Something's Fishy!

This is the easiest and least messiest was to cook fish. It can be frozen or fresh. We usually buy fresh fish when we can get it. We like salmon or tilapia.Then, we freeze it in a serving size for two people. When we want it, it's there. You do not need to thaw it out. However, if you do, just adjust your cooking time.  

Spray a glass baking dish with Pam.

Place frozen fish in the dish-Salmon is my favorite.

Cover with: Cavendar's Greek Seasoning, 


















fresh onion rings, butter, lemon slices.

Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes depending on amount and size of fish and if it is frozen or fresh.

Remove from oven.

YUMMMMM!

Serve over rice with something green
We like petite green peas,
green beans or broccoli.

It was Gravy!

After 50+ years cooking I decided it was time to learn how to make gravy from scratch. Thanks to my 'go to' class room on You Tube I found the following video. After following simple directions we had gravy today with our rice and pork tenderloin.

Recipe:
1/3 cup butter (I used 'fake' butter, but next time I'm going to use the real thing. I think it will have more flavor.)

1/3 cup flour

dash of salt and pepper. 

4 cups water, juices from meats, chicken broth, beef stock, 
or milk (good for white sausage gravy and biscuits)

Since the amount of flour and butter are equal amounts,I can  increase the butter and flour in the equally and increase the liquid in the same proportion.




It was perfect.

 I did add a little Kitchen Bouquet to give it a little brown color.

Great to have in your spice cabinet.

Tiny Tidbit for Today

I'm stuck on Tuna!
Add chopped celery to your Tuna Salad for a nutty taste and a crunchy texture!  No need to add egg...it doesn't add taste or texture
...save an egg! 

Our New Favorite Topper

We started with honey on our biscuits and toast.  

Then, the 'aha'!  Why not add a little or maybe a lot of cinnamon to the bear. You cannot beat it!  It is delicious!  Our biscuits* now taste like cinnamon rolls!

The down side?  You could eat it so often that you wear your taste buds out with the taste of it? Not!!!!

*Heads Up!  Pillsbury Southern Style Frozen Biscuits taste like homemade.

BAKED GRAPEFRUIT-Voted Best for 2013

I voted 'Baked Grapefruit' as my favorite new recipe for 2013.  I have had the recipe for years, but didn't try it until Christmas.  We had friends over for our traditional Waffles, Sausage, and Bacon Brunch.  I usually serve fresh grapefruit, but decided 'what the heck'...try something new. It sounded so easy so how could I lose?  Well, what if it was a flop??? It wasn't...it was a hit and became the Best of New Dish I tried in 2013!

Try it and see what you think---

Baked Grapefruit

1 Grapefruit cut in half

Ingredients per half:

1 tsp. butter

1 TBS brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 Maraschino cherry

Section each half
and loosen from rind...

I trim the bottom
so it will sit steady in the bowl...

 

Dot each half with
butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
Place in a baking dish.
I line mine with foil.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven
for 5 minutes, then broil until bubbly.
(I have used my standard oven and my toaster oven.
I prefer the standard oven. They heat better!)

Place in bowls and top with a cherry!

One the best inventions...
love my grapefruit spoons!

No, I didn't save you any!

This recipe came from

Mr. Breakfast.com.

Thanks, Mr. Breakfast.

Breakfast Time!

It's 6:30 a.m. and time for breakfast.  I have been trying to eat only protein for breakfast,saving my carbs for later in the day*. Probably not the way to do it...but there you go! My repertoire of egg recipes is depleted...
(*no Chuck has not bought into this regimen.)

 I have had poached eggs, scrambled eggs, an omelet,a frittata, a fried egg, and the easiest-a boiled egg.  I usually boil several eggs at a time...eat one and put the rest in the fridge.  I have loved cold hard-boiled eggs since I was little and hunted for Easter eggs.  

I punch a hole in the end of each egg that is the roundest, put the eggs in a pan, cover with water, set it on a burner, turn on the burner, and after 15 minutes the water should be boiling and the eggs would be done.  Then, I put them under cold water to stop them from cooking.

I now have a new method after buying a dozen of 'Great Day' Farmers Market at Walmart.  Inside the top of the carton were instructions on "How To Hard Cook An Egg".  I tried it and loved it and am now sharing the secret with you.

HOW TO HARD COOK AN EGG

Compliments of Great Day Farmers Market and Walmart-www.GreatDayFarms.Com

1. Place the eggs into a saucepan. (I still punch holes in the most round end of the egg.)  Fill with cold water (be sure the water covers the eggs by about two inches.)

2. Bring the water to full boil.  Once it's boiling, put a lid on the saucepan and remove it from the burner.  Let the eggs stand for 12 minutes still covered by the lid.

Note: I found that the more eggs I cooked the longer I had to let it stand. The first time I only had two eggs. Today I did six and found that the center was a little too soft.  If fact, next time I will let them boil another minute or two and then let them set for 14 minutes.

3.  Place the eggs under cold running water until they are completely cooled.  Softly tap egg on a hard surface to crack the shell. (I start from end with puncture in it.) Continue peeling until the eggshell is completely gone.

Additional Tips:
From Great Day:

• Always pour cold water into the saucepan to keep the eggs from overcooking
• Refrigerate your hard-boiled eggs if they are not being eaten right away (hard boiled eggs still in the shell can be stored for one week). I mark ends with 'HB' and date!
• If your hard boiled eggs are tough to peel, gently roll them in your hands to crack the entire shell.

Paxton's Pizza Thumbs Up!

Paxton's - our newest favorite 'take-out' pizza!  They are about five minutes from our house.  We call and it's ready in 20 minutes.  Yes, it's actually ready when we get there to pick it up!

Cantrell Pick-up Counter

We like the Classic Supreme, Veggie Supreme, and El Mexicano.  We had never eaten any pizza other than a traditional one until we tried their Mexican pizza.  Now it is added to our 'traditional' list.  


We still haven't bought into  a 'cheeseburger' pizza.  When I want a cheeseburger, I want it between two buns with grilled onions.  I was first introduced to this delicacy at Franke's Cafeteria on Louisiana Street in the 1970's by my friend Carolyn. However, I digress.


Tonight we had the Veggie Supreme with a Diet Caffeine-Free Coke.   For dessert we had honey on the crust. We borrowed that idea from the Pizza Cafe...our favorite eat-in pizza place.


There are two Paxton's in Little Rock.  This one on Cantrell is pick-up only.  The other Paxton's is in Otter Creek and is a eat-in location. So, when you call them be sure and tell them where you want to pick it up. T


Call 501-663-3000 for the Cantrell Store...now...you won't be sorry!

Suzanne Somers Says...

Suzanne Somers' Seven-Step Plan
Warning: This is a Commerical
Site...She will be trying to
sell you stuff!

...take seven steps. 
 I was going through my files today trying to reduce my stash of 'paper'.  I came upon this clipping from a magazine.  (sorry I don't have the source!)
An added disclaimer: I do not particularly ascribe to this plan...just thought I would share.




Her seven-step plan:


1. Eliminate all "Funky Foods": all sugars; starches such as potatoes, white flour, and white rice; caffeine; and alcohol.
2. Eat fruit alone, on an empty stomach.
3. Eat proteins (such as meat and eggs) and fats (such as butter and cheese) with vegetables.
4. Eat carbohydrates, such as whole-grain pasta, with veggies.*
5. Do not eat proteins and fats with carbs.
6.  Wait three hours between meals if switching from a protein/fat meal to a carb meal, or vice versa. 
7.  Do not skip meals. Eat at least three a day, and eat until you feel comfortably full.**


*I added a note: morning or noon not at night.
** I have always heard, whether its true or not, that it takes 20 minutes for the brain to register when your stomach is full.  If true, you should eat slowly and stop when you feel not so full.  Wait 20 minutes.  If you are still hungry, eat some more.


I am always looking for the secret to taking a few pounds off.  I haven't found the "get 5 pounds off now" secret.  I have found that the saying "Everything in Moderation" is a truism.  Also, you can only lose weight by burning more calories than you take in.


That being said...I haven't resolved anything for 2012 yet.  I do have etched in my brain...-5 lbs.  

Cooking Spaghetti!

This is a post from my blog: Tips 'n Good Stuff


I thought this also applied here so thought I would share:


This is so easy that I probably don't need to repeat it here.  However, for all you New-bee's I will anyway.  We will take this in steps:


No. 1  Bring a pan of water to a rolling boil; add a little olive oil.

Note pens in background...
I craft while I cook!

No. 2  Put the spaghetti* in slowly.  I actually break mine in thirds-it goes in the pot much faster.  Some traditionalists probably would shudder at this, but what can I say?  Hey, I even cut mine up with a knife and fork when I eat it...boy, I think they are trembling now.


The tricky part for me is to get the right amount of spaghetti per person.  There are just two of us and I invariably cook too much.  Chuck is better at judging the amount that me so I call for is assistance at this step.


No. 3 Boil for 3 minutes.  To keep the water from boiling over the pot, lay a wooden spoon across the pan.


No. 4 Remove from heat.  Cover and let it sit for 10 minutes.  It should be "al dente" as the traditionalists above would say!


No. 5 Strain with a strainer, empty all but a 1/4 cup of the water from the pot and set the strainer on top.  Set back on the stove and serve the plates from there.


*I prefer Vermicelli or Angel Hair.  I really dislike "fat, gunky" spaghetti. 

"Clean the Fridge" Game

Every once in a while Chuck and I play the "Clean the Fridge" Game!  It happens when we get too many leftovers or a full freezer or maybe going on a trip.  Regardless, we play until the "fridge" is empty.  


Night before last we had spaghetti and meat balls with a tomato/olive/celery slaw.  Chuck made the garlic toast. The spaghetti sauce was in the freezer and enough for two.  The meat balls were also in the freezer....in a bag bought from Kroger.  I had celery, vine-ripened tomatoes, and olives...sounded Italian to me.  


I chopped all salad ingredients and mixed in Paul Newman's Olive Oil and Vinegar salad dressing.  Yum...if I must say so myself.  Actually, Chuck gave it a "thumbs up"!

Now how could I not post a picture of
Paul Newman?  Reallllly! Yummy!!!

We still have a freezer full, but the "fridge" part is getting bare.  We will have to get really creative.  I do have some potatoes and canned veggies in the pantry so all is not lost.

International Waffle Day!

Just finished making waffle mix for my branch library.  They are planning on celebrating International Waffle Day by serving waffles to patrons today.






I have a great recipe for "Yeast Waffles" given to me many years ago by my sister-in-law, Polly. We make it every Christmas for our Christmas morning breakfast.  It is a tradition we started when my Mom was still with us.  It was her request that we serve it with link sausage, her favorite.  


I am hoping there is some mix left over after the library celebration!


I am glad to share the recipe with you.  What is really great is that the mix will keep up to two weeks in the fridge.

YEAST WAFFLES

Beat: 2  Eggs

Add:        1 tsp. salt

            1 TBS Sugar

            1/2 C. Vegetable Oil

            1 pkg.Yeast in

             1/4 C. Warm Water

Add incrementally:        2 C. Milk

                          3 C. Flour

Make at least one day before using.

Put in a large container.  Keeps at least 2 weeks in Frig.

Pizza for Lunch

DiGiorno Pizza from the Frozen Food case at Kroger...would have thought it?  We have been trying frozen pizza on and off for several years. No luck; all yuck!  It cost about the same as eating pizza out...so why not go out.




Then, on our weekly grocery store trip we picked up a DiGiorno Supreme.  It is a little larger than the pizza we get out and costs less.  


We cooked it today for lunch.  It was delicious. However, we are going to have to work on our cooking method...the center of the crust was cooked, but soft.  We like crisp crusts.  We set the pizza on a rack on a cookie sheet thinking that would keep the oven clean and the pizza still be crisp. No!  
Next time we'll follow the directions on the box and set it directly on the oven rack.  I am afraid I'll be cleaning the oven.  If so, we will probably go back to eating pizza out and they can clean their oven!

Homemade "Quick" Potato Soup Tonight

Eating in tonight!  We had a "teaser" Spring week and now we are back to cold temperatures with a chance of major storms in the next few days.  Perfect weather for Potato Soup.




We are having tuna fish sandwiches with it. Don't ask me why...for some reason, I like them with Potato Soup? 


Recipe for:

EASY POTATO SOUP

2 lb. package frozen hash browns
1 Cup chopped onion 
(see tip below for quick chopping)

Uhm-Uhm Good!

1 - 14.5 oz.  ready to serve chicken broth

That's What Campbell's Soups
Are--Uhm! Uhm! Good!

1 - 10.75 oz. can Cream of Celery soup, undiluted
1 - 10.75 oz. can Cream of Chicken soup, undiluted
2 Cups milk

Combine first four ingredients in a Dutch oven;
 bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Stir in soups and milk, heat thoroughly.

Garnish with: 

grated cheese, diced ham or bacon

Yield: 2 1/2 quarts

Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!


Tip for chopping/dicing onions:
Remove outer peel  and first layer of onion.
Cut into rings. Lay each ring flat and cut in half. 
Starting on one end of the half make small cuts.
As you scoot the onion ring counter-clockwise,  
the rings will come apart leaving only small pieces
of the onion.

Poached Eggs Once a Week!

I know they look funny!
But, easy to use!

I
love
my
egg
poachers!










I got them on a shopping trip to the Heights with my daughter.  (Aside:  Love shopping in the Heights...part of my "small neighborhood")


We had been looking for an egg poacher of the metal variety...preferably a two egg one!  No luck!  (I should have checked EBay.) Thank goodness!  I was forced to think outside the box.  Then, I found the "pod".


I have used a one-egg poacher,
but now "I" am one-half of "Two".  





I have also tried an egg poacher used in a microwave oven...I never got the hang of it.

Once a week...
poached eggs on English muffins
with ham and cheese.  
Yummmmm!* 




Also, posted on my blog: "Tips 'n Good Stuff".

Company Was Coming!

From our door
Winter 2011

We're snowed in and our company is snowed out!


We were stocked and ready to serve a Frittata and grits for breakfast and Chicken Spaghetti for dinner. 


We had the Chicken Spaghetti last night and tonight is the Frittata.  We love Breakfast for Dinner.


Gladly sharing the recipes:

PEGGY'S CHICKEN SPAGHETTI

1 chicken or 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 12 oz. package Vermicelli

3Cups      Celery, chopped

1 Medium Bell pepper, chopped

1 Medium Onion, chopped

1 stick     Oleo

1Cup       Grated cheddar cheese

Cook veggies in oleo until onions are clear. 

Cook chicken,drain & cut into bite-size pieces.

Mix:

Chicken

2 Cups Chicken broth, from broth drained from cooked chicken or canned

1 can  Mushroom soup

1 can Tomato soup

1 1/2 TBS      Chili powder

2 TBS    Worcestershire sauce

dash of Tabasco

Cook spaghetti and mix with chicken mixture. Divide into portions. Place into a greased 11 x 13 baking dish/pan. Cook at 350o for 30 min. Put cheese on top. Place in oven until cheese melts.

FRITTATA


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Put skillet (preferably 12" nonstick) on stove.
Add about a tablespoon of oil and heat. 


Heat about a TBS of oil in an over-proof skillit.  
I use an iron skillt.  Add any raw vegetables or meat 
you want in your Frittata. Add any herbs, spices and
salt to tast. Saute until done.


Add any cooked ingredients and heat them through.
I am using precooked crumbled pattie sausage tonight.


Whisk eggs (12 eggs for a thick Frittata in a 12" skillet,
fewer eggs for a thinner Frittata ora smaller skillet)
with salt, pepper, and 3 TBS of water, milk, half and half, or cream.
(I use fat-free half and half.) This is important step.  The more 
air you whip into eggs the fluffier the Frittata.


Grate 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Add half to the eggs.
Add egg mixture to skillet.


On medium heat, cook until mixture can be pulled away from side of
the skillet with a spatula and the underside is set.


Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.
Put in preheated oven and bake until top is set.
...about 5 or 10 minutes.


Remove skillet from oven. 
Let sit for about 5 minutes to finish cooking in center.


Cut in wedges and serve with fruit garnish, grits and toast.

SOUTHERN GRITS
---use Regular Grits* not instant.


*I found Aunt Jemima Regular Grits at my neighborhood grocery. The chain groceries only had instant.




They are best done in the microwave...believe it!


Follow measurements on package.


I actually measure using a scoop from a can of coffee.
My measurement is 1 scoop grits per 1/2 Cup water.
I measured and the scoop is 4 tsps.


Put water in microwave-safe bowl.
Add grits and salt. Stir.
Cook uncovered at 50% for 5 minutes.
Stir and cook another 5 minutes until thick but not stiff!
Add butter, stir and serve.  
(You can also add any leftover grated cheese
and a dash of your favorite hot sauce for a little flavor.)




Yummmm...Frittata and grits tonight.