SCRATCH COOKING

NO Seafood Crab Boil

2010-01-16T10:07:00.000-08:00

If you are a lover of the crawfish, shrimp, and crab boil in a bag, after reading this, you might say why even bother. If you don't put shrimp, crabs, or crawfish, do you really have 'boil? But I beg to differ with you.

I am not allergic to seafood, but I don't eat shrimp, crab, crawfish, and pork. I do eat several types of fish, though. The taste of the crab boil in a bag is something that I like very much. It's ingredients are mustard seed, coriander seed, cayenne pepper, bay leves, dill seed, and allspice. The combination of all of those spices are marvelous. So this is what I did.

The meat I used was some chicken wings that had been marinated in bourban sauce. I cut the tips of the wings off. You can also use some type of turkey or beef polish sausage, too.

I had six small ears of corn around and ten red and white small potatoes that were cut in half.

I followed the directions on the box. Poured 3 quarts of water in a large pan and added the crab boil in the bag. I put the chicken wings in first (2 lbs) and corn and boiled them for about 30 minutes, next I added the potatoes and cooked them for 15 minutes or until tender. I added what needed to be cooked for the time required so to not over cook anything. You do need about 4 TB salt and I used sea salt. I didn't add anymore cayenne pepper and I am glad. I like the spice, but I don't do well with real hot, hot food. I also added a seeded lemon that I quartered.

The bread that goes well with this is some good cornbread. Ina Garten has a wonderful recipe that you can't beat!

I think the corn and potatoes are delicious with the seasonings.

There's about 3-4 servings.
Good eating!

2009-07-09T09:37:00.000-07:00

Smiths' Favorite Lemon Surprise Cake

1 pkg yellow cake mix
¾ cup Wesson oil
¾ cup water
1 pkg lemon gelatin
4 eggs
½ tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients at once. Grease a oblong cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the stove, and while the cake is hot, punch holes in the cake with a fork.

Glaze
¾ cup powdered sugar 6 TB lemon juice
Mix the sugar and lemon juice together. Pour over the cake while its hot and spread down into the holes that were made with the fork.

WHITE BEANS-INDIAN-STYLE

2009-04-29T17:59:00.000-07:00

I enjoy beans and I remembered how my friend, Nirmala, who is from the Gujarat region fixed some pinto beans one day. I used a can of Northern White Beans and this is my original recipe for this dish. I just created it tonight.

Ingredients
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
2 TB of olive oil
1 tsp of chicken base
1/2 of yellow onion, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
3/4 cup of water or chicken broth if you didn't have any chicken base
Salt and pepper to your taste

Use a sauce pan and heat the oil on medium heat. When it's hot, drop in the cumin and listen for the "singing" Add the mustard, and turmeric stir together then add onion and celery. Saute' until slightly transparent. Add 3/4 cup of water and the beans, and base. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes.

I have several Indian cookbooks and now I'll go and check to read up on it. It's been fun to try my hand at this one.

VIRGINA MCDONALD'S EASTER BUNNY SALAD

2009-03-28T13:09:00.000-07:00

EASTER BUNNY SALAD

"This is especially cute for children's parties."
Virginia McDonald

Canned Barlette pears Lettuce
in halves Mayonnaise
Cloves Pecan nut meats,
Almond nut meats chopped
Marshmallows Pineapple, chopped
Pimiento

Place half of pear on individual salad plate, cut side down. Using small end for Head of bunny, insert cloves for eyes (might want to use chocolate chips), almonds for ears, and a sliver of pimiento for the mouth. To the other end of the pear attach with a toothpick, half of a marshmallow for a tail. To one side of the bunny place a lettuce cup filled with mayonnaise to which has been added the chopped pecans and pineapple.

Virginia McDonald was famous for her tea room and her cookbooks. She lived in Gallatin, MO. Duncan Hines ate at her restaurant and featured her in one of his books.

Source: How I Cook It by Virginia McDonald.

Today, while shopping in an emporium type store, I found this cookbook with its cover. It was on sale for $1.50. I had never heard of her. I noticed that an introduction was written by Duncan Hines. I didn't even know that Duncan Hines, (you know the name on the cake mix box) had written the introduction. After I got home, I opened the book and saw that it had been autographed by the author.

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

2006-10-26T21:09:00.003-07:00

1 LARGE ONION, DICED
1/2 CUP OF SALSA OF YOUR CHOICE
2 LARGE OLIVES MASHED WITH 3 TB SALSA
14.5 OZ CHICKEN BROTH
1 LB CHICKEN, COOKED, CUBED
4 TB UNCOOKED RICE OR 1=1/2 CUPS OF COOKED RICE
SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE
3 TB OLIVE OIL
1 TSP CUMIN SEEDS
GARNISHES: CILANTRO, MONTEREY CHEESE, TORTILLA STRIPS, AVOCADO , CUBED

HEAT ONE TABLESPOON OF OIL IN A SKILLET OR PAN. ADD CUMIN SEEDS AND ROAST UNTIL THEY SIZZLE. ADD OIL AND SAUTE ONION AND ADD GARLIC WHEN ONION IS TRANSLUSENT. ADD CHICKEN BROTH, OLIVES, SALSA, AND RICE. IF USING UNCOOKED RICE, BRING TO A BOIL AND PUT LID ON, COOK ON LOW HEAT FOR 15 MINUTES UNTIL RICE IS DONE. ADD CHICKEN AND GARNISH WITH MOZERALLA CHEESE, CILANTRO, AND TORTILLA STRIPS, AVOCADO, CUBED OR SLICED.

LINDA'S 2 SERVING APPLE CRISP

2006-09-28T17:16:00.000-07:00

2 CUPS DICED APPLES
2 TABLESPOONS OF BUTTER, MELTED
1 TEASPOON CINNAMON
DASH OF NUTMEG, CARDAMON
2 TABLESPOON WALNUTS
3 TABLESPOONS OATMEAL
2 TABLESPOONS BROWN SUGAR

MIX TOGETHER CAN MICROWAVE INTO A BUTTERED DISH. MICROWAVE FROM 20- 25 MINUTES. SERVE WITH A DOLLOP OF WHIPPED CREAM

SINGLE SERVING PEACH OR APPLE CRISP

2006-09-14T04:53:00.000-07:00

Take one apple or peach and cut into large chunks, unpeeled
Dash of cinnamon or nutmeg,
A tablespoon of any kind oatmeal
A pat of butter
(Few raisins or nuts to go with the apple crisp)

Place all ingredients in a small microwaave proof container.
Microwave and stir until fruit is cooked and transulent. It's ready to eat or you can chill if you can stand to wait that long.
A scoop of ice cream really makes it good. Making single servings helps to keep from eating a whole pan of this at once.
Source: Schreiman Orchards newsletter.
I haven't tried this yet, but plan to do so today!

STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM

2006-09-03T19:58:00.000-07:00

I would like to have found Aunt Edmonia's or Aunt Thelma's cookbooks or recipe files. I know that much of what they fixed was in their heads.

I found a handwritten recipe for strawberry ice cream. It was in one of the family boxes.
It doesn't say to cook the custard, but I would cook it until heated and let it cool.

Strawberry Ice Cream

3 egg yolks
1 14 oz can Eable Brand milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped strawberries
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup schunked strawberries
1 cup mashed strawberries

Beat eggs yolks, stir in milk, extraact, chopped fruit. fold in whipping cream and reast of ingredients. Put in an ice cream freeze. Freeze

LINDA'S CURRY CHICKEN

2006-08-31T14:13:00.000-07:00

Linda's Curry Chicken

I have been working on a recipe of this dish that is similar to the one I enjoy at the local Chinese restaurant. The colors are amazing. Sure would be great to take a picture of this dish.

2 cups- 3 cups of chicken, cooked and cubed
1 large onion, diced
1 large green pepper, quartered
1/2 packaged of frozen oriental vegetables, thawed
6 cloves of garlic minced
salt and pepper to taste.
2 1/2 tsp curry powder
3 tsp turmeric
one 13.5 oz of lite fat coconut milk
1 T butter
1T flour
2 TB coconut oil

Saute' the onion and green pepper in the coconut oil. Add salt and pepper. Add the garlic and the frozen (thawed vegetables). Move all of the vegetable to the side of the skillet. Add the pat of butter, melt and make a paste with the flour. Add the curry powder and turmeric and cook ofr 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk. Put the chicken and simmer all of the mixture for about 5 minues. Serve over rice, couscous, or noodles. Makes about 4-6 servings.

You can also take four fresh chicken thighs and brown them in 2 T of coconut oil. Drain the oil and had about 1/2 cup of water and simmer for 20 minutes with a lid on th skillet until they are done. Place the cooked meat over the curry mixture and serve over rice, couscous, or noodles.

You can eliminate the oil and flour to reduce the calories. If you don't have coconut milk, use some low fat sour cream or try some yogurt. For more spice add one jalapeno diced to the onion mixture that's sauted. Or add 1/2 tsp of cayene pepper flakes.

CROCKPOT MARINARA SAUCE

2006-08-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

Marinara sauce is red sauce for pasta dishes. I could easily go and buy one, but since others have shared so many fresh tomatoes, I am using them up.

Crockpot Marinara Sauce

2 onions, diced
1 green pepper, diced
8 cloves of minced garlic
14 oz. fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes
1 6 oz can of tomato paste
3/4 cup of water
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp of dried oregano
1/2 tsp of basil
1/2 tsp sage

I saute the onions, garlic, and green pepper. I place all of the ingredients into a crockkpot and cook at high heat for 3-4 hours or 8 hours on low.

Can freeze this in small individual bags for a meal for one.

Today I used fresh sage and basil from my garden. I can add meat at a later time if so desired.

Recycling Bananas into Muffins

2006-08-24T06:19:00.000-07:00

I had two bananas that were getting ripe. I don't believe in throwing out food. I do believe in recycling. I took a banana muffin recipe that I've used before and liked. I tried to modify it a bit today and cut the original recipe in half. I tasted them with a cup a cold milk. For my breakfast, I set aside the bowl of cereal and enjoyed some muffins and turkey bacon.

Linda's Banana Muffins

3/4 cup wheat flour
1 tablespoon wheat germ
3/4 cup unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup applesauce and 1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 bananas, mashed leaves some pieces for texture

Sift all dry ingredients together into a bowl. Combine all liquids and mashed bananas togethers, don't overmix. Mix dry and banana mixture together. Place use paper muffin holders and place in muffin tins. Use ice cream dipper to pour mixture into each individual muffin holder. Will make six to eight muffins. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool on rack.

EASTER MENU 2006

2006-04-14T18:45:00.000-07:00

I finally decided on what to fix for Easter dinner. I am having about 15-20 people to come for dinner. My menu is as follows"

Barbecued Beef Brisket (haven't ever fixed one)
Jerked Chicken
Calico Beans
Sauted Carrots and Zuchinni
Green Rice/Carolina Red Rice
Layered Salad
Fruit tray
Aunt Stell's Never -Fail Rolls
CHERRY PIE
Special punch
Iced Tea

Other family are bringing some add-ins.

HUMMUS: A HEALTHY AND DELICIOUS SNACK!

2006-04-06T13:53:00.000-07:00

HUMMUS

Hummus (pronounced Hum-es) is a Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dip made out of garbanzo beans (chick peas). This dip beats nacho cheese dip for me anytime. Plus it is extremely nutritional!

It is traditionally served with pita bread slices and fresh veggies. I eat it with tortilla chip and vegetables (olives, celery, carrots, etc.)

It contains no saturated fat, no cholesterol or sugar. Hummus is very high in protein and fiber. Some people use it as a sandwich spread in place of mayonnaise or as a replacement for sour cream on a baked potato. It can be a topping on broiled fish.

As early as 400 B.C., the benefits of Hummus in a diet were found in Plato and Socrates’ writings. For more information http://RITEFOODS.COM (CLICK UNDER RECIPES)

I began experimenting with a recipe after I couldn't afford the 7 oz tubs that cost $2.59. I tried recipes that used gabanzo flour and that didn't work out for me. I made a recipe with gabanzo beans and I make it quite often. Here's my recipe.

2 cans of gabanzo beans, drained, save 1/4 cup of the liquid
4-5 cloves of roasted garlic ( you can roast garlic in the oven, wrap a large head in foil and bake for 40 minutes in a 400 degree oven
salt to taste
1/2 to 1 tsp ground cumin powder
2 tsp of Tahini (sesame) This is sesame seed paste and is usually found in a health food store.
2 TB olive oil.
juice of one fresh lemon

Pour all the ingredients into a food processor and process until fairly smooth. Taste and add more salt if you desire.

For another hummus recipe check out http://greatpartyrecipes.com/hummusrecipe.html

2006-03-26T06:35:00.000-08:00

Easter Menu 2003

Brisket

Spit Chicken

Green Rice

Green Bean Almondine

Roasted Potatoes and Carrots

Broccoli Slaw

Lettuce Salad

Corn Casserole

Key Lime Pie

Homemade Rolls

Iced Tea and coffee

For more Easter menus with a southern flairhttp://southernfood.about.com/cs/easterrecipes/a/eastermenu.htm