Pizza Burgers

Pizza Burgers

1 lb ground beef

12 slices pepperoni

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

½ cup pizza sauce

4 hamburger buns

Condiments

Shape hamburger into 4 1 inch thick patties.  Place in freezer for about an hour to slightly freeze. 

Preheat oven to 375°

Remove from freezer and slice each burger through the center.  Press down gently with thumb on bottom patty creating a small well in each burger.  Add 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce to each well, top with chopped pepperoni and mozzarella cheese.  Place tops of burgers back on top and squeeze to seal sides. 

Place on rack on cookie sheet.  Cook at 375°for 20 minutes; flip and cook an additional 10 minutes.  Serve on toasted buns with more pizza sauce or other favorite condiments.       

© Crackerberries 2012

Homemade Shake N Bake Chicken

Chicken

 1 lb chicken leg/thigh pieces

2 Tbsp teriyaki sauce

1 tsp Sriracha hot chili sauce (A.K.A. Rooster Sauce)

½ cup Italian style bread crumbs

½ cup whole wheat flour                    

1 tsp onion powder

½ tsp ground black pepper

2 tsp BBQ spice

1½ tsp coarse sea salt

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

 

Combine teriyaki sauce and Sriracha sauce in zip lock bag.  Add chicken and let stand for 30 minutes on counter top, flipping over often.  Remove from bag and discard marinade.

In another zip lock bag combine bread crumbs, flour, onion powder, pepper, BBQ spice and salt.  Shake well to combine.  Add chicken pieces a couple at a time and shake well to coat. 

Place vegetable oil in cast iron skillet and swirl around to cover bottom.  Place chicken in skillet.  Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, flip chicken and bake 20 more minutes.  Remove from skillet immediately.

© Crackerberries 2012

Rice Globs

Rice Globs

Rice itself needs to be doctored up to taste good the first time, let alone eating leftovers.  Here’s an idea to use up leftover rice and they won’t even know it’s made out of leftovers.

3 cups leftover cooked rice (I used 1 cup white and 2 cups fried)

1 large egg, well beaten

¼ cup margarine (softened)

¼ cup parmesan cheese

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp dried chopped onion

Preheat oven to 350°.

Mix all ingredients together in large bowl.  (Note:  if you are using plain white rice add in 1/2 cup chopped deli meat, green peppers, onions, or bacon bits or a combination.)  Roll into balls or use small ice cream scoop and place on lightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake 30 minutes until firm.  Serve with duck sauce, ketchup or marinara sauce.

© Crackerberries 2012

Cereal Muffins

Fiber One Marmalade Muffins

“There’s no fiber in this, it tastes too good.”

1½ cups flour

1 cup quick cooking oats

¼ cup brown sugar

1½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

2 eggs, slightly beaten  

¾ cup milk

¾ cup orange marmalade

¼ cup finely chopped pears

½ cup crushed Fiber One cereal (I suppose any cereal will work)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400°.  Lightly grease muffin pan, or spray with cooking oil.

In medium bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

Combine eggs, milk, marmalade and vegetable oil and pour all at once in the center of the dry ingredients.  Mix just until moistened.  Batter will be lumpy.  Fold in pears.

Spoon into muffin tins; I use a large ice cream scoop to make all tins consistent.  Sprinkle cereal over top of each muffin and bake 15-18 minutes or until golden.  Cool on wire rack 5 minutes and remove from tins.

© Crackerberries 2012

Gingered Pear Butter

Gingered Pear Butter

2 3-inch cinnamon sticks

2 tsp whole cloves

12 cups pears (peeled, cored and coarsely chopped)

½ cup lemon juice

¼ cup orange juice (more or less)

9 cups sugar

2 tsp ground ginger

Prepare the preserving jars.  Put cinnamon and cloves in cheese cloth and tie top with string.  Place pears and lemon juice in preserving pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cover, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes. 

Add sugar, cheese cloth of spices, and ground ginger.  Turn heat up to medium high and stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Once mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 45 minutes or until mixture is thickened. 

Remove from heat and discard spice bag; skim of foam if necessary and stir 2-3 minutes.  Ladle jam into hot sterilized jars and seal according to manufacturers instructions.  Process jars in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Yield: 4 ½ pints (72 oz)

© Crackerberries 2012

Homemade Tater Tots

Homemade Tater Tots

If you want to feel like a kid in an adult way, make this recipe.  These were so yummy and they don’t leave that greasy after-taste in your mouth like the store bought tater tots.

1 egg

¼ cup margarine

3 cups mashed potatoes

½ tsp Lawry’s seasoning salt

¼ tsp celery salt

½ tsp onion powder

¼ cup self-rising buttermilk corn meal

Beat egg and margarine together in mixing bowl.  (I used the tub margarine as it’s already soft).  This is great for leftover mashed potatoes.  I used leftover garlic potatoes and carrots.  Add potatoes and spices and mix just until combined.  Fold in corn meal (do not beat).  Using small ice cream scoop, drop on lightly greased cookie sheet.  Slightly flatten with fork.  Bake at 400° for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and flip all tots, reduce oven to 375° and bake 15 minutes longer.

© Crackerberries 2012

Salisbury Steaks

Salisbury Steaks

Are you tired of hamburgers and meatloaf?  Try this ground beef recipe.  It is great with noodles, mashed potatoes, French fries, rice or whatever your favorite starch-side might be.

1 lb ground beef

1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup

1 egg

½ cup Italian style bread crumbs

3 tbsp flour

2-3 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 cup water

1 green pepper

1 onion

Salt and pepper (optional)

Slice onions and separate rings; slice green peppers.

Preheat oven to 350°

Mix beef, 1 tablespoon of onion soup mix, egg, bread crumbs, slat, pepper and 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce.  Shape into 4 oval patties, and arrange in 8x8 baking dish.  Cover with onions and green peppers.

Combine remaining onion soup with flour, water and 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce and pour over steaks.  Cover and bake for 45-50 minutes.  Remove from oven and slightly stir gravy mixture before serving.

© Crackerberries 2012

                                                                                                    

Chili Biscuit Sandwiches

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

¾ cup corn meal

1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp chopped jalapenos

½ tsp salt

¾ tsp cream of tartar

½ cup butter flavored Crisco

¼ cup half and half

¾ cup milk

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

24 oz Homemade Chili Beans

Preheat oven to 400º.  Combine flour, baking powder, cornmeal, cream of tartar, jalapenos, sugar and salt in bowl.  Cut in Crisco until crumbly and create well in center of mixture.  Add ½ cup cheese and pour milk and half and half in all at once.  Stir with fork just to moisten and combine. 

Using one third of biscuit mix spread in lightly greased 10x10 baking dish.  Place in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, just until mixture turns slightly golden and puffy.

Remove from oven and spoon chili beans over mixture; sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheddar cheese. 

Drop biscuits on top of chili mixture and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until golden brown.  Let cool and cut into sandwiches.

© Crackerberries 2012

Muscadine Jam

Muscadine Jam

Heard it through the grapevine … makes ya wanna sing doesn’t it?  We had a friend from church give us a bushel of Muscadine grapes…they smell so good.  In the past I have mashed them and turned them into wine.  This year was no different, however I had a lot of grapes leftover that would not fit in my wine vat (a large cooler), so I decided to make jam instead of jelly.  Jelly is made by squeezing all of the juice out of the grapes and tossing out the pulp that is left.  To me, throwing out the pulp is the best part of the grapes, and that seems like such a waste, and I hate to waste food. 

I remember eating peanut butter and jam sandwiches as a kid one time when we were out haying in the fields.  The jam had seeds in it and it was so good (later we found out that the ‘seeds’ were ants – thanks, Mom).  But, it occurred to me that I could make grape jam with the tiny seeds if I pulverized the whole grape, skin, seeds and all in my blender. Muscadine grapes typically have large seeds. This jam is the best grape jam that I’ve ever tasted (sorry, Smucker’s).

I have also researched to see what the pros and cons are from eating grape seeds, and found many pros.  Grape seeds are typically turned into grape seed oil used for cancer prevention, diabetes, pain relief for arthritis as well as many other health benefits.  Eating grape seeds will improve your health.  They are packed with omega-3 fatty acids and a high level of vitamin A and E.

9 ½ cups blended Muscadine grapes (3 1/2 quarts whole grapes)

9 cups sugar

½ cup lemon juice

Put grapes in blender with ½ cup water per batch, (I did about 5 cups of grapes at a time) and blend on low at first, then high for 1-2 minutes, until pulverized.  Add all ingredients to your preserving pot and bring to a boil over high heat.  Once it comes to a rolling boil, reduce heat slightly, but continue to boil.  Stir often.  Cook 50-60 minutes or until gel stage is reached, 218°- 222°.  Once gel stage is reached remove from heat and skim off any foam and stir constantly for 2-3 minutes (this will prevent the muscadine seeds from floating to the top).  Spoon into hot sterilized jars and process in boiling water bath 5 minutes; remove jars, place on cooling racks for 24 hours.

Yield: 12 8 oz. jelly jars.

© Crackerberries 2012

Easy S'More Brownies

1 package brownie mix (I used Pillsbury Family Size, Dark Chocolate) 

½ cup chopped pecans

4 whole graham crackers

1 ½ cups mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350º

Lightly grease 9x9 baking dish.  Mix brownies according to package instructions and add pecans. 

              

            

Layer baking dish with graham crackers and marshmallows; carefully spread brownie mixture over top.  Be sure to cover all of the marshmallows. 

Bake according to package instructions (30-35 minutes).  Cool, cut and serve.  Great by themselves or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

© Crackerberries 2012

Hot Chile Pepper and Basil Jelly

Hot Chile Pepper

and Basil Jelly

50-60 Chile Peppers (depending on size)

½ cup chopped fresh basil

1 ½ cups cider vinegar

6 ½ cups sugar

½ tsp salt

2 pouches (3 oz. each) liquid pectin

2-3 drops green food coloring

Prepare your preserving jars.

Cut the stems off peppers and slice lengthwise.  Bending them inside out will loosen the seeds and they can easily be slid out with the white membrane.  (Wear gloves while doing this.  These peppers are hot and the juice will remain on your hands for 24-48 hours even after you wash them.)

Chop peppers in food processor/chopper until fine and uniformly ground.  Measure out 2 cups. 

Combine peppers, basil, vinegar, sugar and salt in preserving pot.  Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.  Once mixture is at a full boil, set timer for 5 minutes and stir constantly.  After 5 minutes, stir in pectin and return to a full boil.  Set timer for one minute (exactly- too long will cause very thick jelly).

Remove from heat and stir constantly for 3-4 minutes to prevent peppers from floating to the tops of the jars.  Add green food coloring.

Spoon into hot preserving jars, leaving ¼ inch head space; wipe the rims clean, and seal according to manufacturer’s directions.  Process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes

Yield: 7 8oz jars

** This jelly is perfect at Christmas time, not only for gifts, but spread cream cheese on crackers and a little dollop of jelly on top makes for a festive treat.

© Crackerberries 2012

Fig Grape Jam

10 cups figs, stemmed and chopped and mashed

6 cups sugar

1 cup grape juice (or I used paisano wine)

9 oz grape jell-o gelatin

Combine all ingredients in preserving pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly, but keep a rolling boil and cook for 45 minutes or so; spoon into sterilized jars and process in boiling water bath 10 minutes. 

Yield: 14 8oz jars

This also works great with strawberry jello for strawberry fig jam.  Do not completely mash the figs, leave some in chunks and they will appear as strawberries.

© Crackerberries 2012



Cheesy Chop Suey Bake

6 cups prepared chop suey

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

¼ cup parmesan cheese

Combine parmesan cheese and Monterey Jack cheese together.

Preheat oven to 350º.  Place three cups chop suey in lightly greased 8x8 baking dish.  Cover with cheddar cheese and top with remaining chop suey.  Sprinkle with Monterey Jack and parmesan cheese; cover and bake 350º for 30 minutes.  Remove cover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese bubbles and is slightly golden.  Cool slightly before serving.

© Crackerberries 2012

A Little White Lie

Let me tell you a little white lie,

I don't inhale, and I don't get high.

I caught a fish two feet long and weighed ten pounds,

When you sing, I just love the way your voice sounds.

My hair is not gray, this is all natural,

I've got ocean front property in Kansas I could sell.

My boobs are real, they're not implants

I love to watch the way you dance.

No officer I didn't know I was driving that fast,

It's a blind date, I hope this night will last and last.

Yes, it's my hair, I'm not wearing a wig,

No, those pants don't make your butt look big!

How to Lie

Have you ever told a lie, just a little white lie? A little white lie is often frivolous in nature, but detrimental to character.  Little white lies are often well intentioned, and told to avoid hurting feelings, distress or embarrassment.  Telling a lie is breaking the 9^th commandment.  This sin is committed more than 10,000 times a day with that little member (the tongue) that boasts great things.

Everyone lies.  The tongue is like a flame that can not be put out.  I have heard that years ago, people who were caught lying in the Middle East would have their tongues cut out and be fed to the king’s cats, hence the saying, “Cat got your tongue?”. 

There are many ways to lie.  One may think that lying is simply making an untrue statement with intent to deceive, and creating a false or misleading impression.  That is true.  I will tell you the grass really is blue in Kentucky, yet I’ve never been to Kentucky, therefore, I am lying because I don't really know if it is blue.

If we slander someone’s name, character or reputation this is speaking evil of another, which is lying.  Defaming someone behind their back gives them no opportunity to defend themselves.  There is not one person that is not guilty of lying.

When we swear, these are idle words ... words of no use, and that serve no good purpose.  These words will be brought into judgment by God (Matthew 12:36).  Every careless word, every slip of the tongue carries full potential for all hells evil.

There is nothing more contrary to God than a lie.  God is truth.  The devil is the father of all lies, and all lies flow from a wicked heart.  Lying is the most prominent sin in the world today.  Honesty has been lost.  A man’s word is no longer his bond. Men are liars by nature.  Matthew 5:37 says “Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’, and your ‘No’ be ‘No’…”.

Gossiping is lying.  When we gossip we share personal or sensational facts about others.  Sharing something that we have heard about one person with another person is insincere.

Cheating is lying.  When we cheat, we are violating the rules dishonestly.  We are taking something valuable by using deception.  When we play a game and we interfere with the instruments of the event, this is cheating.  Most people have played a game of checkers and slid their pawn one or two spaces in order to get the upper hand in the game.

Plagiarism is lying.  When we take credit for someone else’s work this is duplicity and disloyal.    

Stealing is lying.  When we steal, we are taking the property of another without having a right to it.  We have probably stolen a candy bar or pack of gum from the store when we were younger… maybe.  This is dishonesty which in turn is lying. Another example would be taking an extra ten or fifteen minute lunch or leaving a few minutes early every day from work.  We are taking our employers time in a fraudulent manner which is lying about our time. 

If we fill out a job application and write down that we have worked at a position for five years when in fact it was only four years, this is lying.  Dishonesty in filling out applications for scholarships, financial aid, medical history, or any other type of petition that you are not honest on is lying.

Unfortunately most people don’t even realize how often they commit this sin that people seem to tolerate and think that it is okay.  Corrupt talk: critical speech, gossip, sarcasm, harsh words, false statements, negative comments, ridicule, insults, and slander, all associated with lies.  I know I’m guilty myself and I am in constant communication with God relentlessly asking for forgiveness.

© Crackerberries 2012



Pasta and Bok Choy

Bok Choy & Pasta

What is Bok Choy?  It is a Chinese cabbage that is similar to turnip although it is leafy.  It is a kind of catch 22.  It is high in vitamin A and the organic compounds found in Bok Choy or Pak Choi have been reported to prevent cancer, however larges doses have also been known to be toxic.

Bok Choy is typically used in Chinese cuisine.  I just happened to have some leftover and thought I’d try something new.

8 oz spaghetti, cooked and drained

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 small onion, diced

¼ cup parmesan cheese

2 cloves garlic minced

1 cup chopped Bok Choy, and 2 cups Bok Choy leaves

½ cup chicken broth

Sauté garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for one minute, add onion and cook 2 more minutes.  Add Bok Choy and chicken broth; cover and cook 8-10 minutes until leaves are wilted and Bok Choy is tender.

Toss spaghetti with one tablespoon olive oil and spoon Bok Choy over top, sprinkle with parmesan cheese. 

© Crackerberries 2012

Corn Relish

10 cups corn off the cob (15-20 ears)

2 cups red pepper, diced

2 cups onion, diced

2 cups green peppers

1 cup finely chopped celery

2 Chile peppers finely chopped

3 cups cider vinegar

4 tsp celery seed

1 tsp curry powder

2 tsp turmeric

3 tsp English Mustard (Colman’s Mustard)

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp Tabasco or Texas Pete

Husk corn and cook in boiling water for 10 minutes.  Put in cold water to cool before cutting corn off the cob.  (Do not scrape the cobs — the milky juice will make the relish cloudy).

Combine peppers, onions celery, vinegar, celery seed, curry powder, turmeric and mustard in preserving pot.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for ten minutes.  Add corn and return to boil, simmer another five minutes, stirring often.

Combine cornstarch and ¼ cup of water, hot sauce, and add to mixture stirring constantly to desired thickness.  Spoon into hot, sterilized jars leaving ½ inch head space.  Wipe rims clean, seal and process in hot boiling water bath for 15 minutes.  Yield 8 pints.

© Crackerberries 2012