Best Basmati Rice Method
Place 1 cup of basmati rice in a large bowl and fill bowl with water.
Swirl water, around one minute. The water will be cloudy. Drain.
Repeat until the water is clear, 4+ times.
Fill the bowl a final time and let sit 30 minutes.
Drain the rice.
Put 1 3/4 c water in pan with a pinch of salt, bring to boil.
Add rice, stir, bring it back to boil.
Turn heat to the lowest it can be and cover.
Cook for 15 minutes, do NOT remove lid.
Fluff with a fork.
We use a clear glass pyrex saucepan for rice. It's perfect, you can see when the rice is done!
Macaroni Salad (to die for)
Macaroni (duh)
Best Foods Mayo
Miracle Whip
Red wine vinegar wiiden spoon full
Red onion
Celery
Bell pepper (all colors are nice)
Parsley chopped to oblivion
Olives, can of sliced
Chipotle 'juice'
Salt and pepper
Cumin
Capers, small jar
Garbonzo beans, small jar or big jar depending
Optional: Jar of roasted red peppers
Start cooking the macaroni, generally 10 minutes boiling
Hint: 2 cups of dry makes 5 cups cooked
Have everything else ready to go, chop vegies while pasta is cooking
Here's the huge secret:
Drain pasta when done, quickly plop into a big bowl, immediately add the vinegar and mayos while pasta is still warm.
For every scoop of Best Foods add one scoop of Miracle Whip.
BUT, if you add the chipotle juice (small can, spoon out the juices but no pieces) and spices to the mayo before stirring,
everything melds easier. Then pop in all the chopped stuff. Oh just yum.
Roasted Vegetables
These take a long long time to cook but worth every minute
Equal amounts, peel, diced, into similar sized bite sized pieces:
Butternut squash
Any hard squash
Sweet potato
Red potato
Carrot
Onion
Mix together:
2 T olive oil
3 T red wine vinegar
3 bay leaves
2 T minced rosemary
2 T minced thyme
1/2 t oregano
1 1/4 t salt
1/2 t pepper
Grind the spices in a spice grinder - so easy!
Preheat oven to 400°
Line a pan with foil
Mix everything together
Roast until vegies are tender, abouit 90 minutes, stirring from time to time
An air fryer/air fryer oven does well, cooking time is much shorter!
KFC Coleslaw
2 pkgs coleslaw (see notes)
1/2 c mayo
1/4 c buttermilk
1/4 c milk
1/3 c sugar
1 1/2 T white vinegar
2 1/2 T lemon juice
1/2 salt
1/8 t pepper
Chop the cabbage into rice sized pieces (or your preference)
If you buy the cabbage with red cabbage, your dressing WILL turn red
Add all the dressing ingredients together.
Hint: Start with the mayo, add small quantities of buttermile and milk
Store in the frig 2 hours minmun, over nite is best.
Cheddar Ranch Rolls
Package Pillsbury biscuits, each cut into 6 pieces
In a bowl with:
1 c grated cheddar
1/4 c minced chives
1 T Ranch dressing, powdered
3 T melted butter
Mix with hands, fill muffin pans
Bake 15 minutes at 350°
Keep a close eye - they burn easily
KFC Coleslaw
2 pkgs coleslaw (see notes)
1/2 c mayo
1/4 c buttermilk
1/4 c milk
1/3 c sugar
1 1/2 T white vinegar
2 1/2 T lemon juice
1/2 salt
1/8 t pepper
Chop the cabbage into rice sized pieces (or your preference)
If you buy the cabbage with red cabbage, your dressing WILL turn red
Add all the dressing ingredients together.
Hint: Start with the mayo, add small quantities of buttermile and milk
Store in the frig 2 hours minmun, over nite is best.
Refried Beans - Sylvia's way
Pinto beans
Onion
Bacon
Tomato
Cilantro
Salt
Cover the beans with water, add an onion, whole or chopped, leave overnight.
In the morning, replace the the water, save the onion, cook the beans until softened but not mushy.
Fry a pound of bacon in a large skillet, munch the bacon and save the fat in skillet.
Drain the beans, saving the water, and fry in the bacon fat when fat is super hot.
Smash the beans while cooking.
Add onion, tomato and cilantro chopped to oblivion, and salt to taste.
Cook and mash forever, add 'bean water' if needed.
"Garlic Sauce or Spread (Skordalia from Greece)
Warning warning Will Robinson, this will keep vampires away for months.
I can't even begin to think of how many uses this could have.
4 garlic cloves
1/2 olive oil
6 T lemon juice
Salt to taste
8-10 slices of bread withour crusts
Water
Combine garlic, oil and lemon juice in a blender.
Soak bread in water until completely absorbed, squeeze out water and add to blender.
Blend until smooth and creamy.
We used sour dough bread, yummy!
This is a realworkout for your blender.
Refrigerate and use within 3 days.
Nottingham Carrots
David HATES carrots. In Nottingham, there was this Italian place, he ate all of his carrots,
and thankfully, they gave us the ingredients.
Baby carrots (4 servings)
1/2 cup butter
2 T brown sugar (honey works, too)
2 fresh bay leaves sliced lengthwise
1 T tarragon
Fennel tops
While you steam the carrots, separately place the remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan and saute until almost burnt.
Adjust flavors so that no one flavor stands out.
Let cool a tad.
Strain the butter mixture, pour over cooked carrots and coat carrots gently.
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Mexican Rice
2 15 oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 med onion, diced
1 med jalpena or small can of mild green chilies
2 c long grain rice
1/3 c oil, preferably canola
4 cloves garlic, smished
1 3/4 c chicken stock
1 1/2 t salt
Saute onion and garlic in oil while rinsing rice
Add rice, stir till brown
Reduce heat, add pepper
Add broth, tomatoes, salt, bring to boil
Cover, cook on med till moisture absorbed, about 30 mins
Stir after 10 mins
Excellent side for Chicken Enchiladas
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Corn with Feta, Basil, Garlic and Cherry Tomatoes
(*****) Lady Annne
4 healthy garlic cloves, peeled and sliced incredibly thin
2 T olive oil
4 ears of corn shucked and kernels cut off
12 Cherry tomatoes quartered
12+ fresh basil leaves shredded, about 1/2 c
Feta cheese shredded, crumbled
In a medium saucepan, saute the garlic in olive oil until fragrant.
Add corn to the oil, sprinkle with salt, cook 3 mins, stirring, until corn starts to pop.
Cook until the kernels are spotty brown.
Remove corn to garlic bowl.
Add remaining items, tomatoes, basil, cheese, toss gently and serve.
Serves six well, eight small servings. You want left overs, trust me.
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Quick Clam Chowder - Lady Annne
Tastes like you cooked all day
3 cans minced clams
1 cup onion diced
1 cup celery diced
1 cup carrots diced
2 cups potato peeled, diced
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
1 qt Half & Half
1/2 t each S & P
2 T Wine Vinegar
Drain clam juice into a skillet, add all diced vegetables, cover with water, cook to med soft.
In soup pot melt butter, whisk in flour and spices.
Cook on low to thick and smooth, add cream slowly, whisk.
Add vegies and clam juice, heat but do not boil. Add clams, vinegar, heat and serve.
A tablespoon of Tapatio Hot Sauce is quite good.
Recipe from Christie Hamilton, goodness knows where she got it from.
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Mushroom Soup - Lady Annne
4 portobello mushrooms or equivalent
2 pkgs button mushrooms or equivalent
1 pkg enoki mushrooms or equivalent
1 celery stalk or center small stalks
1 carrot
1 handful chives
3 shallots
2 leeks
4 - 6 garlic cloves
1 handful parsley
1 sm bottle of white wine, we love Moscat, 187 ml bottle
1 Tablespoon flour, 1/2 cup chicken stock
2 cups chicken stock, homemade is best!!
1 cup or so of heavy whipping cream
Pulverize the mushrooms in a food processor, saute in butter until quite soft.
Pulverize the vegetables in the food processor, saute in butter until quite soft.
Add the vegetables to the mushrooms in one large skillet or dutch oven
Add the wine and bubble for 6 minutes to reduce.
Mix the flour slowly and carefully with stock to make a thick gravy, add to the pan slowly.
Add chicken stock and bubble for 10 plus minutes until thickening is finished.
Just before serving, add cream and gently heat.
Soup should be thick and hearty.
Note: We had wild mushroom soup in the Cotswalds and had to try it ourselves.
Try your more unique mushrooms for a variety of flavors.
Add additional red onion if your shallots are super mild.
Marie Callendar's Potato Soup
8 Cups potatoes -- peeled and cubed
2 Cups chopped onion
4 Cups chopped celery
2 Teaspoons salt
4 Cups water
4 Cups Half-and-half
6 Tablespoons butter or margarine
1 Cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Place potatoes, onions, celery, and salt in the 4 c of water in a large pot.
Simmer about 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Put in blender and puree until chunky.
Return soup to pot and add half-and-half, butter, and cheese.
Simmer until hot. Do NOT Boil.
French Onion Soup
Herbie43 @ DG
6 medium onions
4 tbls butter
5 cups beef broth, homemade is best but you can use canned or bouillions
1 tsp worcesteshire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
6 slices french bread, toasted
1/2 cup parmesian cheese
Use a pot large enough to hold everything
Add butter and onions and cook over med. high heat until onions are the color of straw.
Reduce heat to a simmer. add the rest of ingredients, except the bread and cheese
Cook until onions are soft.
Pour soup into oven proof bowls and top with bread and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake until cheese melts, about 10 minutes at 400 degrees.
I think this soup is better than any i've had in any resturant.
I have been making this for a long, long time
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"Gourmet Potatoes
DirtDoc
8 medium potatoes
¼ C. onion, minced
2 C. grated cheddar cheese (save some for top)
1 C. Sour Cream
Boil potatoes, skin and shred, and put in 2 qt casserole or 9 X 13 inch pan. Cook onions,
cheese and sour cream to a creamy consistency. Pour over the potatoes and sprinkle with
cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Note: For an added treat, add 1 t. of garlic powder or 1 clove of crushed garlic to the sauce.
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Baked Beans, New England Style
JS50147
OK....Here's the old New England family recipe for baked beans with a smile...
One large & one medium can of ANY pork & beans....the cheaper the better.
1 bottle Grandma's dark molasses (or equivalent, but MUST be dark)
1 small bottle Gulden's mustard (no other kind will do)
1 chopped onion (medium)
5 chopped up bacon slices or 3 oz salt pork (preference)
Mix this all together, put in baking pan that it will fill 3/4 full.
Bake at 375 until they look like home-baked --done--beans.....LOL
Honest..people will think you worked on them for DAYS......just keep smilin'
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Broccoli Casserole
Lady Anne
Even kids love this stuff!
1 Cup cooked rice
1/2 cup butter
1/3 chopped onion
1/4 t salt
1 10oz pkg frozen broccoli
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 c - 3/4 c grated cheddar
2-3 garlic cloves, squeezed
1/2 cup milk
1 cup bread crumbs
3 -4 T butter
Start rice cooking
In large skillet, saute onion, broccoli in butter, cook until most liquid is gone (15 mins)
Add rice, soup, milk, cheese, garlic, salt
Mix well and cook until cheese is melted.
Pour into casserole, to with buttered bread crumbs
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes until top is browned
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Grilled potatoes and onion packages on the grill
2/3 cup olive oil
1 T Dijon Must
1 t thyme
1 t salt
1 t black pepper
add 4 large, peeled, sliced potatoes
2 large red onions
divide into 6 alum. packets seal and grill about 25 min
Take some olive oil, add a little garlic, a little oregano, brush on some veggies and
grill 'em till they're either tender or beginning to blacken.
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Gaspacho Soup
6 large tomatoes
1 large green bell pepper
1 large red onion
1 large cucumber
1 48oz. can of tomato juice
Garlic to taste (lots for me!)
3 tablespoons oregano
3 tablespoons basil
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Lemon juice (optional)
Basically, take all the veggies and cut them into bite size chunks, mix all the ingredients in
a GIANT bowl, chill for AT LEAST 3 hours.
Get the grill ready, and spice some steaks however you usually would, but only tenderize
them on one side. Throw 'em on the grill, tenderized side up--They should curl up to form
bowls. Flip 'em over and cook the other side a bit, put 'em on plates, pour gaspacho in 'em!
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Charleston Rice
Sunset164
1 (14-ounce) can Italian-style
Stewed tomatoes, undrained
4 green onions, sliced
1 large Green Bell Pepper, diced
1 cup diced smoked ham
3 tablespoons oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups uncooked Minute Original Rice
2 tablespoons hot picante sauce
Drain sewed tomatoes, reserving liquid. Add enough water to equal 2 cups liquid.
Saute onion, bell pepper, and ham in hot oil in a large skillet 8 minutes or until tender.
Stir in tomatoes, reserved liquid, garlic salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
Stir in rice and picante sauce; cover, remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes.
Fluff with a fork. Yield: 4-6 servings.
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Homemade Applesauce
8 medium apples, peeled, cored, cut into chunks
1 Bartlett pear
1/4 cup water or apple juice
3 to 4 Tbsps. sugar (to taste)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. lemon juice, if desired
In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients.
Bring to a boil; reduce to simmer, cook partially covered 20 to 25 minutes until tender
(To microwave, cook covered on High power for 8 minutes, or until tender,
stirring once or twice during cooking.)
Break up applesauce with a spoon or serve it chunky.
The applesauce will be rosy pink. Makes 8 servings. Freezes well.
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Squash Mash
Suesews3
1 Zucchini sliced
1 yellow squash, sliced
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut up into pieces
1/2 red pepper chopped
1/4 onion diced
1 clove garlic
3 T Oil
1 T butter or margarine
Heat oil in pan, add garlic and onion, and butternut squash.
Stir fry till somewhat tender, not mushy.
Add remaining ingredients and stir fry till tender. Add salt & pepper to taste.
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Swiss Barley Soup
4 1/2 t butter or margarine
2 T finely minced shallot
4 cups chicken-flavored or vegetable stock
1/4 cup barley
1 bay leaf
1 small potato, peeled, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 small carrot, finely diced
1/4 cup finely diced white part of leek
3/4 cup milk, soy milk or non-dairy creamer
1/2 t salt
1/4 t white pepper
1 1/2 T chopped marjoram
1 T chopped chives
In medium saucepan, melt 1 1/2 teaspoons margarine.
Add shallot, and saute until tender. Add stock, barley, bay leaf.
Bring to a simmer; cover and cook 1 hour, or until barley is tender. Remove bay leaf.
Heat remaining margarine; add potato, and saute 3 minutes, until almost tender.
Add celery, carrot, and leek; saute until tender.
Add creamer and sauted vegetables to the soup.
Season with salt, pepper, and marjoram, and simmer a few minutes.
Sprinkle with chives.
Makes 4 servings.
Variation: Omit all dairy ingredients and stir in 1/4 cup sauted salami at the end of
preparation. Heat to serving temperature.
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French Onion Potatoes
Lady Anne
10 - 12 potatoes
Knorr French Onion Soup Mix
In a casserole dish, melt 1/2 cup butter in microwave a few minutes.
Add 1/2 cup olive oil
Add soup mix
Let the mix soak while you wash and chop potatoes to bite size - leave on skins
Add potatoes to soup mixture, stir well.
Bake covered at 350 for 35 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
Stir half way done.
Delicious.
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Broccoli Cheese Soup
K930rod
1 small onion
3 t butter
3 10 oz cans chicken broth
1 10 oz pkg fine angel hair noodles
2 pkg frozen chopped broccoli
1 lb slice American cheese
6 c milk
White pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Saute onion in butter, add broth
Raise to a slow boil, add broccoli, cook 3 mins
Add nodles, cook 3 mins
Add alternating cheese and milk
Cook and stir until cheese melted
Add spices
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Enchilada Soup
Lerphidy
Recently served to my artist's critique group--mmmm, mmmm, yummy!
2 large cans enchilada sauce
1 can corn
1 can black beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can diced tomatoes
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded
(If you desire, add 1 can chicken broth)
Combine all, heat, serve topped with grated cheddar cheese
and tortilla chips to the side.
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Pork & Beans
Kzack55
1 Large Can Pork & Beans
6 large Octoberfest sausage
1 can pineapple
2 cups brown sugar
Combine and heat and eat - It is wonderful!
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McDonald's Big Mac Special Sauce
Via J19
If you like Big Macs, it's probably because of that tasty "secret" spread
that is plopped onto both decks of the world's most popular double-decker hamburger.
So what's so special about this sauce? After all, it's basically just thousand island dressing, right?
Pretty much. But this sauce has a bit more sweet pickle relish in it than a typical thousand island salad dressing.
Also,this clone comes close to the original with the inclusion of French dressing.
It's an important ingredient -- ketchup just won't do it.
That, along with a sweet & sour flavor that comes from vinegar and sugar,
makes this sauce go well on any of your home burger creations, whether they're Big Mac clones or not.
This is the closest "special sauce" clone you'll find...anywhere.
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons French dressing
4 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon finely minced white onion
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well.
2. Place sauce in a covered container and refrigerate for several hours, or overnight, so that the flavors blend. Stir the sauce a couple of times as it chills.
Makes about 3/4 cup.
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Yogurt Dressing
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of salad oil
1/2 cup of plain lowfat yogurt
1/2 teaspoon peprika
dash hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon of lite salt or soysauce
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder or 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
Mix in blender for 5 mins. or until desired consistancy..makes 2/3 cup.
20 calories per tablespoon
Good on baked potatoes!
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Sweet Potatoes Anna
Serving Size 8
5 medium sweet potatoes -- peeled
2 leeks -- white part only
6 tablespoons butter -- melted
1 tablespoon thyme -- fresh chopped or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 375F.
Cut the potatoes into slices about 1/8" think.
Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, then into very thin slices.
Butter a shallow, round 10" baking dish.
Arrange a layer of potato slices in the pan in overlapping circles.
Brush with about one fourth of the melted butter.
Top with about half of the leeks and half of the thyme.
Season with salt and pepper.
Repeat with another layer of potatoes and the remaining leeks and thyme.
Top with a final layer of the best looking potato slices.
Brush the top layer with about one fourth of the melted butter.
Cover the pan with aluminium foil.
Place a heavy skillet or baking dish on top.
Press the potatoes into a compact mass.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the skillet and foil.
Baste the top layer with the remaining butter.
Continue baking for about 30 minutes
Potatoes should be very soft, top and bottom layers have started to carmelize.
If the potatoes begin to char, cover the top with foil.
Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
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Orange Rice Pilaf
Serving Size 12
1 Tablespoon Butter Or Margarine
2 Cups Long-Grain Rice -- uncooked
4 Ounces Uncooked Spaghetti -- broken in 1" pieces
2 Cans Chicken Broth
1 1/2 Cups Orange Juice
1/4 Cup Green Onions -- chopped
2 Teaspoons Orange Peel -- grated
In medium saucepan, over medium-high heat, melt butter; saute rice and spaghetti 3 minutes, or until golden.
Add broth and orange juice; bring to boiling.
Simmer, covered, 20 minutes, or until rice in tender.
Stir in green onions and orange peel.
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Fried Cabbage
Dreem
One head cabbage sliced
5 pieces bacon fried crisp and crumbled
Bacon drippings
Fry bacon til crispy. Crumble bacon into small pieces.
Add cabbage and stir fry until done.
I like to keep mine a little crispy. I like the crunch but you can cook as long as you want.
Just remember to keep stirring so it does not scorch.
This takes a large pan and I usually use my wok. I find it works better than a flat skillet or pan.
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Killer Macaroni and Cheese
Helenski Skoscufka Hamberg
This is a bit of a shoot from the hip recipe, but arranged to your own tastes,
it's a guarenteed "eaten the first night."
Boil up the macraroni while you start the sauce.
Melt a cube of butter in a skillet.
Add an onion, chopped, and sautee until nice and soft.
Add regular yellow hot dog mustard, about two healthy teaspoons.
Add salt and pepper.
Add 1/4 cup of Carnation dry milk
Add 1/4 cup of flour
Stir until well mixed
Add enough milk to make a thick sauce
Add every kind of cheese you have on hand, Monterey, some Swiss, American, cheddars.
When the cheeses are melted and you are ready to add the macaroni,
add half a brick of cream cheese.
Add the cooked macaroni.
Place into a baking pan and bake at 350 for 205 minutes until the top just starts to brown.
Note: The mustard and spices will be to taste, but make sure they are cooked in well.
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Sweet Potato Cashew Bake
Marg (ChezMarJon)
6 medium sweet potatoes (2 pounds)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup broken cashews
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 8 3/4-ounce can peach slices
3 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to 350F.
Prepare and cook whole sweet potatoes in water (cooked in enough boiling salted water to cover till tender, 25-35 minutes).
Drain, peel, and cut crosswise into thick pieces.
Combine brown sugar, cashews, ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Drain peaches well.
In a 10x6x2 inch baking dish, layer half each of the sweet potatoes, peach slices, and brown sugar mixture.
Repeat layers.
Dot with butter.
Bake, covered, in a 350F oven for 30 minutes.
Uncover; bake about 10 minutes longer.
Spoon brown sugar syrup over before serving.
Serves 6 to 8.
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