Thanksgiving Menu

Thanksgiving this year is at my house and we are having 10 or 11 guests. I try to plan ahead so I don't get too stressed out.

Our Menu:

Maple Glazed Turkey (a la Martha Stewart)

Baked Ham

Mashed Potatoes and Turkey Gravy

Apple, Pecan, & Cranberry Stuffing (Kraft Foods magazine)

Sweet Potato Souffle

Green Bean Casserole

Glazed Carrots

Cranberry Mousse (Kraft Foods magazine)

Fruit Salad

Green Salad

Wheat Rolls, with butter and jam

For Dessert:

Carrot Cake

Pumpkin Pie

Blackberry Cheesecake (new recipe)

Beverages:

Coffee

Iced Tea

Water with lemon

The Plan: Mary Ann is making wheat rolls and carrot cake ahead, and assembling her green bean casserole and sweet potato souffle when she arrives at our house.

I am making the pies, the cheesecake, cranberry mousse, and the fruit salad on Wednesday evening. The turkey will start his cola bath tonight in a big stockpot in the fridge and be ready to bake on Wednesday morning, along with the ham. That leaves the stuffing which is done on top of the stove, glazed carrots which will be made early in the morning and nuked before eating, a green salad and a pitcher of iced tea. The mashed potatoes are in the freezer and will be thawed on Wednesday evening (hat tip to a Large Family Logistics newsletter).

I have the tablecloth washed, the dishes, glasses, and flatware ready. I will try to get that set up in the morning. Mary Ann is bringing some more items for the centerpieces. I will try to remember to take pictures and update the blog on Thanksgiving Day.

I have a little more cleaning to get done, and we will be ready. I would love to hear about your menu and tips.

Kathryn's Dinner Menu for October

This month I am doing a shopping fast. My freezer and cupboards are so full and I need to clean cupboards and defrost the freezer at the end of the month. Hopefully, eating some of my stock will make it easier. The only things I plan to buy are milk, yogurt and fresh fruit. We will see how it goes, but I don't expect any major issues. We are even planning on holding off the monthly Sam's Club run until the first weekend in November. I will be doing progress checks on my regular blog.

Unless noted, we eat yogurt, and cereals for breakfast, and leftovers for lunch.

1---Bacon, Peach Coffeecake (Brunch) Ham and Potato Quiche (Dinner)
2---Calzones, Pear/Strawberry Jello
3---Sloppy Joes, Cornbread, Peaches
4---Subs (Care Group)
5---Sausage and Potatoes, Salad
6---Pot Roast and Veggies
7---Pancakes (brunch), Jello and Hot Pockets (Dinner)
8---Loaded Garlic Bread, Fruit Smoothies, Leftovers
9---Baked Ziti, Corn, Breadsticks, Salad
10--Pulled Pork BBQ
11--Frozen Pizza (care group)
12--Baked Potato Bar w/ Hamburger, Salad
13--Poor Man's Steak, Cauliflower
14--Fruit Smoothies (Brunch), eat out (trip to NC for apples)
15--Lasagna, Salad, Rolls
16--Meatloaf, Glazed Carrots
17--Beef Stew, Veggie biscuits
18--Pizza Joes (care group)
19--Potato Soup, Cornbread
20--Hamburgers
21--eat out (church yard sale), leftovers, (dinner)
22--Fruit Smoothies (breakfast), Cooks Choice (dinner)
23--BBQ Meatballs, Asparagus, Rice
24--Quesadillas
25--Mac n Cheese w/ Hot dogs (care group--we have snacks)
26--Smothered Chicken Breasts, Veggie
27--Baked Ziti, Salad
28--Waffles (brunch), BBQ Ribs
29--Monte Cristo's (brunch), Loaded Garlic Bread, Fruit Smoothies (dinner)
30--Spaghetti, Salad
31--Ravioli, Salad

For more menus, check out Menu Plan Monday over at one of my new favorite blogs, I'm An Organizing Junkie! Thanks Laura for hosting!

Frugal Friday: Cheap Italian Sausage

My husband loves Italian sausage on his pizza! Its just so expensive. Well, here is a way to save a couple of dollars. Use a 1 lb roll of Mild Sausage. Crumble it up and add 1 1/2 t. fennel, 1/4 t. garlic powder, some Italian seasoning and a sprinkling of dill weed. I would mix this up in my Bosch mixer using the kneading hook or you can use your hands to mix in the seasonings. Fry like you normally would and drain off the grease. This makes a wonderful addition to pizza or spaghetti. My local grocery has had the 1 lb rolls on sale recently for a dollar each, and I stocked up on them and have enough to last quite a while.

Check out our blog here, and check out more Frugal Friday tips at Biblical Womanhood!

Previous Frugal Friday Tips:
Yes, We have No Bananas

Hat tip to my coworker Mike!

Frugal Fridays: Yes, we have no bananas!

We love bananas so much here at our house that we buy bunches of them every week. I buy them green, they get to a very tasty yellow, and then the skins start getting bigger and bigger brown spots. Instead of wasting fruit, I like to take those very ripe bananas, peel and place in a ziploc bag. They reside in the freezer, ready for banana bread, banana oat pancakes, banana pound cake, or my current favorite---Banana Berry Smoothies!




Combine in blender:
2 frozen bananas, peeled and chunked
1 carton of yogurt, (we like strawberry)
A cup or so Triple Berry Blend frozen fruit (from Aldi--its blackberries, raspberries, & blueberries)
A cup or so frozen strawberries
1 t. vanilla
Pinch of stevia or 1/4 c. sugar
Milk (I use whole milk)

Blend all together, adding enough milk to make it a drinkable consistancy and enjoy! I For a special treat, they look very pretty with a swirl of whipped cream on top and an little paper umbrella!

Makes a blenderful!

Check out more Frugal Friday tips at Biblical Womanhood! Thanks, Crystal!

Spinach Dip

This is a favorite to take to parties and to work for a potluck. I like to serve with a variety of crackers or tortilla chips or crudites. The recipe is right off the back of the Knorr's Vegetable Mix box and I haven't figured out a way to improve it.

1 10 oz. pkg. of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 16 oz container sour cream
1 c. mayonnaise
1 pkg. Knorr Vegetable recipe mix
1 8 oz can water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional)
3 green onions, chopped

Combine all ingredients and chill at least 2 hours.

Spicy Mulled Cider

Since we are getting into a fall-ish type of mood around here---yep, I'm seeing those leaves starting to turn color, I got out my last half gallon of last year's fresh apple cider that I had stashed in the freezer and made this yummy hot drink for dinner. Even my 1 year old loved it in his sippy cup, although I cooled his off quite a bit more than I did mine. ;-) You should have seen the look on his face after his first sip---and he went back for more....

Combine in saucepan.
2 qts. apple cider
3 inch stick cinnamon, crumbled
1/2 t. whole allspice
1/2 t. whole clove
1/8 t. salt
1/3 c. brown sugar

Heat and let simmer for 10 - 20 minutes. Strain and serve hot.

Kathryn's Dinner Menu for September

Here is my tentative menu for the month. It is posted on my bulletin board and is very handy to refer to. It definitely beats having to think up something for dinner, but if I want to try something else, or something comes up, it's not set in hard concrete. I try to rotate meals out and not have similar dishes several night in a row. I usually do a lot of the cooking one weekend a month and have freezer entrees ready for my husband to pop in the oven at 5 o'clock. Add a salad or cooked veggies, some type of bread or biscuits, and sometimes a dessert and we are all set.

We normally have yogurt, cereal, and fruit for breakfast except on weekends, then I might do pancakes or a coffee cake. Lunches are planned-overs or sandwiches.

1--fast food
2--sloppy joes over cornbread, sliced fresh peaches
3--Sunday--eat out
4--Hot Dog Roast!
5--BBQ meatballs and pasta
6--frozen pizza (care group tonight)
7--Poor Mans Steak, Mashed Potatoes
8--Pot Roast and Veggies
9--Hot Ham and Cheese Subs
10--Sunday--Eat out
11--Baked Ziti
12--Basil Pork Chops, Two Tomato Pasta
13--subs (care group tonight)
14--Sausage and Potato Bake
15--Lasagna
16--Potato and Ham Quiche
17--Sunday lunch w/ caregroup--(outreach to Furman and North Greenville students) Spaghetti and trimmings
18--Meatloaf
19--BBQ Ham 'n Peaches
20--Pizza Joes
21--Quesadillas
22--Provolone Burgers
23--Loaded Garlic Bread and Fruit Smoothies
24--Sunday--Eat out
25--Pulled Pork BBQ
26--Beef Gyros
27--(care group tonight) Mac n Cheese with Hot Dog Rings
28--Fire Roasted Ziti with Sausage
29--Philly Steak Subs
30--Steaks, Pommes Anna

TAGS: menus

Works For Me Wednesday: Another Use for Graham Cracker Boxes

I always have cooking magazines kind of floating around--they mysteriously disappear as soon as I have bought all the ingredients for a special new dish and have preheated the oven. My cheap solution? Graham cracker boxes!! I start with these lovely extra large sized graham cracker boxes from Sam's Club. They perfectly fit even the oversized cooking magazines such as Everyday with Rachael Ray.

Measure down about 2 inches or so on one short side of the box and mark it with a Sharpie pen. On the other end mark about 4 1/2 - 5 inches from the bottom. Connect the dots for a line to cut on. And cut.

At this point you can leave it like it is, if you decorate with graham crackers, or you can do as I did and cover it with your choice of contact paper. At our house, we are taking bids on the next box--Hunny Dearest wants the next one for his magazines.

And that works for us. The magazines are handy and neat! Just make sure that you really like graham crackers---there are an awful lot of them in that box!

TAGS: tips

Baked Custard

What do you do with that last little bit of milk that is right at the pull-date or just after the pull-date? I usually make a baked egg custard. I always double the recipe--since I could eat the whole dish by myself. I usually make this once or twice a month, I've substituted that last little bit of half and half, the remnants of a can of evaporated milk left over from another dish, and even some heavy cream. I don't recommend making the whole thing with cream, as it is so very rich. A little goes a long way.

When I was little, Mom always made this when we were sick, but very seldom when we were not. Its still one of my favorite dishes.

Its very simple to make, delicious to eat, and soon you will have the recipe memorized like I do! I use the recipe in the Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook (the red plaid one).

I usually let this cool before eating, but it is good a little warm too. Be sure to refrigerate leftovers. Good with fruit and muffins, or with some fruit pancake syrup.

I have a dish of this in the oven right now, and I can hardly wait to start eating!

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Place 1 1/2 or 2 quart casserole dish into a deep cake pan.

Beat (I use an electric hand mixer):
3 large eggs

Add:
1 1/2 c. milk
1/3 c. sugar

Beat together with electric mixer, until mixed, but not foamy. Pour into the casserole dish, and sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon. Place in oven, (pull out the rack a little bit) and add hot or boiling water to the cake pan. Be sure it is level with the top of the egg mixture. This is a crucial step towards a very creamy custard.

Bake 50 - 60 minutes. Center will still be a little wobbly, you don't want to overbake the custard. Remove from oven and cool. I usually (very carefully) remove the whole pan to the counter and let it cool in the hot water for a while. Or you can just add the hot water to your sinkful of dirty dishes.

Thank you!

Thank you for the nomination for the Blogs of Beauty 2006! Whoever was kind enough to place our name on the ballot---thanks so much! I know we have some loyal readers out there in Webland and we appreciate you spending your internet time here with us.

To those of you who are new to our blog, we welcome you to our tiny kitchen on the web.

There's usually something good cooking here. We are quite budget conscious and try to eat as healthfully as possible, although we are probably not in the "crunchy" sphere. We share our menus for home cooked meals as a guide for you, just to whet your imagination and turn on that creativity in the kitchen. We like to make mealtime fun and enjoyable, plus we like when it looks pretty on the plate, and is well-balanced.

We do not post recipes that we haven't tried ourselves in our own kitchens.


We have a few plans for the blog--hopefully this fall we can get the recipes divided into sections for easier searching. We have more recipes to post, and I'm sure more menus are coming your way. I'm thinking of some how to posts, as well. If you have ideas, just let us know.


Please, if there are recipes that you would like us to share or questions that you have, just ask. We might not have the answers, but we can always ask our Mom. She's likely to know, since she's been cooking, baking and canning since she was a little girl.

Happy Cooking!
Kathryn and Mary Ann

Two-Tomato Pasta

This is the companion side dish for the Basil Pork Chops (see post below). Lest I become redundant, this recipe is also from Simple & Delicious--the latest issue.

This recipe is good, but it needs something. The flavor is delicious. I think that it needs to be baked with some mozzerella cheese on top. Thats what I'm doing with the leftovers, since the recipe makes 9 servings.

Takes about 25 minutes to prepare!

Cook according to package directions:
8 oz. uncooked bow tie pasta (I used a whole box--12 oz since I hate to have half boxes of pasta open in my cupboard.)

Meanwhile (back at the ranch, er....stove):
Saute till tender:
1 T. olive oil
1/2 c. chopped onion (abt. 1/2 a large Vidalia)
2 t. minced garlic (be sure to reconstitute if you use dried, so it won't burn)

Mix till smooth:
2 t. flour
1 5 oz can of evaporated milk
Add to the onion/garlic mix, gradually. Bring to a boil, cook and stir until thickened, abut 2 min.

Add:
6 plum tomatoes, quartered
2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
(I used what I had available, which were Roma's. I diced them instead of quartering.)

Add:
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Cook till all is melted, stir in pasta.

Sprinkle on top:
6 basil leaves, torn

Enjoy with the Basil Pork Chops.

Basil Pork Chops

Our family enjoyed these different tasting pork chops on Friday night. The recipe is from the latest Simple & Delicious. Here is my take--since I usually change things a bit. We also had a side of Two-Tomato Pasta.

Time to Prepare and Cook: about 25 minutes

Combine in a small bowl:
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 1/2 t. dried basil
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. chili powder

Add and stir til crumbly:
2 T. olive oil

Rub on:
4 boneless pork loin chops, (1/2 inch thick and 4 oz each)

Cook in a large skillet, over medium heat for 7 - 8 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.

Yield: 4 servings.

I used only 2 chops and eyeballed about 1/2 the brown sugar, etc. Also I set the chops on the grill (preheated to 250 degrees) and spread the brown sugar on top, then when I turned them, I spread it on the other side. It was hard enough to clean the grill without adding more burnt sugar to the mess. I also cooked mine 10 minutes per side. We like our meat well-done. Shawn was impressed with how tasty these were, and I loved how fast they cooked up.

Once again---here's a keeper from Reiman Publications--not that I was surprised or anything. ;-)

Kathryn's Menu for June 18 - 24

Sunday:

Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit

Lunch: Father's Day Picnic in the Park

sandwiches, corn chips/cheese dip, peach and blueberry shortcake
Dinner: Fruit smoothies, Ham and Cheese Quesdillas

Monday:

Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit

Lunch: Mac n Cheese, Salad

Dinner: Smothered Chicken Breasts

Tuesday:

Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit

Lunch: Baked Ziti/leftovers

Dinner: Fast food

Wednesday:

Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit

Lunch: sandwiches/Spinach Salad with Everything, fruit

Dinner: Fast food before care group

Thursday:

Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit

Lunch: sandwiches, apple slices

Dinner: Meatball Subs

Friday:

Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit

Lunch: Sloppy Joes

Dinner: Baked Potato Bar

Saturday:

Brunch: Banana Pancakes
Dinner: Philly Cheese Steaks

Kathryn's Menu for June 11 - 17

Sunday:
Breakfast: Custard and Little Debbie Oatmeal Pies (do I want to admit this?) Leftover Fruit Salad
Lunch: Eat Out After Church

Dinner: Fruit smoothies, Focaccia Snacks, Sweet Tea
Monday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: Slow-cooker Pot Roast and Veggies, Sweet Tea
Tuesday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit
Lunch: Leftovers from Monday dinner
Dinner: Ham and Cheese Subs, Chocolate Pudding, Sweet Tea
Wednesday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit
Lunch: sandwiches
Dinner: Fast food before care group
Thursday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit
Lunch: Mac n Cheese

Dinner: frozen pizza
Friday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit
Lunch: Chicken Salad and Pita's
Dinner: Pasta with Meatballs, Apple Salad
Saturday:
Brunch: Banana Pancakes

Dinner: Grilled Pork Chops, Potatoes

Kathryn's Menu for June 4 - 10

Sunday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit
Lunch: Eat out after church

Dinner: pork souvlaki w/ tzatzaki, red jello, pudding

Monday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit
Lunch: Leftovers from Sunday, sliced avocado salad, mac n cheese or sandwiches
Dinner: Hot dog wraps, red jello, fruit salad

Tuesday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit
Lunch: chicken salad, crackers, sliced avocado
Dinner: ham & cheese subs

Wednesday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit
Lunch: Tomato sandwiches, pretzels, fruit salad
Dinner: fast food on the way to care group

Thursday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit
Lunch: sandwiches, applesauce
Dinner: frozen pizza, ice cream

Friday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit
Lunch: sandwiches
Dinner: grilled steaks, Pommes Anna, peach shortcake

Saturday:
Breakfast: banana oat pancakes, juice

Lunch: sandwiches, applesauce

Dinner: BBQ

No Fail Corn on the Cob

1. Put a large pot of water on to boil.
2. Shuck however many ears of corn that you need.
3. When water is almost to a rolling boil add ears of corn.
4. Cover, and boil for 5 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and spread margarine over the ears (I use the end of a stick of margarine).
6. Sprinkle with sea salt and dill weed.
7. Eat and enjoy!

I prefer white corn as the kernels are very tender and sweet.

Asparagus with Lemon-Dill Butter

I'm always looking for ways to make veggies more memorable. In my childhood I hated veggies, and never realized that they could be good. I knew they were good for me, but thats where it ended. Veggies were boiled with a little salt and seemed tasteless to me. I've experimented with several different kinds of veggies with this sauce and mushrooms and asparagus are the winners.

Melt in medium-hot skillet:
3 T. margarine or butter (some people substitute olive oil, but I like the taste of butter)

Add:
1 t. sea salt (to taste)
1 - 2 t. dill weed
2 T. lemon juice

Add:
1 lb. fresh or frozen asparagus, washed and trimmed

Saute until asparagus is tender but still bright green--about 5 minutes.

Variation: Use a container of button mushrooms, wash lightly and saute. Don't let them cook too long.

Enjoy!

I buy asparagus when it is on sale--I've been known to buy 5 - 10 lbs at a time. I take it home, wash it, then trim the ends. I let it dry an hour in the dish drainer or colander, and then put in gallon freezer bags. I pull out just what I need for a meal. I always buy the thinnest asparagus. They are so much more tender than thick, woody stalks.

Kathryn's Menu for May 21 - 27

Sunday:

Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit

Lunch: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Lemon Oat Bars, Sweet Tea

Dinner: Fruit smoothies, Cheesy Garlic Bread with Dipping Sauce

Monday:

Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit

Lunch: Leftovers from Saturday, sandwiches

Dinner: Slow-cooker Pot Roast and Veggies, Sweet Tea

Tuesday:

Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit

Lunch: Leftovers from Monday dinner

Dinner: Slow Cooker BBQ Hamburgers and fixin's, Chocolate Pudding

Wednesday:

Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit

Lunch: leftovers from Tuesday dinner, sandwiches

Dinner: Sausage and Potatoes, Salad, Sliced Peaches, Sweet Tea

Thursday:

Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit

Lunch: leftovers from Wednesday dinner

Dinner: frozen pizza

Friday:

Breakfast: Oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, fruit

Lunch: Chicken Salad and Pita's

Dinner: fast food enroute to visiting family

Saturday:

Visiting family so we will be eating their food. ;-)

We aren't morning people, so we use easy breakfast food, except on the weekends. I usually take my breakfast to work, Knox has oatmeal, and Shawn has cereal while feeding Knox. Tuesday and Thursday evenings, Shawn is at EMT class so I stay in town to save gas and time since we have a 35 minute commute home. He either brings me a plate or I grab dinner in town.

Lemon Oat Bars

Another recipe that I tried yesterday--from the latest Simple & Delicious. No link in the title--this recipe is subscriber only. I will be honest with you, they are not paying me to say this, but it is worth the money to subscribe to their cooking magazines. Our Mom gets us subscriptions as a Christmas gift every year. I get Simple & Delicious, and Taste of Home. Every issue has at least 2 recipes that are keepers.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. old-fashioned oats (I used quick oats with good success)
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine 1st 5 ingredients.

2/3 c. butter (I used margarine)

Cut in butter until crumbly. Press 3 cups into a greased 9 inch square pan. Set aside remaining oat mixture. Bake at 350 degreese for 10 minutes.

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. lemon juice
1 1/2 t. grated lemon peel (I used dried, and measured it out in a small bowl, and soaked it in3 t. hot water to make them soft. I did this first, before I started the oat mixture.)

In a small bowl, whisk last 3 ingredients together. Pour over hot crust. Sprinkle with the reserved oat mixture. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until the edges are brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 9 servings. (Best cold and I would probably make 18 servings since these bars are really rich.)

Smothered Chicken Breasts

Last, night, I tried this recipe out of my latest Simple & Delicious magazine and it is incredible. Really good and really easy, just as promised. My little boy loved the chicken, I diced some up for him after it had cooked. I halved the recipe--it was really easy to do--because my husband won't eat chicken. Monday's lunch is assured to be yummy! I changed it slightly, as you can see if you click on the title.

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 oz. each)
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. lemon-pepper seasoning
1 T. olive oil

Sprinkle chicken with salt and lemon-pepper. In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil over medium heat for 13 - 15 minutes or until juices run clear; removed and keep warm.

8 bacon strips

In the same skillet, cook bacon over medium hea until crips. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 2 T. drippings. (I took mine out of the freezer, since I keep pre-cooked bacon handy, and heated it up. I just added a little water while the onion cooked, since I had no drippings to speak of.)

1 medium onion, sliced
1/4 c. packed brown sugar

In the drippings, saute the onion and brown sugar until onion is golden.

4 slices Colby-Jack cheese (or 1/2 c. shredded)

Assembly: Place two bacon strips on each chicken breast half; top with carmelized onion and 1 slice of cheese. I put them back in a warmed oven to melt the cheese, while I fixed corn on the cob and set the table.

4 servings.

Menu Idea:
Smothered Chicken Breasts
Corn on the Cob or Asparagus
Spinach Salad
Lemon Oat Bars
Sweet Tea

Top-Of-The-Stove Cookies

These easy cookies were one of our favorites growing up. Mom loved them because they were un-sneakable...when taken off the waxed paper, they left a residue behind and all Mom had to do was look for the culprit with the chocolate on the corners of her lips. "None for supper for you!" she would say as she dished up poached fish, split pea soup or liver. (Obviously, not items on our favorites list.)

This is one of those fast recipes, and it is good to be prepared with all the ingredients beforehand. I also have waxed paper or foil spread out, ready on the counter or in a cookie sheet--ready to drop the hot mixture as soon as the oats are mixed in.

Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 2 minutes: (I use a 6 qt. saucepot)

1/2 c. margarine
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
1/2 t. salt
2 T. peanut butter

.Turn off heat and leave on the burner. Add:

3 T. cocoa
3 C. quick oats
1/2 c. nuts, coconut, raisins, etc (optional)
1 t. vanilla

Mix well with a wooden spool. Work quickly using 2 spoons or a cookie scoop and drop onto the waxed paper. Cookies will firm up as they cool. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Variation: Substitute 1T. peanut butter for the cocoa if you want an all peanut butter cookie.

Mom's Lasagna

This was our all-time favorite meal growing up. Mom's gotten rave reviews on this one from 100% Italian-Americans. If I am making this for company, I use a 9 x 13 pan, or 2 8 x 8 pans. Just for us two, I make 3 freezer meals out of it. I follow a hint found in a Taste of Home (last summer) and I make it in 3 breadpans. If you do it in 3 breadpans, then you need 11 lasagna noodles. I just cut off the ends and use them in the top layer of the last pan. If you need the breadpans, you can line them with foil, freeze and remove to a Ziploc bag. Be sure to wrap well if freezing.
This is an extra-special freezer meal. The meat sauce also can be made and frozen. It's good just as a pasta sauce. I also sometimes add a layer of pepperoni and I've been known to be really liberal with the mozzerella cheese.
I have modified the recipe slightly to accomodate my husband's dislike for ricotta or cottage cheeses.
Meat mixture:
1 lb. ground beef, brown and drain off grease.
Add:
1 clove garlic
1 T. dried parsley
1 T. dried basil
2 t. salt (I leave it out or cut it WAY back)
2 1/2 c. canned diced tomato (I use 2 cans, or use 3 cans for extra sauce)
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
Mix altogether and simmer for 1 hour.

Cheese mixture:
3 c. cottage cheese
2 eggs
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
2 T. dried parsley
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
1 lb. shredded mozzerella cheese (reserve 1/2 - 3/4 cup)
Mix altogether. I usually substitute 1 1/2 c. half and half for the cottage cheese and add another 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese, and 1 cup mozzarella cheese.

Cook according to package directons:
1 10 oz. pkg of lasagna noodles
Drain and toss with:
1 T. olive oil

Spray pan with cooking spray. Layer 1/2 noodles, 1/2 cheese mixture, an 1/2 meat mixture, then the rest of the noodles, cheese mixture, ending with the meat. Sprinkle with reserved cheese.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or if refrigerated, bake for 40 - 45 minutes.

Glazed Ham

I received a recipe in an Old Fashioned Living newsletter that I modified for our Easter dinner.

6 lb. ham (I used a ready to cook butt roast)

I placed it in the crock pot before church on low. It cooked until we got home, about 5 hours. I checked the internal temperature and it was 160 degrees.
I took the removeable stoneware bowl out of the crockpot and glazed it with a mixture of:
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. pure maple syrup
1/4 c. yellow mustard

I then placed the whole thing in the oven and baked it at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes and then reglazed it and baked another 20 minutes.
As Rachael Ray would say, "Yummo!"

Molasses Crinkles

Cream together in large bowl:
3/4 c. shortening
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. molasses

Add and mix well:
2 1/4 c. flour
2 tsp. soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger

Chill dough. Form into balls about the size of a walnut. Roll in granulated sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes. We like them soft and chewy. Makes about 6 dozen. The dough freezes well and the cookies do too.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of Shawn's favorites!! We substitute semi-sweet chocolate chips for the vanilla chips.

Cream together in large bowl:
1 c. margarine
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c .sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix in:
2 c. flour
1/4 c. cocoa
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Stir in:
1 c. vanilla chips (or semi-sweet)

Bake at 375 degrees for 7-10 minutes. I usually refrigerate the dough and sometimes freeze it. Should be chewy and moist.
Makes about 3 dozen.

In Celebration Of: National Banana Bread Day

Yes, really....and in honor of that day, I made this lovely, wonderful Banana Pound Cake last week. I got the recipe from one of the last Taste of Home magazines...(this is our theme). It is super!!! I followed the recipe exactly, since I've never made many pound cakes. It was slightly crusty on the outside, dense and moist on the inside.

INGREDIENTS
3 teaspoons sugar plus 3 cups sugar, divided
1 cup butter, softened
6 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 medium)
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
GLAZE
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 teaspoons milk

SERVINGS
12-15

DIRECTIONS
Grease a 10-in. fluted tube pan. Sprinkle with 3 teaspoons sugar; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and remaining sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in bananas and extracts. Combine flour and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating just until combined. Pour into prepared pan (pan will be full). Bake at 325° for 75-85 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. In a small bowl, whisk glaze ingredients until smooth; drizzle over cake. Store in the refrigerator. May be frozen for up to 1 month. Yield: 12-15 servings.

Parmesan Potatoes

I have no idea what recipe(s) this evolved from, but we love it. Shawn is a meat and potatoes kind of guy and this is one more good way to fix them. Its very easy to make. I have not put any amounts down for the salt and pepper---you know how much you like. Reduce or enlarge depending on how many people you are service. I also like this recipe made with sweet potatoes or carrots.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spray cookie sheet with pan spray.
3. Wash and slice red or gold potatoes lengthwise into about 4 pieces, roughly 1/4" thick. Use however many you think you will eat--I usually make a cookie sheet full and have enough for 2 meals, about 5 large potatoes. Also, I sometimes use a ripple slicer (Pampered Chef) and that makes them look really pretty.
4. Melt some margarine or butter (or use olive oil) and sprinkle it, spoon it, brush it over all the slices. I use about 3 T. for a whole sheet of potatoes.
5. Sprinkle liberally with sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
6. Grate some Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the top.
7. Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes. Potatoes should be cooked thru and cheese on top will be golden brown.

Baked Ziti

Here's another recipe that I have modified from Taste of Home. My husband doesn't like ricotta cheese, so I had to come up with a substitution for that and cottage cheese in a lot of my Italian recipes. Through lots of trial and error, I hit upon using half and half, cream, or evaporated milk, or a combination of what was in the fridge. When it is mixed with the mozzarella cheese, and left set for a little while, it gets a thicker consistency. I tried regular milk, but it just wasn't thick enough to suit me.
I also discovered, in my humble opinion, that pizza sauce tastes much better than the spaghetti sauce. Also, shredding your own cheeses makes for a much better taste as well. This is one of our favorite casseroles. I usually make a double or triple batch and stick a couple in the freezer for meals during the week.

1 box ziti Cook according to package directions.

1 lb. ground beef, cooked until brown
1 28 oz. spaghetti sauce or 3 cups pizza sauce (I use Ragu Thick and Zesty Pizza sauce)
Mix these together.

2/3 cup half and half or evaporated milk or use 1 (15 oz) carton ricotta cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Mix together in large bowl and then toss with cooked ziti.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use 9 x 13 pan or a 2 quart casserole dish. Layer a couple of spoonfuls of the meat sauce (about 1/3) on the bottom. Layer 1/2 of the noodles. Layer 1/3 of the meat sauce, and then the rest of the noodles. Spread the remaining 1/3 of the meat sauce on top. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and spread 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese on top.

Bake for another 10 - 15 minutes til the cheese is melted and browned.
Let set about 10 minutes before eating and enjoy with a green salad and some breadsticks.

If you want to make for the freezer, layer everything including the cheese in casserole dish. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze. Thaw and bake for 50 minutes.

Cherry Ginger Biscotti

This is a new, favorite recipe from ClubMom.com. I get all these emails with helpful hints about diapering, makeup, organizing for the busy mom, etc.... This recipe was a link before Christmas. I wish that I would have had it when I was pregnant---the ginger probably would have helped my icky tummy!
Disclaimer: I actually dump all the ingredients in together and mix well, then mix in the dried fruit. Also, these don't seem to spoil or get stale. I forgot a batch for a month, and they were still good. My baby enjoys gnawing on these.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease and flour baking sheet, and set aside.
Combine:
2 1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt

In another bowl, combine:
1/3 c. margarine
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract

Stir in the flour mixture until blended and add:
1/2 c. chopped dried cherries
1 T. finely chopped crystallized ginger

Knead dough on a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, shape into a log about 14 x 1 1/2 inches. Bake about 35 minutes or until firm and golden. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.

Cut into 1/2 inch thick diagonal slices. Put cookies back on to baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees, and bake an additional 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack and store in airtight container.
Makes about 30 cookies.

Mango Cheese Ball

Arlene, this is for you! Another Rachel Ray recipe....somewhat modified. She says to use a food processor to combine, but I like cheese balls mixed, not pureed.
This has become a Christmas tradition around our house. I usually let Mary Ann make it. ;-)

1 8 oz.brick of cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick of butter, softened
2 inches of ginger root, grated
Pinch of allspice
1/8 t. ground nutmeg
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. mango chutney
Mix altogether with an electric mixer. Shape into ball.
Roll in:
1 c. macadamia nuts, cashews, or pecans, chopped
Chill til firm. Serve with assorted crackers. About 12 servings.

Pizza Joes

This recipe is loosely based on a recipe that I found in Taste of Home a year ago. I changed the bread, the cheese and messed with the spices a little. If you want to see the original recipe, click on the title. It is a favorite quick dinner around our house. Serve with chips, salad and chocolate pudding.

Preheat oven to Broil.
Fry in pan with the onion until the beef is no longer pink.
1 lb. ground beef
1 T. dry minced onion

Add:
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can of diced tomatoes
1 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. garlic powder

Shake together in shaker jar and add to the tomato beef mixture:
2 t. cornstarch
1/4 c. water

Cook till slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add and melt:
6 mozzarella cheese slices or about 1 1/2 c. shredded

Stir till it is all mixed together. Slice one loaf of french bread into 4 sections and then in half lengthwise (8 pieces). Layer the meat mixture on the bread and top with cheese. Cut 4 slices of mozzarella cheese diagonally or use about 3/4 cup shredded.
Broil until the cheese is golden brown, about 6 minutes.

4 servings

Mustard Tarragon Sauce

I have tried this easy sauce on steak kebabs, pork loin roast. My husband says its "to die for". I don't know about that. I also like to broil Vidalia onions or potatoes basted with this sauce. Serve the onions or potatoes with your meat. The orginal recipe came from the "Monday is Meatloaf" cookbook which I picked up at a yard sale for 25 cents. You may need to double or triple the recipe depending on whether you want to baste only or have extra to serve with the meat. Again, this is a recipe that I have doctored and changed.

1 c. beef broth (use a boullion cube and a cup of water)
2 T. yellow mustard
1 T. olive oil
1 T. minced fresh tarragon or 1 t. dried
1/2 t. dry mustard
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. black pepper
2 T. margarine

Bring the broth to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk together. Turn down the heat and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes. Remove from heat when it has cooked down a bit to a nice saucy consistency. Baste your meat or serve warm with it as a sauce.

Makes about a cup.

Hummus

A year or so ago, I got my sister and myself copies of "The What Would Jesus Eat? Cookbook." She found a fast and easy recipe for hummus, and I changed it slightly to fit time constraints.

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup tahini (scant) (tahini is like peanut butter, only made with sesame seeds)
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 t. minced garlic or garlic powder
Juice of 2 med. lemons (I use the equivalent measure of the bottled stuff)
1/2 t. sea salt
1/2 t. cumin

Whirl the beans until finely chopped in a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend well. Hummus will have a fine texture. Place in airtight container in the refrigerator or serve immediately. Keeps about 5 days in the fridge.

I like this on Wheat Thins or Triscuits, with veggies, or with Middle Eastern dishes. I'm pretty well addicted to this.

Adventures in Pasta Making!!

Last year, during my Christmas shopping, I procured a pasta maker for fairly cheap at Ross. Just a simple hand-cranked NorPro model, with attachment for making fettuccine and spaghetti. Yesterday, I finally had a chance to try it out.
I used the Joy of Cooking’s Egg Pasta recipe, since it seemed the most simple. I also checked out a couple of websites by googling Homemade Pasta.

3 ½ c. unbleached flour (I used 3 c. white and ½ c. whole wheat)
5 eggs or (7 egg whites)
1 t. salt
1 t. olive oil

I added 1 t. of dill weed and 1 t. of lemon pepper (salt-free) for flavor.

I whisked it together in my food processor for about 20 seconds and then I kneaded it for 10 minutes by hand. I then divided it into 4 pieces and let them set, loosely covered, for 30 minutes. (There were pages and pages of directions, and information in the Joy of Cooking.)

I learned a few more things—dough should not be sticky, keep dusting with flour. It’s like bread making—you get a feel for the right consistency of the dough. I ran it through the pasta maker, following the rules for making the sheets of pasta. I let them dry for about 30 minutes and them ran them through the fettuccine attachment and laid them out to dry again. The more I worked with it, the faster I got at it—I felt like I needed 3 hands to work with it. It was a good thing the baby was napping. ;-) (I think it easier to use the attachment than to cut by hand, I tried both ways.)

I only had to boil them for 5 minutes and served them with homemade pasta sauce. Shawn had two helpings (he wondered if this was gourmet food) and I had mine with garlic butter—see the recipe below. I have to tell you that this was the best pasta I have ever eaten. It’s a little time consuming but wow!! The taste was awesome!! Of course, I will not stop using the cheap boxes of dried pasta, at least right way. I’d like to eventually switch to eating all whole-grain pasta and this is probably the way to do it, as the dried stuff is very expensive.

Real Southern Sweet Tea

1 quart water
4 quart size tea bags or 1 large gallon size
1 1/2 to 2 cups sugar

Bring water to boil. Remove from heat and steep tea bags for 6 minutes. Place sugar in the bottom of a gallon size pitcher. Remove tea bags and pour tea over the sugar. Mix well, till the sugar is dissolved. Add cold water to top of pitcher, stir till mixed. Serve with ice and lemon wedges if desired.

Hints: If you steep tea for too long, you release tannins into the tea. This makes your tea bitter. Also, the sugar syrup is the main difference between sweet tea and sweetened tea.

Garlic Butter

We love garlic bread as a side to the many Italian dishes we enjoy every month. Taste of Home recently had a tip that has proven to be a time saver for us.

Soften one medium container of "tub butter" such as Country Crock, (or at my house, the Walmart version of Country Crock). I usually transfer it to a mixing bowl so it is not quite so messy to work with.
With an electric mixer, mix in a tablespoon of garlic powder and a tablespoon of parsley, or other spices if you desire. Be sure to adjust it to your taste--we like it really garlicky, or the size of your container.

Store in the refrigerator and use for garlic bread, grilled cheese sandwiches....

Revved up Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

This is one of my favorite foods. However, made with the wrong ingredients, they turn into a mushy mess. Here are my tips for a great grilled cheese sandwich!!

Start with good bread. Sorry, but Wonderbread or other white breads don't make good grilled sandwiches. Use a good 9 grain or sourdough, like the Cobblestone Mills variety. You can use day old bread with good results though.

Use good cheese. None of that fake stuff---use real Cheddar, the kind you slice yourself.

Spread the outsides of the sandwich with butter, or garlic butter (or margarine). (Probably the easiest way is to lay the bread on the counter and butter it and then assemble it on the griddle.)

Heat your griddle or pan to medium heat and then place sandwiches on the griddle and fry on both sides till golden brown. Do not flatten the sandwiches with a spatula in an effort to make the cheese melt and do not leave the stove while frying.

Good with a glass of iced tea and a salad or try it with some hot chocolate or tomato soup!!

For variations on this try adding a slice of ham or using Swiss or provolone or all of the afore-mentioned items before grilling. A little mustard or mayo is good too--just don't overload it!!