Cooking with KP

Panettone Bread Pudding with Lemon Sauce

One of my favorite family traditions was sitting with my mother, drinking some hot tea or coffee and eating slices of Panettone bread with a little cream cheese or butter spread on it. Every Christmas I am sure you see yellow boxes of Bauducco Panettone in the grocery and big box stores. It is a wonderfully moist sweet bread or specialty cake filled with raisins and fruit. If you have never tried it, I highly recommend it. Don't think it is just another fruit cake; it is a not. It is great without anything on it, it is great sliced into French toast, and it is great as a bread pudding.

1 pound Panettone bread, wrapper removed and sliced into 1 inch cubes

4 large eggs

1 1/4 cup whole milk

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 Tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat the sides and bottom of 9x12 baking pan with butter. Place the cubes of bread in the pan. In a large mixing bowl, add the four eggs and whisk them well. Then add all other ingredients and whisk for about 3 minutes. Pour over bread cubes and mash down with spatula to help the bread begin soaking up the liquid. Let pan set on counter for 5-10 minutes. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Remove from oven. If the bread pudding has risen in the middle, it is ok. It will come to rest evenly.

While the pudding is baking, make your sauce

1 egg, well beaten

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, not margarine

1/4 cup water

3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Put all ingredients in saucepan over medium high heat. Stir constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Continue to stir boiling mixture for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let rest 2-5 minutes prior to drizzling over the top of the bread pudding.

Asparagus and Green Bean Casserole

Here is a great side dish for family meals, pot lucks, and just because you want some.

1 10 ounce package of frozen asparagus, thawed
1 can of green beans, drained
1 can of cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
1 Tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic power
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded mild cheddar, divided into 1/2 parts
1/2 stick butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 casserole dish. In a mixing bowl, mix asparagus. (If you get full/long spears, cut them into 3 sections each), green beans, soup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, pepper and 1/2 cup of cheese. Pour into casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle bread crumbs on top and dot with cubes of butter. Bake for 10 more minutes.

Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers

We love stuffed peppers. It is a wonderful way to get veggies into people you don’t often eat them, plus it is great comfort food. Many people like to blanch their peppers prior to stuffing them, and many cooks like to brown the meat before mixing it all together; however, my mom never did and neither do I. It does take longer to cook, but I have always enjoyed the smell of them filling the kitchen as I prepared the other items for dinner, but you do it your way.

4 large bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed

1 pound lean ground beef or turkey

6 ounces ground Italian sausage

1/2 medium onion, diced

2 green onions, sliced thinly

1 stalk of celery, diced thinly

½ Tablespoon parsley flakes

1 cup cooked rice

2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 (24 ounce) jar tomato sauce, divided

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

1 Tablespoon sugar (my mother always said to add sugar to cut the tartness of the tomatoes)

2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella or Italian blend cheese

Fresh chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a roasting pan (large enough to accommodate 8 pepper halves in a single layer) with cooking spray.

Combine the ground beef, Italian sausage, rice, Italian seasonings, onions, celery, parsley flakes, salt, pepper, minced garlic, Parmesan cheese, egg, and 1/2 cup sauce in a large bowl. Mix until combined.

Divide meat mixture evenly among the green pepper halves; press to compress slightly. Arrange halves in prepared pan. Add garlic powder and sugar to the remaining sauce and spoon it over the tops of the meat and peppers. Pour any remaining sauce along the sides of the pan. Cover tightly with foil.

Bake until the peppers are soft and internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees F, about 1 ½ hours. If you browned your meats prior to mixing, your bake time should be roughly 40 minutes covered.

Remove from oven. Remove foil and top each pepper with shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese. We like to mound the cheese on the top.

Turn oven to broil. Place peppers, uncovered under the broiler. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Note: If you are trying to get more veggies in your life, you can add 1 shredded/grated carrot and/or 1/2 cup whole kernel corn to the mixture.

Philly Cheese Steak Pasta

I found the original recipe for this online and made a few small changes. It has all the flavors of the classic sandwich in pasta form!

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 pound ground beef (use 90/10) or 1 21-ounce package of frozen Philly Steaks (such as Steakumms)

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 onion, chopped

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

1-2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper to taste

10 ounces rigatoni pasta

1 15 ounce jar of Alfredo sauce

½ cup diced or shredded provolone cheese

½ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

2 Tablespoons chopped parsley

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. You will add the pasta when it boils. Boil 10-12 minutes or until pasta is cooked.

While pasta is cooking, in a large skillet heat olive oil. Add minced garlic, bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions. Cook over medium high heat for 3-5 minutes or until veggies start to soften. Push to the side and add meat. If using steaks, use a spatula to break meat in pieces. Cook meat until almost done. Add in salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Incorporate veggie with meat. Stirring for a few more minutes. Pour Alfredo sauce in a small sauce pan and heat on medium. When sauce begins to bubble/boil, sprinkle in provolone cheese and stir until mixed in well. Drain pasta and return it to the pot used. Pour cheese sauce over the top of pasta and sprinkle on parsley. Toss well. Serve pasta and cheese with meat mixture on top sprinkled with a bit of shredded Mozzarella or more provolone cheese.

Caramel Butter Bars

This is a very versatile dessert. It’s simple flavors just seem to draw people to it. It is easy to make and delightful to share. Make a couple of batches and take some to a neighbor. You can make these with just a caramel filling or you can add in pecans, chocolate chips, and/or flaked coconut.

1 cup butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup premium jarred caramel sauce

optional add-ins

1/3 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup mini chocolate morsels

1/3 cup flaked coconut

1. Preheat oven to 325°

2. In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Using a hand mixer, beat butter and sugars till creamy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Add the flour into the butter mixture and mix on low till well combined.

3. Line a 8 x 8-inch pan with non-stick foil (or regular foil, then spray with cooking spray).Press one-third of the dough evenly into the pan to form a bottom crust. Put the rest of the dough in the refrigerator while crust is baking.

4. Bake crust until slightly golden, about 20 minutes.

5. Drizzle the caramel sauce over crust and let sit for a few minutes before using an offset spatula to carefully spread over the surface.

6. If you are using any of the optional add-ins, such as pecans, chocolate morsels, and/or coconut, sprinkle them on top of caramel.

7. Crumble the reserved dough over the caramel.

8. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumbled shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden, about 25 minutes.

9. Let cool before cutting into squares. Once cooled, lift foil from pan, and place on a cutting board. Cut to make 16 bars.

Thanksgiving Baked Apples

I love apples, and baked apples are one of my favorite dishes . Apples remind me so much of fall and harvest of plenty, so this one is often on our Thanksgiving table. Honestly, they are good anytime. I especially enjoy them with a baked pork roast.

4 Granny Smith apples, washed and peeled

5 Tablespoons softened butter

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

¼ cup of raisins (try golden ones sometime)

¼ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup chopped pecans

4 Tablespoons apple juice

You can make these in the oven or microwave. If using the oven, preheat to 350 degrees.

Lightly butter a deep casserole dish that will hold 4 apples

After peeling the apples, core them, trying to save the bottom. If you cut the bottom out, don’t worry—you can stuff a few raisins and or cranberries in the bottom to keep in the juices.

Place apples in casserole dish.

In a small bowl, mix all other ingredients except juice. Stuff half of mixture into the apples. Then, sprinkle the rest of the mixture around the bottom and sides of the apples. Pour apple juice in the bottom of the casserole dish.

If baking, tent the top with foil. Bake. After 30 minutes, remove from oven and spoon juice over apples. Continue to bake for 30 more minutes or until apples have softened.

If using the microwave. Place dish in microwave on high for 3 minutes. Remove from microwave and spoon juice over apples. Microwave for 4 more minutes.

Big Momma's Crockpot Chicken Soup

My mother could take just a few ingredients and turn them into wonderful soups—all cooked on the stove top.

With a busy life as a teacher, coach, club sponsor, mother and wife didn’t give me the time to make many of her recipes. The crockpot was and still is one of my go-to cooking methods.

Here is my 8-hour crockpot soup. You can dice your veggies the night beforeand put in a ziplock bag so you just dump in the pot the next morning before you leave for work or other activities. Then, we you get home, you will have just thirty more minutes before you are enjoying a delightful, healthy and hardy bowl of soup.

1 ½ pounds of boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs or combination

8 cups of low sodium chicken broth

3 carrots, peeled and sliced or chopped

2 stalks of celery, sliced or chopped

½ large yellow onion, diced

1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes or a ¼ cup of finely diced fresh parsley

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend

½ teaspoon dried thyme (or two sprigs of thyme)

¼ teaspoon dried rosemary (or one sprig of rosemary)

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon pepper

2 cups of egg noodles

Optional: 1 can of cream of chicken soup if you want a slightly creamy soup.

I don’t chop my chicken pieces. I put them in whole because I shred them when the soup is cooked.

Put all ingredients in crockpot and cook for 8 hours on low. After 8 hours, if you have used sprigs of dried thyme and rosemary, remove them and the bay leaf. Remove the chicken pieces and shred them, using two forks. Return chicken to the pot. If you want a creamy soup, add can of cream of chicken soup when you put in shredded chicken. Stir to incorporate soup. Pour in egg noodles and cook 30 more minutes. Don't let noodle stay longer than 30 minutes; they will start to get mushy. Serve with crusty bread or grilled cheese sandwiches. Enjoy!

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.