Month: November 2010

Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole

My Green Bean Casserole Dish
My Green Bean Casserole Dish

This is everyone’s favorite recipe and a must serve at Thanksgiving at our house. No recipe collection would be complete without it. There are many variations, but I still like this original recipe the best. I have a cute story regarding this dish. One of my daughters has Tunisian relatives. She had house guests from Tunisia and served them green bean casserole. They raved over it and wanted to know the ‘secret’ for the wonderful sauce. Being the smart woman that she is, she just winked and said, “Oh, it is an old family recipe and my mother would kill me if I shared it”.

Ingredients

  • 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • dash pepper
  • 4 cups cooked cut green beans
  • 1 1 /3 cup French’s French fried onions

Directions
Mix soup, milk, soy sauce, pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in 1 1/2 quart casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until hot. Stir and then sprinkle with remaining onions. Bake 5 minutes more.

Baby Back Ribs with Spiced Apple Cider Mop

Ribs
Ribs
This is a great favorite recipe if you are a barbecued rib lover and love to grill. The recipe came from a Weber Grill Cookbook. It is great for making smoked ribs in a few hours. They do require frequent basting, thus can be a bit time consuming, certainly worth all the extra effort. Try them and you will agree that they are some of the best ribs you’ll ever eat.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups apple cider
  • 1/4 cup minced shallots or green onions
  • 1 Tablespoon minced jalapeno peppers, seeds removed
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 to 3 slabs baby back pork ribs, about 4 pounds
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
To make the mop, combine the apple cider, shallots and jalapeno a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook over medium-high heat until about 1 cup of liquid remains. Then add ketchup, vinegar, tomato paste, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Again bring to a boil and then remove from heat. At this point you can refrigerate mop until ready to use.

Let ribs stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Heat grill to medium indirect heat (on my Weber gas grill, I turn off middle burner and only burn the 2 side burners). Place ribs on grill, rib side down. Baste ribs frequently with the mop throughout the grilling time. It should take 1 1/2 to 2 hours. They are done when the meat is very tender and pulls back from the ends of the bones. Stop basting during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Categories
My Favorite Recipes

Jeanie and Kent Hrbek’s Stuffed Shells

Pasta Sauce
Pasta Sauce
This is a favorite recipe of mine from many years ago when Kent Hrbek was a Minnesota Twins Superstar. I don’t remember where I got the recipe, but my best guess would be that it was in the local newspaper. It is a delicious vegetarian recipe, but is also enjoyed by meat lovers.

Ingredients

  • 10 ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and well drained
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 10 ounces shredded mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 Tablespoon fennel seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup dried parsley
  • 12 ounces jumbo pasta shells, cooked, drained, and cooled
  • 30 ounce jar chunky spaghetti sauce with tomatoes and mushrooms
  • 8 ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon sugar
  • Additional shredded Parmesan

Directions
Make a spinach mixture by combining the spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, eggs,
1 1/2 teaspoon of the fennel, nutmeg and 1/4 cup of the parsley. Fill each pasta shell with 1 heaping teaspoon of the spinach cheese mixture. Arrange in a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Heat the spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, sugar, remaining fennel and parsley. Pour over stuffed shells. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until bubbly.

Nani’s Winter Salad

Fruit Salad
Fruit Salad
This is a favorite recipe for a good salad that I got from my daughter. The ingredients are available any time of the year. You’ll love it.

Ingredients

  • 1 to 1 1/2 heads Romaine lettuce, torn into chunks
  • 1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup craisins
  • 1 cup cashew pieces
  • 1 apple, cubed
  • 1 pear, cubed
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 1 Tablespoon grated onion
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 2/3 cup olive oil

Directions
Combine lettuce, cheese, craisins, cashews, and fruit in large bowl. Comibine the sugar, salt, mustard, poppy seeds, onion, and lemon juice in a blender. Slowly add the oil to the blender while blending (can also shake dressing ingredients in shaker). Just before serving, toss salad with dressing.

Nani’s Favorite Homemade Granola

I love homemade granola and this is my favorite recipe. You can vary the ingredients to your liking, but this is my favorite combination.

Ingredients

  • 5 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1 cup wheat germ
  • 1 cup powdered milk
  • 1 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/2 cup sesame seeds
  • 1 cup coconut
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Directions
Mix all dry ingredients together in a large roasting pan. Mix honey and oil together and pour over dry ingredients. Stir. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Additional Tips

  • If raisins or other dried fruits are desired, add after cooking
  • To reduce calories, use 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup oil
  • Powdered milk is added to increase nutrition, can be omitted
  • Can add or substitute bran, flax seed, pecans, walnuts, etc.

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Measurement Equivalent Chart

Measuring Utensils
Measuring Utensils
I have this handy little magnet hanging on my fridge with measurement equivalents.
I thought I would share it with you. Bookmark this page and you will always have this information handy.

Measurement Equivalents

  • 1 Tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
  • 1/8 cup = 2 tablespoons
  • 1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons
  • 1/3 cup = 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon
  • 1/2 cup = 8 tablespoons
  • 3/4 cup = 12 tablespoons
  • 1 cup = 16 tablespoons
  • 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces
  • 1 cup = 1/2 pint
  • 1 pint = 2 cups
  • 1 quart = 4 cups
  • 1 gallon = 4 quarts
  • 1 peck = 8 quarts
  • 1 pound = 16 ounces


Herbs

  • 1 tsp dried = tablespoon fresh

Nani’s Version of Smokin’ Jeff’s Coleslaw

Cole Slaw
Cole Slaw
I made a variation of a coleslaw recipe that I got from a favorite website of mine, Smoking-meat.com. It was my son-in-law’s birthday and the main dish was smoked pork sandwiches. I was asked to bring the coleslaw and I revised the recipe that I found on the Smoking Meats website. It received 2 thumbs up from the crowd and now has become another of my favorite recipes. Try pulled pork and coleslaw on a bun. Scrumptious!

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup white vinegar
  • 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
  • 1 Tablespoon celery salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 large head of cabbage, sliced thin
  • 1 green pepper, chopped or julienne
  • 1 red pepper, chopped or julienne
  • 1 red onion, sliced thin
  • 2 carrots, julienne
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon celery salt

Directions
Place the vinegars, sugar, mustard powder, 1 Tablespoon celery salt, and pepper in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over low hear, simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Mix the vegetables and 1 teaspoon celery salt in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and the cooled dressing. Mix well.

Categories
Cookies

Super M&M Cookies

M&M Cookies
M&M Cookies
Here is another oldie but goodie favorite recipe of mine. You can’t beat good ole M&M cookies! These are soft and chewy and putting the M&M’s on top makes them pretty, too. If you are in a hurry you can just mix all the M&M’s into the batter at one time. Always use real M&M’s, knock-offs just aren’t the same.
Ingredients

  • 16 ounces M&M’s
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped (optional)

Directions
Stir together four, baking powder, salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients. Add 1 1/2 cups of the M&M’s and the nuts. Stir just until mixed. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake @ 350 degrees for 6 to 7 minutes. Remove and use remaining M&M’s to decorate top of each cookie. Return to oven and bake 3 to 5 minutes longer.

Mom’s Easy Beef Stroganoff

My Mom used to make this favorite recipe only on special occasions. I am not sure why. Maybe round steak was expensive or maybe it was the sour cream that made it special. Anyway I loved it when she served this dish. I think it might have orignally come from the Betty Crocker cookbook. It is so easy to make and very delicious.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds round steak
  • flour
  • garlic salt
  • 4 Tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup beef consomme
  • 1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon tabasco sauce
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 1/2 cups sour cream
  • 3 to 4 cups cooked rice

Directions
Pound flour into the round steak. Cut the round steak into 1 inch cubes. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Brown meat in butter. Add water, consomme, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and tobasco. Simmer for 2 hours, adding more water if needed. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add sour cream and soup. Reheat. Serve over rice.