Easy, delicious recipes shamelessly collected, swiped, begged & borrowed from friends & family, TV chefs, cookbooks & magazines ~~ and some original creations too.
Dec 12, 2017
Buckeye Pretzels
I live in Ohio, home of The Ohio State University, whose sports teams and followers are called Buckeyes. If you live nearby you already know about our 'buckeye' candies: peanut butter/sugar balls dipped partway in chocolate to resemble a buckeye.
We are inundated with 'buckeye'd items everywhere -- clothing, cheesecakes, car lots, and a myriad of other references. I'm setting up the scenario to explain why I did feel like a fool in Paris, when the first thing I saw in Luxembourg Gardens was a huge horse chestnut tree, surrounded by fallen nuts. Buckeyes! Actually, horse chestnuts. I was so surprised that a "buckeye" tree had made its' way across the ocean to France. OK, that's all the brain fog I will admit to today.
These tasty snacks are yet another nod to the buckeye. They're also easy to convert to a low sodium diet by using unsalted butter, pretzels and peanut butter.
For 25, you'll need 50 tiny pretzels, unbroken. I only say this obvious statement because I have purchased smaller bags and found way too many slightly broken pretzels to get 25 matched 'sets'.
Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil. Use a mixer to combine 1 c. creamy peanut butter with 2 TB softened butter. Scrape the bowl and add 1/2 c powdered sugar and 3/4 c. brown sugar and beat well. You should be able to roll tiny balls without creating a sticky mess in your hands. Add more powdered sugar if needed.
Roll it all into balls using no more than a teaspoon for each. Make a couple test balls with the pretzels to be sure they don't squish wildly out of the pretzel 'sandwich', making a mess to serve and eat.
Place the pretzel sandwiches on parchment and chill at least 30 minutes or until you get back to them in a day or so. Then melt the chocolate and dip them about halfway. Place on the parchment-lined trays and pop in the fridge again long enough for the chocolate to harden. After that they don't need to be refrigerated. I store them in the freezer. And that's a Buckeye Pretzel. O-H-I-O. Some of you will 'get' that reference!
Nov 6, 2017
Sticky Ginger Soy Chicken
Clipped from one of the Sunday-papers ( Parade, I believe) this blogger's contributed recipe is a new favorite quick meal at our house that is incredibly fast & incredibly tasty. It's just a bonus that it was so simple to convert to a lower-sodium recipe by using the only real low sodium soy sauce I've ever found, China Town, which has about 75% less sodium than any of the 'reduced sodium' brands, making this wonderful, aromatic dish a quick dinner, free of sodium-guilt. You are welcome to stick to any soy sauce you choose
This is Parade's photo! We are always in a rush to devour this and I never remember to take a picture to use here.
This recipe uses whole thighs, but people with little kids will probably cut them up into small strips first --- which of course would make the cooking period just about instantaneous.
Make the simple marinade: 1/4 c brown sugar ( I use brown splenda), 3 TB soy sauce, 2 cloves minced garlic, and 1/2 tsp ground ginger, a pinch of black pepper. Mix well and place in a zipper bag with 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs. Marinate at least 30 minutes and as long as a day, refrigerated.
Heat a large heavy skillet and barely cover the bottom of the pan with less than 1 TB olive oil. Tilt the pan so it dribbles around and mostly- covers the bottom. Lift each thigh out of the bag, letting the marinade drip off into the bag and place the chicken in the hot oil. Cook over medium heat and cut into the middle to be sure they're done -- this won't take long, not more than 10 minutes max. Flip the meat now and then, it will darken as it cooks. And smell just delightful!
Then pour the remaining marinade into the pan, with the chicken, and boil & whisk as it reduces into a thick glaze that smells just like your favorite Chinese restaurant. Spoon the glaze over the chicken. To plate just place it on the rice, sprinkle chopped green onion and sesame seeds over the top.
Deliciousness beyond all expectation, and ready in a flash. I should note that the original recipe is enough marinade/sauce for 8 thighs . I hate not having a lot of sauce so I choose to use these amounts for just 4 thighs and have lots of thick gooey sauce to roll around in.
Oct 16, 2017
Citrus Salad
The origin of most recipes that I've clipped somewhere is lost, but I do remember that this salad recipe is from a Better Homes & Gardens magazine just a few years ago.
I've served it several times at Easter since it seems spring-y and light. I admit to using refrigerated, purchased citrus cups sometimes, to avoid peeling the fruit, but there is no doubt that fresh fruit is better. Today I'm serving it with cream cheese spinach soup, and a tomato tart. You can search both recipes on this blog.
I've served it several times at Easter since it seems spring-y and light. I admit to using refrigerated, purchased citrus cups sometimes, to avoid peeling the fruit, but there is no doubt that fresh fruit is better. Today I'm serving it with cream cheese spinach soup, and a tomato tart. You can search both recipes on this blog.
- 3 oranges peeled and white membranes removed (canned mandarins only in desperate times!)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon snipped tarragon
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 heads Bibb* lettuce , torn
- 1 pink grapefruit, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 clementines, peeled and separated into segments
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut, flaked, and toasted - the important touch!
For the dressing, squeeze juice from 1 orange and transfer to a small bowl. Whisk in mustard, tarragon and the oil. Peel and slice remaining oranges.
- Toss lettuce with dressing; gently toss in citrus slices and segments. Arrange on platter. Top with toasted coconut. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
* Bibb, Boston and Butter lettuce are interchangeable.
Sep 28, 2017
Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Icing
Our favorite fall cookie was clipped from a small Reader's Digest-sized newsprint magazine that published only readers recipes -- a pretty radical idea then, long before Taste Of Home began publishing home recipes. Thank you Mrs. Eleanor Harmon of Tulsa, Oklahoma, wherever you may be now, for submitting your recipe to Home Cooking in 1973. I've never found a soft pumpkin cookie I like more.
Cream 1 c. solid Crisco with 1c. sugar and 1 egg. Add 1 c. canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling, but you already know that). Sift all the dry ingredients together : 1 tsp each baking soda, cinnamon, and baking powder and 2 c. flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts, 1/2 c. raisins. Add it all to the wet ingredients and add 1 tsp vanilla. Drop by generous tablespoons onto greased cookie pans.
Bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 10-12 minutes. They should just be just barely firm on top, don't let them brown. Cool before frosting.
To make the icing, cook 3 TB butter with 1/2 c brown sugar and 3-4 tsp milk just to the boiling point, then cool and add 3/4 tsp vanilla and 1 c. powdered sugar. This frosts about 2 1/2 to 3 dozen smallish cookies, but we like them bigger, so I always increase the baking time by a couple of minutes. If you make the icing before the cookies are ready, you may need to thin it out by warming a bit and/or stirring in a couple more tablespoons of milk.
Cream 1 c. solid Crisco with 1c. sugar and 1 egg. Add 1 c. canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling, but you already know that). Sift all the dry ingredients together : 1 tsp each baking soda, cinnamon, and baking powder and 2 c. flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts, 1/2 c. raisins. Add it all to the wet ingredients and add 1 tsp vanilla. Drop by generous tablespoons onto greased cookie pans.
Bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 10-12 minutes. They should just be just barely firm on top, don't let them brown. Cool before frosting.
To make the icing, cook 3 TB butter with 1/2 c brown sugar and 3-4 tsp milk just to the boiling point, then cool and add 3/4 tsp vanilla and 1 c. powdered sugar. This frosts about 2 1/2 to 3 dozen smallish cookies, but we like them bigger, so I always increase the baking time by a couple of minutes. If you make the icing before the cookies are ready, you may need to thin it out by warming a bit and/or stirring in a couple more tablespoons of milk.
Sep 23, 2017
Brownie Pie
I always have called this slightly chewy, slightly gooey chocolate delight Brownie Pie, but if you live in the south you may call it Tar Heel Pie. North Carolina's pine forests produce a lot of tar, earning it the nickname "Tar Heel State". There's your trivia for today.
I should probably rename it "Bake Sale Miracle Pie" in recognition of the frequency of times I sent these pies to my kids school bake sales. It takes no more than 5 minutes to toss in one bowl and the ingredients are always on hand, so midnight baking wasn't unusual. The bake sale days are long over and now we are watching sodium. I realized that it just happens to be naturally low in sodium at 45mg per each of 6 slices if you leave out the salt, or 145mg if you include it. I always do, because salt does something wonderful to chocolate. Coffee makes chocolate 'pop' too, so this rich pie is doubly delicious.
Here goes: Melt 1 stick unsalted butter and pour the hot butter over 1 c. semisweet chocolate chips and stir til melted and well mixed. Then add 2 beaten eggs, 1/3 c flour, 1/2 c. brown sugar, 1/2c white sugar, 1 tsp dry instant coffee granules, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp kosher salt ( optional), and 1 c chopped walnuts or pecans. Pour into an unbaked pie crust and bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 30- 35 minutes. The top will be shiny and set. Cool for at least an hour before cutting & serving. If you'd like to serve it warm, let it cool completely first and later nuke individual slices for 15 seconds before serving. Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream are traditional, but I will understand completely if Graeter's strawberry chocolate chip ice cream shows up instead.
I should probably rename it "Bake Sale Miracle Pie" in recognition of the frequency of times I sent these pies to my kids school bake sales. It takes no more than 5 minutes to toss in one bowl and the ingredients are always on hand, so midnight baking wasn't unusual. The bake sale days are long over and now we are watching sodium. I realized that it just happens to be naturally low in sodium at 45mg per each of 6 slices if you leave out the salt, or 145mg if you include it. I always do, because salt does something wonderful to chocolate. Coffee makes chocolate 'pop' too, so this rich pie is doubly delicious.
Here goes: Melt 1 stick unsalted butter and pour the hot butter over 1 c. semisweet chocolate chips and stir til melted and well mixed. Then add 2 beaten eggs, 1/3 c flour, 1/2 c. brown sugar, 1/2c white sugar, 1 tsp dry instant coffee granules, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp kosher salt ( optional), and 1 c chopped walnuts or pecans. Pour into an unbaked pie crust and bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 30- 35 minutes. The top will be shiny and set. Cool for at least an hour before cutting & serving. If you'd like to serve it warm, let it cool completely first and later nuke individual slices for 15 seconds before serving. Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream are traditional, but I will understand completely if Graeter's strawberry chocolate chip ice cream shows up instead.
Apr 30, 2017
Vietnamese Beef and Potatoes
In a small bowl, combine 2/3 c. beef broth, 3 TB oyster sauce, 1 TB garlic-ginger stir-fry sauce, and 2 tsp. cornstarch. Blend well and set aside.
Heat 1 TB peanut oil in a large skillet or a wok over medium-high until hot. Add 1 small onion cut in thin wedges; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add 1 lb. boneless beef sirloin, cut lengthwise into 2" wide strips thinly sliced. Cook and stir 3-4 minutes until browned.
Stir broth mixture until smooth and add to skillet. Cook and stir 1 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Add 4 oz. kettle chips ( 4 cups) and toss gently to coat with sauce.
Makes four 1 1/2 c. servings.
Frozen ( or not ) Grasshopper Pie
Back in the olden days -- the 70's --- Grasshoppers were a popular frozen minty cocktail made with green crème de menthe and vanilla ice cream. Soon a recipe circulated among our card club for frozen grasshopper pie one of the hostesses served. I haven't made this for....um.... let's say 40 years, until it popped up in a magazine recently... Food Network, maybe. They don't mention freezing it, but that's the way we enjoyed it. Just let it set out for 10 or 15 minutes to thaw a bit before cutting. Here goes:
Melt 24 regular-size marshmallows in 2/3 cup half -and-half cream in a double boiler or very slowly & carefully over low heat. Remove the pan and let it cool before folding in 2 TB white crème de cacao and 2 TB green crème de menthe. Fold in 1/2 pint whipping cream, whipped, and pour the filling into a 9" chocolate crumb crust. Freeze for at least 3 hours or chill for at least 1 hour. Serve topped with more whipped cream, a few crushed chocolate cookies, and fresh mint leaves. I think we sometimes dribbled a few tablespoons of crème de menthe over the whipped cream when we served it.
Melt 24 regular-size marshmallows in 2/3 cup half -and-half cream in a double boiler or very slowly & carefully over low heat. Remove the pan and let it cool before folding in 2 TB white crème de cacao and 2 TB green crème de menthe. Fold in 1/2 pint whipping cream, whipped, and pour the filling into a 9" chocolate crumb crust. Freeze for at least 3 hours or chill for at least 1 hour. Serve topped with more whipped cream, a few crushed chocolate cookies, and fresh mint leaves. I think we sometimes dribbled a few tablespoons of crème de menthe over the whipped cream when we served it.
Snowberry Saltine Pie
My task today was to gather some of my favorite low-sodium recipes to share with a caterer for an American Heart Association lunch event called "Go Red For Women". We need to keep fat and sodium at a minimum, while delighting guests with great food, so this dessert came to mind. I give full credit to Midwest Living magazine where I found it in 1994 and have been making it ever since. The soft, crunchy salty-sweet meringue is so good. For this recipe, I simply substitute low-sodium saltines ("unsalted tops"). I can't tell the difference. If you like, use whipped topping with a tiny splash of almond or vanilla extract instead of whipped cream. Whipped cream is definitely better, but if you're concerned with the fat content, go with the topping. Don't make the filling more than 4 hours ahead, so the fruit doesn't weep and stain the whipped cream.
While I tend to use mixed berries of all kinds, I've also used peaches, plums, kiwi and nectarines cut in berry-size pieces. I think a mixture looks prettiest, especially with kiwi or blackberries for a touch of purple or green.
4 egg whites, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup sugar
16 saltine crackers, crushed,1/2 cup finely chopped pecans,1 cup whipping cream or 2 1/4 c whipped topping,1/3 cup sugar,1 teaspoon vanilla
2 -3 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, blueberries, sliced strawberries, cherries, or blackberries, all pieces about the same size
Grease and flour a 9-inch pie plate. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Gradually beat in the 1 cup sugar until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Fold in crackers and pecans.
- Transfer egg mixture to prepared pie plate, spreading over bottom and side. Bake in a 325 degree F oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until very pale golden. Cool.
- For filling, in a large bowl, beat cream, the 1/3 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until soft peaks form (tips curl). Fold in berries. Spoon into crust. Store in the refrigerator. Makes 8 servings.
Chicken Stroganoff
Don't you love it when a few ordinary ingredients somehow combine to create a superb flavor far beyond the ( expected) sum of its parts ? The recipe was published decades ago in Bon Appetit . I've made it a few zillion times for family and for catering clients. It's inexpensive, very fast, and addictively good.
Two caveats: if not served immediately, your noodles (even more than rice) will absorb all the rich sauce if left to languish very long, so don't mix them until the last minute. If you anticipate that they'll end up sitting a few minutes before eating, double the sauce ingredients to have extra. And the second caution is not to think you can skip or substitute something else for the Dijon. Now and then there is a sole ingredient responsible for a flavor meld, and this is the role of the Dijon. You won't identify the flavor profile as being mustard-y, just delicious!
Cut 5 skinless chicken breasts in 1" pieces and brown lightly in batches in 2 TB butter for about 5 minutes, removing to another dish and keep warm if you're serving soon. Don't crowd the pan, or you'll steam the chicken. To the pan, add 8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms and 1 medium onion, sliced. Cook until light brown, 6-8 minutes and then add to the dish with the chicken. These steps can be done ahead. Bring the chicken, onion and mushrooms to room temperature again, and then warm briefly before proceeding.
Two caveats: if not served immediately, your noodles (even more than rice) will absorb all the rich sauce if left to languish very long, so don't mix them until the last minute. If you anticipate that they'll end up sitting a few minutes before eating, double the sauce ingredients to have extra. And the second caution is not to think you can skip or substitute something else for the Dijon. Now and then there is a sole ingredient responsible for a flavor meld, and this is the role of the Dijon. You won't identify the flavor profile as being mustard-y, just delicious!
Cut 5 skinless chicken breasts in 1" pieces and brown lightly in batches in 2 TB butter for about 5 minutes, removing to another dish and keep warm if you're serving soon. Don't crowd the pan, or you'll steam the chicken. To the pan, add 8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms and 1 medium onion, sliced. Cook until light brown, 6-8 minutes and then add to the dish with the chicken. These steps can be done ahead. Bring the chicken, onion and mushrooms to room temperature again, and then warm briefly before proceeding.
Melt 1 TB butter in the pan, add 1 TB flour, and stir for 3 minutes. Whisk in 1 cup warm chicken broth and whisk well, scraping up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. and adding salt and pepper to taste. Stir vigorously until thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 TB Dijon mustard and 1/2 cup sour cream and cook until warmed through. Don't let it boil. Add the chicken, onion, and mushrooms back to the pan.
Serve to 4-6 people over rice or buttered noodles, and sprinkle with chopped parsley for a pretty touch of color.
Serve to 4-6 people over rice or buttered noodles, and sprinkle with chopped parsley for a pretty touch of color.
Jan 1, 2017
Orangekuchen - Danish Pastry at Home
"Orange cake" in Danish! For decades the Danes have rightfully declared themselves masters of light, flaky pastries. We love this departure from the usual breakfast treats. Also perfect for a tea, cut in much smaller pieces. The fresh citrus flavor is delightful. The thin orange-cheese layer needs to 'ripen' overnight, so a little planning is necessary. Otherwise it's a cinch to make.
First, make the pastry. It needs to chill a bit before being rolled out. Combine 1 c. flour and 1/3 c. sugar in a food processor or Ninja. PULSE to mix it and then, pulsing, add 6 TB. cold butter. Process just until it's the consistency of coarse crumbs. Mix 1 egg yolk with 1 TB + 2 tsp icy-cold water with a fork , add to the mixture and blend just til a dough forms. Don't over-process. Chill, wrapped in plastic or foil, for 30 minutes -- or longer if that's more convenient. Preheat the oven for at least 15 minutes, to 375.
Roll out the pastry to fit an 11" round tart pan or a quarter- sheet pan, rolling between parchment or wax paper. The crust will be very thin. My 1970's recipe specified a 13x9 pan but neither my pastry or my filling ever seemed to be quite enough. The pastry needs to be cold, so it doesn't always roll well. Let it be known that more than once I've taken the rolled pastry -- which on those occasions resembled a wildly and hopelessly irregular amoeba -- laid it in the pan, and pieced together a crust by pressing bits and pieces to get to the edges. You will lose some of that layered flakiness, but you may maintain your sanity. Fair exchange, I feel. Now place the pan in the freezer for 10 minutes to chill again. That cold dough hitting a hot oven helps create the magic layers of the pastry. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges just begin to start turning a bit brown.
Make the filling: using a mixer or food processor ( no need to really clean the one you used for the dough) mix 8 oz. softened cream cheese, 3TB fresh orange zest, 1/2 c. preferably-fresh orange juice, 3 eggs, 3 TB sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 c. finely chopped candied orange peel. Pour onto the partially-baked crust. Sprinkle with 1/2 c sliced, blanched almonds. I used slivered almonds once and decided not to do that again.
Bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the tart is set and any visible crust is golden. Actual time will depend on the size and shape of the pan you decide to use, so keep an eye on it. Cool completely on a rack, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Cut in squares or bars, although it's not really a finger-food. Store in the fridge. And don't fret when it doesn't "rise" - it's not supposed to!
First, make the pastry. It needs to chill a bit before being rolled out. Combine 1 c. flour and 1/3 c. sugar in a food processor or Ninja. PULSE to mix it and then, pulsing, add 6 TB. cold butter. Process just until it's the consistency of coarse crumbs. Mix 1 egg yolk with 1 TB + 2 tsp icy-cold water with a fork , add to the mixture and blend just til a dough forms. Don't over-process. Chill, wrapped in plastic or foil, for 30 minutes -- or longer if that's more convenient. Preheat the oven for at least 15 minutes, to 375.
Roll out the pastry to fit an 11" round tart pan or a quarter- sheet pan, rolling between parchment or wax paper. The crust will be very thin. My 1970's recipe specified a 13x9 pan but neither my pastry or my filling ever seemed to be quite enough. The pastry needs to be cold, so it doesn't always roll well. Let it be known that more than once I've taken the rolled pastry -- which on those occasions resembled a wildly and hopelessly irregular amoeba -- laid it in the pan, and pieced together a crust by pressing bits and pieces to get to the edges. You will lose some of that layered flakiness, but you may maintain your sanity. Fair exchange, I feel. Now place the pan in the freezer for 10 minutes to chill again. That cold dough hitting a hot oven helps create the magic layers of the pastry. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges just begin to start turning a bit brown.
Make the filling: using a mixer or food processor ( no need to really clean the one you used for the dough) mix 8 oz. softened cream cheese, 3TB fresh orange zest, 1/2 c. preferably-fresh orange juice, 3 eggs, 3 TB sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 c. finely chopped candied orange peel. Pour onto the partially-baked crust. Sprinkle with 1/2 c sliced, blanched almonds. I used slivered almonds once and decided not to do that again.
Bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the tart is set and any visible crust is golden. Actual time will depend on the size and shape of the pan you decide to use, so keep an eye on it. Cool completely on a rack, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Cut in squares or bars, although it's not really a finger-food. Store in the fridge. And don't fret when it doesn't "rise" - it's not supposed to!