CROCKPOT CHICKEN AND RICE
Remove skin from chicken breasts and place in crockpot. Add one can Cream of Chicken soup (store brand is fine) and about 3 cups of water.
Season with marjoram, thyme, and rosemary. Sprinkle some poultry seasoning on top and cook on high until chicken is tender
Add one box of Zatarain's Dirty Rice with seasonings or some other brand, or just plain rice. Cook until rice is tender, about another 30 minutes.
Serve with a side salad.
CROCKPOT VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP
This soup is so good on a cold day. The recipe makes 10-12 servings so there is enough to share or freeze for later.
1/2 pound lean ground beef, browned and grease drained off
1 can tomatoes or stewed tomatoes
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces
5 large carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
3 large stalks celery, sliced
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, sliced (optional)
1 large onion, chopped
4 cups water
Seasonings:
1/2 cup epazote, chopped
2 heaping teaspoons Knorr powdered bouillon (chicken or beef)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 cup picante sauce
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Put all ingredients in the crockpot and cook on high for about 4 hours or until the vegetables are tender. Serve with cornbread or crackers.
Note: You may want to omit epazote or substitute cilantro. (Epazote, which can be found at Hispanic groceries, does not have a good odor, but it adds a good flavor to the soup. I buy it in season and freeze it for later use.)
This is my favorite bread recipe which was first passed down to us by
my Aunt Thelma, who is my only living relative of that generation.
1 cup hot water
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons margarine (do not use whipped nor low fat), or butter
1/4 cup sugar
Cool this mixture to lukewarm and add to it:
1 package of dry yeast that has been dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water
1 egg
Gradually add:
3 and 1/2 to 4 cups of flour (Better for Bread kind)
You add flour until you can handle the dough well. Knead and put it in
a large greased container and store it in the refrigerator. Now you can
take it out as you need it to make rolls, pizza crust, cinnamon rolls, or
filled sandwiches.(See next recipe). If you put a piece of wax paper on the counter and put a little flour on it, you can pinch off enough for a roll, dip it in the flour and it is easy to work with. I like to use a double French bread pan. On one side I put several rolls side by side and on the other I make two buns for submarine sandwiches, or make a whole pan of sandwich buns. The dough will keep for about
a week in the refrigerator. After making the rolls, allow about 2 hours
for them to rise at room temperature before baking in an oven which has been preheated to 425 degrees.
Baking time about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown on top.
This next recipe was given to me by my sister,Willie and I've been using it for
about 40 years. They are filled sandwiches called Buroux. (The first
syllable rhymes with 'pure')
Cook 1 pound chopped sirloin, shredded cabbage (about 4 cups shredded with a knife.) and 1 large chopped onion until meat is done and onion
is clear. Season with salt and pepper.Make a ball of chilled Refrigerator Roll dough. Flatten it by hand in a plate that has been floured. Put a generous serving of the meat mixture on the dough and fold the dough
around it to make a ball. Place it with the edges down on a greased cookie sheet and let it rise for about 3 hours. Bake in 425 degree oven until the bun is nice and brown. Serve with mustard. (The bread
recipe above will make 8 very large Buroux. One sandwich will make a meal for one person.)
An interesting sidenote: I was looking on the internet at a
cooking website and found the very same recipe.
They were called Runzas.
If you go to Cooks.com and search for Runzas, you will find over 50 different recipes for the sandwich.
How to make a braided sandwich
Use the Refrigerator Roll dough for the pizza crust. Grease the pizza pan
with margarine. ( Do not use a spray on the pan. The crust will not stay in place if you spray the pan.)
Let the dough rise for about 1 1/2 hours, then add a sauce .You can use
a spaghetti or pasta sauce, or one you make yourself. Add your toppings of choice; ground meat, sausage, pepperoni, vegetables etc. Then sprinkle oregano all over and bake at 425 degrees until crust begins to brown. Add cheese and finish baking. (You can also add the cheese at the beginning of the baking if you prefer.)
POTATO BREAD (BREAD MACHINE)
I adapted the Refrigerator Roll recipe for the bread machine by adding mashed potato to it, and it has become
one of our favorites.This recipe makes a 1 pound loaf and is baked on the
Basic Bread setting. Add ingredients in the order listed.
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup cooked, mashed potato
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 Tablespoon margarine
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3 cups Better for Bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
This favorite cornbread recipe came from a family member, Sherry.
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar (optional)
1 egg
1 and 1/4 cup buttermilk*
2 Tablespoons oil
Combine dry ingredients, add egg, buttermilk and oil. Mix well.
Pour in greased 8 inch square pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes
or until done.
*If you use dry buttermilk, reduce the amount of liquid called for on the
box. You don't want your batter to be thin and watery. I also used to culture buttermilk by adding a small amount of buttermilk
to milk and letting it set out for a few hours.
I have cooked a lot of turkeys, but this recipe makes the best, tenderest
turkey that I have ever cooked.
Thaw and prepare the turkey for cooking. Cut a whole, unpeeled grapefruit in 8 pieces.
Put the grapefruit inside the turkey and place it in a foil-lined roasting pan
breast side down. Put the lid on it
and bake according to the directions on the wrapper (usually at 325 degrees). A 16-20 lb. turkey
will take 6-9 hours.
This is my mother's recipe that we have used for years.
3 cups chopped onion
3 cups chopped celery
Saute or cook in 1 cup water until onions are clear.
Crumble together:
12 cups cornbread, baked the day before
(You can use prepared mix.)
12 cups white bread. (12 hot dog buns)
Add cooked onions and celery, plus:
4 chopped hard boiled eggs
4 cups turkey or chicken broth
1 cup milk
5 Tablespoons rubbed sage
Bake at 400 degrees until brown. For this recipe I used one 9x12 greased pan
and one 10x10 pan.
Serve with GRAVY:
4 cups broth with fat skimmed off
3/4 cup flour mixed with 3/4 cup milk
When this is smooth add another 3/4 cup milk to it and slowly add to
broth to thicken the gravy. Add 2 cut-up boiled eggs, salt and pepper.
If you work outside the home, I'm sure you have discovered the convenience of using a crockpot to prepare meals. Here is my favorite crock pot recipe.
Put in the crockpot 3 cups of washed dried pinto beans. (If desired, use 2 and 1/4 cups of pinto beans and a mixture of 3/4 cup of other kinds of dried beans, lentils, and barley.) Add 8 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon soda and 1/2 inch piece of ginger(optional). Cook on low heat until beans are tender. (Some crockpots cook faster than others. I got a new one and it cooks a lot faster than my old one.)
Add:
2 slices of bacon (optional, if you are on a low fat diet)
1/4 cup catsup
1/4 cup dry onion flakes
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon French's mustard (or dijon)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper
1 to 2 more cups of water if needed
Continue cooking another hour or two on low heat . Serve with rice, picante sauce and hot cornbread. If you have
added barley, you don't need to serve with rice.Makes 8 - 10 servings.
On the second day, freeze what you haven't eaten to avoid spoilage.
This has become my favorite chili recipe. It is so good on cold winter days.
2 pounds ground beef (very lean)
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
salt to taste
1 can tomatoes 28 oz.
1 small can tomato sauce
1/4 cup red wine (optional)
1 can chili beans (red kidney beans)
Cook meat and onion together until done. Add other ingredients and a little water so it will cook well and not stick.
Bring to a boil, then turn burner down and cook on very low heat about an hour. (I use a heat diffuser under my cast iron oval French oven.)
You can serve it just as it is with crackers or cornbread, or you can serve with cooked elbow macaroni, sour cream, or grated cheese.
My late mother-in-law, Mrs. Smith made a cobbler that was really good .This is one of my
favorites and so easy to prepare.
The topping:
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
Blend into this mixture:
1/4 cup shortening or margarine (can be reduced to 2 Tbsp for low fat)
1/4 cup milk (if you reduce shortening, increase milk to 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup chopped nuts
Into a 9 inch square pan put:
1 cup drained sour cherries
Mix 2 Tablespoons flour (or 3 Tbsp. tapioca) into 1 cup sugar. Pour over cherries. Add 2 cups water. Spoon dough over the top and bake at 350 degrees 40 minutes or until brown. Any suitable fruit can be substituted for cherries. At different times I have used canned or fresh peaches, apricots, or apples.
My mother, Vera Griffin, always made this cake at Christmas time.It
was the favorite dessert of everyone in the family. When I was a child,
she made it with a caramel frosting, but in later years she served it plain
without a frosting.
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup sweet milk
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup cocoa
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup of cooked, creamed Irish potatoes
1 package of chopped dates
1 cup nuts (pecans or walnuts)
Mix all ingredients and bake in greased and floured pan. Bake in a slow
oven at 300 degrees until toothpick comes out clean. Makes one bundt cake
or 5 small loaves.
CARAMEL ICING
2 1/2 cup sugar
1 slightly beaten egg
1 stick of butter or margarine
3/4 cup of milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Melt 1/2 cup sugar in an iron skillet alowly, until brown and runny. Mix
egg, butter, remaining sugar, and milk in a saucepan and cook over low flame until butter
melts. Turn the heat to medium and add the browned sugar. Cook until
it reaches the soft ball stage. (Put a small amount in a cup of tap water, test to
see if you can form a ball with your fingers.) This will take about
10 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Add vanilla. Beat until
it is the right consistency to spread. If it gets too thick, add a little
cream.
Mother made this relish when we were growing up. If you have a
garden you will enjoy making and using this delicious recipe.
Chop in the food processor and measure after chopping:
16 cups ripe tomotoes
16 cups apple, cored but unpeeled
6 cups onions
3 cups sweet bell pepper
Cook in a large roasting pan (uncovered) Add:
1 quart apple cider vinegar
3 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 Tablespoon salt
Cook, stirring constantly, until enough of the liquid boils away
so that it is the consistency of picante sauce. The pan must be
uncovered for it to boil down satisfactorily.
If you start with 1 gallon (16 cups) of chopped tomatoes, you will
end up with about 15 pints of relish.
This relish is especially good with black-eyed peas and cornbread.
This is another recipe from Aunt Thelma which dates from 1975.
Mix together as many or as few of the following ingredients that you desire. The oatmeal, of course, is basic.
7 cups dry oatmeal (a 42 oz. box contains 14 cups)
2 cups Rice Krispies
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup sunflower seed, chopped
1/2 cup sesame seed
1/2 cup flax seed
1/2 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or peanuts
2 Tablespoons brewer's yeast
After you have mixed the dry ingredients together, mix the following wet ingredients and pour over and mix well with dry ingredients.
1/2 cup water
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons vanilla
1/2 Tablespoon salt (may be omitted for low salt diets)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn oil.
1 teaspoon almond flavoring (optional)
2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional)
Spread in large cake pans and bake at 200 degrees for 2 hours or until dry. Stir occasionally.
Cool and serve with milk and fruit as a breakfast cereal.
Contact
Mrs. Stevens by email.
LINKS
CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEA
One of the best ways to save is to plan your meals around what's on sale .
