Casserole #15 - Lemonchick's Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

 The Year of Casseroles

Casserole #15 - Lemonchick's Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

    So, I've had a lot going on, and I finally just this morning, made casserole number 15. Overall, it has just not been a good year and not a good year for the blog either. Part of the reason is that I feel as if I am writing this only for myself. If you see this and try this or any of my other recipes, please let me know. It would make me happy and feel like someone out there is paying attention. 

    This is a recipe of my own creation, and I hope you like it. Substitute diced potatoes for the tater tots if you like.  You can also use turkey sausage, hot/mild/maple sausage (I used hot sausage). It's okay if you don't do the layers exactly as I wrote below; mix it up! I'm very, happy with how this turned out, and I hope you love it. 

Ingredients:

1/2 lb sausage, browned and crumbled

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1/3 cup diced tomato (canned or fresh)

1/4 cup diced pickled jalapeno (or fresh)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp chili powder (or your favorite spicy seasoning)

1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese (divided use)

7 or 8 eggs

1/8 cup to 1/4 cups milk

16 tater tots

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake tater tots until crispy. In a large skillet, begin browning sausage. Chop onion and dice the jalapeno. Add onion and jalapeno to sausage. Sprinkle salt, pepper and chili powder (if desired) to mixture in skillet. In a medium sized bowl, beat eggs with milk and add paprika. Spray a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Layer half of the tater tots in casserole and spoon sausage mixture on top. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese over top of this layer, and add the rest of the tater tots. Pour egg mixture over all. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup cheese on the top. Bake for about 30 minutes and cover the casserole with foil to help prevent further browning. Cook for about 15 more minutes, until egg mixture is completly cooked. Remove from oven, cool slightly and serve. 

Tater Tot Casserole

Tater Tot Casserole

Charley The Muffin Man watching me take pics of this Tater Tot Casserole. 

Uh-oh, Charley The Muffin Man is getting closer to the Tater Tot Casserole

Pistachio Gooey Butter Cake

 Pistachio Gooey Butter Cake

    I recently bought a jar of pistachio butter and was having a tough time deciding what to make with it. I came across Grilled Cheese Social's "Pistachio Cream Gooey Butter Cake" recipe and decided to try it. And, I'm so glad I did! I do love a gooey butter cake and the addition of pistachio butter swirled in was so yummy.  The changes I made were I did not use flaky salt and I added chopped pistachio. My modifications will be in italics. I suggest searching Middle Eastern/Mediterranean grocery stores when you are shopping for the pistachio butter, like I did. I shop at a store called Nimer Nuts. I recommend this recipe and will look at more of Grilled Cheese Social's recipes to see what I else I can try. 

Crust Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix

1/2 cup salted butter, melted

1 large egg

Filling Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup salted butter, melted

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup pistachio butter (you may see it also called "pistachio cream", like in the original title of the recipe)

1/2 tsp flaky salt (optional)

1/2 cup chopped unsalted pistachios (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, butter and egg until combined (about two minutes, using an electric hand mixer). Line the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper and spread the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Using the same bowl, use your hand mixer to blend the cream cheese, egg, vanilla and melted butter until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar, a cup at a time, until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the cake mixture, ensuring you completely cover the cake mixture. Drizzle or spoon pistachio butter over the cream cheese mixture. Swirl the end of a knife lightly through the pistachio butter and create a pattern (I did long lines of pistachio butter lengthwise and drew the knife through in about six places. If using the flaky salt and or chopped unsalted pistachios, sprinkle over top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the edges are set and starting to turn golden. It is okay if the center is still a bit jiggly. Cool in pan and cut into squares. I cut about 35 squares. 

Pistachio Gooey Butter Cake

Pistachio Gooey Butter Cake

Side View - Pistachio Gooey Butter Cake

Poor Charley, I make him pose in the background when I take pictures. 

Treasure Bran Muffins

Charley The Muffin Man 

Muffin #2 - Treasure Bran Muffins

    I have a friend visiting from out of town and made these for breakfast. I thought they turned out pretty yummy, even though I accidentally put two eggs in the batter, and I would definitely make these again. The recipe is in the Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese Cookbook, published in 1981. The original recipe calls for raisins, but you could substitute cream cheese. It also doesn't call for nuts, but a small amount of finely chopped nuts would work.  My modification is in italics. 

Ingredients: 

1 1/4 cups bran cereal (I used bran flakes which I crushed up a bit)

1 cup milk

1/4 cup oil (I used vegetable oil, but you could use canola oil

1 egg

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries

8 oz cream cheese (Philadelphia brand or whatever brand you have)

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl place your bran flakes and pour the milk over top. Soak for two minutes. Add oil and add, mixing well.  Add flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix until just moistened. I combined all of my dry ingredients in a small bowl and mixed them in all at the same time. Fold in the raisins and spoon batter into greased and floured muffin pan, filling each cup about 2/3 full. In a medium sized bowl, blend the cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar and one egg, until well combined. Drop tablespoons full of the cream cheese mixture on the batter in each cup (I put more than a tablespoon and still had cream cheese mixture leftover). Bake for twenty-five minutes. Remove from oven, cool slightly, remove from pan and serve. 

Treasure Bran Muffins

Cheddar-Apple Muffins

 Charley The Muffin Man

Muffin #1 - Cheddar-Apple Muffins

       So, when I adopted my pup from the SPCA of Texas in Dallas, in January, his shelter name was Muffin. However, he is most definitely not a "Muffin". His name is Charley and his very, first name is "Charley The Muffin Man". His Instagram page his @charleythemuffinman. This series of muffin recipes are for him. This recipe is in one of my favorite cookbooks. The Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook published in 1996. It is one of the first cookbooks which I bought for myself. I used Colby-Jack cheese in lieu of plain cheddar, because that's what I had. I couldn't really taste the cheese in these muffins and I wished there was more flavor. Consider adding a bit of cinnamon or nutmeg or serving with cinnamon-sugar sprinkled on top. That said, I liked these muffins; they had a good texture. Try them and let me know what you think. Modification(s) in italics. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar or Colby-Jack cheese (2oz)

1/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

2 tbsps sugar

2 1/2 tsps baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 beaten egg

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup cooking oil

3/4 cup finely chopped, pealed apple

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease twelve large muffin cups (2 1/2-inch muffin cups) and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cheese, rolled oats, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and set aside. In a separate medium-sized bowl, mix together the egg, milk and oil. Mix liquid mixture into the dry mixture. Stir until combined; the batter should be a little lumpy. Spoon mixture into muffin cups so that they are about 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack for five minutes and remove from pan. Serve warm with butter and cinnamon-sugar if desired. 

Charley The Muffin Man and 
Cheddar-Apple Muffins

Chocoate-Walnut Pie

 Chocolate-Walnut Pie

    This pie recipe is in the Southern Living Annual Recipes - 2005 cookbook.  I made this pie to take to dinner with a friend and it was a hit! It was easy to make and I would make it again. The recipe calls for a 9-inch pan and I accidentally used a 9.5-inch pan. The pie turned out great, but I did have an extra bit of crust at the top. If you love crust, this is not an issue, so make it with a 9.5-inch pan if you like. I would make sure to try it with the 9-inch pan the next time. 

Pie Ingredients:

1/2  package 15 oz refrigerated pie crust or, one home-made pie crust (below)

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup margarine, melted and cooled

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Crust Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup shortening

3-4 tbsp very, cold water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fit pie crust into 9-inch piepan; fold edges under and crimp as desired. In a large bowl, stir sugar, flour, margarine and eggs until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour filling into pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until pie is set. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Makes 8 servings.

Pie Crust Directions:

Sift flour and salt into a bowl. Cut in shortening until pea sized. Using clean hands or spoon, stir in water a little at a time. Make dough into a ball; roll out into desired size, using dusting of flour to prevent sticking. 

Chocolate-Walnut Pie

Serving Suggestion - Serve wedges of pie with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.

Casserole #5 - Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole

 The Year of Casseroles

Casserole #5 - Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole

    This recipe is from a 1989 Minute Rice (General Foods) cookbook. The original recipe calls for a 9-inch square casserole. However, I used a large round casserole dish. I believe it was a 3-qt dish. I added chili powder to the original recipe, but you could use whatever spicy seasoning you like, or make it like the original, without spicy seasoning. 

Ingredients:

2 medium yellow summer squash, diced

1 medium zucchini diced

1 small onion, peeled and chopped

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup milk (I made this with the original 1 1/2 cups milk called for in the recipe. However, the casserole had so much liquid seeping out; it still tasted good, but was way too liquid-y)

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup Minute Rice (or generic quick cooking rice)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning or 1 tsp chili powder/spicy seasoning

1/8 tsp pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Grease the casserole dish and pour the squash & zucchini mixture into the casserole dish. Bake for 35 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle extra Italian seasoning or chili powder/spicy seasoning over top when serving. Makes 6-8 servings.

*Note: If you want to try cooking the rice first, only use 1/2 cup of milk

Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole

Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole

Appetizer #23 - Mini Chickpea Cakes

 The Year of Appetizers

Appetizer #23 - Mini Chickpea Cakes

    The next to last appetizer in this year of Appetizers is in 2004's 100 Best Appetizer Recipes. These were easy to make; the part that took the longest, was shredding the carrot.  The recipe says you'll make about two dozen. I used my small cookie scoop for sizing and then flattened them with the back of a spoon and I got about 2 1/2 dozen. *It's okay if they're not perfectly round; I had some that came out misshapened and it was fine. I really liked this little appetizer. Try it!

Serve warm on a platter with a dish of creamy Italian salad dressing for dipping. 

Ingredients:

1 15oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

1 cup finely shredded carrots 

1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs or plain breadcrumbs with 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning added

1/4 cup creamy Italian Salad Dressing

1 egg

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Drain and rinse chickpeas in a large colander.  Using a potato masher, coarsely mash chickpeas in a large bowl. Stir in bread crumbs, salad dressing and egg, mixing well. Stir in carrot until well combined. Shape mixture into patties using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, placing on lightly greased cookie sheet and flattening with the back of a spoon, or gently press into patty shape using clean hands. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, remove and flip chickpea cakes. Return to the oven for 9 to 10 more minutes. Both sides of chickpea cakes should be lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheets and serve warm with creamy Italian dressing. 

Mini Chickpea Cakes

Mini Chickpea Cakes

Apple-Fig Bread w/Honey Glaze

 Apple-Fig Bread w/Honey Glaze

    Grrr. I already wrote this post once, but accidentally deleted it just before I could hit "publish".  This recipe is in the Betty Crocker The Big Book of Bread. I really like this book and have made several recipes from it. I've never made this one, and I'm glad I did not. If you don't have all-spice, do what I did and substitute with a little more cinnamon and some nutmeg. Serve with hot tea or hot coffee.  Serves about 12. 

Ingredients:

For the Bread:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground allspice

2/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup milk

1 cup chopped, peeled apple

1/2 cups chopped, dried fig

For the Glaze:

1/3 to 1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tbsps honey (Heat slightly in microwave for about 10 - 15 seconds to make it easier to mix)

1 tbsp softened butter

dash allspice (or cinnamon)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare pan by spraying the bottom only of an 8x4 loaf pan with cooking spray. In a medium sized bowl, combine dry ingredients. In a large bowl, beat oil and sugar for about a minute. Beat in egg, then egg yolk. Beat in vanilla. Stir in flour and milk, alternating and mixing well after each addition. Mix in apples and figs to smooth batter. Pour into prepared pan and bake in oven for 55 to 65 minutes. Test for doneness, with a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides of the loaf from the pan to remove. Set loaf top side up on the rack and cool completely (about 2 hours). In a small bowl mix 1/3 cup powdered sugar, honey, butter and allspice or cinnamon until smooth. You can add more powdered sugar to reach desired consistency. Spread glaze over loaf and allow to set. Serve immediately or wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. 

Apple-Fig Bread w/Honey Glaze

Apple-Fig Bread w/Honey Glaze

Appetizer #21 - Corn Dog Bites

 The Year of Appetizers

Appetizer #21 - Corn Dog Bites

    This is my creation. I used hot dogs, but you could use kielbasa sausage as well. Serve these with your favorite dipping sauce, like mustard, honey-mustard or even ketchup.  You could also serve these as part of a meal with french fries or tater tots or a vegetable. But, it is fried, so you may as well have the fries or tots! I list a whole package of hot dogs in the ingredients, but you'll cut them up and use as many as you have batter for or that you want.

Ingredients:

1 package hot dogs

1 box of Jiffy cornbread mix

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup flour

oil

spicy seasoning/your favorite seasoning (optional)

Directions:

Place flour in a small bowl and set aside. Pour cornbread mix into a large bowl. Add in milk and egg, whisking until thoroughly combined. Add seasoning if using and stir to combine. Heat oil to appropriate temperature or test oil by dropping a tiny bit of batter in your oil.  Cut each hot dog into about 5-6 pieces; you want them to be kinda small; use your best judgement for sizing. Add a few pieces of hot dog into the flour and coat each piece. Dip pieces one at a time into the cornbread batter and thoroughly coat. Gently drop battered hot dog pieces into hot oil and fry until golden brown. Remove corn dog bites from hot oil and place onto plate/tray covered with paper towel. Continue frying until you have used all of the hot dogs and batter. Serve hot on a platter with your choice of dipping sauce. 

Corn Dog Bites

Corn Dog Bites

Appetizer #19 - Sausage Stuffing Balls

 The Year of Appetizers

Appetizer #19 - Sausage Stuffing Balls

    This recipe was in a 1984 promotional calendar from Pete's Jewelers at 2223 South Buckner, Dallas, Texas. I searched and could not find Pete's Jewelers, so it looks like they are out of business or have moved. I did not see them at that location. The original recipe says you'll get 18 to 22 stuffing balls, but I got about double that, because I made smaller stuffing balls and I used more stuffing mix. Mine didn't turn out perfectly round, but they are tasty. I made a gravy to drizzle over the finished stuffing balls, but you could try them with barbecue sauce or an orange-cranberry sauce to serve for dipping. I also sprinkled dried parsley flakes on my stuffing balls for serving. 

 Ingredients;

1 lb pork sausage (I used turkey sausage)

7-8 oz seasoned stuffing mix (I used 11 oz)

3/4 cup hot water

1/2 cup finely diced onion

1/2 cup finely diced celery

1 egg, beaten

1/4 tsp baking powder

dried parsley flakes for decoration (Optional)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine stuffing and water. Mix in sausage, followed by onion, celery, egg and baking powder. Shape into balls and place on a baking pan. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover with foil and bake an additional 25 minutes at 350 degrees F. Remove from oven, transfer to a serving dish/bowl and serve with gravy or other sauce for dipping. 

Sausage Stuffing Balls

Appetizer #8 - Carrot Puffs

 The Year of Appetizers

Appetizer #8 - Carrot Puffs

    Okay, so I sometimes will take a picture of a recipe in a cookbook, so I can easily refer to it in making grocery lists. This time around, I did that and then put the cookbook away. I know it was the Waring Blendor Cookbook, but I do not know for sure which year it was published. I "googled' and I believe that the cookbook I have is the one that was published in 1955. This is not the only Waring cookbook which spelled blender as "blendor", but I am pretty sure of the one I have. 

    These puffs were good. They were of a lighter texture than hush puppies, but you fry them just the same (I actually used about two inches of oil in a large cast iron skillet). There are a number of variations you could do with this recipe. Substitute sweet potato for the carrot, add more nutmeg or substitute cinnamon. I am also curious how this would turn out using spinach. I used avocado oil instead of regular vegetable oil, so it was a little "better". Still fried in oil, but better. Lol. 

    My verdict is that these were tasty and I would make them again if I wasn't being careful with fried foods (I don't know what possessed me to make something fried). They were not difficult to make, so if you like fried things, try this!

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg or cinnamon

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

3/4 cup cooked carrots (cut up in small pieces)

2 tbsp oil

Directions:

Into a bowl, sift flour, baking powder, nutmeg/cinnamon and salt. Into your blender or food processor, add the egg, milk, carrots and oil over and blend until smooth. Pour your liquid mixture into the dry flour mixture and stir, thoroughly combining. Drop spoonfuls into hot oil and fry for 3 to 5 minutes. You want them golden. Remove to a paper towel lined baking sheet or plate and sprinkle with salt. Serves 6.

Carrot Puffs

Appetizer #7 - Coconut Chicken Bites

 The Year of Appetizers

Appetizer #7 - Coconut Chicken Bites

    This recipe comes from 2007's The Taste of Home Cookbook, from Reader's Digest. I had to modify the recipe, because I once again, did not have all of the correct seasonings. I'll list what I used in italics and what the original seasonings were that I did not use. Even with my substitutions, I really liked these little bite-sized nuggets. They would be yummy with a hot honey sauce or a hot orange marmalade sauce. Instructions for the sauces will be below. 

P.S. Sorry for my plain-jane photo. 

Ingredients:

2 cups flaked coconut

1 egg

2 tbsps milk

3/4 pound boneless and skinless chicken breast, cut into nugget-sized pieces

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp celery salt (If you don't have this, use regular salt like I did)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin (I used chili powder)

Oil for frying

Directions:

Finely chop coconut in a blender or food processor (This took awhile for me, because I tried using a blender and it did not work great). Pour coconut into a bowl and set aside. Combine egg and milk in a separate bowl until well combined. Pour flour into a small bowl and toss the chicken a few pieces at a time, in the flour. Dip floured chicken pieces in the egg mixture and then in the coconut. Place chicken pieces on a tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Fry a few pieces of chicken at a time in 2 inches of oil (heated to 375 degrees) for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. They should be golden brown. Drain fried chicken bites on paper towels and place in a bowl. Combine seasonings and sprinkle over chicken bites. Toss to coat chicken bites and serve warm with or without a dipping sauce. I actually opted to mix my seasonings in with the flour, before coating in the egg mixture and coconut. 

Dipping Sauce #1 - Hot Honey Sauce:

Heat 1/2 cup honey in a microwave until it is a little bubbly. Remove from the microwave and add sriracha sauce to taste.  Add more or less honey and sriracha. It really depends on how much sauce you want and how sweet or hot you want it. 

Dipping Sauce #2 - Hot Orange Marmalade Sauce:

Follow directions above, only use orange marmalade. 

Coconut Chicken Bites

Blueberry Muffins

 Blueberry Muffins

    From my favorite cookbook the Pillsbury Family Cook Book. Published originally in 1963, my copy is a sixth printing from 1970. I've been home sick for over a week (never did get confirmation on what virus I had), but on Saturday, I needed to eat and felt up to making some muffins. I'm trying to use up things I've had in my freezer, to make space, and had blueberries. So, I made these. It's a basic muffin recipe you can switch up as you like, with recipes for additions listed below the basic recipe. I baked these in my Pampered Chef square brownie bar pan. 

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

1 cup milk

1/4 cup cooking oil or melted shortening (I used canola oil)

1 to 2 cups blueberries (However much you want, but remember that the more blueberries, the heavier they will be; I used close to 2 cups)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Into a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar and salt. Into a small bowl, combine egg, milk and oil/melted shortening. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until there is no dry mix left. You need to stir until all is moist; being careful not to over mix. Stir in blueberries. Fill well-greased muffin cups 2/3 full and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm with butter or your favorite topping(s).

Blueberry Muffins

Jalapeno-Cheese Cornbread

 Jalapeno-Cheese Cornbread

    This recipe is based off of a cornbread recipe in Betty Crocker's The Big Book of Bread, published in 2013.  I have tried a number of recipes in this cookbook and have enjoyed all of them, including this Jalapeno-Cheese Cornbread. This recipe would have been perfectly fine plain (as in the cookbook); without jalapeno and/or cheese, but I wanted to "jazz" it up a little. I used fresh jalapeno from my garden, which was nice because I have all these pepper plants and trying to think of things to use them in. I used finely shredded Monterrey-Jack cheese, but you could use whatever shredded cheese you like. Finally, I used a 9-inch cast iron skillet for baking. I'd read recently about pre-heating the cast iron, before filling with batter. It's supposed to give it a crispier crust. It did and I liked it. You don't have to do that, but you should give it a try!

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

1/4 cup melted butter

1 egg

1 1/4 cup yellow, white or blue cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shredded cheese

2-3 diced jalapenos

Directions:

    Heat your oven to 400 degrees. If you are using cast iron, go ahead and put it in the oven after greasing the bottom and side of the pan, to pre-heat. If you are not using cast iron, grease the bottom and side of a 9-inch round or square pan. Mix together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate large bowl, beat together milk, butter and egg with a whisk. Stir in the dry mixture all at once until moistened. You'll see some lumps. Stir in cheese and jalapeno. Take your heated skillet out of the oven and pour the batter into your skillet or other pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm with butter and a drizzle of honey.

Jalapeno-Cheese Cornbread

Pie Number Nine - Barbara Frietchie Pie

The Year of Pie

Pie #9 - Barbara Frietchie Pie

    Who is Barbara Frietchie? What I learned about Barbara Frietchie (Frietchie), December 3, 1776 - December 18, 1862, is that she lived in Frederick, Maryland in 1862. Frietchie, also known as Barbara Fritchie and Barbara Frietschie, is the subject of a poem "Barbara Frietchie" by John Greenleaf Whittier. Frietchie is alleged to have shaken a Union flag and hurled insults at Confederate troops who were marching through Frederick. There are conflicting stories, but it is said that she did at least wave a Union flag at and cheered for Union General Ambrose Burnside's troops as they marched through. 

    I've seen other blog posts/articles on versions of this pie and it seems that mine did not turn out like some of those. For example, while the flavor sounds like it was the same, mine did not turn out to have two layers. Mine turned out thin and with a chewy consistency. It was a bit hard to cut with it destroying some of the pie crust edge, but that didn't matter, because overall, I really liked it. Served very, cold like the recipe suggested, it was delicious and surprisingly not oversweet. I would definitely make this again.

    The recipe I used comes from 250 Superb Pies And Pastries, published in 1950 by the Culinary Arts Institute and in fact, the black & white photo of the pie, does show what looks like two layers. 

Ingredients:

1 - 9 inch pie crust

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream or evaporated milk (I used what I had, which was heavy whipping cream)

2 egg yolks (beaten)

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 eggs whites (beaten) 

Sprinkle of nutmeg

Whipped cream (optional)

Directions:

Prepare pie crust and line a 9-inch pan with crust. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Cook the sugar, brown sugar, cream/milk, egg yolks and butter in the top of a double boiler if you have one (I used a regular pan and heated on medium-low heat) until thickened. I forgot the "until thickened" part and cooked until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, salt and egg whites. Pour into pie shell and sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake at 425 degrees for  ten minutes, then reduce temperature to 300 degrees and bake for forty-five more minutes. Generally if you insert a knife in the center and it comes out clean, you're done. Cool on a rack. Once cool, place in the refrigerator and serve very, cold with a dollop of whipped cream. Serves between six and eight slices.  

Barbara Frietchie Pie

Slice of Barbara Frietchie Pie

Pizza Sandwich

 Pizza Sandwich

    I mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters and this past Sunday, I had my Little Sister (she's eight years old) over to my house.  She has enjoyed baking with me, so I had planned for us to be in the kitchen. I chose a recipe called "Pizza Sandwich" from my Laurel Centennial Cook Book (1881-1981).  This is a community cookbook in which members of the community, mostly women, submitted recipes. This recipe was submitted by Judy Atcher. Modifications in italics. My Little Sister and I didn't layer the ingredients correctly in our dish, but it sure ended up pretty tasty. 

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef/turkey/pork (I used turkey)

sliced pepperoni (optional)

2 (8oz) cans tomato sauce. 

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp Italian seasoning (I may have actually used 2 tsps) and a little extra to sprinkle on top

2 cups Bisquick (or other brand) baking mix

1 egg

2/3 cup milk

8 slices American cheese (we used sharp cheddar)

1 small can mushrooms (I didn't use this)

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

red chili pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook your ground beef/turkey/pork in a large skillet and drain. Stir in one can of tomato sauce and desired seasonings. Simmer for ten minutes. In a separate bowl, combine Bisquick, egg and milk. Grease a 9x9 inch pan (I used a round dish) and spread half of the batter into the pan. Poor the second can of tomato sauce over the first layer of batter, then add four slices of cheese, followed by the meat mixture, pepperoni if desired, mushrooms and the rest of the cheese. Spread the rest of the batter over top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. 

    I somehow got mixed up and layered the meat, second can of sauce and cheeses, followed by all of the batter. I still baked for about 23 minutes. We were a little rushed, or I would have given it a few more minutes. The batter wasn't cooked all the way through (the part closest to the meat, sauce and cheese wasn't a bit raw), but it tasted really good. I don't believe the problem was with the bake time; it was with my not layering the batter.  My Little Sister did great and she liked the way it tasted, so it was an all around success. I definitely recommend this dish and if you forget to layer the batter, just cook it longer.  

My Little Sister!

Pizza Sandwich

Pizza Sandwich (would have looked more sandwich-y if I'd layed the dough like I was supposed to)

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

Macaroni Ring

 Macaroni Ring

I came across this recipe while looking for the last Meat/Fish Entree for #FiftyTwoInTwentyTwo. It is from a 1933 Bond Bread Recipe Cookbook. I wanted to try this, because it sounded "unique" and, the finished product is definitely unique. It's like having macaroni squashed together with stuffing.  The recipe recommends serving with vegetables in the middle of the un-molded ring and/or serving with a mushroom or tomato sauce. I had cream of chicken soup, so I used that.  I have to say I am glad I tried it and I'm glad I got to use my Pyrex ring mold, because I've had it for years and years, and never gotten to use it. I do not plan to make it again. If I do, I would definitely serve with hot cream of mushroom/chicken soup, cheese sauce or gravy.  I recommend you do that also.  Give it a try, because you may like it.  

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups scaled milk

1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon chopped onion

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 tablespoon chopped pimiento

1/4 cup grated American cheese (I used finely shredded Monterrey Jack cheese)

2 eggs, well beaten

1 1/2 cups cooked macaroni

1/4 cup butter

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat milk and pour over bread crumbs. Stir in the rest of the ingredients (except butter) one at a time, stirring after each addition. Add the macaroni last. Add your mixture to a buttered ring mold. Dot bits of butter on top of the filled ring mold. Set in a pan of hot water and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Run a knife around the mold to loosen. Turn a plate on top of the mold; hold the plate tightly to the mold and flip over. Gently shake the mold to remove the macaroni ring. Fill the middle of the ring with vegetables if you wish. Serve with hot cream of mushroom/chicken soup, cheese sauce or gravy.

Macroni Ring Prior To Unmolding

Macaroni Ring Unmolded

Macaroni Ring Served With a Nice Salad

Week 29 - Q'parol aka Stuffed Shells

 Q'parol aka Stuffed Shells

Week 29 - of 52

Vegetarian Entree #4

    Yeah, so I'm a big fan of Star Trek. My favorite is Deep Space Nine (DS9), which aired from 1993 to 1999. I'd seen some Star Trek over the years. However, I had never gotten into following any of the series.  That changed only about 4 or 5 years ago. I watched both DS9 and Voyager for the first time, simultaneously. I have re-watched the Voyager series once. I have re-watched DS9 countless times. I have watched all of the series. I greatly enjoy the animated series Lower Decks, which has had two seasons so far and the newest series, Strange New Worlds, which just aired the final episode of it's first season, last week. 

    In my collection of cookbooks, I have the Star Trek Cookbook, published in 1999 and written by Ethan Phillips, Neelix of Voyager and William J. Birnes. The recipes are divided into sections related to each series, from the original Star Trek, Next Generation, Enterprise, Deep Space Nine and Voyager.  This recipe is named as being one of Keiko O'Brien's favorite dishes. Keiko is the wife of Chief Miles O'Brien. Both appear on Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. 

    I bought Jumbo pasta shells and should have used only half the bag. I wished I'd found GIANT pasta shells, because this recipe seems to be for huge shells. I used about twenty or so and if I'd had the GIANT pasta shells, I probably would have only used eight. Because there was a lot of filling, I ended up topping off the stuffed shells with the extra filling. I used Italian seasoning in lieu of oregano and added some shredded white cheddar at the end, with some Parmesan.  

I did serve with a red sauce, which the recipe does not call for, because I wanted sauce, but I think this would be perfectly fine without sauce. Serve with a nice garlic bread and salad. Serves four.

Ingredients:

1 cup ricotta cheese (I used a 15oz container of ricotta)

1 16-oz package of large shells (Like I said, this seems like too much. Just cook them all and fill as many as you want until you run out of filling)

2 cups washed and finely chopped spinach (I used baby spinach)

1 egg, well beaten (Ooops, I forgot to beat the egg before adding, but it was fine)

4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons oregano

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, crushed (I used 6 cloves, because umm, it's garlic!)

2 teaspoons dried parsley

salt and pepper to taste 

grated Romano or Parmesan cheese, to taste (I used a little shredded white cheddar, along with the Parmesan)

chili pepper flakes, optional

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. While you're cooking your shells, mix up your filling. Mix together your ricotta cheese, feta cheese, olive oil, spinach, and egg until thoroughly combined. Crush garlic and fold into the filling, with 1 tablespoon of oregano. Salt and pepper to taste. Chill your filling mixture, while your shells finish cooking. Spray the bottom of a baking dish with cooking spray or lightly grease with olive oil (The original recipe calls for an 8x8 pan, but the only way that size would work, would be if using GIANT shells). I used a 9x13 pan. Fill your shells. As you fill a shell, set it in your pan and continue until you are out of filling (or space in the pan). Sprinkle the last tablespoon of oregano and the parsley, over top of the stuffed shells. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes, checking after 30 minutes to ensure that the shells aren't burning. The shells should be a tiny bit crispy at the end of the 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with your Parmesan or Romano (or the cheese of your choice, because hey, it's your dish; make it yours). I stuck mine back in the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese more. Using a large spoon or spatula, serve shells on a plate and serve with garlic bread and salad, if you wish. If you would like to have sauce with your stuffed shells, you should heat your sauce with the shells are baking. Spoon as much sauce as you want over your shells. Sprinkle with chili pepper flakes if desired. 

Q'parol (Stuffed Shells)

Q'parol (Stuffed Shells) ready for the oven

Q'parol (Stuffed Shells) 

Week 21 - Green Rice Casserole

 Green Rice Casserole

Recipe 21 of 52

Vegetarian Entree #3

This recipe is based on a recipe for a side dish called Green Rice in The Cookbook LIbrary's Casserole Cookbook published in 1962. I used riced cauliflower in lieu of rice. You could try it with brown rice or maybe even couscous. To make this more substantial, add one cup cubed, cooked tofu or paneer cheese. If you add the tofu/paneer cheese, you'll definitely want to use the larger 2-quart casserole dish, as the recipe below fits perfectly in the 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. I was rather surprised how much I liked this made with the cauliflower and would make this again. It would be easy to make this vegan, by using plant based cheese and vegan milk replacement. If you are a meat eater, add 1 cup cubed, cooked chicken and use that larger dish. 

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked rice (I used a 12oz bag frozen, riced cauliflower; cooked )

1 1/2 cups grated cheddar (I used shredded colby-jack)

1 cup milk (I would use 1/2 cup if making this with riced cauliflower)

3/4 cup mixture of minced parsley/spinach/chives (I used a 12oz bag frozen, spinach; cooked and 1/4 cup chives)

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/2 onion chopped

salt to taste (I used 1/2 teaspoon salt-free seasoning)

red chili flakes (optional)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients, except 1/2 cup of cheese, in a large bowl. Pour mixture into a buttered 1 1/2 to 2 quart casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese over the casserole. Return to oven and bake an additional 5 minutes. Cool and serve with additional parsley as garnish if desired. Sprinkle with red chili flakes if desired. 

Green Rice Casserole