Tonight was so much fun! Our good friends Nancy & Bill have been strangers for the past couple of weeks for a couple of reasons. #1 It's been incredibly COLD here and it's tought to get out of your house when it's below zero. #2 Bill was "on call" for many of those days so he had to stay around and be good just in case a call came in for a gas man. I called at 5:30 ish to see if they might be persuaded to drop everything and head to our favorite Mexican restaurant for a little adult beverage and some food. As luck would have it Nancy had just pulled into the drive with a pizza..so I told Bill to have her call me back after they discussed it. Not 30 seconds later the phone rang and Nancy was proclaiming, "I can almost taste it!!!" So the story has a happy ending, we did get our adult beverage, and boy was it good!
Nancy and I have been friends since Kindergarten. We both married great husband who happen to get along, and we both love to cook. About a year ago Nancy and I entered a chile cook off and won 1st place. We did have a great recipe, I'll have to ask Nancy if it's OK to share it with you before I post it.
This weekend our card club will meet and we'll be gathering with some of our dearest friends including Nancy & Bill. There is always so much food that we almost make fun of ourselves for it....almost. Here is a recipe for a hot sandwich that has been served several times at card club.
HOT HAM SANDWICHES
1 lb shaved ham
American swiss cheese slices - 1 slice per sandwich
8 onion or sesame seed buns
1/2 C. butter - room temp
2 Tbsp onion - grated
2 Tbsp mustard
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
Mix together the butter, onion, mustard and poppy seeds. Spread each bun with 1 Tbsp. (or more) of this mixture. Divide the ham between the buns and top with 1 slice of cheese. Wrap in foil and refrigerate. When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350* and bake for 20 minutes.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEATHER!
Well, 24 years ago I was quite busy. I was probably calling everyone I knew to tell them that God had blessed us with a little girl. When we came home with Heather her older brother said, "Take her back...I wanted a boy!" As the years have progressed they have grown much closer. It's nice they have each other at this stage of their lives, they really are good friends now.
I asked Heather about her favorite recipe so I could post it here today. That question is very perplexing for both of my kids. It seems that I am a little bit psychotic in my quest to make new and different things, and sometimes I might forget an old favorite since I don't want my repertoire to get dull. Sorry about that kids :-( but I do enjoy new recipes oh so much!
Heather mentioned a coffee cake that she's fond of, and when I went upstairs to find the recipe - one of the first books I grabbed fell open to my monster cookie recipe. If I had a nickle for every time Heather has made these for friends I could buy a bagel in the morning. So that is how I decided on today's recipe. In honor of Heather's birthday I will rename them in the recipe below.
HEATHER'S MONSTER COOKIES
3 eggs
1 C + 2 Tbsp brown sugar (packed)
1 C sugar
3/4 t vanilla
1/8 C white corn syrup
2 t soda
1/2 C margarine - room temp
1 1/2 C peanut butter
4 1/2 C oatmeal
6-8 oz each: m&m's, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips
Note-there is no flour in this recipe
Cream the margarine and sugars together. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla and corn syrup. Next mix in soda and peanut butter. Last add oats, m&m's, and chocolate/butterscotch chips and combine well.
I use a small meatball scoop and drop onto a greased cookie sheet (parchment paper really works better) and press down slightly, then bake @ 350* about 11 min. Do NOT overbake. Wait 5 min. before removing from the baking sheet to a cooling rack.
This recipe originally came from my husbands sister that lives in California. Our family loves them!
I asked Heather about her favorite recipe so I could post it here today. That question is very perplexing for both of my kids. It seems that I am a little bit psychotic in my quest to make new and different things, and sometimes I might forget an old favorite since I don't want my repertoire to get dull. Sorry about that kids :-( but I do enjoy new recipes oh so much!
Heather mentioned a coffee cake that she's fond of, and when I went upstairs to find the recipe - one of the first books I grabbed fell open to my monster cookie recipe. If I had a nickle for every time Heather has made these for friends I could buy a bagel in the morning. So that is how I decided on today's recipe. In honor of Heather's birthday I will rename them in the recipe below.
HEATHER'S MONSTER COOKIES
3 eggs
1 C + 2 Tbsp brown sugar (packed)
1 C sugar
3/4 t vanilla
1/8 C white corn syrup
2 t soda
1/2 C margarine - room temp
1 1/2 C peanut butter
4 1/2 C oatmeal
6-8 oz each: m&m's, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips
Note-there is no flour in this recipe
Cream the margarine and sugars together. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla and corn syrup. Next mix in soda and peanut butter. Last add oats, m&m's, and chocolate/butterscotch chips and combine well.
I use a small meatball scoop and drop onto a greased cookie sheet (parchment paper really works better) and press down slightly, then bake @ 350* about 11 min. Do NOT overbake. Wait 5 min. before removing from the baking sheet to a cooling rack.
This recipe originally came from my husbands sister that lives in California. Our family loves them!
Monday, January 28, 2008
IT'S REALLY A MONDAY....
What an incredibly busy day it has been! I was at school before 7am and I finally arrived home tonight by 6:30 'ish' only because I cut out of a concert I had planned to attend. I was feeding this group of 22 students from Nebraska Lutheran High School before their concert and had a panicky feeling in my gut that my VCR was not set correctly to tape American Gladiator. I then made the decision to run home and check it, then I just decided to sit down and breath!
Now you may wonder why I was so concerned about recording this particular show. It just so happens that tonight one of the contenders was a home town girl that I know pretty well. Toni was on the original gladiator show 12(?) years ago and blew her knee. She did not give up on her dream to compete, and it was so fun to watch her in action tonight. SHE WON! Her time was not good enough to make it into the top group, but she did fantastic considering she is the oldest (46!) competitor they have ever had on the show. She made us all proud sitting here in our little town, thank you Toni.
Today was a nicer day, the temperature got up in the 40's and tomorrow it won't even hit 10* so we'll be living on memories. Since it's so stinkin' cold, I decided to give you my French onion soup recipe, besides my friend Kimi said I really need to post it. She also requested HoHo bars and Caramel corn...those will be coming. So without further adieu, here it is.
FRENCH ONION SOUP 2-3 servings
3 C thinly sliced onion - vidalia is my first choice (if you have a mandoline slicer use it!)
1/4 C butter
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp flour
2 cans beef broth
french bread or baguette
fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Over medium heat melt the butter, add the onions and saute for 15 minutes covered, stirring occasionally. This will turn a beautiful color as it caramelizes.
Stir in the salt and flour & bring to a boil. When this had gotten thicker, add in both cans of the beef broth and bring to a boil. Ladle the soup into oven safe bowls and top with a slice of french bread. I like to cube the slice of bread so it's easier to eat. Now top the bread with a heaping Tbsp of Parmesan or Romano cheese, and broil until it's golden brown.
If you put your bowls on a cookie sheet it's easier to get them in and out of the oven, plus if you spill it's contained! This is a fast and easy recipe, but the flavor tastes like you spent far more time on it than you really did.
I'm looking forward to sharing summer time recipes for the deck, but until then stay warm..make soup!
Now you may wonder why I was so concerned about recording this particular show. It just so happens that tonight one of the contenders was a home town girl that I know pretty well. Toni was on the original gladiator show 12(?) years ago and blew her knee. She did not give up on her dream to compete, and it was so fun to watch her in action tonight. SHE WON! Her time was not good enough to make it into the top group, but she did fantastic considering she is the oldest (46!) competitor they have ever had on the show. She made us all proud sitting here in our little town, thank you Toni.
Today was a nicer day, the temperature got up in the 40's and tomorrow it won't even hit 10* so we'll be living on memories. Since it's so stinkin' cold, I decided to give you my French onion soup recipe, besides my friend Kimi said I really need to post it. She also requested HoHo bars and Caramel corn...those will be coming. So without further adieu, here it is.
FRENCH ONION SOUP 2-3 servings
3 C thinly sliced onion - vidalia is my first choice (if you have a mandoline slicer use it!)
1/4 C butter
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp flour
2 cans beef broth
french bread or baguette
fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Over medium heat melt the butter, add the onions and saute for 15 minutes covered, stirring occasionally. This will turn a beautiful color as it caramelizes.
Stir in the salt and flour & bring to a boil. When this had gotten thicker, add in both cans of the beef broth and bring to a boil. Ladle the soup into oven safe bowls and top with a slice of french bread. I like to cube the slice of bread so it's easier to eat. Now top the bread with a heaping Tbsp of Parmesan or Romano cheese, and broil until it's golden brown.
If you put your bowls on a cookie sheet it's easier to get them in and out of the oven, plus if you spill it's contained! This is a fast and easy recipe, but the flavor tastes like you spent far more time on it than you really did.
I'm looking forward to sharing summer time recipes for the deck, but until then stay warm..make soup!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
What's for supper?
Sunday, Sunday! A day of rest, unless you have a lot of school work waiting in your classroom. I thought I'd get to school and work for a couple of hours before Bible study at 3:00, however...
here I sit in front of this computer, again!
Often on the weekends Mike and I like to make an evening meal from a variety of appetizers. We started this when the kids were little, we'd rent a movie, put a big sheet on the living room floor and have fun 'snackie' food while we watched tv. It's a family tradition that has stuck, and I'm so glad it did. Now with just the two of us we are apt to add a glass of Cabernet or a hearty doppel bock, but the idea is the same.
Here is a recipe for a hot chicken dip that you serve with corn chips that is a snap to put together. Even some of our picky eater friends enjoy this one!
CHICKEN TORTILLA DIP
1 can of chicken (tuna size can)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can of chopped green chili's (or chopped jalapenos if you like it hot)
1 8oz cream cheese
Combine all ingredients and heat in the microwave stirring occasionally until heated through. Serve with tortilla chips.
Enjoy your Sunday!
here I sit in front of this computer, again!
Often on the weekends Mike and I like to make an evening meal from a variety of appetizers. We started this when the kids were little, we'd rent a movie, put a big sheet on the living room floor and have fun 'snackie' food while we watched tv. It's a family tradition that has stuck, and I'm so glad it did. Now with just the two of us we are apt to add a glass of Cabernet or a hearty doppel bock, but the idea is the same.
Here is a recipe for a hot chicken dip that you serve with corn chips that is a snap to put together. Even some of our picky eater friends enjoy this one!
CHICKEN TORTILLA DIP
1 can of chicken (tuna size can)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can of chopped green chili's (or chopped jalapenos if you like it hot)
1 8oz cream cheese
Combine all ingredients and heat in the microwave stirring occasionally until heated through. Serve with tortilla chips.
Enjoy your Sunday!
Saturday, January 26, 2008
We're cookin' now!
I've thought about doing this for a long time. I wanted to have a blog so I could share new recipes with friends. I really love cooking and thought it would be fun to put recipes out there where they would be available for your consideration.
My first recipe is for pizza, but it's not what you think it is! This is a recipe for....
PIZZA POT PIE
1 tube of pizza dough found in the refrigerator section (will make 2 or 3 servings)
1 can of pizza sauce
slices of mozzarella cheese - 3 or 4 for each pie
pizza toppings of your choice - pepperoni, green pepper, mushroom, onion, etc...
You'll need a bowl for each pie, no larger than a cereal bowl. Smaller is better so the crust doesn't cave in. Spray each bowl with Pam and line with the mozzarella cheese slices so that they overlap a bit in the bowl. Next add whatever kind of pizza ingredients you like and then drizzle with pizza sauce. Here again it's personal preference, use as much as you want. Now you will top the bowl with the pizza dough, enough that you can leave 1" hanging over the edge of the bowl all the way around. Trim it with a kitchen scissors. Repeat this process with the next bowl or bowls.
Bake it in a 375* oven for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Carefully flip it over onto a plate, remove the bowl and watch the pizza ooze out and fill the crust. It's really hot so watch out!
Done! I'll be back with other recipes, maybe something will tickle your tastebuds.
My first recipe is for pizza, but it's not what you think it is! This is a recipe for....
PIZZA POT PIE
1 tube of pizza dough found in the refrigerator section (will make 2 or 3 servings)
1 can of pizza sauce
slices of mozzarella cheese - 3 or 4 for each pie
pizza toppings of your choice - pepperoni, green pepper, mushroom, onion, etc...
You'll need a bowl for each pie, no larger than a cereal bowl. Smaller is better so the crust doesn't cave in. Spray each bowl with Pam and line with the mozzarella cheese slices so that they overlap a bit in the bowl. Next add whatever kind of pizza ingredients you like and then drizzle with pizza sauce. Here again it's personal preference, use as much as you want. Now you will top the bowl with the pizza dough, enough that you can leave 1" hanging over the edge of the bowl all the way around. Trim it with a kitchen scissors. Repeat this process with the next bowl or bowls.
Bake it in a 375* oven for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Carefully flip it over onto a plate, remove the bowl and watch the pizza ooze out and fill the crust. It's really hot so watch out!
Done! I'll be back with other recipes, maybe something will tickle your tastebuds.
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