Sunday, April 30, 2006
Lemons add zest appeal to your baked goods
When you bake, you might come across recipes that call for lemon zest. The zest is the peel only, excluding the bitter white part (pith) just beneath the peel.
To get the zest, rub a lemon against a fine grater. You also can get the zest using a vegetable peeler to carefully shave off a thin layer of the rind and then mincing it fine with a knife.
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Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup poppy seeds
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup lemon-flavored yogurt
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Topping:
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a muffin tin. Combine flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl mix eggs, yogurt, oil, and lemon zest. Blend well and pour over the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Spoon batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes.
To make topping, combine lemon juice and sugar; stir until sugar is dissolved. Once the muffins are baked, pierce the top of each muffin several times with a toothpick. Slowly pour about 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and sugar mixture over the top of each muffin. Let muffins cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing from the tin. Makes 12 muffins.
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Lemon Bars
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar for dusting, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For bottom layer of bars, mix 1 cup flour and 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar. Melt butter and stir into flour mixture. Press flat and even into an 8x8 inch baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes.
While baking, prepare the top layer by mixing 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, and baking powder. Beat eggs and add to mixture, stirring well. Add lemon juice and zest, mix again.
Pour over bottom layer; continue baking for 25 minutes. Cool slightly then cut into squares; dust with confectioners sugar. Makes 16 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
When a recipe calls for lemon zest and lemon juice, always remove the zest before cutting and juicing the lemon.
The Practical Pantry ©2006 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, April 17, 2006
Turn hard-cooked eggs into salad
Eggs are an economical source of protein, vitamins, and minerals. Hard-cooked eggs are easy to make, easy to store in the refrigerator, and versatile. These salad recipes work whether you’re using up your last few hard-cooked eggs from Easter or just looking for a new way to serve hard-cooked eggs.
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Ham and Egg Salad Subs
2 cups chopped fully cooked ham
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise, regular or reduced fat
3 tablespoons diced green onions
2 tablespoons diced green pepper
1 tablespoon dill pickle relish
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
6 to 8 sub or sandwich rolls, split
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
In a bowl, combine ham, eggs, mayonnaise, green onion, green pepper, relish, mustard, and vinegar; mix well. Place bottom halves of rolls on a baking sheet; spread about 1/4 cup ham mixture on each. Sprinkle each with 2 to 3 tablespoons cheese. Broil until cheese is melted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Replace the roll tops; broil 1 minute longer. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
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Macaroni Salad
1 16-ounce package uncooked macaroni
8 hard-cooked eggs, grated
1 6-ounce can black olives, drained and chopped
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 10-ounce jar dill pickle relish, partially drained
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard, or to taste
1/2 cup mayonnaise, or as needed, regular or reduced fat
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
Paprika to taste
Cook macaroni according to package directions until al dente; and drain. In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta, grated eggs, olives, onion, and relish with some of the liquid. Mix in mustard and mayonnaise, increasing the amount of mayonnaise as desired. Season with salt and pepper. Top with sliced eggs, and sprinkle with paprika to serve. Makes 8 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
The best way to hard-cook eggs is to place eggs in a large saucepan in a single layer and add enough cold water to cover the eggs by an inch. Cover and place over high heat. When the water comes to a full boil, remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Rinse eggs in cold water. Cool completely before draining and refrigerating.
When hard-cooked eggs have a greenish ring around the yolk it means they were overcooked or not cooled quickly enough. To avoid this harmless discoloration, use a timer when cooking eggs and chill them in ice water after rinsing them.
The Practical Pantry ©2006 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, April 10, 2006
Turn your favorite vegetables into soup
Although the weather is starting to warm up, evenings are still cool enough to serve a hot bowl of soup with salad and fresh bread. The milk base of these soups take your favorite vegetables from side dish to main course.
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Potato Soup
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; sauté onion and garlic until tender. Add the potatoes, chicken stock, thyme, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Transfer about half of the soup to a food processor or blender. Process until smooth, then return to the pot. Stir in milk; continue cooking until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 6 servings.
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Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 14.5-ounce cans chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; sauté onion until tender. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender. In a bowl, combine flour and broth until smooth; stir into the mushroom mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat. Stir in the cream, salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring often. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
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Cream Of Broccoli Soup
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
8 cups broccoli florets
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in medium stockpot over medium heat; sauté onion and celery until tender. Add broccoli and broth, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer about half of the soup to a food processor or blender. Process until smooth, then return to the pot. In small saucepan over medium heat melt 3 tablespoons butter; stir in flour and add milk. Stir until thick and bubbly, then add to soup. Season with pepper. Makes 6 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
Soups that contain cream, milk, or potato do not freeze well. When thawed and reheated, they tend to taste grainy.
The Practical Pantry ©2006 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, April 03, 2006
Give them effortless ground beef for dinner
The fewer the ingredients, the easier the recipe. That’s the theory behind abbreviated meal ideas such as those containing five ingredients or less. But such recipes are only easy if the ingredients are readily available. Since ground beef is a staple in many freezers or on shopping lists, it’s a great starting point for a quick and easy meal.
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Tangy Beef Turnovers
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 16-ounce jar sauerkraut, rinsed, drained, and chopped
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
3 8-ounce tubes refrigerated crescent rolls
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook beef and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add sauerkraut and cheese; mix well. Unroll crescent roll dough and separate into rectangles. Place on greased baking sheets; pinch seams to seal. Place 1/2 cup beef mixture in the center of each rectangle. Bring corners to the center and pinch to seal. Bake until golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes. Makes 12 turnovers.
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Spicy Ground Beef Stew
1 pound ground beef
2 10.5-ounce cans condensed vegetable beef soup, undiluted
1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
In a large saucepan, cook the beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in soup and tomatoes; heat through. Makes 5 servings.
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This recipe freezes well. Place finished mixture in a greased 8-inch square baking dish; cover and freeze. When ready to use, thaw in refrigerator. Before serving, bake at 350 degrees until heated through, about 35 to 40 minutes.
Beef Mushroom Spaghetti
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/4 cup water
1 7-ounce package thin spaghetti, cooked and drained
In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook beef and onion until the meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomato sauce, soup, and water. Add cooked spaghetti; mix well. Cook until heated through. Makes 4 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
When wrapped well, uncooked ground beef can be stored in the freezer up to 3 months. To speed up meal preparation, buy ground beef in bulk and cook. Freeze in portions immediately after cooking. Use frozen cooked ground beef within 3 months.
Frozen vegetables are great time savers. They taste good, and they don’t require cutting and washing. Keep your freezer filled with these to save on preparation.
The Practical Pantry ©2006 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com