October 28, 2005

Baked beans

INGREDIENTS:

2 (15 ounce) cans baked beans with pork
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
2 slices bacon

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a 9×9 inch baking dish, combine the pork and beans, brown sugar, onion, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with the bacon slices.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour, or until sauce is thickened and bacon is cooked.

Amazing Ribs

I can’t believe I haven’t posted this yet. It’s a staple at our house in the winter. Goes great with baked beans & mashed taters.

INGREDIENTS:

6 pounds pork baby back ribs
1 pinch black pepper
1 pinch salt
1 pinch crushed red pepper
4 cups barbecue sauce
2 (12 ounce) bottles porter beer, room temperature (any beer will do)

DIRECTIONS:

Cut ribs into small portions of 2 or 3 bones each. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season water a pinch each of salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper to the water. Boil ribs in seasoned water for 20 minutes. Drain, and let the ribs sit for about a half an hour.
Meanwhile, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.

Lightly coat the ribs with barbecue sauce. Cook the ribs over high heat for a 5 to 10 minutes on each side to get a nice grilled look to them.

Place grilled ribs in a slow cooker. Pour remaining barbecue sauce and one bottle of beer over the ribs; this should cover at least half of the ribs. Cover, and cook on High for 3 hours. Check ribs every hour or so, and add more beer if needed to dilute sauce. Stir to get the ribs on top into the sauce. The ribs are done when the meat is falling off the bone. The ribs were cooked completely in the first process, the rest is about flavor and texture.

Note: If you add too much beer, the sauce will get very thin. It is best to drink most of the second bottle of beer.

October 17, 2005

Chicken with Creamy Chive Sauce

Another one from my friend Lisa, who got it from her sister Lana.
I haven’t tried it yet, but I can’t wait to, I think I’ll have to bank some room for some extra calories for this one.
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4-6 chicken breast halves
1/4 cup butter
1 package dry Italian dressing mix
1 can Campbells golden mushroom soup
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 container chive and onion cream cheese.

1. Place chicken in slow cooker
2. In medium sauce pan melt butter. Stir in dry Italian mix. Stir in soup, wine, cream cheese, and mix until combined. Pour over chicken.
3. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. I usually turn the chicken about 1/2 way through.

October 12, 2005

Homemade Oreo Cookies

This one’s from Amanda Brown. I’m copying her email to me EXACTLY. Yes, she uses “poo” to describe the consistency…

Dough:
2 chocolate cake mixes (any kind works…devil’s food, chocolate fudge, etc.)
4 eggs
2/3 cup oil
(Healthy, I know!)

Frosting:
4 oz. cream cheese (half of a block)
2 cups icing sugar
1/2 tsp. milk
1 tbsp vanilla

Instructions:
Blend dough ingredients until mixed (the dough will be quite wet and thick…like poo). Roll a bit of dough into a ball, about the size of a small walnut. Bake at least one inch apart; the cookies flatten as they bake. Bake at 325 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool. While cookies are baking, make the frosting. (An electic mixer is best for making the frosting.) Take two cookies and slather a bunch of frosting on one, then smoosh the other on top. Oh, the gooey goodness.

*Whenever people eat these cookies, they break into yelps of elation. They are so delicious and chewy and decadent!

Dinner Rolls (aka BUNS)

INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup honey
2 tsp yeast
1 cup hot water
1/3 cup skim milk powder
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 tsp salt
4 to 4 ½ cups flour
Cooking spray
½ cup melted unsalted butter, for brushing

DIRECTIONS:

In large bowl, dissolve honey & yeast in the water; let stand 5 minutes (until foamy)

Stir in dry milk, eggs, butter & salt

Stir in 4 cups flour, turn onto floured surface & knead for a few minutes, adding additional ½ cup as needed.

Shape into ball. Lightly coat large bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm place until doubled; 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Brush muffin tins with melted butter. Punch down dough. Roll pieces of dough into 1 inch balls; place 3 balls in each muffin cup. Brush tops with butter. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm place – 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375. Bake until golden; 12-15 minutes.

October 8, 2005

Lisa's tex mex pasta

From my friend Lisa Robinson.
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3 Italian sausages (mild or hot)
700 mL jar pasta sauce (I use Classico Italian sausage, peppers and onions)
1/2 cup salsa
1 1/2 cups uncooked fusilli pasta
approx 3/4 cups grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil water for pasta and cook about 10 min. Meanwhile remove sausage from casing, break up and brown. Add pasta sauce and salsa to sausage, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook 10 min. ( I usually time it so the pasta sauce is simmering while the pasta is cooking). After 10 minutes, drain the pasta, add it to the pasta sauce, and pour into a greased 11 x 7 dish. Top with cheese, cover with tin foil sprayed with Pam, and cook for 1/2 hour. Serve with garlic bread. Quick and delicious!

October 7, 2005

Banana Bread

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup margarine
1 ¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla
1-½ cups flour
¾ cup chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

Blend margarine and sugar. Add eggs and blend. Add baking soda, bananas & vanilla and stir together. Add flour & chocolate chips and mix just until blended.

You can either make a loaf, or muffins. Just grease the loaf pan or the muffin tin.

Bake at 350 for 40- 50 minutes (depends on your oven)

Can you tell that we Dykstras like chocolate? 🙂 Angella

September 30, 2005

Curried chicken and noodle stir-fry

This one is an absolute staple in the Bond house.

from Chatelaine, May 2003

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 large onion
3 celery stalks
1 large red pepper
1 T vegetable oil
1 1/2 – 2 tsp curry paste
400 ml can light coconut milk
10 oz can (284 mL) undiluted chicken broth
4 cups (1 L) fine dried egg noodles
2 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh coriander

1. Slice chicken into 1/2 inch thick strips. Slice onion in half, then thinly slice halves. Chop celery into 1/2 inch pieces. Core and seed pepper, then slice into thin strips.

2. Heat oil in a large wide saucepan or wok set over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 tsp curry paste or 2 tsp for fiery kick. Stir until fragrant, 30 sec. Add chicken and onion. Stir=fry until chicken is pale golden, 2-3 min. Add celery and pepper. Stir often until tender-crisp, 2-3 min. Stir in coconut milk and broth. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up bits from pan bottom to add flavour to dish.

3. Bring to a boil, then stir in noodles. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and stir often until noodles are tender, from 5-6 minutes. Stir in peas and coriander. Remove from heat. Taste, then add salt, if needed. Serve immediately.

SO GOOD!!!!

September 29, 2005

Mediterranean Salsa Soup

INGREDIENTS:

3 garlic cloves
1 onion
Olive oil
28 oz can diced tomatoes, including juice
10 oz can undiluted chicken or vegetable broth
½ cup salsa
1 can tuna
OR
Boiled chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces (both are optional)
4 cups baby spinach
1 cup frozen corn
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp oregano
feta cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Mince garlic and coarsely chop onion. Lightly coat a large saucepan with oil and set over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion and stir often until onion begins to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and juice, broth & salsa. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Crumble in tuna or chicken. Add spinach, corn, pepper & oregano. Stir until hot and spinach is wilted.

Goes great with scones!

Scones

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ cup margarine
½ cup sour cream
½ cup milk
½ tsp baking soda

DIRECTIONS:

Mix flour, sugar, baking soda and salt
Add margarine
Combine sour cream, milk and baking soda
Add to flour all at once
Mix until dough
Knead 4-5 times and cut into scones

Bake at 450 degrees F for 9-12 minutes on a lightly greased on no-stick baking sheet.

This is a recipe I got from Karen 🙂
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