Corn in the Slow Cooker

A recipe Karen was following for a catering job on the weekend looked like something I’d like to make here at home:

Hamburger Chop Suey

Another one of my favourites. Can you tell I have a weakness for ground beef?

3 lg stalks celery, sliced thin
1 medium onion, chopped fine
3 tbsp oil
1 lb ground beef
2 tbsp miso bean paste (or 1 cube beef bouillon) mixed in 1/2 c boiling water
1 can water chestnuts (or fresh mushrooms)
2 and 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp pepper
2 tbsp soya sauce
2 tbsp cold water
1 pkg bean sprouts or chop suey vegetables

Brown beef, remove from pan, and drain it.
Saute onions and celery in oil over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes. Add beef.
Mix cornstarch, sugar, pepper, soya sauce and cold water into a smooth paste. Add to meat mixture and stir thoroughly.

Mix in sprouts or veggies and water chestnuts. Heat thoroughly and serve with steamed rice.

Original recipe: Eat, Drink and Be Healthy, by Agnes Tom. If I could only take one recipe book with me to a desert island for the rest of my life, this would be the one.

Mom's Chocolate Chip Cookies

As opposed to "Dad's" cookies ...

1 c butter (or peanut butter, or margarine)
1 and 1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 and 1/2 c flour
1 and 1/2 c oatmeal
1/2 c coconut
1/2 c walnuts
1 c chocolate chips (or 1/2 c each chocolate and butterscotch chips)

Roll into balls and flatten.
Bake at 350F for 10-15 minutes or until slightly browned around the edges.

Chocolate Syrup

Dandy on ice cream.

1 and 1/3 c dry cocoa
2 and 1/4 c white sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 and 1/3 c boiling water
1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan combine cocoa, sugar and salt.
Gradually stir in boiling water.
Stir frequently over medium heat until smooth and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Stir in vanilla.
Stores for 10-12 weeks in fridge.

Drop Cookies

Quick and easy because the base is the MASTER MIX.

3 c Master Mix
1 c brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 c water
1 tbsp vanilla
1/3 c nuts and/or
1/2 c chocolate chips

 Use your hands to mix the dough, then roll spoonfuls into small balls and flatten them slightly with a fork OR drop the dough by teaspoon or tablespoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375F for 10-12 minutes.

These were even better the second day, and didn't last beyond that evening.

The dough may seem to be too dry once you've mixed it, but be patient; it takes a minute or two for everything to moisten. It will.

The original recipe is on a blue sheet of paper with the master mix recipe and a variety of recipes to use it in. Where it came from, I don't recall.

I found these cookies less sweet than I prefer, so I improved them by adding 1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut and an extra 1/2 cup of brown sugar. And -- why not -- a cup of oatmeal. Surprisingly, no extra liquid was required. Here's how they looked:

 

In both cases, I baked them for the full 12 minutes, then left them on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes after taking them out of the oven.

Chicken Wings

These were made with only minor variations from the original recipe. They were crispy, delicious, and not sticky or messy! You could make sauces to dip them in, but I didn't. We ate these with our fingers, no muss, no fuss.

1/3 c flour
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 tbsp butter
20 chicken wings, tips removed

Preheat oven to 425F and melt butter on cookie sheet. Mix dry ingredients in a bag and toss thawed, dry (remove moisture with paper towel) wings in mix to coat. Place wings on pan and turn them once before baking for 30 minutes, then turn again and bake another 15 minutes.

Original recipe: www.food.com/recipe/oven-crisp-chicken-wings-40497

Fruit Dip

My friend Bev has been spending a few days with us and she made this simple and delicious dip for a fruit platter.

1 container of Cool Whip
1 package of vanilla pudding

Mix the two and then add a two-ounce bottle of Disoronno liqueur.

Chill if there is time before you devour this. Ooh la la.

We cut up a variety of things for a fruit salad and this dip is mouthwatering.

Bacon Quiche

This is made using the home-made Master Mix.

1 c Master Mix
4 eggs
2 c milk
12 cooked slices bacon
1 c grated cheese
1/3 c grated onion
salt and pepper

Put bacon, cheese and onion in quiche pan. Mix all other ingredients together till smooth and pour on top. Bake at 375F for 55 minutes.

*I made this the other night and threw everything in together all at once, and it turned out fine.

Biscuits with Master Mix

Makes one dozen.

3 c Master Mix
3/4 c water
1 c grated cheese (optional)

Blend, knead 10 strokes with fork. Pat out and make biscuits with cutter. Place on sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 450F.

To wangle out of the rolling and cutting business, I've made this with one cup of milk in place of the water, no kneading, and then dropped the dough by large spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet. 

Master Mix

Can be stored at room temperature for months and can be used to prepare more than a dozen dishes.

5 lbs all-purpose flour (I use 8 c white, 6 c whole wheat; if all white and pre-sifted, 16-18 cups)
3/4 c baking powder
2 and 1/2 c powdered milk
2 tb cream of tartar
3 tb salt
2 lbs vegetable shortening (I used Crisco)
1/2 c sugar

Combine and mix with hands for about five minutes. You'll have about 30 cups of mix.

Things you can make with it:
Biscuits
Bacon Quiche
Drop Cookies

I'll add others as I try them.

Lentil and Barley Stew

1/4 c butter
1/3 c chopped onion
1/2 c chopped celery
2 and 1/2 c skinned chopped fresh or canned tomatoes
2 c water
1/2 c dried brown lentils, picked over and washed
1/3 c pot barley
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp rosemary
1/3 c grated carrots

Melt the butter and sauté the onions till tender. Add celery and sauté another five minutes.
Add remaining ingredients except carrot.
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer gently 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add carrots and cook five minutes longer or until barley and lentils are tender.

I made Cornmeal Dumplings with these so it was a good thing I used about a half-cup more water than this recipe called for and probably an extra half-cup of canned diced tomatoes too. With the dumplings the dish could've used even more broth.

We had this stew with brown rice. It made a tasty and filling bowl.

Where this recipe came from, I cannot say. It's on a photocopied sheet of paper taped into the old binder where I keep my stray recipes. On the same sheet are recipes for lentil-millet patties, lentil stew, lentil loaf and lentil burgers. Woo hoo! I love lentils.

Potato Pancakes

I like potatoes, but I get tired of having them boiled, baked, and fried ... and we eat them regularly because Mr. Stubblejumper cannot get enough potatoes potatoes potatoes. He'd eat them three time a day, every day, and never complain. I think he's actually disappointed when we have pasta or rice. I make scalloped potatoes and potato soup and so on, and last night I tried these pancakes and loved them. I was afraid all that oil they soaked up might give us a bellyache later, but it didn't. 

Preheat oven to 200F.

4 large potatoes, peeled and grated
1 yellow onion, grated
Squeeze out or drain off the extra liquid.

Add:
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp flour
pepper to taste

I had run out of onions (banish the thought!), so threw in the little bit of onion left in the fridge and added a teaspoon or so each of onion powder and garlic powder.

Use enough vegetable or canola oil to cover the bottom of a heavy frying pan to about 1/4 inch. The original recipe calls for two cups, but it will depend upon the size of the pan. It also says to cook over medium-high heat, but the oil started smoking so I turned the heat down to medium.

Gently squeeze 1/4-cup scoops into loose balls and set them into the hot oil, then use a fork to flatten them to a half-inch. Fry, turning once, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in the oven till they're all cooked.


Because of the oil, I won't make these often. But because they're so damn delicious, I surely will make them again. Emil and I shared the leftover one today, and it was even good cold.


Original recipe: http://allrecipes.com

Cornmeal Dumplings

These were made last night to go with a stew of chicken thighs with sautéed onion, celery and garlic. I'm nuts about cornbread so these dumplings were right up my alley.

Have your stew/soup/stock simmering.

Sift together:
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

In another bowl, beat:
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk

Combine the two mixtures and stir in:
1 tablespoon melted butter

Drop the batter from a spoon into the hot liquid. Cover the pan and simmer for about 15 minutes.

*Original recipe: The Joy of Cooking. It says "remove them at once from the liquor." I didn't and they were still delicious.

Grandma Benson's Boiled Salad Dressing

This was a staple in Grandma's kitchen.

3/4 c sugar
1 c vinegar
1 and 1/2 c water
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp mustard
1 tsp salt
3 eggs, beaten

Combine ingredients and cook until thick in double-boiler over medium heat.
It will keep in the fridge for a month.
I use it in potato salad and cole slaw, and even on tossed salads.

Great for egg salad too.

I don't have a double boiler so just stirred slowly and constantly until the dressing thickened, but didn't boil. 

I find a complete recipe lasts a little longer than I prefer, so I've begun making a half-batch:

6 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup vinegar

3/4 cup water

1 tbsp flour

1 and 1/2 tsp mustard

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs, beaten

Cream of Celery Soup

3 tb butter or vegetable oil
3 c chopped celery
1 c chopped onion
1 lb potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 c milk
1 c chicken or vegetable broth (I used a cup of water and a tablespoon of miso paste)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp pepper
1 c grated cheddar

Saute celery 20 minutes or till soft. Set aside 1/2 c celery.
Add onion to sauteed celery and saute another 7 minutes.
Add next 6 ingredients; cover and simmer 40 minutes.
Cool 10 minutes.
Blend soup and cheese 1/3 at a time.
Add reserved celery and heat through.
Top with toasted slivered almonds. I didn't have any, but wouldn't that be delicious!

This would be just as good without being blended; you could just mash a couple cups of it for thickening the broth, and leave the rest for chunky texture.

Grief Bath

Grief Bath ☂

3 drops sweet marjoram

3 drops lavender

3 drops rose

1 drop cypress

Have you lost a loved one? Measure this into the water while running your bath.

You need all the help you can get, and this won't hurt a bit. 

Chocolate Macaroons

Chocolate Macaroons:

Bring to a boil over medium heat, and boil four minutes:
2 c sugar
1/2 c butter
1/2 c milk
1/2 c cocoa

Add:
3 c oatmeal
1 c coconut
1 tsp vanilla

Working quickly, drop by teaspoonful onto wax paper and leave to cool.

This was a common treat in our household when I was growing up.