Starting my plan for a homemade holiday

I'm so terribly sorry for not posting more frequently, I've just been blogging all over the internet and this hasn't been a focus.  Sorry.

However, hot chocolate will make me take the turn.

I would like to begin my plan to make a homemade food package for our gifts this year (except maybe not the kids) and this look like a great place to start.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/hot-cocoa-recipe

We always need a Quick Ranch Recipe

• 1/2 C. mayo 
• 1/2 C. yogurt 
• 1 tsp dill 
• 2 tsp parsley 
• 1/4 tsp, garlic salt 
• 1/4 tsp. onion salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

This worked great!!

These chocolate chip cookies look awesome

http://sisterscafe.blogspot.com/2010/03/melanies-famous-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

Whole Wheat Cream Biscuit

Making these in the morning:

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or AP flour)

1.5 teaspoon baking powder

.5 teaspoon salt

.5 Tablespoon sugar (I might mix agave instead with the cream and add that to the dry)

Mix

Add 3/4 cup of cream

Mix, roll, cut out and bake at 500 for 10 min

Suzanne made this most wonderful Chicken and Wild Rice Soup last weekend

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
from Mary G.

½ cup butter
1 finely chopped onion
½ - 1 cup frozen corn (or ½ cup chopped celery, if preferred)
½ pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
½ cup carrots, sliced
¾ cup all-purpose flour
6 ½ cups chicken broth (can use 7 bouillon cubes plus 6 ½ cups water)
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon mustard powder
½ teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup slivered almonds
2 cups nonfat half-and-half (use normal half-and-half if you prefer, but you won't believe how delicious this is with the nonfat variety!)

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, corn, chicken and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté 3-4 more minutes. Then add flour and stir well. Transfer mixture to large pot. Over medium heat, gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly until all has been added. Bring just to a boil and then reduce heat to low and let simmer.

Next, add the rice, salt, curry powder, mustard powder, parsley, ground black pepper and almonds. Allow to heat through and then pour in the half-and-half. Let simmer 1 to 1 ½ hours. Be careful not to let the soup come to a boil or it won't thicken properly - let it simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally.

Cream Biscuits

Make these!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/cream-biscuits-recipe/index.html

Eggs Benedict for a Crowd

Thinking of making this Xmas morning...

Eggs Benedict for a Crowd
Domino Magazine, December 2005

Ingredients

• no-stick cooking spray
• 12 eggs
• 12 slices Canadian bacon
• 6 English muffins, split
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• bennie sauce (see recipe below)
• snipped chives, for garnish

Bennie Sauce

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Preheat oven to 375 degree. Put two 6-cup silicone muffin trays on a baking sheet, and coat well with no-stick cooking spray. Crack an egg into each muffin cup.

Cover each egg with a slice of Canadian bacon.

Butter the English muffins and place them buttered-side down on top of the Canadian bacon. Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Cover the muffin pan with a platter; flip over. Squeeze each of the muffin cups to release the eggs, then carefully remove.

Top each egg with a spoonful of Bennie sauce (simply whisk together the ingredients above to make the sauce).

Sprinkle with chives and serve with simple watercress salad on the side.

Easy Turtles

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted here. Well, I don't have much but I saw this and didn't want to forget where the recipes was.

http://www.twigandthistle.com/blog/2009/04/homemade-turtles/

I think I could handle this recipe.

Apple Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Hi Mom, this is for you. These were good today...peach sour cream version. Looks like someone already posted the recipe online. Or just go buy the book: Moosewood Cookbook

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/7420/3748/1600/cottage%20cheese%20pancake%20recipe.jpg

Krab Casserole

Ingredients:
1 package of frozen chopped spinach thawed and drained
6 tablespoons ap flour
2 lb small curd cottage cheese
6 eggs
1 stick butter diced
1/2 lb of sharp cheddar cheese shredded
7.5 oz of cooked krab

Mix and bake for 1 hr at 350 in a 13 x 9" greased pan

Great looking peanut noodle recipe

http://everydaydish.tv/index.php?page=recipe&recipe=119

Fudgy Vegan Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup coffee
• 3/4 cup soymilk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup walnuts, roasted and chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips or carob chips

Glaze for extra decadance

• 7 ounces dark Belgian chocolate (optional)
• 5 ounces margarine (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, and salt.

2. 2

   In a separate bowl, combine the coffee, soy milk, and oil.

3. 3

   Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix; then stir in the nuts and chocolate chips.

4. 4

   Pour batter (it will be quite liquidy) into a greased 9x9" pan and bake at 325º for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

5. 5

   (Note- for a smaller pan, the baking time could be substantially longer- a 7x10 pan took about 40 minutes).

6. 6

   For glaze- melt the chocolate and margarine and whisk, then drizzle over brownies.

7. 7

   (Note- this is a lot of glaze- an ounce of chocolate and a tablespoon of margarine makes a nice amount).

Vegan Popovers

Something to try when I'm feeling up to it.

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chickpea flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch of tumeric
1/2 of a 14 oz. block tofu, pressed
1 3/4 cups soymilk
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons nondairy butter, melted

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease muffin tin.

Whisk together dry ingredients and set aside. In a blender or food processor, blend the tofu until smooth, then add the milk, water, and butter and blend until creamy and no bits of tofu remain.

Pour the tofu-milk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until batter is thick and smooth.

Fill muffin tins about 3/4 full and bake at 450 for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. The popovers should be golden and their tops firm to the touch.

Let cool on a cooling rack for 5-10 minutes, then dig in.

Camille's Borsht

BORSHT					SUBMITTED BY: Camille Craw
1/2 to 3/4 Head of Cabbage
1 Can of String Beets
1 to 2 Medium Carrots
3/4 to 1 Medium Onion
1/3 C Tomato Sauce
1/8 C Flour
1/8 Cup Vinegar
1 Bay Leaf
1 to 2 Large Cloves of Garlic
Chicken Bouillon
Salt and Pepper
Plenty of Vegetable Oil
Cut onions into strips and shred carrots on a cheese grater. Sautee the onions and carrots together
in some oil until cooked through.
While your onions and carrots are cooking, make 6-8 cups of chicken stock using your bouillon
depending on how thick you want the borsh (I usually use about 6 1/2).
Shred your cabbage cabbage with a knife and cook it in the chicken stock for about 15 minutes.
Combine your beets, vinegar and tomato sauce in a small pan and warm them, mixing well.
Put your 1/8 cup of flour in a pan and heat it slightly with some oil. Then add hot stock to it to thin
it out until it's soupy.
When all the above is done combine everything in the pan of cabbage and chicken stock.
Crush your garlic into the mix, salt and pepper, add your bay leaf and put it in the flour/oil mix you
just made. Let it all simmer for 10-15 minutes. You should also let it sit a little after that (they
recommend 1/2 hour).
It is a tradition to put a dollop of sour cream in your bowl with the borsh, but it's up to you.

Artichoke Dip

I just read about this on a blog and I think I tasted it at the farmers market today (different people) I really want to try this. The farmers market version (not sure of recipe) tasted great on tortilla chips!

1 (14oz.) can Quartered Artichokes
1 (4oz.) can diced green chilies
1 c. Mayonnaise
1 c. grated Parmesan

Dice artichokes into chunk size. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Pour and spread into 9×13 pan.
Bake at 350* for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy! Fun to eat with Tortilla chips or French bread slices.
(Double this if it’s for more than 5 people.)

Lazy Daisy Cake - Not Nana's

I made this tonight and Sean looooved it but Nana says this wasn't what she used to make. Her friend has a copy of the recipe. So, until we get that, we're using this one.

Lazy Daisy Cake

This is a wonderful, old-fashioned cake. Make it when there are people around to enjoy it warm from the oven.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

Sift together the sifted flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat the eggs at medium-high setting for 4 minutes. Beat in the sugar, gradually, and add the vanilla extract. Beat until incorporated.

In a small saucepan, melt the 1/4 cup butter in the milk. Do not boil.

Turn mixer speed to low and add the sifted flour mixture alternately with the hot milk mixture. Scrape down sides of mixer bowl as needed, and beat until the batter is uniformly smooth. Batter will be thin. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick in center of cake comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, mix the icing, but don't start cooking it until the cake is done.

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut

Combine brown sugar, cream and butter in a 2-quart saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, and boil for two minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and stir in pecans and coconut. Spoon icing over hot cake and spread evenly.

Place the cake in broiler 5 to 7 inches from the heat source, and broil 1 to 2 minutes, until icing is bubbly and browned, watching carefully and rotating pan as necessary for even browning. Cool completely on wire rack.

Kim's Spaghetti Sauce

(1) Pkg. Lean Hamburger

(1) Pkg. Farmer John's Sausage Regular

(1) Large Onion Chopped

(4) Cloves Of Garlic Minced

(1) Can Chopped Tomatoes

(1) Small Can Tomato Paste

(1) Jar Of Spaghetti Sauce (Paul Newman's with Basil or Any Other That you Like)

(1/2) Cup Of Water

(3) Tablespoon's of Italian Seasoning

(1) Teaspoon Of Anise Seed

(2) Bayleaves

Salt and Pepper To Taste



Brown and drain hamburger and sausage. Add onion and garlic cook about 5 Min. Then add Italian Seasoning and Anise Seed. Add the rest and simmer about 1/2 Hour or longer.

Cincinnati-Style Chili

here's one I want to try.


Cincinnati-Style Chili

Servings: 6-8


Ingredients:
1 (48 ounce) can tomato juice
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon vinegar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
5 bay leaves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 large onion, minced
2 pounds lean ground chuck

Directions:
Combine all ingredients except for meat in a medium stock pot. Heat thoroughly. Add raw meat by dropping it into pot by small amounts. Cook uncovered slowly for 2 hours.

Serve over Spaghetti. Top with grated cheddar cheese, diced onions, kidney beans, oyster crackers and hot sauce.

Tamale Pie

made this tonight, it's still cooling. i think it's gonna be good!

ps: turned out great!!!! patrick loved it!

Hot Tamale Pie

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 medium yellow, red, or green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 16-oz. can unsweetend tomato sauce 1 16-oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained 1 ear corn, kernels cut off the cob, or 3/4 cup thawed frozen corn 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt pinch of cayenne pepper 3 cups water 1 cup yellow stone-ground cornmeal 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion bell pepper, and garlic and cook until softened, 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the tomato sauce, pinto beans, corn, chili powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne. Pour into an 8- by 8-inch glass baking dish.

Preheat oven to 350°. Boil the water, add the cornmeal, lemon juice, mustard, and salt in a large saucepan, and stir until mixed. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.

Spread the cooked cornmeal over the bean mixture. Bake for 30 minutes.

Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Makes 8-inch square pie.

Chinese Chicken Salad with Ramen Noodles

SERVES 4

Ingredients

For Salad

* 1 head napa cabbage, shredded or thinly sliced
* 4 green onions, thinly siced
* 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
* 1/4 cup cilantro
* 3 tablespoons toasted almonds, sliced
* 2 (3 ounce) packages uncooked oriental-flavor instant ramen noodles or chicken-flavored ramen noodles, crushed (save 1 seasoning mix packet for dressing)
* 2 cups chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or cubed

For Dressing

* 4 tablespoons sugar
* 1/4 cup sesame oil and 1/4 cup canola oil
* 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
* 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
* 1 teaspoon fresh gingerroot, minced (optional)

Directions

1
Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl.
2
Mix all dressing ingredients and 1 Ramen noodle seasoning packet and pour over salad.
3
Mix well.
4
Refrigerate overnight or several hours.