His and Hers recipes

I think I have mentioned before that my husband does a lot of the cooking at home. Today, I wanted to share two recipes, one is his and the other is mine for the left-over ingredients from his recipe. The first one is Steve's recipe for Twice-baked Potatoes. He doesn't measure anything. Instead he just eyeball's it.

The recipe I have included is for Potato Skins and uses the skins that are left over from his recipe. This is great dish to prepare the following day. Just make sure you refrigerate the unused skins. My measurements are approximate because it depends on how many skins you have left to use. But, this makes a great appetizer and could be made on it's own anytime. In fact, if you are planning a Super Bowl party, Potato Skins would be perfect to serve.

Twice-baked Potates

6 medium size potatoes
butter or margarine
Mild Cheddar & Monterey Jack cheese, finely shredded
onion salt
pepper

Bake potatoes (my husband microwaves them) until well done. Steve does not like to let them cool because the heat melts the cheese and butter so much better. He wears an oven mitt when handling the potatoes. Scoop the potato flesh out leaving a little layer still in the skin. Put potato in a bowl and add the cheese and butter. Mix well. Add onion salt and pepper to desired taste. Spoon mixture back into the potato shells. If they have cooled, put back into microwave to reheat, and serve.

Potato Skins

Baked Potato skins
thick-cut bacon
1/2 c. Mild Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, finely shredded
1/2 c. sour cream
2 T. milk
2 T. chopped chives

Fry bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towel and crumble into bacon bits.

Turn on oven broiler and adjust rack to within about 5 inches from the broiler. Brush potato skins inside and out with vegetable oil (or the oil of your choice) and place them upside down on a baking sheet. Place under broiler for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and turn potato skins over and broil for another 5 minutes, or until skins are crispy. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese and bacon bits. Place them back under the broiler until the cheese melts.

While skins are baking, combine sour cream, milk, and chives in a small bowl and stir well. Plac the bowl in the center of a large platter and arrange potato skins around it.

Cabbage for the New Year

As I understand it, in the south part of the United States, they have a tradition of eating cabbage on New Year's Day which means wealth in the new year. In these economic times, we all need all the help we can get. I actually believe most people fix Corned Beef and Cabbage for New Year's Day, but any cabbage dish should do the trick.

Before I changed jobs over a year ago, I used to eat lunch everyday with a group of friends. One day when we had a pitch-in lunch, one of the ladies brought Chinese Cabbage Salad and I thought it was great. The recipe below is not hers, but it's close.

Happy New Year and I wish you much wealth in 2009.

Carol

Chinese Cabbage Salad

1 (3 ounce) package Ramon noodles, crushed
2 T. sesame seeds
1 (16 ounce) bag of cabbage coleslaw
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce

In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw, green onions, Ramon noodles and sesame seeds.

To prepare the dressing, whisk together the sugar, oil, vinegar and soy sauce. Pour the dressing over the salad, toss and serve.

Found My Recipe

I finally found my lost recipe. I had placed it on top of my desk upstairs and had not done any work at that desk for over a week. I had hoped to post this in time to make for any Christmas parties you might be going to, but it will work just as well for a New Year's Eve Party.

Hawaiian Ham and Cheese Mini Sandwiches

2 packages Hawaiian Rolls
1 lb. shaved ham
8 oz. shredded Swiss Cheese

Glaze
3/4 C. melted butter
1 1/2 T. Poppy seed
2 T. dried onion
1 1/2 t Worchester sauce
2 T. Dijon mustard

Preheat ove to 350 degrees F. Slice rolls in half and place bottom half in a baking pan or dish. Put ham and then cheese on the rolls. Put half of the glaze over the ham and cheese and top with the top half of the rolls. Apply the rest of the glaze on top of the sandwiches and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Carol

Lost Recipe

Have you ever lost a recipe? Of course, you have and so have I. Today, as a matter of fact. I have this really good recipe for small ham sandwiches that I wanted to give to everyone and now I can't find it. I just saw it earlier in the week and put it someplace safe so I could put it on here this weekend. You guess it, it is so safe I can't even find it now. I'll keep looking and you keep checking back here. I'll post it as soon as I find it. Sorry.

Carol

Sunday., December 21, 2008

I'm still searching for that recipe. Boy, when I put something away for safe-keeping, I sure do a good job.

Candy and Cookie making

I will be making Christmas candy and cookies this weekend and also next weekend. I'm trying a new cookie recipe and if it comes out good, I'll post the recipe later. I know so many of you do as I and make candy and cookies for Christmas, so I thought I would pass on a little tip for you to use when you are measuring out sticky substances in your measuring cups.

Before measuring out the sticky substance, fill your measuring cup with hot water. Pour it out, but don't dry it. Immediately add your ingredient, such as peanut butter. Once it's measured, watch how easily it comes out of your cup.

It's another windy day in Indiana, the windiest since Tropical Storm Ike came through in September. Technically, it was a Tropical Storm since it was in Indiana, but can't tell me we didn't have hurricane winds. Wish me luck in getting my treats finished before we lose power. I wasn't so lucky last time.

Carol

Cookbook sale price ending soon

This weekend will be the last days that my cookbook, Masters & Disasters of Cooking will be on sale. Next week, the price goes back up. Hurry and order your copy today for delivery before Christmas. Click on the link at the right side of this page to order.

Tea and Cookies

I was reading the newspaper this week and noticed an article announcing that a ladies' group at a local church was holding a Christmas Tea. I visioned in my head a group of ladies sitting at a table with an antique lace tablecloth, a fire burning in the fireplace, plates of cookies at each setting, and steam rising from each tea cup that sits in it's own matching saucer.

Doesn't that sound inviting? It could happen and you could host it. Have you ever hosted a Cookie Swap? It's very simple, you invite your friends over and tell them to bring a batch of their favorite homemade cookies.

Food is served, but not the cookies, unless you plan ahead and made extras. Food can be anything from snacks to a full buffet meal. After everyone has eaten, you gather your guests around the table full of the cookies they've brought. Don't forget to tell them to bring an empty container for the news cookies they'll be taking home.

Each person tells something about the cookies they've brought, maybe even sharing the recipe. After that, everyone takes a turn going around the table and taking about three cookies from each batch until all the cookies are gone. Everyone should take home about the same amount they brought. It's a fun afternoon for all that attend. There's really no set rules on how to do a Cookie Swap, so be creative. Oh, and don't forget to tell everyone to bring several bags of their favorite tea to sample, too.

I haven't started my cookie or candy making yet. I have that planned for the weekend of Dec 20. This year is going to be a Chocolate Christmas for me. All the candy and cookies I make this year will be chocolate. But, I'm still trying to find a good chocolate cookie recipe to make this year.

I'm going to enjoy a cup of tea,
Carol