Food Friday - Linked

Here are some great looking recipes I've seen online lately:

Awesome Blueberry Muffins (or craisin muffins or chocolate chip muffins)

Corn Flake Chicken Nuggets

Noodles with Mushrooms and Lemon Ginger Dressing

Food Friday - Sour Cream Stuff

This is Phil's favorite family recipe. His parents make this and he loves it. I've made it a couple of times for him but I don't seem to quite capture the essence of his mom's cooking. Even with that caveat, I share this awesome recipe with you.

3 T oil
2 T diced onion
1 clove garlic - minced
1 1/2 lb round steak - cubed
1 C slice mushrooms
8 oz (1 can) tomato sauce
1 C sour cream
1 t Worcestershire sacue
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
6 medium potatoes, pared
6 medium carrots, scraped or pared

• Put oil in large skillet, add onion, garlic and meat then brown about 7 minutes.
• Add mushrooms, tomato sauce, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper - mix.
• Heat to boiling.
• Lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
• Put mixture, potatoes, and corrots into crockpot - mix.
• Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
  

Food Friday - Cooking for World Peace (2)

Spicy Lamb Stew

(a mix of Better Homes & Gardens, 365 Low Fat Meals, and Charlotte’s creativity)

1 pound lamb, marinated with Mediterranean marinade (see below)

1 package Western Family Stew Vegetables (carrots, onions, potatoes, celery)

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp thyme

6 cups beef broth

Cut meat into cubes, grill until brown on outside. In crockpot, stir together vegetables, salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir in meat and the beef broth.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10-12 hours or (not as good) on high-heat setting for 5-6 hours

Serves 4-5

Food and World Peace

Do you have a recipe that just makes you happy?

Is there a food that makes your whole family smile and hum (just a little) while they eat it?

Do you believe that some recipes are so good that they might, just maybe, help bring about world peace?

Are you willing to share?

If you would like to share a recipe with the Food Friday crowd, please send the recipe and instructions (and a photo if you'd like) to frugalkeslers at gmail dot com.

Depending on how many people respond, I'll post the recipes for the next few Fridays.

Food Friday: Asparagus with Garlic and Onions

I found this on allrecipes.com and it is really simple and oh so good. Phil loved it!

1/2 C water
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed*
1 C diced white onion
1/4 C butter
4 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and black pepper to taste

*to trim asparagus, snap the lower segment off (kind of like snapping beans)

1. Pour into a skillet. Place asparagus and ionion in the skillet.
   
2. Bring water to a boil over medium heat.
3. Cover skillet and steam asparagus and onion 2-5 minutes, just until slightly tender. (Add a few tablespoons of extra water, if needed, to maintain steam.)
4. When water has steamed off, immediately place butter in skillet. Continue cooking until onions and asparagus are lightly browned.
   
5. Mix in garlic and continue cooking at 30 seconds.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
   

Food Friday - One Hour Rolls (the best yet!)

I have been on a quest. Not a quest for treasure or fame. Nay, what would I do with those things? My quest has been for a roll recipe that works well here (my mom's awesome recipe has been ok here but not the quality I was used to while living out West). I have failed to modify her recipe in order to make it work here. Is it the humidity? Is it the altitude? I know not and I have been very sad about it. During my quest to find a good dinner roll recipe (one that could compete with mom's) I have had another quest. I don't know about you but quite often I don't have three hours to make rolls. I REALLY wanted to find a good, yet quick, roll recipe.

Little did I know that my two (seemingly separate) quests would converge and be won simultaneously!

Behold, the fabulous one-hour roll that actually tastes better than my mom's recipe does here (it isn't quite as good as my mom's recipe at home).

5 t Yeast
1/4 C warm water
1 1/2 C buttermilk (I think this is the real key)
1/4 C sugar
1/2 C oil
1 t salt
4 1/2 C flour (I did 2 1/2 of wheat and 2 C white)
1/2 t baking soda

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in a small bowl.
   
2. In mixing bowl, combine buttermilk, sugar, oil, and salt, then mix.
   
3. Add the yeast mixture once it has become frothy, then mix well.
4. Add flour and baking soda.
5. Knead (with machine or by hand) until the dough is smooth (2-5 minutes).
6. Let stand for 10 minutes.
7. Roll out the dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick.
8. Cut into triangles and roll from wide side to thin (forming a crescent).
9. Place on cookie sheet (with nonstick spray on it).
10. Let rise for 30 minutes.
11. Bake in preheated 425f oven for 10 minutes.

These have a fabulous texture. This week I used honey instead of sugar and that worked great. I also reduced the oil slightly.

Enjoy making really good rolls in an hour!

Food Friday - Who Needs Manwich?

This is a recipe for Sloppy Joes. It is nearly as easy as buying Manwich, better tasting, and much cheaper.

1 can Tomato Soup
1/4 C Yellow Onion (diced)
1/4 C Green Bell Pepper (diced)
1 lb Ground Beef
1 T Mustard
1 T White Vinegar
1 T BBQ Sauce
1/4 C Brown Sugar

Brown the meat in a medium pan.
Add onion and bell pepper and cook until onion is clear.
Add tomato soup (no water), mustard, white vinegar, BBQ sauce (ketchup can be substituted), and brown sugar.
Cook until the sauce thickens (cooks down) to the desired consistency.

Serve over hamburger buns.

Food Friday - Mexican Party Dip

My brother made this while we were in Utah and it is so good that we made it for Phil's family on Christmas Eve. Everyone really liked it. It is EASY too!

Combine:
3 Roma Tomatoes (diced)
1/2 Yellow or White Onion (diced)
2 Avacados (cubed)
1 can Black Beans (drained)
1 can Corn (drained)
Fresh Cilantro to taste
1 pkg of dry Italian Dressing mix

Voila!

Food Friday - Zucchini Boats

3 medium zucchini squash
1 1/2 C soft bread crumbs (I used crushed Ritz crackers)
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten well
2 green onions, minced (I used yellow)
1 T minced parsley
1/2 t salt (omit if you use the Ritz because they already have salt)
Paprika
Grate Parmesan cheese

• Wash zucchini
• Cut off ends but don't peel
• Cook in boiling, salted water for 7-10 minutes
• Remove from water and cut zucchini in half - lengthwise
• Carefully remove pulp with a spoon, leaving shell intact
• Mash zucchini pulp with a fork and mix with all the other measured ingredients
• Spoon mixture into zucchini shells and place in a baking dish
• Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese and paprika
• Bake, uncovered for 30 minutes

This is another recipe from the Lion House. We had it tonight and it was a crowd pleaser (well, Phil and I really enjoyed it ... Eden wasn't enjoying anything tonight).

Food Friday - Char Siu Pork

I got this recipe from my sister but haven't made it yet. She made it for us Monday night though and it was really delicious so I pass it along to you, my faithful readers. (the parenthetical notes are my sister's)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup hoisin sauce (I didn't have any hoisin sauce so I didn't add it, it was great without it, but maybe its even better with it)

3 TBS ketchup

3 TBS honey

2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp ground ginger (or 2 tsp fresh)

1 tsp dark sesame oil

1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder

2 lbs boneless pork roast (I got a cheap roast with the bone in and it worked fine)

1/2 cup chicken broth

Mix ingredients together. Marinate for 2 hours (I did this but next time I will just cook it with out marinating it). Cover and cook for 8 hours.

I shredded it after about 5 or so hours and then put the meat back in for and hour or so. I served it over rice. Very easy and yummy.

Food Friday - Easiest Fudge Sauce EVER

Ingredients:
Store-bought chocolate frosting

Instructions:
Warm it in the microwave then pour over ice cream.

Food Friday - Sugar Cookies

I read this post by Michelle and it got me thinking about sugar cookies. Isn't it time to do some cookie decorating?
I think so.

Tonight while our hubbies/daddies are having church meetings, the Thorntons, Eden, and I will be decorating sugar cookies for Halloween. (An added bonus: we will take the extra cookies to the 5-stake youth dance in B'ham tomorrow night!)

So, here is the recipe I used. It is from the Lion House cookbook. I cut the recipe in half because I'm not baking 5 dozen sugar cookies thank you very much! I'll post it as written though (so if you do this recipe you'll get 5 dozen!!!)

2 C butter or margarine softened
1 1/2 C sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
5 C flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

• Cream the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
• In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. (ok, I'll be honest, I never do this, I just add it in my Kitchen Aid - I figure it all gets mixed in just fine)
• Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture.
• Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
• Roll dough out 1/4-inch thick on a lightly floured board or pastry cloth (Martha uses sugar instead of flour when rolling out sugar cookies - it makes them extra 'ummy, 'ummy).
• Preheat oven to 350 f.
• Cut with cookie cutter (if you don't have a cookie cutter, you can use a glass and just make round cookies - why not?).
• Place on greased cookie sheets and bake for 12-15 minutes.
• Cool on wire rack.
• Frost.

Frosting:
1/3 C margarine or butter, softened
2 1/3 C powdered sugar
1 1/2 t vanilla
1-2 T milk

Beat butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl. Add milk a little at a time until the frosting is smooth and of spreading consistency. Add food coloring as desired.

World Bread Day - Food Friday Extra - Mom's Rolls

I grew up on these rolls. My mom is known in four states for these rolls. Phil said he didn't really marry me for these rolls but that they are "an excellent perk!" He also told me he didn't want me to share them on Food Friday because they are soooo special.

A special recipe is certainly fitting for a special day.

Today is World Bread Day (see the link to the left - under the CD giveaway announcement). People all over the world are making bread, enjoying it, and blogging about it.

I made mom's rolls (and cinnamon rolls). Yummy!

And now ... drum roll (pun intended) ...
the recipe:

In a small bowl combine and then brew until very frothy (usually about 5 minutes):
1/4 C warm water
2 T yeast
1 t sugar

In a large bowl stir/dissolve:
1/2 C oil
1/2 C sugar
3/4 C hot water

Add and stir well:
2 t salt
3 eggs
yeast mixture

Mix in (it should still be somewhat sticky and a little lumpy):
4 1/2 C sifted flour

Raise for one hour.

Punch down and on a floured surface roll out until about 1/3 inch thick rectangle. Brush softened butter on the dough. Cut into triangles and roll from the fat side to the point. Place rolls on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray (like Pam).

Raise for an additional hour.

Bake at 400 f for 9-12 minutes.

total project time: 2.5 - 3 hours
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For cinnamon rolls follow the above through brushing the rectangle with softened butter. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon and brown sugar. Roll the rectangle then cut. Place on baking sheet (or to make a nice give away, arrange them on a circular cake pan - you can then place them on a round plate as a tasty gift).

Raise for an additional hour.

Bake at 375 f for 22-28 minutes.

total project time: 3 hours

Food Friday - Egg Gravy

Ok, some of you are totally repulsed just by the name of this post. Others may be intrigued. Those of you who have tasted it are saying "Right on! I need this recipe!"

This is a Beck family favorite (especially my dad) but tends to be somewhat polarizing among newcomers to the family. Phil thinks it is pretty good and it has become the standard first breakfast after each chemo treatment. (Eden really likes it too - but not the egg whites, just the yolks for her!)

And without further delay, here is the recipe:

Hard boil three eggs (five minutes in rolling/boiling water)
In a medium sauce pan, melt 2 T butter then add 1/3 C flour and mix until you have a paste. Add 2-3 C milk (depending on how thick you like your gravy). Simmer/cook until thick (usually about 3-5 minutes). You've just made a white sauce! (wonderful for so many things)

Cut the eggs into bite-sized pieces and put them in the gravy. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over toast or biscuits.

Food Friday - Caramel Popcorn

This is the yummiest, softest caramel popcorn EVER! I'd been craving it but didn't have the recipe. My SIL who had it was in the middle of moving her family from MI to VA and having a baby! Needless to say, she couldn't find it. Finally the craving sent me to google and I found the very recipe!

• 6 quarts of popped corn (Beardens, this is where you have to stop)

• Combine in a medium saucepan:
• 1 1/4 C brown sugar
• 1/2 C light corn syrup
• 1/2 C margarine or butter
• dash of salt (what does a "dash" really mean anyway?)
• bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and add:
• 7 oz. sweetened condensed milk (half a can).
• cook, stirring constantly until it reaches a soft ball stage (240 degrees)*.
• Remove from heat and stir in
  
• 1/2 t vanilla.
• Pour slowly over popcorn, stirring until caramel is evenly distributed throughout.
• Store caramel popcorn in a covered container (it last really well).

*if you don't have a candy thermometer, you can take a small bowl, put cold water in it, then drop a small amount (about 1 t) of the mixture into the water. When it forms a soft ball, you are at soft ball stage.

Food Friday - Easy Pasta Bake

This is one of our favorite meals because it is both tasty and easy.

Ingredients:

Favorite Pasta

Favorite Meat

Favorite Cheeses

1 Can of Stewed Tomatoes

1 Can of Tomato Sauce

(you can replace the tomatoes and sauce with Ragu or something)

Mushrooms (canned or fresh) (can be deleted)

Italian spices

Preheat oven to 350

Take a medium sized baking dish.  Put about 1 1/2 C of dry pasta (we've used small shells, bows, elbows, angel hair, whatever we have). Open a can of stewed tomatoes - dump it in.  Open a can of tomato sauce - dump it in.  You can add sliced mushrooms for extra texture. Add whatever spices you like (oregano, basil, garlic, pepper - the tomatoes are usually salty enough that you won't want to add salt). Mix.  If you want you can add cooked meat (ground beef, chicken strips, ham strips, bacon, etc.). Sprinkle your favorite cheese on top (parm., ched., moz., etc.). Put a lid on your dish and bake for 1 hour. Remove the lid for the last 15 min. to get the cheese nice and crispy (Phil's favorite part).

Serve with your favorite veggies and fruit and some french bread and you have a yummy, nutritious meal. You also have very few dishes since you mixed, baked, and served it all in the same dish.

Food Friday - Stir Fry

Use your favorite veggies (frozen or fresh) and your favorite protein (pork, chicken, beef, tofu, armadillo, whatever) to make a quick meal. Just make sure that all the veggies are cut to about the same size (so they cook uniformly). Cook the thawed or fresh meat first and then add your veggies. Cook just long enough to make the veggies tender (don't overcook - they should be crispy).

Then add your favorite stir fry sauce. Here are some that I made up (which means that I'm guessing on the amounts since when I'm jazz cooking I don't really measure). Use them, change them, enjoy them.

Sweet & Sour Sauce
1/2 C Soy Sauce
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1/4 C Rice Vinegar
1T Corn Starch
Mix in a small bowl and pour over cooked stir fry. Boil for 1-2 minutes.

Thai Peanut Sauce
1/2 C Soy Sauce
1/2 C Peanut Butter (creamy or chunky)
2 T Brown Sugar
2 T Rice Vinegar
1/2 t Red Pepper Flakes
Mix with a wire wisp (or is it a whisk or a whip - I've heard them all) in a small bowl until it becomes smooth. Pour over cooked stir fry. Boil for 1-2 minutes. (add peanuts to your stir fry to make this extra yummy!)

Brown Sauce (very mild)
1/4 C Soy Sauce
1/2 C Beef Broth
2 T Brown Sugar
2 T Corn Starch
Mix in a small bowl. Pour over cooked stir fry. Boil for 1-2 minutes (particularly good with beef).

Food Friday - Chili Relleno

1 qt. Cottage Cheese
1 C crushed Ritz crackers
6 Eggs - beaten
1 small Onion (minced)
1 T Parsley flakes
8 oz. Mont. Jack cheese (grated)
8 oz. Cheddar cheese (grated)
2 small cans Whole Green Chilis

Mix cottage cheese, crackers, eggs, onion, parsley.

In a casserole dish (sprayed with oil) layer the above mixture, grated cheeses, then peppers.

Bake uncovered for 1 hour at 350.

Food Friday - Honey Chicken Wings

1 1/2 C honey
1 C soy sauce
1/2 C ketchup

Brown 30 chicken wings in a shallow pan. Mix honey, soy sauce, and ketchup well. Place the wings in a crock pot then pour sauce over them. Cook for 3 hours. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve. Serve with rice. Makes 6-8 servings.

Food Friday - Banana Spice Muffins

I found this recipe this week online at cookinglight.com. They are yummy!

2 1/2 C Flour
1/3 C Sugar
1/3 C Brown Sugar
1 T Baking Powder
1 t Baking Soda
1/2 t Salt
1 t Allpsice (ground) (I didn't have allspice so I just used cinnamon)
1 t Ginger (ground)
1 C Mashed Ripe Banana (about 2 small)
2/3 C Milk
1/3 C Buttermilk
1/3 C Ricotta Cheese (I know, who would have thought!)
2 T Vegetable Oil
1 T Vanilla
1 Egg
1 Egg White (I'm lazy and just did two eggs)

Preheat oven to 400

Combine first 8 ingredients (flour through ginger) in a large bowl, and make a well in the center. Combine banana and the next 7 ingredients (banana through eggs) in a bowl, and add to flour mixture. Stir just until moist. Spoon batter into 18 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 400 for 18 minutes or until done. Remove from pans immediately, and cool on a wire rack.

Nutritional Info (if you use low-fat ingredients):
Calories 125
Fat 2.4g
Protein 3.2g
Cholesterol 13mg
Calcium 59mg
Sodium 194mg
Fiber .8g
Iron 1mg
Carbs 22.6g

(These freeze really well too!)

enjoy!