Lemonchick's Fried Rice

 Lemonchick's Fried Rice

    I created this healthier fried rice because I'm doing Weight Watchers and wanted to have a side to go with a tuna steak.  It turned out really good and the Weight Watchers app calculated it at only three Weight Watchers points. Add more or less of any veggie or seasoning/sauce, as you desire. 

Ingredients:

2 eggs, whisked 

2 tsp low sodium soy sauce

1 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 cup uncooked carrots, shredded

2 stalks of green onions, sliced finely

1/2 cup cooked green peas (I used frozen, because the texture of canned wouldn't be right)

2 cups cooked white rice

3 tsp Sriracha hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

Cook snow peas in a small amount of boiling water until softened and remove to a plate. Drain excess water. Pour whisked eggs into pan. Tilt the pan around, so the egg spreads out and use a large spoon to break up the egg into smaller bits. Add snow peas and other veggies one at a time and mix well. Mix in rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and sriracha. Stir in cooked rice and stir until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Cook over low heat until all ingredients are heated through. Eat just the rice or add as a side to chicken or fish. Mixing in cooked chunks of chicken, fish, tofu or shrimp is also a great option! Makes approximately 5 to 6 1 cup servings.

Lemonchick's Fried Rice and Seared Tuna

Pie Number Three: Pork and Tater Pie

The Year of Pie

Pie #3 - Pork and Tater

     Pork and Tater Pie.  I wasn't sure what to expect from this recipe which comes from the Favorite Recipes From Southern Kitchens - Meats: Including Seafood and Poultry, published in 1967, but it turned out really well. This recipe was submitted to Southern Kitchens by Mrs. A. Tschoepe Jr, of San Antonio, Texas. I adjusted some of the seasoning, because I didn't have any "savory" seasoning and also because I wanted to. Also, I added nutmeg. It is a two crust pie and although I still struggle with making pretty circles when I roll out my dough, but overall, I am doing good with crusts.  I brushed melted butter on the top crust, before baking and it gave it a nice, golden brown color.  Modifications in italics. Note that the original recipe only calls for salt, savory (1/2 tsp), sage (1/4 tsp), cinnamon, cloves (1/8 tsp) and pepper. The original recipe does not include thyme, Italian seaoning or nutmeg. I really liked this pie. I served with a nice garden salad and it was perfect. So, try this pie!

Ingredients:

2 cups flour, sifted

1 tsp salt

2/3 cup shortening

1 lb ground pork, browned

2 cups diced potato, cooked

2 tbsp butter, melted

1/2 cup water

1 tsp salt 

1/8 tsp oregano

1/8tsp thyme

1/8 tsp Italian seasoning

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp pepper

parsley (optional)

Directions:

Sift flour and salt together and cut in shortening until pea-size crumbles form. Sprinkle 6 or 7 tablespoons cold water over the pea-sized crumbles and mix until dough forms (I used my hands to form the dough ball after mixing with the fork). Separate dough into two halves. Roll out one half of dough until about 10 inches round. Loosely lay dough over a 9 inch round pie pan. Cook pork in skillet and drain off fat. Add seasonings and 1/2 cup water. Mix thoroughly until heated through. Pour the meat & potato mixture into the pie pan. Set aside and roll out the second half of dough. Place over the filling. Crimp top and bottom crust together and trim any excess dough. Cut slits in top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush top crust with melted butter. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes. Serve with sprinkling of parsley flakes. The original recipe says four to six servings. You can get six to eight servings. 

Pork and Tater Pie

Pork and Tater Pie

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

 Pineapple Upside Down Cake

    I used my favorite cookbook today and made Pineapple Upside Down Cake! The top got a little wonky, when I transferred it out of the pan and into my cake carrier, but it looks good.  I took it to my church ladies group potluck dinner/meeting tonight and I'm happy to say that I got a number of compliments on it. I really receiving compliments (I mean, really, who doesn't?).  My favorite cookbook is my The Pillsbury Family Cookbook, published originally in 1963. My copy is a sixth printing from 1970. I didn't use as many pineapple slices as called for, but I used more cherries than called for. I listed it as optional below, but try adding some flaked coconut also for a little bit more coconut flair. Maybe even use coconut extract instead of vanilla. 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1-pound 4-ounce can sliced pineapple, drained (I used 6 slices, not the whole can)

8 maraschino cherries (I used 13) and/or nut halves

1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup shortening

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract (or coconut extract)

1/2 cup flaked coconut (optional)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Into a good sized bowl, sift flour with sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the shortening with a fork and add milk. Stir well or use a hand mixer for 1 1/2 minutes at medium speed (I stirred with a wooden spoon and it worked fine). Stir in the egg and vanilla and continue beating for about 1 1/2 minutes or until well incorporated. Melt butter or margarine in an 8 or 9 inch cake pan (I used a 9 inch round cake pan). Remove when completely melted and stir in brown sugar. Lay out your pineapple slices and any of the other toppings (cherries, nuts, coconut) over the brown sugar and butter/margarine mixture. Finally, pour the cake batter over top, smooth it out with the back of a spoon and bake for 40 to 50 minutes (I did 45 minutes). Remove from oven and cool for at least five minutes. Loosen sides with a butter knife or spatula, place a plate upside down over top of the finished cake. Holding the plate and pan together, turn the plate and cake pan over (invert) and gently remove the cake pan. Cut into wedges for serving. You can serve this as is, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or even a dollop of whipped cream. Serves 6 to 8.  

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

 

Pie Number Two: Buttermilk Pie

The Year of Pie

Pie #2 - Buttermilk Pie

    So, I actually made this pie about two weeks ago. Life has still been crazy and I just haven't been forcing myself to write and I'm behind in pie making (I should have already made Pie #3, but I've only made two). I wanted to make a classic, southern pie. Buttermilk pie is similar to Chess pie. Chess pie has cornmeal and the filling is "sturdier". Chess pie is known as Jefferson Davis pie, but the recipe originated in England. Buttermilk pie is one of several types of pie which have been referred to as "Desperation Pies". I've learned they were called this, because during times of hardship, the depression and before refrigeration, homemakers had to use items which were in season or could be obtained inexpensively. This recipe is in my copy of the Southern Living - Progressive Farmer - The Pies and Pastries Cookbook, published in 1972. My favorite thing about this book, is that it is one which is compiled of recipes submitted by women all over the country. This recipe was submitted by Roberta Capps of Fayetteville, North Carolina.  I wish I could tell her that I loved her recipe. It was simple and easy to make, but so yummy. I may actually make this for my upcoming church ladies group meeting. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup softened butter

2 cups sugar

3 tbsp flour

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

1 unbaked pie shell (I used the recipe from my favorite cookbook, which you can find by searching "Pie" in the blog and you'll find it in at least one of my pie recipes which I've made. 

cinnamon (optional)

nutmeg (optional)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add the flour and beaten eggs and mix well. Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla. Pour into your pie shell.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and/or nutmeg, if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.  Cool thoroughly and enjoy with a dab of whipped cream. Serves 6 to 8, depending on how big your pieces are!

Buttermilk Pie

Buttermilk Pie

Buttermilk Pie

Pie Number One: Peanut Pie

 The Year of Pie

Pie #1 - Peanut Pie

    So, 2023 has not started out well. Several things have prevented me from not just baking both of the first two pies, but writing about the one I did bake. I've had to have new shocks on my car, three new tires and currently having issues with the tire pressure sensors. Also, on Day 14, lab results came back and I found out my dogga, Rooster, had kidney failure. He was pretty bad and on Day 16, I had him put down to prevent anymore suffering. 

    The good news is, that my first pie turned out good. I've seen peanut pie described as "the poor man's pecan pie".  According to an entry on Wikipedia, peanut pie was called "slave food" and did not become more well liked until the 1940s. An advertisement for a brand of corn syrup proclaimed that peanut pie will "make even your deepest dyed Yankee start complimenting you with a Southern accent".  Peanut pie was popular in the South, especially in North Carolina and Virginia. I love history and the history of food. Plus, George Washington Carver is one of my favorite historical figures. I fully believe that if it wasn't for him inventing so many uses for the simple peanut, the South wouldn't have had a crop to help so many people survive after the Civil War. I simply wanted to make the pie, because I came across at least three different recipes while trying to decide what to make first, and I was intrigued. 

    If you know pecan pie, you can imagine what peanut pie looks like. The difference is the nut (obviously). Of note, is that peanuts are cheaper to buy than pecans, so this recipe is a bit more affordable. The filling is made with dark and light corn syrups, egg, salt, peanuts and butter. The texture and taste is like the more well known, pecan pie. Lastly, with the use of dark and light corn syrups, the filling in this recipe is lighter; looking more like a peanut butter color, than the darker filling in pecan pie. 

    I'm pretty proud of how this turned out. I liked it and all of my samplers did also. I was pretty happy that they all said the crust was good also. Would I make this again? Yes!!! Should you try it? Also, yes! Try it out and let me know what you think. The recipe comes from my copy of the Farm Journal's Complete Pie Cookbook.  Published in 1965, it sold for $4.95. 

Ingredients:

1 unbaked 10" pie shell

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup dark corn syrup

1 cup light corn syrup

2 tbsp melted butter or margarine

1 cup salted peanuts

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Make pie crust and lay in pie pan. Beat together eggs, corn syrups and salt on medium speed with a hand mixer or by hand, until well combined. Stir in melted butter. Sprinkle peanuts in the pie shell and pour the liquid syrup mixture over the peanuts. The peanuts will float to the top. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.  Makes 8 servings. Serve with a scoop of ice cream or cool whip if desired. You could also decorate with a little drizzle of chocolate sauce. 

Peanut Pie

Peanut Pie w/a dollop of homemade chocolate mousse