Pepper Steak, You have to wonder if she ever found a new recipe...

Pepper Steak (From Gertie) notes: too hot, try to find new recipe

• Round steak 1 lb
• Onion ¼ cup
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt – ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• tomato 1 lb can
• 1 beef bouillon in 1 cup hot water
• 1 large green pepper
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ¼ cup cold water

Brown meat in fat – add onion, garlic, salt & pepper, dissolve Beef bouillon in hot water and add to meat, cover and simmer meat for about 20 minutes. Add tomatoes and green pepper and cook 10 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients and stir into meat mixture, remove garlic. Serve with rice or noodles.

Black Bean Burgers

Something different to try

Ingredients-

• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained, divided
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup salsa - I use medium--it depends on your brand on how much to use, if it is a watery brand use less or add more bread crumbs.
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 4 hamburger rolls

Optional Toppings:

• 1 tomato, sliced
• Sliced Avocado

Directions

Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-low heat.

In a food processor, pulse 1 can black beans, salsa, egg, and pulse to combine.

Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl, add the remaining can of black beans and the bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and mix until well combined.

Divide mixture into 4 portions and form into patties. Place on hot oiled grill over medium-low heat and cook about 6 minutes a side or until heated through. Toast hamburger buns on a grill. Place a burger on the bottom of each bun. Cover the burgers with the top of the bun and serve.

Friday Family Favorites- Tomato Gratin

Still have tomatoes coming out of the garden?

Tomato Gratin from Food Network Magazine

(it was easy and really only takes 8 minutes!)

Toss 2 pints grape tomatoes, 4 smashed garlic cloves, 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 teaspoons fresh thyme in an ovenproof skillet; cook over medium-high heat until the tomatoes are soft, 8 minutes. Mix 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 cup each breadcrumbs and parmesan; sprinkle over the tomatoes and broil until golden, 3 minutes.

Beet Casserole (Yes, More Vegetable Recipes)

No Name Casserole [Beet Casserole] B. Lowe on Paper from Sawridge Hotel Jasper, Alberta

• 6 cups cooked sliced beets, drain beets
• 1 ½ cups liquid reserved from cooking beets
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup vinegar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 – 4- whole ketchup? [that’s what the recipe says]
• 3 tablespoon catsup
• 3 tablespoons oil (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Dash Salt

Mix well and cook for 3 minutes medium heat. Let cool & refrigerate. Place beets in liquid & add the other ingredients.

Scalloped Corn

Fresh or Canned....there's lots of corn out there

Scalloped Corn B. Lowe

• 1 can corn
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• Dash pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter or substitute
• 2 cups soft bread crumbs

Mix corn, milk, and seasonings. Mix the crumbs and fat, and place ¼ of mixture in bottom of buttered baking dish. Add ½ corn mixture, then ¼ crumbs, the remainder of corn and finally remainder of buttered crumbs. Bake 20-30 minutes. Serve hot.

Pineapple Cake because It's cool enough to bake at night!

No name [Pineapple Cake] B. Lowe note on back of recipe – 3307 Normandy

• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup oleo [butter] – 2 sticks
• 2 2/3 cup flour
• 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 2 teaspoon lemon extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 18 oz crushed pineapple

325° 10 inch Bundt pan. Beat sugar and oleo at low speed. Increase speed until fluffy and then reduce speed again. Add flour and remaining ingredients. Spoon batter into pan. Bake 50-55 minutes. Cool 10 minutes on wire rack. Remove from pan. Make 4 hours before serving.

Lasagna: Grandma's Version

Lasagna (serves 16)

• 2lb (2 ½ cans) Italian-style peeled tomatoes
• 4 – 8oz cans tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 teaspoons oregano
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons onion salt
• 2 cups minced onions (cut down)
• 2 minced cloves garlic (small)
• 1/3 cup salad oil
• 2 lb ground beef
• 2 teaspoon monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 lb lasagna
• 1 ½ lb ricotta cheese
• 1 lb mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan

In large sauce pan or kettle. Combine tomatoes and next 5 ingredients. Simmer uncovered. In skillet, saute onion, add garlic in oil until lightly brwn. Add meat, next 2 ingredients and cook. Add to tomato sauce. Simmer 2 ½ hours or until thickened. Meanwhile cook lasagne as package directs stirring occasionally. Drain sepearating noodles. In bottom of 2 12 x 8 pans, place several spoonfuls of sauce, top with criscross layers of lasagna then half of ricotta (divide between 2 dishes). Top with 1/3 of mozzarella and ½ of parmesan (divide between 2 dishes). Repeat again, ending with sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella. Bake until bubbly. Remove from oven, let stand 15 minutes. Temp. 350° 50 minutes.

SO the recipe actually calls for MSG....you can leave it out. The replacement officially is actually to use fresh herbs instead of dried as MSG enhances those dry flavors... good luck...if you use MSG - warn your guests because a lot of people can't eat it!

Friday Family Favorites: Lasagna My Way

My Version of Lasagna:

9-12 Lasagna noodles

1 jar sauce

1 package chopped thawed spinach (squeeze to remove excess water)

8 oz ricotta cheese

2 cups mozzerella

Grated Parmesan Cheese

2 eggs

Cook Lasagna noodles according to package. In a bowl, mix eggs, thawed & squeezed spinach, ricotta, and mozzerella. Get a 9 x 13, put a little sauce in the bottom so the noodles won't stick and then once noodles are ready, put a layer of noodles across the bottom. Then a layer of the bowl mixture, layer of sauce, and repeat until noodles are gone. Top layer - cover with sauce and parmesan.

Cook for 45 min at 350 or until sauce bubbles. Freezes well.

Chicken Wings

Most of the Technical issues have been resolved... and some haven't...I'm working on the recipes that are illegible in certain browsers or the changing color recipes.....soon they shall be fixed.

Since its been a few days...how about a recipe?

Chicken Wings Bernadette Lowe

1 cup Frank's Hot Sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Salt & Pepper
Worcestershire Sauce
Tabasco Sauce (notes: be careful)

Mix above ingredients to create BBQ sauce. Fry Chicken Wings in hot oil - drain. Pour the sauce over top and shake to cover. Eat with Blue Cheese Salad Dressing, over top Sauerkraut and celery stalks.

So that's the recipe as is.... No quantity is given on the W. Sauce & Tabasco. My estimate is 1/2 tsp W. Sauce and 1 tsp Tabasco...remember you can always add more but can't take away!! By the way, who knew that frank's has been around this long?

new cooks: 3-4 minutes each side for the wings & you should be set. Use a thermometer if you need to - this are really easy except the splashing oil! use a deeper pan and that will help contain the oil.

Lastly - Don't touch your eyes until after you've washed your hands...ouch!

Another Puff Pastry Appetizer

Can you tell what I've been playing with?? This is right off the pepperidge farms website...its very quick -waiting for the puff pastry to defrost was what took the longest.

• 1 (17.3 ounce) package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry
  1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
  1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
  1/2 cup diced roasted sweet red pepper ( I used the type from the jar)
  1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions
Thaw the pastry sheets at room temperature for 40 minutes or until they're easy to handle. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with vegetable cooking spray.

Stir the cream cheese, mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese until the ingredients are mixed. Stir in the artichokes, red pepper and parsley. Season to taste.

Unfold 1 pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the sheet into a 12-inch square. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the edges of the pastry with water. Fold over the edges 1/2 inch on all sides, pressing firmly with a fork to form a rim. Prick the pastry thoroughly with a fork. Repeat with the remaining pastry. REMEMBER TO PRICK PASTRY!!!!

And by the way - I'd spray the baking sheet with Pam too...it was a little sticky.

Divide the cheese mixture between the pastry crusts and spread to within 1/2 inch of the edge. Sprinkle each with the remaining cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Let cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Serve warm.

Cheesy Twists

Crispy Cheese Twists B. Lowe

• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 (17.5 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 egg white

Combine parmesan cheese, pepper and garlic powder. Unfold pastry sheets onto cutting board (I suggest lightly flouring the surface or risk stickiness). Brush lightly with egg white; sprinkle each sheet with 1/4 of the cheese mixture. Lightly press into the pastry, turn over; repeat. Cut each sheet into 12 (1 inch) strips; twist.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake in 350 degrees F (175 degrees C ....for all you canadiens out there) oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Glazed Fresh Apple Cake! Another use for Apples...

This recipe is sooo tasty. i made it in a 9x13 and it turned out fine. It def. needs to be cool before frosting or it will change textures.

Glazed Fresh Apple Cake B. Lowe

• 2 cups sugar
• 1½ cups corn oil
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 2 teas cinnamon
• 1 teas baking soda
• ½ teas nutmeg
• ½ teas mace
• ½ teas salt
• 2 teas vanilla
• 3 cup diced apples
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 cup walnuts

Carmel Glaze

• 3 tablespoons oleo [butter]
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

Beat sugar & oil, add eggs one at a time, sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, mace and salt. Add to egg mixture, add vanilla, and beat thoroughly. Sprinkle apples with lemon juice and fold into batter with walnuts. Batter will be thick. Grease and flour bundt pan. Bake 325° - 75 minutes. Place on wire rack for 15 minutes, invert on plate and cool on rack. When completely cool, glaze with caramel glaze. Carmel glaze, melt oleo, add rest of ingredients. Boil 2 minutes. Cool slightly & spoon over cake. Wrap leftover cake in plastic wrap. Will keep unrefrigerated up to 2 weeks.

Mexican Style Crockpot Pork

I found this recipe on about.com and I changed it a little bit...

Ingredients:

• 1 boneless pork loin roast or pork shoulder, about 2 1/2 pounds
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups barbecue sauce
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried jalapeno spices
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Tortillas & Salsa for later

Preparation:

Place Bay Leaf on bottom of Crock Pot, Place pork in 3 1/2- 6 quart slow cooker; arrange onion on top. Mix barbecue sauce, salsa, herbs, and spices; pour over pork.

Cover and cook on low heat 8 to 10 hours or until pork is very tender.

Remove pork; place on large plate. Use 2 forks to pull pork into shreds. Pour sauce into bowl; stir in pork. Spoon filling onto tortillas; add salsa and roll up.

You can mix the ingredients up the night before, then put the bay leaf in the crockpot. Before you leave for work put the pork in and pour the mixture overtop. Turn the crockpot on low and you can leave it for 9 hrs. Leftovers will last 4 days in the fridge and you can freeze too.

Apple Pudding -- Have I mentioned yet that the cider mills are open?? Apple Pudding

Apple Pudding

Make a good biscuit dough. Put a layer of apples in the pan and cover with dough; have the dough thin enough to spread over apples. Before spreading dough sprinkle apples with sugar, cinnamon, and a little water.

So....There's no recipe for a good biscuit dough in all of my grandma's recipes...I assume bisquick biscuits would pass for a good dough but here's the base of biscuits I made at easter that were quite tasty and delicious:

2 cups all purpose flour

41/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
approximately 1 cup milk

Friday Family Favorite - Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables from Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
2 red peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cremini mushrooms, halved
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix or herbs de Provence
1 pound penne pasta
3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade) (I use Ragu Garden Vegetable chunky)
1 cup grated fontina cheese
1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed (don't skip them -- I promise you need them)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1 lb precooked cut up chicken breast (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander.

In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses, peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined.
Pour the pasta into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden and cheese melts, about 25 minutes.

Tastes even better the next day!!!

Apple Crisp (Version 1) Another Labor Day Weekend Dessert.

Because summer is over, fall is here, and cider mills are open!

Apple Crisp (from Mrs. Gill)

Pare and Core about 6-8 apples and slice rather heavily; place in buttered baking dish; cover with following topping:

1 cup flour

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

about 1/3 cup melted butter or margarine

Melt shortening and set aside to cool. Mix flour, baking powder, and sugar and mix with slightly beaten egg until crumbly. Sprinkle this mixture over apples, then sprinkle melted shortening over all. Bake in moderately hot oven (350°) about 25 -30 minutes.

Basil & Mozz Panini

Onto the lunch menu... you can see where my priorities lie....

The Perfect Panini


1 yellow or red pepper
2 garlic cloves
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 lemon


2 oz Fresh mozzerella
Basil leaves
Bakery Bread


First - its a lot of work but it is soo worth it and you can make the topping part a day or two ahead.


Turn the oven onto broil. On a foil lined cookie sheet, slice the pepper in half, remove the seeds.
put the garlic on the sheet as well. Put in the oven until the peppers start browning, take out and put the peppers a paper bag quickly and roll tightly shut.


While the peppers are in the oven, in a small bowl, zest 1 tsp lemon rind and squeeze the remaining juice into the bowl. Once the you've secured the peppers, squeeze the garlic out of its 'wrapper' onto a cutting bowl, cut finely until what you are left with is mush. mix this in the bowl with the lemon juice.


Take the peppers out of the bag, peel off the skin and finely slice. Mix this in with the garlic mix. Now if you are making this ahead of time stop here and refrigerate.


If not - here you go:
Turn on the panini press. Grab your bread, if you have olive oil spray -spray it on, if not you'll have to brush it on. Next cut up the fresh mozzerella and put some on each side. Then put the basil leaves and lastly the topping. Seal it up and put it on the press. Once the bread is brown, take it out and eat. YUM.