HicksVille Chicken

For a one dish din-din this meal hits the spot.  Next time I will add carrots to the equation.  The gravy is awesome and the hotter the sausage the better.

2 lbs chicken (legs and thighs)

1 lb hot sausage, cut up

4 medium potatoes, quartered and peeled

4 green peppers, sliced

2 onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chicken broth

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

3 Tbsp corn starch

Preheat oven to 425º.  In large roasting pan, combine chicken, sausage and potatoes; bake 425º for 20 minutes.  Add onions, green peppers.  In small bowl combine vinegar, Italian seasoning and 1 cup chicken broth and mix well.  Pour over chicken and vegetables.  Cover; reduce heat to 400º and bake for 1 hour.

Spoon meat and vegetables into serving dish and keep warm; combine cornstarch with remaining 1 cup chicken broth and stir until smooth.   Stir mixture into roasting pan with juices from chicken and vegetables and cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and bubbles.  Pour over meat and vegetables.

© Crackerberries 2011

Coffee Spiced Cookies

I am married to the cookie monster and he likes to raid the cookie jar late at night.  I am forever trying to find a cookie recipe that he likes and is not too sweet.  This one is a definite keeper because not only are they good with a glass of milk at midnight;  they are the perfect addition to coffee in the morning.

¾ cup vegetable shortening

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

¼ cup molasses

½ cup strong black coffee

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground cloves

Cream together vegetable shortening and sugar in mixing bowl; add egg and mix well.  Combine flour, soda and spices together and add to creamed mixture alternately with coffee (may need a little more or little less coffee) until stiff dough is formed.  Drop by small ice cream scoops on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375º for 8 minutes.  Remove immediately and cool on wire racks.  Yield 3½ dozen or so.

© Crackerberries 2011

Tuna Pea Wiggle

Theoretically pea wiggle is served over noodles, hence the wiggle.  We like the biscuit version better.  We keep the name the same because Tuna Pea Biscuit just doesn’t sound right.

BISCUITS

3 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

¾ cup Crisco

1 Tbsp sugar

¾ tsp cream of tartar

1 cup skim milk

¼ cup heavy cream

½ Tbsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 450º.  Combine milk, cream and lemon juice, mix well and set aside.  In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar and cream of tartar; mix well.  Cut in Crisco with pastry cutter or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Make well in center of mixture and pour milk in all at once.  Stir just until moistened.  Drop by ice cream scoops on lightly grease cookie sheet.  Bake 450º 12-14 minutes.

TUNA PEA WIGGLE

1½ cup skim milk

½ cup heavy cream

½ Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

½ tsp turmeric

Salt & pepper to taste

1 can tuna fish, drained

3 hard boiled eggs, sliced

1 cup frozen peas

Combine milk, cream and lemon juice, mix well and set aside.  In medium sauce pan melt butter over medium heat.  Stir in flour; pour in milk slowly, stirring vigorously.  Cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens; add tuna, peas and eggs.  Sprinkle with turmeric.  Serve over biscuits or egg noodles if you prefer.

© Crackerberries 2011

Plain Ole Peach Pie

10 inch Crisco Double Pie Crust

6 cups fresh sliced peaches

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 cup (and then some) sugar

¼ cup corn starch

1 tsp cinnamon

6 tsp butter

1 egg

Preheat oven to 425º.  Add lemon juice to peaches.  Stir one cup sugar and cornstarch together with cinnamon.  Add to peaches and mix well.  Pour peaches into unbaked pie crust.  Dot with butter; cover with top crust and flute the edges.  Cut a few vent holes in top of crust for steam. 

Beat egg in small bowl; brush over top of crust and sprinkle with a little sugar.  Bake at 425º for ten minutes.  Reduce heat to 350º and continue baking for 45 minutes longer.  If edges of crust begin to brown too quickly, cover edges with aluminum foil.

Cool, serve with whipped cream or ice cream; store leftover pie  in fridge.

© Crackerberries 2011

Margarita Chicken

1½ lb chicken leg pieces

¼ cup tequila

¼ cup honey

¼ cup vegetable oil

1/8 cup lime juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp basil leaves

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp margarita salt

Remove skin first for healthier chicken.  Marinate overnight (at least 8 hours).  Discard marinade and grill on low for about 45 minutes turning often.  Internal temperature should be 180º.

© Crackerberries 2011

Cornbread Quiche

CRUST

2/3 cup yellow corn meal

2/3 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup butter flavored Crisco

2 Tbsp sugar

1 egg

1 Tbsp water

FILLING

2/3 cup half+half

2 eggs

1 Tbsp basil

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

2 Tbsp minced onions

2 Tbsp bacon bits

1¾ cup corn (fresh or frozen)

Preheat oven to 350º.

Combine corn meal, flour and sugar together and mix well.  Add shortening and mix until crumbly; add egg and mix well.  Add water if needed. 

Press crust in quiche dish making it thick up the sides of the dish.  Cover with aluminum foil, press against crust; bake for 10 minutes, remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Meanwhile beat eggs and add half & half, pepper, basil, onions and bacon bits.  Mix well.  Fold in corn.  Pour mixture over hot crust and smooth corn evenly over top.  Bake 350º for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

© Crackerberries 2011

The Un-Classic Meatloaf

With food prices sky-rocketing anything to make food go longer is a good thing.  This meatloaf recipe makes a little meat go a long ways.

¾ lb ground beef

¼ lb bulk sausage

1 large clove garlic, minced

½ cup rolled oats

¼ cup potato flakes

1 egg

¼ cup BBQ sauce

1 small onion, diced

1 tsp marjoram

Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix well.  Form into loaf in greased baking dish.  Garnish with ketchup if desired.  Bake 350º for 50 minutes.  

© Crackerberries 2011

The Best Lasagna

Before you make the best lasagna you must spend a whole day making the best spaghetti sauce.   

1 package lasagna

15 oz ricotta cheese

1 cup cottage cheese

1 cup Romano cheese

4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

2 eggs

1 Tbsp basil leaves

4 cups spaghetti sauce

In large bowl combine ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, Romano cheese, eggs and basil leaves; mix well. 

Cook lasagna according to package directions and drain.

Start with a layer of sauce on the bottom of a well grease lasagna pan.  Put a layer of noodles, then ricotta mixture, top with sauce and mozzarella cheese; layer three times with final topping being the mozzarella cheese.  Bake 350º for one hour; let stand 15 minutes before digging in.

© Crackerberries 2011

Weenie In A Beanie Wrap

I am forever trying to use up leftover Saturday beans. Chili is good, but sometimes tedious. Who doesn’t love beans and hotdogs? This is sort of a take on pigs in blanket but different. First, spice up the leftover beans with some red pepper flakes, cumin and garlic powder. Then make up a batch of garlic herb dough in the bread machine. Use your imagination ooh, doggie.

4 hotdogs

1 medium onion

1 cup baked beans

Bread dough

Ketchup

Mustard

Garlic Herb Dough

 

1 cup water (70º-80º)

2 Tbsp butter flavored Crisco

1 egg

3¼ cups flour

¼ cup sugar

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp basil

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp tarragon leaves

Select dough setting. When finished, divide dough in half and freeze half for another meal. Divide into 4 portions and roll out into 6x4 inch rectangles. Place one dog on each blanket; slit dogs down center, not cutting all the way through; fill with ketchup or mustard. Sprinkle with chopped onion, spoon ¼ cup beans over dog and roll up. Press seams together to seal. Place on greased baking dish and let rise for about 30 minutes. Bake 375º for about 20 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with a dill pickle and more ketchup or mustard if desired.

© Crackerberries 2011

The Ultimate Reuben

4 slices pumpernickel bread

¼ lb thinly sliced corned beef
4 Tbsp sauerkraut, well drained
2 Tbsp Thousand Island dressing
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 slices Swiss cheese
1 tbsp margarine

Drain sauerkraut on paper towels; heat griddle to medium (340º). Combine mustard and dressing together and mix well. Divide corned beef between two slices of bread, top with sauerkraut, cheese and dressing. Cover with remaining two slices of bread. Spread margarine on the outside of both sides of sandwich. Place on griddle; grill on each side until golden brown and cheese is melted. Serve with Dug’s spicy sweet potato fries.

1 medium sweet potato, peeled & julienned
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp chili powder
1 tsp pepper
½ tsp kosher salt

Preheat oven 375º

Combine all spices together and mix well; spread sweet potatoes on greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with vegetable oil and toss lightly to spread over all potatoes. Sprinkle with spices and toss again. Bake in 375º for 20 minutes then toss and return to oven for another 20-30 minutes until fries are done. Serve with honey mustard or ranch dressing.

© Crackerberries 2011

Banana Butterscotch Pie

1 pastry crust
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup corn starch
12 oz evaporated milk
1½ cup skim milk
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp maple extract
5 bananas



For pastry crust, combine 1 cup all purpose flour, ½ tsp salt, 1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp shortening; mix together until particles are the size of tiny peas. Sprinkle with water and mix only enough for dough to come away from sides of bowl. Form into ball. Roll out pastry and ease into pie plate. Prick with a fork and bake in 425º oven for 10-15 minutes.

Combine sugar and corn starch in large sauce pan with milk. Mix well; cook over medium heat until mixture begins to boil—stirring constantly. Add a little of the hot mixture to the egg yolks and then add all back into the hot mixture. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat, add butter and maple extract. Cool in sauce pan to lukewarm. Slice bananas and place in bottom of cooked pastry crust. Pour cooled pudding mixture over bananas. Chill for at least three hours. Garnish with whipped cream and more bananas if desired.

© Crackerberries 2011

New England Boiled Dinner

Most people think of corned beef and cabbage as the traditional Saint Patrick’s Day dinner. It’s actually a New England boiled dinner. We ate most of it before I realized I didn’t take a picture, so I tried to make the leftovers presentable. Traditionally a New England boiled dinner is made with parsnips or turnips; parsnips give me hives so I replaced them with beets. That will work out perfect for my corned beef hash tomorrow.

4 lbs corned beef
1 package of petites carrots
1 medium onion, quartered
3 large potatoes, peeled & quartered
3 fresh beets
1 head cabbage cut into wedges
2 bay leaves
1 tsp peppercorns
1 tsp basil leaves

Cover meat with cold water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, covered 4 hours.

Add cabbage, cook for 15 minutes.

Quarter beets and place in separate sauce pan to cook for about 45 minutes. (I cook the beet separately so that they do not turn the other vegetables red).

Add potatoes and carrots; cook for 30 minutes. Remove meat and cut into pieces; place vegetables strategically around meat.

Serve with horseradish mustard and plenty of vinegar for the cabbage and beets. The pumpernickel bread in the background will make for excellent Rueben’s tonight.

© Crackerberries 2011

Irish Bread Pudding

Happy Saint ♣ Patrick's Day

My Grandmother Averill was born 87 years ago today, (may she rest in peace) — does that make me Irish?  (ha ha)!  We always make a loaf of bread to go with Sat-day "beans, bath and tail" and one thing we found is once you have bread fresh out of the oven with the butter melting down your hands as you eat it, it just doesn’t taste the same cold or even heated up the next day. I kept finding these few pieces of bread accumulating in the refrigerator so I decided bread pudding was a good way to use up the leftover pieces.

And what better day than to have some good old fashion Irish Bread Pudding for dessert after a meal of Corned Beef and Cabbage?  (OK, so it's not really a traditional Irish recipe, I just made that up.)

8 slices day old bread (lightly toasted)
½ cup raisins
½ cup Bailey’s Irish Cream (use brandy you like)
¼ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp allspice
3 eggs
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups milk, *scalded & cooled

Cover raisins with Bailey’s Irish Cream; set aside for a few hours.

Preheat oven 325°

Spread 1½ tsp butter on each slice of bread and cut into 1 inch cubes; set aside. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon and all spice; reserve 3 Tbsp for later use. Toss bread crumbs with mixture. Place ½ bread mixture in lightly greased 1½ Qt casserole baking dish.

Drain raisins (drink up); place ½ raisins over bread. Repeat layers. Combine eggs, salt and vanilla in mixing bowl, beat med speed for 1 min, gradually adding scalded milk. Pour over casserole and let stand 5 min.

Sprinkle with reserved 3 tbsp spice mixture. Bake 325° for 45-50 min. Serve warm with vanilla Sauce.

• Scalding milk is bringing just below the boiling point.

Irish Vanilla Sauce

½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar firmly packed
½ cup whipping cream
¼ cup Bailey's Irish Cream
½ cup butter
1 tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients except the vanilla and the Bailey's in 1 qt saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until mixture thickens and comes to a full boil (5-8 min). Stir in vanilla and Irish Cream. Serve over warm pudding; store surplus in refrigerator.

© Crackerberries 2011