Hot Carrot / Onion / Jalapeno Appetizer

No, that's not the dish - but I couldn't find a photo and thought these sliced carrots would do. Years ago we used to lunch at El Chico's on a regular basis and I really like the marinated carrots served along with warm flour tortillas.  Those carrots weren't alone - jalapenos and onions were there, too, but I like the carrots best. Recently I had lunch there again - and decided fixing some for ourselves would be fairly easy. Several possibilities exist on the web, but this works for me:

1 jar of jalapenos with juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1 bag frozen wavy sliced carrots - or slice fresh ones, about the size in the photo.
1 small onion chopped in large pieces

Combine all the ingredients and store in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before using.

Adjust the heat by the number of jalapeno peppers left in the liquid - more = hotter; less = milder.

I like it best with fewer jalapenos, mostly carrots, placed in a warm flour tortilla smeared with a small pat of butter. The butter helps cut the heat, too, and the flavor prepares us for the next dish!

Chicken Pot Pie - Crumbled Topping

I originally found this on Cooking Classy, then discovered that was her adaptation of one on Cook's Illustrated. I don't have a subscription there and couldn't do a comparison. I found several other similar recipes, and adapted my own for our dinner tonight. I like it!! My notes in the recipe are in [brackets and italics]. I even remembered to take a picture - after we served ourselves, of course:

There are three separate segments in preparation:

The Filling:
2 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves (only I did one, plus two thighs)
1 14.5 oz can low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp olive oil (only I used vegetable oil)
1 cup peeled and diced carrots (about 2 large carrots)
3/4 cup diced celery (about 2 large stalks)
3/4 cup finely diced yellow onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
1/2 cup finely sliced portabello mushrooms (optional) [Beloved Husband doesn't like these, so we added diced, slightly boiled, potatoes - adjust veggies for your family's tastes.]
2/3 cup frozen peas

The Sauce:
3 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 teaspoon soy sauce [Classy omitted this and the tomato paste - we included and it was good!]
1 teaspoon tomato paste

The Crumbles:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic granules (use 1/2 tsp if you prefer a slightly stronger garlic flavor)
1/4 cup butter, cold and diced into small cubes
2 oz. finely shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup packed) (Didn't have any, so used a combination with Asiago)
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp heavy cream

Now -- the putting it all together does work best in this order given by Classy:

1. Place chicken in a slow cooker, pour chicken broth over chicken. Cover with lid and cook on low heat about 5 - 6 hours until chicken is cooked through. [Of course, if you don't have that much time, do as I did and boil the chicken in the chicken broth while preparing the veggies.  Worked fine.]
2. Remove chicken, dice and set aside.
3. Strain broth from slow cooker through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and reserve broth (if you don't have a fine mesh strainer just try to remove the pieces of fat).

Prepare the crumble:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degree.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder and optional cayenne pepper. [You know mine didn't have this pepper!]
3. Using your finger tips, cut butter into mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Stir in Parmesan cheese.
5. Pour in heavy cream and mix just until combine.
6. Break and drop mixture into 1 - 2-inch pieces onto a Silpat lined baking dish. [I used our sheet cake pan and it worked just fine - nothing stuck. Silpat just isn't in my budget right now.]
7. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and set aside.

Prepare the filling and sauce:

1. Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Once hot, add diced carrots, onion and celery.
2. Saute vegetables, stirring occasionally until lightly golden and tender, about 5 - 6 minutes.
3. Pour vegetables into a bowl and set aside.
4. Reduce heat to medium, melt butter in saucepan (I like to brown it a bit for and extra layer of flavor), then add in flour and cook, stirring constantly for about 20 seconds (it will be very thick).
5. While stirring, slowly add in milk followed by reserved chicken broth, lemon juice, tomato paste, soy sauce, parsley, thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Bring mixture just to a boil, then slightly reduce heat and allow to cook about 1 minute longer until thickened, stirring constantly.
7. Remove sauce from heat and add sauteed vegetables, frozen peas and diced chicken to sauce, then toss to evenly coat. [Don't forget your choice of mushrooms or potatoes or ...]
8. Pour mixture into a 9-inch pie dish and sprinkle with baked crumble topping (Classy said hers: fit perfectly in my pie dish but if yours is coming close to the top edge you may want to sit it on top of a cookie sheet to prevent spills in your oven) [Mine had a few crumbles left over, so I treated myself to a taste before putting in the oven.]
9. Bake in 400 degree oven until nicely golden about 12 - 14 minutes. Serve warm.

It doesn't take nearly as long as it sounds, no 'processed' canned goods - all fresh ingredients (well, except for those frozen peas) - and it was very, very good. Add a salad, some fruit for dessert and you're done.

Liver and Onions

It's getting to be a bad habit - not picture with this!  I must make it again and get photos on here!


I remember making liver and onions for my two eldest grandsons when they were pre-schoolers. They asked what I was fixing.

"Beef. It's beef, like hamburger is beef, but it's not ground like hamburger."

No lies, right?  They weren't interested in the onions and I told them they didn't have to war them. Good for them, they won a concession from Grammy! Good for me, I like onions!

We were all doing very well - liver and onions, mashed potatoes for the gravy and I forgot which veggie or salad with it, along with rolls. Plates were being emptied when a daughter came in.

"Ewwww!!!!! Liver and onions!"

Grandsons responded accordingly, and have since. Fortunately, my Beloved Husband loved it then and loves it now and we fixed some for supper. We've never had a recipe, we've made it the way our mothers did -- both of them fixed liver and onions the same way, so I was prepared to cook like his mother (that's a good thing!) Not the way you'll find in the Better Crocker Cookbook, nor most of the recipes I found running around the web.

In our kitchen, we start with about a pound of calves' liver. The kind we buy is sliced and cleaned, almost ready to cook but has to be cut into serving pieces.

We also need a very large onion to cut into onion rings, these are placed in a hot skillet, along with a couple of tablespoons of oil. Keep an eye on them while preparing the liver - they need to caramelize without burning.

We use enough flour to cover those liver pieces front and back. I have a large serving spoon I use to fill with flour and put on a plate.

Mix salt, pepper and whatever flavor/spices you like into the flour. We just use a seasoned salt and fine grind pepper.

Rinse the liver pieces, place on a paper towel to absorb the liquid, then dredge in the flour, covering front and back completely. It will stick.

Remove the onions from the skillet and set aside while the liver is browned on front and back.

To this point, the only difference I've found in other recipes would be the spices used. These recipes call for cooking about three minutes on each side then serve. Not us.

Our Moms went on to pour water on the liver and returning the onions atop that and letting them simmer for another ten minutes, making it's own gravy and making the liver very tender - fork-cutting tender.

See? That doesn't take long at all. Of course, it takes a bit longer to make obligatory mashed potatoes that must accompany this dish. Any veggie would make a good side dish (Janet's 42 Carrots on this site would do just fine), a good roll to help corral the gravy and a favorite dessert.  Tonight we topped ours off with a piece of Helen Crussell's Lemon Pie (also on this site.)

Comfort food at it's finest, right?

Holly's Sweet Potato Souffle

OK, so the presentation isn't all that great - this is the remnant after taking two pans of sweet potatoes to our 42 Domino night. The recipe said this pan would serve 12, so two of them should serve 24 - and it did. We had eighteen players plus two visitors tonight, so I think the servings given is just about right.

There are many similar recipes online - I had one from AllRecipes.com, another that was a knock-off off Ruth's Chris that listed almost the same ingredients. Mine came through my daughter from her mother-in-law, so I'm not certain where its roots lie. But -- I would make it again. It was good.

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted

Topping
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup butter, melted

Instructions:

• It took three large (at least a pound a piece) sweet potatoes. I prefer baking them at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Fork check for tenderness - they will need to be tender to mix well. Of course, canned, boiled or microwaved could be used - but I think baking brings better flavor. I actually baked  some extra sweet potatoes just to be certain I had enough when they were mashed. I can use them later in another recipe.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a 9x13 pan with Pam (or your favorite non-stick spray.)
• Using the same order above, combine those first six items. I love using my KitchenAid with the beater that blends so well - any will do, but about five minutes will make a better mixture!
• Pour into the prepared 9x13 pan and bake for 25 minutes.
• Prepare the topping: brown sugar, flour, nuts and butter in mixing bowl.
• Cover the sweet potatoes with the topping, covering all and making it even.
• Return to the oven for an additional ten minutes to cook the topping and make it crunchy.

One perk was for Bob, our goat. He thought the sweet potato peels were a treat! Very little goes to waste around here. If you enjoy this recipe, please let me know.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Who needs a recipe for grilled cheese sandwiches? Everyone makes them and has for years, right? It's extremely flexible - change the bread, change the cheese, add favorite meat(s), even some veggies.  We all have our own way of fixing them.

We have our own favorite sides -- mine is tomato soup.  Nothing quite like a grilled cheese sandwich, tomato soup and a tall glass of milk.

However, I just watched a video that makes creating these much, much easier - and serving them at the same time simply awesome -- which is why the video on AllRecipes.com is called "Awesome Grilled Cheese Sandwiches." Go ahead, click and watch - it's so easy that it won't take but a couple of minutes to watch what is given as the linked recipe:

• 18 slices bread

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 9 slices Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
2. Butter one side of 9 slices of bread, and place butter-side down on a baking sheet. Arrange cheese on each slice of bread. Spread butter on 9 remaining slices of bread, and place them buttered-side up on top of the cheese.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Flip the sandwiches, and bake an additional 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden brown.

Did I tell you? Simple! But that's just the beginning. I don't use cheddar, I use Kraft American, but on the inside of the bread I spread a triangle of Laughing Cow - herb or spiced or plain for a melding of flavors. I add deli sliced ham, or roast beef, or corned beef, or chicken, or cook some bacon ... you get the idea - this recipe is only the beginning of personal favorites. Have you ever added caramelized onions? Delicious!

It's the baking of a large group that is so time-saving, and so simple. Gives me time to heat up some creamy tomato soup. Can you guess what we're having for lunch today?

Afternoon update:  Yes -- I did fix for lunch.  Only four, instead of nine. On mine I did spread half of a Laughing Cow - herbed. I also spread the other side with a touch of mustard. We did use Kraft American. I cooked six minutes on each side.

I was slightly disappointed that they didn't brown as much as I expected, but they didn't have to. Everything melted nicely, and the bread had a marvelous crunch to it - marvelously satisfying! No cheese running out, but that last bite was filled as cheese melted into that very last bite. Oh, yes -- this method is a keeper!!

Lemon Bundt Cake

I really do take photos, every once in a while. Take a look at the bottom for the finished product!

Years ago several Baptist Moms met on a Christian bulletin board. As Facebook became more and more popular, we saved the cost of that board and created our group in FB. They are a wonderful group of prayer partners. It's been a joy to know each and every one of them.  In addition to our faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior, we've also shared recipes.  This one came through one of those members.

It sounded just right for our Thursday night domino group, but we had a couple of weeks where our hostess was not well enough for company. It was suggested that we do a test run - and that's what I did today.

Success!!! Here's the recipe:


The Cake
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons)
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

The Glaze
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a bundt pan (I used a flour spray that worked well.)

I had purchased a bag of ten lemons (It took seven to make the 1/3 cup of zest and six to make 3/4 cup lemon juice. I took that remaining zested lemon and fixed a glass of lemonade to refresh me after cooking!  Good idea!)

Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy - about 5 minutes.

With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, one at a time, and the lemon zest. (For some reason the zest clumped around the beater and I had to keep forcing it out into the batter)

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla.

Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour.

Pour evenly into the bundt pan, smooth the top, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean. (Ours took the hour.)

While the cake cooks, combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves then set aside.

When the cake is done, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and place on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan; spoon the lemon syrup over the cake.

Allow the cake to cool completely.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. I had to add a touch of water (maybe I mis-measured the juice?) Pour over the top of the cake and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides. Delicious!

Mini Corn Dog Bites

OK, this is a blatant steal. I saw the idea on my cousin's Facebook, but couldn't find the original post to place on Pinterest.  I Googled "mini corn dog bites" and came up with several similar posts - but not the one I was seeking. So - I did some work on a most-likely copyrighted photo, changing it to fit my purposes.

You will need your favorite hot dogs (mine are Oscar Mayer's bun length!) and some corn bread to bake:

Mix up an 8.5 oz box of corn muffin mix - or use your favorite cornbread recipe
Divide batter into mini-muffin pan
Add hot dog slices.
Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375°

Now, one of my reasons for posting this is to share with two people who do not use the internet. However, they will let me show them things on my iPhone. When I do, they will get the joke and laugh out loud. One is a lady who fixed dinner for a couple of gentleman once a week so they'd have a home cooked meal. She and her husband played games of 42 with them after dinner.  The other is a man who often beat her at those games. She would then threaten to "fix you corn dogs for dinner next week!!"