Category: Recipe of the Month

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.

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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 · 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.
Dining · Food · Recipe of the Month

A Simple Fruit Shortcake

JanetLeave a comment

One of my favorite ways to celebrate the bounty of fresh berries and fruit is the simple shortcake. No, not that grocery store sponge cake with the dip in the middle, a rich, simple shortcake that you pile the fruit &/or berries on along with a side of whipped cream or ice cream.

Now, I do have to admit that I’ve been known to pick up my favorite pound cake to use in place of a homemade shortcake – and that is a great option if you have a good pound cake recipe or can get your hands on a good one.

As you probably know, I’m a huge fan of Bisquick and love their shortcake recipe. You can find a link to it HERE.

That being said, I do love to make a scratch version, which oddly enough, isn’t much more work than the previous option. You can find a link to it HERE.

The next time you find a batch of beautiful fruit, consider whipping up a simple shortcake to celebrate it.

Cooking · Dining · Food · Recipe of the Month

The Holiday Meal Revisited

JanetLeave a comment

When we think of the ‘Holiday Meal’ many of us think of the roasted turkey or ham (or both) with loads of different sides and a collection of pies, cakes, and cookies that will require the loosening of the belt or the wearing of the comfy clothes.

Some cooks are genuinely terrified of roasting the bird. If they have little to no experience with roasting a chicken a turkey can not help but be scary.

Then there are those years when the tried and true are just boring and repetitious. Of course, there will always be those traditionalists who insist The Meal be exactly the same every year, but what if maybe we tried something a little different? Since many Americans repeat the same big meal menu for Thanksgiving on Christmas, there might be room for a change.

At a time when shortages are rampant and items that used to always grace the holiday table might not be available, now seems to be the perfect time to experiment a bit.

The recipes I’ve included keep the spirit of a Make A Fuss Meal and that meal can be created for any reason, not just the Holidays. True, most of them are not diet friendly. That being said, there are dozens of alternative recipes available at the touch of finger to keyboard.

Here’s What I’m Thinking

How about a spectacular main course accompanied by easy side dishes? For those who love their traditional sides, they could be used. Dessert could be a showstopper or a collection of the usual goodies folks look forward to.

Basically, what you have is a blueprint for a meal that can be easily customized and created. And, if you are lucky to have a group over for The Meal, some of it could be divvied up among guests to bring. Sort of a pot luck, you know?

Check out the November Pantry Magic Holiday Meal Revisited recipe collection here.

Happy Cooking!

Cooking · Food · Recipe of the Month

Kitchen Building Blocks: Ground Beef Mix

JanetLeave a comment

I learned to make this handy mix years ago. It is the basis for pasta sauces, meatloaves, meat balls, or hamburgers. The ingredients are simple and probably have a place in your pantry.

I’ve been known to make batches and put them in the freezer for later use. This is especially helpful when there is a sale on at the market.

Print

All Purpose Ground Beef Mix

This is the House Mix. It has all the basics mixed in so all I have to do is add any extras for recipes.
Course Main Course
Prep Time 15 minutes
Author Janet

Equipment

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Freezer Containers

Ingredients

  • 2 pound ground beef or ground chuck The lower the fat content the milder the flavor.
  • 1 pound sausage meat remove any casings
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 egg beaten

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, add egg, salt, pepper, onion, and garlic powder. Beat to combine. Add meats and mix only until fully combined – do not over mix.
  • If freezing, separate into portions and add to containers. Don't forget to label the containers with the contents and the date prepared. Freeze.
  • When you are ready to use, take the container out of the freezer the day before and defrost in the refrigerator.

Notes

This is a base recipe. You can multiply it for larger quantities of ground beef.
For example, if you had 5 pounds of ground beef you would add 2 1/2 pounds of ground sausage and multiply the seasonings to taste.
If you want to check the seasonings, fry a small piece of the mixture.  Do not eat raw meat.
You can also use fresh onion, garlic or any other flavoring in place of the powdered version. Onion, celery, green peppers, and garlic can be chopped to the size you desire and added to the meat mixture in place of the dried seasonings. When I do this, I chop as finely as possible as I do not like to chew on pieces of vegetable. 🙂
Cooking · Dining · Food · Recipe of the Month

Vintage Food: Waldorf Salad

JanetLeave a comment

For those of us who grew up in the 1960s, the Waldorf Salad was part of the holiday menu. It was one of those ‘kept for special’ recipes that were brought out along with the other holiday staples like roast turkey, candied sweet potatoes and the like.

I recently found myself thinking about this almost forgotten favorite when I purchased some chicken salad for sandwiches. It came with shredded cooked chicken, and pecans, cranberries mixed with mayo. Delicious!

As I said, I got to remembering the Original Waldorf Salad recipe and thought I’d look it up. As you can see from the link, at the very beginning, the salad was simple, elegant and easy to prepare. It was also easy to update.

Adding sliced grapes, shredded chicken, maybe some bleu cheese changes the flavor profile and adds a bit more interest. You literally can gussie this one up in a variety of ways to make it more modern, but why? Really, the original is light, flavorful and has a nice combination of textures that will work well alongside a menu including roast chicken. I would think it might also be a nice side with a roast beef. I’d probably shy away from a roast pork as the meat might be a bit too rich. Then again, maybe not.

If you have never tried the Waldorf Salad, in any of its forms, I urge you to check the link above for the original recipe and see what you think. It might just become a part of your regular rotation – if not your holiday menu.

Let me know what you think!

Food · Recipe of the Month

Cookbooks In My Collection

JanetLeave a comment

Or, I might have gone a bit overboard

You might recall that I embarked on an adventure of cataloging my library last summer. This is a project I do every few years or so when the inspiration hits me. There are a few years when I hit back, but not last year. <shrug>

I discovered quite a few things. One, in particular, was a bit surprising. I own quite a few Bisquick cookbooks. Like, maybe, eight of them. Yeah, it surprised me, too.

The thing is, I love cooking with Bisquick. It is a staple in my pantry alongside flour, sugar and all the rest. The ease and versatility of it is amazing and the biscuits and pancakes it makes is – dare I say it – wonderful.

Now, that is not to say that fully from scratch versions aren’t possibly better, but my scratch biscuits could be used to pave the driveway.

A Lifelong Partnership

I don’t remember when I first used the product, but I would have to say it was in the mid-60s when I was just learning to cook. Over the years I’ve picked up the occasional cookbook and added at least one recipe to my collection from each of them. Their Impossibly Easy Pies are game-changers. I am a huge fan of their French Apple pie; it is easy, tasty, and versatile. And, if you are like me and pie pastry challenged, this is easy!

A recent foray over on Amazon netted me a copy of the Betty Crocker Bisquick Impossibly Easy Pies book published in 2004. Click HERE for a look.

If you have never tried an Impossibly Easy Pie recipe, I’m including one of my very favorites as this month’s Recipe of the Month.

Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie


Courses: Main Dish
Categories: Beef, Bisquick, Casserole
Serving size: 6
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 25 mins

Ingredients

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
1/2 cup Original Bisquick™ mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.

2. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in salt. Spread in pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese.

3. In small bowl, stir remaining ingredients with fork or wire whisk until blended. Pour into pie plate.

4. Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Nutrition

Amount per serving
Serving size: 1 Serving
Calories: 325
Total Fat: 1g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Cholesterol: 135mg
Sodium: 530mg
Total Carbohydrate: 11g
Dietary Fiber: 0g
Protein: 23g

Let me know what you think. Are you a fan of these easy recipes or are you new to the genre?

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