Category: Cooking

Cooking · Dining · Food

I Don’t Often Eat Over The Sink

JanetLeave a comment

But sometimes it is the easiest, and cleanest, ways to enjoy things you might not have very often.

We recently were benefited by a rather large snowstorm that shut pretty much everything down for a few days. Not a regular occurrence around here. Because I paid attention to the warnings, I ordered groceries earlier than I normally would and, because it just seemed like the thing to do, I picked up some things I don’t normally buy.

I have to say that the change in menu has been wonderful!

The first thing off the bat was a lucky purchase of a couple of pounds of ground beef at a price that was palatable. I cooked it up and put it in the fridge so I could use it for a variety of meals.

I found a can of chili for chili dogs – something I never knew you could buy – and tucked it alongside the hot dog buns. The hot dogs were in the fridge along with the cooked hamburger and cheese. Because I really wanted something salty, I picked up a box of different snacks, which included some Fritos. So I had the makings for a Frito pie, or chili cheese dogs, or even tacos.

Yep, I picked up some taco shells, too. I don’t normally pick up the premade shells but this time it just seemed like a good idea. I tucked them into the oven to crisp up while I reheated the meat and pulled the cheese out of the fridge.

Yum!

Messy. Tasty. Silly fun that I really did need to eat over the kitchen sink. 😀

While I don’t recommend this type of spurge very often, it is quite a nice change of pace from the standard chicken, pork, or whatever that is part and parcel of the regular meal plan.

And did I forget to mention that it worked perfectly with the snow days when we really couldn’t order in or go out for anything at all?

Cooking · Food

Magic Pantry Strikes Again!

JanetLeave a comment
Hot Dogs. Pork and Beans. Cornbread

This family favorite is a combination of budget friendly, kid friendly, time friendly foods.

Last week I stocked some items in my pantry that would be easy to fix if the weather turned (it did) and things got a bi dicey. Frankly, I got several bits of comfort foods that I don’t normally buy, but they have made wonderful meals while the weather outside was awful.

This recipe is not quite corndogs, not quite beans and franks, not quite … and a bit of all of them.

Print

Beans, Dogs, and Corn Bread

Not quite corn dogs and more than beans and hot dogs with a side of corn bread.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Equipment

  • 1 8 x 8 square baking pan

Ingredients

  • 15 ounce Pork and beans
  • 1 package hot dogs
  • 1 box Jiffy Corn Bread Mix
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 egg

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray pan with baking spray.
  • Slice the hot dogs and place them in the baking pan. Cover with the pork and beans.
  • Combine the milk, egg, and cornbread mix as per the instructions on the box. Pour the mixture over the beans and hot dogs in the baking pan.
  • Bake until the top is brown and tests done using a toothpick.
    Be sure to insert the toothpick as close to the bottom of the pan as possible.

Notes

This quick and easy pantry recipe will be a hit for anyone who loves hot dogs, pork and beans, or cornbread. 
It is easy on the budget too, because you don’t need to purchase expensive ingredients to make a wonderful meal.
The beans and hotdog mixture will keep the batter from baking quickly, so it is important to check for doneness before you serve.

You can easily double or triple this recipe just be sure to use a baking dish that is big enough and to allow enough time for the batter to cook through.

Cooking

A Little Something Extra

JanetLeave a comment

When I was a kid, convenience foods were not common in our home. It was an EVENT when store bought TV dinners or pot pies were on the table. I emphasize ‘store bought’ because my mom would save the aluminum foil pans to make her own and tuck them away in the freezer.

Now, when I’m looking for a touch of comfort food, I enjoy the occasional store bought pot pie or even a TV dinner.

The other night I found myself contemplating tucking one of those delicious pot pies into the oven. As I recalled the lovely end result (hey, to each his/her own) I remembered that I have a pot of rice in the fridge. Hmmm. Could I?

I did!

When I put the pot pie into the oven to bake, I took about a cup of the rice out and put it on the bowl I would serve the pot pie in. When the pot pie was done, I turned it out over the rice. Yum!

The rice soaked up the extra gravy and also bulked out the meal a bit. Maybe a bit over the top, but on a cold winter day this toasty tasty meal hit just the right note.

Why not treat yourself to a touch of comfort food and step it up a notch by adding something a little extra?

Enjoy!

Cooking · Food

Cozy In The Kitchen

JanetLeave a comment

For decades I’ve been enjoying, indulging, learning, and basically having a great time watching TV cooks in their respective kitchen. I’ve learned a lot, enjoyed a lot, and come away with not only an appreciation of the tips and techniques they’ve shared, but in many cases grown a desire to have a seat at their table to sample the wonders they’ve created.

Who are these teachers?

  • Here is a partial list in no particular order:
  • Julia Child
  • Jacques Pepin
  • Lidia Bastianich
  • Rick Bayless
  • Mary Berry
  • Rachel Allen
  • Graham Kerr
  • The Hairy Bikers

These people, and many others, have taught me a lot about regional cuisine. They’ve shared their passion for the foods they love and create while inspiring me to try new things, incorporate techniques into my own food creation.

I have discovered that many of the series that these folks created are now available on many of the free streaming platforms available. They are wonderful to watch – some are not as old as you might think.

If you are looking for something new to watch, interested in learning more about a method or cuisine, I invite you to take a few minutes to run a search or two or three and find these folks on your TV. Enjoy!

Cooking · Food · Recipe of the Month

Revisiting the Fresh Apple Cake

JanetLeave a comment

If you need the directions to the Fresh Apple Cake, check out the printable below.

Print

Fresh Apple Cake

This has become a fast favorite.
Course Dessert
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 12 people

Equipment

  • bundt pan Tube pan

Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs, well beaten
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup walnuts OR pecans, chopped
  • 1 cup raisins OR dried cranberries
  • 4 cups peeled, sliced OR shredded tart apples

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour bundt or tube pan.
  • OPTIONAL: soak raisins in 1 -2 tbsp of rum and set aside.
  • Prepare apples.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugars and oil. Add eggs and vanilla.
  • In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  • Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, folding in the nuts, raisins, and apples.
  • Spoon into the prepared bundt or tube pan.
  • Bake for 75 to 90 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a cake plate.

Notes

You can change out the nuts or leave them out completely.
You have the option to replace the nuts with raisins and or dried cranberries.
Be sure to add the soaking liquid (rum) with the raisins.
You have the option of slicing, chopping, or shredding the apples. 

Cooking · Dining · Food

Guilty Pleasure: Vinnie’s Vittles

JanetLeave a comment

I have to admit, I miss Vinnie’s Vittles on YouTube. That is not to say the channel is not still there, along with all those great recipes. Sadly, due to a lot of things, mostly time related to the growth of Maymay Made It, Vinnie (Maymay’s trusty sidekick) decided to stop making videos for his channel.

Thankfully, we can all go back to earlier postings to see what delights he brought to the table. And there are lots of them!

Vinnie loves to cook and loves to find easy, flavorful recipes that don’t take a lot of time or ingredients but give great flavor.

Head over to YouTube and type ‘Vinnie’s Vittles’ in the search box to go to his channel. Browse the recipes and dive in. There are lots to enjoy!

Cooking · Food

Authenticity and the Rules in the Kitchen

JanetLeave a comment

When to use them, when to toss them

I recently came across a discussion about authenticity of a dish, or more precisely, the lack of authenticity of a dish that caught my attention. The person relating the incident was the cook, who was presenting her version of a dish her family had innumerable times as she was growing up. The commenter told her that the dish was not ‘authentic’ based on what was the ideal from the home country.

The response to the commenter made my day: “It is authentic to the way I grew up eating it and adjusted it for my preferences now.”.

This made me consider how many cooks seem to be stuck with the idea that a recipe – any recipe – is written in stone and can not be altered for any reason. They literally put themselves into straitjackets to avoid any kind of adjustment be it necessity or creatively.

If you have ever perused a recipe website or any number of cookbooks, you will note that there are hundreds of varieties of the very same dish, each with its’ own variations. This is due to the fact that it has evolved over the years based on any number of reasons.

To be fair, there are certain, shall we call them rules, that cooks need to be aware of, if only to avoid unnecessary problems, but by being aware of those ‘rules’, they have the leeway to springboard from them to create something different.

A recent Glen and Friends video is a perfect example of what I would call springboarding. Check it out:

I love both of these recipes! My version would replace the hot pepper with a bell pepper. I love the gnocchi recipe, too. It is something my father would think of as cornmeal mush (something he would avoid) but I find an interesting and much easier method to produce a flavorful base for the stew.

Food is fluid in so many ways. Recipes change based on location, availability, tastes. When you step out of the straitjacket and begin to experiment in the kitchen, the results can be amazing.

Cooking · Dining · Food · Recipe of the Month

Cold Weather Comfort Food: Pasta Bake

JanetLeave a comment

When the weather is cold and dreary one of the best ways to keep warm is a good pasta bake.

I’m thinking of one where you pull out what you need from the pantry and dive in. You can change up the types of cheese, seasonings, and even the bread crumbs.

Served with a green salad and some crusty garlic bread, this is a meal to indulge in. Enjoy!

Print

Pasta Bake

Perfect for cold winter days.
Course Main Course
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 8

Equipment

  • 13 x 9 baking dish
  • Large pot

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pasta
  • 28 ounce jar of Alfredo sauce
  • 28 ounce jar pasta sauce
  • 1 cup cottage cheese
  • 2 cups shredded cheese
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • garlic powder To taste
  • onion powder to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.
  • Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
  • Once the pasta pot is empty, combine everything except the bread crumbs. Pour into the baking dish and top with the bread crumbs.
  • Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the cheese is melted
  • Let rest for 15 minutes.
Cooking · Food · Meal Building Blocks

My Magic Pantry

JanetLeave a comment

I had a bit of a surprise recently when I started to pull together my grocery list. I had more in my pantry than I thought and, as a result, my grocery list was considerably smaller (i.e. cheaper) than I had anticipated.

Yes, I refer to my pantry as ‘The Magic Pantry’ because of the magic that I can create from the contents. I keep a variety of pastas, proteins, and vegetables, in addition to rice on hand. As a result I’m not locked into a specified meal plan, I can pick and choose what appeals to me because I’ve stocked the things that I need to make the meals I enjoy.

It really is magic!

To be clear, I’ve tried a variety of meal planning ideas and tools but I don’t care for limitations. As much as I enjoy leftovers, there are times when I really want chicken and rice. Or a nice pasta with a simple sauce. Having a well stocked pantry allows me to create a meal that appeals to me rather than something I have on the day’s menu.

How did I get here? I often add an extra something to my grocery shop. An extra jar of my favorite pasta sauce (Rao’s) along with an extra carton of pasta. I make sure to have a variety of cheeses in the fridge (you never know when you want macaroni and cheese). I have a particular fondness for canned green beans, so I make sure to pick up an extra can every once in a while.

I don’t do all of that at every shopping trip, though. That could potentially blow the budget. When I prepare my grocery list, I look for those things I use a lot: Butter. Milk. Cheese. Chicken. Pasta. Pork. I build menus around those items and if I don’t use them up, they go into the pantry for a later meal.

One thing I try to do is purchase some items during off times. For example canned pumpkin or cranberry sauce. The prices go up during the holidays, so I try to make sure I have what I need on hand well before the holiday shopping commences.

Lately I’ve found myself not being all that interested in salads but really looking forward to simple pasta dishes. I don’t eat bread a lot, so I don’t buy it often. If I get the urge, I have the things I need on hand to make bread.

When you consider building your Magic Pantry, I’d suggest sitting down and making a list of your favorite meals and then creating a list of ingredients you need to create them. Focus on that list and soon you will have what you need on hand for a last minute ‘what’s for dinner?’

It goes without saying (or at least it should) that you always look at sales to see what you might pick up while saving money. Pay close attention to unit cost – some of those ‘bargains’ aren’t. If you are a small household (one or two people) don’t ignore family packs. They are a great way to save money and stock up the freezer.

Don’t be afraid to try other brands. Many of the name brand foods are packaged at the same place as the off-brands. You could find a lower cost option that you like better. Now that’s a win/win!

I’m really enjoying my Schwan’s Home Delivery service! I get top quality products and comparable prices in quantities that go farther than what I might find at my local market. You can check them out by clicking HERE. I love their Italian Style Chicken Breasts and their Six Cheese Tortellini! And, oddly enough, their tater tots are better than the named brand I used to purchase.

These are all great meal builders.

As we head into Fall and Winter, not to mention Holiday Meal Season, creating a magic pantry will be very helpful and economical. When you start thinking about holiday gifting, and you should be doing that now, homemade gifts from the kitchen might be the most welcome.

Pardon the pun, but food for thought.

Happy planning and cooking!

Psst! If you like this post please let me know by clicking the Like button below. Also, please share with friends or family. Thank you!