Post by nybirder on Sept 30, 2016 12:56:46 GMT -5
Cooking for Two
2012 January Recipes
1. Solo Chicken Stroganoff (Blast from the Past)
2. English Toasting Bread
3. Chicken and Vegetable Packet for One
4. Microwave Lemon Pepper Salmon for One
5. Baked Salmon Provencal for One
6. 3, 2, 1, Cake
7. Zucchini Boats
8. Winter Squash Soup
9. English Muffin Bread for ABM
10. Broccoli and Ham Bread Pudding for One
11. Bread Pudding for One or Two
12. Hamburger Vegetable Soup
13. Pear, Walnut and Blue Cheese Salad
14. Fennel, Orange and Olive Salad
15. Farmhouse Bread
16. Canned Tomato Substitutions
17. Crock Pot Roast with Gravy
18. A Very Old Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
19. Oven Baked Reubens
20. Pierogi and Cabbage
21. Granny's measurements
22. Russian Dressing for Reuban Sandwiches
23. Pierogi Lasagna
24. English Muffin Bread
Blast from the Past - Solo Chicken Stroganoff
16281628/Lilly
I was looking at some old posts - before I was a regular and found this recipe of Tasty's. It sounds so good that I am going to make it this week and thought it worth of a new thread.
Solo Chicken Stroganoff (from TOH Oct 2004)
1 b’less s’less chicken breast, cut in strips
1 c sliced fresh mushrooms
1/3 c chopped onions
1/3 c chopped green pepper
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1/2 c chicken stock
2 tbsp sour cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 - 1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Hot cooked pasta
Saute the chicken, onions peppers and mushrooms in the butter in a large skillet, until chicken is no longer pink. Combine flour and stock until smooth. Gradually add to the skillet. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened. Reduce the heat, add sour cream, and seasonings. Cook and stir until heated thru’. Do NOT boil. Serve over hot pasta.
English Toasting Bread
tastycook1
For 1 1/2 pound loaf:
3/4 c milk
3/8 c water
3 c bread flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp yeast cornmeal
This is a special bread, coated with cornmeal, so it needs to be baked in a loaf pan in the oven. Heavenly with orange marmalade.
Put all ingredients in ABM except cornmeal. Dough setting.
When machine beeps, remove bread pan & turn out dough onto floured countertop.
Grease an 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2-inch loaf pan; sprinkle all sides with cornmeal.
Place dough into prepared loaf pan. With your hands, carefully press it evenly into pan. Sprinkle the top with cornmeal. Cover and let rise in a warm oven for 20 to 30 min or until dough almost reaches top of pan. (To warm oven slightly, turn oven on Warm setting for 2 minutes then turn off)
Preheat oven to 400ºF & bake 25 min. Cool.
Chicken and Vegetable Packet
rec.food.cooking/NYBirder
Makes One Serving
You can vary the vegetables but cut them thin, especially carrots, or they won't cook fast enough. This can be baked in a toaster oven. You could replace the butter with a little drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil or even a butter substitute.
1 boneless chicken breast
1 slice onion
1 small zucchini, sliced
5 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. butter
Salt & pepper to taste
Tear off about a 12x18-inch piece of aluminum foil (heavy duty is better, otherwise, double it). Lay slice of onion on middle of aluminum foil. Top with chicken breast. Spread Dijon mustard on chicken breast. Top with rest of vegetables, butter, salt and pepper. Fold aluminum foil in such a way to make a "packet" that doesn't leak.
Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes.
Note: You can brown the chicken breast first in a little olive oil, but it is really good either way.
Microwave Lemon Pepper Salmon for One
Source: Unknown/NYBirder
1 Serving
Be sure to grate the lemon peel before cutting it in half to juice--it's much easier that way. Salmon is better slightly underdone than overdone.
Grated peel from half a lemon
Juice from 1 whole lemon
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
Pinch of ground white pepper
1 salmon steak
Salt to taste
Stir grated lemon peel together with juice, black pepper, and white pepper in a small bowl.
Place salmon steak on a plate. Pour mixture over top. Cover with waxed paper or plastic wrap.
Microwave on high until a knife point inserted in center of steak comes out warm, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Microwaves cook at different rates so check early and every 15 sec. or so--do not overcook since it will continue to cook for a short time after taking it out of the oven. Salt to taste if necessary.
Baked Salmon Provencal for One
Source: Unknown/ NYBirder
1 serving
This is ideal for a toaster oven.
1/4 cup white wine
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large crushed garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
One salmon fillet
Blend wine with oil, garlic clove, thyme and tarragon. Pour over salmon and bake in a preheated 450 F. oven, uncovered and basting often, for 10 minutes.
3, 2, 1, Cake
red_savage1
The below recipe was sent to me by a friend. I have not tried it. It does sound interesting.
These individual little cakes are amazing and ready to eat in one minute! They are perfect for whenever you feel like a treat without all the fat and calories that cake can have. Genius idea!
INGREDIENTS:
1 box angel food cake mix
1 box cake mix - any flavor
2 tbsp water
Makes 1 serving.
DIRECTIONS:
In a ziploc bag, combine the two cake mixes together and mix well. For each individual cake serving, take out 3 Tablespoons of the cake mix combination and mix it with 2 Tablespoons of water in a small microwave-safe container. Microwave on high for 1 minute, and you have your own instant individual little cake!
KEEP remaining cake mixture stored in the ziploc bag and use whenever you feel like a treat! You can top each cake with a dollop of fat free whipped topping and/or some fresh fruit.
Helpful Tips:
This recipe is called 3, 2, 1 Cake because all you need to remember is
"3 tablespoons mix, 2 tablespoons water, 1 minute in the microwave!"
TRY various flavors of cake mix like carrot, red velvet, pineapple, lemon, orange, etc. Just remember that one of the mixes has to be the angel food mix; the other is your choice.
The flavor possibilities are endless!
NOTES:
The best thing is, you open both cake mixes into a gallon storage bag, one that 'zip locks' or 'self-seals', or a container that seals tightly, shake the two cake mixes to blend and then make the recipe. Storage of mix is simple, put it on a shelf. No need to refrigerate, since the mix is dry.
Always remember, that one of the cake mixes MUST be Angel Food. The other can be any flavor. The Angel Food is the cake mix that has the eggs whites in it. So, if, anyone is allergic to egg whites, you can NOT serve this recipe.
Zucchini Boats
16281628/Lilly
OK - I have not tried this recipe yet - but I think it sounds awesome!
2 zucchini (total about 1 lb) parboiled
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella, divided
1 small tomato, finely chopped
10 butter crackers, finely crushed
1 tsp dried basil leaves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Cut zucchini lengthwise in half. Scoop out centers onto cutting board leaving about 1/4 inch thick shells. Place shells in 9 inch square baking dish. Set aside.
Chop zucchini pulp. Place in medium bowl. Add 1/2 c. of cheese, the tomatoes, crackers, and basil. Mix lightly and spoon evenly into zucchini shells. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 c cheese.
Bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
Re: Zucchini Boats
NYBirder
Sounds good. When I stuff zukes, rather than parboiling them I put them cut side down in a dish with a tbsp. or so of water, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave them for a short time until crisp tender.
Re: Zucchini Boats
16281628
Thanks Birdy! I think for me that would be a much better way to cook the zucchini! That was the only thing about the recipe that made me kind of think - Oh do I want to dirty a pot just for that. I will try your way!
Winter Squash Soup
By Kevin D. Weeks., About.com Guide / NYBirder
This caught my eye--I haven't tried it yet. Roasted squash always tastes better to me so this sounds as though it should be tasty.
Serves 2
From the author: "I've had more bowls of bland, watery, insipid winter squash soup than I want to count -whether made with butternut, buttercup, or kabocha squash. So several years ago I set out to create a rich, complex, and satisfying squash soup and eventually came up with this recipe. Roasting intensifies the squash, horseradish adds piquancy and grassy notes, maple syrup contribute sweetness and balance, and herb and spice create interest."
1 1/2 lb. winter squash; (use butternut, buttercup, kabocha or delicata)
1 sm. leek — cleaned and cut into strips
2 tbsp. butter
1/3 c buttermilk
1/3 c chicken stock
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp prepared horseradish
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground nutmeg
Salt to taste
1. Cut squash in half lengthwise, clean out seeds, and place cut side down in a baking dish.
2. Add about 1/2 inch of water to baking dish and cook in a 400F oven until tender - 45 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Let cool then scrape out flesh into a 2 qt bowl and refrigerate overnight. Drain accumulated liquid.
4. Melt butter in a 2 qt saucepan over medium low heat and then sweat leeks until translucent.
5. Add 1/2 of butter milk, 1/2 of chicken broth, and all other ingredients. Bring to a simmer and heat thoroughly.
6. Puree the soup using a hand blender, stand blender or food processor.
7. The soup should be thick, but still thin enough to require a bowl and spoon to eat. Add additional buttermilk and chicken stock to achieve desired consistency.
8. Taste and adjust seasonings - in particular you may need a bit more maple syrup depending on how sweet the squash was.
Note: This is much better if soup is allowed to meld overnight in the refrigerator.
ENGLISH MUFFIN BREAD for ABM
thegeema
This is a really good, easy way to get that English Muffin taste and texture. Great bread to have set the timer for a hot breakfast bread. In order to have the proper texture, there will be a sunken top to this bread.
SMALL LOAF
Yeast 1 tsp
Non-fat dry milk 1 1/2 tbsp
Bread flour 1 1/2 C
Baking soda dash
Salt 1/2 tsp
Sugar 1 tsp
*Water 2/3 C + 1 tbsp
MEDIUM LOAF
Yeast 1 1/2 tsp
Non-fat dry milk 2 tbsp
Bread flour 2 C
Baking soda 1/8 tsp
Salt 2/3 tsp
Sugar 1 1/4 tsp
*Water1 C + 1 1/2 tbsp
LARGE LOAF
Yeast 2 tsp
Non-fat dry milk 3 tbsp
Bread flour 3 C
Baking soda 1/4 tsp
Salt 1 tsp
Sugar 2 tsp
*Water 1 1/4 C
* Remember this is a DAK recipe so you need to short the water 1 to 2 tbsp for most other machines. OOPS this recipe is NOT a DAK recipe - it is from The Bread Machine Cookbook by Donna Rathmell German. So, sorry to misguide you. geema
Broccoli and Ham Bread Pudding for One
NYBirder
I just ran across this in my files. I've had it for a long time but haven't tried it yet. It would make a good brunch or light supper and is easily doubled. Make sure the broccoli is very well drained once thawed. The calorie count will be even lower if you use reduced-fat cheese and milk.
1 slice bread
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/16 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
1/2 cup frozen broccoli cuts, thawed
1/4 cup diced cooked ham
1/8 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (1/2 oz)
Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 3 cup casserole with cooking spray. Beat egg, milk, basil, salt and pepper until well blended. Cut bread into 3/4-inch cubes; place in bowl with egg mixture. Stir to coat. Stir in broccoli, ham and cheese. Pour into casserole.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until puffed, golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Bread Pudding for One or Two
NYBirder
I make this all the time for myself. It's especially good with leftover cinnamon bread (don't add the extra cinnamon.)
Bread Pudding for One or Two
1 egg
1 slice bread, cubed
3/4 cup milk
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
5 shakes cinnamon
1 tbsp. raisins
Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350F.
Mix milk and egg with sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon in a 2- or 2 1/2-cup bowl (I use a Corning grab-it bowl--just the right size). Add cubed bread and raisins and push down until it soaks up egg and milk.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until lightly browned on top and set in the middle.
(This can also be microwaved on medium for 3 1/2 to 7 min., depending on the power of your microwave, until the center is nearly set. Allow to sit for a few minutes to finish cooking.)
Re: Bread Pudding for One or Two
NYBirder
I made this last evening. Instead of raisins, I used sweetened dried blueberries. I'll be doing that again--it was delicious.
Re: Bread Pudding for One or Two
tastycook1
Thanks for sharing this little gem, Birdy. I made it for us tonight - last minute decision - using home made cinnamon bread. I did sprinkle a little extra cinnamon into the mix and we enjoyed it. Used the raisins because that was what was in the bread too. Because I made it as a last minute choice, I partly cooked it in the microwave and then it finished off in the toaster oven after our main course came out. Worked beautifully
Thinking a little more on this recipe, I'll bet it would be good with some lemon rind and cranberries, too
Re: Bread Pudding for One or Two
NYBirder
Another variation that occurred to me is to use maple syrup instead of brown sugar.
I forgot to mention that my brown sugar was hard and I was in a hurry so I used honey instead of sugar. That was an interesting combination with the blueberries although I think I still prefer the brown sugar.
Hamburger Vegetable Soup
16281628/Lilly
This soup is hearty. I love the beefy taste - the added beef broth add a great deal of flavor overall.
I halved the recipe - which is what I am posting. It still will make enough for leftovers after serving two for dinner. I think you could freeze this.
Hamburger Vegetable Soup
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 /2 lb. lean hamburger
1 large onion, medium chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. Mural of Flavor*
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 8 oz can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
3 cups beef broth
1/2 lb frozen vegetable for soup (corn,
carrots, peas, green beans) (1/2 package)
1/4 - 1/2 c barley (medium size)
Place oil in Dutch oven and heat over medium high heat. Add onions, celery, garlic and ground beef. Take care not to brown garlic. Cook until meat is browned and onions are translucent. Drain excess grease and return to stove.
Stir in seasonings (Mural of Flavor* and pepper). Mix seasonings into ground beef mixture. Do this before adding any wet ingredients.
Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth. Bring to simmer over medium high heat, reduce heat and simmer.
Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of medium barley. (I like thick soup - so I use 1/2 cup, if you like more broth - use 1/4 cup).
Simmer over low heat until barley is completely cooked - this may take an hour or two. (You could probably put in a crock when you add barley - if you wanted.)
In last 15 minutes, add vegetables.**
**Note: You can add vegetables at any time. I often add with tomatoes. Adding at end will keep peas bright green if you desire that. On reheats - peas will lose color anyway.
*Mural of Flavor - a seasoning from Penzey's. This is what is in it - so you can adapt how you might choose: shallots, onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, basil, coriander, lemon peel, citric acid, black pepper, chives, green peppercorns, dill weed, and orange peel. I feel sure that with a little dabbling you can arrive at what you desire and still have a great tasting soup.
Pear, Walnut and Blue Cheese Salad
This is a good winter salad with a mix of flavors I really enjoy. A red-skinned pear is pretty. If the pear is small, I just use the whole thing for myself.
NYBirder
1 serving
1/2 cup of mixed greens
1/2 pear - sliced thinly with skin
6 toasted walnut halves or 2 tablespoons of chopped, toasted nuts.
1 oz. crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. while balsamic vinegar
Arrange greens on plate. Fan out pear slices and top with nuts and cheese.
Dress salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Dust top with fresh pepper.
Note: I like to use a good Gorganzola but something like Maytag blue cheese is a good choice, too. Use whatever blue cheese you enjoy.
Fennel, Orange and Olive Salad
NYBirder
I love this salad served with an Italian meal. It's very simple and relies on good ingredients, especially good EVOO. If you've never had fresh fennel bulb--it has a mild licorice flavor that goes very well with seafood, chicken, or pork. Italian sausage has fennel seeds in it. Italians believe it is very good for digestion.
1 serving
1/2 fresh fennel bulb sliced across the grain very thinly (An inexpensive mandoline is great for this.)
1/2 large or 1 whole medium to small peeled, seedless navel orange, sliced and separated into smaller bite-sized pieces.
A few strong black olives (Italian oil-cured, kalamata, whatever) or mild canned black olives
1 tsp. white balsamic or rice vinegar (or to taste depending on sweetness of orange)
1 tablespoon fruity extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Slice the orange over the fennel, letting extra juices drip on top. Toss fennel, orange slices, vinegar, EVOO, salt and pepper, and olives.
Notes: In a labor of love, I "supremed" the oranges when I made this for friends. I cut the peel off just enough to remove the outside later of membrane from the orange then cut out each segment on both sides from the membrane. I won't do that again unless the Queen is coming to dinner but it was pretty.
You do not have to use pitted olives—in fact, I think they taste best with pits. Just warn people before they eat them. Hey—they’re adults. I’m sure they’ll figure it out.
Farmhouse Bread
tastycook1
I bought the book about a year ago and looked at it and thought - yep, some good recipes I should try, but somehow I never did. I stuck with the good old tried and true. Birdy and Geema - you are responsible for this All the talk last month about different recipes and methods of making bread got me going and I pulled this book out again - THE BREAD MACHINE BIBLE There really are lots of new ones there for me to try and when this was finished yesterday, it looked just like what I remember seeing in the baker's window when I was a kid - the slight dusting of flour just before baking makes a huge difference to the "look" of it.
1 ½ cups water
2 ¾ cups + 2 tbsp white bread flour
¾ cup + 2 tbsp whole wheat bread flour
1 tbsp skim milk powder
1 ½ tsp salt
2 tsp light brown sugar
2 tbsp butter
1 ½ tsp instant dried yeast
Pour water into the bread pan. Sprinkle each type of flour over, in turn, covering the water completely. Sprinkle the milk powder over the flour. Place the salt, sugar and butter in separate corners of the bread pan. Make a small indent in the middle of the flour and add the yeast.
Close the lid and set the machine to Basic White/Normal then select the loaf size and crust type. Press start. If possible, 10 minutes before the baking cycle starts, brush the top of the loaf with water and dust with a little flour. Using a sharp knife, cut a slash about ½” deep along the length of the loaf.
After baking, remove the bread pan from the machine and turn the loaf out on to a wire rack to cool.
Canned Tomato Substitutions
NYBirder
When you’re cooking for one or two, it’s sometimes hard to stock your pantry with a variety of small cans of tomatoes. For example, in my area it's almost impossible to find anything but diced or whole in cans smaller than 28 ounces. Then, too, there are times when using in-season fresh tomatoes makes sense rather than using part of a can.
Of course, it usually seems as though I find myself missing just what I need for a recipe just when I least feel like making a trip to the market. So, a while back I did a search and compiled a list of tomato substitutions for myself.
ALL-PURPOSE CANNED TOMATOES IN THE PANTRY
(This tip was given on the air by Lucinda Scala Quinn, the host of “Mad Hungry.”)
Rather than trying to keep a number of different kinds of canned tomatoes in your pantry, buy cans of high-quality whole tomatoes instead. They have had less processing and/or additives, anyway, as opposed to diced, pureed or crushed. Just whiz them in the food processor to break them up to the desired consistency for your recipe. (For smaller recipes, it’s usually easier to find a 15 oz. can of whole tomatoes than one that size pureed or crushed.)
FRESH TOMATOES SUBSTITUTED FOR WHOLE CANNED TOMATOES
1 cup equals 1 1/3 cup cut-up fresh tomatoes simmered 10 min.
OTHER SUBSTITUTIONS -
TOMATO PUREE
1 cup equals 2 Tbsp. tomato paste plus water or tomato juice to make 1 cup
1/3 cup equals 2 tsp. tomato paste plus water or tomato juice to make 1/3 cup
TOMATO SAUCE
1 cup equals 1 cup tomato puree OR
2 tsp. catsup plus tomato juice to make 1 cup (if catsup ingredients work with recipe)
TOMATO JUICE
1 cup equals 1/2 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup water
TOMATO CATSUP
1 cup equals 1 cup tomato sauce plus 1/4 cup sugar (or Splenda) plus 2 Tablespoons vinegar
TOMATO PASTE
1 Tablespoon equals 1 Tablespoon catsup (if catsup ingredients work with recipe)
USING TOMATO PASTE AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR SAUCE OR PUREE -
I found varying amounts given for substitutions in different sources. Basically you can stir water into tomato paste until you have the sauce consistency you're looking for. If it thickens too much while cooking, just add water as needed. Some suggestions:
-- 1 cup tomato sauce = 3/4 cup tomato paste plus 1 cup water
-- 1/3 cup tomato sauce = 1/4 cup tomato paste plus 1/3 cup water
-- You can use 1/2 cup tomato paste mixed with 1/2 cup water as a substitute for 1 cup of tomato sauce. You may need to adjust your seasoning if you usually use flavored sauce in the recipe. So easy--just add the same amount of water to the tomato paste!
-- 1 can (6 oz. = 3/4 cup) tomato paste plus 1 1/2 cans water equals 1 cup tomato sauce - season as desired.
-- 1/3 cup tomato sauce = 2 oz. paste (1/4 cup) + 1/2 as much water
Crock Pot Roast w/Gravy
thegeema
Let the crock pot do the work!
Beef chuck, arm pot roast, 2 lb (my chuck roast was 1 lb 14 oz)
Low Fat Cream of Mushroom Soup, 1 can (I used regular can of Cream Mushroom Soup)
Lipton Onion Soup Mix, Dry
Egg Noodles Pasta, cooked, 16 oz (didn’t make noodles)
Put roast, can soup and dry mix into crock pot and cook on medium for 6-8 hours. (My crockpot doesn’t have medium (only high, low and warm). I cooked on high for 2 hours and low about 3 hours. Was excellent!!
15 minutes before serving, cook noodles, drain and serve.
Source: recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=443195
P.S. See my note below!!
I forgot say that I flipped the roast over after the 2 hours on high. Don't know if that is necessary or NOT. And I just put the dry onion soup packet on top of roast and then the mushroom and turned the crockpot on.
A Very Old Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
NYBirder
I thought this was interesting. I haven't made this recipe yet but its simplicity appeals to me. Plus, how often to you get to try one that's 150 years old? It's pretty easy to cut this down or increase it. Grate your own cheese--packaged pre-grated cheese has an additive to keep it from sticking together which will prevent the cheese from melting smoothly.
Civil War Macaroni and Cheese
Source: Elise from SimplyRecipes.com
2 servings
Turns out that our founding father Thomas Jefferson helped popularize "maccaroni" in our country, "maccaroni" being a general term he used for pasta. And according to Wikipedia, versions of macaroni pasta with cheese and butter were published in cookbooks as early as the 14th century. According to Civil War Recipes: Receipts from the Pages of Godey's Lady's Book, the following "maccaroni cheese" recipe first appeared in Godey's Lady's Book magazine in 1861 (circulation 150,000). It's only one sentence long, and as you will see, is wildly open for interpretation:
“Boil the maccaroni in milk; put in the stewpan butter, cheese, and seasoning; when melted, pour into the maccaroni, putting breadcrums over, which brown before the fire all together.”
The poster followed these general guidelines: “It's kind of hard to go wrong with mac and cheese, but we had never cooked the macaroni directly in milk before, so didn't quite know how it would work, or if the proportions were right. For us 2 cups of milk for every cup of pasta worked fine. You might want a creamier version; for that you may want to use a little more milk.”
2 cups milk
1 cup elbow macaroni pasta (about 1/4 pound)
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup, packed, grated cheddar cheese (about 1/4 pound)
Freshly ground black pepper
Nutmeg
1/8 to 1/4 cup bread crumbs
Cayenne (optional)
Heat the milk in a large saucepan until steamy. Stir in the dry macaroni pasta. Let come to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. Pay attention while the macaroni is cooking in the milk as the milk may foam up and boil over if the milk gets too hot. Cook the macaroni for 15 minutes or until done. The macaroni should absorb much of the milk.
Preheat oven to 400°F. As soon as the macaroni is close to being done, melt the butter in a separate saucepan, stir in the grated cheese, black pepper to taste and a little pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Once the cheese has melted, pour the sauce into the macaroni and milk mixture and stir to combine. Taste and add salt if needed.
Place macaroni and cheese mixture into a baking dish. Sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs. Sprinkle lightly with cayenne (if using). Bake in a 400°F oven for 20 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
Serves 2
Re: A Very Old Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
Beema
When I make a recipe for the first time, I following it very precisely. This is a good recipe, but it needs some tweeking. First, if it important for the macaroni to absorb most of the milk, it needs either less milk or more pasta (after 25 minutes of cooking on low to keep the milk from boiling over), the pasta was done, but there was still an awful lot of milk. Added the butter, nutmeg and cheese, poured into an 8 x 8 baking dish, and after 25 minutes the bread crumbs were nice and brown... but the macaroni was a bit dry. It could have used more cheese. I didn't notice any difference in thetaste of the macaroni having been cooked in milk as opposed to being cooked in water. I will do this again, but next time I will add a bit more macaroni, a bit less milk and twice as much cheese.
Re: A Very Old Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
NYBirder
I made half the recipe last night for supper as a side--it was enough for two side servings. The pasta was tender in 11 min. with just a little milk left, so I added more milk before the melted cheese. In all, I think I added an extra 1/4 cup of milk total to the 1 cup for the half recipe. I used an extra-sharp NY cheddar and a good dash of Cholula hot sauce in the mix instead of cayenne on top and used panko crumbs for the topping.
Even with the extra milk, this wasn't a creamy mac and cheese but more firm. The pasta continues to absorb the liquid as it bakes. My casserole browned on top much faster than the 20 minutes so if it had been in there that long it would have been on the dry side. I weighed the cheese as I grated it to make sure I was getting the full amount and still felt it could have used more. All in all, it wasn't the worst mac and cheese I have ever made but if you want a creamy version I don't think this is going to end up that way. It is, however, pretty easy to make. There certainly is a good serving of calcium in this dish.
It was fun to try something that people were making 150 years ago using a fireplace. I would bet that they were using very sharp cheddar in theirs.
Oven-Baked Reubens
Source: Mr. Food
NYBirder
These sound soooo good. Use as much or as little sauerkraut as you like. I personally prefer refrigerated sauerkraut in the bag over canned. Home-made is even better! You could make this a Rachel by substituting sliced turkey for the corned beef.
Serves: 2
4 slices rye or pumpernickel bread
1/4 cup Thousand Island dressing
1/2 pound deli sliced corned beef
1 (14-ounce) can sauerkraut (or less), rinsed, if desired, and well drained
4 long slices (12 ounces total) Swiss cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place 4 slices of bread on baking sheet that has been covered with aluminum foil. Spread dressing evenly over bread.
Divide corned beef evenly over 2 slices of bread. Place sauerkraut to taste evenly on remaining 2 pieces of bread. Place a slice of Swiss cheese over each piece of bread and bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until cheese melts and corned beef is hot.
Place a sauerkraut half and a corned beef half together and slice in half. Serve immediately.
ALTERNATE METHOD: Put the sandwiches together, butter each outside and bake at 450 to 500 degrees for 4 1/2 minutes each side until crispy and cheese is melted.
Pierogi and Cabbage
NYBirder
For convenience, you can sometimes find pre-shredded red cabbage. You could use regular green cabbage if you don't mind the color of the mustard showing—but I would use white balsamic vinegar to prevent a really odd color. If you don't have whole-grain mustard on hand, don’t substitute the full measure with another kind. Whole-grain mustard is usually milder.
2 servings
1 tbsp. chopped chives
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 red cabbage, cored, shredded
1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tbsp. whole-grain mustard
Salt and pepper
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
8 oz. frozen potato and onion pierogies
Cook pierogi according to package directions.
Heat oil in a skillet. Saute onion until tender. Add cabbage, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper and saute 3 min. Add vinegar, cook until cabbage is wilted but still slightly crunchy. Stir in mustard and chives.
Serve with pierogi.
OPTION: Pan fry pierogi - Boil them according to package directions, drain. Pan fry in a skillet in 1 tsp olive oil until golden brown.
Granny’s Measurements
Just for fun. I was surprised that someone has actually tried to standardize some of these!
Source: dutchovendude.com / NYBirder
Pinch, Dash, and Smidgen are a lot like Bunch, Few, and Some - there is no precise measurement. A pinch is what you can pick up between your finger and thumb. But, for folks that just have to know, here are commonly accepted conversions.
A hint -- tiny amount (1/2 drop)
A drop -- 1/64 teaspoon (1/2 smidgen)
A smidgen -- 1/32 teaspoon (1/2 pinch)
A pinch -- 1/16 teaspoon (1/2 dash)
A dash -- 1/8 teaspoon (1/2 tad)
A tad -- 1/4 teaspoon
1/4 stick butter -- 2 tablespoons
1 stick butter -- 1/2 cup
Juice of a lemon -- 3 tablespoons
Juice of an orange -- 1/2 cup
Russian Dressing for Reuban Sandwiches
Beema
Bottled Thousand Island Dressing is very good on Reubans, but I prefer a Russian Dressing, and that is almost impossible to find these days. This is my recipe:
1 cup mayo
1/4 cup chili sauce
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon grated onion
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients and store in a tightly closing jar in the refrigerator for up to one month.
Pierogi Lasagna
c3clark
After reading the cabbage and pierogi recipe, I thought maybe someone would be interested in this one. Makes more than 2 servings but would be very easy to cut down to the size you'd like. It's a Mr. Food recipe.
Pierogi Lasagna
12 lasagna noodles
1/3 cup vegetable oil
5 medium-sized onions, finely chopped (about 3 cups)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
6 cups warm seasoned mashed potatoes, store-bought or homemade
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onions 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned; reserve 1/2 cup sautéed onions for topping. Add remaining onions, pepper, and cheese to mashed potatoes; mix well.
Place 3 noodles on bottom of prepared baking dish. Spread 1/3 of potato mixture over noodles. Repeat layers until a total of 4 layers of noodles and 3 layers of potato mixture have been placed (with a layer of noodles on top). Top with remaining sautéed onions.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until heated through.
Note:
You might want to add a few cooked sliced mushrooms to the potatoes, or maybe a cup of well-drained sauerkraut. And season your mashed potatoes however you like 'em...salt, pepper, and butter work fine.
2012 January Recipes
1. Solo Chicken Stroganoff (Blast from the Past)
2. English Toasting Bread
3. Chicken and Vegetable Packet for One
4. Microwave Lemon Pepper Salmon for One
5. Baked Salmon Provencal for One
6. 3, 2, 1, Cake
7. Zucchini Boats
8. Winter Squash Soup
9. English Muffin Bread for ABM
10. Broccoli and Ham Bread Pudding for One
11. Bread Pudding for One or Two
12. Hamburger Vegetable Soup
13. Pear, Walnut and Blue Cheese Salad
14. Fennel, Orange and Olive Salad
15. Farmhouse Bread
16. Canned Tomato Substitutions
17. Crock Pot Roast with Gravy
18. A Very Old Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
19. Oven Baked Reubens
20. Pierogi and Cabbage
21. Granny's measurements
22. Russian Dressing for Reuban Sandwiches
23. Pierogi Lasagna
24. English Muffin Bread
Blast from the Past - Solo Chicken Stroganoff
16281628/Lilly
I was looking at some old posts - before I was a regular and found this recipe of Tasty's. It sounds so good that I am going to make it this week and thought it worth of a new thread.
Solo Chicken Stroganoff (from TOH Oct 2004)
1 b’less s’less chicken breast, cut in strips
1 c sliced fresh mushrooms
1/3 c chopped onions
1/3 c chopped green pepper
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1/2 c chicken stock
2 tbsp sour cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 - 1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Hot cooked pasta
Saute the chicken, onions peppers and mushrooms in the butter in a large skillet, until chicken is no longer pink. Combine flour and stock until smooth. Gradually add to the skillet. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened. Reduce the heat, add sour cream, and seasonings. Cook and stir until heated thru’. Do NOT boil. Serve over hot pasta.
English Toasting Bread
tastycook1
For 1 1/2 pound loaf:
3/4 c milk
3/8 c water
3 c bread flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp yeast cornmeal
This is a special bread, coated with cornmeal, so it needs to be baked in a loaf pan in the oven. Heavenly with orange marmalade.
Put all ingredients in ABM except cornmeal. Dough setting.
When machine beeps, remove bread pan & turn out dough onto floured countertop.
Grease an 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2-inch loaf pan; sprinkle all sides with cornmeal.
Place dough into prepared loaf pan. With your hands, carefully press it evenly into pan. Sprinkle the top with cornmeal. Cover and let rise in a warm oven for 20 to 30 min or until dough almost reaches top of pan. (To warm oven slightly, turn oven on Warm setting for 2 minutes then turn off)
Preheat oven to 400ºF & bake 25 min. Cool.
Chicken and Vegetable Packet
rec.food.cooking/NYBirder
Makes One Serving
You can vary the vegetables but cut them thin, especially carrots, or they won't cook fast enough. This can be baked in a toaster oven. You could replace the butter with a little drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil or even a butter substitute.
1 boneless chicken breast
1 slice onion
1 small zucchini, sliced
5 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. butter
Salt & pepper to taste
Tear off about a 12x18-inch piece of aluminum foil (heavy duty is better, otherwise, double it). Lay slice of onion on middle of aluminum foil. Top with chicken breast. Spread Dijon mustard on chicken breast. Top with rest of vegetables, butter, salt and pepper. Fold aluminum foil in such a way to make a "packet" that doesn't leak.
Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes.
Note: You can brown the chicken breast first in a little olive oil, but it is really good either way.
Microwave Lemon Pepper Salmon for One
Source: Unknown/NYBirder
1 Serving
Be sure to grate the lemon peel before cutting it in half to juice--it's much easier that way. Salmon is better slightly underdone than overdone.
Grated peel from half a lemon
Juice from 1 whole lemon
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
Pinch of ground white pepper
1 salmon steak
Salt to taste
Stir grated lemon peel together with juice, black pepper, and white pepper in a small bowl.
Place salmon steak on a plate. Pour mixture over top. Cover with waxed paper or plastic wrap.
Microwave on high until a knife point inserted in center of steak comes out warm, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Microwaves cook at different rates so check early and every 15 sec. or so--do not overcook since it will continue to cook for a short time after taking it out of the oven. Salt to taste if necessary.
Baked Salmon Provencal for One
Source: Unknown/ NYBirder
1 serving
This is ideal for a toaster oven.
1/4 cup white wine
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large crushed garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
One salmon fillet
Blend wine with oil, garlic clove, thyme and tarragon. Pour over salmon and bake in a preheated 450 F. oven, uncovered and basting often, for 10 minutes.
3, 2, 1, Cake
red_savage1
The below recipe was sent to me by a friend. I have not tried it. It does sound interesting.
These individual little cakes are amazing and ready to eat in one minute! They are perfect for whenever you feel like a treat without all the fat and calories that cake can have. Genius idea!
INGREDIENTS:
1 box angel food cake mix
1 box cake mix - any flavor
2 tbsp water
Makes 1 serving.
DIRECTIONS:
In a ziploc bag, combine the two cake mixes together and mix well. For each individual cake serving, take out 3 Tablespoons of the cake mix combination and mix it with 2 Tablespoons of water in a small microwave-safe container. Microwave on high for 1 minute, and you have your own instant individual little cake!
KEEP remaining cake mixture stored in the ziploc bag and use whenever you feel like a treat! You can top each cake with a dollop of fat free whipped topping and/or some fresh fruit.
Helpful Tips:
This recipe is called 3, 2, 1 Cake because all you need to remember is
"3 tablespoons mix, 2 tablespoons water, 1 minute in the microwave!"
TRY various flavors of cake mix like carrot, red velvet, pineapple, lemon, orange, etc. Just remember that one of the mixes has to be the angel food mix; the other is your choice.
The flavor possibilities are endless!
NOTES:
The best thing is, you open both cake mixes into a gallon storage bag, one that 'zip locks' or 'self-seals', or a container that seals tightly, shake the two cake mixes to blend and then make the recipe. Storage of mix is simple, put it on a shelf. No need to refrigerate, since the mix is dry.
Always remember, that one of the cake mixes MUST be Angel Food. The other can be any flavor. The Angel Food is the cake mix that has the eggs whites in it. So, if, anyone is allergic to egg whites, you can NOT serve this recipe.
Zucchini Boats
16281628/Lilly
OK - I have not tried this recipe yet - but I think it sounds awesome!
2 zucchini (total about 1 lb) parboiled
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella, divided
1 small tomato, finely chopped
10 butter crackers, finely crushed
1 tsp dried basil leaves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Cut zucchini lengthwise in half. Scoop out centers onto cutting board leaving about 1/4 inch thick shells. Place shells in 9 inch square baking dish. Set aside.
Chop zucchini pulp. Place in medium bowl. Add 1/2 c. of cheese, the tomatoes, crackers, and basil. Mix lightly and spoon evenly into zucchini shells. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 c cheese.
Bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
Re: Zucchini Boats
NYBirder
Sounds good. When I stuff zukes, rather than parboiling them I put them cut side down in a dish with a tbsp. or so of water, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave them for a short time until crisp tender.
Re: Zucchini Boats
16281628
Thanks Birdy! I think for me that would be a much better way to cook the zucchini! That was the only thing about the recipe that made me kind of think - Oh do I want to dirty a pot just for that. I will try your way!
Winter Squash Soup
By Kevin D. Weeks., About.com Guide / NYBirder
This caught my eye--I haven't tried it yet. Roasted squash always tastes better to me so this sounds as though it should be tasty.
Serves 2
From the author: "I've had more bowls of bland, watery, insipid winter squash soup than I want to count -whether made with butternut, buttercup, or kabocha squash. So several years ago I set out to create a rich, complex, and satisfying squash soup and eventually came up with this recipe. Roasting intensifies the squash, horseradish adds piquancy and grassy notes, maple syrup contribute sweetness and balance, and herb and spice create interest."
1 1/2 lb. winter squash; (use butternut, buttercup, kabocha or delicata)
1 sm. leek — cleaned and cut into strips
2 tbsp. butter
1/3 c buttermilk
1/3 c chicken stock
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp prepared horseradish
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground nutmeg
Salt to taste
1. Cut squash in half lengthwise, clean out seeds, and place cut side down in a baking dish.
2. Add about 1/2 inch of water to baking dish and cook in a 400F oven until tender - 45 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Let cool then scrape out flesh into a 2 qt bowl and refrigerate overnight. Drain accumulated liquid.
4. Melt butter in a 2 qt saucepan over medium low heat and then sweat leeks until translucent.
5. Add 1/2 of butter milk, 1/2 of chicken broth, and all other ingredients. Bring to a simmer and heat thoroughly.
6. Puree the soup using a hand blender, stand blender or food processor.
7. The soup should be thick, but still thin enough to require a bowl and spoon to eat. Add additional buttermilk and chicken stock to achieve desired consistency.
8. Taste and adjust seasonings - in particular you may need a bit more maple syrup depending on how sweet the squash was.
Note: This is much better if soup is allowed to meld overnight in the refrigerator.
ENGLISH MUFFIN BREAD for ABM
thegeema
This is a really good, easy way to get that English Muffin taste and texture. Great bread to have set the timer for a hot breakfast bread. In order to have the proper texture, there will be a sunken top to this bread.
SMALL LOAF
Yeast 1 tsp
Non-fat dry milk 1 1/2 tbsp
Bread flour 1 1/2 C
Baking soda dash
Salt 1/2 tsp
Sugar 1 tsp
*Water 2/3 C + 1 tbsp
MEDIUM LOAF
Yeast 1 1/2 tsp
Non-fat dry milk 2 tbsp
Bread flour 2 C
Baking soda 1/8 tsp
Salt 2/3 tsp
Sugar 1 1/4 tsp
*Water1 C + 1 1/2 tbsp
LARGE LOAF
Yeast 2 tsp
Non-fat dry milk 3 tbsp
Bread flour 3 C
Baking soda 1/4 tsp
Salt 1 tsp
Sugar 2 tsp
*Water 1 1/4 C
* Remember this is a DAK recipe so you need to short the water 1 to 2 tbsp for most other machines. OOPS this recipe is NOT a DAK recipe - it is from The Bread Machine Cookbook by Donna Rathmell German. So, sorry to misguide you. geema
Broccoli and Ham Bread Pudding for One
NYBirder
I just ran across this in my files. I've had it for a long time but haven't tried it yet. It would make a good brunch or light supper and is easily doubled. Make sure the broccoli is very well drained once thawed. The calorie count will be even lower if you use reduced-fat cheese and milk.
1 slice bread
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/16 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
1/2 cup frozen broccoli cuts, thawed
1/4 cup diced cooked ham
1/8 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (1/2 oz)
Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 3 cup casserole with cooking spray. Beat egg, milk, basil, salt and pepper until well blended. Cut bread into 3/4-inch cubes; place in bowl with egg mixture. Stir to coat. Stir in broccoli, ham and cheese. Pour into casserole.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until puffed, golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Bread Pudding for One or Two
NYBirder
I make this all the time for myself. It's especially good with leftover cinnamon bread (don't add the extra cinnamon.)
Bread Pudding for One or Two
1 egg
1 slice bread, cubed
3/4 cup milk
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
5 shakes cinnamon
1 tbsp. raisins
Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350F.
Mix milk and egg with sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon in a 2- or 2 1/2-cup bowl (I use a Corning grab-it bowl--just the right size). Add cubed bread and raisins and push down until it soaks up egg and milk.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until lightly browned on top and set in the middle.
(This can also be microwaved on medium for 3 1/2 to 7 min., depending on the power of your microwave, until the center is nearly set. Allow to sit for a few minutes to finish cooking.)
Re: Bread Pudding for One or Two
NYBirder
I made this last evening. Instead of raisins, I used sweetened dried blueberries. I'll be doing that again--it was delicious.
Re: Bread Pudding for One or Two
tastycook1
Thanks for sharing this little gem, Birdy. I made it for us tonight - last minute decision - using home made cinnamon bread. I did sprinkle a little extra cinnamon into the mix and we enjoyed it. Used the raisins because that was what was in the bread too. Because I made it as a last minute choice, I partly cooked it in the microwave and then it finished off in the toaster oven after our main course came out. Worked beautifully
Thinking a little more on this recipe, I'll bet it would be good with some lemon rind and cranberries, too
Re: Bread Pudding for One or Two
NYBirder
Another variation that occurred to me is to use maple syrup instead of brown sugar.
I forgot to mention that my brown sugar was hard and I was in a hurry so I used honey instead of sugar. That was an interesting combination with the blueberries although I think I still prefer the brown sugar.
Hamburger Vegetable Soup
16281628/Lilly
This soup is hearty. I love the beefy taste - the added beef broth add a great deal of flavor overall.
I halved the recipe - which is what I am posting. It still will make enough for leftovers after serving two for dinner. I think you could freeze this.
Hamburger Vegetable Soup
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 /2 lb. lean hamburger
1 large onion, medium chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. Mural of Flavor*
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 8 oz can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
3 cups beef broth
1/2 lb frozen vegetable for soup (corn,
carrots, peas, green beans) (1/2 package)
1/4 - 1/2 c barley (medium size)
Place oil in Dutch oven and heat over medium high heat. Add onions, celery, garlic and ground beef. Take care not to brown garlic. Cook until meat is browned and onions are translucent. Drain excess grease and return to stove.
Stir in seasonings (Mural of Flavor* and pepper). Mix seasonings into ground beef mixture. Do this before adding any wet ingredients.
Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth. Bring to simmer over medium high heat, reduce heat and simmer.
Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of medium barley. (I like thick soup - so I use 1/2 cup, if you like more broth - use 1/4 cup).
Simmer over low heat until barley is completely cooked - this may take an hour or two. (You could probably put in a crock when you add barley - if you wanted.)
In last 15 minutes, add vegetables.**
**Note: You can add vegetables at any time. I often add with tomatoes. Adding at end will keep peas bright green if you desire that. On reheats - peas will lose color anyway.
*Mural of Flavor - a seasoning from Penzey's. This is what is in it - so you can adapt how you might choose: shallots, onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, basil, coriander, lemon peel, citric acid, black pepper, chives, green peppercorns, dill weed, and orange peel. I feel sure that with a little dabbling you can arrive at what you desire and still have a great tasting soup.
Pear, Walnut and Blue Cheese Salad
This is a good winter salad with a mix of flavors I really enjoy. A red-skinned pear is pretty. If the pear is small, I just use the whole thing for myself.
NYBirder
1 serving
1/2 cup of mixed greens
1/2 pear - sliced thinly with skin
6 toasted walnut halves or 2 tablespoons of chopped, toasted nuts.
1 oz. crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. while balsamic vinegar
Arrange greens on plate. Fan out pear slices and top with nuts and cheese.
Dress salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Dust top with fresh pepper.
Note: I like to use a good Gorganzola but something like Maytag blue cheese is a good choice, too. Use whatever blue cheese you enjoy.
Fennel, Orange and Olive Salad
NYBirder
I love this salad served with an Italian meal. It's very simple and relies on good ingredients, especially good EVOO. If you've never had fresh fennel bulb--it has a mild licorice flavor that goes very well with seafood, chicken, or pork. Italian sausage has fennel seeds in it. Italians believe it is very good for digestion.
1 serving
1/2 fresh fennel bulb sliced across the grain very thinly (An inexpensive mandoline is great for this.)
1/2 large or 1 whole medium to small peeled, seedless navel orange, sliced and separated into smaller bite-sized pieces.
A few strong black olives (Italian oil-cured, kalamata, whatever) or mild canned black olives
1 tsp. white balsamic or rice vinegar (or to taste depending on sweetness of orange)
1 tablespoon fruity extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Slice the orange over the fennel, letting extra juices drip on top. Toss fennel, orange slices, vinegar, EVOO, salt and pepper, and olives.
Notes: In a labor of love, I "supremed" the oranges when I made this for friends. I cut the peel off just enough to remove the outside later of membrane from the orange then cut out each segment on both sides from the membrane. I won't do that again unless the Queen is coming to dinner but it was pretty.
You do not have to use pitted olives—in fact, I think they taste best with pits. Just warn people before they eat them. Hey—they’re adults. I’m sure they’ll figure it out.
Farmhouse Bread
tastycook1
I bought the book about a year ago and looked at it and thought - yep, some good recipes I should try, but somehow I never did. I stuck with the good old tried and true. Birdy and Geema - you are responsible for this All the talk last month about different recipes and methods of making bread got me going and I pulled this book out again - THE BREAD MACHINE BIBLE There really are lots of new ones there for me to try and when this was finished yesterday, it looked just like what I remember seeing in the baker's window when I was a kid - the slight dusting of flour just before baking makes a huge difference to the "look" of it.
1 ½ cups water
2 ¾ cups + 2 tbsp white bread flour
¾ cup + 2 tbsp whole wheat bread flour
1 tbsp skim milk powder
1 ½ tsp salt
2 tsp light brown sugar
2 tbsp butter
1 ½ tsp instant dried yeast
Pour water into the bread pan. Sprinkle each type of flour over, in turn, covering the water completely. Sprinkle the milk powder over the flour. Place the salt, sugar and butter in separate corners of the bread pan. Make a small indent in the middle of the flour and add the yeast.
Close the lid and set the machine to Basic White/Normal then select the loaf size and crust type. Press start. If possible, 10 minutes before the baking cycle starts, brush the top of the loaf with water and dust with a little flour. Using a sharp knife, cut a slash about ½” deep along the length of the loaf.
After baking, remove the bread pan from the machine and turn the loaf out on to a wire rack to cool.
Canned Tomato Substitutions
NYBirder
When you’re cooking for one or two, it’s sometimes hard to stock your pantry with a variety of small cans of tomatoes. For example, in my area it's almost impossible to find anything but diced or whole in cans smaller than 28 ounces. Then, too, there are times when using in-season fresh tomatoes makes sense rather than using part of a can.
Of course, it usually seems as though I find myself missing just what I need for a recipe just when I least feel like making a trip to the market. So, a while back I did a search and compiled a list of tomato substitutions for myself.
ALL-PURPOSE CANNED TOMATOES IN THE PANTRY
(This tip was given on the air by Lucinda Scala Quinn, the host of “Mad Hungry.”)
Rather than trying to keep a number of different kinds of canned tomatoes in your pantry, buy cans of high-quality whole tomatoes instead. They have had less processing and/or additives, anyway, as opposed to diced, pureed or crushed. Just whiz them in the food processor to break them up to the desired consistency for your recipe. (For smaller recipes, it’s usually easier to find a 15 oz. can of whole tomatoes than one that size pureed or crushed.)
FRESH TOMATOES SUBSTITUTED FOR WHOLE CANNED TOMATOES
1 cup equals 1 1/3 cup cut-up fresh tomatoes simmered 10 min.
OTHER SUBSTITUTIONS -
TOMATO PUREE
1 cup equals 2 Tbsp. tomato paste plus water or tomato juice to make 1 cup
1/3 cup equals 2 tsp. tomato paste plus water or tomato juice to make 1/3 cup
TOMATO SAUCE
1 cup equals 1 cup tomato puree OR
2 tsp. catsup plus tomato juice to make 1 cup (if catsup ingredients work with recipe)
TOMATO JUICE
1 cup equals 1/2 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup water
TOMATO CATSUP
1 cup equals 1 cup tomato sauce plus 1/4 cup sugar (or Splenda) plus 2 Tablespoons vinegar
TOMATO PASTE
1 Tablespoon equals 1 Tablespoon catsup (if catsup ingredients work with recipe)
USING TOMATO PASTE AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR SAUCE OR PUREE -
I found varying amounts given for substitutions in different sources. Basically you can stir water into tomato paste until you have the sauce consistency you're looking for. If it thickens too much while cooking, just add water as needed. Some suggestions:
-- 1 cup tomato sauce = 3/4 cup tomato paste plus 1 cup water
-- 1/3 cup tomato sauce = 1/4 cup tomato paste plus 1/3 cup water
-- You can use 1/2 cup tomato paste mixed with 1/2 cup water as a substitute for 1 cup of tomato sauce. You may need to adjust your seasoning if you usually use flavored sauce in the recipe. So easy--just add the same amount of water to the tomato paste!
-- 1 can (6 oz. = 3/4 cup) tomato paste plus 1 1/2 cans water equals 1 cup tomato sauce - season as desired.
-- 1/3 cup tomato sauce = 2 oz. paste (1/4 cup) + 1/2 as much water
Crock Pot Roast w/Gravy
thegeema
Let the crock pot do the work!
Beef chuck, arm pot roast, 2 lb (my chuck roast was 1 lb 14 oz)
Low Fat Cream of Mushroom Soup, 1 can (I used regular can of Cream Mushroom Soup)
Lipton Onion Soup Mix, Dry
Egg Noodles Pasta, cooked, 16 oz (didn’t make noodles)
Put roast, can soup and dry mix into crock pot and cook on medium for 6-8 hours. (My crockpot doesn’t have medium (only high, low and warm). I cooked on high for 2 hours and low about 3 hours. Was excellent!!
15 minutes before serving, cook noodles, drain and serve.
Source: recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=443195
P.S. See my note below!!
I forgot say that I flipped the roast over after the 2 hours on high. Don't know if that is necessary or NOT. And I just put the dry onion soup packet on top of roast and then the mushroom and turned the crockpot on.
A Very Old Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
NYBirder
I thought this was interesting. I haven't made this recipe yet but its simplicity appeals to me. Plus, how often to you get to try one that's 150 years old? It's pretty easy to cut this down or increase it. Grate your own cheese--packaged pre-grated cheese has an additive to keep it from sticking together which will prevent the cheese from melting smoothly.
Civil War Macaroni and Cheese
Source: Elise from SimplyRecipes.com
2 servings
Turns out that our founding father Thomas Jefferson helped popularize "maccaroni" in our country, "maccaroni" being a general term he used for pasta. And according to Wikipedia, versions of macaroni pasta with cheese and butter were published in cookbooks as early as the 14th century. According to Civil War Recipes: Receipts from the Pages of Godey's Lady's Book, the following "maccaroni cheese" recipe first appeared in Godey's Lady's Book magazine in 1861 (circulation 150,000). It's only one sentence long, and as you will see, is wildly open for interpretation:
“Boil the maccaroni in milk; put in the stewpan butter, cheese, and seasoning; when melted, pour into the maccaroni, putting breadcrums over, which brown before the fire all together.”
The poster followed these general guidelines: “It's kind of hard to go wrong with mac and cheese, but we had never cooked the macaroni directly in milk before, so didn't quite know how it would work, or if the proportions were right. For us 2 cups of milk for every cup of pasta worked fine. You might want a creamier version; for that you may want to use a little more milk.”
2 cups milk
1 cup elbow macaroni pasta (about 1/4 pound)
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup, packed, grated cheddar cheese (about 1/4 pound)
Freshly ground black pepper
Nutmeg
1/8 to 1/4 cup bread crumbs
Cayenne (optional)
Heat the milk in a large saucepan until steamy. Stir in the dry macaroni pasta. Let come to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. Pay attention while the macaroni is cooking in the milk as the milk may foam up and boil over if the milk gets too hot. Cook the macaroni for 15 minutes or until done. The macaroni should absorb much of the milk.
Preheat oven to 400°F. As soon as the macaroni is close to being done, melt the butter in a separate saucepan, stir in the grated cheese, black pepper to taste and a little pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Once the cheese has melted, pour the sauce into the macaroni and milk mixture and stir to combine. Taste and add salt if needed.
Place macaroni and cheese mixture into a baking dish. Sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs. Sprinkle lightly with cayenne (if using). Bake in a 400°F oven for 20 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
Serves 2
Re: A Very Old Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
Beema
When I make a recipe for the first time, I following it very precisely. This is a good recipe, but it needs some tweeking. First, if it important for the macaroni to absorb most of the milk, it needs either less milk or more pasta (after 25 minutes of cooking on low to keep the milk from boiling over), the pasta was done, but there was still an awful lot of milk. Added the butter, nutmeg and cheese, poured into an 8 x 8 baking dish, and after 25 minutes the bread crumbs were nice and brown... but the macaroni was a bit dry. It could have used more cheese. I didn't notice any difference in thetaste of the macaroni having been cooked in milk as opposed to being cooked in water. I will do this again, but next time I will add a bit more macaroni, a bit less milk and twice as much cheese.
Re: A Very Old Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
NYBirder
I made half the recipe last night for supper as a side--it was enough for two side servings. The pasta was tender in 11 min. with just a little milk left, so I added more milk before the melted cheese. In all, I think I added an extra 1/4 cup of milk total to the 1 cup for the half recipe. I used an extra-sharp NY cheddar and a good dash of Cholula hot sauce in the mix instead of cayenne on top and used panko crumbs for the topping.
Even with the extra milk, this wasn't a creamy mac and cheese but more firm. The pasta continues to absorb the liquid as it bakes. My casserole browned on top much faster than the 20 minutes so if it had been in there that long it would have been on the dry side. I weighed the cheese as I grated it to make sure I was getting the full amount and still felt it could have used more. All in all, it wasn't the worst mac and cheese I have ever made but if you want a creamy version I don't think this is going to end up that way. It is, however, pretty easy to make. There certainly is a good serving of calcium in this dish.
It was fun to try something that people were making 150 years ago using a fireplace. I would bet that they were using very sharp cheddar in theirs.
Oven-Baked Reubens
Source: Mr. Food
NYBirder
These sound soooo good. Use as much or as little sauerkraut as you like. I personally prefer refrigerated sauerkraut in the bag over canned. Home-made is even better! You could make this a Rachel by substituting sliced turkey for the corned beef.
Serves: 2
4 slices rye or pumpernickel bread
1/4 cup Thousand Island dressing
1/2 pound deli sliced corned beef
1 (14-ounce) can sauerkraut (or less), rinsed, if desired, and well drained
4 long slices (12 ounces total) Swiss cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place 4 slices of bread on baking sheet that has been covered with aluminum foil. Spread dressing evenly over bread.
Divide corned beef evenly over 2 slices of bread. Place sauerkraut to taste evenly on remaining 2 pieces of bread. Place a slice of Swiss cheese over each piece of bread and bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until cheese melts and corned beef is hot.
Place a sauerkraut half and a corned beef half together and slice in half. Serve immediately.
ALTERNATE METHOD: Put the sandwiches together, butter each outside and bake at 450 to 500 degrees for 4 1/2 minutes each side until crispy and cheese is melted.
Pierogi and Cabbage
NYBirder
For convenience, you can sometimes find pre-shredded red cabbage. You could use regular green cabbage if you don't mind the color of the mustard showing—but I would use white balsamic vinegar to prevent a really odd color. If you don't have whole-grain mustard on hand, don’t substitute the full measure with another kind. Whole-grain mustard is usually milder.
2 servings
1 tbsp. chopped chives
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 red cabbage, cored, shredded
1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tbsp. whole-grain mustard
Salt and pepper
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
8 oz. frozen potato and onion pierogies
Cook pierogi according to package directions.
Heat oil in a skillet. Saute onion until tender. Add cabbage, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper and saute 3 min. Add vinegar, cook until cabbage is wilted but still slightly crunchy. Stir in mustard and chives.
Serve with pierogi.
OPTION: Pan fry pierogi - Boil them according to package directions, drain. Pan fry in a skillet in 1 tsp olive oil until golden brown.
Granny’s Measurements
Just for fun. I was surprised that someone has actually tried to standardize some of these!
Source: dutchovendude.com / NYBirder
Pinch, Dash, and Smidgen are a lot like Bunch, Few, and Some - there is no precise measurement. A pinch is what you can pick up between your finger and thumb. But, for folks that just have to know, here are commonly accepted conversions.
A hint -- tiny amount (1/2 drop)
A drop -- 1/64 teaspoon (1/2 smidgen)
A smidgen -- 1/32 teaspoon (1/2 pinch)
A pinch -- 1/16 teaspoon (1/2 dash)
A dash -- 1/8 teaspoon (1/2 tad)
A tad -- 1/4 teaspoon
1/4 stick butter -- 2 tablespoons
1 stick butter -- 1/2 cup
Juice of a lemon -- 3 tablespoons
Juice of an orange -- 1/2 cup
Russian Dressing for Reuban Sandwiches
Beema
Bottled Thousand Island Dressing is very good on Reubans, but I prefer a Russian Dressing, and that is almost impossible to find these days. This is my recipe:
1 cup mayo
1/4 cup chili sauce
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon grated onion
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients and store in a tightly closing jar in the refrigerator for up to one month.
Pierogi Lasagna
c3clark
After reading the cabbage and pierogi recipe, I thought maybe someone would be interested in this one. Makes more than 2 servings but would be very easy to cut down to the size you'd like. It's a Mr. Food recipe.
Pierogi Lasagna
12 lasagna noodles
1/3 cup vegetable oil
5 medium-sized onions, finely chopped (about 3 cups)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
6 cups warm seasoned mashed potatoes, store-bought or homemade
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onions 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned; reserve 1/2 cup sautéed onions for topping. Add remaining onions, pepper, and cheese to mashed potatoes; mix well.
Place 3 noodles on bottom of prepared baking dish. Spread 1/3 of potato mixture over noodles. Repeat layers until a total of 4 layers of noodles and 3 layers of potato mixture have been placed (with a layer of noodles on top). Top with remaining sautéed onions.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until heated through.
Note:
You might want to add a few cooked sliced mushrooms to the potatoes, or maybe a cup of well-drained sauerkraut. And season your mashed potatoes however you like 'em...salt, pepper, and butter work fine.