Hunk A Hunk of Italian Love

Mmmm...piping hot, meaty deep dish Italian pizza pie.

Hmmm...do I call it pizza?

Do I call it pie?

Do I call it deep dish casserole?


How about...I just call it...over here...to my plate, to my mouth....Mmmmmm! Who cares what its called.

It is delicious.


1 Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust
1 lb Bob Evans Italian Sausage
1 lb Ground Beef
1/2 green pepper seeded, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, diced
1 pt freshly sliced mushrooms
1/2 tsp. Italian Seasonings
2 cups Mozzarella/Provolone Shredded Cheese
2 cups Bertolli Tomato Basil Spaghetti Sauce
2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a 9 or 10 inch deep dish glass pie plate, press one pie crust and flute the edges around the rim. Blind bake crust for 15 minutes. Purpose is to begin to cook crust so bottom will be properly baked. Keep the other crust for another recipe.

Brown beef and sausage. Drain meat. Add onion, mushrooms and green peppers. Saute to soften. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of cheese on bottom of crust. Pour sauce on meat mixture and mix thoroughly. Pour meat mixture in pie crust. Sprinkle cheese on top and sprinkle Parmesan on top of cheese. Bake 30-45 minutes. Remove when cheese is golden brown and crust golden.

Cool slightly. Cut into 6-8 slices and remove to serving plate with a spatula.

Sandra's Fried Pork Chops and Butter Beans

Driving along I am noticing fields of bright, orange pumpkins. The air feels chilly. My closet is beginning to push summer's light and airy fabrics to the back and sweaters to the front.

Yes, I am turning my thoughts once again to comfort foods. Sometimes, my mind wanders back into history and I find myself imaging a pioneer woman bent over a large fireplace tending black iron skillets of fried pork chops and a bubbling cauldron of butter beans.
Unhuh...time to recreate.

FRIED PORK CHOPS AND BUTTER BEANS

1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. cornmeal
1/4 c. bread crumbs
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 cayenne pepper

Mix together in a flat dish for dredging, like a pie plate.

4-6 Large Pork Chops or Pork Steak

Dredge chops in flour mixture and coat well. Heat 1/4 c. oil in a saute pan. Fry chops 3 1/2 minutes per side until all are golden and crispy.


BUTTER BEANS

1/2 stick butter
2 cans of Butter Beans, drained
1/2-1 cup of small cubed, Ham
1 medium onion, diced
1 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp. salt
pepper to taste.

Three minutes before chops are finished. Drain beans. Melt butter in a saute pan. Add ham and onions. Saute just to soften onions. Add beans and stir to mix. Sprinkle parsley, salt and pepper and stir.

Serve alongside fried Pork Chops.

In the mood for a truly pioneer experience?

Add some warmed, chunky applesauce with cinnamon. Pumpkin pie for dessert with a sweetened dollop of whip cream.

Rotini Pasta Alfredo with Ham and Peas

Don't you find on chilly, gray days you wistfully hunger for comfort food? Short on time? Here's a quickie for you!

1 jar Bertolli Alfredo Sauce
1 box rotini Pasta (corkscrews)
1 package of Boursin Garlic & Herb Cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup Ham, cut into small cubes or slices
1 10 oz bag of frozen peas
1 Tbsp butter

Bring salted water to boil and cook your pasta for 13 minutes. Last minute add frozen peas. Drain. In a deep sided saute pan melt butter, add ham and saute briefly. Add peas and pasta to pan. Pour Alfredo sauce on and empty container of boursin cheese on top of pasta. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Stir gently to combine and melt cheeses.

This recipe can easily ease from box to table in 25 minutes. Add a salad. Enjoy!

My Version of New Orleans Po'Boy Sandwich

A po' boy (also po-boy, po boy, or poor boy) is a traditional submarine sandwich from Louisiana. It almost always consists of meat or seafood, usually fried, served on baguette-like Louisiana French bread.

There are countless stories as to the origin of the term po' boy. One theory claims that "po' boy" was coined in a New Orleans restaurant owned by Benny and Clovis Martin, a former streetcar conductor. In 1929, during a four-month strike against the streetcar company, Martin served his former colleagues free sandwiches. Martin’s restaurant workers jokingly referred to the strikers as "poor boys", and soon the sandwiches themselves took on the name. In Louisiana dialect, this is naturally shortened to "po' boy."

One restaurant in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, Trapani's, insists that the name "po' boy" came from a sandwich shop in New Orleans. If one was new to a bar and bought a nickel beer, then he got a free sandwich thrown in. This was sometimes called a "poor boy's lunch", which came to mean just the sandwich itself.

A key ingredient that differentiates po' boys from other submarine sandwiches is the bread. Typically, the French bread comes in two-foot-long "sticks". Standard sandwich sizes might be a half po' boy, about six inches long (called a "Shorty") and a full po' boy, at about a foot long. The traditional versions are served hot and include fried shrimp and oysters. Soft shell crab, catfish, crawfish, Louisiana hot sausage, roast beef and gravy, and French fries are other common variations.

A "dressed" po' boy has lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise; pickles and onion are optional. Non-seafood po' boys will also usually have Mustard, but the customer is expected to specify whether he or she wants "hot" or "regular"—the former being a coarse-grained Creole mustard (such as that produced by Zatarain's) and the latter being American yellow mustard. Mother's Restaurant, a popular lunch stop in New Orleans on Poydras St., uses shredded green cabbage rather than lettuce for its dressed sandwiches.

My Shrimp Po'Boy

2 lbs raw, fresh, peeled and tail removed shrimp
1 loaf of soft french bread
1 Tbsp. Cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. salt
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 cup buttermilk
Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise or Sandwich Spread (In mayonnaise aisle)
4 Romaine Lettuce leaves
1 Tomato
1 bottle of oil for dutch oven frying

Heat oil in the dutch oven.

Slice french bread open but do not slice completely through. Leave a 'hinge' on one side of the bread. Toast very lightly in the oven under the broiler. Take care to toast only lightly.

Slice tomato into thin slices. Wash and dry romaine lettuce leaves.

Remove bread from oven. Spread liberally with mayonnaise. Layer lettuce leaves and tomatoes on top.

Combine flour, corn meal and cayenne pepper, salt and mix. Drop shrimp in buttermilk. Put all the shrimp in the flour mixture and turn several times to thoroughly coat.

Fry shrimp in small batches so you do not cool the oil down. Lay cooked shrimp on paper towel to absorb oil while you finish the rest. Take care not to overcook the shrimp. Cook only long enough to cook batter golden.

Heap shrimp onto bread while piping hot and enjoy!

German Chocolate Cake

So what is the history of the German Chocolate Cake? Its origin is hard to pinpoint but we do know it is all American. Richard Sax in Classic Home Desserts says this cake was being made in the 1920's and eventually became popular nationwide after a recipe appeared in a 1957 food column of a Dallas newspaper. While the name "German" Chocolate Cake seems to suggest a tie to Germany, the name refers to the type of chocolate used in the cake which, in turn, is named after the Walter Baker & Company employee, Samuel German, who developed the chocolate in 1852. German's® Sweet Chocolate is a semi sweet baking chocolate that has a mild flavor and is much sweeter than other semi sweet chocolates (it tastes like a candy bar). Baker's® sells this chocolate and it is sold on the baking isle of most grocery stores.

German Chocolate Cake:

4 ounces semi sweet chocolate, chopped

2 1/4 cups cake flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch processed)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup hot coffee or boiling water

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature

2 1/4 cups (450 grams) granulated white sugar

5 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Coconut Pecan Frosting:

1 1/4 cups pecans

1 cup granulated white sugar

1 cup evaporated milk (can also use light or heavy cream)

3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter, or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray, and line with parchment paper, three - 8 x 2 inch deep (20 x 5 cm) round baking pans. Dust with flour.

In a heatproof bowl, placed over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the coffee and buttermilk.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is fluffy (this will take about 3-5 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla extract and beat to combine.

Add the coffee/buttermilk mixture and flour mixtures in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat only until the ingredients are incorporated. Fold in the melted chocolate.

Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for about 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 20 minutes. Butter or lightly spray a wire rack with a non stick vegetable spray before inverting the cakes onto the rack to prevent the cakes from sticking. Cool the cakes completely before frosting.

Coconut Pecan Frosting: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the pecans on a baking sheet and bake for about 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from oven, let cool, and then coarsely chop.

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, milk, egg yolks, butter, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, and when the mixture begins to boil and thicken, remove from heat. Stir in the chopped pecans, coconut, and vanilla extract. Let cool until spreadable.

To Assemble: Place one layer of cake, on your serving plate, and cover with one third of the frosting. Place the second layer of cake, onto the first cake layer and frost with another one-third of the frosting. Then add the third cake layer and frost the top of the cake with the remaining frosting (the sides of the cake are left bare). The finished cake can be stored at room temperature for a couple of days or it can be refrigerated.

Serves 14-16 people.

No time for scratch baking?

Purchase German chocolate cake mix. 1 can of chocolate whipped icing. I can of coconut pecan icing.

Bake as directed on the box. Spread half the chocolate icing on first layer of cooled cake. Layer 1/2 of coconut pecan icing on top the chocolate. Add the second layer of cake. Ice top with coconut pecan icing and then decorate as you wish with the remaining chocolate icing atop the coconut pecan icing. Enjoy!

Waldorf Salad

The salad was first created between 1893 and 1896 at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City (the precursor of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, which opened in 1931).

Oscar Tschirky, who was the Waldorf's maître d'hôtel and developed or inspired many of its signature dishes, is widely credited with creating the recipe. In 1896, Waldorf Salad appeared in The Cook Book by 'Oscar of the Waldorf'; the original recipe did not contain nuts, but they had been added by the time the recipe appeared in the Rector Cook Book in 1928.The salad became popular enough that Cole Porter featured it in his song "You're the Top".

Cole Porter may have been right...it's at the top of simple and delicious.

Here's my version:

2 red delicious apples
1 green granny smith
1 bunch red grapes
1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnuts
2 stalks of celery, diced in small pieces
1/2 cup miracle whip
Dash of Cinnamon
Dash of salt


Do not peel apples. Remove the core and cut the apples in bite size cubes or pieces. Remove grapes from stems and put apples and grapes in a nice glass bowl. Toast pecans only long enough to crisp them. Do not burn. Dice celery into small bites. Add pecans and celery to apples in the bowl. Put a dash of Cinnamon and dash of salt in the miracle and stir to combine. Add miracle whip mixture to apples and stir gently to combine and coat all pieces.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Nice to serve on a leaf of Boston Lettuce.

Philly Steak Stromboli

Stromboli...what the heck is it or who the heck gave it that name?!

Stromboli is a type of turnover filled with various cheeses, Italian meats such as salami, capicola and bresaola or vegetables. The dough is Italian bread dough.

Stromboli is reported to have originated in 1950 in Essington, Tinicum Township just outside of Philadelphia, at Romano's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria, by Nazzareno Romano. There, William Schofield supposedly gave it the name, after the movie Stromboli, starring Ingrid Bergman. Other sources claim the stromboli was the brainchild of Mike Aquino, Sr., and that he created it in Spokane, Washington, in 1954.

Who knows? And quite frankly...who cares when something this delicious fills your mouth. You haven't time or care to ponder the history. My picture shows an offering of sweet potato fries and regular fries. A salad is a nice accompaniment as well.

I love making it with the traditional Italian ingredients. But this one is quite tasty and fun too!

1 Pillsbury Refrigerated Pizza Dough (Thin Crust) or make your own
1 large package of Steak-ums
1 large green pepper
1 large onion
1 qt. fresh, sliced mushrooms
1 Tbsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 16 oz package shredded provolone cheese
Banana peppers, quantity - your preference


I like to use a pizza stone for a crisp crust. But a cookie sheet or pizza pan will work as well. Heat oven to 400 Degree.

Take Steak Ums out of package and in their frozen state. Slice into thin strips. In a skillet cook steak ums, onion, green pepper, mushrooms until meat browned and onions softened. Important that mixture is not 'juicy', if it is, drain. Add salt and pepper. Cool. Stir in drained Banana Peppers to taste.

Spread pizza crust out. Place half of cheese on one half of crust. Place cooled Philly Steak ingredients on top of cheese leaving a border. Layer remaining provolone cheese on top of steak mixture. Bring the other half of pizza crust over meat mixture to make a 'turnover'. Fold edge over and crimp as you go around the semi circle to seal the turnover. Brush oil on top crust.

Bake until crust is browned and crisped. Approximately 15-20 minutes. Enjoy! I like to smear mayonnaise on the top of my personal slice of this heaven to enjoy each bite. (After all, don't they put mayonnaise on your Philly Sub bread??)

Homemade Chili Soup

The last few mornings walking to my office, there is a definite feel of Fall in the air. Fall reminds me of beautiful fall trees with their tones of gold, crimson, bronze and green. Bright orange pumpkins growing in the field...what a colorful display and happy sight! My family knows that "I just love pumpkins". Footballs games on Friday night, OSU Buckeye games on Saturday and foods that warm not only your chilled body but feed your soul too.

I have many favorite soups when Fall turns into Winter. Cold weather and soup are a definite given. But, there is something about opening up 'soup season' with a hot bowl of Chili.

A bit of history...

Chili was first invented by the Spanish Canary Islanders, in the city of San Antonio, Texas, which they founded. The recipe used for American expeditions consisted of dried beef, suet, dried chili peppers (usually chilipiquenes), and salt, which were pounded together and left to dry into bricks, which could then be boiled in pots on the trail.

The "San Antonio Chili Stand", in operation at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago, helped people from other parts of the country taste and appreciate chili. San Antonio was a significant tourist destination and helped Texas-style chili con carne spread throughout the South and West. Chili con carne is the official dish of the U.S. state of Texas as designated by the House Concurrent Resolution Number 18 of the 65th Texas Legislature during its regular session in 1977.

Chili con carne (literally "Chili with meat", often known simply as chili) is a spicy stew. The name "chili con carne" is taken from Spanish, and means "peppers with meat." Traditional versions are made, minimally, from chili peppers, garlic, onions, and cumin, along with chopped or ground beef. Beans and tomatoes are frequently included. Variations, both geographic and personal, may involve different types of meat as well as a variety of other ingredients. It can be found worldwide in local variations and also in certain American-style fast-food restaurants. The variant recipes provoke disputes among aficionados, and the dish is used as an ingredient in a number of other foods.

Chili may have had its beginnings in Southwestern United States, but the East also knows Chili and has their variations too. Cincinnati Chili being one with its addition of cocoa in the mix.

Here's my rendition:

1 Large can of Tomato Juice
3 lbs of ground beef
2-3 cans of chili beans (I prefer Bush's), or kidney beans
1 large can diced Tomatoes
1-2 large onions, diced small
1 green pepper, diced small
1 Tbsp cumin
2-3 Tbsp Chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Dash of cinnamon
1/2 tsp oregano
1 Tbsp parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar

Brown ground beef in a dutch oven. Drain grease. Add onions and green peppers, cooking until softened but not browned. Add all remaining ingredients and stir as you add to incorporate. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for at least half an hour with a lid on the pot. If you have time, a longer simmer melds the flavors.

My roots being from Indiana, my family use to break up into one inch pieces raw spaghetti noodles and stir in the last twenty minutes or so and stir frequently until noodles are soften. Makes for a hearty bowl of goodness.

But, if you wish the more traditional version. Cook as described above. Garnish your bowl with Shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese and offerings of crackers or corn bread.

Enjoy on a crisp, cool Fall day or a blustery winter's eve when the wind howls outside, but the warmth of a hearty bowl of this soup warms your body and soul.

Best Ever Meat Loaf

Consulting Wikipedia, by now you've gathered that is one of my favorite 'go to' resources...
The meatloaf has European origins; minced meat loaves were cooked already in the 5th century, and were mentioned in the famous Roman cookery collection "Apicius". Meatloaf is a traditional German, Belgian and Dutch dish, and it is a cousin to the Italian meatball. American meatloaf has its origins in scrapple, a mixture of ground pork and cornmeal served by German-Americans in Pennsylvania since Colonial times. However, meatloaf in the contemporary American sense did not appear in cookbooks until the late 19th century.


In many parts of the United States, meatloaf is a popular dish. In 2007, it was voted the 7th favorite dish in the United States according to the Good Housekeeping website.

During the Great Depression, cooking meatloaf was a way to stretch the food budget for families, using an inexpensive type of meat and other ingredients as leftovers; along with spices, it was popular to add cereal grains to the meatloaf to stretch the meat. The tradition lives on with the merits of producing a lower-fat dish with superior binding and consistency.

The meatloaf is typically eaten with some kind of sauce or relish. Many of these recipes call for pasta sauce or tomato sauce to be poured over the loaf to form a crust during baking. The tomato-based sauce may be replaced with simple brown gravy or onion gravy, but the meatloaf is prepared in a similar manner. Barbecue sauce, tomato ketchup, or a mixture of both tomato ketchup and mustard may also be used. American meatloaf may be garnished with ketchup.

Another variety of meatloaf is prepared by frosting it with mashed potatoes, drizzling it with a small amount of butter, and browning in the oven.

The meatloaf is normally served warm as part of the main course, but can also be found sliced as a cold cut. Meatloaves can also be considered as a typical Midwestern comfort food, or even soul food.




BEST EVER MEAT LOAF

2 pounds ground beef
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup Ranch Chip Dip or Sour Cream
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup catsup
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1 cup catsup for top of meatloaf (or however much you wish)


Heat oven to 375 degree. Mix ground beef, eggs, ranch dip/or sour cream, bread crumbs, catsup, soup mix and mustard. Spray a cookie sheet with sides with Pam. Lay aluminum foil on sheet, spray with Pam (aids with easy clean up). Form meatloaf mixture into a ball and dump on middle of sheet. Continue molding meatloaf into a rectangle shape and flattened top. Bake uncovered until done, 45 to 50 minutes. You may need to drain the cookie sheet of juices that cook from the meat, use a baster and rid the pan of excess liquid during the cooking process. Half way through the cooking cover the entire meatloaf in a layer of catsup, being liberal with it and continue cooking.

I have often doubled this recipe and baked two loaves side by side. Cool the extra, wrap in wax paper, then aluminum foil and slip into a zip lock bag. Freeze for a quick mid-week dinner option.

Want a fast meal fix? Take a bag of small petite/baby redskin potatoes and quarter them. (After washing of course, and leave on skin). Toss them with vegetable oil to coat each and put them around the meatloaf to roast as well. If the meatloaf needs 'drained' from the cooking juices take a meat baster and remove the liquid so the potatoes have a dry sheet to roast upon.

Need a great vegetable to go with it too? Take one package of frozen lima beans and one package frozen peas, 2 tablespoons water, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 tablespoons butter and 1/4 tsp dry dill weed. Combine in a 1 quart casserole with a lid, cook for 50 minutes until tender.

Your meat, potatoes and vegetables cook in the same oven...remove and serve!

Homemade Potato Chips

Ever wonder where potato chips came from?

Here's a bit of history:

As a world food, potatoes are second in human consumption only to rice. And as thin, salted, crisp chips, they are America's favorite snack food. Potato chips originated in New England as one man's variation on the French-fried potato, and their production was the result not of a sudden stroke of culinary invention but of a fit of pique.

In the summer of 1853, Native American George Crum was employed as a chef at an elegant resort in Saratoga Springs, New York. On Moon Lake Lodge's restaurant menu were French-fried potatoes, prepared by Crum in the standard, thick-cut French style that was popularized in 1700s France and enjoyed by Thomas Jefferson as ambassador to that country. Ever since Jefferson brought the recipe to America and served French fries to guests at Monticello, the dish was popular and serious dinner fare.

At Moon Lake Lodge, one dinner guest found chef Crum's French fries too thick for his liking and rejected the order. Crum cut and fried a thinner batch, but these, too, met with disapproval. Exasperated, Crum decided to rile the guest by producing French fries too thin and crisp to skewer with a fork. The plan backfired. The guest was ecstatic over the browned, paper-thin potatoes, and other diners requested Crum's potato chips, which began to appear on the menu as Saratoga Chips, a house specialty.

In 1860 George opened his own restaurant in a building on Malta Avenue near Saratoga Lake, and within a few years was catering to wealthy clients including William Vanderbilt, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jay Gould, and Henry Hilton. His restaurant closed around 1890 and he died in 1914 at the age of 92.


Have you noticed lately how many upscale restaurants are serving their version of the potato chip? I have sampled some, which are quite good! The price is quite inflated for as inexpensive as they are to make.

I was attending our State Fair the other day and "Sarasota Chips" or "Twisted Chips" where offered in concession stands all over. Again, they were hot, crispy and quite tasty, at five dollars a serving...

Here is a home version that is easy, fast and fun to make. Before Junior reaches for that expensive bag of name brand chips...why not make a little fun happen in the kitchen and make your own? I guarantee they are far better and cost pennies.



HOMEMADE POTATO CHIPS

3-4 Large, unblemished Russet Potatoes
Salt or Seasoned Salt
Corn or Peanut Oil (my preference, but vegetable can be used too)



Heat fryer according to manufacturer directions. If you do not have a deep fryer...no problem! Take your dutch oven and heat five inches of oil to 365 degree. You can test temperature with a candy thermometer.

Scrub your potatoes well and dry. No need to peel unless you prefer it. Slice the potatoes into very paper thin slices. Thin makes a very crispy potato chip which is what you want.

After you have sliced all the potatoes and the oil has reached desired temperature, add slices in small batches. Using a wooden skewer, stir around gently the floating chips occasionally to make sure they are not sticking to each other.

When they reach the golden stage, determine what is your favorite depth of golden color, let them fry to that point (the darker golden, the more crispy). Remove chips and lay to drain on paper towel. Salt or use Season salt right away after removing them from the fryer. A southwest 'dust' of herbs would be great. Experiment with herb sprinkles of your choice.

Continue in small batches until all have been cooked.

Enjoy!

Warm German Potato Salad

I had plans to entertain a very dear friend today. He helped create the menu by inserting his desire to grill brats and the ideas rolled from there. Simple menu of grilled brats with sauerkraut, BBQ beans, sweet and sour red cabbage and homemade warm german potato salad. Dessert was a chocolate cake with peanut butter cream filling served on a drizzle of hot fudge sauce and vanilla ice cream.

Consulting the Food Time Line and History...

ABOUT SALAD

Food historians tell us salads (generally defined as mixed greens with dressing) were enjoyed by ancient Romans and Greeks. As time progressed, salads became more complicated. Recipes varied according to place and time. Dinner salads, as we know them today, were popular with Renaissance folks. Composed salads assembled with layers of ingredients were enjoyed in the 18th century. They were called Salmagundi. Today they are called chef's salad.

Why do we call it salad?
The basis for the word salad is 'sal', meaning salt. This was chosen because in ancient times, salt was often an ingredient in the dressing.

Potatoes (a new world food) were introduced to Europe by Spanish explorers in the 16th century. By the end of the century many countries had adopted this new vegetable and integrated it into their cuisines. Preparation methods and recipes were developed according to local culinary traditions.

Arnold Shircliffe, executive chef of Chicago's legendary Edgewater Beach Hotel, traced the origin of the potato salad to the 16th century. These are his notes:
"Early potato salad: John Gerrard in 1597 writes about potatoes and their virtues and said that "they are sometimes boiled and sopped in wine, by others boiled with prunes, and likewise others dress them (after roasting them in the ashes) in oil, vinegar and salt, every man according to his own taste. However they be dressed, they comfort, nourish and strengthen the body." This is one of the first potato salads mentioned in any book."
---Edgewater Beach Hotel Salad Book, Arnold Shircliffe [Hotel Monthly Press:Evanston IL] 1928 (p. 231)

Potato salad-type recipes were introduced to America by European settlers, who again adapted traditional foods to local ingredients. This accounts for regional potato salad variations in the United States. Potato salad, as we know it today, became popular in the second half of the 19th century. Cold potato salads evolved from British and French recipes. Warm potato salads followed the German preference for hot vinegar and bacon dressings served over vegetables.

Print evidence confirms recipes for potato salads were often included in 19th century American cooking texts. These recipes had many different names. The Cassells Dictionary of Cookery [London:1875?] contains three recipes for potato salad, one without notes [presumably British or American], a French recipe and a German recipe.The French recipe is very similar to the first and is also served cold. The German recipe required bacon. Early cold potato salad recipes often called for "French dressing". Some recipes specifically indicate this is an economy dish, "a good way to dispose of leftover potatoes." During the 1940s mayonnaise began to supplant French dressing as the congealer of choice. It is interesting to note that during both World Wars recipes for German-style potato salad did not bear that country's moniker. They were simply listed as "hot potato salad."

This is what the food writers have to say:

"Potato salad. A cold or hot side dish made with potatoes, mayonnaise, and seasonings. It became very popular in the second half of the nineteenth century and is a staple of both home and food-store kitchens. Hot potato salad, usually made with bacon, onion, and vinegar dressing, was associated with German immigrants and therefore often called "German potato salad."
---Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, John F. Mariani [Lebhar-Friedman:New York] 1999 (p. 253)

"There seems to be no dogma concerning the origins of potato salad, but Germany is a good place to begin. As a country with lots of potatoes and lots of recipes for potatoes, Germany almost certainly was among the first to look at cooked small new potatoes or cut chunks of larger spuds and imagine them blanketed with dressing. The dressing they came up with was a classic. Kin to the heated dressing used to wilt spinach salad, this one thrilled German taste buds, raised as they were on sauerkraut and sauerbraten with vinegar bite. Some versions featured a little coarse mustard, others cut the sour with a little sugar, and most added bacon and even its flavorful drippings. By the time the notion of potato salad reached France, vinegar wasn't quite good enough. The French demanded full-scale vinaigrette, and it was no sweat to satisfy their demands. Whenever you see something called "French potato salad," it's a safe bet you're in for potatoes (and probably other vegetables, too) in a light vinaigrette, with Dijon mustard and sweet tarragon.

When potato salad caught on in the United States, in the second half of the 19th century, it was probably by way of German immigrants. To this day, most people who know how to cook, or at least know how to eat, understand that "German potato salad" will be served warm, will feature no mayonnaise, and will be pleasantly tart with vinegar.The American idea of making potato salad with mayonnaise has no recorded history - but then again, neither does the idea of mayonnaise itself. Clearly a sauce created in France using egg yolks, oil and either lemon juice or vinegar, little is clear after that. Virtually every French bible of cuisine explains the name differently, ranging from a link to "Magon," the Carthaginian general who helped his brother Hannibal battle the Romans," to a possible misspelling of "Bayonnaise," hailing from the town of Bayonne in France - and later, less romantically, New Jersey.

However it got the name, mayonnaise became the favored dressing for American potato salad for more "There seems to be no dogma concerning the origins of potato salad, but Germany is a good place to begin. As a country with lots of potatoes and lots of recipes for potatoes, Germany almost certainly was among the first to look at cooked small new potatoes or cut chunks of larger spuds and imagine them blanketed with dressing. The dressing they came up with was a classic. Kin to the heated dressing used to wilt spinach salad, this one thrilled German taste buds, raised as they were on sauerkraut and sauerbraten with vinegar bite. Some versions featured a little coarse mustard, others cut the sour with a little sugar, and most added bacon and even its flavorful drippings. By the time the notion of potato salad reached France, vinegar wasn't quite good enough. The French demanded full-scale vinaigrette, and it was no sweat to satisfy their demands. Whenever you see something called "French potato salad," it's a safe bet you're in for potatoes (and probably other vegetables, too) in a light vinaigrette, with Dijon mustard and sweet tarragon.

When potato salad caught on in the United States, in the second half of the 19th century, it was probably by way of German immigrants. To this day, most people who know how to cook, or at least know how to eat, understand that "German potato salad" will be served warm, will feature no mayonnaise, and will be pleasantly tart with vinegar.The American idea of making potato salad with mayonnaise has no recorded history - but then again, neither does the idea of mayonnaise itself. Clearly a sauce created in France using egg yolks, oil and either lemon juice or vinegar, little is clear after that. Virtually every French bible of cuisine explains the name differently, ranging from a link to "Magon," the Carthaginian general who helped his brother Hannibal battle the Romans," to a possible misspelling of "Bayonnaise," hailing from the town of Bayonne in France - and later, less romantically, New Jersey. However it got the name, mayonnaise became the favored dressing for American potato salad for more than a century. Its sweet, creamy mouthfeel served up just the right delight when wrapped around solid, dependable American potatoes."



WARM GERMAN POTATO SALAD


Ingredients

* 6-8 large potatoes, peeled, sliced in slices, then in half again
* 12 oz package bacon
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 4 tablespoons white sugar
* 2/3 cup water
* 3/4 cup white wine vinegar
* 1/2 cup chopped onions, 1/2 of a whole onion
* 3 tablespoons Chopped fresh parsley
* salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and 1/2 of a whole onion for flavoring; cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain,discard onion, cool.
Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. Reserve 1/4 cup of the bacon fat in skillet and saute until soft the 1/2 cup onion.
Add the flour, sugar, water and vinegar to skillet and cook in reserved bacon fat over medium heat until dressing is thick.
Add bacon, potatoes to skillet and stir until coated. Cook until heated and season with salt and pepper and chopped parsley. Serve warm.

Zucchini fries and Eggplant Medallions

I love zucchini, in any form. Eggplant prepared in a crispy crust is just a delight.

This recipe is so easy...it's silly simple.

But...good. When you are denying yourself potatoes and you hunger for a crispy french fry next to your burger or you just plain want a break from potatoes this is the recipe to reach for.

The eggplant addition came about for taste variance with grilled meats. This is equally good to add a bit of mozzarella cheese to the top to melt after the eggplant has been baked to its crusty goodness and serve with marinara sauce.

Zucchini fries and Eggplant Medallions

Preheat oven to 400 degree

2 small zucchini
1 small japanese eggplant
2 eggs
1 tbsp water
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Cut zucchini in halve length wise. Then cut the halves again, length wise. Precede to cut those into 'french fry' strips. I prefer not too thick, so they crisp.

Cut eggplant ends off. Then cut into round medallions.

Beat two eggs with water in a medium mixing bowl. In a separate bowl that will fit the zucchini strips with room, add the parmesan cheese. Toss to coat zucchini in egg wash, a few at a time, then drop in parmesan cheese and shake about to coat. Lay on a Pam sprayed cookie sheet. Make sure there is room around each for crispy 'fries'. Follow the same procedure for the remaining zucchini and eggplant.

Bake in hot oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until browned to your liking and crispness.

Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad

You will find many versions of this salad in cookbooks and on the internet. All I'm sure are delicious. Switching gears a few weeks ago to eating healthier and watching my carb intake, I opted for this version.

I found you do not miss any of the goodness, except perhaps the raisins. I miss them, but it is pretty easy to be satisfied with not having them after taking a bite of this scrumptious rendition.

Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad

1 bunch of broccoli, cut into small florets
1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 12 oz package of bacon, fried and torn into pieces
1/2 small red onion, sliced and cut into small slivers
3/4 cup pecan halves, toasted
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4-1/3 cup cider vinegar (depending on the tartness you wish)
4 packets of splenda (adjust to your taste)
salt and pepper to taste


Combine in a small mixing bowl mayonnaise, splenda, vinegar, salt and pepper. You may wish to add splenda and vinegar in increments to determine to your taste how sweet-tart you wish the mixture to be.

In a large serving bowl add broccoli, cauliflower, onion slivers. Add mayonnaise mixture to this and mix to coat all. Add pecans. Mix again to distribute. Saving a few bits of bacon for top garnish, add bacon and mix to distribute throughout. Add bacon garnish on top.

Refrigerate until ready to use.

Note: Almonds can be used in place of pecans.

Creamy Ricotta Custard

First of all, I apologize for creating this custard in a small casserole dish. I was replacing my custard ramekins but hadn't made it to the store to accomplish the feat before making this dish. I much prefer making them in ramekins, but as you can see. Any logical glass oven proof vessel will do. I promise you won't be disappointed.



Ricotta is a fresh cheese (as opposed to ripened or aged), grainy and creamy white in appearance, slightly sweet in taste, and contains around 13% fat. Ricotta (literally meaning "recooked") uses the whey, a limpid, low-fat, nutritious liquid that is a by-product of cheese production.


Ancient Roman cooks recognized the binding properties of eggs. They were experts at creating several egg-based dishes, most notably patinae, crustades and omlettes. These foods were either savory (made with cheese, meat, pepper etc.) or sweet (flavored with honey, nuts, cinnamon etc.). Food historians generally agree that custard, the sweet almost pudding-like substance we Americans know today, dates to the Middle ages. At that time custard was eaten alone or used as fillings for pies, tarts, pastry, etc. Flan is probably the the most famous and widely adapted custard dessert in the world. It is important to note that custard was not unique to Europe. Similar recipes flourished in Asia.





CREAMY RICOTTA CUSTARD



3/4 C part-skim ricotta cheese
4 oz. tub-style cream cheese, at room temp
1/4 C granular sugar substitute (I use Splenda)
2 large egg
1/4 C heavy cream
1/4 t vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon and nutmeg, for garnish

Heat oven to 250.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat ricotta and cream cheese until creamy. Add sugar substitute and beat until well combined. Add eggs, heavy cream, and vanilla; beat until well-blended.
Transfer mixture to 4 (8 oz) ramekins. Place ramekins in a baking dish. Add hot water to baking dish to a depth of 1 inch. Bake until custards are set, about 45 min. Remove from water bath and cool on rack. Serve chilled or at room temperature, sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg.


This creamy, cheesecake-like custard goes well with fresh berries scattered over top and around the plate. Such as strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries. A dollop of whip cream as a finish. This would be worthy of company. Or....great plain for any time of day!

Crustless Clean Out The Frig Quiche

Quiche....

According to Wikipedia:

Although quiche is now a classic dish of French cuisine, quiche actually originated in Germany, in the medieval kingdom of Lothringen, under German rule, and which the French later
renamed Lorraine. The word ‘quiche’ is
from the German ‘Kuchen’, meaning cake.

In French cuisine, a quiche is a baked dish that is based on a custard made from eggs and milk or cream in a pastry crust. Usually, the pastry shell is blind baked before the other ingredients are added for a secondary baking period. Other ingredients such as cooked chopped meat, vegetables, or cheese are often added to the egg mixture before the quiche is baked. Quiche is generally an open pie (i.e. does not contain a pastry covering), but may include an arrangement of tomato slices or pastry off-cuts for a decorative finish. Quiche is predominantly a breakfast dish, however it is acceptable to eat it for lunch or dinner. There is no one recipe known as a "breakfast quiche" because all quiche are breakfast foods. This is, however, not the case in the United Kingdom, where quiche as a 'breakfast food' is unheard of, as well as in France where it is usually sold in boulangeries for lunch.

Quiche became popular in England sometime after the Second World War, and in the U.S. during the 1950s. Many attribute Julia Child introducing Quiche to America. Today, one can find many varieties of quiche, from the original quiche Lorraine, to ones with broccoli, mushrooms, ham and/or seafood (primarily shellfish). Quiche can be served as an entrée, for lunch, breakfast or an evening snack.

I personally love Quiche. The first time I ever made it I was working for a doctor and it was my turn to provide lunch to the staff. I decided on quiche. I was young at the time and thought it would provide accolades that I truly was sophisticated and continental! Yes, youth has its folly. But, accolades were provided...to the quiche. Everyone loved it.

Recently, I have been visiting my low carb past. This falls into a most acceptable low carb dish, as well as delicious. Hence, crustless. If you wish to have a pastry (pie) crust, by all means add it and enjoy.


CRUSTLESS CLEAN OUT THE FRIG QUICHE

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 cup heavy cream
8 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 tsp pepper (your preference)
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup swiss cheese, shredded
1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
1 cup chopped canadian bacon (or any leftover meats like turkey, ham, beef, pork, seafood)
1 cup finely chopped zucchini (or any leftover vegies, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, etc)
1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
3 tbsp green onion, chopped
1 Roma tomato, chopped for garnish

Mix eggs and heavy cream, salt, pepper and pour into a Pam sprayed glass pie pan. Have all your vegetables chopped and ready. Save 1/4 cup of canadian bacon for top, then mix remaining canadian bacon with the veggies and mushrooms. Add to cream mixtures in pie pan and gently press so veggies sink into egg/cream mixture. Sprinkle all your cheeses over the top, edge to edge. Sprinkle remaining canadian bacon and green onions on top.

Bake 40-45 minutes until top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Rest 15 minutes before cutting. Garnish with chopped tomato. Enjoy hot, room temperature, cold. Keeps nicely in refrigerator for several days. I like to portion into zip lock bags and freeze for fast microwaving. Serves 6 generously or 8 smaller wedges.

Easy Homemade Doughnuts

Sometimes.....ya just gotta have 'em!

Hot....
Melt in your mouth.....
Doughnuts............

There are hundreds of recipes similar to this one, I'm sure. But when you cut to the chase. It just silly simple.

Oh, and did I say easy. Yes, easy. Uh, did I mention it is yummy. Okay, okay....I'll just shut up and give you this 'its so simple its silly' recipe.



1-2 cans biscuits (not flaky type)
powdered sugar
cinnamon and sugar
can of chocolate frosting
Oil


If you have two brown paper lunch bags you may put powdered sugar in one and cinnamon and sugar in the other. You will be dropping hot doughnuts in the bags and shaking gently to coat. if you do not have bags, bowls will work and a spoon for coating the doughnuts.

Heat oil to 350 degree. Remove biscuits from can. If you have doughnut hole cutters, great. But if you do not, take a cap off a water bottle and cut the center out of each donut. Save these 'holes' for frying too.

Oil should be at least 2-3 inches deep in skillet. I prefer a deep fryer. Do not crowd the fryer. Perhaps 2-3 donuts at a time may be added. Turn the donut when the bottom turns golden brown. Remove doughnut immediately, briefly rest on a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Then select powdered sugar or cinnamon and sugar and coat donuts either by gently shaking in a bag or spooning over donut in bowl. Or, using the chocolate frosting, ice the top of the donut. You can also use white icing and sprinkles to decorate.

Southern Honey Fried Chicken With Buttermilk Waffles

I have watched Alton Brown on food network's Feasting on Asphalt munching on fried chicken on waffles.

I have observed in several other programming this being featured as well. Researching southern cuisine I have ran across similar recipes.

Well.......I've had enough. I first thought it bizarre. Then I rethought it when my mouth watered. I just had to try it!

And I did. And it was. Yummy, that is. Crunchy fried chicken with a bite of waffle and a drizzle of maple syrup. That could quite possibly be the perfect bite.

Yes, my wheels are turning. Yes I'm thinking kicking it up a notch higher. Next I am going to try boneless fried chicken tenders over waffles and drizzled with sausage gravy. It may be a heart attack on a platter, but what a way to go. Oh heck, might as well serve a side of freshly made home fries too.

But here is the sweeter version and deserves its own kudos.

Note: I would start the waffles first and continue cooking them while you fry chicken. Keep waffles layered between paper towels in a warm oven until dish is ready to be assembled.



Honey Fried Chicken


1 whole chicken cut into parts
4 large eggs
½ cup buttermilk
¼ cup honey
1 cup flour
1 tbsp seasoned salt
1 tbsp garlic salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
2-3 cups vegetable oil

1. Cut and clean all chicken parts. Set aside in a bowl of ice water.
2. Place flour on a large plate and set aside.
3. Coat frying pan with vegetable oil, and heat over a medium flame.
4. Combine and briskly stir the eggs, buttermilk and honey until ingredients are
   evenly mixed. NOTE: Mixture should have the same consistency as syrup.
5. Generously season both sides of chicken parts with salt, garlic salt, poultry seasoning,black
   pepper and cayenne pepper.
6. Dip chicken into the egg and honey buttermilk batter and let excess batter dip
   off.
7. Evenly coat the chicken in flour.
8. Fry the chicken for 8-10 minutes on each side or until chicken is golden
   brown.
9. When done, place the chicken on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

Buttermilk Waffles



* 2 cups flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 2 teaspoon baking powder
* 3 eggs, separated
* 2 cup buttermilk
* 1/3 cup melted shortening
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* Maple Syrup

1. Combine and mix dry ingredients.
2. Add egg yolks, buttermilk, vanilla and melted shortening
3. Whip egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff, then fold in.
4. Bake in preheated, lightly greased waffle iron.


Serves 3-4.


Place waffle on plate. Stack fried chicken as you would like to present it. Drizzle the chicken and waffle with maple syrup.

Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake

Granted this may not be the most attractive blueberry coffee cake. But it certainly tastes nice with a cup of coffee in the morning. The crunch of the streusel topping is delightful with its sugary sweetness. The pop of a blueberry in your mouth wrapped around a moist cake.......refreshing.


This is a Saturday morning, curl up in the corner of the couch in your jammies with a hot cup of java and a warm from the oven piece of coffee cake. How about bites between reading the funnies on Sunday morning? If you play your cards right, there could possibly be a piece leftover for Monday morning and the rush out the door to the office.

I've seen this recipe several places, but I believe Land O'Lakes created it.

For the cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup milk or half & half
• 1 egg
• 2 cups fresh or frozen, unthawed blueberries
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

For the streusel topping

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F for baking

In a large mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, butter, milk (or half & half) and egg, blending with an electric mixer until thoroughly combined

Gently fold in blueberries and lemon zest by hand, transferring batter to a well-greased and floured 8 or 9 inch square baking dish, or 9 inch springform pan.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cut in softened butter with fingers and mix until topping resembles coarse meal. Crumble topping over batter and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife inserted near center comes out clean.

Canned Peach Pie

There is no argument from me that FRESH peach pie is THE BEST. With that said, however, there are those times when you have to resort to the cupboard and canned peaches.

My inspiration to make this pie came from the fact I observed an over abundance of canned peaches in the cupboard. Time to scale them down!

The darker filling appearance comes from the addition of brown sugar which lends a hint of carmel flavoring as well as cinnamon and nutmeg.

Don't feel like making your own homemade crust? No problem, pick up a ready made crust at the grocery and this pie is a snap to make. Ahhh.....no peeling peaches. No removing peach stones. Quick and easy.






2 29oz canned peaches, drained very well
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons Flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter, cut in small cubes


400 degree oven. Lay bottom crust in 9 inch pie pan. Place drained peaches in a mixing bowl. Add brown and white sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg. Mix gently to blend. Place peach mixture in bottom crust. Dot the top of the peaches with the butter cubes.

Lay top crust layer on pie and flute the edges to seal. Make an egg wash with 1 egg beaten and 1 tablespoon of water. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash over the pie top and edges. Use a knife and cut slits or a design of your choice in the top for venting.

Bake for 55-60 minutes or until crust is golden and peaches are bubbly.

Fruit Kabobs

Okay....it's simple.

Yes, Nothing to it....

Everybody has eaten them....


But you know what?! I still like eating them. Humid days bring me back to revisiting this easy fix many times through the dog days of summer.

Just in case it has slipped your mind to throw something so simple as this together, I drop it in just as a reminder.


2 quarts of strawberries
1 pint of blackberries
1 canteloupe
4 kiwi
1 pint of raspberries
1 container of strawberry yogurt
1 cup cool whip
Wooden skewers



Clean and halve strawberries. Rinse blackberries and raspberries carefully. Do not let them sit in water. Peel kiwi and cut in chunks. Peel and remove seeds of canteloupe, cut in chunks.

Thread the fruit on the skewer in the pattern of your choice. Mix yogurt and cool whip together. Place in a decorative platter with dip bowl.

Serve.

Cabbage Rolls

I posted a recipe for Spaghetti sauce a few posts ago. I had sauce leftover from my spaghetti dinner.

So, I decided to incorporate that and make cabbage rolls. Normally, cabbage rolls have a simple tomato base which I've never thought was very flavorful.

This was my attempt at adding a little more flavor to the pot!

• 12 leaves cabbage
• 1 cup cooked white rice
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1 pound extra-lean ground beef
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 4 cups of leftover spaghetti sauce with meat
  
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
  
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil cabbage leaves 2 minutes; drain.

1. In large bowl, combine 1 cup cooked rice, egg, milk, onion, ground beef, salt, and pepper. Place about 1/4 cup of meat mixture in center of each cabbage leaf, and roll up, tucking in ends. Place rolls in slow cooker.
2. In a small bowl, mix together tomato sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce and then stir in the spaghetti sauce, mix well. Pour over cabbage rolls.
3. Cover, and cook on Low 8 to 9 hours.

Kentucky-Ohio Salad

The Kentucky portion of this salad originated at Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill in Kentucky.

The Ohio portion of this salad was a twist I added to it here in my Ohio kitchen....

According to Wikipedia,

Gelatin, a protein produced from collagen extracted from the boiled bones, connective tissues, and intestines of animals, has been well-known and used for many years.

It was popularized in the Victorian era with spectacular and complex "jelly moulds". Gelatin was sold in sheets and had to be purified, which was very time-consuming. It also made gelatin desserts the province of the relatively well-to-do. In 1845, industrialist Peter Cooper (who built the first American steam-powered locomotive, the Tom Thumb), obtained a patent (US Patent 4084) for powdered gelatin.^[1][2]

Forty years later the patent was sold to a LeRoy, New York-based carpenter and cough syrup manufacturer, Pearle B. Wait. He and his wife May added strawberry, raspberry, orange and lemon flavoring to the powder and gave the product its present name in 1897. Unable to successfully market their concoction, in 1899 the Waits sold the business to a neighbor, Orator Francis Woodward, for $450.

Beginning in 1902, Woodward's Genesee Pure Food Company placed advertisements in the Ladies' Home Journal proclaiming Jell-O to be "America's Most Famous Dessert." Jell-O remained a minor success until 1904, when Genesee Pure Food Company sent enormous numbers of salesmen out into the field to distribute free Jell-O cookbooks, a pioneering marketing tactic at the time.^[3] Within a decade, three new flavors, chocolate (discontinued in 1927), cherry and peach, were added, and the brand was launched in Canada.

As of 2008^[update], there are more than 158 products sold under the Jell-O brand name and about 300 million boxes of Jell-O gelatin sold in the United States each year.

So, one could say...its an old fashioned dessert that continues to be used and new recipes created from it.

For me, I just have to have jello in one form or another throughout the year. This recipe sounded unique, a bit unusual and I just had to try it. It will end up being a 'keeper' because it was refreshing as well as unique.

2 packages (3 oz) lime gelatin dessert

2 cups crushed pineapple (drain juice, but save)

Pineapple juice and hot water to make 2 cups (very hot)

1 cup cold water

1-1/2 cups grated cucumber (Scoop seeds from middle before grating)

1/2 miracle whip

4 oz cream cheese

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Drain pineapple and cucumber well.

Make gelatin dessert according to package recipe. Cool to consistency of egg white.

Fold in pineapple, cucumber and lemon juice, miracle whip and softened cream cheese.

Pour into mold or glass casserole to cut in squares and refrigerate. Unmold and serve on crisp lettuce .

Gourmet With a Twist Spaghetti Sauce

O Sole Mio...traveling to Italy today for my menu choice.

There is something deeply satisfying to put a sauce on to simmer for hours. The smell permeates your home.

Walking past the sauce pan and stirring occasionally, along with a taste test and perhaps an additional sprinkle of this or that makes you feel like an artist!

This is a great weekend dish. Great to put on the stove to simmer while you catch up on housework or laundry. Sit down in the evening to a side salad and garlic cheese biscuits and enjoy a plate of spaghetti with a sauce that didn't come in a jar.

The unusual 'twist' in this recipe is the 1/4 cup coffee. It adds a depth of flavor you cannot put your finger on.


3 pounds Ground Chuck
1 cup chopped Onions
1 cup chopped Green Pepper
2 small cans chopped Mushrooms or preferred 1 quart fresh sliced mushrooms
1 medium can Tomato Sauce
2 cloves minced Garlic
1 package Spaghetti Sauce Mix
Cayenne Pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Thyme
1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
3/4 teaspoon Oregano
1/4 teaspoon Sage
4 Bay Leaves, (4 to 6)
2 small cans Tomato Paste
1 Tomato Paste can Water
1/4 cup cold coffee
Salt and Pepper, to taste

1. Brown ground chuck and onion until beef is browned. Crumble ground chuck with wooden spoon while cooking. Drain off excess fat.

2. Add green pepper, mushrooms, tomato sauce, garlic, spaghetti sauce mix, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, thyme, Italian seasoning, oregano, sage, bay leaves, tomato paste, 1 tomato paste can of water, 1/4 cup cold coffee, salt and pepper.

3. Simmer several hours. Remove bay leaves.

4. Serve over hot spaghetti with grated parmesan cheese, toss salad, garlic cheese biscuits.



Garlic Cheese Biscuits

2 cups bisquick or jiffy baking mix
2/3-3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Mix baking mix and milk, until just mixed. The variance in milk was given in case you prefer a less 'firm' biscuit, add the additional milk. Mix in the cheddar cheese.

Bake at 450 degree for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown on a Pam sprayed baking sheet. Add the garlic powder to the melted butter and baste with a pastry brush on top and sides of hot from the oven biscuits.

If you've ever eaten the yummy bread at Red Lobster Restaurants....this will walk you down memory lane as a close second.

Tuna Noodle Bake

How many times does the working woman run out the door in the morning and FORGET to lay out meat to unthaw for dinner?!

Uh....hopefully, I'm not the only one.

Sometimes, it is just simply I'm hungry for Tuna!

Do you have 'those' in your family who are not very fond of tuna? Here is a recipe that has a hint of chicken pot pie elements mixed with noodles and to 'them' the dreaded tuna.

Most likely, after the first bite, they will be ready to ask for seconds. No complaints from this house!

A nice toss salad and warm dinner roll or biscuit rounds out this simple fare.



2 cans albacore tuna (less 'fishy' taste)
2 jars chicken gravy
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can carrots
1/2 cup frozen peas
6 cups of cooked noodles (8-10 oz)
Salt and pepper to taste
4 Tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 cup crushed potato chips
1 cup shredded chedder cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degree.

Cook noodles according to package with 1/2 tsp salt added to water. Drain and place in Pam sprayed glass casserole dish, toss with 2 Tbsp butter. Add tuna, gravy, soup, carrots, peas, salt and pepper and stir gently to mix.

Top noodle mixture with shredded cheddar cheese. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter with bread crumbs until dry and crumbly, then toss with the potato chips. Sprinkle bread crumb and potato chip mixture on top of cheese.

Bake in oven uncovered until bubbly. Approximately 20-30 minutes.

Roast Beef Stew

In the mood for comfort food? How about from skillet to table in 35-40 minutes?

This stew recipe came from an idea my mother presented. We had cooked a roast on Sunday and had leftovers. Opening the refrigerator to explore also discovered three ears of fresh corn that needed used.

Viola! Supper.

Fast, easy and leftovers re-purposed.

Here is an interesting tidbit of 'stew' history from Wikipedia, then onto the recipe!

Stews have been made since prehistoric times. Herodotus says that the Scythians (8th to 4th centuries BC) "put the flesh into an animal's paunch, mix water with it, and boil it like that over the bone fire. The bones burn very well, and the paunch easily contains all the meat once it has been stripped off. In this way an ox, or any other sacrificial beast, is ingeniously made to boil itself." Some sources consider that this was how boiling was first done by primitive man, perhaps as long ago as ½ to 1 million years ago.

There is evidence that primitive tribes boiled foods together as a prelude to mating rituals. Amazonian tribes used the shells of turtles as vessels, boiling the entrails of the turtle and various other ingredients in them. Other cultures used the shells of large mollusks (clams etc.) to boil foods in.There is archaeological evidence of these practices going back 8,000 years or more.

There are recipes for lamb stews and fish stews in the Roman cookery book Apicius, believed to date from the 4th century. Le Viandier, one of the oldest cookbooks in French, written by the French chef known as Taillevent, has ragouts or stews of various types in it.

Hungarian Goulash dates back to the 9th century Magyar shepherds of the area, before the existence of Hungary. Paprika was added in the 18th century.

The first written reference to 'Irish stew' is in Byron's 'Devil's Drive' (1814): "The Devil ... dined on ... a rebel or so in an Irish stew.

A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables (such as carrots, potatoes, beans, peppers and tomatoes etc.), meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef. Poultry, sausages, and seafood are also used. While water can be used as the stew-cooking liquid, wine, stock, and beer are also common. Seasoning and flavourings may also be added. Stews are typically cooked at a relatively low temperature (simmered, not boiled), allowing flavors to mingle.

Stewing is suitable for the least tender cuts of meat that become tender and juicy with the slow moist heat method. This makes it popular in low-cost cooking. Cuts having a certain amount of marbling and gelatinous connective tissue give moist, juicy stews, while lean meat may easily become dry.

Stews may be thickened by reduction or thickened with flour, either by coating pieces of meat with flour before searing, or by using a roux or beurre manié, a dough consisting of equal parts of butter and flour. Thickeners like cornstarch or arrowroot may also be used.

ROAST BEEF STEW


1-2 pounds leftover beef roast, cut in cubes
1 whole onion, diced medium chunks
1 cup baby carrots, cut in thirds
3 ears of fresh corn, cut from the cob
1/2 cup frozen peas
4 -5 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 jars Beef Gravy
1/2 tsp. Marjoram
1/2 tsp. Oregano
1/2 tsp. Mural of Flavor (Found at Penzeys)
1 tbsp. Parsley
2 Tablespoons oil



Heat oil on medium heat. Add onions and carrots. Saute until onions become translucent, but not browned. Add corn, potatoes, gravy, all spices except parsley. Place lid on skillet and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking until potatoes are fork tender. Add frozen peas and parsley. Continue cooking five minutes until peas are just heated.

A nice slice of crusty artisan bread and butter or hot from the oven steaming biscuit completes this winner.

Strawberry Cream Salad

Summer....

Ripe red delicious strawberries. Don't you think that is one of the essence that speaks summer?

I remember growing up, you had to actually WAIT for summer to grow or purchase strawberries. Unlike today where they are imported year round from other markets and countries.

Back in my childhood days, there was something special about waiting for the month that produced strawberries. Did they taste more ripe? Did they taste more sweet? Did the perfume fill your nostrils? My memory seems to think so. Oh, the anticipation!

With that said, there is something to be said about the year round availability of today. You can make this unusual 'salad' upon a whim.

I stumbled upon this at Allrecipes.Com. It is similar to a strawberry pretzel salad. I am a bit mystified that they are both in the salad category, I think they could also be in a dessert category as well. The crunchy, sweet and salty cracker-walnut flecked meringue layer lends an unusual twist. The cool and creamy cheese layer and satiny strawberry topping is heaven in your mouth. The original recipe calls for 6 egg whites. Next time I make it, I am going to reduce to three egg whites and see if it gives an even more crunchy crust. I provide that to you here....

3 egg whites 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 2 cups white sugar, or half Splenda 2 cups coarsely broken soda crackers 3/4 cup chopped walnuts 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup white sugar 1 (16 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed 1 (6 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin mix 2 cups boiling water 1 (20 ounce) package frozen, sliced strawberries

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.	In a large bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and sugar and beat on medium speed until stiff. It seems using pint of egg whites, it takes longer beating. Fold in cracker pieces, walnuts and vanilla. Spread into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Bake in preheated of for 25 minutes, remove from oven and set aside to cool.
3.	In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar. Fold in whipped topping and spread atop cooled crust.
4.	In a medium bowl, whisk the boiling water into the gelatin to dissolve. Mix in strawberries and let stand for 15 minutes. Pour over the cream cheese layer, cover and chill until serving.