Gracey’s Blueberry Muffins

  

Gracey came to spend the night with Memaw, so we had to make some blueberry muffins.  They turned out really good.  Moist and cakey.

  

Ingredients:  1/2 cup butter or margarine (at room temperature), 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup milk and 2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (I used frozen).

For Topping:  1 TBS granulated sugar, mixed with 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease muffin cups or use paper inserts.  In bowl, mix butter until creamy.  Add sugar and beat until pale and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating after each egg.  Beat in vanilla, baking powder and salt.  With spoon, fold in half of flour then half of milk into batter; repeat.  Fold in blueberries.  Spoon into muffin cups and sprinkle topping onto each muffin.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and springy to touch.

I like to use frozen berries so they don’t break up and bleed into the batter.  This will increase the time it takes to bake, a little.

Fredia’s Chicken Tetrazzini – Lake Food

This is soooo good.  When it’s Fred’s turn to cook, we always request her Tetrazzini.  She got this recipe from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook.  (It’s also great made with turkey.)  She makes it from scratch, but I don’t see why you couldn’t use a pre-roasted chicken from the store, as a short cut.  She also doubles the sauce, so it’s not so dry.  This is really wonderful.

Chicken or Turkey Tetrazzini:

Ingredients:  4 cups cooked spaghetti (about 1/2 a pound), 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 3 TBS dry sherry, salt to taste, 2 recipes Veloute Sauce (below), 2 TBS butter, 1 cup sliced mushrooms, 8 or more slices cooked chicken or turkey and 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.

Directions:  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Butter a 2-quart shallow baking dish and spread the cooked spaghetti in it.  Stir the nutmeg, sherry and salt into the warm veloute sauce and set aside.  Melt the butter in a skillet, add the mushrooms, and cook, stirring until soft.  Spoon half the sauce over the spaghetti.  Place the chicken or turkey slices and mushrooms on top, and spoon on the remaining sauce.  Sprinkle with the grated cheese and bake for 30 minutes.

Veloute Sauce:   Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Ingredients:  2 TBS butter, 3 TBS flour, 1 cup hot chicken broth, 1/3 cup heavy cream and salt to taste.

Directions:  Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan.  Stir in the flour and blend over moderate heat until smooth.  Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.  Add the chicken broth, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cook 2 minutes more.  Pour in the cream, add slat and heat thoroughly.  YUM!

Walnut-Basil Pesto

Ingredients:  2 cups packed basil leaves, 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts, 2 cloves garlic (minced or crushed), 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, 2 TBS softened butter (optional) and 1/2 tsp salt.

Directions:  Place basil, olive oil, walnuts, garlic and salt in food processor.  Blend until thoroughly combined.  Add Parmesan and butter (if using) and blend 5-10 seconds more.  Just before serving, add 2 TBS of hot pasta water from cooked pasta.  Serve over pasta with bread and salad.

I love pesto.  This recipe uses walnuts rather than pine nuts.  Pesto is wonderful in pasta, served over toast points, in soups, etc.  It also freezes well.  I usually make a large batch at once.  Then using cupcake pan and cups, I put pesto in and place in the freezer.  After frozen, put cups in a zip lock and freeze until use!

Bobbie’s Homemade Ice Cream

This is my mom’s recipe, to be used in a canister style maker.

Ingredients:  2 cans Eagle Brand Condensed Milk, 1 cup sugar, 5 cups milk, 4 eggs, 4-5 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp salt plus desired fruit.

Directions:  Combine and put into cold ice cream canister.  Add ice and rock salt (alternating) and churn!

Mom’s Cornbread

Ingredients:  1 1/2 cup cornmeal, 1/2 cup flour, 2 TBS baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 egg, 1/2 cup milk (or more), butter or shortening.

 

Directions:  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease or melt butter in pan (I use an iron skillet).  Mix all ingredients until real soupy.  Fill skillet 3/4 full.  Bake 25-30 minutes, until browned on top.  Cool and flip.

Variations:  Add peppers, grated cheese, corn or sugar

Leftovers:  make croutons for salads or soups, freeze and use when making dressing

Lemon/Mustard Chicken with Green Noodles and Glazed Carrots – Fun and Tastey!

Thought I was having Gracie (my 4-year-old granddaughter) come spend the night, but she was under the weather.  Whaaa.  So, guess I’ll have to make regular dinner.  I had planned on pizza or a “stick” dinner (fish sticks), however a short walk to the freezer will clue me in on tonight’s experiment.  Looks like chicken.  So let’s see what I can do.

I saw a cooking show that Anne B. did on lemon/mustard chicken, so I guess I’ll mix it up!  ha  Also, I was watching “The Chew” the other day, and they had a really cool lady on who had made healthy green mac and cheese!  So, let’s get started.  Then, needing another side, I looked up carrots (because obviously I have carrots in the frig) and found and interesting recipe from Alton Brown on the Foodnetwork.com website.  Here’s how I’m working this one …

Chicken Ingredients:  Dijon mustard (about a cup), 2-4 Meyer lemons (I used regular lemons, but am a real fan of the Meyer lemon), 1 whole chicken (cut up), fresh rosemary (chopped), crushed red pepper (to taste), olive oil and salt.

 

Green Noodles Ingredients:  Egg noodles (half a package), a bunch of fresh spinach, 1 shallot, 1 clove garlic, salt, olive oil, a 1/4 c of heavy cream and store-bought alfredo sauce.  Peas or broccoli optional, if you really want to “go green.”

Glazed Carrots Ingredients:  1 pound carrots (approximately 7 medium, peeled and cut on the bias 1/4-inch thick), 2 TBS butter, pinch of salt, 1 cup good-quality ginger ale, 1/2 tsp chili powder (I used a Cajun spice I put together recently), 1 TBS chopped fresh parsley leaves.

Chicken Directions:  First, I pulled together the marinade for the chicken.  Then, I cut up the chicken and salt (halved – you could of course use already cut up pieces of your preference).  Brush the marinade on the skin side and let set for 2 hours or so (I refrigerate, and then set out about 30 minutes before time to grill).  Time to grill.  First, skin side down; making nice grill marks.  Then changing directions to show off (10 and 2 o’clock).  Brush underside with marinade.  Turn chicken, and shut grill cover, as necessary to finish.  Make sure you cook to 165 degrees.  If you need to, can finish cooking in 375 degree oven.  Let rest before serving.

Green Noodle Directions:  This is really cool.  I love the idea of making something healthy out of something tasty.  I cleaned and cooked the fresh spinach in shallot and garlic with a pinch of salt.  I cooked down until all the water was remove and the spinach was wilted.  Next, put 1/4-1/2 cup cream in blender with the spinach and blend.  Cook noodles in salted water.  Blanch or microwave peas/broccoli if you choose.  Pour jarred alfredo sauce into pan.  Add green spinach/cream mixture and combine.  Add veggies.  Bring to temperature and ready to add noodles.  Yum and good for you.

Glazed Carrots Directions:  Over medium heat, combine carrots, butter, sale and ginger ale.  Cover and bring to a simmer.  Once simmering, remove the lid, stir and reduce the heat to low.  Cover again and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove the lid, add the chili powder and increase the heat to high.  Cook, tossing occasionally, until the ginger ale is reduced to a glaze, approximately 4-5 minutes.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Senate Bean Soup – or Wonderful Navy Beans

Gary and I are having beans with cornbread, green onions and sliced cheddar cheese for dinner.  I am using the Senate Bean recipe as a base for my beans.  I had a ham bone in the freezer from Easter, so I’m using that instead of the ham hock.  Actually, I don’t think I have ever seen a “ham hock” at the grocery store.    Also, I’m cooking the entire bag of dried beans.  Sometimes I soak overnight, sometimes I use the method in the following recipe, both work.  I used chicken pieces (from the freezer) to make my broth, you can absolutely use store-bought broth.  Since I’m serving with Mom’s cornbread, no croutons will be required.  I put cheese and chopped chilies in the bread, yum!  Whatever bean leftovers we have, I’ll drain and puree into a dip for later!)  Always thinking!

This Senate Bean Soup came from the CIA Book of Soups.  It’s a truly wonderful soup.

“According to legend, this soup was frequently found on the menu at the U.S. Senate dining room.  When the weather became hot, it was discontinued.  There was such an outcry, however, that it soon reappeared.  Just to be certain that they would never be without their favorite soup again, the Senate actually passed a bill requiring that it be offered every day that the dining hall was open.”

Soup Ingredients:  1 1/4 cups dry navy beans, 2 TBS olive oil, 2 carrots (finely diced about 3/4 cup), 2 celery stalks (finely diced about 1 cup), 1 garlic clove, finely minced, 1/2 medium onion finely diced (about 3/4 cup), 1 quart chicken or vegetable broth, 1 smoked ham hock, 1 yellow or white potato (peeled and diced), sachet:3-4 whole black peppercorns and 1 whole clove enclosed in a large teaball or tied in a cheesecloth pouch, salt to taste, ground white pepper to taste, tabasco sauce to taste and 1 cup garlic croutons to serve.

Soup Directions:  sort through the beans, discarding any stones or bad beans.  Place the beans in a large pot and pour in enough water to over by at least 3 inches.  Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat.  Cover and soak for 1 hour.  Drain the beans, rinse in cold water and set aside.

Heat the oil in a soup pot over moderate heat.  Add the carrots, celery, garlic and onion.  Cook over low to medium heat until the garlic has a sweet aroma and the onions are a light golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Add the beans, broth and ham hock.  If necessary, add enough water to cover the beans by about 1 inch.  Bring to a simmer, cover and cook 1 hour.

Add the potatoes are tender enough to mash easily, about 30 minutes.  Remove the ham hock from the soup.  When it is cool enough to handle easily, pull the lean meat away from the bone and dice.  Reserve the meat.

Puree about half of the soup, until smooth.  Return to the pot.  If necessary, thin the soup with additional broth.  Season with the salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce.  Serve in heated bowls or cups, garnished with the diced ham and croutons.