One of my favorite foods is pasta, many of you know that already. And so, I come up with a lot of ways to make pasta. Especially with a tomato sauce. And so below is the recipe for a wonderful homemade tomato sauce.
Easy Homemade Tomato Sauce with Wacky Mac Bow Ties
Ingredients:
1/2 package Wacky Mac
1 small can tomato paste
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 small onion, diced
1tbsp dried basil
1/2 to 1 c. shredded cheese blend
Directions:
Cook Wacky Mac according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, add the remaining ingredients, except the cheese. When sauce bubbles, pour over warm pasta. Add the cheese. Melt the cheese into the pasta over low heat. Serve warm with stewed apples or applesauce, and a side salad if necessary.
Enjoy!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Pocket Pies: Apple Pie
It's apple season (I think I mentioned that before), and one of my favorite things is apple pie. Not because I really like pie, in fact, I am happier without the crust. But because pie reminds me of my grandfather. I don't know if apple pie is his all time favorite, but I do remember that at family holidays we had apple pie for Granpa. (We had pumpkin too! Though I don't know why...everyone always ate the apple). Anyway...one of my favorite places to get apple pie is at a local orchard that has a bakery. They make fresh apple pocket pies every day. Kind of like the kind you get at McDonald's, only better. Much better. And since I have had a chance to get by there this year, I decided to make my own. (My mother-in-law was thrilled to get some of these...they had extra crust!). So here is the recipe. Oh, and the filling can be used outside of a crust as stewed apples. Just in case you were wondering.
Apple Pocket Pies (makes 8)
Ingredients:
2 refrigerated pie crusts (Pillsbury is the best!), or make your own.
2 large apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 dash nutmeg
1/2 c. water
Directions:
Slice the crusts into 4 pieces each. Stew the apples with the remaining ingredients, stirring occasionally, until soft. This takes about 30-45 minutes. Draining the liquid, fill each pie section with apple, fold over, and seal. Bake on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven about 20-25 minutes. Cool and Enjoy!
To make a regular pie, spray a 9" pie plate with cooking spray, put in one crust, add the apple, top with the other crust, and vent. Bake in a 350 degree oven 35-45 minutes.
Enjoy!
Apple Pocket Pies (makes 8)
Ingredients:
2 refrigerated pie crusts (Pillsbury is the best!), or make your own.
2 large apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 dash nutmeg
1/2 c. water
Directions:
Slice the crusts into 4 pieces each. Stew the apples with the remaining ingredients, stirring occasionally, until soft. This takes about 30-45 minutes. Draining the liquid, fill each pie section with apple, fold over, and seal. Bake on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven about 20-25 minutes. Cool and Enjoy!
To make a regular pie, spray a 9" pie plate with cooking spray, put in one crust, add the apple, top with the other crust, and vent. Bake in a 350 degree oven 35-45 minutes.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
My favorite things
When I talk to people, they ask me science questions, and expect me to know the answer. A lot of times I do, but sometimes, well, I take after my father and make something (that seems to make sense) up. I am a scientist. At least, I am trained to be one. I have my Bachelor's of Science in Biology and Chemistry. You see why people expect me to know things.
I also love movies. Especially movies about food. While Julie & Julia is good, No Reservations with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Simply Irresistible with Sarah Michelle Gellar (yes, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress) are at the top of my list.
I love books, recently I have been reading biographies of famous women...Like Julia Child and Julie Andrews, but also of chefs and food critics. Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl is especially good.
And of course, I love food. How do I choose my favorite foods?
Cheese is at the top of my list. But is it cherve (fresh mild goat cheese) or queso queso (think the cheese in Mexican quesadillas) that makes my life complete? And at parties, does anything beat a cheese tray with Havarti, Brie, and Gloucester with fresh fruit and chutney?
Pasta is always good, my favorites have tomato sauces, but cheese (of course) is good too!
Mexican food...quesadillas, tacos, rice, beans, burritos. I love them all. Especially Tex-Mex. After all, the way I think of a burrito and the way a Latino thinks of a burrito is very different.
Pancakes are delicious. Regular, whole wheat, multigrain, buckwheat, spelt. With chocolate chips or blueberries. Cranberry whole wheat pancakes are especially good.
Apples have to be my favorite fruit. Don't ask me why. But put them with peanut butter or cheese and crackers and I'm good to go. Or apple sauce with pasta (especially tomato based). But if you ask me what my favorite fruit is in summer I would say strawberries. Or plums. I am whishy washy when it comes to my favorite foods.
Eggs, beans, free range chicken, hormone free bacon, carrots, honey, tea, potatoes, polenta, squash...so many foods, so little time.
And so my favorite things are all food...or related to food. Though books are good too. And clothes, and shoes, and friends, and dogs.
Ok, Rags is my favorite thing (wait, are animals things?)
You know, there are just to many wonderful things in this world to pick favorites. So why bother? Just favor (back to favorites) many things and you will be happy for it.
Besides, the best things in life aren't things at all.
Sunsets, oceans, mountains in the fall, friendships, love, pets, a good story, fresh air...........
I also love movies. Especially movies about food. While Julie & Julia is good, No Reservations with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Simply Irresistible with Sarah Michelle Gellar (yes, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress) are at the top of my list.
I love books, recently I have been reading biographies of famous women...Like Julia Child and Julie Andrews, but also of chefs and food critics. Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl is especially good.
And of course, I love food. How do I choose my favorite foods?
Cheese is at the top of my list. But is it cherve (fresh mild goat cheese) or queso queso (think the cheese in Mexican quesadillas) that makes my life complete? And at parties, does anything beat a cheese tray with Havarti, Brie, and Gloucester with fresh fruit and chutney?
Pasta is always good, my favorites have tomato sauces, but cheese (of course) is good too!
Mexican food...quesadillas, tacos, rice, beans, burritos. I love them all. Especially Tex-Mex. After all, the way I think of a burrito and the way a Latino thinks of a burrito is very different.
Pancakes are delicious. Regular, whole wheat, multigrain, buckwheat, spelt. With chocolate chips or blueberries. Cranberry whole wheat pancakes are especially good.
Apples have to be my favorite fruit. Don't ask me why. But put them with peanut butter or cheese and crackers and I'm good to go. Or apple sauce with pasta (especially tomato based). But if you ask me what my favorite fruit is in summer I would say strawberries. Or plums. I am whishy washy when it comes to my favorite foods.
Eggs, beans, free range chicken, hormone free bacon, carrots, honey, tea, potatoes, polenta, squash...so many foods, so little time.
And so my favorite things are all food...or related to food. Though books are good too. And clothes, and shoes, and friends, and dogs.
Ok, Rags is my favorite thing (wait, are animals things?)
You know, there are just to many wonderful things in this world to pick favorites. So why bother? Just favor (back to favorites) many things and you will be happy for it.
Besides, the best things in life aren't things at all.
Sunsets, oceans, mountains in the fall, friendships, love, pets, a good story, fresh air...........
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Beyond Eggs, Turkey Meatloaf
So eggs don't always half to be the star of the show. Sometimes, they are the glue that holds the main star together. Like my turkey meatloaf. Not my favorite, but it made Price happy. He requested meatloaf for his birthday. It actually turned out really good, considering I had never made meatloaf before. I served it with Mashed Apple Sweet Potatoes, the recipe for that is also below.
Turkey Meatloaf (serves 2)
Ingredients:
1/2 lb ground turkey
1 tbsp dried onion or 1/2 c. chopped fresh onion
1/4 c. dried mixed vegetables
1 egg
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 8 oz can plain tomato sauce
Directions:
Mix all ingredients but tomato sauce together. Add a little of the tomato sauce (about 2 oz) to the mixture. Put mixture on a cookie sheet and pat into a rounded "loaf". Pour the remaining tomato sauce onto the meatloaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until cooked through.
Mashed Apple Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
1 small apple, peeled, cored, and quartered
3 small or 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c. milk
1 tbsp melted butter.
Directions:
In a pot, boil the apple and sweet potatoes until soft. Drain. Mash with a potato masher. Add remaining ingredients, then stir.
Enjoy!
Turkey Meatloaf (serves 2)
Ingredients:
1/2 lb ground turkey
1 tbsp dried onion or 1/2 c. chopped fresh onion
1/4 c. dried mixed vegetables
1 egg
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 8 oz can plain tomato sauce
Directions:
Mix all ingredients but tomato sauce together. Add a little of the tomato sauce (about 2 oz) to the mixture. Put mixture on a cookie sheet and pat into a rounded "loaf". Pour the remaining tomato sauce onto the meatloaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until cooked through.
Mashed Apple Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
1 small apple, peeled, cored, and quartered
3 small or 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c. milk
1 tbsp melted butter.
Directions:
In a pot, boil the apple and sweet potatoes until soft. Drain. Mash with a potato masher. Add remaining ingredients, then stir.
Enjoy!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Eggs, Mini Quiche
So one of my favorite egg dishes is quiche, if it is done properly. I truly love a good quiche for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. However, I do not like green things in breakfast quiche...save that for dinner everyone! Here is my favorite way to make quiche...Individually in a muffin tin! They aren't truly "mini" like the appetizers, but they are the perfect size and design for taking to lunch at work, or on a picnic, or even just to have a meal for one or two. I can only eat one quiche this size, but Price can eat two. Feel free to adapt the recipe to suit your own needs. I have put a "basic" recipe below.
Mini Quiche (serves 6).
3 eggs
1 refrigerated pie crust circle, cut into six circles with a cookie cutter (there will be scraps)
3 tbsp milk
1 tsp cayenne pepper
6 tbsp filling mix and match from below
Fillings:
3 tbsp browned ground breakfast sausage and 3 tbsp cheese
3 tbsp bacon bits and 3 tbsp cheese
2 tbsp bacon bits, 2 tbsp cheese, and 6-8 torn spinach leaves
6 tbsp cheese
6 tbsp browned sausage or bacon bits
2 tbsp bacon bits, 2 tbsp cheese, 3 sliced mushrooms, and 6 torn spinach leaves
2 tbsp bacon bits, 2 tbsp diced tomatoes, 6 torn spinach leaves, and 2 tbsp cheese
There are more fillings, but you can come up with them!
Directions:
Mix the eggs, milk, and cayenne pepper together. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray. Add one pie crust circle to each tin and press down. Evenly add the filling to each cup one ingredient at a time. Cover with the egg mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
Enjoy!
Mini Quiche (serves 6).
3 eggs
1 refrigerated pie crust circle, cut into six circles with a cookie cutter (there will be scraps)
3 tbsp milk
1 tsp cayenne pepper
6 tbsp filling mix and match from below
Fillings:
3 tbsp browned ground breakfast sausage and 3 tbsp cheese
3 tbsp bacon bits and 3 tbsp cheese
2 tbsp bacon bits, 2 tbsp cheese, and 6-8 torn spinach leaves
6 tbsp cheese
6 tbsp browned sausage or bacon bits
2 tbsp bacon bits, 2 tbsp cheese, 3 sliced mushrooms, and 6 torn spinach leaves
2 tbsp bacon bits, 2 tbsp diced tomatoes, 6 torn spinach leaves, and 2 tbsp cheese
There are more fillings, but you can come up with them!
Directions:
Mix the eggs, milk, and cayenne pepper together. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray. Add one pie crust circle to each tin and press down. Evenly add the filling to each cup one ingredient at a time. Cover with the egg mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
Enjoy!
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Eggs, Scrambled with Smoked Salmon
Ok, I know how this sounds...smoked salmon on scrambled eggs? But trust me, it's really good for breakfast with fresh fruit and a muffin or for lunch or dinner (with fresh fruit and a muffin!). I strongly recommend Apple Cinnamon muffins. It is fall after all! Anyway, enjoy!
Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon (serves 2)
Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 oz cream cheese
1 tsp butter
1/4 c. milk
1/2 dried dill
4 oz Smoked Salmon
more dill for sprinkling
Directions:
In a bowl, scramble the eggs. Add the milk and dill. Stir and set aside. Slice the smoked salmon into small pieces, going against the grain. In a skillet over medium heat, add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the eggs and cream cheese. Using a whisk, whisk gently until cooked through. On each plate, put half the eggs. Top with half the salmon and a little dill. Serve and Enjoy!
Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon (serves 2)
Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 oz cream cheese
1 tsp butter
1/4 c. milk
1/2 dried dill
4 oz Smoked Salmon
more dill for sprinkling
Directions:
In a bowl, scramble the eggs. Add the milk and dill. Stir and set aside. Slice the smoked salmon into small pieces, going against the grain. In a skillet over medium heat, add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the eggs and cream cheese. Using a whisk, whisk gently until cooked through. On each plate, put half the eggs. Top with half the salmon and a little dill. Serve and Enjoy!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Eggs, Basic scramble
I love eggs (I think I mentioned this before!) and scrambled eggs are one of my favorite ways to eat them. I remember the way my mom made them growing up. They were (are?) yummy. In fact, scrambled eggs were one of the first dishes my mom ever taught me to cook. And I could never get my eggs to taste like hers (turns out I was trying to cook them to fast...so stick to medium heat!)
Anyway, here is my mom's recipe for scrambled eggs (sorry I'm giving away your secret ingredient!).
Scrambled eggs (serves 1, but easily doubled or tripled, etc)
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1tbsp milk
1 to 1 1/2 tsp shredded cheese blend
Dash of salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper (the secret!)
1 pat of butter for the pan.
Directions:
Mix the eggs, milk, salt, cayenne pepper and cheese in a bowl. Whisk until scrambled. Melt the butter over medium heat in a skillet.When butter is liquid but not sizzling, add the egg mixture. Let sit for 2-3 minutes, then slowly turn/mix the eggs with spatula. Serve immediately when eggs are cooked through.
Notes: A good rule of thumb when making eggs for more than 2 people is this: 2 eggs per person + 1 additional egg for every 3 people. You can always give extra to the dog.
Add-ins: (add to the egg mixture before cooking) Do just one or all of them!
Diced onion
Diced green onion
Diced bell pepper
Cooked crumbled sausage
1 tsp fresh parsley
Diced tomato
Diced cooked ham
chopped mushroom
Enjoy!
Anyway, here is my mom's recipe for scrambled eggs (sorry I'm giving away your secret ingredient!).
Scrambled eggs (serves 1, but easily doubled or tripled, etc)
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1tbsp milk
1 to 1 1/2 tsp shredded cheese blend
Dash of salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper (the secret!)
1 pat of butter for the pan.
Directions:
Mix the eggs, milk, salt, cayenne pepper and cheese in a bowl. Whisk until scrambled. Melt the butter over medium heat in a skillet.When butter is liquid but not sizzling, add the egg mixture. Let sit for 2-3 minutes, then slowly turn/mix the eggs with spatula. Serve immediately when eggs are cooked through.
Notes: A good rule of thumb when making eggs for more than 2 people is this: 2 eggs per person + 1 additional egg for every 3 people. You can always give extra to the dog.
Add-ins: (add to the egg mixture before cooking) Do just one or all of them!
Diced onion
Diced green onion
Diced bell pepper
Cooked crumbled sausage
1 tsp fresh parsley
Diced tomato
Diced cooked ham
chopped mushroom
Enjoy!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Eggs, Huevos Rancheros
Eggs, Eggs, Eggs. What a funny word! Anyway, I love eggs. I have tried white eggs, brown eggs, duck eggs, turkey eggs. I think eggs are one of the funniest foods in existence. You can turn them into quiche, a fritatta, they can be baked, poached, scrambled, boiled and fried. They can be used to make other foods or eaten on their own. What a wonderful food. And as I have been eating less and less meat, other forms of protein become more important. Especially as they go over just as well in Fall as they do in Summer. So I am going to do a series of posts on some of my favorite ways to serve eggs. Here it goes!
Heuvos Rancheros (Ranch style eggs) Serves 2
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 15 oz can black beans
2-3 green onions
1/2 c. salsa
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
For serving, as desired
Tortillas or Tortilla chips
sour cream
avocado or guacamole
additional salsa
shredded cheese
Directions:
In a large skillet, mix the beans, onions, and seasonings. Put over medium heat. When mixture starts to bubble, make 4 wells and crack one egg into each well. Fry until cooked to desired doneness. Serve each person 2 eggs over the tortillas or chips. Top as desired.
Enjoy!
Heuvos Rancheros (Ranch style eggs) Serves 2
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 15 oz can black beans
2-3 green onions
1/2 c. salsa
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
For serving, as desired
Tortillas or Tortilla chips
sour cream
avocado or guacamole
additional salsa
shredded cheese
Directions:
In a large skillet, mix the beans, onions, and seasonings. Put over medium heat. When mixture starts to bubble, make 4 wells and crack one egg into each well. Fry until cooked to desired doneness. Serve each person 2 eggs over the tortillas or chips. Top as desired.
Enjoy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)