Broccoli & Tortellini Salad

I combined 2 of my favorite recipes to make this yummy salad. This is great for family gatherings. It does not last long.

1 pkg. of frozen cheese tortellini
1-2 heads of broccoli, chopped
small red onion, chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup bacon bits

Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 TBS. sugar
3 TBS. vinegar

Cook tortellini as directed. Drain and rinse in cold water until cool. In a large bowl, mix cooked and cooled tortellini, chopped broccoli, red onion, sunflower seeds, raisins, and bacon bits. In a small bowl, mix all the dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over salad and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or until cold.

Hamburger Steak with Onions & Gravy

Looking over my files I see I made this on in December 1997 and I noted; "Ok, but not great. Ended up adding some mushroom soup to the gravy to give it flavor"

So here it is: Looks good but obviously didn't turn out for me, as I've never made this particular recipe since then!


Hamburger Steak with Onions and Gravy

1 1/3 lb. ground chuck
3/4 c fine chopped onion
1 egg
1 T worchestershire sauce
1 1/2 t seasoned salt
3/4 t pepper
1/2 t garlic powder
1/3 c plus 1/4 c self-rising flour
3 T oil
2 medium onions, thin sliced
2 c water
1/2 t salt

Combine the first 4 ingredients with 1 t seasoned salt, 1/2 t pepper and the garlic powder. Mix. Shape into 4 patties. Dredge well in 1/3 c flour. Heat oil and add patties and cook until browned on both sides. Remove and add sliced onion to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and saute' the onion.
Combine water, 1/4 c flour, 1/2 t seasoned salt and the pepper. Stir and add to skillet. When thick, add the steaks. Turn to coat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.

4 Servings

Cherry Nut Bread

I tried this recipe as wrote - and didn't like it. It was dry and didn't have much flavor. Still, by looking at the recipe it doesn't 'look' like a bad recipe. So maybe it's ok but it didn't work for me!

Cherry Nut Bread

2 1/2 c flour
1 c chopped nuts
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c shortening
1 c buttermilk
1/4 c maraschino cherry juice
3 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 c maraschino cherries, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Grease the bottom only of a loaf pan. Beat all ingredients except cherries together on low for 15 seconds and medium for 30 seconds. Stir in cherries. Pour into pan. Bake 70-75 minutes. Loosen sides. Remove from pan to cool. Wrap and refrigerate over night before slicing.


*My thoughts; even with the buttermilk, I think it probably needs a higher amount of fat, so I think the 1/4 shortening is probably not enough. I also think another 1/2 c sugar should be in order. But... I've never 're' attempted this recipe so I'll just never know will I? LOL.

Chicken & Cashew Stir-fry

TODAYS THEME: September 18th - Great Recipe, but yours didn't turn out

This is an actual recipe out of my favorite chicken cookbook. I don't know what I did, but I totally screwed it up! The chicken turned into a gooey lump.My best guess would be that my pan wasn't hot enough and I had too much batter on the chicken. One of these days I will get up enough nerve to try it again! :) It's a very easy recipe to follow. My sil made it and it turned out just fine. Apparently it was only me. Hey, so what else is new??????

Oil for cooking
1 1/2 lbs chicken - cut into strips
2 egg whites -lightly beaten
1/2 C. cornflour
2 onions - thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper - sliced thin strips
1/2 lb broccoli - chopped into bite sized pieces
4 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. oyster sauce
1/3 C. cashews
4 green onions - diagonally sliced

Heat skillet until very hot, add 1 tbsp of oil & coat pan. Dip a quarter of the chicken strips into the egg white and then into the cornflour. Add to skillet cooking for 3-5 minutes or till goldenbrown. Drain on papertowles and repeat with the remaining chicken reheating the skillet and adding more oil each time.

Reheat skillet, add 1 tbsp of oil. Stirfry the bell pepper, broccoli & onion over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until vegies have slightly softened. Increase heat to high and add soy sauce & oyster sauce. Toss vegetables well in sauces. Bring to boil.

Return chicken to skillet and toss over high heat for 1-2 minutes to heat the chicken and make sure it's entirely cooked through. Season well with salt & pepper. Toss in cashews andd spring onion. Serve immediately.

Blueberry Pie

It's occuring to me that I'm posting *as* I'm making things this week. LOL. Oh well. At least I'm posting!

Tonights dessert: BLUEBERRY PIE


3 pints blueberries - cleaned and stems removed or frozen
2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 c all purpose flour
1/2 c sugar (I use a mixture of brown and white)
1/4 t cinnamon
2 T butter, cut up

A double pie crust (I don't have time to post the recipe - so use your recipe or just buy the canned or frozen version).


Mix the ingredients together in a bowl and then place in the bottom crust. Top with the cut up butter and then carefully place the top crust over and crimp or use a fork to seal the edges. Slice a pretty star shape on the top with a knife or fork to let steam escape. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350 for another 30-40 minutes.

Let cool and serve with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

Meritt's Iced Almonds

I'm not sure if this weeks topic (What you are Making This Week) includes 'goodies' or just entree's but again; this is what I just made and they are addictive! :) YUM!


Iced Almonds

1 1/2 c whole raw almonds
1/2 c sugar
2 T butter
1/2 t vanilla

Have a piece of foil ready on a cooling rack or laying on a kitchen towel. Place all the ingredients in a skillet and cook over medium high heat for 9 minutes. Spread on the prepared foil and let cool. Break apart. Mmm Toffee Almonds!

Meritt's Enchiladas

Since these are in the oven right now and I have about 20 minutes to waste I'll go ahead and type it up! *All amounts can be adjusted! More or less of any or all works just fine depending on what you have on hand and what your tastes are.


Meritt's Enchiladas

8 flour tortillas
1/2 - 1 lb. ground beef ground with onion, or leftover cooked chicken or leftover steak
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c sour cream
1 t minced onion
1/4 chopped green pepper
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t cumin
1 c mozzarella cheese
3-4 oz. cream cheese


Use about 1-2 cups of whatever chicken or cooked leftover meat you have. A mixture of 2 works great. Mix all but the mozzarella and microwave it for 3-4 minutes until the cream cheese is soft and you can mix it all easily.

Place about 1/4 of the mixture into a flour tortilla and roll up. Place seam side down into a 9X13 pan. Cover with any leftover sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until heated through.

Easy cream of brocc. chicken

I make this at least every other week. It's a main staple in my house. It easy if I had a hard day at work, tastes really great, and as a bonus, it's not that bad for you. Well, unless you're doin the low carb thing.

2 tbsp. oil
1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken (cut into cubes)
salt - to taste
pepper - to taste
garlic powder - to taste
red pepper flakes - to taste (OPTIONAL)
2 cans cream of broccoli soup ( I usually use the fat free by Campbells)
1 (soup) can of milk
2 c. frozen broc. pieces (or to your taste)

Heat oil in skillet. Season chicken and brown in skillet.
In a bowl, mix soup and milk well.
Drain chicken. Add soup mixture and chicken back into pot.
Add frozen broccoli.
Simmer till broccoli is done.

Our family eats this over white rice. You can adjust the seasonings and milk to make it to your own liking.

Somthin' from the past: Coke Cake

No, not that kind!! It's just soda pop! hehehe
When Kgrams & I were young, our mom always made coke cakes. Yes, it's from scratch, but don't worry, it's WAAAAAAAAAY easy!

2C. flour
2 c. sugar
2 sticks of butter
1c. coke (pepsi doesn't work as well due to carbonation) ~ (don't drink the rest, you're gonna need more)
2tbsp. coco powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
2 well beaten eggs
1/2 C butter milk (you can use sour milk if you want ~ 1tsp. white vinigar to 1/2 c. of milk)

Melt butter. Add coco & coke to butter, mix well. Add remaining ingredients, mix well.

Bake - @350 for approx. 40 minutes or till done.

Okay, not that your cake is made, lets make the icing! (my favorite part!)

ICING:
1 stick of butter
1 tbsp. coco
6 tbsp. Coke
1 box powder sugar

Melt butter. Stir in coco and Coke. Stir in powder sugar

Spread on a completely cooled cake. If the cake is warm, the icing will melt.

This cake is real rich, but oh so worth it!!!!!!

Something from my childhood ~ Chicken & Dumplings

Chicken & Dumplings

1 Chicken
2 Cups Flour
Pinch Salt
1 Egg
1/4 Cup Shortening
1 Cup Juice Broth
3 tsp Baking Powder


Boil Chicken for approximately 2 hours. Remove chicken and set aside.

Cut shortening into flour. Add baking powder and salt. Beat egg and add. Take 1 cup of juice/broth from boiling chicken and add.

Roll out dough and cut into squares. Drop into pot of remaining juice/broth being careful to move around and not pile on top of one another.

Turn on low and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove chicken from bones and add to dumplings. Cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until chicken is heated through.

Two Things from my Childhood

These hardly warrant a 'recipe' but they were a huge part of my childhood and so... I post them.



Chocolate Drops


Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips with 1/4 cup of chunky peanut butter and 2 T butter. When smooth, drop by teaspoons onto foil. Place into the refrigerator and let harden.

I remember eating these when I was about 3 years old. We had to ask permission and we would be promised a chocolate drop "after nap time" or some such nonsense.





Vanilla Wafer Sandwiches


Place a tablespoon of Cool Whip or mixed up Dream Whip inbetween 2 vanilla wafers. Place them on a large cookie and sheet and put them in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours until they are 'soft'. Enjoy.



(My Mom was quite the cook... no?)

Did someone say caramel?

Caramel Apple Bread
1 loaf

1 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup spelt flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups chopped, peeled tart apples
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 TBS. butter
1 TBS. milk

In a large mixing bowl, beat the yogurt, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; add to yogurt mixture and beat until just combined. Fold in apples and walnuts.

Pour in a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

In a sm. saucepan, bring the brown sugar, butter, and milk to a boil, stirring constantly. Cover and cook for 1 minute. Cool slightly. Spread over cooled bread. Let stand for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!