Categories
Celebrations Dessert Quick Prep

Bethany’s Hot Cocoa mix

Ingredients

  • 1 15 oz jar hazelnut coffee creamer
  • 3 cups powdered milk
  • 3½ cups sugar
  • 8 oz cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp salt

Directions

Mix everything together. Use 2-3 tbsp of powder in 1 cup of hot water. This makes enough for ~50 servings.

Categories
Casserole Main Dish Quick Prep

Chicken Pasta Casserole

Ingredients

  • 2 cans Cream of chicken soup
  • 1 lb spaghetti
  • 2 cups frozen peas
  • 2 tbsp bacon bits
  • Milk

Directions

  1. Mix milk and soup mix
  2. Cook spaghetti in soup until liquid has been absorbed
  3. Mix in peas and bacon bits with spaghetti and let sit to absorb moisture and warm the peas
Categories
Bases & Stored Food Preparation Side

Pickled cabbage

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds (optional)
  • 1 Head of cabbage

Directions

  1. Mix whatever multiple of sugar, water, vinegar, salt, and seeds will be needed to cover the cabbage.
  2. Bring to a boil to dissolve salt and sugar.
  3. Immerse cabbage in brine and refrigerate for 3 to 7 days
Categories
Main Dish Quick Prep Side

Red Beans & Rice (spicy)

Ingredients

  • 1¼ cups brown rice
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2½ cups water
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • ½ green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp. ground allspice
  • ½ tsp. ground cloves
  • ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • 1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 tsp. hot sauce
  • 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

  1. Combine the rice, 1 tablespoon of the oil, half of the salt, and the water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender (40-45 minutes). Set aside and keep warm.
  2. While the rice is simmering, heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery; sauté until the vegetables are softened (6-8 minutes). Stir in the garlic and cook until softened (1 minute). Add the allspice, cloves, cayenne, remaining salt, and the pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
  3. Stir in the beans, chicken broth, tomato, thyme and hot sauce. Cook until the vegetable mixture is heated through (6-8 minutes).
  4. Divide the rice among warmed individual bowls. Top each serving with beans and garnish with cilantro.
Categories
Bread Dutch Oven Side

Garlic Naan

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 2 teaspoons sugar, divided
  • ¾ cup warm water
  • 3 tablespoons plain yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more for finishing
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or melted ghee)
  • 1 heaping tablespoon minced fresh garlic, divided
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Directions

In a small bowl, stir together the yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar and water. Allow the mixture to sit for about 10 minutes until it becomes bubbly. Whisk in the yogurt and olive oil.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, kosher salt, remaining sugar, and baking powder. Pour in the yogurt mixture and use your hands to mix the ingredients all together. The dough will be very wet and sticky at first but continue to mix/knead until it becomes rather soft and pliable. Once it comes together, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a draft free place for 3-4 hours until it nearly doubles in size.

Place the butter and 1 tablespoon garlic in a small, microwave proof bowl. Heat in the microwave until the butter has melted.

Dust your counter (or other work place) with flour and place your naan dough onto it. Using a pastry cutter or sharp knife, divide the dough into 6 even portions. Lightly roll each of the dough balls into the flour to help them from sticking. Using a floured rolling pin, roll one of the dough portions into a circle about ¼ inch thick –it’s completely okay if it’s an imperfect circle. Sprinkle the top side with a bit of the garlic powder and remaining minced garlic. Use your fingers to press it into the dough and then pass the rolling pin over the top of it to ensure it’s secured. Repeat this method with the remaining dough.

Warm a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until it’s nearly smoking. Be sure to have a lid large enough to fit the skillet and have the bowl of garlic butter with pastry brush nearby.

Carefully pick up one of the rolled out naan and gently lay it in the skillet, garlic side up, and cook for about one minute. The dough should start to bubble. After the minute, use tongs/spatula to flip the naan and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip it over again and cover the skillet for about an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute. The bread will look blistered and have blackened in a few spots.

Remove the naan from the skillet and generously brush the top with the garlic butter. Sprinkle the tops with a few pinches of sea salt and chopped cilantro. Repeat with the remaining 5 naan. Serve warm.

From The Culinary Chronicles

I’ve heard that this can be used as a pizza crust.

For other intriguing cat iron bread options see Wide Open Eats

Categories
Celebrations Quick Prep

Watermelon lemonade

  • 3 cups watermelon
  • ½ cup cucumber
  • ¼ cup fresh mint
  • 1 cup lemon juice
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups ice

Blend it all

Categories
Breakfast Casserole Main Dish

Persian Zucchini Frittata

This frittata, the time-stressed cook’s best friend, gets its flair from Middle Eastern touches. A little brown rice bulks it up to make it a stand-alone meal for two, and pomegranate seeds add pops of color, acidity and crunch. Serve with a green salad, if you’d like.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • Two 6-inch zucchini, coarsely grated
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¾ cup cooked brown rice
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • Pomegranate seeds (for garnish; optional)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to broil, and set an oven rack in the second-highest position.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with the water and ¼ teaspoon of the salt.
  3. Heat a 10-to-12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, and pour in the olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to soften, 2 minutes.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion browns, 6 minutes.
  5. Stir in the ginger, garlic and turmeric and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant, 2 minutes.
  6. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the zucchini (if using a 10-inch skillet, add just half of the zucchini), the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and the pepper. Cook until the zucchini is tender, about 3 minutes, and repeat if needed with the other half of the zucchini.
  7. Stir in the rice until well combined. Taste, and add more salt if needed.
  8. Spread the vegetable-rice mixture evenly in the skillet. Pour the eggs evenly over it. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 2 minutes.
  9. Uncover and transfer the pan to the broiler. Broil the frittata until the top is lightly browned and puffed and the center is firm to the touch, about 3 minutes.
  10. Remove the frittata from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes. (It will be puffy when it comes out but will deflate as it cools.)
  11. Garnish with the parsley and pomegranate seeds, if using. Cut it into wedges and serve hot or at room temperature

http://wapo.st/2c081m9

Categories
Bases & Stored Food Preparation Salad

Better Than the Bottle Ranch Dressing

Ingredients

  • 1 small clove garlic, smashed
  • 1 tsp. country dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • ¼ cup buttermilk
  • ¾ cup mayo
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons curly parsley (like a small fistful, and best if it’s been in the fridge a day or two)
  • salt and pepper

Directions

Combine garlic, mustard, onion powder, lemon juice and buttermilk in a blender until garlic is finely chopped.  Add mayo and sour cream, blend. Last, add the parsley and blend until the parsley is chopped and the mixture is smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.

It gets thicker over night, so refrigerate that bad boy!

Categories
Casserole Quick Prep

Mexican Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic – chopped
  • 2 cups chicken (in chunks)
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 4 cups of chicken broth
  • 1 can rotel (diced tomatoes and green chilis)
  • 1 can green enchilada sauce
  • 1 can drained black beans (or any bean you like)
  • 1 can drained corn (could use dehydrated or freeze dried corn)
  • ½ bottle of fire roasted red peppers
  • chips
  • avocados
  • cheese
  • sour cream

Directions

Sautee onion and garlic then set aside. Brown chicken pieces and set aside. Melt butter and add flour. Stir and add about a cup of chicken broth making a rue. Put the onions and chicken back in. Now add:

  • remaining chicken broth
  • rotel
  • enchilada sauce
  • beans
  • corn
  • red peppers

Cook for nine minutes on high in pressure cooker. Top with chips, avocados, cheese and sour cream.