Anyone up for trading recipes?

[Sohapi]

Originally Posted by DinnerDiva

We (hubby and I) used to own a "make and take" type food facility (think Super Suppers) - it was a place where people could come and put together meals to take home, freeze and then thaw and bake when needed. It was a great concept who's time has not yet come!! LOL - we also did catering and special meals, etc. Lots of our recipes were casserole type so folks just had to thaw and bake so it was easy to take a casserole out of the freezer the night before, place in the fridge to thaw and have one of the teenagers stick it in the oven about an hour before mom & dad came home. We also sold these to folks who were going camping for a week or more - easy meals with minimum fuss. That was till the recession got us. Anyway, this was one of those casseroles. It's like a Reubin Sandwich but in casserole form.

REUBIN CASSEROLE (Serves 2 - double and use a larger pan for 4)
3 Cups Rye Bread Cubes
1 to 1 1/2 C. Shredded Corned Beef
1/3 C. Thousand Island Dressing
1 C. Shredded swiss Cheese
1 1/2 - 2 C. Sauerkraut, drained and rinsed (if desired)
1/4 C. melted butter

Using a square metal or glass pan (I use disposable) - spray with Pam or oil/butter the pan. Spread half of the bread cubes on the bottom of the pan. Put shredded corned beef over bread, dot/spread the Thousand Island Dressing over the Corned Beef. Spread the sauerkraut over the corned beef/dressing then top with the swiss cheese. Put the remaining bread cubes in a bowl, sprinkle over the melted butter and
mix well. Spread the buttered bread cubes over the swiss cheese. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until inside measures 145 degrees internally. (You can cover for the first 15 minutes and then uncover so that the bread on top crisps but I'm lazy and usually don't cover it - I like a crunchy top.)

OMG we loved this recipe!!!! Thanks so much for posting it here. We do not usually eat casseroles, but it looked so good that I made it last night and we shared with a neighbor here. We all loved it!!

[Sohapi]

Yesterday I saw a cute idea to slice apples core into whole slices. Then dipping them in caramel and chocolate. What a great idea! I usually make mine whole but then its too much to eat at once.

Caramel Apples

1/4 cup of granulated sugar
1/4 lightly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1/4 cup of light corn syrup
2 teaspoons of molasses
1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/2 cup of heavy cream

Wash the apples and thoroughly dry them. If they are still wet, the caramel will not stick to the skin. Remove the stems, and insert a wooden stick at the top of each apple, about half-way through. The apples should securely cling to the stick. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease.

In a saucepan on medium heat, add the sugars, butter, corn syrup, molasses, salt and half of the cream. Swirl the pan to make sure all the ingredients come together. Once they have, add the remaining cream. Cook on medium heat for 10-12 minutes or until the temperature of the mixture reaches 240F.

Remove the caramel from the heat and wait for the liquid to slightly cool (2 minutes). Using a swirling motion and carefully tilting the pan, coat the apples with caramel, leaving an untouched apple circle where the wooden stick is inserted. Let the excess caramel drip off, and place the apples on the parchment paper. Immediately place the apples in the fridge to harden. You may have to do this in batches so that the first coated apples don't stay at room temperature for too long: the quicker they get in the fridge, the better! If the caramel starts to harden and is not thin enough to coat the apples, simply place the saucepan on the heat for a couple minutes before coating more apples.

[Sohapi]

As a family we used to make Salt Water Taffy every fall. Now that the kids are grown we usually do it will the kids and gkids. This year we are not but I sure hope they are still doing it at home.

Make sure if you do this with little kids (gkids) you start out the pulling as its pretty warm and then hand it over when it is more the right temp for the child.

Salt Water Taffy


2 cups sugar
2 T. Cornstarch
1 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup water
2 T. butter
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Flavoring oil

Prepare a heat safe dish by lightly buttering it. If you are making more than one flavor, prep said amount of dishes. Also lightly butter a spatula for each flavor. And have each flavor and food color ready.

In a saucepan, sift together sugar and cornstarch. Stir in corn syrup, water, salt and margarine. Place over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Cover pan and bring to a boil for 2 or 3 minutes. Uncover, place thermometer in pan and cook to 256 - 266 degrees F. The lower temperature will result in chewier taffy, the higher a more brittle texture. Remove from heat and add food color and flavoring. Stir gently; pour into prepared dish/pan.

When cool enough to handle, grease hands and pull the warm candy with fingertips, pulling out to about 12 inches at first. Quickly turn candy back from fingertips of one hand to the other hand, then catch center and pull again. This will incorporate air into the candy. Continue pulling until taffy is light in color and has a satiny gloss, about twenty minutes. Pull into a long rope, cut with greased scissors and wrap in waxed paper squares, twisting ends.

[Sohapi]

Mongolian Beef

2 teaspoons canola oil
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ginger, grated
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup soy sauce
A few pinches of red pepper flakes
canola oil for frying
1 lb flank or sirloin steak, sliced thin
1/4 cup corn starch
green onions, chopped for garnish

In a medium sauce pan on medium high heat, add the canola oil garlic and ginger. Let this cook for about 2 minutes while stirring constantly so the garlic and ginger doesn't burn. Add the brown sugar, water, soy sauce and red pepper flakes. Let this come to a simmer and reduce the heat to low while you work on the meat.

In a large bowl, add the thinly sliced steak and corn starch. Toss to coat. Preheat a large skillet or wok on medium high heat. Add a drizzle of canola oil. Take the meat and add it to the skillet/wok. Stir fry until your desired doneness, we like medium well for stir fry.

Pour the sauce over the meat and stir to combine. The sauce will thicken due to the cornstarch on the meat. Cook longer if you want a thicker sauce.

Serve over a bed of rice, top with green onions and enjoy!

[Sohapi]

This is the way I have cooked steak for years now, learned in school many years ago. You can do this with just about any good steak just watch your cook time as filet mignon's are thicker.


Perfect Steak

Filet mignon - 2, 8 ounce filets
Kosher salt - 4 teaspoons
Freshly cracked pepper - 4 teaspoons
Butter - 1 stick
Olive oil - 1 tablespoon
Garlic - 2 cloves, chopped
Parsley - 1 tablespoon, chopped
Thyme - 1 tablespoon, chopped
Lemon zest - 1 teaspoon
The reason this dish is so amazing is due mostly in part to having the very best, most fresh ingredients possible. That means high grade salt; it means pepper ground right in front of you by a pepper mill. It means fresh herbs and it means REAL BUTTER. The good news is that these are all things you should already have in your house. Take 1/2 sticks of butter, softened, and mix well with the peeled, chopped garlic, the chopped herbs, and the lemon zest. Form into a log and refrigerate. Generously season the filets with salt and pepper, approximately 1 teaspoon of seasoning per side. Heat the remainder of the butter (1/2 stick) and the olive oil in a cast iron skillet to a screaming hot temperature. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Sear the filets in a screaming hot pan for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until a nice brown crust has formed. While the steak is searing, continue to spoon the residual butter in the pan on top of the meat while it's cooking. Once both sides are seared, place in the center of the oven for about 6-8 minutes, depending upon how thick your steak is. In the last minute of cooking, take the log of compound butter and slice a nice thick piece to place on top. Your steak will be ready when it is approximately 135 degrees in the center, or when you push lightly on the top center of the steak and it gently and slowly bounces back. (Note, this is medium rare kids. Some people don't like to eat cows while they are mooing, so clearly you can cook longer if you’re afraid of the pink.)

[Sohapi]

I know everyone always says what is that? But I promise its not sweet and has an amazing taste too it. Remember chocolate is not always for sweets.

Chocolate Beef Stew


2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup sliced carrots
1 (8-ounce) package sliced brown mushrooms
3 cups diced red potatoes
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons finely grated bittersweet chocolate
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 Tablespoon each – basil, oregano leaves, thyme, parsley
1 (14-ounce) can low-sodium beef broth
1 cup white grape juice
1 leek, white part only, sliced and cleaned
In a large bowl combine beef stew meat, salt, pepper and flour. Toss until beef is well coated.
Heat the canola in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add seasoned beef and all spices then sear on all sides until brown and caramelized. Remove to a plate and set aside. Pour a little of the broth into this pan to remove all the spices and then pour into the slow cooker.
Combine seared beef, carrots, mushrooms, potatoes and tomatoes in a 4-quart slow cooker.
In a medium bowl, stir together grated chocolate, beef broth, and grape juice. Pour into slow cooker and sprinkle the leeks over the top. Cover and cook on HIGH setting for 4 to 6 hours.
Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

[Diwizi]

Had 3 apples, so peeled and diced, added 1/2tsp cinnamon and 1/2 cp sugar.
Then put 1/2 stick margarine , melted in small glass casserole
Added the apple mixture

Used the 321 cake mixture (white cake)
Mixed 3/4 cup with milk till it was batter like
Poured it over the top of the apples
Baked on convection 350 for about 20 minutes

Good, pretty quick COBBLER...from stuff on hand.....

[Sohapi]

Originally Posted by Diwizi

Had 3 apples, so peeled and diced, added 1/2tsp cinnamon and 1/2 cp sugar.
Then put 1/2 stick margarine , melted in small glass casserole
Added the apple mixture

Used the 321 cake mixture (white cake)
Mixed 3/4 cup with milk till it was batter like
Poured it over the top of the apples
Baked on convection 350 for about 20 minutes

Good, pretty quick COBBLER...from stuff on hand.....

That sounds good.

[Sohapi]

Todays project is Pumpkin butter. We love it and even though I am not home I am making it here. Its like eating pumpkin pie on toast, french toast, pancakes, ginger bread and I even use it when roasting a pork roast in a crock pot. I season the pork roast and let it cook for an hour and then spread the pumpkin butter on top. Its amazing!

Pumpkin Butter

3 1/2 cups fresh ground pumpkin or canned pumpkin puree
2 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1 lemon, juice and grated rind
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice

If using fresh pumpkin, mix with sugar, lemon, ginger, cinnamon and allspice in a large bowl. Let stand at room temperature 8 to 10 hours

Transfer to a heavy saucepan, add 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Simmer on low heat, stirring often, for 40 to 60 minutes, to desired consistency. (With canned pumpkin, mix ingredients in heavy saucepan; bring to a boil and simmer on low about 20 minutes, to thicken.)

Pour mixture into hot, sterile, 6-ounce canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Seal with sterile, 2-part lids and rings, as manufacturer directs, processing 10 minutes in boiling water bath. Cool; adjust seals.

Makes five 6-ounce jars.

[SylviaCub]

Originally Posted by Diwizi

Good, pretty quick COBBLER...from stuff on hand.....

We call that Dump Cake... and cook it over an open fire in a dutch oven. It is really good and so darned fattening. Works good with canned peaches too.

[Sohapi]

Some how I do not have my bread machine book with me................does anyone have a whole wheat recipe for the bread machine that they would post for me?

[Sohapi]

Caramel Apples


1/2 c. butter
1 2/3 c. dark Karo Corn Syrup
2/3 c. sugar
1 c. cream
1/2 t. salt

Place the entire ingredient in a large heavy pan. I use a big cast iron pan, or a heavy bottomed soup pot. You don't want a flimsy pot or your caramel will burn. Bring all the ingredients to a boil and then slowly add:

1 more c. cream

I asked use the two additions of cream and find that if you drizzle the second cup of cream in while the rest of the ingredients are boiling, you get a smoother caramel. Try to not let the caramel stop boiling while you add the second cup of cream.

I let my caramel boil away on a medium heat until it reaches 232° F. and then take it off the heat. (Which would be 240° F. or the soft ball stage if I lived at sea level.) It usually reaches 233-234° F. by the time the temp. stops rising even when it's off the heat. This will take about 20-30 minutes. My caramel boils away at about 210° F. forever and then it finally starts to rise. Don't worry.

After the caramel has been taken off the heat I add:

2 t. real vanilla

Stir the caramel until it stops bubbling and then dip your apples. Each batch of caramel make about 10 medium sized apples, or 6 giant ones. If there is caramel left over I pour it out onto a greased plate and the kids cut away until it's devoured.

[Glassalley52]

Originally Posted by Sohapi

Some how I do not have my bread machine book with me................does anyone have a whole wheat recipe for the bread machine that they would post for me?

I just gave mine to my daughter. Have you googled for recipes. I like allrecipes.com as a source.

[Sohapi]

Originally Posted by Glassalley52

I just gave mine to my daughter. Have you googled for recipes. I like allrecipes.com as a source.

No I am good though I figured it out. Thanks for asking though.