In the Kitchen - Sweet Potato Apple Salad

This healthy salad is from the South Beach Diet Cookbook, page 135. It's yummy! It definitely needs to be served cold and could stand for a little chiffonade of mint.

1.5 lb sweet potatoes, scrubbed
1 large apple, peeled, cored and cubed
1 large rib celery chopped
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar substitute
Pinch of salt

Place the sweet potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain and cool. Peel and cut into cubes.

In a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, apple and celery

In a small bowl whisk together the orange juice, oil, vinegar, sugar substitute and salt.

Pour the mixture over the potato mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 4 Servings
280 calories, 4 g fat, 3 g protein, 51 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 0 cholesterol, 35 mg sodium.

 I thought the orange juice, oil and vinegar mixture was too oily so I increased the orange juice by 1 tablespoon and the vinegar by one teaspoon. I don't use artificial sweetener and used regular granulated sugar.

Avocado Salsa

This yummy dish is one of my favorite snacks! I can eat it straight from the bowl - forget the chips. It's so easy to make.

2 ripened avocados
1 medium tomato
1/2 medium onion
1/2 lime
salt
cilantro - optional

Cut an avocado in half. An easy way to remove the pit is to whack it with a sharp knife. The pit will be stuck to the knife and just gently twist it out. Carefully push the pit off of the knife. Use a spoon and scrape the avocados into a medium bowl. Mash them with the back of a fork. I prefer mine a little chunky. Squeeze 1/2 lime juice over the mashed avocados. Dice your tomato and onion and add to the mix. Mix to combine and salt to taste. A tablespoon of fresh cilantro finely chopped completes the dish. Tastes great with chips, fresh vegetables or just by the spoonful!

Wholesome Oat Muffins

 These tasty muffins are so much better than store-bought, you'll want to bake a supply regularly. Make a double batch and freeze half for later.

1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons rolled oats
1 1/4 cups whole-grain pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup granular brown sugar substitute
1/3 cup canola oil
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 425F. Coat a 12 cup nonstick muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.

In a small bowl, combine buttermilk and 3/4 cup of the oats. Let soak for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile in a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in walnuts.

In a large bowl, stir together brown sugar substitute, oil, egg and vanilla until well blended. Stir in oat mixture. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.

Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons oats over muffins. Bake for 11 to 15 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins to the rack to cool completely.

Cocoa-Raspberry Shake

Yum! This delicious shake is allowed on my current phase of the South Beach Diet. It's been so hot that I haven't wanted to turn the stove on and cook. So we've been making do with simple stove top cooking (how I wish I had the space for a grill) and salads. I thought we deserved a cool treat!

Blend 1/2 cup fat-free milk, 1/2 cup artificially sweetened nonfat or low-fat raspberry yogurt, 1 packet sugar substitute, and 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder until frothy.

The review: I had to top mine with 1 teaspoon of fat-free frozen topping and a sprinkle of cocoa powder. Mine didn't froth, but I used a stick blender instead of a stand blender, so that might be the difference. Well, believe it or not I couldn't find artificially sweetened raspberry yogurt at the store, so I used cherry, but I like cherry better anyway. There is a hint of the artificial sweetener taste of the yogurt in the drink. Not bad, but noticeable. Next time I'll try a different brand of yogurt. I can only imagine how yummy this would be with sugar sweetened yogurt! (But that defeats the purpose of the South Beach diet). I didn't think 1 teaspoon of cocoa would give it enough of a chocolate taste, but I was wrong. It was nice rich and chocolatey. I also didn't have packets of sugar substitute so I used 1 tablespoon of Splenda. This is a smooth, creamy treat that doesn't taste like I should be eating it! I will definitely make this one again.

Vegetable Quiche Cups to Go

 "This crustless quiche recipe can be used as a base for any combination of vegetables and reduced-fat cheese. Once prepared, the quiches can be frozen individually and reheated in the microwave." Makes 12, 2 per serving. This is page 201 out of the South Beach Diet Supercharged book. Look for my review down below.

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar or Jack cheese
3/4 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper
1/4 cup finely diced onion
3 drops hot pepper sauce (optional)

Heat oven to 350F. Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

Place spinach in a microwaveable container and cook in the microwave on high power for 2.5 minutes. Drain excess liquid.

In a large bowl, combine spinach, cheese, egg, bell pepper, onion and pepper sauce, if using. Mix well. Divide evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.


Review:  I used 4 eggs instead of the egg substitute. When using eggs instead of egg substitute, first beat the eggs with a fork, then add the spinach, onion, cheese and green pepper. This went together fast and easy. I used frozen chopped onion and green pepper which made it even quicker. Even though I used cooking spray, they tended to stick in the pan. Next time I'd use a heavy coating of spray in each muffin cup, especially up the sides. Needs salt. My spinach wasn't squeezed out enough. When I bit into them, they tasted a little watery.  Next time I'll use a sieve and push out the water. I just used a fork against the side of the pan. They are thin, about half the height of a normal muffin, so a serving size of 2 is pretty small. I was still hungry after breakfast. They are very vegetable-y. Next time I'll add a couple more eggs to increase the egg to vegetable ratio and to make them a little bigger.

They tasted good. I liked the green pepper and hot sauce, in fact I'd a little more. I liked how easy they were to make. I could see making this in a double batch and having them in the freezer for a quick, healthy breakfast. My son's review: "I don't really like it". Why not? "Too vegetable-y" (obviously his grammar is picked up from me). Getting green vegetables into that child is a major feat so I wasn't too surprised. Mmmm... more for me.

They recipe would be yummy with ham and swiss with mushrooms, onions and broccoli. Or add some crab and garlic to this recipe.

Turkey Meatloaf with Mushrooms & White Beans

We're embarking on a program of better food choices and a more active lifestyle (nowhere did I say the words diet and exercise) and following the South Beach D*et (a word we don't say). I had great success on it back in 2003 when it first came out losing 50 lbs. Well the years have passed and the pounds have slowly crept back on. D*eting is like housework. Nobody likes it, you have to do it daily, it feels like it never ends and sometimes it you don't seem to be making progress. Sigh. Today's recipe is from page 212 of the South Beach Diet Supercharged book. Since this isn't my recipe, I'll review it for you. Look for my notes at the bottom of the recipe. Oh, and get ready for a bunch of recipes from the same source!

My food styling needs some green garnish to sprinkle down the center of the meatloaf.

"This healthy alternative to typical meatloaf adds white beans for a delicious high-fiber twist. Serve extra Dijon mustard on the side; it lends a satisfying, piquant flavor element".

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 lb mushrooms chopped
• 4 large cloves garlic minced
• 1 15 oz. can Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/4 lb extra lean ground turkey
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard plus extra for serving

Heat the oven to 375F. Lightly coat an 8x4x2/12" metal or glass loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, thyme, cayenne, paprika, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and mushrooms are incorporated, about 5 minutes longer. Add beans and stir to combine. Transfer mixture to a bowl and let cool, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine cooled bean mixture, turkey, eggs, parsley, and 2 teaspoons of the Worcestershire sauce. Mix well with wet hands to combine. Form into a loaf and place into the prepared pan (mine was just mushy and wouldn't stay in a loaf form).

Stir together mustard and remaining 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce and set aside.

Bake meatloaf on the middle rack of the oven for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with the reserved Worcestershire mixture. Return to the oven and continue baking 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until a thermometer inserted into the meatloaf registers 170F. Let meatloaf stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with additional Dijon mustard.

Makes 6 servings. Cooked meatloaf freezes well for up to 3 months. Cut it into individual portions before freezing and thaw in the microwave when ready to eat.

Review:

Well right off the bat lets talk about what I did different from the recipe. I didn't have parsley so that is missing. I didn't have paprika so I substituted chili powder (they are both spicy and red-ha!). I try to follow recipes, really I do. I just misread where it said 4 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce and read 4 tablespoons. So the meatloaf is extra Worcestershirey - lets see if anyone notices. I'm not sure my turkey was extra lean ground turkey. It came in a tube and was mush like. I'm thinking I should have sprung for the more expensive packaged ground turkey, but we'll see. Oh and when I put it into the pan it was full to the tippy-top of the pan. I put it on a jelly roll pan to catch overflow if necessary. 50 minutes later - Well good thing it was in the pan because when I went to brush the top with reserved sauce and mustard there was "juice" all over the pan, the top was submerged so I tilted the pan to let it run off and added the sauce.  Here I took a picture for you - yummy (not).

Hmm... not bad. The texture is a little weird with the beans in it and I'm not sure the paprika to chili powder substitution was a good one. I would reduce the amount of thyme the next time, I can really taste it and prefer a more subtle note. If you are expecting it to taste like ground beef meatloaf with ketchup and bread crumbs (plus other stuff of course) you will be disappointed. This is not that. But this is a healthier, more sophisticated seasoned meatloaf and it is good. I will be making it again (following the recipe a little more closely next time). I will also try doubling the recipe so I can freeze one while we eat one. Next time I'll spring for the more expensive packages of ground turkey and see what a difference that makes. My son agrees "not bad".

In the Kitchen - Dump Cake

OK, it's not the lemon sour cream pie I was talking about last week. I used the sour cream on baked potatoes and then didn't have enough for the recipe. I didn't feel like running out to the store, so you get a dump cake. I had a coworker who always brought in this cake for pitch-ins. It was a big hit.

1 can crushed pineapple
1 can extra cherry pie filling
1 box white or yellow cake mix. It really doesn't matter much. I used white because I had it.
2 sticks of butter (OMG - lots of butter)

Preheat oven to 350. In an 9"x13" pan dump in the can of pineapple with juice. Spread evenly. Dump in the can of cherry pie filling. Spread evenly. Dump the cake mix on top and you guessed it. Spread evenly. Cut each stick of butter into 12 pieces and spread evenly on top of the cake.

Bake for 1 hour.

Variations:

Use a pineapple upside down cake mix, add 1 cup shredded coconut and 1 cup pecans for a Tropical Dump Cake. Still use 2 sticks of butter.

Use 2 cans of cherry pie filling (no pineapple), 1 box chocolate cake mix, add 1 cup pecans and sprinkle 1/8 cup sugar over butter for a Black Forrest dump cake. Still use 2 sticks of butter.

Serve hot or cold. Vanilla ice cream is always a nice addition. Serves 12 (or more like 9 with a hungry teenager in the house).

Enjoy!

In the Kitchen - Cilantro Slaw

This is one of my all time favorite side dishes. They serve it at Cactus Bar & Grill, (warning music plays on the website so mute it if you're at work!) 404 S. Wells Chicago. (Shameless plug: Go there! It's a fun place with good food and drink specials). I'll order a cup of it instead of french fries. The bar just happens to be owned by my brother and I work there and several of his other places as a bookkeeper. I lucked out and just got the recipe so I can make it anytime I want (like for 4th of July). The original recipe was published in Bon Appetit June 2006. Like most of my cooking, it's super simple and inexpensive.

Cilantro Slaw

- 12 ounces purchased shredded three-color coleslaw mix (about 7 cups). I could only find a 16 ounce package of plain green, so I chopped red cabbage and cut carrots and added it to the mix.

- 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

- 3 tablespoons canola oil

- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (if you use concentrate use the appropriate reduced amount, ask me how I know)

- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Place coleslaw mix and cilantro in a large bowl. Whisk canola oil, lime juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl to blend. Add to cabbage mixture; toss to coat.

A little trivia: Cilantro is the leaves and stems of the coriander plant. It is a member of the carrot family and can also be referred to as Chinese Parsley. Some people have a genetic permutation so that cilantro tastes like soapy, gasoline flavored water. Cilantro is widely used in Mexican, Caribbean and Asian cooking.

Enjoy!

In the Kitchen - Summer Slaw

This is my favorite go-to dish for picnics. It isn't mayonnaise based so it holds up well in the summer heat. The recipe makes a large bowl full for those big gatherings. You can cut the recipe in half if you want.

Slaw
2 packages Broccoli Slaw Mix
2 cups sunflower kernel seeds
2 cups cashews broken up
2 cups craisens
2 bunches chopped green onions
4 packages chicken Ramen noodles crushed

Dressing
1 cup oil
1 cup vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
4 Ramen chicken flavor packets

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Crush the Ramen noodles and add, reserving the flavor packet for the dressing.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl and let set for 1/2 hour, mixing occasionally.

Pour dressing over slaw and toss well.

Enjoy!

In the Kitchen - Grandma's Pancakes

This is my favorite pancake recipe. It supposedly makes 16 servings. Obviously they haven't fed a teenage boy, but the recipe does make a lot. The recipe has extra sugar in it so syrup isn't needed. We just pick them up and eat them like a piece of toast (how uncouth). The extra are great the next day for breakfast or a midnight snack. My son eats them cold, but I've had good luck toasting them in the toaster. Just watch so they don't burn until you see how long it takes in your toaster, as each are different. Wooden tongs are great for getting them out.

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons white sugar
2 1/2  Cups of Milk *
2 eggs
1/2 Cup (1 stick) butter melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 Tablespoon cinnamon (we like lots so I use 2 Tablespoons)

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cinnamon. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla; mix until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle (I use a non-stick with no oil) over medium heat. Scoop 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake onto the griddle. Brown on both sides.

* My good friend Bruce tells me you can use slightly sour or expired milk in the pancakes with good results. They bake up really light and fluffy. Now if the milk has chunks, it's obviously too far gone. But a few days past the expiration is fine for cooking in pancakes, biscuits and the like. Anything you'd use buttermilk in is fair game. Bruce says its also good in chocolate cream pies. Ummmm..... pie.

Enjoy!

In the Kitchen - Southwest Chicken Chili

I wish I could take a picture to accurately convey how yummy this chili is! This is another family favorite and has placed in several small, local chili contests. (Darn it all - I don't think I've won because its not a traditional chili). I always double the recipe with the thought to freeze half, but it gets eaten so fast that I never get anything frozen!

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast cubed
1 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. chili powder (add more as you like)
1/2 tsp. salt
dash black pepper
1 small yellow onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped
2 Tbs. chopped green chilies
4 Tbs. chopped jalapeno peppers
15.5 oz. can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chili ready chopped tomatos (I prefer Red Gold brand, but any works)
8 oz. can tomato sauce
cheddar cheese as a topping
sour cream as a topping

Dice chicken into small cubes and place in a stock pot. Saute with butter, chili powder, salt, pepper, onion, green pepper, green chilies, and jalapeno peppers. Add kidney beans, chopped tomatoes and tomato sauce and simmer for 30 minutes. Top with cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

Recipe serves 4 and can be easily doubled. If possible, I make it in the evening (after dinner so nobody will eat any) and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator prior to serving. It just tastes better as the flavors have a chance to meld together.

Enjoy!

In the Kitchen - Breakfast Bake

This yummy breakfast casserole is easy to make.  I hope you give it a try, you won't be disappointed!

1 lb. shredded potatoes (can use "simply potatoes" found in the dairy aisle. I use the southwestern style)
1 lb ham steak cut into small pieces
3 cups cheddar cheese shredded
8 eggs slightly beated
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Butter a 9" x 13" pan. Beat eggs, mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Spread into pan and bake in a 350 degree oven 40 minutes or until set. Can be made a day ahead of time and put into the oven in the morning, unless using fresh shredded potatoes.

Enjoy!

In the Kitchen - Asian Marinated Asparagus

Some of the things I look forward to in the Spring: pretty flowers after the snow, soft rain showers, marshmallow Peeps and fresh asparagus. I didn't try asparagus until I was in my mid-20's (I lead a sheltered food life). I had received a very generous gift certificate to a fancy french restaurant as a Christmas gift from work. My then husband and I and another couple went for a fabulous dinner. I was determined to try all new foods so I had escargot (snails) in a wine and butter sauce, veal with hollandaise sauce, fresh asparagus and espresso with dessert. I was hooked from then on (the escargot - not so much).

I love this recipe. It's like candy to me - I could eat a whole pound of asparagus by myself in one sitting (I don't recommend doing this as bad stomach things can happen - trust me I know). Anyway this is what I took to Easter Dinner at my Sister-in-law's parents house.

1 lb fresh asparagus trimmed (snap off the woody bottom end)
2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 teaspoon peanut oil (or other vegetable oil, but peanut is best)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
toasted sesame seeds for garnish (purchase them by the spices)

Steam the asparagus in a little water in the microwave until crisp tender (not soggy). For me this was 4.5 minutes, your oven may vary. Drain and rinse with cold tap water until cooled off. Set aside.

In a large ziplock bag mix all the ingredients except the sesame seeds. Place the ziplock bag in a bowl so that it's easier to pour the ingredients into. Seal the asparagus into the bag and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

To serve remove the asparagus from the marinade and sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds on top. This recipe serves 4 and easily doubles or triples, although you might have to steam the asparagus in batches.

Enjoy!

In the Kitchen - Banana Bread

 

This quick bread is low in calories but still high in taste! You'll love this moist, dense bread.

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup light butter softened
3 ripe bananas mashed up (I always use 4-5)
1/4 cup low fat milk
1/4 cup low fat sour cream
2 large egg whites
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350.

Beat sugar and butter at medium speed until well-blended. Add banana, milk, sour cream, and egg whites; beat well.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, beating until blended.

Spoon batter into a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on wire rack; remove from pan.

Quick banana tip: if you have bananas that are getting too ripe to eat, throw them in the freezer. Yup just in the skin, don't do anything to them. When you are ready to bake with them, just defrost and peel. They will be a little more liquid-y than normal but otherwise they work fine. Don't be alarmed when the banana turns completely black in the freezer. Recipe from Cooking Light, 2000.

In the Kitchen - Easy Beef and Noodles

This is a tasty dish, good for when you have a tougher piece of meat. It only takes a few minutes to throw it in a pot to cook unattended for an hour or so.

1 package extra wide noodles
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 tsp thyme, crushed
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb. boneless beef chuck roast
4 C good beef broth
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. vegetable oil

Trim fat from meat and cut into 3/4" cubes.

In 5 qt. dutch oven, brown half of meat in hot oil. Remove. Brown remaining meat with onion and garlic. Add more oil if necessary. Drain fat. Return meat to pan.

Stir in broth, bay leaf, thyme and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered 1 hour or until meat is tender.

Stir in noodles. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook, covered about 10 minutes or until noodles are tender. Remove bay leaf.

Serves 6

Enjoy!

In the Kitchen - Aunt Helen's No Bake Cookies

My Great Aunt Helen would come to visit quite often and always brought cookies in an old Hostess Fruit Cake tin. Sometimes they were frosted sugar cookies, others oatmeal raisin (my Dad's favorites) but when my brothers and I were lucky, they were these no bake cookies. Our favorites. I have her old tin, and her handwritten recipe for the cookies. I started making them 24 years or so ago. When my son was old enough for cookies, I made these for him and told him stories about his Great Great Aunt Helen.

2 C sugar
1/4 C cocoa
1/2 C milk
1 stick butter
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
1/2 C peanut butter
3 1/2 C quick oatmeal

Mix sugar, cocoa, milk and butter in saucepan. Cook until it boils. Cool for 1 minute. Add vanilla, salt, peanut butter and oatmeal. Stir well. Drop by teaspoonfuls on wax paper and let set.

These are delicious and get eaten in my home before they cool and set. They just somehow are not as good as when Aunt Helen made them herself. Seriously - hers were hard and had a dry crumb, mine are soft and chewy. If anybody knows her secret, please let me know. The only difference in the recipe is that I use butter instead of her margarine.

In the Kitchen - Chili Baked Potatoes

Sometimes a recipe isn't necessary to tell you how to cook something, but a reminder to cook it. That's the case with today's In the Kitchen. 

I got a deal on 5 lbs. of potatoes for $.99. As I was walking through the rest of the grocery store, I started to think about how I would use them. You see, we usually only have vegetables for a side, no starches. I was thinking potatoes for a main and remembered chili baked potatoes.

Wash the potatoes. Prick with a fork several times. Microwave (my microwave worked for 2 potatoes for 10 minutes on high, yours might vary). Slice open the potatoes and smash the innards. Add butter and salt and pepper and mix. Top with canned chili (I didn't have any homemade left in the freezer), a little cheese and sour cream.

A recipe doesn't have to be difficult or expensive to be tasty.

Enjoy!

In the Kitchen - Baked Oatmeal

My son always asks for this. It's an easy breakfast favorite (or late night snack). I like to double the recipe and make some in muffin cups to freeze for individual servings later.

1/2 C vegetable oil (or use half applesauce and half oil)
1/2 C sugar
1 Egg
3 C oatmeal
3/4 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 C low fat milk

Beat the oil and sugar together than add the egg and mix. Add the remaining ingredients. The batter should have the consistency of a runny cake batter. Pour into a 9x9 greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for half an hour or until firm and golden brown. Top with raisins or brown sugar.

Yummy!

In the Kitchen - Rice Pudding

I made this quick rice pudding when I wanted something sweet to eat the other night. It's soooo good!

1 cup instant rice

2 1/2 cups milk

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup raisins (I leave them out)

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 tsp. vanilla

In saucepan, combine rice, 2 cups milk, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and raisins. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; boil slowly 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix eggs with remaining milk. Slowly add to hot mixture, stirring vigorously with a fork. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Add vanilla. Let cool 10 minutes. Makes about 6 servings.

Enjoy!

In the Kitchen - Skippin Jenny and Creamy Corn Bread

I wanted to cook a tradition meal for my day after New Year's  day party and apparently "Hoppin John" is a New Year's Southern tradition. I wasn't happy with any of the recipes I read, so this one I made up of a combination of 8 or so different ones and the consensus was that it came out great.

A little background, Hoppin John served the day after New Year's is called Skippin Jenny (there was no good reference for why either name). Some lore: eating Hoppin’ John on New Years day is thought to bring prosperity for the New Year, if you leave coins under the plate or put one into the pot whoever gets it has prosperity for the New Year, the peas represent pennies and symbolize prosperity, kale is the color of money and brings prosperity, rice brings longevity, leave 3 peas on your plate for good luck, romance and prosperity in the coming year. (The South is big on prosperity I guess!)

1 red pepper diced

1 green pepper diced

1 large onion diced

4 ribs celery sliced thin

2 C carrots or so

4 tsp. minced canned jalapeno peppers (more to taste)

Oil to sauté in

2 lbs sausage

2 C left over ham or use a ham steak

3 tsp. minced garlic

1 scant tsp. sage

1 scant tsp. thyme

3 tsp. chili pepper

1 bay leaf

1 can corn, drained

1 can chicken broth, or as needed

3 cans black eyed peas rinsed and drained

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Tabasco sauce to taste

White Rice

Sauté red pepper, green pepper, onion, spicy peppers, celery, carrots in oil until softened. Add sausage cut in half and then in bit sized chunks and ham. Continue to sauté until sausage begins to brown. Add garlic, sage, thyme, chili pepper, 1 bay leaf. Continue to sauté. Add corn, 2 cans black eyed peas, one can smashed up black eyed peas, and chicken broth as needed for preferred “soupyness”. Bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes or longer. I had mine bubbling away on the stove for several hours and the house smelled fantastic! Remove bay leaf. Salt and pepper as needed.

Serve over rice with Tabasco sauce to taste with cornbread and kale. This makes a big pot full (I fed 8 adults dinner and had leftovers) and it tastes great the next day. You should be able to freeze leftovers.

Creamy Corn Bread

2 pkgs. "JIFFY" Corn Muffin Mix

2 eggs

1 can (12 oz.) cream style corn

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 375 and grease the muffin tin. Mix all ingredients together. Pour into prepared muffin pans, filling about 1/2 full. Bake 22-28 minutes. Let cool before removing from pan. Makes 18 muffins.

Enjoy!