Tag: nani’s favorite

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.

Hot Pecan Dip

Pecans
Pecans
The Holidays are coming up and we will soon be looking for favorite recipes for hors d’oeuvres. Here is an easy one.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup pecans
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 2 Tablespoons milk
  • 8 ounce softened cream cheese
  • 1 pkg Buddig ham, cut into small pieces
  • 1/3 cup chopped green pepper

Directions
Toast pecans in butter in a sauce pan. Mix together the rest of the ingredients and place in oven in a safe dip bowl. Top with toasted pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve with your favorite crackers.

Categories
My Favorite Recipes

Shrimp Curry or Shrimp Vindaloo

I recently tried this new favorite recipe. The original recipe calls for sweet curry powder. I used Vindaloo. It was fabulous and something I will be making again soon. If you are not familiar with Vindaloo, it is a type of curry that originated in India and it is very hot, but very good. The coconut milk and the rice help to tame down the fire in this recipe. If you do not like hot foods, try the original version that calls for sweet curry.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound raw shrimp, shelled and peeled
  • 4 Tablespoons butter or olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons Vindaloo or 3-4 Tablespoons sweet curry powder
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 14 ounce can coconut milk, (may not need all)
  • Salt, to taste
  • 3 to 4 cups cooked rice

Directions
Melt the butter or heat olive oil in a deep saute pan (wok works good). Add onion and cook on low heat until onion is transparent. Add the curry or Vindaloo and continue to cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring to form a paste. Add the lemon juice. Add the tomatoes and cook over low heat for another 15 minutes. Start adding the coconut milk until the sauce is the consistency that you want. Simmer for another 15 minutes. Bring to a boil and add shrimp. Cook just until shrimp is done. Add salt if desired. Serve over rice.

Sweetheart Cherry Pie


This was one of my son’s favorite recipes as a child. He loved cherries and anything made with cherries. Actually he still does! This is a really easy dessert to make and will surely please the men in your life, too.


Ingredients

  • 1 can cherry pie filling
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 6 Tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut
  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 graham cracker crust

Directions
Combine cherry pie filling, coconut and almond flavoring. Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Whip cream, adding the powdered sugar as you whip it. Blend the whipped cream and cream cheese together. Gently fold in the cherry pie mixture. Pour into crust. Chill until firm.

Nani’s Favorite Coconut Diamond Bars

Coconuts
Coconuts
There is nothing like a pan of bars! Here is an old favorite recipe of mine . These are perfect for parties, potlucks, or just ‘because’. The crust is crispy and the top is chewy. So many bar recipes have chocolate in them and this is a great non-chocolate recipe. It’s one of my oldies but goodies.


Ingredients

  • 6 Tablespoon butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teapoon vanilla
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoon flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup flaked coconut
  • 1/2 cup nuts, chopped

Directions
Cream together the butter, sugar, and salt, and 1 cup flour. Pat into the bottom of a 9×9 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
While the first layer is baking, beat eggs slightly, add vanilla and brown sugar, beating just until blended. Add the 2 tablespoons flour and the 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in coconut and nuts. Spread over baked layer. Bake about 20 minutes longer. Cool and cut into diamonds.

My Mom’s Old Fashioned Chocolate Pudding

Chocolate Pudding
Chocolate Pudding
This was a favorite recipe of my Mom’s. She used to make it for us for dessert. It was always a treat to have and so much better than store bought pudding. It is easy too. This is really an old fashioned dessert.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 3 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 Tablespoon Cocoa
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup nuts, chopped
  • 2 Tablespoon melted butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 4 Tablespoon Cocoa
  • 1 3/4 cup hot water

Directions
Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, sugar and 2 tablespoon cocoa. Add milk, melted butter and nuts. Pour this mixture into a 9 inch square pan. Mix the brown sugar and 4 tablespoon cocoa together and sprinkle over top of mixture in pan. Pour hot water over all of this. Bake @ 325 degrees for 45 minutes.