Category Archives: Recipes

Recipes

Zucchini-Egg-Sausage Casserole

Leave a comment

It’s zucchini season and time to pull out the plethora of excellent recipes to use this bountiful summer squash.  If someone secretly leaves zucchinis in your car or at home, be thankful!!

A bountiful number of bread and dessert recipes are found in cookbooks and internet and i will share a couple of our family favorites, but i’m focusing more this year on casseroles and main dish recipes.  Here’s one i just developed sort of combining two recipes I already have.  It turned out fabulously!!!  Not like pizza or anything, but definitely ranks high enough that it can remain in the regular lineup of meals.

ZUCCHINI-EGG-SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

From the kitchen of Tauna M (Falconer) Powell

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups shredded zucchini
  • ½ lb cooked beef sausage or beef brats* cut in small pieces
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 tablespoon mustard
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325˚F.  Layer half the zucchini, onion, sausage, and cheddar cheese in a buttered oblong baking dish, 11 x 7 x 1 ½ inches; repeat.  Mix eggs, milk, mustard, pepper, and salt very well, then pour over the layered ingredients.  Sprinkle over top with Parmesan cheese.  Cook uncovered in oven until set, 45 to 50 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes then cut into squares for serving.

Note: Once assembled, this casserole can be covered and refrigerated up to 24 hours before cooking.

*I use all beef brats from Coleman Farms grassfinished beef.  However, it will also be good with my own home made beef sausage.

img_8793
I cut the brats into small pieces using scissors, then cook gently in a cast iron skillet.

Zucchini Egg Cheese Sausage Casserole

Zucchini Egg Cheese Sausage Casserole
I accidentally put the Parmesan on before i poured the milk and egg mixture over top. Oh, well…..
Zucchini Egg Cheese Sausage Casserole
Out of the oven after 50 minutes. Let stand about 10 minutes before cutting into serving sizes. YUM!

 

Recipes

Cooking With Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia

Leave a comment

Our daughter introduced us to chia seeds a couple years ago, but then we did without since she left again, this time for Hanoi, Vietnam.  However, I’m creating some protein bars made without toxins, preservatives, etc, ad nauseam, and needing some additional protein.  Flax seed fits that bill, but flax also has a laxative affect (that’s right, you do not need to consume synthetic harsh laxatives) that is  not comfortable for some people, (though they are higher in protein and lower in carbs).  SO, chia to the rescue!  (Chia seeds are also absorbed by the body unlike whole flax seeds which generally pass through which is why they need grinding before ingesting for best results).  Both flax seeds and chia seeds are good for us, they have different nutritional values, making neither better than the other, so i include both in our diets.

Sure, we knew of chia seeds, but primarily as a novelty!

Incredibly (and thankfully), i discovered that chia seeds are grown here in the United States, though they are native to Mexico and Guatemala.  This one producer is Heartland Chia – seeds are grown, harvested, packaged in Franklin, Kentucky.

Here’s a link to the published Pumpkin Chia Granola Bars.  But for now, since i have an abundance of home canned unsweetened applesauce, i replaced pumpkin with it.  (Until this fall, when my winter squashes should be ready and i’ll make these with pumpkin)

Applesauce Chia Granola Bars

INGREDIENTS:

*purchased through Amazon at Grandma’s Cupboard

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
  • Spray an 8×8 inch baking pan with olive oil
  • In a medium bowl, add applesauce, honey, and vanilla extract.  Mix well.
  • Fold oats and chia seeds into batter, mix well.
  • Place dough in greased baking dish. (i spray mine with Bertolli Olive oil spray)
  • Press down until entire sheet is evenly covered.
  • Place in the oven for 20-30 minutes, test consistency with toothpick
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool a bit before cutting into 8-10 bars.

ENJOY!

img_8748
Rolled oats from Grain Millers in St. Ansgar, Iowa, Welter Honey from Onslow, Iowa, Heartland Chia from Franklin, Kentucky, McCormick Pure Vanilla from Madagascar.
img_8749
Press firmly into the pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes.  I cook mine for 25 minutes.  Seems to be a good balance between chewy and crunchy.

 

Chia Bars
These easily lift out of the pan.
22456a3f-8e16-4045-97c9-11f31c491e80-489-00000083e392f417_file
Allow to cool completely.  I use a raised cookie screen to aid in cooling.  Since they don’t have preservatives, I will individually package and stick them in the freezer.  The guys have a quick and healthy snack to take to the field.  (see how beautiful even these bars are. HA HA).

 

e4d526cb-e5ca-4f7b-a2d4-d018cb632c68-502-0000008b8ab3b523_file
Bagged and ready for freezing!
FAMILY, Recipes

Still Hoarding?!

Leave a comment

As some items continue to be in short supply, both in stores and online, i’ve found myself enjoying the relatively easy challenge of replacing some of our favorites with home made, and therefore, healthier substitutes.

img_8568
Compare the ingredients on this delicious commercial (and convenient) product to those of my new homemade version.

My husband is a huge fan of Wish Bone Western Dressing. Apparently, a lot of people are. Incredibly, a quick google and i found the perfect recipe for us in the very first go! Never a reason to purchase the commercial product again.

Here’s my slightly modified recipe:

Homemade Western Dressing

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/3 cup organic sugar
  • 1/3 cup organic olive oil, extra virgin
  • 2/3 cup organic ketchup
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • ½ tsp Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
  • ¼ tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:

Whisk together all ingredients until smooth.

Makes 12 ounces

Tips:

I mix in a 2 cup glass measuring container.  Gives me plenty of room to whisk, then I’m ready to pour it into a narrow necked dressing bottle. 

39c667f8-ee8e-4dfe-bd34-aac0f52ba4c3-5834-0000060049be7db9_file

Below is the published recipe. I made one change and that was to use Bragg’s Liquid Aminos instead of Worstershire Sauce. I may try to reduce the sugar, but may not – Allen thought it was perfect – i thought it a bit too sweet.

Homemade Western Dressing

A friend gave me this recipe. It is so much better than bottled dressing and there is no high fructose corn syrup if you use the organic ketchup (:Leah 15 mins  1 cooksnap

Ingredients

 16 servings

  1. 2/3 cup organic ketchup
  2. 1/3 cup olive oil, extra virgin
  3. 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  4. 1 tbsp honey
  5. 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (i used Bragg’s Liquid Aminos)
  6. 1/4 tsp onion powder
  7. 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  8. 1/4 tsp salt

Steps

  1. Whisk all the ingredients together until smooth. Refrigerate.

Published byLeahon June 11, 2015

 

FAMILY, Recipes

Mold & Mildew in my Cookbook!

Leave a comment

Neglectfully, i sat my home made cookbook on my kitchen bench whilst cooking.  Apparently, it was quite wet and the pages soaked up a bunch of water, then i slapped it shut and took to the basement shelves until i needed it next.  The result was this horrible mess.  The mold is so bad, that i have to have the windows open just to read my recipes!

Moldy Cookbook
The mold and mildew have destroyed the recipe pages, binder, and dividers.

Today, i’m starting to run off new copies of each treasured recipe.  One of these days, i may do up a professionally looking family cookbook.

Printing new recipe pages
Thankfully, i’ve spend considerable time in the past putting together our family recipes and have them organized on my computer.

 

Recipes

Never Fail Challah

1 Comment

Even i can succeed at this Shabbat Challah!

Here are my efforts:

Shabbat Challah
Shabbat Challah before cooking and with glaze.
Shabbat Challah after cooking
Shabbat Challah after cooking – ready to enjoy immediately or freeze for later.

 

The Kosher Blogger

I always used to insist that there’s no reason to make your own challah in Israel when there are so many delicious challahs available to buy. My mind was quickly changed when a good friend who I had invited to Shabbat dinner, delivered two fresh out of the oven challahs to my house one Friday afternoon. They were melt in the mouth, sweet, soft and everything you’d want out of a home-baked challah. She happily gave me the recipe and every since I make them as often as I can. There’s is no bought substitute anywhere. I get dirty looks from my family when Shabbat dinner comes around and I haven’t baked them.

What I love about this recipe is that the proofing is very forgiving – I have left the dough to rise for an hour or so longer than the recipe requires, and all was well with the…

View original post 557 more words

Recipes

Granola Clusters

Leave a comment

During this time of sudden hoarding of foodstuffs, my family has not been privy to their Great Grains Crunchy Pecan cereal.  Which is fine – they won’t die.  However, this gave me incentive to see if i could make pecan clusters similar to the commercial cereal.

Right off the bat, i found this awesome recipe in a web search.  Click through for Karlynn’s original recipe.

How to Make Your Own Granola Clusters by Karlynn Johnston

Crunchy Pecan Granola Clusters

  • 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar (coconut sugar worked fine)
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
  • 1/3 cup of  honey
  • 1/4 cup grapeseed oil or liquid coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 300°F .
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sugar, salt, cinnamon (or preferred spices), and optional pecans or other nuts/seeds.
  3. In a smaller bowl combine honey, oil, and vanilla.
  4. Once thoroughly mixed, pour the liquid mixture over the oat mixture and using your hands mix the ingredients forming clusters of your desired size.
  5. Scoop the clusters onto a 12″ by 15″ by 1″ stone pan and spread out.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes until clusters are light golden.  be careful not to overcook!
  7. Set pan on raised cookie rack and allow to cool completely BEFORE touching the granola.
  8. Once cool, break apart and place in an airtight bag or jar.

Be creative for granola uses – it’s way more than cereal!

img_8489
Crunchy Granola clusters can be used for toppings on homemade applesauce, whole apple slices (or any fruit), ice cream, chocolate cake.  

 

 

 

Recipes

Baking Powder Biscuits

Leave a comment

My go to recipe for quick biscuits and beef (or lamb) sausage gravy.

Baking Powder Biscuits

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup softened butter
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 cup milk

DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut butter into flour, sugar, baking powder and salt with pastry blender (or by hand) until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in milk (don’t add in all at once) until dough leaves sides of bowl (dough will be soft and sticky). Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead lightly 10 times. Roll or pat ½ inch thick. Cut with floured 2 ½ inch round cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart for crusty sides, touching for soft sides. Bake until golden brown for 10-12 minutes. One dozen biscuits. If using self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt.

Exciting discovery!!

Today, i tried my 10.25 inch cast iron skillet (Lodge – made in the USA).  Place skillet in oven whilst it is preheating to 450°F.  Roll out and cut 7 biscuits and place in skillet.  Bake uncovered for 10 minutes.

So easy!

Baking Powder Biscuits
Baking Powder Biscuits baked in iron skillet.