sunday pot roast no more

Well the pot roast made on Sunday is now officially gone. Monday night was left over roast, potatoes and carrots, Tuesday night was cold roast beef sandwiches and tonight was beef and noodles. Now what will I fix tomorrow night? My beef and noodle recipe is so easy.



Beef and Noodles

1. Place left over pot roast and juices in a stock pot.
2. Add two cups boiling water, 1 or 2 beef bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat. Add half of an onion, salt and pepper to taste.
4. Simmer for as long as you desire.
5. Right before serving, increase the burner temperature to medium high heat, add 1 large bag of egg noodles (I prefer Reames when I don't make homemade noodles)
6. Cook until noodles are done. Add more boiling water, if needed...but not too much.
7. Remove onion before serving.

Chicken Scaloppine

I probably don't have to tell my blog readers this news since most, if not all, should know I have a love of cooking.  The real news is...I'm addicted to Food Network.  Is there really any other network on television? Seeing an occasional recipe on my blog... from one of my favorite Food Network episodes...will not be unusual.  The following is-

Chicken Scaloppine
by SANDRA LEE

Ingredients
 4 or 5 chicken breasts
 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
 Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
 2 tablespoons canola oil
 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
 1 (14.5-ounce) can chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions
Cut chicken breasts in half, lengthwise.  Pound the pieces between sheets of plastic wrap to flatten them, about 1/4-inch thick. 

Sprinkle with poultry seasoning and season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Coat the chicken with flour, shaking off any excess.  In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add the oil and butter.  Mix together and when the butter has melted add the chicken,working in batches, until they are golden brown, about 4 to 6 minutes per side.  Remove the chicken, to a serving platter, cover and keep warm.  Add the chicken broth to the pan and cook it over high heat until it reduces by half and thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.  Sir in the lemon juice, parsley and basil.  Taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.  Pour the sauce over the cooked chicken.

 



Apples come to mind

Cool weather gives me the desire to go apple picking and make apple pie.  Post a recipe, in the comments area below, with apples as the main ingredient.  Also check out the Bakerella blog in the right column.  I haven't made it yet, but she has an amazing looking apple cake recipe posted. 

sunday's best dish!

When I think about making pot roast....I think about my husband's crockpot recipe.  Making pot roast can be an easy undertaking, yet a difficult one at the same time, but once you have it done....you have a meal for more than one day.  My husband and like that around our house because it means we can come home after a long day and enjoy a hearty meal without the cleanup...dishes in the dishwasher is the only major chore.  While my husband and I have been successful most of the time when making pot roast...for some reason I'm always looking for a different pot roast recipe.  When my husband prepares this dish he puts a chuck roast (cut we prefer) in the crock pot, adds lots of different seasonings (I couldn't even name them all) and pours water in the bottom of the pot.  He cooks it on low for the entire day!  Is it delicious?  Every time he makes pot roast using this method ...it is wonderful.  When my husband isn't in the mood to make pot roast himself...I usually follow a recipe to make my version.  Today, I used the Pioneers Woman, Ree Drummond's directions.  I made one change to her recipe - added potatoes to the mix. 

The PERFECT POT ROAST is included in Ree Drummond's cookbook...The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes From An Accidental Country Girl

PERFECT POT ROAST
2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
One 3- to 5- pound chuck roast
2 onions
6 carrots
Pepper
2 to 2 1/2 cups beef stock
                                                                                     3 or 4 fresh rosemary sprigs
                                                                                     2 or 3 fresh thyme sprigs

1.  Preheat the oven to 275 degree F.

2,  Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the olive oil and let it get really hot.  While it heats, prepare the other ingredients.

3.  Generously salt the chuck roast on both sides.  Kosher salt works best because it adhere more readily to the meat.

4.  Cut a couple of onions in half from root to tip.

5.  Then cut off the tops and bottoms and peel off the papery skin.

 6.  When the pot is very hot, place the onions in the oil and brown on both sides, about a minute per side.  Remove the onions to a plate.

 7.  Next, thoroughly wash...but don't peel...the carrots.  Cut them roughly into 2-inch slices.

 8.  Throw the carrots into the same (very hot) pot.  Toss them around until slightly brown, about a minute or so.  The point here is to get a nice color started on the outside of the vegetables, not to cook them.

9.  Remove the carrots from the pot and allow the pot to get really hot again.  Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan.

10.  Place the meat in the pot and sear it, about a minute per side.  Remove to plate.

11.  Now, with the burner on high, deglaze the pot by adding a cup of the beef stock, whisking constantly.  The point of deglazing is to loosen all the burned flavorful bits from the bottom of the pot.

12.  When most of the bits are loosened, lace the meat back in the pot.  Followed by the carrots and onions.  Pour enough beef stock into the pot to cover the meat halfway.

13.  Next, put in the fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs.  The fresh herbs absolutely make this dish.  Tuck them into the juice to ensure that the flavors are distributed throughout the pot.

14.  Next, cover the post and roast for 3 to 5 hours, depending on the size of your roast.  

For a 3-pound roast, allow for 3 to 3 1/2 hours.  For a 5-pound roast, allow for a 4 to a 5 hour cooking time.  Don't disrupt the roast during the cooking process.  When the cooking time is over, check the roast for doneness; a fork should go in easily and the meat should be very tender.  Remove the meat to a cutting board and slice against the grain.  

Place on a plate with vegetables.  Spoon plenty of pan juices over the top.  

Take another look at this delicious Pot Roast.
The perfect dish for the start of a week. 

Source: Drummond, Ree. "Perfect Pot Roast." The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes From an Accidental Country Girl.  New York:  HarperCollins, 2009.  120-122. 

essential kitchen tools

When I first became a teacher my husband and I always had to stop by teacher stores we could find when on the road.  It wouldn't be unusual for me to look in the yellow pages to find the location of a local teacher store when staying in a hotel or making a pit stop. Sometimes it took lots of begging on my part to get my husband to travel out of our way to find a teacher store.  Well, he really didn't have anything to look for in a teacher's store now did he?  Lately, it is kitchen stores we seek.  Stopping at kitchen stores doesn't take a lot of persuasion as my husband loves to cook as well.  Our Garmin has replaced the traditional yellow page.  After 32 years of marriage, one would think my husband and I would have every cooking utensil necessary for a well-equipped kitchen.  We really do, thanks to wedding showers, gifts and years of purchasing what we need, but it's a delight to pick up new tools that make cooking fun.  Cooking tools are normally pretty inexpensive.  My husband and I prefer to visit outlet stores where we can get some really good bargains.  We have even found some of our favorites at flea markets.  The older - the better some say.  Here are a few of our favorite old and new cooking tools I used when making the previous Pot Roast.

Taste of Home

My daughter, daughter-in-law and I attended the Taste of Home Cooking School at the Moberly Area Community College last evening.  A goody bag and a wealth of recipes traveled home with me after the show.  My grocery store bag today contained the ingredients needed to make  French Cranberry-Apple Pie. The recipe for this pie and many of the other recipes I plan to make are included in the Taste of Home Cooking School Brand Name Cookbook which was our guide for the evening.  Guy Klinzing was the culinary specialist who lead our show.  He was funny and knowledgeable about techniques involved in preparing the recipes.  There were many local celebrity chefs who assisted Guy in the process.  Prizes were presented...unfortunately none of us won prizes, but we had lots of fun.  If you haven't visited the Taste of Home website, I highly recommend that you do!  My favorite page on the website is of course the recipe page so I thought I would share.... Taste of Home Recipes  Check future posts about my attempts to be a Taste of Home cook. 

easy and yummy pizza



pizza dough, olive oil and garlic...the beginning of a great pizza

 Mushroom and Garlic Pizza I remember when I first had this pizza!  Some things you never forget.  This recipe came from a very good cook who use to be an aide at our elementary school.  While she never brought this delicious pizza to work, she did share this at an after-school gathering.  It was love at first bite!  I instantly asked her for the recipe and have made it for my family and friends several times since.  Thanks Ann! 

prefer sliced Swiss...adds to the texture

both types of mushrooms are not always necessary...
when i don't have fresh...canned works fine

take another look...this is my favorite part

sprinkle the mozzarella

just out of the oven

just one...I don't think so

Mushroom and Garlic Pizza

4 SERVINGS

PREP TIME: 10 min.

COOK TIME:  30 min.

_________________________________

One 14 ounce can Pillsbury Pizza Crust

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

5 ounces shiitake mushrooms

8 ounces white mushrooms

salt

One 8-ounce bag shredded Swiss cheese (2 cups)

One 8-ounce bag shredded mozzarella cheese (2 cups)

1.  Preheat oven to 400.  Spread pizza dough out to cover a large baking sheet, then brush with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle with the garlic.  Bake for 8 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, thinly slice the shiitake and white mushrooms.  In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over high heat and saute the mushrooms until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.  Season to taste with salt.

3.  Sprinkle the baked dough with the Swiss cheese, then the mushrooms and the mozzarella.  Sprinkle a little more salt over the topping and return the pizza to the oven.  Bake until the cheese is golden and bubbly, about 15 minutes.  Cut into squares and serve.

Other Tips:  Best made using a pizza stone...watch carefully in the oven as the cheese topping browns quickly...best if not too brown

From the kitchen of.... Ann Hall



In my kitchen this weekend

Cream Cheese Filled Cupcakes, Butter Pecan Cakes, Cucumber Dip, Barbecued Meatballs all in one day.  Chinese take-out for dinner tonight.  My daughter and I had a little get-together with some friends.  Actually it was one of those home parties...but it served as a good excuse for a get-together.  I really enjoy entertaining...it's the house cleaning I don't enjoy!  You clean, cook and then clean again.  If only I had a maid!  Well that's not going to happen anytime soon so my cleaning....cooking....cleaning cycle will continue.  I will delight in the cooking phase and agonize at the cleaning one! 



grocery store like known other

When my husband and I travel to new places we love to find unique food markets.  We found just that when we traveled to Savannah, Georgia recently.  Check out Parker's Market website.  This market Historic Savannah’s 24-hour gourmet grocery store located at 222 Drayton Street is a find!  Parker's market was recently recognized for Outstanding Historic Renovation as an example of preserving our past through adaptive reuse.  The Mediterranean-style building is almost 100 years old.  When you drive up to this old gas station one can't believe you are going to a grocery store.  It is absolutely charming inside and out!  Found inside is a huge deli where you can buy just about anything, including imported cheese, homemade salads of all kinds, fresh bagels (they were so fresh), baked desserts and artisan breads.  Inside is fine wines, fresh flowers and speciality coffees.  Spices and even unique paper goods can be purchased at this true Savannah experience!  What did we purchase besides the bagels and cream cheese my husband and I devoured before breakfast the next morning?  Answer:  a cookbook

SAVANNAH DESSERTS: RECIPES FROM FAVORITE RESTAURANTS
by Janice Shay

Donuts or Doughnuts?

According to the dictionary...both spellings are correct.  It really doesn't matter does it?  They are wonderful either way!  I told you that cooler weather brings on cravings for my mother's doughnuts, so on a cool Sunday afternoon, I mixed up the dough and my husband fried them and guess who helped us eat them?  My lovely grandchildren.  One thing I wanted to mention...some people think that making doughnuts are a difficult process.  I'm here to tell you, they are not!  Messy...yes!  Hard to make...no!  Take it on!  You will be glad you did!  Here is how my mom made her doughnuts.  Here is how I make mine!  I would love to hear about other doughnut recipes.

Recipe for Mom's Homemade Doughnuts....

Read more »

Vintage Day!

I went off the beaten path today...so I might as well continue that tradition by doing the same on my blog.  My daughter took me and my husband to the Rutledge Flea Market.  This is place definitely ...off the beaten path.  Way out in the middle of a field, without a town nearby, is a place where 90 acres of booths are set up by people from all over.  You can find anything and everything there.  Some sellers have prices marked and others none.  So you either ask if the seller "Will you take less?" (which they all did), or you ask "How much will you take" or say "I'll give you this much."  OH, WHAT FUN WE HAD!  I honestly believe that the people who were selling things were not doing it so much for the money but for the mere fun of it.  Here are some of our finds today.  We spent under $20.00 for all of the following.  You will see many of the glassware in upcoming blog pictures.  By the way, I also had fun going on the web to discover....I got some fantastic bargains today!

The theme today was "Fire King."

Fire King Soup Bowls - 25 cents a piece!

Very vintage bowl, biscuit cutter and cookie cutter.

Plates galore for upcoming desserts.

Plates and bowls. 

Wish you could see all the different designs!

Vintage holiday salt and pepper shakers.  I paid 50 cents for the pair.

See the snowflake casserole dish - $1.00 and the two bowls with lid...
 $1.00 for the pair.  Amazing!

This is probably what I'm most excited about!  Gurley Vintage Halloween Candles.  Bid currently on eBay show anywhere from $4.99 to $34.50 a piece.  I hope you are sitting down for this!  We paid $2.00 for all!  One is missing - an Owl, my daughter had her eye on it, so I gave in!