Thursday, June 30, 2011

WhatsForDinner: Whoops I made a gallon of Bean Dip.

WhatsForDinner: Whoops I made a gallon of Bean Dip.: "One of the best mistakes I ever made.... My goal was to make amazing baked beans however my Pressure cooker had a different plan. This ..."

Whoops I made a gallon of Bean Dip.

One of the best mistakes I ever made....


My goal was to make amazing baked beans however my Pressure cooker had a different plan.

This can be done in a pot too.

In my electric pressure cooker I placed the remainder of the Easter Ham bone and meat that I had froze after I knew we would not finish it at Easter.

Recipe:
  • Ham bone
  • 15 bean soup mix ( i do not use the seasoning packet)
  • water. ( don't have a measurement because I had to add water a few times) I started with about 4 cups...but added more later.

I pressure cooked 10 minutes and it was not enough, I added some more water, I cooked 4 more minutes still not enough. 2 more minutes and I let the pressure come down itself. Overcooked. Panic? Heck no. I took out the ham bone, took off the ham, removed the fat and used my hand held blender to blend the overcooked beans with the ham, adding water to get a nice consistancy for dip. Keeping it a little on the thick side.  Done. No extra seasoning was needed it all came from the ham.

This seriously made close to Gallon of dip. this could be used in burritos but what I did was smeared it in a casserole dish about a 1/2 inch worth and topped with cheddar cheese and microwaved until the cheese melted and served with chips and I made a Cold Taco dip to go with it as a separate dish.

You can use just about any type of dried beans but this is what I use.
Beans cost me 85 cents , Cheese was less than $2.00 and the Ham was leftover so I call that Zero.


http://www.meijer.com/s/hursts-hambeens-15-bean-soup-4-cans-20-oz-ea/_/R-118585;jsessionid=6F6F986DE26563DD5584756F3B8D0139.instance03?CAWELAID=317656777&cmpid=goobase

Sunday, June 26, 2011

WhatsForDinner: Mom's Blueberry Buckle Recipe

WhatsForDinner: Mom's Blueberry Buckle Recipe: "Every summer Mom would go outside and return with a treasure of blueberries and whip up her delicious Blueberry Buckle for dessert. That is ..."

Mom's Blueberry Buckle Recipe

Every summer Mom would go outside and return with a treasure of blueberries and whip up her delicious Blueberry Buckle for dessert. That is if we could wait until dinner was over. Usually not, Dad would eye up and seize the corner piece and go eat it in the livingroom while watching the Yankees game.


Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a square pan, 9 x 9 x 2 inches or a 9 x 1 1/2 inche round pan.

1/2 c sugar
1/4 salt
1/4 c shortening ( I prefer to use non-hydrogentated shortening.)
1/4 c milk
1 egg

2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 c blueberries *fresh or frozen)
2 tbls flour

Cream together wet ingredients then stir in dry. Toss Blueberries in 2 tablespoons for flour. (this helps keep the blueberries from settling to the bottom of the cake.) Carefully fold blueberries into batter.

for topping
1/2 c sugar
1/3 c flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c butter
1/2 cup chopped nuts optional

mix until crumbly and sprinkle over batter

bake 45 to 50 min  in a preheated oven at 375 degrees until Toothpick comes out clean.

Chop nuts set aside ( optional )


I mix crumb topping and place if fridge or freezer while I prepare batter. This is so the butter doesn't get too warm. Warm butter melts too fast crumb topping won't be as crumby..Crumby is good.

Whisk together wet ingredients then mix in dry.

Toss blueberries in flour then fold into batter.

Grease and flour baking pan, my Nana always marked a cross on the center of her pan, my Mom continued the tradition and so do I. 
Folding in Blueberries.


Sprinkle crumb topping over batter.

 Bake as directed above and enjoy.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

WhatsForDinner: Aunt Nellie's BBQ Chicken Marinade

WhatsForDinner: Aunt Nellie's BBQ Chicken Marinade: "1/2 cup cooking oil ( I used Extra Virgin Olive Oil) 1 cup cider vinegar 1 tbsp salt 1 tsp poultry seasoning 1/4 tbsp pepper 1 egg ..."

Aunt Nellie's BBQ Chicken Marinade



  • 1/2 cup cooking oil ( I used Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
  • 1 cup cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tsp poultry seasoning
  • 1/4 tbsp pepper
  • 1 egg

Beat egg then add oil beat again. add other ingredients - stir well.
I use a hand blender.





I reserved and refrigerated  1/2 cup for basting when cooking.
Rinse Chicken well....


Rinse Chicken to remove any bone shards.
  For ease, place in 1 chicken to marinade over night.

Fold the edge down to keep clean.

Pour Marinade over chicken reserving 1/2 cup for basting.

One of the Handiest gadget to have in a kitchen.



 Cook 30-40 mins over Hot coals or grill.
Basting with refrigerated reserved marinade.
 If you use up all the marinade, I have made a 1/2 batch of marinade just for basting.


ENJOY - Thank Aunt Nellie in heaven if you like it.





WhatsForDinner: Salmon crusted with homemade Pistachio Basil Pesto...

WhatsForDinner: Salmon crusted with homemade Pistachio Basil Pesto...: "Ingredients 3 cloves garlic ( crush it first before adding to food processor) 1/2 cup shelled pistachios 4 cups loosely packed basil..."

Friday, June 3, 2011

WhatsForDinner: Happy Donut day... or in this case Aebleskiver , E...

WhatsForDinner: Happy Donut day... or in this case Aebleskiver , E...: " Ingredients 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons sugar 2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoo..."

Happy Donut day... or in this case Aebleskiver , Ebleskiver, Poffertjes or as we call them... Doughnut Holes.

 
 
Ingredients
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk with 1 tsp lemon juice)

1. In a bowl, mix flour with sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a small bowl, beat egg to blend with milk and 2 tablespoons butter. Add liquids to dry ingredients and stir until evenly moistened.
2. Place an aebleskiver pan over medium-low heat. When pan is hot enough to make a drop of water dance, spray with non-stick spray ,fill each to slightly below the rim with batter.
3. in Center of batter drop a small amount of Jam.
4. In about 1 1/2 minutes, thin crusts will form on bottoms of balls (centers will still be wet); pierce the crust with a slender wood skewer and gently pull shell to rotate the doughnut holes until about half the cooked portion is above the cup rim and uncooked batter flows down into cup. Cook until crust on bottom of doughnut hole is again firm enough to pierce, about another minute, then rotate doughnut hole with skewer until the ridge formed as the doughnut hole first cooked is on top. Cook, turning occasionally with skewer, until doughnut holes are evenly browned and no longer moist in the center, another 5-7 minutes. Check by piercing center of last pancake ball added to pan with skewer--it should come out clean--or by breaking the ball open slightly; if balls start to get too brown, turn heat to low until they are cooked in the center. remove  doughnut holes from pan and roll in cinnamon sugar.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

WhatsForDinner: Sweet Potato Latkes for 2 ( Easily Doubled) Yumm...

WhatsForDinner: Sweet Potato Latkes for 2 ( Easily Doubled) Yumm...: " whoops.. wrong Latke....this is more like it.... 1 sweet potatoes, peeled and finely shredded 1 eggs, lightly beaten 1-1/2 teaspoon..."

WhatsForDinner: Summer Tomatoes on Toasted Ciabatta Bread

WhatsForDinner: Summer Tomatoes on Toasted Ciabatta Bread: "Thinly slice fresh Ciabatta bread and toast lightly. I use low fat Hellmann's Olive Oil Mayo or I make my own. Depends on what I have on ..."

Sweet Potato Latkes for 2 ( Easily Doubled) Yummy anytime.




whoops.. wrong Latke....this is more like it....



  • 1 sweet potatoes, peeled and finely shredded

  • 1 eggs, lightly beaten

  • 1-1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 2 tablespoons light olive oil for frying






  • lightly mix together everything except for the frying oil.  Prepare a plate with several paper towels to place Latkes on and more paper towels to place on top to help drain additional oil. When working with hot oil you want to make sure you have everything ready so you are not distracted while frying.






    In a very hot pan heat oil carefully. Add the sweet potato mixture with a heaping tablespoon and then spread out quickly with the spoon or fork. Let fry until it is browning around the edge. Flip carefully and brown on other side. Once fully cooked placed on paper towel and top with paper towel and press to dab off excess oil. Continue until all Latkes are cooked. Served hot.  Can be served with applesauce , sour cream or any other topping you want to try.



    To avoid greasy Latkes, I make sure to press the excess oil out of Latkes with  paper towels