Let's play a FOOD / RECIPE GAME

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Yummy comfort food

Jill

Chicken-Fried Steak and Gravy
¼ t salt
¼ t pepper
4 or 5 (4 oz.) cube steaks
38 saltine crackers (1 sleeve), crushed
1¼ c all purpose flour, divided
½ t baking powder
2 t salt, divided
1½ t black pepper, divided
½ t ground red pepper
4¾ c milk, divided
2 large eggs
2 to 3 c peanut oil
fresh chopped parsley (optional)

Salt and pepper steaks on both sides. Combine cracker crumbs, 1 cup flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt,½ teaspoon black pepper, and red pepper.

Whisk together ¾ cup milk and eggs. Dredge steaks in cracker crumb mixture; dip in milk mixture, and dredge in cracker mixture again.

Heat oil in a heavy (preferably cast iron) 12 inch skillet to 360° F. Do not use a nonstick skillet. Fry steaks 10 minutes. Turn and fry 4 to 5 more minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack on a jellyroll pan. Keep steaks warm in a 225° oven.

Drain hot oil, reserving cooked bits and 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Whisk together remaining ¼ cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 4 cups milk. Pour mixture into reserved drippings in skillet; cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened. Serve gravy with steaks. Serves 4.


Warm Cheese Dip
1 3-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded muenster cheese
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard or yellow mustard
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 small onion, diced
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped chives


Mix all ingredients and place in a small baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until melted and bubbly. Serve with apple slices, baby carrots, celery sticks, crackers, chunks of bread, warmed meatballs, tiny sausages, and so on! Serves 6

Chili

Chili
1 pound ground beef
2 onions, chopped
2 14-oz. cans chopped tomatoes, undrained
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 15-oz. cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup water


Cook ground beef in heavy skillet until brown and drain. Mix all ingredients except cornstarch and water in 3-4 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-7 hours until vegetables are tender. Turn heat to high. Mix cornstarch and water until smooth and add to chili, stirring well. Uncover and cook for about 15 minutes, until slightly thickened. 8 servings



Meatloaf

Meatloaf and Mashed Potato Tartlets
1 lb. boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

1/4 cup lowfat milk

1 egg

1 Tbs. fresh chives, minced

1 lb. ground beef

1/4 cup ketchup

3/4 tsp. onion salt

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. paprika

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook potatoes about 15 minutes until tender. Drain well. Mash potatoes with next 4 ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Mix ground beef and next 2 ingredients in a medium bowl. Divide meat mixture among 8 muffin cups. With your fingers, press meat mixture evenly against bottoms and sides of each cup to form shells. Fill shells with mashed potatoes. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and paprika over tops of potatoes. Bake about 25 minutes until tops are golden brown and meat is cooked through.

This recipe serves 4 people. Due to the nature of this recipe, it adjusts the number of servings in multiples of 4 only.


Chocolate Chips

It is a chocolate chocolate chip cookie. DH's favorite.


DOUBLY DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1-24 oz pkg semi sweet chocolate chips (4 cups)
2-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 ts baking soda
1 ts salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened (I usually use 1 stick of butter & 1 stick of margarine)
2 eggs
1 ts vanilla

Preheat oven to 375º.

Melt 1-1/2 cups chocolate chips either in microwave or double boiler. Cool to room temperature.

In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda & salt, set aside.

In a large bowl combine butter, sugars & vanilla, beat until creamy. Add melted chocolate & eggs, beat until light & fluffy. Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture. Stir in remaining chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded tablespoonsful onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Allow to stand 2 to 3 minutes before removing from sheets.

Pork

Tomato Basil PorkChops
6 boneless pork chops
2 Tbsp. oil
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
2/3 cup water
1 cup chopped plum tomatoes
1 1/2 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
2 tsps. dried basil
1 Tbsps. butter or margarine (1 to 2)
egg noodles or rice, cooked

Brown chops in skillet in oil
Combine tomato, soup, water and seasonings and add to browned chops
Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until chops are done
Stir in butter or margarine prior to serving
Serve over noodles or rice.

CHRISTMAS CANDY

I make two of these Christmas Yule logs each year. They are very fun to make and eat. Make sure you get almond paste (marzipan) that is at least 70% almonds.

Yule Log candy

7 ounces chocolate, chopped
5 2/3ounces heavy cream
1 ounce sugar
1 1/3 ounces butter room temp
1 lb marzipan
p. sugar
makes three logs

Make the ganache: Place the gianduja in a medium heatproof bowl; set aside. In a small saucepan, combine cream and sugar over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Strain the cream mixture through a fine sieve over the gianduja. Add butter, and stir until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand in a cool place (not the refrigerator) until firm, about 8 hours.

Dust the work surface, rolling pin, and marzipan lightly with confectioners’ sugar to keep it from sticking. Roll marzipan into a 6-by-21-inch rectangle, about 1/8-inch-thick. Trim edges, and cut into three 6-by-7-inch rectangles.
Remove excess sugar from marzipan with a pastry brush.

Spread each marzipan rectangle with 4 tablespoons of the ganache. Sprinkle with one-third of the chopped pistachios. Roll tightly into a log enclosing pistachios. Place on a baking sheet, and refrigerate or freeze for 1 hour.

Melt remaining ganache in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Dip the marzipan logs in the ganache, turning to coat. Using a paring knife, trim the ends of each roll, cutting on the bias; reserve ends. Use the tines of a fork to create wood-grain design on each log.
Place ends, cut-side up, on the logs, forming branches. Decorate with marzipan holly leaves and berries. Will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. Just before serving, dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Oops- here's the next ingredient:


PECANS

Here's a recipe that I don't really use measurements. It's one of those "throw together what looks good" recipes

Chicken Salad

3 - 4 boneless chicken breasts. Cook, cool, cube.
red, seedles grapes, halved
PECANS
Cool Whip, thawed

Mix together with salad dressing. Then fold in cool whip. Serve on lettuce leaf.


Mandarin Oranges

Sunny Fruit Salad

1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp. milk
1 11-oz. can MANDARIN ORANGES, drained
1 8-1/4 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup grape halves
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup maraschino cherry halves

Combine softened cream cheese and milk, mixing until well blended. Add remaining ingredients; mix lightly. Chill several hours or overnight. Yield 6 servings.

PEANUT BUTTER

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Ingredients

1-3/4 cups of flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup soft butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbs milk

40 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Oven set at 375. Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

Cream the butter, sugar, peanut butter, & brown sugar till fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and milk. Mix well, add the flour mixture and mix well. Shape into 40 balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and press (1) peanut butter cup into each ball. Cool~ Janie

Next ingredient is~

Cauliflower~ Janie

Lol I'll get this right yet~The cookie must be gooeylicious with that little surprise in the center!~

Here is one for Jills Green beans~

This recipe has graced so many Thanksgivng Tables it has to be a standing recipe this time of the year. The sauce is rich and the cruncjy onion rings add a nice topping~ Janie

Green Bean Casseerole
Ingredients

1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp soy sauce Dash of black pepper
4 cups of cooked cut green beans
1-1/3 cups of french fried onion rings

Mix the soup ,milk, soy sauce and pepper. Add the beans and 2/3 cups of the onion rings. Place in a 1-1/2 Qt Casserole and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. Sprinkle the top with the remaining onion rings.

* I usually butter the casserole dish~

Ingredient is still Cauliflower~

Subject: Dorothy R~~ What A Great~~ Sappy~` Little ~` Appetizer~~ That Just "Pops" With Flavor~` R & R~` Cauliflower Poppers~~ Just~~

Popped right into the oven and right into my mouth~~ No problem mon~
Made a batch of these last night and let me tell you the race was on~~ Talk about vulture's. We ate these things like starving maniacs. Thank you so much Dorothy for this great heart friendly appetizer~~ Janie~~

Cauliflower Poppers( ww points value0)

Ingredients:
1 small head of cauliflower
1/2 tso ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder, or more to taste
1/2 tsp table salt( did not use)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 spray of cooking spray

I added some crushed red pepper and some celery seed as well.

Oven set at 400. Cut the cauliflower into grape size pieces( About 4-cups)
Place the cauliflower in a medium bowl and add all ingredients, except the spray. Toss well.
Coat the baking sheet with cooking spray and spread the cauliflower onto the sheet and bake for about 10 minutes. Yields about a 1/2 cup per serving~`( Not true, this whole thing would have fed just me)
Carol suggested putting everything into a plastic bag and shaking to coat well. I elected to put all of the cauliflower pieces into a bowl, I just sprinkled everything with the spices tasting as I went along. Then I sprayed the now well coated cauliflower with some cooking spray.
Placed all into a large plastic bag and marinated it for quite some time.
I also lined the cookie sheet with tin foil. Baking time is right on` depending on how small you cut your cauliflower pieces into. I cut mine a little larger as it really cooks down.I also shook the pan a few time during baking. It made the cauliflower nice and brown all the way around.
This is a very playful recipe and I can see where it could become a mix and match recipe. Next time I will add some lemon zest and will also consider adding some whole kalamata olives to this great " popper" recipe
~~Janie

Oops! Forgot! I see lentils got missed. So.......

LENTILS