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10/31/17

Homemade Turkey Burgers - So Simple and Yet So Good

In August of 2006 I gave you a great recipe for turkey burgers using just a couple ingredients to somehow produce the most delicious and simple burger.  Considering that was about eleven years ago... it's time to post it again.



If you are like me, you will look at this short list of ingredients want to embellish it and add 'more' of something or other.  You can of course - it's your kitchen - your food - your choice.  But you really don't have to.  It's good just like this!


Turkey Burgers

1 1/4 lb. good quality ground turkey
1/2 c bread crumbs
2 t hot sauce (like Frank's brand)
2 t fresh minced garlic
fresh cracked black pepper
dash of salt


Mix together with your hands and form into patties. Cook over medium heat in 2 T olive oil. Cook approximately 5 minutes, flip and continue cooking another 5 minutes until done. Serve on a bun with fresh lettuce, sliced tomatoes and ketchup. My kids always loved to put homemade Ranch dressing on theirs and now that my son is 25... he still does.

patties ready to be cooked





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Chicken and Long Grain Wild Rice Soup



If I can get this post finished and you can actually read it, I'll consider it an accomplishment!  I'm currently out of state again; helping babysit a 17 month old and a 3 year old this week.  While I'm sitting at the kitchen table trying to finish this post, I'm also helping coloring Halloween pictures and practice writing a-b-c and 1-2-3.... and apparently trying to teach 'sharing' to a very belligerent three year old.  

Last night we had a yummy chicken and long grain rice soup I whipped up.  I was able to make it while the little ones were napping and let it simmer slowly on the stove until it was time to eat.  I wanted to use 'my' regular recipe but it's currently written in a notebook, sitting in my kitchen, about 800 miles away.  Instead, I remembered some of it from memory and had to improvise on the rest using the 'typical' and average chicken and wild rice soup mixture online. 

It was pretty good - not exactly 'mine' but until I can get back home and recall just what it was I was missing in this one, it will do.  I did improvise with a few things and hope you do if you wish.  I happened to have a box of Uncle Ben's Wild Rice boxed mix in the pantry of the house I'm staying in so I used that in this recipe because the wild rice mixture they had hardly had any long grain wild rice in it.  I really loved the addition.

Last note:  Like most similar rice dishes and even soups or stews in general, the leftovers get very thick.  If you want to eat it nice and thick just heat it up as is (it will thin a bit of course when hot) but you can also add water to thin it to the consistency you wish; and the flavor is not diminished.




Chicken and Long Grain Wild Rice Soup


1 c rice/long grain wild rice mixture cooked according to the package to make about 2 cups
             or use 3/4 c long grain white rice with 1/4 c wild rice, cook according to directions
8 c chicken broth (or use 8 cups water with 8 cubes chicken bouillon)
1 c chopped celery
1 c diced, sliced, chopped carrots
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1/2 c chopped onion
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t poultry seasoning or a dash of thyme and sage
1/4 c dried parsley
1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
1 can mushroom soup
2 c chicken - cooked and chopped or diced
1 box Uncle Ben's Long Grain Rice with season packet


Cook your long grain white and wild rice according to the package directions of the brand you chose.  Mine called for a quick boil and simmering 45 minutes.  I added my raw chicken to it and cooked them both at the same time.

Simmer the chicken broth, celery, carrots, mushrooms and seasonings for about 25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.  Melt the 1/2 cup butter and stir it into the flour to make a paste.  Whisk this into the hot broth.  Add the mushroom soup, rice, chicken and if you choose to use it, the package of long grain rice and seasoning packet (totally optional).  Heat through and serve.  I served with a garlic Naan bread warmed in the oven.








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10/25/17

My Grandmother's Recipe Box: Devils Food Cake

The first week of October I did a post to explain a new series I was doing on An American Housewife after I decided to photograph & post-to-save old handwritten recipes of my grandmothers.

Today has been an emotionally 'busy' day and I need to just decompress a bit and focus on something else for a bit so I decided to do the next recipe in the series.

This one gave me a heck of a time trying to figure it out!  It's so incredibly loved that it's impossible to read.  I had my husband and one of my daughter's give me their best guess and then I took a photo of the card and blew up to about 400%, changed the contrast, etc. and I finally got it based on what I could read and the list of ingredients. I've traced over the ingredients to make them easier to read.





Devils Food Cake

1 cup sugar
1 tbsp butter
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon soda
2 tbsp cocoa
1 teasp vanilla















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10/24/17

The best batter for homemade batter fried fish, shrimp, oysters, octopus, calamari and chicken strips





Seafood and Chicken Strip Batter
You can double this too if you want/need to


1 cup flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
2 t salt
1/2 t onion powder
4 t yellow mustard
1 egg
1 c sparkling water
Seafood or chicken, etc. you want to batter and fry

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.  Beat the egg in a separate bowl but only until just blended; don't over beat.  Pour the carbonated water into the egg, stir briefly and add to the dry ingredients.  Mix or whisk quickly just till blended; again, don't over beat.

Dip pieces of seafood of your choice or pieces of chicken into the batter and fry in hot oil until golden brown - be sure to turn a couple times so they cook evenly and don't crowd the pan.  Drain on paper towels.  Serve hot.



I had some mixed seafood in the freezer so I just thawed that and used it.  Oysters are my favorite!

The dry ingredients in one bowl

Sparkling water mixed with the eggs

Just mix until blended; don't over beat

Shrimp, oysters, chicken pieces... it's up to you!  Have your oil hot and ready to go





















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10/17/17

Blueberry Pie! - A 3 year olds First Blueberry Pie (adapted original recipe to include some store bought items)


My little helpers and I made two (2) blueberry pies yesterday!  Although I planned to make it completely from scratch like usual, I realized with a 3 year old and a 16 month old wanting to 'help' and trying to get two dinner meals made (one to eat and one to refrigerate for the next night) AND the fact we weren't starting until about 5:00 that afternoon....  while I was at the store picking up some groceries, I opted for a few 'already made' store bought items that made the fun little project quick and easy for all.

My original Blueberry Pie  Recipe
(originally posted on An American Housewife in 2006 and 2007)

3 pints blueberries - cleaned and stems removed or frozen
2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 c all purpose flour
1/2 c sugar (I use a mixture of brown and white)
1/4 t cinnamon
2 T butter, cut up

A double pie crust (I don't have time to post the recipe - so use your recipe or just buy the canned or frozen version).

Mix the ingredients together in a bowl and then place in the bottom crust. Top with the cut up butter and then carefully place the top crust over and crimp or use a fork to seal the edges. Slice a pretty star shape on the top with a knife or fork to let steam escape. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350 for another 30-40 minutes.

Let cool and serve with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

*Note*
I've listed this recipe on here before but I want to add some notes to this one. You can ALWAYS 'play around' with a recipe and add and delete on a whim. I wanted to let you know what I do to perk this one up sometimes.

lemon rind
orange rind
vanilla
ginger
all brown sugar, no white
a little rum or rum extract

I've used all of the above at one time or another. Just a light sprinkle of one or two of them together really brings out some flavor in this pie. 


_____________________________________________


Adapted recipe to use some store bought items to make it faster and easier

2 cans blueberry pie filling
1 pint fresh/frozen real blueberries
2 packages store bought frozen pie crusts (deep dish style)
1 T sugar
1 T brown sugar
1/2 t cinnamon

Pre-bake the crusts for about 10 minutes for a better textured bottom crust.  Pour the pie filling into the deep dish pie crust. Top with the fresh blueberries.  Use the second crust to turn over, upside down onto the pie/fruit.  If it's frozen, let it set about 10 minutes, if it's thawed, continue right away to crimp the edges to seal.

Slash some holes in the top and mix the sugars together and sprinkle all over the pie.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven about 50 minutes or so.  If the crust is getting to brown on top just place some aluminum foil over the top and continue cooking.  Remove and set aside to let cool completely.

These freeze well.




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Homemade Blueberry Pie - Easy as.... Pie!


Back during the early days of this website, the internet was a bit different - and hadn't grown to what it is today.  One thing I've noticed is google wasn't indexing a lot of pages like it does in this decade.  There are so many of my recipes that I love and know I had posted at some point, but trying to search for them isn't always easy.  My blueberry pie is one that I always have to search a little bit harder for to find. 

This week I'm out of state - but still doing a lot of cooking and baking.  Just not taking pictures.  Yesterday I did actually take some photos to share with my own family as I helped the 3 year old make his very first blueberry pie.  Since I have some photos and I'd like for my blueberry pie recipe to be easier to find (for me and for anyone else who might be searching for one) this is the original post from May of 2007 (over 10 years ago!) and I'm also going to post yesterdays pie-baking fun next.  



BLUEBERRY PIE (originally posted on An American Housewife in 2006 and 2007)

3 pints blueberries - cleaned and stems removed or frozen
2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 c all purpose flour
1/2 c sugar (I use a mixture of brown and white)
1/4 t cinnamon
2 T butter, cut up

A double pie crust (I don't have time to post the recipe - so use your recipe or just buy the canned or frozen version).


Mix the ingredients together in a bowl and then place in the bottom crust. Top with the cut up butter and then carefully place the top crust over and crimp or use a fork to seal the edges. Slice a pretty star shape on the top with a knife or fork to let steam escape. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350 for another 30-40 minutes.

Let cool and serve with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.





*Note*

I've listed this recipe on here before but I want to add some notes to this one. You can ALWAYS 'play around' with a recipe and add and delete on a whim. I wanted to let you know what I do to perk this one up sometimes.

  • lemon rind
  • orange rind
  • ginger
  • all brown sugar, no white
  • a little rum or rum extract

I've used all of the above at one time or another. Just a light sprinkle of one or two of them together really brings out some flavor in this pie. Print Friendly and PDF

Cheesy Chicken Lasagna

I'm out of town, (out of state actually) and although I'm still cooking three meals a day and baking up a storm, it's for family and I'm not taking photos as I'm just too busy to even remember!  (Except for the blueberry pie the 3 year old made yesterday - his first!  I'll hopefully find time to post that one!)

This is one from my files... I think back in 2011 maybe?  A LONG time ago.  It's one I'd play with a bit - tweak it as you wish.  Some ideas might be to use an alfredo sauce instead of the evaporated milk if you are pressed for time; or maybe add some jalapeno's or bacon crumbles!

 
Cheesy Chicken Lasagna

24 oz. evaporated milk (2 regular sized cans)
1 pkg. dry Ranch dressing mix
3 c chicken - cooked and diced or leftover from another meal, etc

9 lasagna noodles, cooked just til done
1 1/2 c cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 c mozzarella cheese, grated

In a pan on the stove, combine evaporated milk and Ranch dressing. Heat and stir over medium low heat and add the chicken.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes stirring frequently. In a 9X13" pan, layer 3 lasagna noodles, spread with half the chicken/sauce mixture, and some of both cheeses. Repeat layers. End with the noodles and sprinkle on the last of the cheeses.  Use a bit more if you like.  Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving to let it firm up.






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10/11/17

Cosori Cooking: Spicy Chicken and Pasta



I was preparing to make a regular dish for dinner this week and adapted it a little bit for the cooker instead of the stove top.  In the end it worked out pretty well although with prep time and warm up time for the pressure cooker I'm not sure it saved me too much time in the long run. 

 

Spicy Chicken and Pasta

1/4 c oil
2 T chopped garlic
2 t crushed red pepper flakes
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut to 1 inch pieces*
2 c broccoli florets *see note
1 1/2 c sliced zucchini
1 1/2 t salt
1 lb. penne pasta
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 c water
1/4 c Romano cheese - sprinkle after cooking

Set the Corsori to saute' and add the oil.  Add the garlic and the crushed red pepper flakes, cooking until aromatic (about 30 seconds).  Add the chicken and saute until brown.  Add the pasta, broccoli, zucchini, salt, tomato and water.  

Set to manual cook for half the time your pasta package calls for.  In my case it called for 10 minutes so I set the pressure cooker for 5 minutes.  When it's done and it's on warming mode and slowly releasing steam, only let it warm for about 4-5 minutes and then release the steam yourself if it hasn't, so the noodles are not over done and mushy.  If there are any pasta on top they may be a little less 'done' than the ones on the bottom but mix it up... they quickly absorb the water and are perfect by the time you serve it.  Sprinkle with cheese before serving if you wish.


*NOTE:  Although I love the broccoli in the stove top version of this recipe I will be leaving it out of the cooking process the next time I make this in the pressure cooker.  I found in the pressure cooker, the broccoli broke down too much, and a strong taste of broccoli permeated everything.  Overpowered everything else.  I suggest, while the Cosori is cooking, I will use those minutes to cook the cut up broccoli in the microwave and add it after cooking.

I also chose to use 2 of my homemade chicken sausages in place of the chicken breasts.  Use whatever chicken you have on hand and play with it.



I browned my chicken sausage a bit and then cut it into slices as it's easier to cut that way






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10/8/17

My Grandmother's Recipe Box: Uncooked Fruit Cake


I explained in a previous post how I came to own an old metal recipe box that was my grandmother's.  She just passed away in February and although I've had this box in my possession for a few years, I hadn't used the recipes in it much as I didn't want to keep touching them and flipping through them.

Some are 'newer' meaning; gathered in the 1970's but many are from the 1940's and are handwritten - a couple in 'dipped' ink - and many are so faded I can barely decipher them.

I was going through them this week and lamenting the fact that a couple are ripped and edges breaking off the brittle cards and it suddenly hit me; I need to take a picture of the card and type out the recipe on my site so they are 'saved' not only for me but for my three kids (all of whom love to cook and bake!).  So dear readers, you will be on the receiving end of some tried and true (and loved) recipes straight from my grandmother's recipe box.

This first recipe is neither hard to read nor as old as some.  But I chose it because not only was it easy to read, but the name of my grandma's friend and neighbor is written on it and on a whim I popped her name into the internet search engine and found a wonderful 'background' story about this interesting lady.  I loved learning about her and her family - knowing that she and my grandma were friends and neighbors - having coffee together and swapping recipes.

 


12# Uncooked Fruit Cake

2# graham crax
1# ginger snaps
2#nut meats
1 t cloves
1 t cinnamon
1 t Allspice
1/2 # dates
1/2# fig
1/2# candied cherry
2# raisin
2#red and green gum drops
1 c jelly or dark syrup
1 1/2 c fruit juice

Mix well and press in loaf or shallow pan.  Store in cool place.


___________________________________

This was readily available on public websites and I just loved the childhood stories she told.  The woman who gave my grandma this recipe was born in 1897 and walked 1 1/2 miles to school starting when she was just 5 years old. 

Apparently she wrote out a bit of her life story in 1969 - and her family included it with her obituary on a public obituary page.  I've taken out names - but left portions of it that had some wonderful stories.


The following written by her in 1969:

Born in 1897. Started to school at age 5 years. Walked 1 1/2 mile to school and the same home. In March 1907 the family moved to Montana where Dad homesteaded. We arrived at Mondak where we had to cross the Missouri river on a cable ferry boat. The ice in the river was just breaking up so had to stay there for six weeks until the boat could cross. May 8th we got across and drove all day with our household goods and stock to our homestead which was our home for several years and we children grew up there on the plains of Montana. All open range country at that time with no neighbors for miles.

The first summer a big prairie fire went past our house. It had burned for around 30 miles. My mother must have been scared when she sit in the house with we four children. For many miles around all men were out fighting the fire with barrels of water and gunny sacks. They got it out a short ways past our house. I never will forget how dark it got and how the range stock was running ahead and bawling.

The first school we attended here was 4 miles distant. We drove a horse and buggy. Believe we went there 2 or 3 years then another school was built 3 miles distant. Was in this little country school where all 4 of us graduated 8th grade. Building not very big but a lot of pupils. The teacher then had to walk 1/2 mile or more, build her own fire and do all the sweeping etc., and teach all 8 grades.

In 1916 our neighbors little girl came to live with us. Her mother died when she was born. She lived with another family for about 3 years before she came to us. From then on Mother and Dad raised her to a young womanhood. We all dearly loved her, to this day we still do.


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10/7/17

Low Carb Sugar Free Almond Thins and Nacho Cheese Flavored Almond Thin Crackers





If you've been around An American Housewife for a little while, you might remember my post for a Dorito style Nacho Cheese Dust flavoring that I used on taco shells and many other items.   And you might also recall a recipe I've posted numerous times because it's one of my 'go-to' recipes for crackers when we are not eating wheat products:  Almond Thin Crackers (like wheat thin style). So, what happens when those two recipes marry?  You get Nacho Cheese Flavored Almond Thins!  And let me just say they are QUITE yummy with a simple cream cheese and mild pepper dip!


When I made these up I started with my regular almond thin recipe but left out the garlic and onion flavoring in lieu of opening a packet of the Dorito dust I had made and sealed in my food sealer a few months ago.  I added a bit of it to the dough recipe (maybe 1-2 T) and then I sprinkled more flavor dust on the crackers before baking.

This is a recipe you'll want to use your own discretion on for taste - heavily seasoned or lightly seasoned - it's all up to you.  Go light to start as you can always add more if you wish.  If you like a bit more of a 'kick' to it, sprinkle some chipolte or cayenne on the crackers with the dust flavoring.

Almond Thins Crackers

1 c almond flour or fine ground almonds
1-2 t sweetener of choice
1 egg white

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. Make sure it's mixed well so all the almond is moist and the dough starts to hold together.

Crumble and drop the dough on parchment paper or well greased foil on a pan. Cover the sticky dough with another sheet of parchment or greased foil or plastic wrap. Roll the dough out with a rolling pin as thin as you can - 1/8 of an inch is what to aim for and even thinner if you can. You should be able to get a rectangle about 9X9 inches. Peel off the top layer and score with a pizza cutter to make about 30-40 small squares. Bake at 325 degree's for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Check at 10 minutes and use a metal spatula to gently pry the crackers apart, flipping the ones on the outside to the inside and mixing them up a bit. When all are golden, remove, break apart and let cool completely. Store in an air tight container.

Doritos Dust

Cheddar Cheese Powder (think; the cheese packet of macaroni & cheese - but more of it)
Tomato Powder
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Paprika
Red Bell Pepper Powder (can be ground from freeze dried red bell peppers)
Green Bell Pepper Powder (can be ground from freeze dried green bell peppers)
Chili Powder
Nacho Cheese popcorn seasoning
Turmeric Powder
MSG
Cayenne
Salt

In a food processor start with approximately;

1 1/4 cup cheese powder
1/2 cup tomato powder
2/3 cup freeze dried red bell peppers
1/4 cup freeze dried green bell pepper
2 tablespoons nacho cheese popcorn flavoring
1 tablespoon garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder
2 t paprika, turmeric and salt
1 t MSG
I didn't use any cayenne but some people use that and a dash of dry mustard powder.

Taste.

I added more tomato powder, popcorn seasoning and onion powder.
I added more turmeric.  Then realized I wanted a little more red pepper powder.
I added a little more salt and MSG to mine.
Then I added more cheese powder, then more turmeric and then more garlic powder and onion powder.
I added more chili powder.
Then... I was happy with it. Or at least sick of taste-testing it and decided it was "close enough".  And I found the flavor changes when added to hot foods!  It becomes even more vibrant and fresh and delicious so keep that in mind when tasting.

To make the Nacho Flavored Almond Thins - add one or two tablespoons to the dough before turning into a ball and rolling out (see photo below).  You can sprinkle more 'dust' on the crackers before baking.     


Before mixing - add some of the dust and more cayenne or chipotle powder if you want more kick

Ready to roll

Cover with a piece of wax paper on top for easy non-stick rolling

Very flat dough results in a more crisp cracker
Easy to cut with a pizza cutter - I cut right on the foil lined baking pan (my preference)

Ready to bake!



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