Liver and Onions

 

Liver and Onions

      

1 lb. liver (preferably pork) but feel free to us beef or venison
1 cup whole milk (optional)
3 medium onions
3 cloves garlic
1 cup flour
1 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. pepper
1 stick butter


Soaking the liver in milk for 20-30 minutes tames the taste. If you don’t like that sharp flavor that that liver has, try this.

 

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in large cast iron skillet (or other fry pan).   Add onions and garlic and cook until tender and slightly browned. Remove from pan and cover with a piece of aluminum foil to keep warm.

Combine flour, paprika and pepper in saucer. Drain milk from liver and dredge liver through flour mixture.  Coat really well and shake off excess. Dredge through a second time if there is any flour left.

In wiped out skillet add remaining butter and let it melt over moderately high heat. Add liver; cook 2-3 minutes per side until no longer pink inside. Add onions and garlic back to skillet to warm.  Serve with mashed potatoes and stewed tomatoes…or whatever your favorite sides are.

 

© Crackerberries 2020

Fig BBQ Chicken

 

3-3½ lbs. chicken legs

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. pepper

1-2 tbsp. butter

 

Rinse off chicken legs and let rest on paper towels, pat dry.  Sprinkle with the salt, pepper and paprika. Place spiced pieces of chicken on a rack to dry while preparing the cast iron skillet. 

 

Heat oven to 350º and place cast iron skillet in oven to heat up. When oven is at temperature, remove from oven, (careful it’s hot) and add butter. Swirl around to melt and distribute.

 

Place chicken in cast iron meaty side down, and return to oven.  Cook 30 minutes and flip the chicken legs over.  Return to oven for 15 minutes.  Spoon prepared Fig BBQ/Mustard sauce over chicken and cover.  Cook an additional 15 minutes or just until bubbly.  Serve with favorite sides.

 

Spiralized Sweet Potato and Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan with Sweet Potato Noodles

12 oz. chicken breast, flattened and cut into equal portions

12 oz. jar prepared pasta sauce

1 egg, beaten

½ cup parmesan cheese

1 sweet potato, spiralized

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

½ tsp. onion powder

Combine parmesan cheese with Italian seasoning and onion powder. Dip chicken cutlets in egg and roll in parmesan cheese. Sauté in copper chef fry pan until golden brown on both sides and internal temperature is 165º.  Steam the sweet potato noodles for 3-5 minutes until al dente. Top with prepared pasta sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Add a side of non-fat cottage cheese and you have yourself a nice little pasta free din-din.  One sweet potato equal 114 calories verses one serving of pasta equal 210 calories.  You figure it out.

© Crackerberries 2020

Pita Pizza

1 Greek style Pita

2 Tbsp. Salsa

7-8 baby spinach leaves

2-3 slices Roma tomatoes

1 sliced mushroom

1 Tbsp. diced onion

1 tsp. minced garlic

½ tsp. Italian seasoning

2-3 Tbsp. feta cheese

1 tsp. roasted pine nuts.

Heat broiler. Roast pine nuts on stove top in cast iron pan over med/high heat for 3-5 minutes. Spread salsa over pita bread and then layer with remaining ingredients. Top with pine nuts and Italian seasoning.  Place in broiler 2-3 minutes.   Enjoy.  Only 325-350 calories per serving.  

© Crackerberries 2020

Cast Iron Chicken

Cast Iron Chicken

2 tsp. paprika

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

½ tsp. onion powder

½ tsp. garlic salt

2-3 lbs. chicken pieces (legs, leg quarters, whole chicken cut up)

2 tbsp. butter

6 sprigs fresh thyme

KEY WORDS: CAST IRON

Preheat cast iron skillet in 450º oven.  While cast iron skillet is preheating, combine spices.  Cut up chicken (if necessary) and pat dry with paper towels.  Sprinkle spices all over chicken.  Coat well.  Use all spices.  When oven reached temperature, remove skillet – be careful, it’s HOT.  Add the butter to the cast iron and let it melt.  Place the thyme sprigs on one side.  Add the chicken, skin side down.  Place skillet in oven and bake 15 minutes.  Remove from oven (careful…still wicked hot) and flip the chicken over.  Return to oven and bake another 15 minutes.   Internal temperature for leg/thighs should read at least 175º.  Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes.  Transfer chicken to platter, discard thyme.  Stir juices and spoon over chicken.  

**I stole this recipe from Cooks Country (www.cookscountry.com).  I love it.  I will never cook chicken another way!

© Crackerberries 2019

Irish Oatmeal Cookies

Irish Oatmeal Cookies

12 tbsp. unsalted butter

¾ cup natural creamy peanut butter

¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

¾ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

1½ cups Irish steel cut oatmeal

1 cup raisins

¾ cup coconut

Preheat oven 350º

Cream together butter and peanut butter, then add sugar and mix until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs until smooth.  Combine oats, flour, baking soda, and salt and then add to creamed mixture.  Beat until thoroughly blended. Fold in raisins and coconut. Drop by rounded spoonful two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350º for 12 minutes.  Let cool on cookie sheet one minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield 5 dozen cookies.         

© Crackerberries 2019

Crackers 3-Bean Stew

2/3 cups each: Soldier Beans, Yellow Eye Beans, Jacob’s Cattle Beans

2 large cloves garlic

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. chili powder

½ tbsp.

Italian seasoning

2-3 slices cooked bacon (optional)

1 carrot

1 onion

1½ - 2 cups chopped cooked smoked shoulder

1¼ cup almond milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Place dry beans in crock pot and cover with water … let soak 2 hours.

Drain, rinse and cover with water to about 1-1½ inch above beans. 

Add garlic and other spices.

Cover, cook on high 5 hours.

Turn off and let cool 1-2 hours.

Sauté carrot and onion for 5-10 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients to beans, turn crock pot on low and reheat 1-2 hours.

Serve with dollop of sour cream and crackers and hot sauce if you wish.

© Crackerberries 2019

Barbie's Favorite Chili

BEANS:

2 cups dry beans (red kidney are favorite but I think this time I used soldier)

½ cup sugar

½ ketchup

¼ cup molasses

2 tsp. dry mustard

½ cup chopped onion

¼ lb. salt pork

Salt and pepper.

Soak beans overnight, drain, rinse, and put in crock pot with just enough water to cover.  Add ingredients and cook on high for 3 hours, turn down to low and cook 5-6 more hours.

CHILI

1¼ lb. ground beef

1 pkg. hot sausage links, removed from casing

1 lg. can diced tomatoes (I used roasted red pepper)

1 cup tomato sauce

1 lg. green pepper, diced (didn’t have green pepper so used 5 jalapeno’s from garden)

1 onion, chopped

2 tbsp. minced garlic

2 tbsp. chili powder

1-2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tbsp. black pepper

1 tbsp. basil

1 tsp. celery salt

1 tbsp. paprika

Cook burger and sausage and drain off grease. Add onions, garlic and green pepper and cook until aromatic. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, spices and beans. Simmer on medium heat, stir often, 1-2 hours.

Great chili bowls, taco salads, burrito’s, nachos. 

Festive Egg Nog Macaroni and Cheese

Festive Egg Nog Crockpot Macaroni & Cheese

3 Cups uncooked pasta shells

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

2 cups milk

1 cups egg nog

1 15 oz. can cheddar cheese condensed soup

1 15 oz. can cream of chicken condensed soup

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. paprika

1 cups chopped turkey

Combine soups, milk and egg nog and mix until smooth.  Add to crock pot with shells and 1½ cup of the cheddar cheese and ½ cup of the Monterey Jack cheese, stir to combine.  Cover and cook on low for three hours.  Add turkey and stir.  Top with remaining cheese, cover and cook one more hour.  Serve and enjoy.  (Not for the calorie counters)

© Crackerberries 2018

Zucchini Tamale Casserole

Zucchini Tamale Casserole

1 lb. ground beef

1 jalapeño

1 zucchini

1 onion

1 can mixed beans

1 jar corn relish

1 cup BBQ Sauce (I used Crackerberries famous Fig BBQ Sauce)

4 slices homemade corn bread

3 slices jalapeño cheese

Scramble ground beef in large skillet. Drain grease and set aside.  Sauté onion, zucchini for 5 minutes, then add beans, corn, BBQ sauce and cook till bubbling.  Mix in with ground beef.  Spread in light greased casserole dish.  Top with cheese and sliced cubed bread.  Sprinkle with jalapeño peppers.  Bake in 350º oven for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and bread is lightly toasted.  Serve with Mexican sour cream.

Mexican Sour Cream

1 cup sour cream

2 Tbsps. green chilies, chopped

2 tsps. Jalapeño, chopped

2 tsps. Lime juice

Combine in small bowl, mix until well blended. 

© Crackerberries 2018

Macaroni BLT Salad

Macaroni BLT Salad

1 box small macaroni shells

1 lb. cooked bacon, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 onion, diced

1½ cup ranch dressing

2 cups chopped Romaine lettuce

½ cup fresh chopped parsley

1½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain, rinse and set aside.  Combine tomatoes, onion, pepper, and salad dressing together in a large bowl.  Toss in pasta and then add lettuce, parsley and bacon. 

© Crackerberries 2018

Eggs of Tecumsah

Eggs of Tecumsah

4 poached eggs (4 minutes)

½ lb. ground beef

½ lb. bulk sausage

2 English muffins, halved and grilled

4 slices cooked bacon

½ cup mayonnaise (Duke’s is highly preferred)

2 tbsp. Thousand Island dressing

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 tbsp. Texas Pete

In small bowl mix mayonnaise, Thousand Island dressing, and Texas Pete.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Combine ground beef and sausage and separate into four ¼ lb. patties.  Grill on hot cast iron pan 4-6 minutes per side until cooked.  Grill muffins until lightly toasted.  Poach eggs. Build on muffins, burger, bacon, egg and sauce. Sprinkle with paprika and serve with a side of home fried potatoes.

© Crackerberries 2018

Zucchini Bars

½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp nutmeg

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup shredded zucchini

1½ cups shredded carrot

¾ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

½ cup chopped pecans

½ cup raisins

½ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350º. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger and nutmeg in large bowl. In separate bowl, combine eggs, carrot, zucchini, brown sugar, raisins, walnuts, honey, vegetable oil and vanilla. Mix well and then add to flour mixture. Mix just until combined. Spread into ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake in 350º oven 25-30 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pan completely on wire rack. Frost with Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting.

Citrus Cream Cheese Frost
8 oz. package cream cheese
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp finely shredded lemon peel

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth and fluffy. Add lemon peel and frost the cooled bars. Cut into 36 bars.

Welcome to the 2018 A-Z Blogging challenge.  This will be my fourth year. Every year I take on the challenge with hopes of disciplining myself to keep writing throughout the year as much, if not more than just through the monthly challenge. (It certainly is a challenge.)  Some years are better than others.  Some I just lose track of time.  This year I have decided to put my favorite hobbies together. A recipe that is tried and true as well as some thoughtful insight.  Please note some of these recipes have been shared before, however they have gone through years of testing and this is the perfected recipe.  I really hope one of my recipes or “Food for Thought” inspires you to do something great.  Enjoy the read and the photos, try the recipe, share your thoughts or comments, and most of all, have FUN with the challenge this month!

Cheers,