A BLOODY MARY MOCKTAIL

For the many folks out there who don't drink alcohol, this Mocktail is for you.

3 cups V8 vegetable juice
1 tsp prepared horseradish
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
celery sticks with small leaves attached, if desired

Mix the V8 juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce together. Pour over ice to serve. Garnish by putting a celery stick in the glass, if desired.

Note: File Photo

QUICK ZITI SKILLET

1 lb ground beef

1 jar (28-oz) pasta sauce (your favorite)
3 cups uncooked ziti
grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, cook the ziti according to the package directions; drain well.

In a medium skillet using medium-high heat, crumble the ground beef and cook until browned. Drain in a colander to get rid of the excess fat. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel. Return the beef to the skillet and add the cooked ziti and the pasta sauce. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until heated through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.

Note: File Photo

CREAMY VEGAN CORN CHOWDER

 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups water  
2 cubes vegetable bouillon
2 cups corn 
2 cups soy milk
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt   
1 teaspoon pepper

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions and celery; cook until just slightly golden. Stir in carrots and garlic; cook until garlic is slightly golden.

Meanwhile, bring water to a boil over high heat. Stir in bouillon and reduce heat to medium. When bouillon cubes have dissolved, add corn and the vegetables from the skillet. Cook until vegetables are tender. Add water, if necessary. Reduce heat to low, and pour in 1 cup soy milk. Stir soup well, then stir in remaining 1 cup soy milk. Quickly whisk in flour. Stir in parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until chowder thickens, about 15 to 20 minutes.

     I have had this recipe and picture for several years. I believe I got it from allrecipes. I do not follow a vegan diet so I have no idea how truly vegan this is. I have never made it as I can't have corn.

MINI TUSCAN VEGETABLE WRAPS

This is a 2013 Pillsbury Bake-Off winning recipe. Therefore, it calls for Pillsbury ingredients.

1

box (7 oz) Green Giant™ frozen antioxidant blend broccoli, carrots and sweet peppers

 

2

tablespoons basil pesto

 

2

oz thinly sliced prosciutto (about 5 slices)

 

1

can Pillsbury™ Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet

 

2/3

cup peach apricot preserves

 

2

tablespoons spicy brown mustard

1

tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil leaves

Heat oven to 375°F. Microwave frozen vegetables as directed on box; cool 2 minutes. Finely chop vegetables. In medium bowl, mix vegetables and pesto; set aside. Cut prosciutto into thin strips.

Unroll dough sheet. Cut into 18 squares. In center of each square, spoon about 2 teaspoons vegetable mixture. Top each with prosciutto. Pull 2 opposite corners of dough over filling, pinch to seal. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix preserves, mustard and basil. Serve with warm wraps. Garnish with additional basil sprigs, if desired.

FILE PHOTO

HOMEMADE DRY RANCH DRESSING MIX

1/4 cup black pepper

1 1/2 cup parsley flakes
1/2 cup garlic salt
2 tbsp Kosher salt
1/4 cup granulated garlic
3/4 cup granulated onion
2 tbsp dill weed

Combine all ingredients and store in a jar or other airtight container.

Yield: Approximately 3/12 cups dry mix to use in recipes or to make your own ranch dressing.

To make Ranch Dressing:
2 tbsp dry mix
2 cups mayonnaise
2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 tsp lemon juice

Whisk all ingredients together until blended. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate at least two hours before using. Keep refrigerated.

Yield: 1 3/4 quarts

Recipe and photo from the crafty blog stalker

GOLDEN ONION RINGS

6 onions, peeled & sliced

1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 cup + 2 tbsp flour
1 egg
2 tbsp vegetable oil + oil for frying

Separate the onion slices into rings and place in a large bowl of ice water.

heat oil in deep fryer to 375 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flour, salt, milk, egg, and vegetable oil. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
Dip a few of the rings at a time into the prepared batter. Drop into the hot grease and fry until golden brown.

 File Photo

HOMEMADE BAR-B-Q HAMBURGERS (I CALL THEM SLOPPY JOES)

This is an old Midwestern recipe.

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 can tomato soup
1/4 soup can of water
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp prepared mustard

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and onion until the onion is tender and the beef is no longer pink. Drain well and return to the skillet. Mix the soup with the water, using a wire whisk. Whisk until smooth then pour over the beef and onion. Add the salt, chili powder, brown sugar, and mustard; stir to blend in well. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve on buns with pickles, red onion slices, or other condiments of your choice.

 file photo.

QUICK AND EASY CHICKEN-FLAVORED CREAMY RICE

 

1 can (10 3/4-oz) cream of mushroom soup

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups uncooked minute rice
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

In a medium saucepan mix the soup and chicken broth together with a whisk. Over medium-high heat bring to boil, stirring frequently. Stir in the rice and cheese. Cover the pan and remove from the heat. Let stand without lifting lid for 10 minutes. Fluff mixture with a fork. Serve topped with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

File Photo

TACO BAKE CASSEROLE

This is a good recipe I got off the internet. I do not know its origin but I have made changes, to suit my tastes, from the original recipe I saw.

2 oz Tostitos Tortilla Chips (approximately 24) plus additional for serving, if desired
1 tbsp olive oil with a few flecks of red pepper mixed in
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 lb lean ground beef
2 tbsp taco seasoning
1 can chili beans
1 cup salsa - mild, medium or hot to suit your taste
1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar or Mexican-Blend cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, heat the oil; add the onion and garlic, saute until tender. Add the ground beef and taco seasoning to the skillet; cook until the meat is no longer pink. Stir during cooking to break up the meat.

Add the beans and salsa to the skillet and cooked until slightly thickened.

Spray a large casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place the chips in the bottom of the dish, pressing down lightly with your hand to break into bite-size pieces. Spoon the meat mixture over the chips. Sprinkle the cheese overall.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and heated through.

Top with sour cream, shredded lettuce, etc when serving, if desired.

This is the photo from the original recipe.

CHILI CON QUESO APPETIZERS

4 eggs

1/2 cup Thick & Chunky style salsa
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 green onion, chopped
sour cream, if desired
additional salsa, if desired

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 24 muffin cups; set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix eggs, salsa, flour, and chili powder together well. Stir in the cheese and green onion.

Spoon about 1 full tablespoonful of the mixture into each of the prepared muffin cups. Bake at 400 degrees about 10 minutes or until golden brown. May be served warm or at room temperature.

Serve with small bowls of additional salsa and/or sour cream, if desired.

 Note: File Photo

QUICK AND EASY TURKEY STIR-FRY

1 tbsp canola oil

1 bag (16-oz) Asian-style frozen vegetable combination, thawed
1 can ( 10 3/4-oz) condensed gold mushroom soup
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
2 cups cubed cooked turkey (or chicken)
4 cups hot cooked rice

In a medium skillet, over medium heat, heat the canola oil. Add the thawed vegetables; stir-fry until crisp tender. Add the soup, soy sauce, and garlic powder. Heat to boiling; add the turkey (or chicken) and heat through. Serve over the hot cooked rice.

This is a file photo of a similar recipe.

GRILLED CHICKEN MEDITERRANEAN STYLE

 

1 cup olive oil based Italian salad dressing

1 can (6-oz) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 tsp salt
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness

Preheat grill.

In a medium bowl, blend the salad dressing, orange juice concentrate and salt. Remove 1/3 of the mixture and save for basting.

Pierce chicken with a fork; add to the marinade and turn to coat well. Drain and discard the marinade.

Brush grill rack with oil. Grill chicken for about 15 minutes or until juices run clear. Baste frequently during cooking with the reserved marinade. If you prefer you can broil instead of grilling.

Note: File Photo

CHEESY ITALIAN PIE

1 pkg refrigerated unbaked pie crusts

1 pkg (10-oz) frozen chopped spinach
1 lb lean ground beef
2 cans (8-oz each) pizza sauce
2 beaten eggs
1 cup ricotta OR cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp dried marjoram, crushed
all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Remove pie crusts from refrigerator, remove from box and set stand at room temperature while you make the filling.

Put the spinach in a colander. Run hot water over spinach for about 5 minutes or until partly thawed. Drain well and squeeze out excess moisture.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the ground beef until no longer pink. Drain off the fat and rinse meat with hot water. Wipe the fat from the skillet with a paper towel. Put meat back into skillet and add the pizza sauce and spinach; stir to mix.

In a medium bowl, stir together the eggs, ricotta or cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, and marjoram. Sprinkle flour on pie crusts, according to the package directions. Line a deep dish 9-inch pie pan with one of the crusts. Spoon the cheese and egg mixture into the crust. Top the cheese mixture with the beef mixture. Place the remaining crust over the beef mixture. Seal the edges and flute. Cut 3 or 4 slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Bake at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

File Photo

COOK'S DEVILED STEAKS

1 envelope (3/4-oz) brown gravy mix

2 tbsp prepared horseradish
1 can (4-oz) sliced mushrooms, drained
4 (5-oz each) beef tenderloin steaks
1/4 cup beef broth or red wine

Prepare gravy according the the package instructions. Add the horseradish and mushrooms to the gravy and mix well. Keep warm.

Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes on each side (or longer for well done). Remove steaks from the skillet and keep warm.

Add the broth or wine to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly for a minute to deglaze the pan. Pour the juices into the gravy and mix well. Serve the gravy with the steaks.

Note: Betty Crocker File photo

NEW RED POTATOES WITH PARSLEY

 

1 1/2 lbs small new red potatoes, scrubbed

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 small clove garlic, crushed
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
1/2 tsp pepper

Peel a strip of the peeling off around the middle of each potato. (You can omit this step, if desired.) Place the potatoes in cold water and set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add the oil. Saute onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until tender (don't allow garlic to burn!) Add the broth and 3/4 cup of the parsley to the skillet; mix well. Bring mixture to a boil. Place the potatoes in a single layer in the skillet. Return to a boil then reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until tender. Remove the potatoes to a serving bowl using a slotted spoon. Add the pepper to the skillet and stir to blend. Pour the sauce over the potatoes. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of the parsley over the potatoes.

Note: File Photo

RASPBERRY FLAVORED CHOCOLATE FONDUE

 

3/4 cup heavy cream

pinch salt
6 oz milk chocolate, chopped
6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 1/2 tbsp raspberry extract
1 tbsp corn syrup

In a small saucepan combine the cream and salt. Bring mixture to a boil and remove from heat. Add milk and semisweet chocolates to the saucepan mixture. Cover saucepan and let sit for 3 minutes. Remove the cover and whisk mixture until smooth. Whisk in raspberry extract and corn syrup. Serve immediately with pound cake or angel food cake cubes or with fruit. Stir the fondue often and reheat if necessary.

File Photo