Cooking with KP: January 2018

Cranberry Pineapple BBQ Sausage

If you are looking for a delicious appetizer or a way to enjoy sausage for dinner, here is a super easy but super tasty recipe. I cut the sausage into 1/2 pieces, but you could leave the links whole or cut them in half and serve them on buns for a great sandwich.

2 pounds of beef sausage, cut into 1/2 pieces (I used Smokey Hollow All Beef Sausage)
1 small onion, diced
1 small green pepper, diced
1 can of cranberry sauce (I use the jelled type, but the whole berry would be great,too)
1 bottle of Sweet Honey BBQ sauce (I used Kraft)
1 8 ounce can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Spray crock pot or use a liner. Place diced onions and green peppers in the bottom of crock pot. Slice or spoon out cranberry sauce and place on top of veggies. The thinner the slices of cranberry sauce, the quicker they will melt, so I cut them thin. Place sausage on top of cranberry sauce. Add pineapple, garlic powder, and pepper. Pour bbq sauce over the top. Put lid on crock pot and cook on low for one hour. Remove lid and stir to mix all ingredients. Increase to high heat and cook 3-4 hours.

Cheesy Chicken Casserole

I have a recipe "Got to Do Something with Leftover Chicken Casserole" that is quite similar to this one, but not exactly. This recipe has pasta and other ingredients. It is a complete meal in itself or great with a salad.

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 7 tenderloins, cut into chunks
1.5 cups of pasta of your choice (I have used Cavatappi and Rotani) I recommend a sturdy pasta.
1 16 ounce bag of frozen mixed vegetable, thawed or 2 cans of mixed vegetables drained
1 small onion, diced
1 small bell pepper,diced
1 rib of celery, diced
1 Tablespoon parsley flakes
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons butter
8 ounces sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta in lightly salted water. Drain and place in large mixing bowl. While pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, melt butter and add olive oil. Saute onion, celery, parsley, and bell pepper for about 3 minutes. Add chicken and continue to cook until chicken is no longer pink and juices are clear. Don't over cook. Pour chicken and seasonings in bowl on top of pasta. Add mixed vegetable, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, garlic powder, pepper, seasoned salt, 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Mix all ingredients until well blended. Pour into sprayed casserole dish and bake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove and top with remaining 1/2 cheddar and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheeses. Return to oven and bake 10 more minutes.

Kay's Salisbury Steak/Hamburger Steak with Easy Mushroom and Onion Gravy

From all the research I have found in cookbooks and online, there is a much controversy over the difference in hamburger steaks and Salisbury steaks. Much of the information I found says that hamburger steak is simply hamburger meat/ground beef with salt and pepper cooked like a regular hamburger and then topped or smothered in gravy and Salisbury steak has other seasonings. But, other articles say they both have seasonings, so I don't know if this recipe is for hamburger steak or Salisbury steak. What I do know is that it is very good! This recipe will make 8 large patties.

For meat:
2.5 pounds of ground beef (I use 90-10)
1 cup of Italian bread crumbs
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. parsley
2 Tbsp. A-1 sauce
2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup all-purpose flour seasoned with garlic powder and pepper
3/4 cup canola oil

For gravy:
1 large onion, cut into thin rings and then cut in half
1 small can of mushroom slices, drained
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
3 packages of brown gravy mix (I use McCormick reduced sodium)
3 cups of water
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. butter

In a large skillet that has a lid, melt butter and saute onions and mushrooms for about 5 minutes. Pour two cups water in skillet and heat to boiling. Mix the three packages of dry gravy in a measuring cup with 1 cup of water until well blended. Slowly pour gravy mixture into water, onion, and mushrooms. Whisk while pouring. Once blended, add cream of mushroom soup and Worcestershire sauce. Return to a quick boil and reduce to lowest heat/simmer. Let simmer while making meat patties. Stirring frequently.

Mix first 10 ingredients for meat in a large bowl. Form into balls and flatten with palm of hand to 1/2 inch. Heat oil in large skillet and then very lightly flour each side of meat patties and place in skillet. Fry over medium high heat for 4 minutes each side. Take patties up from oil and then add to other skillet. Cover patties with gravy mixture. Put lid on skillet and let meat simmering in gravy for 20-25 minutes.

Serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles. Simply delicious!

Sort of Homemade Lemon Pound Cake

I adapted this recipe from one on the side of the box of a Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme Cake Mix. It is wonderful.

1 Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme Cake Mix
1 package of instant lemon pudding
1 cup Sprite, 7-up or Ginger Ale (I used ginger ale)
4 eggs
1/3 cup cooking oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Spray two loaf pans or one bundt or tube pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix with mixer for 3-4 minutes. Pour into pan (s) and bake. Bundt/tube pan should take 35-40 minutes. Two loaf pans should take 25-30 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Carefully turn cake(s) over on rack or plate. Cool for 20 minutes longer then glaze.

Easy Lemon Glaze

1 can of lemon frosting

Scoop out half the frosting from the can and put in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Mix with spoon and pour over cooled cake.

Cheesy Mexican Corn and Yellow Rice Casserole

This recipe is the result of my husband purchasing the large package of Mahatma Saffron Rice Mix (10 ounces). There was no way just the two of us could eat it all at one dinner, so I took the leftovers and searched the internet and found a couple of recipes and then added my twist to them for this amazing side dish. You could add diced ham or diced chicken, but we didn’t. I have written this recipe for fresh not leftover rice, so if you have leftover rice, let it sit out of the refrigerator for a few minutes to let it reach room temperature.

1 package (5 ounces) saffron yellow rice, prepared

according to directions

1 can cream of celery, chicken or mushroom soup (all three taste great—your choice)

1 can of Mexican whole kernel corn with green and red peppers, drained (If you don’t have Mexican corn, you could use plain whole kernel corn and sauté some peppers in a little butter or use a small can of green chilis and add them the mix)

½ stick of butter, melted

2 cups Mexican, Taco, or Fiesta Blend shredded cheese, divided into two one cup portions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Fluff rice with a fork and pour into a large mixing bowl. Add soup, corn, melted butter and 1 cup of cheese. Mix well. If your rice seems a bit dry, add 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise or sour cream. Pour into casserole dish and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining cup of cheese on top and return to oven and bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and light golden brown.

Kay's Chicken Crescent Casserole

There are many chicken crescent roll casserole recipes online, and I admit I used them to create mine. This makes a wonderful dinner with a side salad or some steamed vegetables.

1 can Big and Flaky Crescent Rolls (8 count)

Filling:

2 cups shredded cooked chicken (2 leftover breasts or 3 thighs are perfect)

4 ounces of cream cheese, softened

¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (not the green shaker can kind)

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

½ Tablespoon garlic power

1 Tablespoon parsley flakes

½ teaspoon pepper

Sauce:

1 can of cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup

¾ cup milk

3 Tablespoons sour cream

a dash of garlic powder

a dash of pepper

¼ cup Parmesan cheese for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x12 oblong casserole dish with cooking spray. Separate crescent rolls into triangle on a long tray or cutting/prep board. In a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients with a hand mixer, mixing for about 2-3 minutes or until combined well. Using a large spoon, place a dollop of chicken filling on the wide base of the crescent “triangle.” Roll up and seal completely–you roll these like you are making rolls, but also pinch the sides together so the filling is completely enclosed by the crescent dough. Place chicken-filled crescents in the pan making 2 rows with 4 crescents in each row–leave space on all sides for the sauce. In another bowl, mix all ingredients of sauce, but cheese. Pour sauce around the crescents, avoiding covering the dough with the sauce or they will not brown and will be soggy! But don’t worry if a little gets on them. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake for 40 minutes or until the tops are nicely browned.

Cheaper Cuts of Beef Don't Have To Be Tough

Most people avoid the cheaper cuts of beef because they tend to be tough. With 8 children and three adults in our home, my mother had to find ways to tenderize the cheaper cuts of beef. One way to cook "down", as my mother used to say, a tough cut of beef steak is to season both sides of the steak with garlic powder, seasoned salt and pepper. Lightly brown the steak in a large skillet and on top add a diced green bell pepper, medium onion, a bay leaf, parsley flakes, a few dashes of Worchestershire sauce, and a can of diced tomatoes. Cover with lid. Let the steak simmer for 30-50 minutes. Remove lid and thicken juices by cooking 5-10 more minutes. You can also do the same with a cheap beef roast in a crock pot. Add all the ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. The flavor is simple, amazing and great with mashed potatoes.

Fall Vegetables for a Healthy You

As the fall approaches, we will all start to stay indoors more hours. This will lessen our vitamins, such as vitamin A, D, and K, which are enhanced by sunlight. Below are a few vegetables you might want to increase in your diet as the fall and later winter days approach. Besides, they are very tasty. In fact, in the next few weeks, I will be posting recipes that incorporate many of these delicious veggies.

Sweet potatoes and yams are very rich in carotenoids, vitamins A, B6, C, potassium, iron and fiber and are delicious when baked and eaten plain (without butter) or used in soups, casseroles or stir-fries.

Bell peppers are great sources of potassium, manganese, fiber and vitamins A, B, C and K. These sweet peppers are flavorful additions to salads and healthy stir-fries. You can choose from a rainbow of colors, including: green peppers,yellow peppers, orange peppers,and red peppers.

Summer and winter squash are rich in carotenoids, vitamins A and C, potassium, magnesium and fiber and can be served alone or added to many dishes.

Just a few tips for you...

Spray your Tupperware with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato- based sauces. No more stains!

Use lifesavers candy to hold candles in place on your next birthday cake! Kids love them.

Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugarcone to prevent ice cream drips!

Zap garlic cloves in the microwave for 15 seconds and the skins slip right off!

If your celery begins to wilt in the fridge, fill a large cup half full of water and place celery in the cup. Put back in the fridge for two hours--it will be crisp. (Learned this from my mother).

Cooking Myth Busted

A Potato Can Save a Salty Soup or Stew. True or False? False. "This is an attractive idea, but it doesn't work because potatoes are not particularly absorbent," says Wolke, who conducted his own soup-and-potato experiment for his Cooking Myth Busters book. "There is no reason they would attract salt." If you remove the raw potato from the soup, the potato will taste salty, but so would a sponge — it has simply soaked up some of the salty liquid. Still, there is hope for salty stews: Adding a bit of vinegar or sugar can "cancel out" the saltiness by giving your taste buds competing flavors.

Super Moist Turkey

If you are looking for a way to get a moist turkey, you might try one of these family hints:

1--bake the turkey upside down--breast down for the first half of the cooking time. It will help the darker meat cook more thoroughly and the fatty juices of the darker meat will drip down to the breast and add moistness. Use a deep roasting pan for this.

2--bake the turkey with the breast up, but rub it with butter, garlic powder and pepper only. Do not salt the skin. Instead, mix salt in a cup of warm water and pour that cup of salted warm-not hot-water inside the cavity of the turkey. The salt water will steam up into the turkey, making it very moist.

3. bake the turkey with the breast up and slice two lemons and one orange in halves. Place the halves inside the seasoned turkey and the juices will steam into the meat, adding moisture and flavor.

Hint of the Week

Here is something I learned from my wonderful Mother, the greatest cook I have ever known. When you have just a small serving of cooked vegetables leftover from dinner, don't throw them away. Keep a large plastic container in the freezer and put the vegetables in the container. Mix them--carrots, corn, green beans, broccoli, etc. When the container is full make a pot of soup or stew. Also, if a recipe calls for 1/2 a chopped onion, chop the whole onion and add the half to the freezer container. My mother made the best vegetable soups from this idea.

Hint for the Week

With Fourth of July quickly approaching, you might be thinking of making Deviled Eggs. If you want perfectly boiled eggs, place eggs in a large pot and completely cover with cold water. Do not layer eggs on top of one another. Bring water to a rapid boil for 2 minutes, reduce to simmer and let eggs simmer 8 minutes, return to boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and empty hot water and fill pot with cold water. Let sit for 5 minutes. To peel easily, slightly crush shell in your fist and roll on counter with a firm grip. Of course, you don't want to push through the egg, but by making the shell crack in many small pieces, it is easier to peel. My father saw this on a cooking show years ago and taught me this. It truly works.