Barbecue Beef

This can be done in the oven, in the crock pot, or in a skillet (with ground beef.)  It's very good- a little tangy, a tiny bit sweet.  Beyond the ketchup, there's no added sugar.

The original recipe is from Taste of Home, 2007.

1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 3 lbs.)
2 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp pepper, divided
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups water
1 cup ketchup
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 garlic clove, minced
12 kaiser rolls, split

Season beef with 1 tsp each salt and pepper.  Brown in hot oil and drain.  Combine water, ketchup, onion, vinegar, worcestershire sauce, chili powder, garlic and remaining salt and pepper.  Pour over meat.  Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 2 1/2-3 hours or until meat is tender.  (Or in crock pot on low 6-8 hours.)  Remove roast; slice.  Skim fat from cooking juices.  Return meat to the pan and heat through.  Serve on rolls.

My stove top variation for a quick weeknight dinner: Brown 1 lb ground beef.  When about 3/4 done, add 1/3 cup ketchup, 2 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce, 2 Tbsp dried onion, a dash of granulated garlic, and some chili powder (or smoked paprika.)  Serve over mashed potatoes.  

Freezer Jam made with Plain Gelatin

My absolute favorite freezer jam is made with raspberries, rhubarb, and raspberry-flavored Jell-O.  It sounds like a crazy combination, but it tastes amazing.  I love the "set" of the jam, too- it's a soft, spreadable jam that's just perfect.

This year, we had lots of raspberries, but the rhubarb crop failed completely.  I searched for a plain-gelatin based jam for just raspberries, but found very little.

Here is why I like using gelatin in my freezer jams:

1)  Gelatin does not need sugar to gel- you can add sugar to taste.

2)  It is easily adaptable to how much fruit you have on hand.

3)  It is not dependent on certain temperatures to make a successful batch of jam.

Here is why you need to be careful when you use gelatin to set your jam:

1)  It can not be canned safely.  Don't try.  This MUST be a freezer jam.  Gelatin has protein in it, and must be kept frozen or refrigerated to be safe.

2)  If you keep the jam at room temperature, it will turn runny.  It's only firm when it's cold.

3)  This isn't vegetarian.  Nope.  See #1.

I wish I could remember the handful of links I used to cobble this recipe together, but I'm working from a scrap of paper I jotted my cooking notes on.  Use this as a starting point, and a reference for ratios- this recipe would work with any juicy fruit.  The basic equation is 1 cup of sugar and 2 packets plain gelatin per quart of mashed fruit (measure it after mashing to the texture you want the final jam to be.)  The sugar can be to taste. I actually had a bit of cantaloupe leftover from dinner the night before and chopped it up fine before adding it to the pot. See?  Versatile.

Raspberry Freezer Jam

5 quarts of raspberry mash

5 cups sugar

10 packets plain gelatin.

Bring it all to a boil, and boil one minute.  If your fruit isn't very juicy, let it sit in the pot with the sugar for a bit to macerate, and then add the gelatin before bringing to a boil.  Ladle into clean containers, leaving 3/4 inch headspace.  Freeze or refrigerate immediately.  

Spinach Salad with Crimini and Red Onion, Citrus Vinaigrette

I made this salad for a Sunday dinner with friends- it was very well received!  The vinaigrette is balanced, with sweet, salty, spicy, and acid.  Feel free to adjust seasonings to your tastes.  The salad portion is classic spinach salad, but I left out the proteins you'd find in a deli salad (sliced egg, cheese, and bacon.)

Serves 6-8 people

Salad
4 good handfuls baby spinach, washed and dried (enough to fill your salad spinner)
6 crimini mushrooms, sliced thin
1/4 of a red onion, sliced into very thin rounds, and then chopped
2 cans mandarin orange segments, drained

This is a basic vinaigrette, with a 1:1 ratio of oil to acid, not including seasonings.
Citrus Vinaigrette
2 oz mild oil (I used vegetable oil)
2 oz strawberry vinegar
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp stone ground mustard
a few shakes of hot sauce (I used Tapatio)
1 good pinch kosher salt
Honey to taste

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
5 stalks celery, chopped
2 pounds crimini mushrooms, chopped
5-10 dried shitake mushrooms
8 cups water (or broth)
1 can evaporated milk (can substitute milk, cream, half and half, etc.)
3 Tbsp oil


In a large pot, melt butter.  Let brown just a bit, and stir or whisk in flour very well.  Let it get a little color, and slowly whisk in water or broth.  Add dried shitake mushrooms, and bring to a simmer.  Simmer 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet.  Add celery and crimini mushrooms- saute until softened, about 15 minutes.

Add celery and mushrooms, with pan juices, to soup pot, bring to a boil, and simmer 15 minutes.  Add 1 can evaporated milk and heat through.  Salt and pepper to taste.

If desired, thin down with a little more water before serving- the longer this sets, the thicker it gets.  I cooked it in the afternoon, and added another 2 cups of water before dinner.

How to Cook Beans

A basic method, but I do this a lot in our kitchen, so definitely worth knowing!  I'll give the most basic method (quick and slow versions) and you can fancy it up however you please.

I am using dried onions and dried garlic here- in my experience, these work better than fresh.  The end result is sweeter and more married.

--Myrnie

Ingredients:
2 cups dried beans (1 pound)
 about 1 Tbsp baking soda
Water
Salt
bay leaves
pepper
dried onions
dried garlic

Serves four

Clean:
Pour dried beans into a large pot and cover with cool water- swish them around with your hand to clean any dust or debris off.  (I've never found any, but it's not uncommon to find small sticks or stones.)  Use your hand to scoop out any beans that float, or anything else that shouldn't be there.  Drain off the water, and cover again, so when you stick your pointer finger on top of the beans, the water comes up to your second knuckle.  Add a shake or two of baking soda.

Soak:
For a quick soak, put the pot on the stove and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Watch it, because it will foam up quite a bit (because of the baking soda.)  Let cook 2 or 3 minutes, remove from heat, and drain and rinse. This will give you a fine pot of beans, but they will not be pretty.  The skins might come off, and the beans might lose their shape during cooking.

For a slow soak, leave the pot of beans on the counter overnight.  You might need to add more water, if they soak it all up.  Drain and rinse.

Cook:
On the stovetop: Fill pot with water again, two finger knuckles above the beans.  Add 1 tsp salt per pound of beans.  Add flavorings- for pinto beans, since they're served straight from the pot, I like a tablespoon or two of dried onions, some good shakes of granulated garlic, 2 or 3 dried bay leaves, and a teaspoon of black pepper if I want it spicy.  If I'm doing black beans or white beans, I often stop with just salt, since the beans are normally made into something else later.  Bring to a boil, and lower to a simmer- let cook until tender, 2 to 3 hours depending on how hard they're simmering.  They keep just fine on the stove, so you can get these done in the afternoon, and keep them warm till dinner.

In the crockpot, add beans and seasonings as listed above, and cook on low for 6 or 7 hours (for best results) or high for 4 or 5 hours.

I like to serve beans over rice, plain or sauteed with oil, garlic, onions, salt, and pepper before cooking.  I set out sour cream, shredded cheese, all the types of hot sauce I can find, and chopped onions.

Cooked beans can be portioned out and frozen for later.

This is my favorite recipe for black beans: Chipotle Black Bean Chili.  Amazing with sour cream and a squeeze of lime juice.

Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup (Vegan)

This soup is thick and creamy, with a bit of spice from the curry powder (I used a yellow curry powder.)  A green curry paste would be phenomenal here, and you could use a different creamy liquid rather than my coconut suggestion.  Almond or cashew milk would be amazing, or just evaporated milk.  Maybe yogurt or sour cream?  Just be sure to not overcook the soup once you've added that last creamy ingredient, so it doesn't "break."  Or, for a simpler soup, omit the creamy part altogether- I love how forgiving veggie soups are.  This made good use of frozen pumpkin puree, roasted from this years' garden pumpkins.  We served this with lots of fresh bread, for dipping!

--Myrnie

Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup
Serves 8

Ingredients:
4 cups pumpkin puree
8 cups water
2 heaping Tbsp curry powder
2 tsp salt
1 onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced or grated
small knob of ginger, minced or grated
3 Tbsp oil

1 can coconut milk (can substitute cream, evaporated milk, other thick creamy liquid like a nut or hemp milk)

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat- add onions, garlic, and ginger.  Stir until fragrant and lightly cooked, 30 seconds to a minute.  Add water, and remaining ingredients (except coconut milk).  Heat to a simmer, and let cook 20-40 minutes until slightly reduced.  Remove from heat, puree with an immersion blender, and stir in 1 can coconut milk.  

Mushroom and Egg Tart

A base of baked puff pastry, topped with a pan of cooked-down onions and mushrooms, and topped with perfectly-set eggs.

I think yes.

This was a huge hit for dinner the other night- the husband, six-year-old, and myself polished this off with no problem, along with a big green salad.  It took some time, but most of the prep could be done ahead of time for a quick meal prep later.  If you pre-baked the pastry shell, and cooked the mushrooms and onions, all that would be left is piling them into the oven and baking.

This came from the November '11 edition of Everyday Food.  I've marked, and tried, so many recipes from that edition- definitely shelf-worthy, with the rest of my cookbooks!

The original ingredients called for shitake mushrooms and tarragon, and parmesan cheese for dusting.  Here is how I made it.

Crimini and Egg Tart

Serves 3 as main course, or six as side dish

Ingredients:
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
3/4 pound crimini mushrooms, cleaned
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
sea salt and ground pepper
6 large eggs

1.  On a piece of parchment paper, unfold puff pastry.  Cover with a sheet of cling film, and roll out to 11x14 inches.  Remove cling film, and use a sharp paring knife to trim pastry edges straight.  A half inch from the edge of the dough, using your paring knife, lightly cut partially through the dough.  Transfer pastry, on parchment paper, to a rimmed baking sheet.  Use a fork to prick all over, inside the scored border.  Refrigerate 20 minutes.

2.  Turn oven on to 375.  In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized (10 to 15 minutes.)  Using a large glass measuring cup, or a small fry pan, crush mushrooms lightly.  Finish chopping with a knife into 1/4-1/2" pieces.  Add mushrooms and thyme to caramelized onions and cook until mushrooms are soft and dark, about 10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Deglaze pan with a few tablespoons water, if necessary.

3.  Bake puff pastry until light golden, about 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and top with mushroom mixture, staying within border.  Crack eggs into a small bowl or cup, and carefully pour eggs on top of mushroom mixture.  Bake until whites are set and yolks are still runny (about 10 minutes) or longer if you like your eggs more cooked.  I thought it was perfect after about 20 minutes.

Lemon Chess Pie

This was still a bit jiggly when it was done, and a knife came out wet, but it set up in the fridge.  Kind of like lemonbars, but not nearly as sweet or tart :)  


I can't remember where this recipe came from, and had to search for it in my e-mail.  Luckily, I sent a copy to my MIL!  It's really, really good.


-Myrnie

Lemon Chess Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell (use your favorite pastry recipe or purchase frozen piecrust)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 Tblsp. flour  (or 1 T flour and 1 T cornmeal)
• 5 large eggs
• freshly grated zest of one lemon
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Place pie crust in 9-inch pie plate...and flute edges.
3. Combine sugar and flour in mixing bowl.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating at medium speed with mixer until well blended.
5. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and melted butter. Mix well.
6. Pour filling into the prepared pie crust.
7. Bake on lower rack of oven for 45 minutes at 325°F...or until puffed and golden brown in colour.
8. When cool...cut and serve each wedge with a dollop of whipped cream...and a sauce of fresh raspberries or blackberries

Brown Sugar Buttermilk Pie

You need this pie, but if you eat this pie...eat nothing else.  With three eggs, 2 egg yolks, and 3/4 of a stick of butter, there's no messing around here!  BUT (and this is a big but.  Ahem.) You need this pie.

 I cook a lot.  A lot, a lot.  And this is the best thing to come out of my kitchen in a long time!  Crispy pie crust.  Soft custard.  Nutmeg that floats to the top.  Add this to your Thanksgiving line up, folks.

(If you don't subscribe to Martha's "Everyday Food" magazine, PLEASE do.  It's that good.)

Brown-Sugar Buttermilk Pie
from Everyday Food originally, in my own words

3 Tbsp flour
3 large egg eggs, plus two more large yolks, beaten
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
6 Tbsp unsalted butter

1. Press your favorite single-crust pie crust into a glass pan, and bake at 425 for about 10 minutes.
2. Put 6 tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan on the stove, over medium heat, for 8-10 minutes and let it melt and cook.  It's going to froth up, and it's going to turn brown.  Swirl the pan occasionally, especially towards the end.  When the froth subsides, and it's nut-brown, it's done!
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, eggs, and brown sugar until smooth.  Whisk in buttermilk, nutmeg, and cinnamon until combined.  This pie, with such small amounts of spices, is already heavily spiced.  I wouldn't recommend increasing them at all.
4. When the butter is done, immediately whisk it into the buttermilk mixture.  It will foam up dramatically, be prepared!  Pour mixture into baked pie shell, and bake at 425 for 25-35 minutes, until the custard is set but still jiggly.  This will continue to cook a bit as it cools.
5. Let cool completely, 2 hours, before serving.  Can be refrigerated up to 3 days.

(If you use this pie crust recipe, you won't be sorry!  It mixes together with a fork, IN THE PIE PLATE.  Then you just smash it out with your finger tips.  No rising, either, so it's perfect for this.  My  mom has always, as long as I've known her, left her pie crust behind when she eats pie.  It's just wasted calories, when she could be eating more filling! She ate this crust, and relished it :)

--Myrnie

Marshmallow Popcorn Treats

Marshmallow Popcorn Treats

Makes two 9x13 pans- can be halved

Pop one cup of popcorn. 

In a large pot over medium low heat, melt 3/4 cup shortening.  Add 1 large bag of mini marshmallows, about 10 cups, and melt them, stirring occasionally.  You want to keep the heat low, so the sugar doesn't cook too much and make your treats crispy!  Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

Pour the marshmallow mixture over the popcorn, and mix quickly before it cools off too much.  I did this in another large pot, or you could do it in batches in a big bowl.  This is a LOT of popcorn!  The easiest way is to grease your hands and just dig in and mix it around- wait just a minute or two for the sugar to cool enough to handle.

Press lightly into two well-greased 9x13 pans and let cool.  Turn onto a cutting board and cut into squares.

Whole Grain Corn Bread

This is, hands down, my favorite corn bread.  It's sweetened, but not sweet.  It's made with freshly ground corn and wheat, so it's filling.  It's soft and hearty and moist, with little crunchy bits of corn, and so, so good.  The original recipe is from the side of the Alber's Corn Meal box.  I've doubled it, and substituted freshly ground grains.

This is fantastic with chili or beans.  I like it plain, and some in my family smother it with butter and honey.  I remember, growing up, drizzling molasses over my corn bread- I highly recommend it!  (Plus, molasses is a good source of iron.)

Whole Grain Corn Bread
1 heaping cup popcorn, ground into coarse flour
1 heaping cup winter white wheat, ground into fine flour, plus more (see below)
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
2 cups milk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten.

Measure out 2 cups of corn meal and 2 cups of wheat flour.  (I normally grind a bit of extra wheat flour, to make sure I have 4 cups of grain flour total, since I can more easily use up excess wheat flour than corn meal.)  Mix with dry ingredients in a bowl.

In a large measuring cup, combine liquid ingredients- stir to beat eggs.  Mix the wet ingredients into the dry, with as few strokes as you can.  As soon as everything is wet, stop mixing- lumps are OK!

Baked in a greased 9x13 pan, at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Every member of my family, including the infant, loved this soup.  L.O.V.E.D.  Also, it had a boat load of vegetables in it.

Cream of Broccoli Soup
2 heads broccoli, chopped
1/2 head celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 Tbsp. oil
1/4 cup flour
2 Tbsp dried onions
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
8 cups water
Chicken base or bullion (I used 2 tsp)
1 1/2 cups powdered milk (or amount indicated on package for 2 quarts of water)
Cooked corn, optional

Heat oil in a large pot, and add chopped vegetables, granulated garlic, and dried onions.  Saute until softened, and stir in flour.  Cook a few minutes, then add a little of the water and clean the bottom of the pot.  Add the rest of the water and worcestershire sauce .  Once heated through, add powdered milk.  Let simmer, stirring often to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until carrots are softened.  Puree in a blender (or with an immersion blender) and pour through a colander to strain.   We served ours with corn stirred in.

You could also add potatoes, or other mild flavored vegetables like cauliflower, or young turnips.

If you have extra milk, that could easily be substituted for the powdered milk and water.