Cooking With Quilly

Vote for Herbgirl!

2008-02-17T18:49:00.003-10:00

My friend Herbgirl from Watch My Aerogrow has entered a video in El Pollo Loco's make a Flame Grilled Chicken commerical contest. Check it out and give her your vote. Thanks!

Creamy Fudge

2008-02-12T20:16:00.004-10:00

4 cups* miniature marshmallows
1 small can (or 2/3 cup) evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 12 oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup nuts and/or raisins (optional)

Mix marshmallows, butter, sugar, milk and the salt in a large sauce pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a full boil. Stirring constantly, boil for 5 minutes over medium heat. Remove from heat, add chocolate chips and stir until chips are melted. Add vanilla and nuts, stirring until blended. Pour into a buttered 9 in square baking dish. Chill and cut into squares.

* or 32 large marshmellows OR one 10 oz jar of marshmallow cream

Chunky Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

2008-02-06T20:24:00.004-10:00

1 cup peanut butter
1 small can (or 2/3 cup) evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 12 oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped nuts* (optional)

Mix peanut butter, butter, sugar, milk and the salt in a large sauce pan. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a full boil. Stirring constantly, boil for 5 minutes over medium heat. Remove from heat, add chocolate chips and stir until chips are melted. Add vanilla and nuts, stirring until blended. Pour into a buttered 9 in square baking dish. Chill and cut into squares.

* or use chunky peanut butter

Succulent Roast Chicken

2008-01-06T21:05:00.000-10:00

I love the white meat on a chicken, but not when it's dry. On New Year's Day I roasted a chicken that came out moist and juicy. First, I cooked it in an Oven Bag -- in the crock pot -- breast down.

I put the defrosted chicken in the oven bag, added about 1/4 cup chicken broth, a minced clove of garlic, a bit of poultry seasoning and a quarter cube of butter. I then sealed the oven bag and placed it, chicken breast down, bag closure up, in the crock pot, which I had set to "high". I put the lid on the pot and left it alone for 5 hours.

When I lifted the bag out of the crock pot, the bag was full of the chicken's own natural juices. I cut a small hole in the corner of the bag and let those juices run into a pan. I used them to make gravy.

I served the chicken with sautéed vegetables, stuffing, and, of course, mashed potatoes and gravy. The chicken breast was moist, juicy and oozing with flavor.

Quilly Cooks & Sews!

2008-01-03T09:43:00.000-10:00

Morgan wondered where my Holiday recipes were. Well, I didn't do a bunch of holiday cooking this year because I was busy making Christmas presents for my teaching team mates. These are one-of-a-kind, handmade lanyards. Each has a watch on it. The watch is up side down, so that when the wearer looks down, the time is right-side-up!

These watch charms are a dream! I bought them online from HHH Enterprises. Each watch comes with an extra battery. That really impressed me. There are plenty of styles and sizes to choose from, you're sure to find just what you want. Their prices are right and the website is easy to use.

These are the lanyards:

The gold one has “antiqued gold”butterfly beads on it. The tapestry one speaks for itself! The lace one is actually multicolored, but the pastels washed out in the flash.

The braid on the first one is rainbow hued because this is the rainbow state. The hearts and stars on the second one were from a package of "assorted" burgundy buttons purchased blind at a craft fair supposedly for OC’s shirt, but when I opened the package I realized there were no ordinary round shirt buttons included, and for some reason OC didn’t want these buttons on his shirt. The third one is for Ms. Jewl, who loves the color green and honu (sea turtles). She also has been hinting that she needs a watch. The final one is for a lady who truly sparkles. The metalic braid shines gold, blue and purple, but the flash washed it out.

Oyster Chicken

2007-12-30T18:24:00.000-10:00

OC wanted to cook dinner the other night. That was fine with me. He's a great cook and I enjoy an evening off every now and then -- well, partial evening off, since when he cooks a special meal I clean, and when I cook a special meal he cleans.

The meal he cooked was incredibly special. He found a brand new recipe then modified it to fit his/our tastes (and ingredients on hand).

Oyster Chicken

8 chicken thighs
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp chili powder
dash cayenne pepper
1 (10 fluid ounce) bottle oyster sauce
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Place dry, thawed chicken thighs in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Season with salt and pepper to taste and bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes. Drain chicken.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine the oyster sauce, garlic, teriyaki, cayenne, chili, sugar and water. Mix together and taste the sauce; if it is not sweet enough, add more sugar to taste.

After chicken has baked for 25 minutes, pour sauce over it and bake for another 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

Serve with your favorite rice and a salad. Three Note Salad is shown in the photo above.

Three Note Salad

2007-12-24T17:47:00.000-10:00

OC isn't just another pretty face. He's a scientist. He's a trumpet player. He's my hero. And he's an outstanding cook. For dinner the other evening he created his own salad. We were given the tangerines by one of my co-workers. They grew on the tree in her front yard.

He -- being descriptive and accurate -- wanted to name this salad, Broccoli, Cauliflower & Tangerine Salad (in fact, that ampersand might be just a little too racy for his public persona). Me, being much more imaginative, named it in honor of his musical interests: Three Note Salad (and I can do that and get away with it because this is my blog).

He served this salad with Oyster Chicken and wild rice. For dressing we splashed on a bit of teriyaki sauce. It was heavenly. In fact, I may never eat tangerines again without teriyaki sauce!

Now, I bet you're wondering how to make the salad? Well, just wash, chop and toss together equal amounts of raw broccoli, cauliflower and tangerine slices. Chill and serve. Super EASY, yet fancy and elegant in appearance.

We discussed the possibility of tossing a few sliced almonds over the top next time we serve it. If you try that before we do, let us know how it went.

Horned Melon

2007-12-20T16:39:00.000-10:00

Looks interesting. Let's buy it and take it home.
Manoa Safeway's purchase price, $4.99

Certainly looks interesting.
The scent is very light and faintly sweet.
It cut clean with none of the green "jelly" oozing out.
I shoveled a spoonful out and put it into my mouth.

Looks like somebody spilled green tomato seeds, doesn't it?
The texture agrees.
The taste was light and crisp, though faintly sweet.

Each seed comes in it's own jell sack. Suck the seed out and eat the jell sack, or eat it seed and all (though the seeds are a bit bitter). A lot of work goes into eating this fruit, so unless one falls in love with it instantly -- which we did not -- it is probably only a one time experience.

We never finished ours. In fact, I pitched the left overs off the balcony. The peacocks loved them.

Chocolate Waffles

2007-12-13T16:10:00.000-10:00

Want an elegant yet easy dessert for company? These can be made ahead then reheated in the oven or toaster.

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 - 3/4 cups pancake mix
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 - 1/3 cups water

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, sift together the pancake mix, walnuts, chocolate chips, cocoa and sugar. Add water and oil. Hand mix until large lumps disappear. Do not over beat. Let batter rest for at least 5 minutes.

Pour desired amount of batter into pre-heated, well greased (or non-stick) waffle iron. Bake according to your machine's directions -- usually until an indicator light goes off or the steam stops rising.

Top with ice cream and garnish with chopped nuts and a mint sprig or, perhaps a luscious, ripe strawberry.

Thai Peanut Sauce

2007-12-08T15:21:00.000-10:00

This recipe makes about 1 cup of Thai peanut sauce. I serve it over chicken, stir fried veggies and ramen-type noodles. I sauté chicken pieces and veggies in peanut oil, serve them over the noodles and drizzle the peanut sauce over the top. Yum.

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup minced onion
1 small garlic clove, pressed
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Mix in blender, heat and serve.

Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies

2007-12-03T15:58:00.000-10:00

This has to be my all time favorite cookie.

1 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2-3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. table salt
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Cream together first 5 ingredients. In large bowl mix flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add dry mix to sugar mix. Beat in chips and nuts.

Bake on greased cookie sheet at 375F for 10 minutes. Cookies will continue to bake for a bit when removed from the oven, so if they still look a touch undercooked don't fret. These cookies should be moist and chewy. DO NOT over bake.

After-School Snacks

2007-11-28T20:43:00.000-10:00

When the kids get home from school they're starved. If you're at work and can't be there when they get home, foraging can leave the kitchen a mess and leave you short crucial ingredients for dinner. Make the kid's after-school snacks ahead and tell them where to find them.

PB & J Muffins

no stick cooking spray
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup milk
2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup jam or jelly, any flavor

Optional Topping:
sugar

Heat oven to 375F. Spray 12 cup muffin pan with no-stick spray*. Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Add milk, eggs, sugar, peanut butter and oil to bowl; mix on low speed until moistened. Do not over beat.

Fill muffin cups half 1/3 full. Place 2 level teaspoons full of jam or jelly in the center of each muffin. Divide the remaining muffin batter evenly into each muffin cup. If you wish, sprinkle the tops with sugar. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool in muffin pan for several minutes before turning out on wire rack to continue cooling.

*By all means, use the no-stick spray for easy clean up, but since I want these muffins to last for several days, I bake them in cupcake paper then, when they are completely cool, store them in two large ziplock bags. One goes in the freezer. One stays out for quick snacks.

Pumpkin to be Thankful For

2007-11-23T13:50:00.000-10:00

Can you say delicious? If you like pumpkin pie, you will love this. (Sorry no photo. The camera has died.)

I made a batch of Pumpkin Crunch to take to a Thanksgiving potluck. When we arrived at our destination the security gates were closed and our hosts were no where in sight. We didn't know their phone number, so after two or three drive-bys, we decided to go home. I commented that we had one heck of a lot of dessert for two people to eat. (I had also made a large batch of fudge.) OC, very fond of chocolate, said I could just freeze the Pumpkin Crunch and he'd take it to work and share with his coworkers. Later, after tasting the Pumpkin Crunch he changed his mind. He's not sharing it.

Pumpkin Crunch Squares

1 large can of easy Pumpkin Pie Mix
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons. cinnamon
1 12oz can Evap. Milk
1 Plain Yellow Cake Mix
1 cup (2 sticks) real butter (unsalted)
Chopped Walnuts (fine)
1 block (8 0z) Cream Cheese
1 tub Cool whip
1 cup powdered sugar
Waxed Paper

Combine pumpkin pie mix, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, and evaporated milk in a bowl. Set aside. Line a 9x13 pan with wax paper enough to hang over the sides (But not too far!). Pour mixture into pan.

Sprinkle cake mix over the top, then the chopped Walnuts. Drizzle the melted butter over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on cooling rack. Refrigerate overnight.

Topping:*
Cream together powdered sugar and cream cheese. Fold in Cool Whip.

Remove Pumpkin Crunch from the refrigerator and flip over onto cookie sheet. Remove wax paper. Spread the topping over the pumpkin crunch. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 24 squares*

I cut the Pumpkin Crunch into 20 squares. It is very rich already, so I do not use the cream cheese and Cool Whip topping. I just add a drop of whip cream and enjoy as is.

Party Broccoli

2007-11-19T13:37:00.000-10:00

Need a fancy veggie that's fast, easy and elegant? This one cooks in under five minutes. Like my Grand Green Beans Recipe, you may use your favorite cooking oil to subtly change the taste. For this one I use peanut oil.

This recipe came to be in a flash of creativity. I needed a fancy vegetable for an unplanned, yet special meal. I opened the fridge, checked out what I had on hand, and created:

Party Broccoli

3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 large clove garlic, slivered
1/2 small onion, thin sliced
1/2 pound broccoli florets, separated
5 small mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Heat oil in frying pan. Add onions, broccoli and garlic, then sauté until onion begins to turn translucent. Add cranberries and pecans. Sauté one minute more. Serve immediately.

Grand Green Beans

2007-11-15T08:37:00.000-10:00

I prefer my vegetables raw, but on occasion, I've been known to cook them just a bit. Here's a fancy way to serve green beans if you like your cooked veggies crisp. This recipe has a bit of an Asian flavor thanks to the sesame oil, but you may actually use any type of frying oil you wish (or bacon grease if you aren't too worried about cholesterol).

Grand Green Beans

1/2 pound cleaned, fresh green beans
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 clove garlic
1/2 small onion, thin sliced
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup sliced almonds
salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil in small frying pan. Add onions and garlic then sauté until onion begins to turn translucent. Add green beans, red pepper and almond. Sauté until veggies reach your preferred crispness -- for me I only sauté long enough to warm them through, so my total cooking time for the green beans is under 5 minutes.

Kalua Pig

2007-11-10T19:05:00.000-10:00

Moist. Delicious. Smoky.

Traditional roast pig is a luau dish. The pig is wrapped in lualua (taro) leaves, lowered into a pit and slow barbecued for hours. Nowadays the pig is more often roasted in a crock pot for 6-8 hours, even so, it remains an island delight. It is traditionally served with long rice, poi, and/or sweet potatoes. Hawaiians don't believe in eating until they're full, they believe in eating until they are tired!

Hawaiian Roast Pig

5 pound pork butt roast
2 tablespoons Hawaiian rock salt
3 teaspoons liquid smoke

Rub pork roast with 1 1/2 tbs of rock salt and 1 tsp. liquid smoke*. Place fat side up in crock pot. Add 1/2 cup water** and 1 tsp. liquid smoke. Replace lid and cook on high for 5 or 6 hours. Remove roast from crock pot and shred^. Add to the juice in the crock pot 1/2 tbs. rock salt^^ and 1 tsp. liquid smoke. Stir. Return shredded pork to brine and soak on low for 1/2 hour, or however long it takes to prepare your chosen side dishes.

*I put the teaspoonful of liquid smoke on my hands and rub the roast down.

**Some recipes call for apple cider. I use water.

^Use two forks to pull the meat apart. It will shred easily.

^^This is a very salty dish. I eliminate this last half tablespoon of salt.

Portuguese Brand Sausage

2007-10-30T16:45:00.000-10:00

Good stuff.

Despite its name, Portuguese Brand Sausage is made in Hawaii. It is also on the menu of many of the local restaurants, but don't get it in the restaurant. They'll only serve you three or four little slices. Go to the grocery store and pay about a $1.25 for a 5 ounce chub.

Portuguese Brand Sausage comes fully cooked with spicy ratings from mild, to medium, to hot. I buy the hot sausage because I have found that Hawaiian spices are much more mild then Mexican spices -- however, that doesn't mean their foods lack flavor or savor.

I have eaten Portuguese Brand Sausage just plain pan fried, diced in an omlet, diced into a yummy breakfast casserole, and as the carne in Chili con. All of the dishes were made extraordinary by this delicious sausage.

Try it. If you can't find any in your local supermarket pop on over to Hawaii and check the meat counter in most any store. It's certain to be on the shelf.

Btw -- this is NOT paid advertizing.

Old Fashioned Chicken Soup

2007-10-26T21:25:00.000-10:00

My Gram used to make the best chicken soup. I always loved it when the big pot came out and Gram rolled a batch of homemade noodles. I knew that meant we were having chicken soup. It is the ultimate comfort food.

Gram roasted a whole chicken and made the traditional roast chicken dinner with mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, etc. The next day she boiled the chicken leftovers -- every scrap including bones and skin -- to make her broth. Of course she removed the bones -- mostly -- before serving. I make my broth a tad-bit healthier, but it lacks the richness of Gram's broth.

6 chicken legs, skinned
1 16 oz can of low sodium chicken broth
2 16 oz cans of water
2 bay leaves*
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 tablespoons parsley
salt & pepper to taste
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 cup green onion stalks (for color)
2 medium carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, thin sliced

Put everything into the crock pot. Set the pot on low or slow, depending on your dial. Go to work. Leave home for the day. At the very least, completely ignore the pot.**

After 6 or so hours turn the pot to the fast or high setting. Remove the chicken legs from the pot. Allow them to cool and de-bone them. Shred the meat and return it to the pot. The bones may be discarded.

Roll out a batch of Easy Homemade Egg Noodles. They require little to no drying time, so within an hour you should be adding noodles to the crock pot. Add noodles slowly so they do not stick together. Stir the pot often as you add the noodles. When all the noodles have been added, replace the lid and simmer for at least 1/2 hour.

Ladle the soup into large bowls. Hand the bowls to hungry people. Watch the soup disappear. Expect to be asked for seconds.

Notes:

*remove bay leaves before serving

**I like to make the broth one day, de-bone the chicken, chill the broth, then reheat it in a regular soup pan the second day and cook in the noodles. Soup always has a better flavor on day two.

Star Fruit

2007-10-23T22:41:00.000-10:00

Scientists call it Carambola. To the rest of us it is known as Star Fruit, and it is easy to see why. Star Fruit is sweet, yet tart and very crisp in texture. It ripens from green to yellow, but can be eaten in either state.

Because they are members of the family Oxalidaceae, and therefore a source of oxalic acid, Star Fruit should be eaten in moderation. Persons with kidney disorders should not eat them at all.

They do make a lovely garnish, however.

Easy Homemade Egg Noodles

2007-10-20T23:31:00.000-10:00

2 cups flour
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
milk

Mix flour and salt. Stir in eggs. Add milk until a soft dough-ball forms. Turn dough out onto floured surface*. Roll flat and thin with a rolling pin. Make certain there is plenty of flour beneath the dough. Allow to air dry for about one hour. Cut the dough into strips**. Bring soup stock or salted water^ to a boil. Stir in the noodles a few at a time. Boil for 20 minutes or so.

Once again OC started eating (actually, so did I) before I could take a picture, so I hopped from my seat, grabbed the camera and snapped this:

Cooking tips:

*For easy clean up, I use waxed paper. Wipe your counter with a wet paper towel, leaving it damp (but not sloppy). Smooth the wax paper over the damp spot and it will stick to the counter. Roll your dough out on the waxed paper.

**As you can tell from the photo, I used a chef's knife to cut my dough, but only because I just moved here. Pizza cutters do an excellent job of cutting noodles. My super-sharp chef's knife sliced right through the waxed paper as well!

^Homemade noodles aren't just for soup. They can be used in any dish you would put store bought noodles in.

One Pan Meal for Two

2007-10-17T17:48:00.000-10:00

Soft & Fluffy Baked Potato

Scrub two large brown potatoes. Remove blemishes. Poke several holes in potatoes with fork or sharp knife. Rub potatoes in olive oil and cover in aluminum foil. Bake in 375 degree oven for approximately 90 minutes.

Roast Chicken Legs*

4 chicken legs
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons seasoned salt**
1/2 teaspoon Poultry Seasonings (optional)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
pepper to taste

Mix flour and seasonings in plastic bag. Add chicken legs and shake until coated. Place chicken legs on a baking sheet coated with your favorite cooking spray. Bake in 375 degree oven for approximately 1 hour. Turn once while roasting.

Garlic-Butter Squash

Halve and clean one acorn squash. Salt and pepper^ the squash to taste, thin slice or dice a clove of garlic and put it, along with a one tablespoon pat of butter in the center of each half. Bake in 375 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes. (Put it in the baking dish right beside the chicken.)

Cooking tips:

When flouring the chicken use a zipper-lock bag and seal it with plenty of air inside to allow free movement of chicken and flour as you shake.

Put the potatoes in the oven first and turn it on to preheat. Once the oven is at full temperature turn it from preheat to bake. A half an hour later add the chicken. Fifteen minutes after that add the squash. If the potatoes are not fully cooked when the chicken and squash are ready, a minute or so in the microwave should finish them to perfection.

Notes:

*any cut of chicken can be used. Meatier pieces may need a longer cooking time.

**your favorite brand

^I used seasoned salt

I'm sorry I forgot to take a picture of the finished plate. Once again the food was half eaten before I remembered. When I complained to OC he assured me it was "beautiful."

Easy Split Pea Soup With Bacon

2007-10-14T09:06:00.000-10:00

This is one of the easiest dishes there is. I just dump the ingredients in the Crockpot and walk away. When I return I have delicious, filling soup! It's like magic.

1 16-0z bag of split green peas (washed and drained)
6 cups water
1/2 pound raw bacon, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, diced or pressed
salt & pepper to taste

Dump it in the Crockpot. Give it a stir. Crank it on high. Leave for 8 or so hours ... return home to yum!

Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with carrot curls, a drollop of sour cream and a twig of greenery. I used cilantro.

Crisp Cucumber Salad

2007-10-10T18:06:00.000-10:00

I was examining cucumbers in the produce isle when OC -- the man who, when we were courting, told me he would eat anything -- mentions casually that he doesn't particularly care for cucumbers. I'm not going to tell you how many times I've head the, "I don't particularly care for ..." phrase in the last couple of months, but I can tell you that I'd heard it enough by the time he applied it to the cucumber that my mental response was, "Tough!"

I put the cucumber in our shopping cart and told him, "I am going to make a cucumber salad. If you don't like it, you don't have to eat it." Well, I made the salad and guess what?

Yep.

He likes it.

Crisp Cucumber Salad

1 medium cucumber
1 small sweet onion*
1/4 cup sour cream
vinegar
water
pepper

Scrub the cucumber and score the peel by scraping down the sides of the cucumber with fork tines. Cut the cucumber into thin slices. Cut the sweet onion into thin slices. Mix the cucumber and onion slices together in a bowl. Cover the mixed slices with a 50-50 solution of vinegar and water. Marinate overnight (or all day). Just before serving drain the slices. (Do not pat or shake them dry, allow them to retain some moisture.) Spoon the sour cream over the slices, add pepper to taste, and stir. Arrange on plates and garnish with sour cream, fresh carrot sticks and the greenery of your choice. Serve chilled.

This salad does not keep well and is best eaten fresh. (It continues to pickle and gets stronger.) Try to eat within 24 hours.

*The photo does not show whole onion slices because I only had half of a large onion on hand. It tasted the same, but didn't look as pretty.

Waffles on Sunday

2007-10-07T21:40:00.000-10:00

Q. How long does it take for a waffle to bake if you pour the batter in the waffle iron and never plug the waffle iron in?

A. Well, I suppose it depends on the climate and season. Currently -- early October -- the waffle will take considerably longer to bake in Antartica then Death Valley. In either extreme, or anywhere else in between, it is best to plug the waffle iron in and heat it up before beginning.

Sometimes everything clicks. Sometimes perfection happens. Today I made the perfect waffle -- and I had a camera nearby so I could take a snapshot and prove it. These two were light and fluffy on the inside and brown and crispy on the outside. OC devoured them and another set just like them.

We have waffles every Sunday. I asked OC today if he was getting tired of them yet. As he was using the last bit of waffle to soak up the last bit of maple syrup from his plate, he said he'd be sure to let me know ~~when~~ if it happened.

Sunday Waffles

2 cups flour
1 tbs. sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbs. butter, softened (the Real deal)
1 egg
1/2 cup whole milk
water

Mix dry ingredients together. Mix butter, egg and milk together. Add to dry ingredients. Add water as needed to make thick pourable batter. Pour batter down the middle of a preheated waffle iron (read manufacturer settings). Bake until steam stops rising.

Open waffle iron and remove waffle. Butter immediately. *Add your favorite topping and eat. Yum!

Tips:
* You may actually want to put the waffle on a plate.

Fancy Tuna (or Chicken) Salad

2007-10-05T11:45:00.000-10:00

This actually doesn't look as good as it tasted. I would have tried for a better picture, but my loving partner was impatient to eat. He snapped this for me then hustled his plate to the dinner table. However, if you think about it, that's quite an endorsement for the salad. (Note to self: Don't mention that OC hadn't eaten in almost 10 hours.)

This recipe evolved -- as many of my recipes do -- out of a lack of necessary ingredients for the salad I wanted to make. No mayo? Crap! [snatch open fridge] Oh, look! Sour cream! It's the right color. I wonder what will happen if ....

Salad:

1 pound bag of fancy pasta, boiled and rinsed
1 12-oz. can of albacore tuna (canned chicken works well, too!)
1/2 med. sweet onion, diced
1/4 cup diced or grated carrot
1/4 cup pickle relish (I prefer dill)
1/2 fresh or *frozen peas

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayo (or Miracle Whip or Sour Cream)
1/2 cup white wine
1 2-0z jar of diced pimento with juice
1/4 c. dill pickle juice (if you use sweet pickles add a little more white wine)
2 tbs. spicy brown mustard
1 tsp. celery seed (or 1/4 cup fresh, thinly-sliced celery)
1 tbs. dried parsley
salt & pepper to taste

Toss the fresh ingredients in a bowl. Mix the dressing and pour it over the top. Stir and chill.

**Serve on a bed of lettuce. Garnish with paprika and deviled eggs. Fresh rolls on the side would be nice.

Makes 4 generous (full meal) servings.

tips:

*I defrost the peas by putting them in the colander and draining the pasta over them.

**This salad tastes best the day after you make it. I like to put it together the afternoon before the day I serve it. (I like to, but I seldom get to.)

70 Years of . . . Yum?

2007-10-03T20:23:00.000-10:00

Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday dear Spam,
Happy birthday to you!

Yep, you heard me correctly. Today is the 70th Birthday of Spam canned luncheon meat. OC called me from work to tell me he'd read about it on the front page of the paper during his morning commute. I teased him a bit and promised him I would go to the store and get him some Spam for dinner. He demurred, but encouraged me to read his post.

The Monty Python skit brought a recipe to mind. I thought I'd share it with you.

Spam Spread

1 can Spam, diced
1/4 cup finely diced onion
1/4 cup finely diced dill pickle (or sweet pickle if you swing that way)
1/4 cup mayo (or Miracle Whip if you're that type)
1 tbs. spicy brown mustard (You can use the plain stuff, but why bother?)

Mix. Chill. Spread on your favorite bread or cracker. Try to convince your loved ones to eat it.

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