Fruit Cup aka Sploosh

It's fun this time of year to look back and remember holidays past. I think that is part of the excitement of the season, remembering not only the new things planned but also the family and friends you have enjoyed previous holidays with.

In my case one particularly fond memory is of my grandmother. She always welcomed us in to her kitchen. She taught me how to microwave eggs with velveeta in her little pyrex dishes. I now see those same dishes in antique stores and they make me smile.  She also had us kids devein and peel the shrimp for the shrimp cocktail she served on holidays.  A few of the things I remember most though besides the shrimp cocktail were glazed carrots, key lime pie, and fruit cup.

Fruit cup sounds like it should be a simple thing and it some ways it is. And yet it's wonderful alongside all the rich treats we typically indulge in on Christmas. One thing that makes it special is the way it is prepared. The oranges and grapefruit are peels are sliced off around the fruit to separate the segments and then the fruit peeled out from between them.

Using a serrated knife, slice around the peel. Don't make the swatches too large. It's faster but you lose more of the fruit that way.

Slide the knife down the side of the segment all the way to the center trying not to cut through the center.

Once you have the knife in the center use it to pry the fruit out of the segment.

Like most of my recipes, specifics aren't important. Which is good, because I don't have them. The strawberries in this are the frozen kind that come in sugar syrup. You can buy two size, small or large. Whichever one you get depends on if you are making a lot or a little.

5 lb bag of oranges, more or less
1 - 2 grapefruit
1 small tub of frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed

Segment the oranges and grapefruit according to the description above. Add the strawberries. Let sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to meld a little bit and enjoy. Or let sit overnight, because advanced prep is something I love this time of year.

Corn Chowder

1 lb bacon

1 large onin

10 ears fresh corn

2 large potatoes, cut in to 1/2 in cubes

2 carrots, grated

1/4 c. flour

6 c. chicken broth

1 1/2 c. milk

1 c. heavy cream

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. tabasco

1 tsp salt or to taste

Cook the bacon until crisp. Remove from the pan and saute the onion in the drippings. 

While that is cooking sliced the corn from the cobs and reserve both.

Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 - 3 minutes. Add the broth, potatoes, carrots, and corn cobs. Simmer for 5 minutes and then add all the remaining ingredients except the corn kernels.

Simmer until the potatoes are completely tender. Remove the corn cobs and add the kernels to the soup. Simmer 2 minutes longer. Taste for salt. 

Serve with the bacon crumbled on top.

Oatmeal Scotchie Bars

My mom used to make a cookie with butterscotch chips called oatmeal scotchies. The recipe was the one on the back of the chip bag. I made this recipe up using my favorite cookie recipe, and of course a few tweaks. Cookies would be good, but bars are easier to make and taste just as good. 

I would have made this with all butter instead of the oil and syrup but I one stick was all I had. So if you aren't as neglectful as I am then try it with all butter and let me know how it goes.And I know corn syrup has a really bad reputation right now, but really, it's a dessert. What were you expecting?

1 stick butter, softened

2 Tbsp oil

2 Tbsp corn syrup

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 c. flour

3/4 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. oats

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 bag butterscotch chips

Beat together the butter, oil, and syrup. 

Beat in both sugars, the egg, vanilla, soda, salt, and cinnamon. 

Once mixed beat in the flours and oats then the butterscotch chips.

Spread evenly into a 9 x 13 pan. 

Bake at 350 for 20 - 30 minutes until a dark golden brown. 

Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting into bars.

Cabbage Broccoli Salad

I made something very similar to this a few months ago with a sesame dressing and mandarin oranges in the salad. I made it this time almost exactly like my mom used to make it but with the addition of broccoli. 

And since Ramen noodles are technically pasta (I checked) I am sending this to Presto Pasta Nights 258 at Once upon a Feast.

1 small head cabbage or 1/2 large head

1 head broccoli

2 pkg oriental ramen noodles

3/4 c. sunflower seeds

1  - 2 c. sliced almonds

2 lb. chicken breasts

season salt

oil

Dressing (Recipe follows)

Cut the cabbage into quarters and cut out the core. Cut each quarter in half again, lengthwise and then slice into thin ribbons. Dump into a really large bowl.

Chop the broccoli pretty fine and place in the bowl with the cabbage. Add the sunflower seeds and the almonds. Crush the ramen noodles pretty well before opening the package and add the noodles to the bowl, reserving the seasoning packets for the dressing. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir well to combine.

When that is all done trim the chicken breasts and season generously with season salt. Cook in hot oil until no longer pink in the middle and both sides are browned. Immediately chop the chicken into small pieces and add to the cabbage bowl. Stir to combine. You can use leftover chicken here, I like to add it hot to the salad though because it cooks the broccoli ever so slightly and makes it a nice bright green color. 

Dressing:

1 c. oil

6 Tbsp Red wine vinegar

2 Oriental ramen seasoning packets

3 Tbsp sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk all together and set aside. 

In a pinch you can use apple cider vinegar in place of the red wine vinegar but you will need to reduce the oil by 2 Tablespoon and make up the difference with vinegar since apple cider doesnt have the same flavor as the red wine. 

Candy Easter Eggs

Our first guest recipe from fellow blogger Cecilotta. 

And a picture to help put things into perspective. 

If we were really lucky at Easter-time our mom would make these eggs for us. They are fun to give away, and especially fun to eat, and they look nice on the table while drooling children wait to slice them.

While a little time consuming to make, they really are not hard at all and well worth the effort. Especially if you have people in your house with allergies, you can make sure these are safe to eat.

With Easter only a little over a month now is a great time to start getting ideas together to celebrate.

4 c. white sugar

1 c. corn syrup

1 c. water

1/3 c. - 3 oz (about 3) egg white

(Make sure there isn't ANY yolk in the white or they wont beat right)

Orange - Peanut Butter - 1 c. creamy peanut butter

Blue - Chocolate Nut - 3/4 c. dark chocolate melted + 1 c. walnuts, chopped

White - Coconut - 1 c. flaked coconut
1/4 - 1/4 c. melted white chocolate
Splash of coconut extract

Yellow - Maple Nut - 1 Tbsp. real maple extract + 1 c. walnuts, chopped

Pink - Fruit and Nut - 1 c. candied fruit + 1 c. walnuts

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook syrup to 261. Remove from heat, let stand until bubbles stop.

Meanwhile beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Slowly add, in a thin stream, sugar syrup and beat until gloss is gone. Fold in desired flavor. Shape into eggs, you can make them small or large. Let cool, chill.

Coat with chocolate by dipping the egg into melted chocolate and use your hands to coat. Place on a tray lined with wax paper, place a confection flower in to top to indicate what flavor it is. Let set up at room temperature and then chill to firm.

My Dads Enchiladas

Enchiladas as baked from frozen

I like to make these in bulk. The main body of the work (and mess) is cooking the hamburger and then filling the tortillas. At that point it is just as easy to cook and fill a 100 as it is 10. So I cook 4 lb of meat and use disposable pans to freeze them in for later. That way once you clean up the mess you are left with dinner for several nights, and next time you want enchiladas you wont have any mess at all. 

If you like more spice, I like to add a 4 oz. can of chopped chilies and jalapenos to the onions. The type of cheese is also optional. I usually use cheddar but pepperjack or monetary are great, and even mozzarella tastes really good. Feel free to replace the hamburger with cooked shredded chicken.

1 large can refried beans 

(I usually add some salsa verde to my refried beans and 

simmer a few seconds for more flavor, but straight out of the 

can works great too, I prefer the zesty ones.)

1 lb. ground beef

2 Tbsp. tacos seasoning

2 - 3 c. Grated cheese

1 onion, chopped

12 flour tortillas

2 (15 oz.) cans red enchilada sauce

Sour Cream

Salsa

Combine taco powder and beef and cook until no longer pink. Drain grease. 

Thinly slice the onions and cook in a hot, ungreased, pan, stirring occasionally until translucent and browned in spots. 

Spread tortilla with beans. Top with hamburger, onions, and then cheese. Roll tortilla and place seam side down in a 9x13 casserole. Repeat with remaining tortillas. You will have to push them to the side to fit them all in. Top all with enchilada sauce and additional cheese, if desired. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Serve with sour cream and salsa

To freeze: I just make 4 times as much, 4 cans of beans, 4 lb. ground beef, etc... Top with the enchilada sauce, cover the top of the pan with tin foil and drop in the freezer. I also like to freeze them in 8x8 inch pans instead of 9x13. That way one is enough for dinner or if I am having more people I just cook 2 pans. I have found that I like the pans from Wal-mart better than the dollar store, the sides are deeper and I can squish more tortillas in.

To eat: Leave the tin foil on the top and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, remove the tin foil and continue baking for 45 minutes or until heated through.

BBQ Meatloaf

The sauce is really a nice reddish color

My mom has always made the best meatloaf. I don't even bother changing the recipe; it's perfect the way it is. It also freezes great with no changes to the end result. Another bonus. 

So I'm gonna post the recipe twice. The first time is a normal family sized amount. The second is multiplied several times to freeze, directions will be posted with that recipe. 

Family size
1 lb ground meat (at least half should be beef)
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 c. plain bread crumbs
1 Tbsp parsley
1/4 c. water
1/4 onion, chopped fine
2 Tbsp prepared horseradish
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp. ground pepper


Mix everything together really well. 
When everything is mixed, 
shape the meat into 2 oblong loaves 
on a cookie sheet with sides. 
Top with the sauce mix. 
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. 


Let stand 5 minutes before cutting. 


Sauce Mix:
1/2 c. Del Monte Chili sauce
1/2 c. catsup
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. mustard
Dash Tabasco

Whisk everything together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Huge batch to feed the freezer
7 1/2 lb. ground beef
3 1/2 lb ground turkey
11 eggs
2 3/4 c. plain bread crumbs
1/2 c. parsely
2 3/4 water
2 large onions, cut into quarters
10 oz. prepared horseradish
1/4 c. salt
1 1/2 tsp ground pepper

Sauce
1 1/2 (24 oz.) bottles catsup
3 (12 oz) bottles Del Monte Chili Sauce
1/4 c. Worcestershire Sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp mustard
2 tsp. Tabasco

To make this easier on myself I used my blender. Add the water and  onions to the blender. Pulse until the onion is chopped. Add the horseradish, eggs, salt and pepper, and blend just until mixed. 


In a really large bowl add the beef, turkey, bread crumbs, and parsley. Mix a bit and then add the onions mix from the blender. Mix everything really well. 


For pans I used the oblong 2 1/4 lb pans that come in the three packs. I used 10 pans in all. 


Divide the meat mixture between the pans and spread flat, then top with the sauce. Add the metal/paper top that came with the pans to the top and seal the edges. Freeze until solid, remove and wrap the whole pan in plastic wrap and put back in the freezer. 


To use: I remove mine from the freezer the night before, remove the plastic wrap and let thaw in the fridge. When you want to cook the meatloaf remove the paper top and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. To cook from frozen bake for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, use a meat thermometer to check the inside for doneness. 

Colonial Peanut Soup

I love history, especially early American history. 

And I love food.

And since this soup is from Kings Arm Tavern is Colonial
Williamsburg it kinda fits both doesn't it?

********

2 Tbsp. Butter

1 medium onion, chopped really fine

2 stalks celery, chopped really fine

2 Tbsp flour

4 c. chicken broth

3/4 c. peanut butter*

3/4 c. heavy cream

Saute the onion and celery in the butter until tender. 

Stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes. 

Stir in the broth and bring to a boil, 

reduce heat and stir in the peanut butter. 

Pour the soup into a blender and blend the 

broth and peanut butter mixture until smooth. 

Return to pan and whisk in cream. 

Cook until heated through.

Garnish with shopped peanuts and celery leaves.

Come see what else is featured at Cast Party Wednesday

*The quality of peanut butter you use will directly effect the quality of your soup. I like an all-natural, but not an unsweetened peanut butter. And for some reason my soup looks all gloopy but it's not really.

Chicken Cabbage Salad

1 medium head of cabbage, chopped

3/4 c. sunflower seeds

1/2 c. sliced almonds

2 pkg oriental ramen

2 cans mandarin oranges, drained (optional)

3 large chicken breasts

Dressing:

1 c. oil

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

Ramen noodle seasoning packet

Whisk all the dressing ingredients together and set aside. 

Toss all the salad ingredients together and then toss with the dressing. 

This can be served immediately but is better after it has sat for a few hours.

English Toffee

This candy is not hard to make, just make sure you set all the ingredients out first and it goes smoother. A problem we have had is altitude, right at sea level we cook it until 285, higher up on the western side of Virginia we cooked it until 288, in Utah we couldn't make it at all without the butter separating, you can fix that with corn syrup but then that's what it tastes like and flavor wise it ruins the candy. 

1 lb salted butter, room temperature

2 c. white sugar

1 c. slivered almonds

1 c. chocolate chips

1 - 2 c. pecan meal

1 heavy, flat bottom pot

1 rubber spoon, that can withstand 500*

1 candy thermometer

1 large metal cookie sheet

In the large flat bottom pot, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sugar and stir to mix. Keep stirring over medium heat, making sure to scrape the bottom well. The mixture will bubble a lot but you don't want it to be a heavy boil. Keep boiling and stirring until the mixture reaches 285 on your candy thermometer. Dump in the nuts and remove from heat. Stir in the nuts and immediately pour onto your cookie sheet. Spread the candy to your desired thickness. When the candy is set a little bit but still hot, sprinkle with the chocolate chips and let sit a few minutes until they melt; when the chocolate is melted spread it on top to cover and sprinkle with the pecan meal. Let sit until the chocolate is set. Sprinkle off the extra pecans, break into pieces and enjoy.

Port au Fino Salad

 My family isn't very big on traditional cranberry 

sauce, so we serve this every year instead.

1 (3 oz) box cranberry jello

1 (3 oz) box raspberry jello

1 c. boiling water

1 c. red grape juice

1 can whole berry cranberry sauce

1 can crushed pineapple, undrained

1 large apple, cored, peeled, and grated

3/4 c. chopped pecans

1 pkg cream cheese, softened

1 c. sour cream

Powdered sugar to taste

Place to two packages of jello in a large bowl. Add the boiling water and stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Add the whole berry sauce and stir until it is mixed in. Add the pineapple, apple, pecans, and red grape juice. Pour into a 9x13 and chill until thick but still viscous. Stir and continue to chill until set, at least 5 or 6 hours. 

Before serving mix together the cream cheese and the sour cream. Add powdered sugar to taste. I don't really like tons, just enough to make it slightly sweet and less tangy but not quite frosting. 

Spread the cream cheese mix on top of the cranberry layer and garnish with more chopped pecans.

Fresh Blueberry Peach Pie

This is another recipe from my mom.
She used to make it in the summer when the peaches where ripe.

One time I didn't have the lemon jello on hand
(this is also good for people who avoid pre-processed stuff)
just make a lemon curd and toss the fruit with that.

Pie Filling

1 c. sugar

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 c. water

¼ c. lemon flavored gelatin powder

4 c. sliced peaches, peeled

¾ c. blueberries

Pastry Shell

Sweetened Whipped Cream

Combine sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Stir in the water. Bring to a boil over medium heat; stirring constantly, until the sauce is thick and translucent. Remove from heat, and add gelatin, stirring until gelatin dissolves. Cool.

Combine peaches and blueberries in a large bowl. Add gelatin mixture; toss gently.

Spoon into prepared pastry shell.

Cover and chill 1 hour or until set. Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

Pastry Shell

1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. sugar

½ tsp. Salt

½ c. slivered almonds, coarsely chopped

1/3 c. vegetable oil

3 to 4 Tbsp. Water

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Press into a 9-inch pie plate.

Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Red Beans and Brown Rice

I started my first blog , Bean Basics, in July of 2009, long before I started this blog. It was pretty specific though, it had to be a bean recipe. But since I was cooking with mostly beans, as a meat replacement at the time, it wasn't a huge deal. In fact it was really fun to write down all the creative things I came up with. This was the first recipe I posted there, it wasn't something I came up with on my own by any means, but it was one of my favorite recipes ever. My mom used to make it all the time when I was a kid. It's cheap to make, really simple to throw together fast, and it tastes like bacon. Don't let the simplicity of it not intrigue you, this is really fantastic, nothing else tastes quite like it.

What's not to love?

1 lb bacon

2 cans red beans

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

2 heaping tbsp. flour

1 tbsp. dried parsley

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Dash Mortons Natures seasons (optional)

Dash Tabasco sauce

3 or 4 c. cooked brown rice

Cook bacon until nice and crispy and then remove from pan. Saute the onion in the bacon grease until tender. Whisk in the flour and cook until thickened. 

Combine the liquid from beans and enough water to make 2 cups, add to the pan and whisk in. Cook until thick and bubbly. Add the beans and remaining ingredients and simmer 10 minutes. Top with reserved crumbled bacon and serve over brown rice.

Since beans have a lot of protein on their own I don't actually crumble the bacon on top like my mom did. We have BLT's for lunch and reserve just the drippings for dinner.

Corn Stuffed Pork Chops

This is a recipe from my mom. It was one of my favorites growing up. Such a great flavor without much work, it's really simple to prepare.

My husband and children just confirmed that they love it as well. 

6 pork chops

1/4 c. prepared yellow mustard

3 Tbsp butter or oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

5 slices of bread (I like the flavor of whole wheat)

1 egg, beaten

1 (12 oz.) can creamed corn

1 bottle pimentos

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Spread the pork chops with the mustard and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of the salt and 1/4 tsp. of the black pepper. Set aside

In a large skillet saute the onion and green pepper until tender.

Tear the bread into little pieces. Combine the bread, cooked peppers and onions, egg, corn, pimentos, and remaining salt and pepper. Place in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish.

In the same pan you cooked the peppers and onions in, cook the pork chops on both sides until browned. 

Place pork chops on top of the corn mixture in the casserole dish and press into stuffing. 

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 45 minutes.

German Fried Potatoes

My mom always made this with leftover cooked potatoes and leftover ham. She fried them up with butter and onions and some Nature seasons for good measure.

Leftover cooked potatoes, sliced OR really thinly sliced potatoes
Butter
Chopped onion
Leftover ham chopped, or a can crumbled

Saute the onions in the butter until translucent. Add the ham and potatoes and saute until heated through and browning, if using raw cook over a lower heat for a longer time to cook the potatoes and then turn the heat up to brown the potatoes.

Season with salt and pepper or Nature Seasons, and I like to top mine with a little cheese, while it's still hot to melt it.

Key Lime Pie

It seems like every time I turn around a see Key Lime Pie on another blog. It's becoming and epidemic, and I think I caught whatever it is. Or it could just be that Key Lime pie is really tasty. Or a tradition in my family. It's one of those things

We have it every Easter, and there has been some debate as to whether we had it at Thanksgiving too, some people remember it along side the turkey and others seem to think thats outrageous. Either way the pie still tastes good.

Crust options on this are pretty much whatever you want. I like a pastry crust, others swear by a graham cracker crust. I recently saw a recipe for key lime pie that used rice chex cereal to make a gluten free crust.

1 pie crust, baked

12 oz. Key Lime Juice
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 c. sugar
3 eggs Green food coloring (optional)

Bake the pie crust until cooked.

Whisk together the milk, lime juice, and sugar. Whisk in the eggs. I added 3 drops of food coloring to mine but thats totally optional.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Let sit on the counter for half and hour and then chill for 4 hours before cutting.

Some people like chantilly (whipped) cream on theirs.
I think it ruins the pie.

Mysterious Cheese Ball

The "mysterious" cheese ball is my Grandmas secret cheese ball recipe, or it least it was until I posted it on the internet. I changed the ratio of ingredients a little bit and added the pimentos and almonds.

5 oz blue cheese, finely crumbled

6 oz sharp cheddar, finely grated
2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
1 Tbsp minced parsley
1 Tbsp grated onion
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 small bottle pimentos
2 Tbsp pecans
2 Tbsp almonds
1/2 c. finely chopped walnuts for rolling

In a dry pan over medium heat toast the nuts and chop.

Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the remaining ingredients except walnuts.

Spread out a large thing of plastic wrap, sprinkle with the remaining nuts and top with cream cheese mix. Pull the saran wrap (and the nuts) up around the cream cheese and for into a ball. Chill until firm and serve with crackers.

Broccoli Salad

You only want to blanch the broccoli, not cook it. Feel free to add whatever you want cauliflower and sunflower seeds are good. And I have a friend that loves raisins in hers.

1 bunch broccoli florets, chopped into bite size pieces
1/2 lb bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
1 small red onion, chopped
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
3 or 4 green onions, sliced
1 carrot, grated

3/4 c. mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Boil a large pot of water. Add broccoli and cook 30 seconds. Drain well and rinse with cold water.

Whisk together mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar.

Toss broccoli with dressing and remaining ingredients except bacon. Cover and chill several hours. When ready to serve top with crumbled bacon and stir once to mix the bacon in slightly.

Christmas Cookies

This is my Grandmas. She is making Christmas Tree cookies. Grandmas are great like that. Especially mine.

Christmas Tree Cookies
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix all together.

Sift together:
1 1/2 c. flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Beat into the butter mix.

Remove 1/3 of the dough and set aside. Tint the remaining dough green. On wax paper shape into a triangle. Roll the while dough out and wrap around the green trees dough.

Chill 2 hours.

Slice and place on a un-greased baking sheet. Place a yellow star sprinkle on the top and colored sprinkle "lights" on the tree.

Bake at 375 until just before the edges turn golden, about 8 - 10 minutes.


You can also me shaped and tinted into anything you want. This makes them great for other Holidays too. A few years ago I added a little peppermint extract and then dyed half of it red. I shaped them into starlight mints. Just make sure you don't store them in the same container as the unflavored ones.

My Favorite Pie

Red Bartlet pears are the best for this pie, though any very ripe pear will work.

I usually freeze my butter for about 10 minutes and use a cheese grater to grate it in when making my own pastry crust.

Look! Someone else made it too, see what they have to say...

4 c. peeled, diced ripe pears

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 Tbsp. flour

1 c. sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla

dash salt

1 unbaked 9-inch pastry shell

Crumb topping

1/2 c. sugar

1/3 c. flour

1/4 c. butter

Combine sugar, egg, flour, sour cream, vanilla, and salt. Fold in pears. Spoon into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Combine all of the topping ingredients until well mixed. Sprinkle on top of pie; return to oven for 30 more minutes.

High altitude bake at 385