Sandy K's Meat Tarts

1 lb lean ground beef

1 cup bread crumbs, cubed from crusts

½ lb cheddar cheese

1 egg

1 tin mushroom soup

1 cup chopped mushrooms

½ cup chopped onion

1 chopped green pepper

2 loaves day-old brown bread

garlic powder to taste

With large tart cutter, cut each slice bread. 

Cut crusts off. 

Butter each slice and place buttered-side-down in muffin tin. 

Fry beef. 

Add other ingredients and fold in cubed crusts. 

Fill muffin tins with mixture and bake 350F 20-30 minutes. 

These freeze and reheat well.

Katherine’s Kentucky Fried Tofu and Gravy

2 tb olive oil

2 tb sesame seeds

1 lb tofu sliced into 8 pieces

½ c nutritional yeast

2 tb samari sauce

Heat oil, add sesame seeds and let them sizzle. 

Dredge tofu in nutritional yeast. 

When oil and seeds are hot, fry tofu slices. 

Drizzle tamari sauce over all. 

Remove from pan.

Gravy:

½ c soy margarine (I used regular margarine)

½ c flour

1 to 1½ c soy milk (I used cow’s milk)

salt, pepper, tamari

Melt margarine in the tofu pan with any remaining nutrional yeast that has fallen off the tofu. 

Stir in flour; let it brown. 

Add milk; stir till thickened. 

Add salt, pepper and tamari to taste.

Mary Jo’s Butter

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

Run these through a blender together and keep the end result in the fridge. It tastes like butter but is spreadable like margarine, and much healthier!

Coffee Creamer

"Strain creamer through a fine mesh sieve to prevent any spices floating in coffee. If this doesn’t matter to you, skip this step. The creamers keep for about 10 days in the fridge. Each recipe makes 2 cups."

Cinnamon Strudel Creamer

1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Whisk together milk, cream, maple syrup and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat. Stir in extracts. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Almond

1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons cacao powder 
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon almond extract

Whisk together milk, cream, cacao powder, and maple syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat and stir in almond extract. Pour in a glass container and store in the refrigerator.

Pumpkin Spice

1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons pureed pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk together milk, cream, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, and maple syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator.

French Vanilla

1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 vanilla bean
Whisk together milk, cream and maple syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cut vanilla bean in half, and scrape out seeds. Add seeds and vanilla bean to milk mixture. Turn off heat, cover the pot and steep for 30 minutes. After mixture has steeped, strain through a fine mesh sieve, pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator. (If you don’t have a vanilla bean on hand, simply replace it with 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract)

Peppermint Mocha

1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons cacao
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Whisk together milk, cream, maple syrup, and cacao in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat and stir in the peppermint extract. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator.

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Article printed from Deliciously Organic: http://deliciouslyorganic.net

Cinnamon and Chicken Stew

For the most flavour and juiciness, cook the chicken on the bone.

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 medium onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon minced, peeled fresh ginger

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas (or 3 and 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas)

1/2 small lemon, seeded and finely chopped, plus wedges for serving

4 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped

3 sticks cinnamon

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces, skin removed

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

Heat a large stockpot over medium heat and add oil. Add onion, ginger, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until onions are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add cumin and stir for 30 seconds. Add chickpeas, lemon, tomatoes and cinnamon; cook until tomatoes soften slightly, about 3 minutes.

Season chicken with 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; add to pot. Add 1 and 1/2 cups water, nestling chicken into liquid. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook, partially covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes. Remove chicken.

Continue cooking over high heat to reduce slightly if necessary, crushing some chickpeas to thicken. Stir in cilantro. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Spoon chickpeas and liquid into serving bowls, top with chicken. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lemon.

Oven-Baked French Toast

2/3 c butter
2 tb. honey
3 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 c milk
1/4 c orange juice
6 slices of frozen bread (frozen bread is much easier to dip)
Maple syrup (optional)

Put butter and honey in 9x13 pan.

Place in oven to melt.
Stir melted honey and butter together, then sprinkle 2 tsp cinnamon over top.
Beat together eggs, salt, milk, orange juice and remaining 1 tsp cinnamon.
Dip both sides of bread in egg mixture.

Place in pan in a single layer.
Put in oven at 350F for 25 minutes.

Serve each slice upside down, so the honey/butter coating is on top.
Drizzle with maple syrup.

Adapted from Cooks.com

Scott's Tomato Soup

1 dutch oven full of tomatoes, clean and cut, not peeled

1/2 bunch celery

2 large onions

Cook until soft.

Add:

1/8 c salt

1 tsp pepper

1/4 c sugar

To thicken, heat separately till mixed:

 1/2 c margarine or butter 

 1/2 c flour

Add thickening to tomato mixture. 

Blend or process.

Package for freezing.

When you thaw it for soup, you can add up to an equal amount of milk.

Chili Bean Pasta

4 tb olive oil

2½ c chopped onion

2/3 c chopped green pepper

2 x 14-ounce cans mashed tomatoes

2 x 14-ounce cans kidney beans, drained

2 x 14-ounce cans tomato sauce

3 c grated cheddar cheese

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp salt

4 c elbow macaroni

boiling water

In large pot, sauté chopped vegetables in oil till soft.

Add next 7 ingredients; heat and stir till mixture simmers.

Boil macaroni in separate pot. Drain and add to sauce, and serve.

*From Jean Paré’s pasta cookbook

Classic Stewed Cabbage

When you look at the ingredients in this recipe, you may think "Boring ... ." But no. If you like cabbage, you'll like this simple, easy stew. I've made it with plain tomatoes (not stewed) and with veg oil (not butter).

·     1/4 c butter

2 onions, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 medium head cabbage, cut into squares

1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid

Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. 

Add onion, celery, and garlic and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, or until translucent. 

Stir in cabbage, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes.


 Pour in tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Cover pan and cook over medium heat for 30 to 40 minutes, or until cabbage is tender.

This recipe came from FB.

Tomato Sauce

The most basic of basics and this time of year, especially, people are looking for things to do to use up fresh garden tomatoes. 

4 c chopped tomatoes

2 tb honey

1 small onion, diced

2 tb olive oil

1 tsp salt, or to taste

2 cloves garlic

4 tb basil (fresh) or 1 tb (dried)

Pinch of oregano, fresh or dried

Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer a half hour.

To this you can add almost anything; say, mushrooms or green peppers. Just sauté them for a few minutes before adding the above ingredients and cooking the sauce. Sometimes I also add a thickener like tomato paste.

Johnnycake

1 c flour

2 tb sugar

4 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 c cornmeal

1 egg

1 c milk

1 tb melted butter

Mix dry ingredients.

Beat egg, add milk, add both to dry ingredients.

Mix thoroughly.

Add butter.

Put batter in greased 8-inch square cake pan.

Bake in preheated 350F oven for 30 minutes.

This is the recipe my friend Cathy C. used to make cornbread 30 years ago when we were in Katimavik (and at the age when you are always hungry, so this was particularly a treat), and I still like this version best. Buttered, of course. 

Quesadillas

Perfect for a Friday evening after a long day's work.

4 c grated cheddar

whole wheat soft tortillas

chopped green pepper

chopped onion

chopped mushrooms

sliced olives

salsa

sour cream

Lay tortilla on cookie sheet sprinkled lightly with cornmeal. 

Put a thin layer of cheese under a mixture of veggies, and add another thin layer of cheese before laying another tortilla on top. 

Press down gently. 

Bake at 375F for about 5 minutes.  

Remove from oven, slice into pie-shaped wedges, and serve with salsa and sour cream.

Hair Spray

     

Chop a lemon and boil it in two cups of water until volume is reduced to half. 

Strain and refrigerate in spray bottle.

Chocolate Cake à la Joanne Bohl

I grew up eating cake made from cake mixes, and so I actually preferred them to a homemade chocolate cake. That is, until Joanne shared this recipe with me. Cake mixes don't hold a candle to it.

Mix together:
2 c sugar
2 c flour
3/4 c cocoa
2 tsp baking soda

Add:
1/2 c oil
3 eggs
1 c sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

Beat.

Add:
1 c strong, brewed coffee

Bake at 350F for 40 minutes in a greased 9x12 pan.

Sweet’n’Sour Delish (with Meatless Meatballs)

My dad likes your standard meat 'n' potatoes fare, but I served this once and he didn't know it wasn't "real" meatballs.

3 tbsp veg oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, grated

1 green pepper, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

¼ c sesame seeds (use sesame oil in second part of recipe if you don’t have these)

Sauté onion, carrot, green pepper, garlic and seseame seeds in first oil till tender, about 10 minutes.

2 eggs

1 c breadcrumbs

3/4 c walnuts, ground or finely chopped

¼ chopped parsley (1 tb dry)

1 tb dijon mustard

1 and ½ tb sesame oil

3 tb soya sauce

1 tsp ground fennel seed

3/4 tsp oregano

black pepper

1 pkg tofu (350 g)

In a bowl, lightly beat eggs, add bread crumbs and then remaining ingredients. 

Mash the tofu, which you have pressed the moisture out of by pressing gently between two clean cloths, and add to bowl. 

Mix well and form one-and-one-half inch balls, make into patties or pat into an 8”x8” oiled pan. 

Bake at 350F for 20-30 mins.

Sauce:

In a pot combine:

1 clove garlic or ½ tsp garlic powder

1 and ½ c brown sugar

3 heaping tb cornstarch

½ tsp salt

Add:

½ c vinegar

¼ c lemon juice

3 c water

Cook until thick and clear.

Add: 1 can crushed pineapple (1-1/2 c fresh, chopped, if you’ve got it).

For balls, add them to sauce, then cover and cook over low heat 5 minutes.

For all, serve over brown rice and spoon sauce over top.

Joan's Bran Muffins

½ c oil

1/2 c honey

3/4 c molasses

4 eggs, lightly beaten

6 mashed bananas

2 c whole wheat flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt (optional)

3 c bran

½ c chocolate chips (optional)

A good way to use up overripe bananas that may be languishing in your freezer. 

If you have no bananas on hand, substitute 2 cups of milk.

Mix together (don’t overmix; just till the dry ingredients are wet) and fill lined (with cupcake papers) or greased muffin tins about 2/3 full. 

Bake in preheated 375F oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out dry. 

Makes two dozen.

Cream of Carrot Soup

3 c sliced carrots

3 tb white flour

½ c boiling water

¾ tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

½ c chopped onions

1 to 1½ c skim milk powder

3 tb butter

3 c cold water

Cook carrots in boiling salted water till tender, about 10 minutes, and press through sieve with cooking liquid. 

Sauté onion in butter till transparent. 

Blend in flour and seasonings and gradually add cold water. 

Stir and cook till smooth and thick. 

Add carrots and heat.

Using the sieve gives it a nice creamy texture but instead you can mash a few of the carrots to thicken the soup.

Raisin Rye Bread

Are you brave enough to try this one? 

2 and 2/3 c raisins

2 and 2/3 c water

Cook 1 minute and drain, reserving liquid.

Mix dry ingredients and add wet to them:

8 c rye flour

10 and 2/3 c whole wheat flour

1 and 1/3 tsp caraway seed (make it 2 if you like caraway a lot)

5 and 1/3 tsp instant yeast (I use Fermipan)

½ c molasses

1/3 c cider vinegar

5 tb oil

4 tb lemon juice (if you’re using organic flour; this is a dough conditioner)

Add enough water to raisin water to equal 6 and 2/3 c.

Knead 20 minutes, dipping your hands into water often; the dough will be very heavy but you will add moisture in this way. Do not knead on a floured surface; layer water on your surface if need be; flour will make your bread heavier than it’s already going to be.

If using a kneading machine – not a single-loaf breadmaker — add 2 cups of water to the original measure.

Add raisins near the end of kneading.

Let rise, covered with a damp tea towel, in a warm place for 1 and ½ hours.

Punch down and let rise 45 minutes.

Shape into 8 loaves and let rise again, in warm place, for 30 minutes.

Bake one hour at 350F.

Turnips and Veggies au Gratin

This is a very different dish, a fine way to prepare turnips, and just a little bit fancy.

1¼ c boiling water

1 tsp salt

1 small turnip cut into finger strips

1 large onion, quartered

1 c celery, cut into half-inch slices

½ green pepper, cut into strips

2 tb cornstarch

¼ c cold water

1 tb butter

½ c grated cheddar cheese

Bring water to boil, add salt.

Add turnip and onion; cook gently, covered, for 15 minutes.

Add celery and green pepper and cook till all are tender-crisp.

Drain and reserve liquid in another pot. Keep drained veggies warm. (You should have 1 c drained liquid.)

Stir cornstarch with ¼ c cold water and make a paste. Add to reserved liquid.

Stir in cheese and butter. Stir till melted and add veggies. Heat thoroughly.

*Reprinted from Veggie Mania, by Cathy Prange and Joan Pauli

Kahlua

3 c sugar

1 c hot water

5 tb instant coffee

1 tb vanilla

13 oz vodka 

Dissolve sugar in water; set to cool. 

Dissolve coffee in ¼ c boiling water. 

Add vanilla. 

Add coffee mixture to syrup mixture. 

Pour in vodka. 

Shake to mix. 

Makes 29 oz.

I find this sweeter than necessary -- after all, it's usually going to be poured over ice and have milk added to it to make a delicious cocktail -- and often cut down the sugar portion by a third.

Popeye Pasta

I always find this one a little labour-intensive but it's well worth it. It's something different; a special occasion sort of meal:


8 ounces angel hair or capellini pasta

1 tb salt

1 tb cooking oil

2 c diced roma (or any) tomatoes

3 garlic cloves, minced or chopped

2 tb olive oil

3 c coarsely chopped fresh spinach, tightly packed

1 tb balsamic vinegar

¾ tsp dried marjoram

½ tsp salt

pinch sugar

sprinkle pepper

1 c crumbled feta cheese

Add first amount oil to cooked pasta and keep warm. 

Meanwhile sauté tomato and garlic in second amount oil in large frying pan for two minutes. 

Add next six ingredients; heat and stir one minute until spinach wilts and heats through. 

Pour over pasta, add feta and toss.

Drop Biscuits

Is there anyone who doesn't love biscuits? Maybe just the cook, who has done all the rolling out and cutting of them. Which is why I prefer this recipe. None of that extra time and mess is required! Just drop onto a baking sheet and voila!

½ c shortening

2 c flour (all white, all whole wheat, or half and half)

1 tb sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 c milk

Heat oven to 450F.

Cut shortening into dry ingredients with pastry blender or two table knives, until mixture resembles fine crumbs. 

Stir in milk, then drop dough by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet and bake about 12 minutes. Immediately remove from cookie sheet.

Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce

This sounds too plain and, to be honest, doesn't sound particularly appetizing. (Needs a new name?  Hm. Eggs Toledo!) But is it ever tasty. 

The tomato mixture can be made ahead but poach the eggs just before serving.

1 tb olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

5 drops Tabasco or other hot sauce

28 oz (796 ml) plum tomatoes, pureed

½ tsp salt and pepper, or to taste

½ c water if necessary

4 eggs, or up to 8

1 tb chopped fresh parsley

4 slices focaccia bread

2 tb olive oil

¼ tsp salt

Sauté onion and garlic in first amount of oil; sauté on medium-low heat till fragrant, but do not brown. 

Add Tabasco and cook a few minutes. 

Add tomatoes, bring to a boil and cook gently on medium heat till sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. 

Season with salt and pepper; add water if sauce gets too thick.

Carefully slide each raw egg into the sauce and poach 5 to 7 minutes, partially covered.

Meanwhile brush bread slices with olive oil and season lightly with salt or other favourite seasoning. Grill bread in 400F oven for 10 minutes; it should be crusty outside and chewy in the centre.

Serve eggs and sauce on or with grilled bread, and sprinkle with parsley.

I used diced tomatoes for the sauce, and accompanied the eggs with grilled honey-oatmeal bread. This is a really nice way to do the "toast," and adds a great deal to the outcome here.

Carrot Salad

1 lb carrots

½ c raisins

½ c chopped peanuts

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

2 tsp grated lemon rind

2 tb lemon juice

1¾ c sour cream

Coarsely grate carrots. 

Mix carrots, raisins, peanuts, salt and pepper. 

Blend lemon rind, juice and sour cream. 

Pour over carrot mixture and toss thoroughly. 

Casserole Cauliflower Loves Rice

1 cup brown or wild rice cooked with 2 c water

1 cup shredded swiss cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 head of cauliflower, chopped

Cook the rice.

Preheat oven to 400F.

In casserole dish, mix everything into the cooked rice but save some cheese to sprinkle on top.

Bake uncovered 20 minutes.

You can add other vegetables; root vegetables work best. You want something that will still have texture after being baked. For extra protein you could always add leftover meat or beans.

Julie's Hot Thai Soup

Just what I need to help me fight off this sore throat/ head cold that is trying to afflict itself on me! I am going for a record one year without a cold; I just have to make it till Thanksgiving.

I'm sure there is some lemongrass in the pantry somewhere, but I haven't seen tofu in the Wadena grocery store for a long, long time.

4 c vegetable broth

1 tsp chopped ginger root

a few bits of lime zest

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp powdered lemon grass (or 1 fresh lemon grass bulb, crushed, or ½ tsp lime zest)

½ package firm tofu, cubed

4 shallots, thinly sliced (or 8 green onions, chopped)

3 or more fresh chilis, chopped, with seeds

2 tbsp soya sauce

2 c fresh mushrooms, chopped

4 kaffir lime leaves (or ½ to 1 tsp lime zest)

juice of half a lime (about 1 tbsp)

½ tsp pepper

1/3 c chopped cilantro

1 can baby corn

Bring first 11 ingredients to a boil. 

Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. 

Turn off heat and add remaining ingredients.

Julie says the real ingredients are better than lime zest, and that this is an immunity booster and tonic for nausea and head colds.

Bean Dish

I was late getting out of the house this morning but by cracky, I promised you a recipe a day and you are going to get one!
Bean Dish is always a favourite at potlucks, as long as they aren't vegetarian potlucks.

Cut up, fry separately, and drain fat from:

¾ lb bacon 

1 lb hamburger

Add 1 can lima beans, 1 can kidney beans and 1 can brown beans.

Add 3 heaping tb brown sugar and ½ c ketchup.

Simmer over low heat, covered, for a half-hour or longer; they say the longer you cook it, the better it is. Stir every once in a while to make sure it's not scorching on the bottom. 

Excellent with minced onion added during the meat-frying stage, if you're an onion-lover, as I am.

I'm having a hard time deciding whether to list this in the index under Main Courses or Sides. It's perfectly satisfying as a main course, served with toast or a bun, kind of like chili is. 

* This recipe was shared with me by a high school friend, Sue, who is an excellent cook.

One Quart Pickles à la Karen

You aren't always making a big batch of dill pickles. Sometimes there are just enough cucumbers for one jar. 

Put several garlic cloves, fresh dill and small cucumbers in one-quart jar.

Add 2 tb pickling salt and 2 tb sugar.

Bring ¾ cup vinegar to a boil, put in jar, add boiling water to fill. 
Put lid on and shake jar until sugar and salt dissolve.

Add:

2 tb coarse salt

1 tb white sugar

1/2 c vinegar

Pinch of alum

Add more fresh dill, fix with ice cold water and seal jar.

Shake jar a couple of times a day for the first day or two.

Pickles will be ready to eat in ... hm, I'll check that and get back to you!

***
An email to Karen elicited this reply:

"You know, I'm not sure! I usually just put mine in the fridge."

So there you have it. 

I think I'd give 'em a week or two before eating, but ... 

Whole-Wheat Doughnuts

2 eggs

1 tsp salt

1 c brown sugar

2/3 c sour cream or buttermilk

1 tsp baking soda

3 c whole-wheat flour

Beat eggs till light; add salt and brown sugar; beat again till thick and smooth. 

Mix soda with buttermilk or sour cream and add to first mixture. 

Add flour till dough is of consistency to handle. 

Roll on floured board, cut with doughnut cutter and fry in deep oil. 

Drain on brown paper.

 Reprinted from Eat, Drink and Be Healthy: the Joy of Eating Natural Foods, by Agnes Toms

Alisa's Baked Fries

Cut washed potatoes into french-fry strips.

Toss with a few tablespoons of olive oil till well covered.

Layer on a baking sheet.

Bake in preheated 400-425F oven till crisp and brown, a half-hour or longer, turning at least once during cooking.

Top fries with a mixture of minced sage, parsley, oregano and/or rosemary, and garlic.

Bake another 5 minutes or until the garlic is browned.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Some simple and unique dipping sauces:

Curry Dipping Sauce

generous sprinkle of curry powder

mayo

1 pinch of sugar or a drizzle of honey

Spicy Mustard Dipping Sauce

spicy brown mustard

mayo

salt and pepper

Cilantro Dipping Sauce

Ffnely minced cilantro

mayo

*This recipe found at Alisa Burke's website. Go check out her art and craft ideas. You will be inspired.