonight, to gently cook all night and wake us up with that famous flavor tomorrow morning. We had left over round steak from the beef we bought and we cut that up & used it, since it is not our favorite steak. Also fresh potatoes, fresh onions, beef broth, mixed frozen vegetables, salt, pepper, just the basic stuff. (I should sneak a little wine in it, hee hee). I've been sick for two weeks, sinusitis and baaaad cough. Everybody seems to have this. Finally getting over it. Knocked me for a loop, and while we were in NC. We only stayed a week since I was so sick and that terrible storm was coming in. Were there prospecting for gold from 10/18-10/25. So glad to be home. When we get some time, we'll spiral out the gold & I'll take pix to share. Stay warm.
Holly and Jamie are back so I have someone to cook for, Yippee. I made one of her favs yesterday, a deep dish chicken pot pie with a corn bread top. Jamie, JR, and Deb joined us and to my delight, destroyed a 4qt. pot pie. Shopped almost all day today, so poor Holly was reduced to leftovers. Tomorrow, I want to make a baked salmon with walnut casserole, baked potatoes, and veggie. Oh, and maybe some brownies. Ric
Jamie's been TDY at the Philadelphia Naval Yard for the last 2 months and loved his time there. Deb and JR went down most weekends he didn't come home and enjoyed the sites, and in the evenings, he enjoyed fishing in the Delaware, the local menus, and brews! LOL
Holly's parents came for lunch, so I cooked lunch instead of supper. I made another deep dish with cheesy scalloped potatoes, braised seasoned chicken, onions, and mixed vegetables. I also baked a chocolate fudge cake with triple fudge icing. All the leftover casserole and a large piece of cake went home with them. Maybe salmon tomorrow. We're possibly going to Rawlings Conservatory on Friday, for the annual mum show. It runs from Oct. 30th through Nov. 21st. Located in Druid Hill Park just off i83. It's a great, little show, and friendly to seniors and disabled. Lots of benches and places to sit and rest a bit. I hope to have a light brunch before we leave and we'll have an early dinner on the way home. Bon Appetit Ric
Pleeeease tell us more about Salmon with Walnut Caserole...
My GM made a salmon casserole using canned salmon, rolled crackers (hers were Saltines, I use Townhouse), eggs, milk, and seasoning. Salt, pepper, and maybe celery seed.
What I do is basically the same, using 1/2 cup each finely diced (Chopster) celery and onion . No salt (enough in the crackers already), black & white pepper, and possibly a little thyme. After I mix this (like meatloaf hands work well), I add 1/2 cup each grated parmesan cheese and chopped walnuts. If you use black walnuts you may cut that by half. What you have is something you can bake in a casserole or a loaf for 45min. @ 350*F. You can whip up a cheese sauce to go with 1 cup each cheese and milk, maybe 1/2 cup fav white wine or more milk, with 3 tbs. EVOO (or butter) and 3 tbs. flour (I use Wondra instead, smoother). If you bake the loaf, I cover mine for 35 min. to keep it moister, garnish with thin orange slices when you uncover it. Moved to a plate or platter, serve drizzled with cheese sauce or grated cheese dusted with grated walnut. Fresh salmon can be used, poached or steamed till it flakes.
I've found walnut goes great with any salmonid, fresh water trout broiled with fresh cracked pepper, black walnut, and orange slices has a really smokey flavor and is to die for, if you like fish. Bon Appetit Ric
Yummm, Ric....
I will have to copy this out.
You are one great cook!
Gita
Thanks! Yum O
Personally, I use canned salmon for all my loaves or cakes, since it is all wild caught. Aldi has a good price on regular size Pink and small size Red salmon right now.
I'm new to the forums so HELLO!!!! Here is one of my favorite recipes. Banana nut bread with ice cream. Yummy!
http://tinyurl.com/2d5256o
I made a big texas sheet cake for the local rock & mineral club's meeting last night. They ate 3/4 of the cake & I left it there for some lucky person to take home. I made a big container of my favorite Amish sweet Cole Slaw today and it's going to the North Middleton Senior Club's pot luck supper tonight.
HELP...HELP...
I need "Hart's Corn Pudding recipe"--ASAP! Please--if you have it, send it to me.
I D-mailed "hart"--but have not heard back from her....
Someone at my HD wants to make it for out annual. work Thanksgiving Pot-Luck
"EXTRAVAGANZA" dinner. What a pig-out this is!
I thought I had saved it in my Documents--but NO! NOT there!
Of course--I may have just printed it out---in which case, i will have to dig through
about 300 recipes to find it.....But---it is doable.........
Thanks!!! Gita
Gita, this is where I *love* the new search engine at DG... click on "advanced search" in the top right corner of the page, enter "corn pudding recipe" and in the "Find posts by user:" field enter "Hart" and then narrow it down further by searching only the MAG forum...
Taa-daaah! I found it! http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/733305/?hl=corn+pudding+recipe
Thanks--Jill
I know I could count on you.....You are way more "savvy" on navigating DG than I will ever be....
Printed it out.....
Gita
not a matter of being savvy, I was just so excited when we got a working search engine earlier this year. glad it helped!
We solved the door knocking candy problem. Turned off the lights and offered no decorations that suggested this store was open. Ha! The last few years we actually felt walked upon by kids brought here none of which we knew. Car loads after car loads simply raping the suburban candy stores.
We had fun helping the grandson make a costume for the Friday Dress Up Day. His science and biology teacher put out some teaser ideas if applied to the home made outfit earned bonus grade points.
Now for the weekend..................We chased down a big roasting chicken and tossed it in the slow cooker until it just about fell off the bones. Chicken Ala King on waffles has kept us going a couple of days with more than enough in the freezer. We pulled the meat and boiled the bones for stock. Did not use a drop of boughten stock. That wiped out our fresh parsely stores. Ha!
Sounds good Doc, I need to make some chicken stock. My reduced fat receipt, consist of breaking the hard layer off after chillin'. LOL
I'm making breakfast for the in laws this morning before our jaunt to Rawlings Conservatory for the mum show. Just Healthy Nut French toast/ honey butter, plump little brown sugar/ honey sausage links, fresh pineapple/cottage cheese, grits, OJ, coffee, and tea. That ought'a git us goin' Ric
"just" all that for breakfast? OK, who else wants to visit Ric & Holly with me? LOL
Jill, you better hurry! I'm planning on serving at 9:30.LOL Ric
Just wanted to let you know that I followed that thread to Hart's Baked Corn Pudding and I copied 5 other recipes to put in my notebook. Yum!!!!!!!!
I started a forum for bread machines, so dust yours off and start baking. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1139439/
Tomorrow night we're planning to grill steaks and sautee the last of the sweet garden peppers with some sliced onion.
Tonight we went for "easy" again... Jim drove out to pick up dinner from the Clay Oven, a local Indian restaurant. Better yet, we have a coupon for a free entree! :-)
Hubby grilled Italian sausage tonight, everything tastes so much better on the grill