Lemon Poppyseed bread and muffins are my favorite of the quick bread flavors. To make these easy recipes, take whatever is your favorite quick bread base and add 1/4 cup lemon juice, the zest of two grated lemons, and 1/4 cup of poppyseeds.
March 14th, 2007 | Category: baking | 
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At least, they are supposed to be morning glories. I am not known for having a green thumb, so they could be some other flower and I wouldn’t know the difference. In my mind, the cake tastes great and that’s what matters. I used applesauce instead of oil.
March 12th, 2007 | Category: cakes | Print This Post
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Everyone always needs an excellent homemade mac and cheese recipe, it’s just that kind of comfort food. This one is my favorite. Originally passed to me by a friend, I stared in abject horror at the ingredient list when I saw that it containted Velveeta. I was sure that I would never make it and I planned to tuck the recipe away in my pocket, never use it, and never tell my friend. But she must have known what the mental objection was, because she was quick to assure me that the Velveeta is there just to enhance the texture, and to help keep things smooth when reheating. She then even gave me a sample of Velveeta so I wouldn’t need to go to the grocery store and degrade myself by buying a block of my own. I turned out to really love the recipe and now if I think I might want to make a batch I send my husband to the store for some Velveeta – so I’ll never be caught on camera buying it! My mother would be proud.
Cook 2 cups elbow pasta. I like the slightly nutty flavor of Barilla Plus. Drain, rinse.
Melt 3 tbsp butter with 1/4 cup flour in saucepan to form a paste. Add 2 cups of milk, whisk till smooth. Add in 4oz of Velveeta, cut into chunks. Stir till smooth and melted. Add 8 oz of grated sharp cheddar cheese, stir on low till sauce thickens. (Use a 10oz block of cheese and reserve remaining 2 oz). Salt and pepper liberally, add a pinch of onion powder and a dash of chili powder. Mix cooked and drained pasta into the cheese sauce. It should be very saucy.
Pour into a baking dish. Combine 1 tbsp melted butter with 1tbsp bread crumbs. Sprinkle the bread crumbs and reserved cheddar cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or so. This reheats fairly well. Thanks J, for the recipe!
March 8th, 2007 | Category: comfort food, pasta | Print This Post
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This recipe comes from Bon Appetit via epicurious (photo not mine). I am a mushroom lover but when cooking for others, many people reject the texture of cooked mushrooms. This recipe is great even for the mushroomphobic, as the dried porcinis sizzle in the pan and make a flavorful but slightly crispy crust. The herbed butter I could take or leave, but it’s part of the original recipe so I left it in.
Ingredients
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 small garlic clove, pressed
1 (1/2-ounce) package dried porcini mushrooms*
6 1-inch-thick filet mignon steaks
*Available in the produce section of many supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets.
Preparation
Mix first 4 ingredients in small bowl for herb butter. Season butter to taste with salt and pepper. Process dried porcini mushrooms in spice grinder to fine powder. Transfer powder to plate. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Press steaks into porcini powder to coat both sides well.
Melt 2 tablespoons herb butter in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add steaks to skillet and cook to desired doneness, about 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to plates. Spoon rounded tablespoon of herb butter atop each steak and serve.
February 28th, 2007 | Category: beef | Print This Post
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This is from last year. But I didn’t make a superbowl cake in 06 or 07, so I thought to put this one in.
February 27th, 2007 | Category: cakes | Print This Post
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This recipe is loosely based on one found in Cook’s Country. This truly is a 30 minute meal, one my husband always loves. This freezes and reheats well.
1 to 1.5 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, chopped fine
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 tomatoes, diced – or one 15 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles
2 cups elbows
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 29 oz can of tomato sauce
pinch of dried oregano
shredded cheddar cheese
Cook the beef in a nonstick skillet. Drain and pat dry the grease. Sautee the onion and garlic over medium heat in olive oil, until the onion is soft. Add the diced tomatos, tomato sauce, broth, and pasta. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat, cook until pasta is tender. Add back in the reserved beef, mix together. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Serve hot with cheddar cheese.
February 22nd, 2007 | Category: beef | Print This Post
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This is a quick and easy 3 layer chocolate cake with dense fudge frosting. Adding unsweetened chocolate to the icing makes all the difference when it comes to richness. The limes add a bit of spunk and I love the green and brown color combination. Yellow and brown is so last year.
February 16th, 2007 | Category: cakes | Print This Post
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These are absolutely decadent cookies that I loved growing up. They are a favorite of my mothers, too. The easy layers make them a snap to make – but they are so rich. Sweetened condensed milk really sits on your stomach! So make these for a crowd and cut small pieces. 
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup margerine, melted
Mix crumbs and margerine together, press down into an 8×8 pan.
In layers on top add:
-One layer of sweetened shredded coconut, spread generously.
-One layer of melted chocolate (made with 8 oz of chocolate chips melted with 1 stick butter)
-1 can of sweetened condensed milk
-3/4 cup coarsly chopped nuts, walnuts or pecans are best
Bake at 350 degrees for 1/2 and hour, allow to cool completely before cutting (unless you like a mushy cookie in a bowl, which is fine too).
February 9th, 2007 | Category: cookies | Print This Post
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Potato Bread. But since I made it in the breadmaker it doesn’t have a recipe, and doesn’t really count.
February 5th, 2007 | Category: baking | Print This Post
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This is really hardly a recipe. But it is something I cook, and it is quick, cheap, and healthy – which are winning combinations for most people.
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch chunks
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 box of whole grain seasoned rice (such as pilaf) or 2 heaping cups of wild rice
1 can of fat free lentil soup, or 1 cup cooked lentils and 3/4 cup chicken broth
Cut chicken into small pieces, pan fry in the oil and soy sauce quickly over high heat. Set aside on paper towels to drain any oil.
Prepare rice according to any package directions, or in a rice cooker. In a saucepan, combine cooked rice with soup (or lentils and broth). Add in chicken pieces and bring to a boil. Simmer until liquid is reduced and a rice stew remains.
This recipe has virtually no fat or sugar, and between the lentils and chicken is a double source of protein! All in all it’s hard to go wrong.
February 1st, 2007 | Category: poultry | Print This Post
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