New Year's Dinner

Today began a fresh, new year.  It is a clean slate waiting to be written upon and many will make resolutions going forward.  One of my goals is to return to regularly writing my blog and so I am starting today.

Each New Year's Day we get up early to walk along the floats at the Rose Parade.  Today, I put a roast in the crock-pot before we left at 5:25AM.  I made my favorite recipe, Mrs. Ringle's Brisket (see blog).

Tonight we sat down to a perfect roast, potatoes and carrots.  I also made a fresh batch of mashed potatoes so my boys would have lots of leftovers.

About two hours before dinner time, I added chunks of carrots and potatoes to the crock-pot and let them all cook on low.  An hour later, I removed the roast to a serving platter and covered it well with foil to set and to stay warm.  Then I turned the crock-pot up to high to finish cooking the veggies.

I served the roast with au jus rather than gravy, and it was delicious!
Happy New Year!

Korv - Swedish Potato Sausage

As a child I always looked forward to our Swedish Smorgasbord served at Christmas with my cousins.  So many dishes to choose from, and only served once a year.  As the family has grown and changed, it is now up to my generation to carry on or not.  For a while it seemed to have died away, but we resurrected the menu a few Christmases ago and now look forward once again to the 15 items Nana said we had to have on the table.

meatballs and gravy (we now buy at Ikea)
potato sausage (Korv)
ham
brown beans
creamed potatoes or potato salad
rice pudding
jello salad(s)
veal loaf
tray of cheeses
Rye Krisp crackers
relish tray - carrots, celery, pickles, olives, cucumbers, herring
Swedish Rye bread, also called Limpa
butter
apple crisp
coffee (Swedes drink coffee practically from birth!)

W have made a few changes to update the flavors/tastes/textures according to the group who is now sitting at our table.

Korv in 2013 is made more like a meatloaf since the  maker of it is not into stuffing casings.

3 lbs.  ground turkey or ground beef
2 lbs.  Jimmy Dean pork sausage
2 - 4.2 oz. boxes of dehydrated potatoes, reconstituted
1 - 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. onion powder

Mix all the ingredients together very well.  If you have a tube shaped pan (mine is a French bread pan) you can make a round loaf.  Otherwise, divide it into bread pans.  Bake until center reaches 165 degrees F.  Cool slightly before slicing.  Can be served with Ikea's meatball gravy.

Unexpected Sabbatical

I have written the best blogs this week and several over the weeks before.  However, they are locked in my head and have obviously not made it to my blog.  I am anxiously awaiting the day when I can think something and it will appear in written form wherever I say.  Do you find that you do your best writing on the freeway or while running errands?  I sure do.  Unfortunately, that's where they stay. 

While my time has been eaten up with family needs, I have been so very grateful for the freezer full of meals that I prepared in late November.

We are now down to the last few meals, but with Christmas around the corner and leftovers ahead, I chose not to prepare more meals yet.  Sometime between Christmas Day  and New Year's Day I will prepare another month of meals.  Until then, I purchased a few entrees from Costco that we've been wanting to try, and we are eating lots of leftovers and holding regular cafeteria nights where everyone eats something different.  So far, so good.  I think we'll make it!

One night this week we were blessed by a friend who'd received a large meal as a gift and chose to come share it with us.  Tonight, it will be Costco's Macaroni and Cheese which has come highly recommended.  We are looking forward to the family taste test!

Tangy Pineapple Chicken

I found this recipe from Jean Ecos in Taste of Home Magazine.  Where else?  My family is split on it.  The mustard lovers love it and the mustard haters just do not.  It's a bit more work than I like in a recipe, but one that is worth the effort in my book.

To prepare ahead, simply freeze the portion of chicken in a labeled Ziploc-style bag.

To prepare the dish, defrost the chicken.

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Sprinkle the chicken breasts with about:
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. or a good shake or two of pepper

You may need more depending on the size of the chicken breasts.

Lightly brown the chicken in a skillet with 1-2 T vegetable oil.

Drain 1 20-ounce can of pineapple slices, saving the juice.
In a small bowl, mix 2 T of juice with 1 T cornstarch and set aside.

In another bowl mix the following:
1/4 C Dijon mustard
1/4 C honey
1 tsp. minced garlic
remaining juice

Add this mixture to the pan with the chicken.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.  Remove the chicken and add the cornstarch mixture to the juices.  Bring to a boil and stir for 2 minutes.  Return the chicken.  Top with the sliced pineapple.  Serve over rice.

A Twist on Quiche

This last summer my Australian Sister-in-law made a delicious appetizer for a family get-together.  I must admit that when I saw the name, Zucchini Slice, I thought it would be sliced zucchini.  Was I wrong!  It's not for the faint of heart, truly, as it's full of delicious cholesterol.  Enjoy once in a while or bake it and take it to a party so you can enjoy the flavor without all the leftovers.

4-6 zucchini, grated
1 large onion, finely diced
1 C crumbled bacon
2 C cheddar cheese, shredded

10 eggs, lightly beaten
2 C flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 C oil (I may try 1/2 C oil and 1/2 C applesauce next time)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Mix the veggies, cheese and bacon together in a large bowl.
In another bowl mix the eggs, flour and other ingredients together.
Pour the egg mixture over the veggies and combine completely.

Pour this into a well-greased 9x13" pan.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned.

Serves 12-15 or cut into smaller pieces for an appetizer.  Makes a great next-day lunch entrée also.

So far, I've only made this one fresh.  I am curious to try preparing and freezing it but an concerned about the oil.  I may try baking it before freezing, but our family usually gobbles it up so quickly there is none left to freeze.  :)

Peanut Butter Chicken on the Grill



The recipe title Peanut Butter Chicken intrigued me as did the list of ingredients.  What a unique combination of flavors and one I'd certainly never put together, really quite delicious.

 

I've tried it all sorts of ways, but my favorite is grilled on the bar-b-que.

 

In a small saucepan combine the following ingredients:

1/2 C creamy peanut butter

1/2 C water

1/4 C soy sauce

2 tsp. minced garlic

3 T lemon juice

2 T brown sugar

3/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

 

Cook and stir over medium to high heat for 5 minutes or until smooth.  Set half of the sauce aside.

 

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

 

Option #1:

Slice chicken into strips about 1" wide and as long as the breast.  Place onto skewers which have been soaked in water for at least 20 minutes.

 

Option #2:

Leave breasts whole.

 

Brush chicken with sauce often while grilling.  Skewers will take 4-6 minutes to cook.  Whole breasts, of course, will take longer.

 

Serve chicken with reserved sauce and sprinkled with sliced green onion tops (optional).  However, no onions in my family.  :(

 

 

Something to consider:  This is one recipe I wish I'd never had my kids help me prepare.  The ingredients have scared a few away from eating it. 

Cold and Rainy Calls for Crock-Pot Creamy Chicken

There is nothing like coming home to warm meal ready to serve or to smelling it cook all day at home either.  Today I went out-of-order on my menu calendar to choose a dish that would slow-cook all day warming the kitchen and my senses.  The choice was Crock-Pot Creamy Chicken.

Put 4-6 large boneless, skinless chicken breast in the crock pot.

Mix together and pour over the chicken:
1 package of dry onion soup mix
2 C sour cream
1 can of Cream of Mushroom Soup

Set to cook for 8 hours.

Serving options: over rice, noodles or mashed potatoes.  This will be determined by my time at the end of the day.  :)

To prepare ahead, simply freeze the portion of chicken in a Ziploc-style bag and label.  Save the soup and soup mix in your pantry or cupboards with the word "save" written on the outside so it doesn't get used before you cook this meal.  You can do the same with the sour cream in the fridge.

This is one cook looking forward to a warm, comforting meal at the day's end.