Monday, March 31, 2008
Think spring, think asparagus
With the variety of produce available all year long, seasonal vegetables don’t always cause excitement. But asparagus is starting to show up, and offers the kind of delight that the beginning of spring brings.
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Asparagus Tomato Salad
1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium green pepper, julienned
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, optional
Cook asparagus in a small amount of water until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water. Place in a large bowl; add tomatoes, mushrooms, and green pepper. In a small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, garlic, tarragon, salt, pepper, and hot sauce; mix well. Pour over vegetable mixture; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Makes 14 servings.
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Saucy Baked Asparagus
1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the asparagus on a baking sheet. Coat with nonstick cooking spray; season with salt and pepper. Bake asparagus until tender, about 12 minutes.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat, and stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Pour over the baked asparagus to serve. Makes 4 servings.
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Pasta with Asparagus
1-1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces angel hair pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
Cook pasta according to package instructions. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Sauté asparagus in the pan over medium heat until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add chicken broth and sliced mushroom; cook 3 additional minutes. Drain pasta; transfer to a serving dish. Gently toss pasta with asparagus mixture; sprinkle with Parmesan and crushed red pepper. Makes 4 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
The ends of asparagus should be removed before cooking. One method to do this is to bend a stalk until it snaps. The end part that breaks off will be the tough part you don’t want to cook. Use this as a guide for cutting the rest.
To check asparagus for doneness, carefully poke a stalk with a knife. Done asparagus will offer a little resistance.
The Practical Pantry ©2008 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Main Dishes • Side Dishes • Soups and Salads • (0) Contributions • Permalink
Monday, March 24, 2008
Start with a cake mix
Few things can bring on a smile faster than cake, and few things make baking one easier than a mix. Take a box of mix, throw in an egg and oil, and soon you will enjoy one sweet bite after another. Add a little some extra, you’ll be able to create a special cake that no one will guess began with a mix.
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Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake
1 18.25-ounce package chocolate cake mix
1 3.9-ounce package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt pan. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, oil, eggs, water, sour cream, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour; cool. Makes 12 servings.
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Pineapple Cake
1 18.25-ounce package yellow cake mix
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, juice reserved
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans. Prepare cake mix according to package directions, replacing the water with reserved pineapple juice. In a bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir in the pineapple and nuts. Divide the pineapple mixture evenly between the prepared pans; cover each pineapple layer with the cake mix batter.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool cakes for 5 minutes, then turn one layer out onto a plate scraping off any pineapple that may be stuck. Next, invert second cake layer onto the first so there is pineapple in the middle and on top of the cake. May be served warm with whipped cream, if desired. Makes 10 servings.
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Banana Cake
1 18.25-ounce package yellow cake mix
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon baking soda
Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan. Do not preheat oven. Prepare yellow cake mix according to package directions. Mash the bananas with the baking soda and stir into the cake mix batter; pour into prepared pan. Place in oven and turn oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 1 hour. Let cake cool thoroughly and then refrigerate. Makes 24 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
A cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
The Practical Pantry ©2008 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, March 17, 2008
Celebrate Easter with a brunch
If Easter dinner seems to daunting or too difficult to schedule with family, consider an Easter brunch. Since brunch isn’t served too early or too late, it’s just right for many people.
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Broccoli Quiche
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 medium onion, minced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 9-inch unbaked pie crust
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
4 eggs, well beaten
1-1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Over medium-low heat, melt butter in a large saucepan. Add onions, garlic, and broccoli. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft. Spoon vegetables into crust and sprinkle with cheese. Combine eggs and milk; season with salt and pepper. Stir in melted butter. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese. Bake until center has set, about 30 minutes. Makes 6 servings.
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Garlic Home Fries
1/4 cup butter or margarine
4 russet potatoes (about 2 pounds), quartered and sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes and spread out in an even layer. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Season with garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper; stir to coat potatoes evenly. Cover; cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove cover; increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until potatoes are tender. Makes 8 servings.
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Reduced-Fat Coconut Cream Cake
1 18.25-ounce package white cake mix
3 egg whites
1-1/4 cups water
2/3 cup flaked coconut, divided
1 14-ounce can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1-1/2 cups reduced-fat whipped topping
In a mixing bowl, beat the dry cake mix, egg whites, water and 1/3 cup coconut on low speed for 2 minutes. Transfer to a 13x 2-inch baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine milk and extract. Using a large meat fork, punch holes in cake. Gently spread half of the milk mixture over cake. Let stand for 3 minutes. Spread remaining milk mixture over cake. Cool for 30 minutes. Spread whipped topping over cake; sprinkle with coconut. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 15 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
For easy decorations for your brunch table, look for spring flowers like tulips and daffodils.
The Practical Pantry ©2008 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Breakfast • Desserts and Treats • (0) Contributions • Permalink
Monday, March 10, 2008
Stew up St. Patrick's Day
Because stew is filling, it was the perfect peasant food in historic Ireland. Fortunately, Irish people brought their traditional stew recipes with them to the United States. Over the decades these recipes have evolved and now include ingredients readily available in our local stores.
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Beef and Irish Stout Stew
2 pounds lean beef stew meat
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 large onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1-1/2 cups Irish stout beer, such as Guinness
2 cups chopped carrot
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional
Toss the beef cubes with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Dredge the beef in this to coat. Heat the remaining oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef; brown on all sides. Add the onions and garlic. Stir the tomato paste into a small amount of water to dilute; pour into the pan and stir to blend. Reduce the heat to medium; cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Pour 1/2 cup of the beer into the pan. As it begins to boil, scrape any bits of food from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. This adds a lot of flavor to the broth. Pour in the rest of the beer; add the carrots and thyme. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired. Makes 6 servings.
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Irish-Style Lamb Stew
1 pound cubed lamb meat
1 large onion, halved and sliced
1 pound baking potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 large stalk celery, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried parsley
Ground black pepper to taste
2 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Layer the lamb meat, onion, potatoes, carrot, and celery in an ovenproof pot or casserole dish; season each layer with parsley and pepper. Pour in the beef stock and cover tightly. Bake until vegetables and meat are very tender, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Divide into bowls and garnish with additional parsley if desired. Makes 4 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
When making stews, don’t overcook the vegetables. Stews taste better if the potatoes and carrots aren’t mushy.
The Practical Pantry ©2008 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, March 03, 2008
Add fiber with kidney beans
Kidney beans blend well with a variety of flavors, making them a good choice for salads, flavorful dishes, and stews. In addition to taste and texture, kidney beans bring soluble fiber and protein to the table.
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Kidney Bean Salad
1 16-ounce can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 celery ribs, sliced
2 hard cooked eggs, chopped
2 dill pickles, diced
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Mayonnaise or Italian dressing
Combine beans with celery, egg, pickle, onion and seasonings. Add mayonnaise or Italian dressing to taste. Makes 6 servings.
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Three-Bean Salad
1 16-ounce can green beans, drained
1 16-ounce can wax beans, drained
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained
4 scallions, chipped
1 cup Italian dressing, regular or reduced fat
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
In a large bowl, combine beans. In a small bowl, whisk together Italian dressing, sugar, and garlic. Toss beans with dressing mixture; stir in scallions. Allow to chill in refrigerator at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
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Easy Red Beans and Rice
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
2 cups water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
16 ounces smoked sausage, thinly sliced
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
Bring the rice and water to boil in a pot. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and green pepper; cook until tender. Stir in sausage, and cook until evenly browned. Mix in beans and tomatoes, and continue cooking until heated through. Serve skillet mixture over the rice. Makes 6 servings.
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Taco Salad
1 pound lean ground beef
1 1-ounce package taco seasoning mix
1/2 14.5-ounce package nacho-flavor tortilla chips
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained
1/2 cup ranch-style salad dressing
Chopped tomato, lettuce, and green onion
Place ground beef in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring to crumble until well done; drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix. Set aside to cool.
Place chips into a large bowl, and crush into bite-size pieces. Combine with seasoned meat, cheese, beans, tomatoes, lettuce, and green onions. Pour dressing over all, and toss to coat. Makes 6 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
One cup of dried beans will yield approximately 3 cups of cooked beans.
The Practical Pantry ©2008 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com