Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Teething Biscuits

Here is a recipe I just made for teething biscuits for Brianna. You can also leave it as just bread, or even muffins instead of going the extra step to make "biscuits". Replace the bananas with any fruit you like!

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Ann's Blueberry Muffins

From: The Mandrell Family Cookbook

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups blueberries



In a bowl blend eggs, butter, milk and sugar until smooth. Mix in flour, baking powder, salt and blueberries. Fill greased muffin pans and bake in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. Makes about a dozen muffins.


What I did differently from the recipe:
Nothing.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Thumbs up. These were good, although they sure wouldn't win a beauty contest, but to be honest they were just as good as any blueberry mix you can buy, and the mix would probably be cheaper unless blueberries are in season. But they were definitely easy and good - nothing wrong with them at all!

Printable version:

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups blueberries

In a bowl blend eggs, butter, milk and sugar until smooth. Mix in flour, baking powder, salt and blueberries. Fill greased muffin pans and bake in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. Makes about a dozen muffins.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Broccoli and Beef Stir-Fry

From: Great American Brand Name Recipes Cookbook

Ingredients:
boneless tender beef steak (about 1/2 lb or so)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
4 Tbsp soy sauce, divided
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp minced fresh ginger root
1 cloved minced garlic
1 lb broccoli
1 1/4 cups water
4 tsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 onion, chunked
hot cooked rice




Cut beef across grain into thin slices. Combine 1 Tbsp each cornstarch and soy sauce with sugar, ginger and garlic in small bowl; stir in beef. Let stand 15 minutes. Meanwhile, chop broccoli if necessary. Combine water, 4 tsp cornstarch and remaining 3 Tbsp soy sauce; set aside. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in hot wok or large skillet over high heat. Add beef and stir-fry 1 minute; remove.


Heat remaining 2 Tbsp oil in same pan. Add broccoli and onion; stir-fry 4 minutes. Stir in beef and soy sauce mixture. Cook and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Serve immediately over rice.



What I did differently from the recipe:
I made ours with not just broccoli, but also carrots, red peppers and green peppers. I actually did onions and some peppers separately in some soy sauce mixture because Stephen doesn't like onions but I love them. Also, when I do stir-fry I always do the same thing to my beef - I cut it, spread it on the cutting board, pour over it salt, pepper, garlic salt, onion powder, and Italian seasoning (or other spices if I'm feeling creative), then I flip the pieces and sprinkle all of those on the other side. I mix it really well, and then for this recipe I "hand-breaded" it in the cornstarch/soy sauce/garlic/ginger mix. It really coated the beef and was very thick. Yum! I threw the carrots and peppers in at the same time as the broccoli. I also cooked everything much longer than the recipe called for.

What I'll do differently next time:
A combination of the above, probably.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! We eat a lot of stir-fry and this is the first time I've added peppers - the green ones came in our food co-op last week and the red were on clearance a couple of weeks ago. Stephen definitely crinkled his nose at the smell of the peppers cooking but to his credit he ate them. He said they were delicious and I thought so too! I was surprised that the flavor was not really intense of this dish though. I left out a little soy sauce because it seemed like a lot to me, but I ended up dashing my serving with honey terikayi marinade and it was awesome.

Printable version:

Ingredients:
boneless tender beef steak (about 1/2 lb or so)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
4 Tbsp soy sauce, divided
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp minced fresh ginger root
1 cloved minced garlic
1 lb broccoli
1 1/4 cups water
4 tsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 onion, chunked
hot cooked rice

Cut beef across grain into thin slices. Combine 1 Tbsp each cornstarch and soy sauce with sugar, ginger and garlic in small bowl; stir in beef. Let stand 15 minutes. Meanwhile, chop broccoli if necessary. Combine water, 4 tsp cornstarch and remaining 3 Tbsp soy sauce; set aside. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in hot wok or large skillet over high heat. Add beef and stir-fry 1 minute; remove.
Heat remaining 2 Tbsp oil in same pan. Add broccoli and onion; stir-fry 4 minutes. Stir in beef and soy sauce mixture. Cook and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Serve immediately over rice.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Tortellini Soup

From: ???

Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
4 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 tsp thyme
3 cloves garlic
1 32 oz carton chicken broth
2 medium zucchini
4 plum tomatoes
1 1/2 cup frozen cheese-filled tortellini
1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained



Place onion, carrots, celery, thyme, garlic, and 2 cups chicken broth in saucepot. Heat to boil. Cover and cook on low for 10 minutes.


Add remaining broth, zucchini, tomatoes, tortellini, and beans. Heat to boil and cover. Cook 5 minutes. Serve with Parmesan if desired.


What I did differently from the recipe:
I didn't have any plum tomatoes and when I saw how expensive they are (averaging $3.99 for a pack of three!!) I just chopped up some tomatoes I had in huge chunks. I also had cheese-filled ravioli in the freezer, so I subbed that for the tortellini.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Added some Parmesan and this was good. Very easy recipe.

Printable version:
Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
4 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 tsp thyme
3 cloves garlic
1 32 oz carton chicken broth
2 medium zucchini
4 plum tomatoes
1 1/2 cup frozen cheese-filled tortellini
1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained

Place onion, carrots, celery, thyme, garlic, and 2 cups chicken broth in saucepot. Heat to boil. Cover and cook on low for 10 minutes. Add remaining broth, zucchini, tomatoes, tortellini, and beans. Heat to boil and cover. Cook 5 minutes. Serve with Parmesan if desired.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Pork Chop Barbecue

From: Better Homes and Gardens cookbook

Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
3 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp yellow mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 slice lemon
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 tsp liquid smoke
6 pork rib chops, cut 3/4 inch thick
1 to 2 Tbsp cooking oil


For sauce, in a small saucepan combine the water, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Add lemon slice and onion. Bring mixture to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke. Return to boiling. Remove from heat; discard lemon slice.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet brown pork chops, half at a time, in hot oil over medium-high heat. Place pork chops in a 3-quart rectangular baking dish; pour sauce over chops.

Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until meat juices run clear, turning once. Remove chops to a serving platter. Pour sauce over all.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I used lemon juice because I didn't have a lemon (just gave it a good squeeze!) and we just used two 1/2-pound bone-in pork chops because that's what we had in the freezer.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Thumbs UP! I am not really a pork chops fan but I keep cooking them because Stephen loves them. I have found many ways now that I like them but this is one of the best! Stephen liked it a lot too, which surprised me because he doesn't like barbecue-flavored things... except for barbecue, obviously! He doesn't like onions so I sauteed just a handful of onions for myself and added them at the last minute - delicious! This recipe is definitely going to become a staple for us!

Printable version:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water
3 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp yellow mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 slice lemon
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 tsp liquid smoke
6 pork rib chops, cut 3/4 inch thick
1 to 2 Tbsp cooking oil

For sauce, in a small saucepan combine the water, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Add lemon slice and onion. Bring mixture to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke. Return to boiling. Remove from heat; discard lemon slice.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet brown pork chops, half at a time, in hot oil over medium-high heat. Place pork chops in a 3-quart rectangular baking dish; pour sauce over chops.

Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until meat juices run clear, turning once. Remove chops to a serving platter. Pour sauce over all.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Easy Icing Recipe

I don't have a picture for this recipe. Last night I needed a quick dessert to take to our family's house, so I just made sugar cookies from a pouch. I wanted something to spice them up (not literally) so I threw together this quick and easy frosting to put on some of them. You shouldn't need to make less of this recipe, if anything you may need to double it. But it's a great "starter" icing:

1 cup confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
2 tsp milk
2 tsp corn syrup
1/4 tsp almond extract

In a small bowl, stir together sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If the icing is too thick, you can keep adding more corn syrup.

Add food coloring if you want to, or flavors such as vanilla or lemon extract instead of the almond - yum!

This is great on cookies, especially the sugar cookies or gingerbread cookies. The icing dries relatively fast which is great for gifts :)

Baker's Dozen Yeast Rolls

From: This website

Please note: Yeast rolls are what you might call my "nemesis". I cannot get them light and fluffy, so I am always trying new recipes. Even if a recipe doesn't work for me, you should still try it. You will probably have better luck with it than I! Plus, I am trying to do this without a bread machine. I own a bread machine but I know this can be done without using it.

Ingredients:

2 to 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 package (1/4 oz) quick-rise yeast
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup warm water (120 to 130 degrees)
2 Tbsp plus 4 tsp butter, melted, divided
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tsp honey
1/8 tsp garlic salt


In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add water and 2 Tbsp butter; beat on medium speed for 3 minutes or until smooth. Stir in cheese and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 4-6 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Divide into 13 pieces. Shape each into a ball. Place in a greased 9-inch round baking pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375 for 11-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Combine the honey, garlic salt and remaining butter; brush over rolls. Remove to a wire rack to cool.


What I did differently from the recipe:
Well, do you count the fact that I totally skipped "Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 4-6 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. "?? I have no clue how I missed that in the recipe!! My goodness.

What I'll do differently next time:
Follow the recipe. Ha ha. Actually, I think next time I will leave out the cheddar cheese and just use the honey butter (no garlic salt).

Verdict:
It's a miracle! They were full and soft and fluffy goodness!! BUT - we didn't like the cheese flavor. So I am hoping these will taste just as good if I leave the cheese out the next time. They weren't exactly like the yeast rolls of my dreams (Golden Corral) but if I can make rolls like these all the time I would be thrilled. I also didn't really like the butter/honey/garlic flavor mixed with the cheese. I think I'd love the plain rolls with honey butter though.

Ingredients:

2 to 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 package (1/4 oz) quick-rise yeast
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup warm water (120 to 130 degrees)
2 Tbsp plus 4 tsp butter, melted, divided
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tsp honey
1/8 tsp garlic salt

In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add water and 2 Tbsp butter; beat on medium speed for 3 minutes or until smooth. Stir in cheese and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 4-6 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Divide into 13 pieces. Shape each into a ball. Place in a greased 9-inch round baking pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375 for 11-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Combine the honey, garlic salt and remaining butter; brush over rolls. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Mom's Yeast Rolls (not my mom)

From: This website (not my mother's recipe; this is just what they are called)

Please note: Yeast rolls are what you might call my "nemesis". I cannot get them light and fluffy, so I am always trying new recipes. Even if a recipe doesn't work for me, you should still try it. You will probably have better luck with it than I! Plus, I am trying to do this without a bread machine. I own a bread machine but I know this can be done without using it.

Ingredients:
2 cups hot water
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold water
2 (.25) packages active dry yeast
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs


Melt butter in hot water. Add sugar and salt and stir. Add cold water and yeast. Stir to dissolve yeast. Add 3 cups flour and mix. Add eggs and 2 1/2 - 3 cups more flour. Mix, cover and let rise until dough doubles in size. Punch down and let rise 30 more minutes or until doubles. Make walnut size balls of dough. Place about 2 inches apart in a well-buttered 9x13 pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes. Brush tops of rolls with butter while hot.



What I did differently from the recipe:
I halved it.

What I'll do differently next time:
I'm not sure. What should I do differently to make them work?

Verdict:
Neutral. They had great flavor but they weren't fluffy. Why do my yeast rolls never fluff?? As you can see in the pictures, the second round fluffed more than the first ones for some reason. My rolls rise, but for some reason they don't fluff in the oven.

Printable version:

Ingredients:

2 cups hot water
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold water
2 (.25) packages active dry yeast
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs

Melt butter in hot water. Add sugar and salt and stir. Add cold water and yeast. Stir to dissolve yeast. Add 3 cups flour and mix. Add eggs and 2 1/2 - 3 cups more flour. Mix, cover and let rise until dough doubles in size. Punch down and let rise 30 more minutes or until doubles. Make walnut size balls of dough. Place about 2 inches apart in a well-buttered 9x13 pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes. Brush tops of rolls with butter while hot.