Happy Halloween!

Just a quick post today.  Things are still a bit crazy here.  Ugh.

Halloween is heaps of fun, and I LOVE to decorate for it, but for the past few years I haven't been able to do much of it except for maybe a pumpkin or purple strings of lights.  Nothing really cool, though.  This year wasn't any different - just the purple lights.  

Cleavers and knives and bloody hatchets, oh my!
Just the kind of grandmother you want for your
small children, right?

However, I made a cake for our Halloween - a RED velvet cake with cream cheese frosting.  The fun part is I'd found some Halloween cake decorations at the grocery and couldn't resist using them.  Just another manifestation of my twisted sense of humor.  It's like the game, Clue - it was me, in the kitchen, with the hatchet!

So here's my recipe for delicious homemade cream cheese frosting - so easy!

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese
1 c butter
2 t vanilla extract or lemon juice
4 c confectioner's powdered sugar

I let the cream cheese and butter sit out on the counter for half an hour before starting.  Using an electric hand-held or stand mixer makes mixing much easier and sifting the sugar unnecessary.

Start with the cream cheese and butter in the mixer bowl.  Mix at a low speed until well combined.  Add the vanilla extract or lemon juice and mix some more.  Add sugar, one cup at a time.  Turn the mixer to medium to medium-high speed and beat until smooth and creamy.  

That Darned KNEE and Another SOUP! - Tomato Cheddar Dumpling Soup (Two Ways!)

My posts have been kind of spotty lately, partly because I've been working on my so-called "home office" and just this past weekend because The Uncooperative Knee went rogue again and Somebody had to have surgery on it.  That's NINE since March of 2019.  So it's going to be back to home nursing once again.

Oh well.  It is what it is.

ANYWAY!  I thought I had already written a post about this particular soup, but I was WRONG.  So here it is!

I found this soup recipe when I was browsing the internet.  It sounded tasty and easy (two reasons to like it), so it was put into the soup rotation.  It's a pretty basic recipe - tomato soup with cheddar dumplings, and really easy, no matter which way you decide you make it.  It's just super fast and convenient one way, and not so fast the other.  Mostly common pantry staples either way.


Tomato Cheddar Dumpling Soup (Two Ways)

The Original Way

For the soup:
2 T canola or olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c chopped onion
1/2 c chopped red bell pepper
3 T flour
28 oz whole canned tomatoes, undrained
2 c water
2 T minced celery leaves
2 T sugar
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t dried basil

For the dumplings:
1 c flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 T shortening or butter
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c milk

In a 4-quart pan, heat the oil, and saute the garlic, onion, and bell pepper until fragrant.  Blend in the flour and let it cook about a minute.  Add the tomatoes and break them up.  Add the remaining soup ingredients.  While it is heating to a simmer, mix up the dumplings.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Cut in the shortening or butter to make loose crumbs.  Add the cheese and milk and mix until all dry ingredients have been moistened.

By this time, the soup should be at a simmer.  Drop the dumpling batter into the soup by tablespoons, or use a sprayed cookie scoop.  Cover and simmer 20 minutes.


The Convenient Way

For the soup:
Use your favorite shelf-stable tomato soup and prepare enough to make about 2 quarts of soup. Heat it to a simmer.  You might want to add some garlic powder and basil.  It's up to you!

For the dumplings:
1  7.75-oz box of Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit or similar mix (Aldi has a good one)
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
2 T melted butter
1/2 c milk

Mix all the ingredients together, including the contents of the entire seasoning packet from the biscuit mix.  Treat the batter the same way as the Original Way, above.  By this time, the soup should be at a simmer.  Drop the dumpling batter into the soup by tablespoons, or use a sprayed cookie scoop.  Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

OR

1 c Bisquick or similar baking mix (Jiffy makes a good one)
1/2 c shredded cheddar 
1/3 c milk

Mix all the ingredients together.  Treat the batter the same way as the Original Way, above.  By this time, the soup should be at a simmer.  Drop the dumpling batter into the soup by tablespoons, or use a sprayed cookie scoop.  Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

That's all there is to it!  

Cheesecake in the Instant Pot - Say WHAT?!?!?!?

I know, I know.  I declared I couldn't think of ANYTHING dessert-y I'd want to make in the Instant Pot, but everybody in the online Instant Pot groups I belong to swoons over cheesecake.  CHEESECAKE.  Of all things.

Sad to say, I've drunk the Kool-Aid.

I made a cheesecake for Easter, and it was worth it.

I have a couple of Instant Pot cookbooks, and BOTH have cheesecake recipes in them.  People swear by both, but in the online groups, some have trouble with the cheesecake "exploding" while it's cooking.  They say it still tastes great, but isn't very pretty.  I think I know the solution - it's in one of my books.

Here's the recipe I used.  It's taken directly from The Step-by-Step Instant Pot Cookbook, by Jeffrey Eisner, the Pressure Luck Cooking guy.  He also has a website with loads of recipes.  The only change I made was 1 1/2 cup of graham cracker crumbs and 6 tablespoons of butter, because I have an 8-inch springform pan.


Instant Pot Cheesecake

4 T salted butter, melted, plus more for buttering the pan
1 c graham cracker crumbs
2 8-oz bricks cream cheese (at room temperature)
3/4 c granulated sugar
1/2 c sour cream (at room temperature)
1 T all-purpose flour
1 3.4-oz package vanilla instant pudding (it MUST be instant)
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1/2 t almond extract
2 large eggs (at room temperature)
[Any toppings you wish - optional]

You'll notice he makes it very clear to have all those refrigerated items at room temperature.  I'm pretty sure THAT'S the secret to prevent cheesecake eruptions - LOL!

Generously grease a 7" x 3" springform pan, bottom and sides.  Line the bottom with a 7" round of parchment paper, then grease the top of the parchment paper, too.

For the crust, mix together the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a bowl.  Place the mixture in the bottom of the pan and using the bottom of a drinking glass, flatten the crust so it's even on the bottom and climbs slightly up the sides of the pan.  Put the pan in the freezer for at least 15 minutes to set.

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer (don't do it by hand - it will be a frustrating and exhausting experience), beat the cream cheese on low until smooth and creamy.  Then, while the mixer is still running, add the remaining ingredients in the order listed above (one egg at a time when you get to that point).  Keep mixing on low speed until it's "super thick" and creamy and no lumps are left, about a minute or two.

Take the pan out of the freezer (it's probably been about 15 minutes at this point).  Spoon the batter into the pan.  Smooth the top with a spatula and cover completely with aluminum foil.

Pour 2 cups of water into the bottom of the Instant Pot insert.  Place the springform pan on the trivet and use the handles to lower it into the pot.  Close and secure the lid, move the valve to the sealing position, press Manual or Pressure Cook.  Be sure the pressure is set at High.  Set the cooking time for 45 minutes.  When it's done, allow the pressure to release naturally, about another 30 minutes.

Turn off the Instant Pot, open the lid, and carefully remove the pan.  Set the trivet and pan on the counter, remove the foil, and allow to cool for 30 minutes.  The middle will be slightly jiggly when it first comes out of the pot.

Place in the refrigerator IN THE SPRINGFORM PAN, and let it sit for AT LEAST 5 HOURS.  It needs all that undisturbed time to set correctly.

When you're ready to serve, run a sharp knife around the side of the pan to separate the cake from the pan, then slowly open the latch of the springform pan.  You can transfer the cake from the bottom of the pan onto a serving plate.  Be sure to leave the parchment paper on the bottom of the cake.  When you cut it, you'll be able to remove each cake slice from the parchment paper.

Top the cheesecake with whatever topping you prefer - I like raspberry preserves!

Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak - Remember TV Dinners?

Are you old enough to remember TV dinners?  Oh, those divided trays covered with foil, and inside, old-fashioned comfort food - fried chicken, turkey, meatloaf, and Salisbury steak - YUM!  It was a treat when Mom fixed frozen TV dinners.  My gosh, you actually got to CHOOSE what you were going to eat - just like in a RESTAURANT!  Before the advent of fast food, kids weren't really welcome in most restaurants, so the novelty of being given a choice was heady stuff.

They still make frozen dinners (notice they don't call them "TV dinners" any more), but no more aluminum trays and covers - everything has to be microwavable.

One of the most popular TV dinner at our house was Salisbury steak, which used to come with mashed potatoes, green beans, and a little sort-of-apple-cobbler dessert.  The new frozen dinner has cooked apples instead of the little "cobbler" thing, and corn instead of green beans.  I don't know what the old Salisbury steak was made of, but the new one I saw said it was "made with chicken, pork, and beef," which means mostly chicken, then pork, and lastly, beef.

I receive several different foodie emails, and lately there has been a rash of Salibury steak recipes.  I guess everyone is craving comfort food.  Upon reading the recipes, they all seemed to use some form of ground meat patty.  What I remember from my childhood was cubed steak, not hamburger, in Mom's homemade version.  Disappointment.

But a couple of weeks ago an email came that showcased "Poor Man's Steak."  Cubed steak!  An almost dump-and-go recipe!  BINGO!  

The original recipe calls for the Universal Binding Ingredient (UBI, as characterized by Thomas Pynchon in his book, Vineland), condensed cream of mushroom soup.  I'm not averse to cooking with condensed "cream of..." soups, as some people are (too much salt!  too much fat!  too processed!), but I'm not a fan of cream of mushroom soup, which makes absolutely NO sense whatever, because I'm a HUGE fan of mushrooms!

Go figure.

Anyway, I use cream of celery and cream of onion soups instead of the cream of mushroom.  The cream of onion can be difficult to find, but there's ONE nearby store that carries it (Meijer), so I've lucked out!

The original recipe also calls for an envelope of onion soup mix, which will probably also set off  cries of "too much salt!  too processed!" but you know what?  I'm talking about fast, easy, convenient, comfort food.  If those ingredients bother you, make some white sauce and add your own mushrooms and onions.  For me, this is one of those "I'm feeling lazy today, but I want a home-cooked meal" recipes.

So here it is, with my substitutions:


Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak

The classisc combination!

2-3 lb cubed steak
1-oz envelope onion soup mix (either beefy or regular)
1  10.75-oz can condensed cream of celery soup
1  10.75-oz can condensed cream of onion soup (if it's not available, just use another cream of celery)
2/3 c (or about 1/2 soup can) water
2 T Worchestershire sauce
1/2 t pepper

Place meat in a slow cooker.  Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over the meat.  Cover and cook on low for 6 - 8 hours.  Mix the gravy well before serving.

Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding - in the Microwave!!!

I've been going through some of my cookbooks - just browsing for ideas, you know.  I've come across some recipes I didn't even know were in them!  This is one.

When the kids were much younger, and Lazarus department store was a thing, we used to go to their second-floor restaurant for the buffet lunch when we were in the mall.  It was a great place for people watching because the windows overlooked the fountain in the very center of the mall - the busiest spot.  One of our favorites there was the bread pudding - yum!  When Lazarus was bought out by Macy's, the restaurant was no more, which, for us, meant no more bread pudding!  

I tried a couple of recipes here and there, but they were, well, meh.  Not bad, but not great.  Nothing I'd want to go to the trouble of making, especially because you had to bake it in the oven for an hour.  And if something's not all that, why bother?

Well!  I was leafing through my ancient (1984) microwave cookbook that came with my very first microwave oven and spied a recipe for bread pudding!  What?!?!?!?!?  How did I never notice that?  I mean, I use that cookbook a LOT.  There are several recipes in there I use frequently!

Oh, well.  I guess I have blinders on when I'm cooking.

Anyway, it's EASY and FAST, and because it's cooked in the microwave, it doesn't burn and requires no watching.  My kind of recipe!

I've seen bread pudding listed with recipes for breakfast, which gave me pause at the time.  But then, after thinking about it a bit, bread pudding is pretty similar to french toast casserole, except the bread is in smaller pieces.

So here it is!  The original recipe assumes a 750-watt microwave oven, but I've adapted it to a 1,100-watt oven.


Quick and Easy Bread Pudding

8 oz bread, cubed (fresh, not dried or toasted)
3/4 c dark brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t salt
1/4 c raisins (optional, but they impart a deeper, more complex flavor - I prefer golden raisins)
2 c milk
1/4 c butter
2 eggs, beaten

Spread bread cubes evenly in an 8-inch, round (see NOTE below) microwave-safe dish.  Mix together brown sugar, nutmeg, and salt, then sprinkle evenly over the bread cubes, followed by the raisins.  

Measure the milk into a 1-quart microwaveable measuring cup and add the butter.  Microwave on high power for about 2 minutes, or until the butter is completely melted and the milk is warm (not hot).

Rapidly stir in the eggs with a fork and mix well, then pour over the bread cubes.

Microwave at 50% power for 10 to 11 minutes.  The center may still be slightly soft, but it will set up as the pudding cools.  Serve warm or chilled (but warm is best!).

[NOTE:  Using a ROUND dish in the microwave will allow the pudding to cook evenly, with no weird overcooked corners.]

Corned Beef for St. Patrick's Day (or Any Day!)

St. Patrick's Day is almost here, which means you'll be able to find corned beef easily in the stores.  I often buy several packages and freeze the extras to use when corned beef mania strikes.  Corned beef is SUPER easy to cook - one of the prerequisites for my culinary efforts!  


Corned Beef (with Potatoes, Onions, Carrots, and Cabbage. and Mustard Sauce) 

For Beef:
1 3- to 4-lb corned beef brisket, with spice packet
1/4 c brown sugar
2 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 1/2 lb potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 lb baby-cut carrots
1 small to medium head cabbage, quartered
1 large onion, quartered

For Sauce:
1 1/2 c reserved corned beef cooking liquid
1 T butter
2 T flour
1 T red wine vinegar
1/2 c sour cream
2T coarse-ground Dijon mustard

Place brisket, contents of seasoning packet, brown sugar, garlic, and bay leaves in large dutch oven or stock pot; cover with water; bring to a boil, turn heat down and simmer 2 hours.

Add carrots and potatoes; return to a boil, then simmer 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Add cabbage to pot; return to a boil, then simmer about 15 minutes.

Add onion to pot; return to boil, simmer about 5-10 minutes.

Reserve 1 1/2 cup of cooking liquid for the mustard sauce.


Mustard Sauce

In a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.  Stir in flour until smooth; cook about 1 minute.  Stir in the cooking liquid and vinegar.  Cook, stirring frequently, until thickened.  Remove from heat and add the sour cream and mustard.  Serve over corned beef.

(I've made the sauce in the microwave before, and it worked out great!  It also freezes well.  I just microwave it to warm it up.)

Cabbage Rolls - Old-Fashioned Slow-Cooker Comfort Food

Now and then, That Man will request something specific for dinner, and more often than not, that specific something will be cabbage rolls.  He remembers going to a friend's house, the friend's wife making cabbage rolls, and his thinking they were the greatest thing ever!  

Because tradition has it that you should eat cabbage on New Year's Day for prosperity, I usually make cabbage rolls around that time, if not on the day itself.  Honestly, it's been quite a while since I last made cabbage rolls - probably three or more years.  Somehow, the thought of dealing with the cabbage leaves seems, well, hard.  It's really not, though the thought of them is, sort of.  

Once I decide to make cabbage rolls, the actual deal with the leaves isn't bad at all.  And I get extra wife-points for fixing one of his favorites.  So worth it!

This recipe is based on one in the original edition (1975) of Crockery Cookery by Mabel Hoffman, from the time when slow cookers were the new, trendy kitchen gadget and very few had removable crocks - yikes!  But there are a lot of very good recipes in there.  Sadly, the paperback binding on my copy is disintegrating.  I expect I'll soon have to cut the pages out, punch holes in them, and put them in a three-ring binder.  Better than losing a book I use often!

No guarantee of how "Swedish"
these are, but they are delicious!

Swedish Cabbage Rolls

12 large cabbage leaves
1 beaten egg
1/4 c milk
1/4 c finely chopped onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1 t onion powder
1 lb lean ground beef
1 c cooked rice
12-oz bottle chili sauce (or 1 1/2 c ketchup)
1/4 c brown sugar, packed
1 T lemon juice
1 T Worchestershire sauce

There are a few ways to prepare the cabbage leaves before you fill them:

1. Immerse the leaves in a large pot of boiling water for about 3 minutes, until limp; drain.  These are the instructions in the original recipe.  That's all right for about the first 4 outer leaves, but as you proceed, the leaves get tighter and tighter on the cabbage, and it gets progressively more difficult to pry them loose without tearing them, and you want them whole.
   
   
2. Freeze the whole head of cabbage overnight, then take it out to thaw in the morning.  The leaves are supposed to release from the head easily, and they're already limp enough to work with.  I don't have any firsthand experience with this method - I've only heard of it, and it sounds like it should work, but I rarely have a cabbage-sized space available in the freezer, so I haven't tried it myself.  Maybe next time - after the turkey, ham, and corned beef brisket are gone.
   
   
3. Place the whole head of cabbage in the microwave for one minute at high power.  The next 3 or 4 leaves will release fairly easily.  This is the method I've used the last few times I've made cabbage rolls.  I just repeat until I have the number of leaves I need.  They aren't as limp as they would be with the first method, which is quite okay with me because they're going to be in the slow cooker most of the day, so I'd rather the leaves start out more on the raw side.

Combine egg, milk, onion, garlic, and seasonings.  Add meat and rice and combine well.  Place about 1/4 cup of the meat mixture in the center of each leaf.  Fold in the sides and roll ends over the meat, kind of like making a small burrito.  Place in a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker.

Combine the rest of the ingredients, and pour over the cabbage rolls.  Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours. 

I serve them with dinner rolls or french bread.

And Yet Another SOUP Recipe!

More SOUP!  Sorry, not sorry!

I'm definitely a big fan of broccoli, but I'm NOT a fan of broccoli smothered in "cheese" sauce or anything approximating that miserable excuse of a bribe to get kids to eat those wonderful mini "trees."  So, broccoli cheddar soup has not been high on the list of favorite foods.  

However...!

Again, gazing into the depths of the refrigerator, I saw that (now three-quarters) gallon of homemade chicken broth, several packages of shredded cheese, and a quart container of leftover broccoli (NAKED broccoli, that is).

I wanted something cheesy, but not TOO cheesy.  Because I'm kind of turned off by the orange color of restaurant versions of this soup, I used a cheddar/jack cheese blend.  So here's what I came up with this time!  If you like it cheesier than this, just experiment and add some more.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

1/4 c butter
1/2 onion, chopped
1 c matchstick-cut carrots
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c flour
1 t salt
1/2 t white pepper
2 c chicken broth, hot (I heat it in the microwave in a Pyrex measuring cup)
2 c milk
2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb broccoli florets, cooked and chopped (see NOTE, below)

In a 4-qt pan, melt the butter and saute the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic until fragrant.  Add flour, salt, and pepper, and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, then add the hot broth slowly, still stirring constantly, until the flour is incorporated and there are no lumps.  

Stir in the milk.  Heat to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the mixture thickens.  Add the remaining ingredients, bring back to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the cheese is completely melted and the broccoli is heated through.  Adjust the salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

[NOTE:  I buy a one-pound steam-in-bag package of frozen broccoli florets, microwave them per the package directions, then chop them very coarsely.]

Soup! Soup! SOUP! Yes, ANOTHER Soup Recipe!

If you've been following this blog for a while, you've surely noticed that a LOT of the recipes I post are for SOUP.  I don't know why, but I'm just not much of a sandwich-for-lunch-type person.  I'd rather have good ol' SOUP - especially in the winter!

Well, DUH.

Here's what I made the other day.  I went through all my SOUP recipes and nothing called my name, so off to the fridge to see what was in there.  I found lots of leftover roast chicken, a gallon of homemade chicken broth, the remains of a bunch of celery, some matchstick-cut carrots, and a container of leftover corn.  There were a few potatoes and a couple of onions left in the bags I bought a few weeks ago.

So here's what I came up with!


Chicken and Corn Chowder

1/2 c butter
1/2 c matchstick carrots
2 stalks celery, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c flour
4 c chicken broth, divided (heat 2 c to almost a boil)
2 1/2 c half-and-half
4 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 lb frozen whole kernel sweet corn
1 1/2 pounds cooked chicken (boned and skinned), cubed
1/4 t nutmeg
1 t salt
1/2 t white pepper

In a 4-qt pan, melt the butter and saute the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic until fragrant.  Add flour and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, then add the hot broth slowly, still stirring constantly, until the flour is incorporated and there are no lumps.  

Stir in the reserved broth and half-and-half.  Heat to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture thickens.  Add the remaining ingredients, bring back to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through.  Adjust the salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Valentine's Day Dinner - What We Ate (What I Cooked!)

We stayed home for Valentine's Day - That Knee isn't comfortable when it's not elevated for an extended time, so riding in the car and sitting at a table just aren't comfortable for it/him.  So we had a WILD evening at home.

Right.

Anyway, this week's Aldi's ad had filet mignon listed as their weekly fresh meat special, and the price per pound, although way higher than I'm generally willing to pay for meat, was, for filet, a STEAL!  The prices in the ad go into effect on Wednesday, but I didn't get there until Friday, so I figured I'd missed out.

However...

I guess lots of people don't like to pay exorbitant prices for meat either, even filet, so there were PLENTY of packages in the meat case!  SCORE!

I took them home and stuck them in the fridge next to the ribeye steaks I'd found earlier in the week at Kroger at a truly unbeatable price - more than two-thirds off!!! (It was in the "Manager's Special" meat case - my favorite place to browse.)

So I had a refrigerator full of expensive steaks.  What to do, what to do.

Dumb question, right?  It was pretty much a no-brainer - throw the ribeyes into the freezer and cook the filets for Valentine's Day.

Now, I haven't cooked a filet mignon in years (DECADES, actually), so I did some research to see how long those bad boys needed to lie under the broiler.  Other than that, I was good.  Filet mignon is super simple.

Every store seemed to have fresh asparagus on sale this week, too, so I planned to have that, plus some long grain and wild rice to round out the plate.  Easy stuff.  I didn't want to get elaborate - I wanted to ENJOY the meal myself, and not spend all night cleaning up afterward.

I should have expected what happened as each side of the filets was about done - the butter started to smoke and the smoke alarms began to scream!  Ah, me.  Annoying.  So the cats tried to find a safe space away from the terrible noises (there was none - more than one alarm was wailing), so That Man opened a couple of windows.  It was COLD out there, but it made the alarms settle down.  The windows didn't need to be open more than a few minutes - a good thing.

Anyway, the filets were amazing!  A good meal all around.


Filet Mignon

Here's an idea of how done these filets were
after a full 7 minutes on each side.

For each 8-oz filet:

1/4 t garlic powder (or to taste), divided
salt and pepper
1 or 2 slices bacon (uncooked)
2 T butter, divided
1 T minced scallion or shallot

Place the top oven rack so that the top of the meat will be about 3 inches from the broiler.  Set oven to Broil.

Sprinkle half of the garlic powder, salt, and pepper over both sides of the filet(s).  Wrap each filet with a slice of bacon (or two, if the circumference is too big!), and secure it with one or two wooden toothpicks.  Spread half of the butter over the top side of the filet(s).

Spray a broiler pan (or a rack placed inside a sheet pan with a 1-inch high rim) with non-stick spray for easy cleanup.  Place the filet(s) on the broiler pan and place the pan in the oven on the top rack in the oven.  (Disable the nearest smoke alarms, if needed!)

Let the meat cook for 5-7 minutes.  Remove from the oven, turn the filet(s) over, spread the rest of the butter on the top of the filet, and sprinkle the minced scallion or shallot over the top of the filet(s).

Return the pan to the top oven rack and continue broiling for another 5-7 minutes.  

Remove from the oven, tent with foil, and let rest while you plate the other food.

Don't forget to remove the toothpicks before eating and to re-enable the smoke detectors after - HA!


[NOTES:  I set the sealed packages of filets out on the counter for 4 hours to allow them to come to room temperature before cooking (horrors! - unsafe food handling practices!), and I still needed to cook them on the high broil setting for 7 minutes on each side.

I used Land-O-Lakes Garlic and Herb flavored butter (it comes in a small tub) for the butter.  It was easy to spread and gave the filets an extra depth of flavor.  I still used the garlic powder, too.  More Garlic = More Better!]

Hop to It! - Hoppin' John Two Ways

There are lots of New Year's traditions - watching the ball drop at Times Square, making a champagne toast, kissing at midnight, and eating cabbage rolls or blackeyed peas with pork for dinner.  Cabbage and blackeyed peas are both supposed to bring good luck and prosperity.  Even though it's a New Year's tradition, I'll eat blackeyed peas any time!

One of my favorite ways to fix blackeyed peas is Hoppin' John, also known as Carolina peas and rice, but I like the vision of some guy hopping up and down.  I have two ways to make it - a lazy way, and a not-so-lazy way.  If you want an even less lazy way, you can start with dried blackeyed peas, but I'm too lazy for that!  Here's the lazy way:

Hoppin' John (super easy!)

2 15-oz cans of Marjorie Holmes Hoppin' John, undrained

10 strips of bacon, cooked and chopped

10 dashes of Tabasco sauce

3 T brown sugar

4 c cooked rice

Dump the first four ingredients into a saucepan.  Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer 20 minutes.  Serve over rice.

Hoppin' John (still easy!)

10 slices bacon, cut up

1/2 c chopped onion

1/2 c chopped celery

1/2 c chopped bell pepper

1/2 c chicken broth

1 15-oz can diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained

2 15-oz cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

10 dashes of Tabasco sauce

3 T brown sugar

4 c cooked rice

In a 2-qt saucepan, cook the bacon until almost crisp.  Add the chopped vegetables and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the canned tomatoes, blackeyed peas, Tabasco, and brown sugar.  Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer 30 minutes.  Serve over rice.

Potato Leek Soup with Chicken

A while back, I saw an intriguing recipe for potato leek soup, so I bought some leeks a few days ago.  Not having ever worked with them before, I searched the internet and found a video showing which parts to use for what and how to clean them and cut them up.  

Leeks are grown in sandy soil and are really dirty.  If you look between the leaves of the tops, you'll see lots of black sand and dirt packed in there!  Following the video's directions, I cut off the dark green tops, rinsed them off, and froze them to use next time I make broth.  I cut off the tiny roots and threw them away.  The remaining part, the white and pale green part, had to be sliced up and cleaned.

The video showed cutting the leek lengthwise, slicing it, putting the slices into a bowl of cold water, and swishing them around.  The slices of leeks float on top of the water, and the sand and dirt sink to the bottom of the bowl.  You scoop the leeks out and put them in a strainer/colander and rinse them.  You don't want to just pour the bowl of water and leeks through the strainer/colander because then the dirt will be reintroduced into the leeks!  There was a LOAD of black sand in the bottom of the bowl when I was done swishing the sliced leeks around.  That simple process did a great job!

Anyway, this was an easy, tasty soup, and I learned about leeks - a bonus!  You could garnish the soup with sliced scallions if you want to make it pretty, but I don't usually go to those lengths.  I did, however, make garlic bread, using french bread made with the recipe in the previous post - YUM!

Potato Leek Soup with Chicken

4 slices bacon, chopped
2 large leeks, sliced
4 large potatoes, cubed
1 t dried thyme
2 t salt
1 t pepper
48 oz chicken broth
1 1/2 lb shredded cooked chicken breast
1 c heavy cream

In a 4-quart pan, cook bacon until crisp.  Add leeks and cook until soft, but not browned.  Add potatoes, seasonings, and broth.  Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.  

Puree the mixture, using either a blender (do it in batches, not filling the pitcher past half full) or an immersion/stick blender directly in the pan.  With the mixture in the pan, add cream and chicken, heat to a simmer, and serve.

Bakery-Style French Bread at Home (in Less Than an Hour!)

It's been a challenging couple of weeks since my last post.  Not only the election and the COVID surge, but THAT KNEE...!  Still no cooperation!  So it's back to the surgeon and the hospital, and instead of the hoped-for new knee replacement, it will be yet another antimicrobial spacer and another six weeks of IV antibiotics administered by yours truly, which will finish up RIGHT before Christmas.  Ugh.

Anyway, I'm kind of on a specialty bread kick.  Just like I said about hamburger buns in the previous post, it somehow seems like kind of an ordeal to run to the store to buy french bread, and even though it's not expensive, it still feels like you pay a lot for what you get, and making bread at home is time-consuming.

I've been on the lookout for a french bread recipe that doesn't take half the day, and I finally found one that takes less than an hour!!!  Yippee!!!  You don't have to knead it, and it only has to rise once, so it's super easy and fast, plus it has a lovely texture.

The recipe makes three big french loaves.  You can halve the recipe, make two smaller loaves, and still have loads of bread.

Bakery-Style French Bread

2 T yeast

1/2 c warm water (about 110 - 115 degrees)

2 c hot water (hot from the faucet)

3 T sugar

1 T salt

1/3 c vegetable oil (I use canola)

6 1/2 c bread flour

1 beaten egg

In a small bowl mix together the yeast and warm water and let it sit 5 - 10 minutes.  It should get foamy.  In a large bowl, combine the hot water, sugar, salt, oil, and 3 cups of the flour.  Mix well.  Add the yeast mixture and the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition.  I use a stand mixer, but that's not necessary.  Let the dough rest in the bowl 10 minutes.

Separate the dough into 3 pieces.  With a rolling pin, on a floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a 9" x 12" rectangle (this takes the place of kneading).  Roll each up like a jelly roll, tuck the ends under, shape into a french bread loaf and smooth out the edges.

Place shaped loaves seam-side-down on a sprayed baking sheet, well spaced apart.  Using a sharp chef's knife make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts across the top of each loaf.  Brush with the beaten egg.  Let rise uncovered in a warm place for 30 or 40 minutes.  Bake at 375 degrees 20 - 24 minutes.  Loaves should be light brown.

Remove from the oven and transfer from the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool.

Homemade Hamburger Buns!

I don't like going to the store for hamburger buns.  I don't know why, but it always seems like such an ordeal to buy hamburger buns.  They seem so expensive for what they are - even the generic store brands seem kind of, well, high.  And then when we put sloppy joe filling on them, they fall apart.

So I started searching for recipes. But most homemade bread recipes take four hours to make, which again seems a little too much effort for hamburger buns, and what if I want them on the spur of the moment?  

Well, I found this recipe, and it fills the bill.  It's quick and easy and takes less than 45 minutes to make.  I tested it with my sloppy joe recipe, and the buns didn't disintegrate!

40-Minute Hamburger Buns

2 T active dry yeast

1 c warm water (110 to 115 degrees)

1/3 c vegetable oil

1/4 c sugar

1 large egg

2 t salt

3 to 4 c bread flour

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water.  Add oil and sugar, mix, and let stand for 5 minutes.  Add the egg, salt, and enough flour to form a soft dough.

On a floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes.  Do not let rise.  Divide into  8  pieces, shape each into a ball, and place 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheets.  Cover and let rest 10 minutes.  Bake until golden brown, about 14-15 minutes.

Spray tops with non-stick spray or brush with vegetable oil or melted butter right out of the oven, then remove from pans to a wire rack to cool.

7-Up Pound Cake (from Jeanne Robertson) - A New-to-Me Recipe

I love listening to Jeanne Robertson on YouTube.  She tells stories on herself that are downright hilarious!  Some of my favorites are "Don't Bungee Jump Naked," "Don't Mess with Broom People," "Sleeping in Tubes," and "Don't Send a Man to the Grocery Store," which is where I first heard about 7-Up Pound Cake.

This is kind of a crazy cake recipe.  There is NO leavening agent in it to make it rise - no baking powder, no baking soda.  I kept looking at it to see what was going on.  It turns out that it's the carbonation in the 7-Up that makes it rise!  I did a little research and found a claim that you MUST use 7-Up because it supposedly has more carbonation than most lemon-lime sodas.  I don't know whether that's true, but after making the cake, all I can tell you is it works!  The cake rose just fine, has the right density for a pound cake, is moist, and it tastes great!  And no complaints from the guys, so it's a success.

7-Up Pound Cake

1 c butter

1/2 c shortening

3 c granulated sugar

1/4 t salt

5 eggs

1 1/2 t lemon extract

1 1/2 t vanilla extract

3 c all-purpose flour

7 oz 7-Up (almost one small can)

Glaze (optional)

1 c confectioner's sugar

1 T 7-Up

2 T lemon juice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (you'll turn it down when the cake goes in).  Grease and flour (or spray heavily with Baker's Joy or similar baking spray) a 10-inch Bundt pan.

Cream together the butter, shortening, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy (using a stand mixer will make this a LOT easier).  Add eggs, one at a time, and then the extracts.  Mix in the flour, alternating with the 7-Up.

Put the pan in the oven, turn the temperature down to 325 degrees (300 degrees in a convection oven), and bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 65-75 minutes.

Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack (this is important to keep the cake from sticking to the pan!) for 20 minutes (NO MORE), then invert it onto a serving plate.

If glaze is desired, mix the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl.  Let the cake cool completely before drizzling the glaze over it. 

That Darned Knee! And Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies - A New-to-Me Recipe

I haven't been posting regularly the past couple of weeks because we've had yet ANOTHER setback with The Knee That Won't Cooperate.  

After the first replacement, infection, debridement, wound vac, once-a-day IV antibiotics (administered by yours truly, about five minutes each time), removal of the knee implant, installation of an antimicrobial spacer, twice-a-day IV antibiotics (again, administered by yours truly, taking about 1 1/2 hours each time), and finally a new replacement, more infection was discovered three weeks ago.  So, out came the nice new implant and another spacer took its place.  

Now I'm giving yet another IV antibiotic, this time by the old-fashioned drip method, three times a day, over four hours each time, which means I have to do something with the IV every four hours, around the clock.  Can you imagine being hooked up to an IV bag twelve hours a day?  UGH.  I don't know whether I'd have the patience.

Anyway, it's getting really, really OLD.

And on top of that, my tomato plants are PRODUCING, so I'm also trying to fit in canning sessions.  I have a couple dozen of the monster tomatoes waiting for me on the kitchen counter, and a bunch more staring at me from the garden through the back windows.  The plants look more and more disreputable, and the tomatoes look more and more red, ripe, and HUGE every day.

But for something different, I decided to try a new cookie recipe.  After all, cookies are pretty quick and easy, and these just sounded interesting.  That Man has been scarfing them down, so I guess that's a pretty good endorsement!

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/8 c (1 c plus 2 T) all-purpose flour

1/2 t salt

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 c refrigerated butter, diced

1/4 c granulated sugar

1/2 c dark brown sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1/2 t vanilla extract

1 1/2 c (7-oz bag) Decas Farms Julienne Cut Baking Cranberries

1 c white chocolate chips (the original recipe called for 1/2 c, but, hey, chocolate!)

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

In a separate bowl, cream the butter, then add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat well.  Slowly add the flour mixture and blend.  Stir in the cranberries and white chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheets, leaving about an inch between them.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes.  Allow to cool on the cookies sheets before removing.

Taco Pie - An Instant Pot Recipe (A Pot-in-Pot Experience)

 I've been experimenting with my Instant Pot some more.  One of the techniques I hadn't tried yet is "pot-in-pot," which is pretty much what it sounds like - you put what you're cooking in a pot or a pan, which you then put in the Instant Pot's insert - hence, "pot-in-pot."

This recipe is supposedly a big favorite of Instant Pot fanatics.  The original comes from a cookbook written by Ruth "Rootitoot" McCusker, who passed away earlier this year.  I tweaked it very slightly to use up some leftover rice and decided to keep it as a regular ingredient.  

This recipe calls for a springform pan.  For my 8-quart Instant Pot, I use an 8 1/2-inch springform pan, which just fits.  You have to make sure whatever pan you use has about a 1/4-inch space between it and the insert so steam can circulate.

I tried it out on Those Guys and there weren't any complaints - success!  (Actually, they both said it was pretty good.)

Instant Pot Taco Pie

1 lb ground beef

1 package taco seasoning (I used Ortega)

1/3 c water

4 flour or soft corn tortillas

1 can (16-oz) refried beans (I used Rosarita fat-free traditional style)

1 1/2 c cooked rice (I used leftover cilantro lime rice)

1/2 c enchilada sauce (optional)

2 c shredded cheddar or jack cheese

In a skillet, brown the ground beef and break it up.  When the beef is completely cooked, add the water and taco seasoning and stir until it has thickened.  Put the minimum amount of water required for your Instant Pot (1 1/2 c for a 6-quart pot; 2 c for an 8-quart pot) into the insert.

Spray your springform pan with non-stick spray and put a tortilla in the bottom (if using smaller tortillas, tear additional tortillas to cover the pan bottom).  Build three layers by spreading in this order after the first tortilla:  1/3 of the refried beans, 1/3 of the meat mixture, 1/3 of the rice, 1/3 of the enchilada sauce, 1/2 cup of cheese, and one tortilla.  Reserve the last 1/2 cup of cheese for later.

Press down gently on the last tortilla to smooth it all out, then cover the pan with foil and place on a silicone trivet with long handles.  Place the trivet and pan into the pot insert.  Close the lid and set the valve to Sealing.  Press the Pressure Cook (or Manual) button.  Make sure the pressure is set to High.  Adjust the cooking time to 20 minutes.  After the cooking time ends, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then switch the valve to Venting to release the rest of the pressure.

Set the top oven rack about 8 inches from the broiler element.  Remove the pan from the pot, remove the foil, and spread the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese across the top.  Place on the top oven rack and broil a few minutes, watching closely so it doesn't burn.  Remove the pan from the oven when nicely browned and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before removing the pan's outer ring and serving.

Slice into 8 wedges and serve with your favorite taco fixings:  lettuce, tomato, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, etc., or leave it alone!

Curried Chicken Salad

There used to be a place in downtown Indianapolis called The Educated Sandwich where a group of us often walked for lunch, and one of my favorites was their Curried Chicken Salad Sandwich.  They only had it occasionally, so after searching a while, I found a recipe that pretty much duplicates the spicy-savory-sweet goodness I loved.  I couldn't just WAIT until they decided to make it, right?

When I was a kid, my mom used to pack the little boxes of SunMaid raisins in our lunches, and I always ate them all.  Then we'd blow into the box through the top to make a kazoo-like noise!  I don't know when I started picking them out of my food, but there you are.  I leave them out of this recipe because I don't like their texture when they're included in a recipe and partially rehydrate, but that's my personal weirdness.

Curried Chicken Salad (6 servings)

3/4 c mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

2 T curry powder

1 lb cooked, cubed chicken breast

1 large apple, cored and chopped

1 1/2 chopped celery (about 4 ribs)

1/3 c raisins (optional)

1/4 c green onion, chopped

Mix the mayonnaise and curry powder together, then stir in the remaining ingredients.  Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Egg Bread

A long, long time ago, I had a DAK bread machine, and I used to make the most wonderful bread from one of the recipes that came with it - "Golden Egg Bread."  I made a few tweaks to it over time, until the product was exactly what I wanted.  

Added gluten makes the bread rise higher.  Potato flakes make the bread more moist and tender.  Most flour in the grocery stores is unbleached, but bleached bread flour (if you can find it) makes the bread rise higher I buy mine from a food service company in 25-pound bags.

The original recipe made the equivalent of two loaves - it was a LARGE bread machine.  The directions here have been halved.

[NOTE:  These directions are for my KitchenAid Professional 5 Plus.  If you have a KitchenAid Artisan mixer, use speed 2 for the kneading phase.] 

Egg Bread (1 loaf)

2 1/4 t (1 pkt) yeast (rapid rise or bread machine type)

3 1/2 c bread flour

1/4 c plain unflavored potato flakes (Hungry Jack or Idahoan are both good)

4 t vital wheat gluten (I use Hodgson Mill)

1 1/2 t salt

4 T sugar or honey

5 T melted butter (or 1/3 c canola oil)

3/4 c warm milk (or water)

2 eggs (room temperature)

Put ingredients in the mixer bowl in the order listed.  Using the flat paddle, mix on speed 2 until all is incorporated into a shaggy mass.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl, scrape the bottom of the bowl, and scrape off the flat paddle.  Switch the flat paddle for the dough hook and knead on speed 1 for 5 minutes.  Stop the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again, then continue kneading at speed 1 for an additional 5 minutes.  The dough should be smooth, elastic, and a little sticky.

While kneading, spray a large bowl with non-stick spray.  When kneading is finished, transfer the dough from the mixer bowl to the sprayed bowl, and turn it to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours until doubled.  [NOTE:  Some newer ranges have a bread proofing setting for the oven.  This gives you a consistent controlled environment for the rising bread.]

After the first rise, lightly flour a work surface, punch down the dough, and scrape it out onto the floured surface.  Fold in the edges a couple of times, then shape into a loaf and place into a 9" x 5" or 8" x 4" loaf pan sprayed with non-stick spray.  Cover again as before, but spraying the plastic wrap so it won't stick to the dough as it rises.  Let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes (it should rise to about 1 inch above the pan rim).  Bake at 350 degrees (preheated) 40 minutes.  

Take from the oven and remove from the pan onto a wire rack.  If you want a softer, more tender crust, rub some butter over the top of the hot loaf, then cover loosely with plastic wrap until cooled.  Slice with a serrated knife so you don't mash the loaf down.

[TIP:  I use the same piece of plastic wrap for both the rising and the cooling phases of the process.  No need to waste plastic wrap!  Alternatively, you can use a damp linen dish towel if you want to be even more eco-friendly, but I find the plastic wrap does a better job.]

Yum-Yum Chicken - A Quick and Easy, Mostly Pantry Staples Recipe

That Girl told me about a dish she made - shrimp and yum-yum sauce over pasta.  I didn't go looking

for the sauce, but during my last foraging trip to Sam's Club, I walked past a BIG bottle of yum-yum sauce and decided to give it a try.  I already had some chicken breasts thawed, ready to cook for dinner, so that's what I used.  

It's a quick, easy, fairly brainless thing you throw together with just a few ingredients.  There are recipes online for yum-yum sauce if you want to make your own.  But the deal here is something you can pull together with minimum time and effort.

[NOTE:  I know this looks different from my earlier recipe posts, but the platform has been "streamlined," and now I can't control the line spacing!  We will see how this shakes out.]

Yum-Yum Chicken

2 T canola oil

2 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips or cubes, as desired

3 T minced garlic

1 T red pepper flakes

2 c bottled yum-yum sauce

2 t sesame oil

8 oz pasta (your choice - I used farfalle), cooked per package directions

Heat oil in a 12" skillet or a 14" wok on medium heat, add minced garlic and cook one minute.  Add chicken, brown on both sides, and cook thoroughly.  Sprinkle with red pepper flakes.  Turn heat down to low and add sauce.  If you don't turn the heat down enough, the sauce will separate.  When heated through, remove from heat, stir in sesame oil, and serve over pasta.