Life on the Fly

Stopping in at a dead run to say hi.  It's been crazy busy around here.  I had major furnace work done last week, and it wasn't cheap.  The plumbers were also out last week and fixed myriad plumbing problems.  That's my old-fashioned toilet on the left.  They had to rebuild it.  And below that is the other part of my bathroom.  Now the faucets no longer leak, nor the sinks, either.  Gone with the buckets under the sinks!

This week I've been crawling over electricians every time I turn around.  I guess it was worth it.  One of them said, "It's a miracle your house didn't burn down."  Now I can get rid of all the extension cords that my microwave, fridge, washing machine, lamps, etc. were plugged into because half the outlets in the house had quit working. 

I'm still washing dishes in the bathroom sink, which is a major pain, but it'll be a few more weeks before I can afford to have the septic people out to fix one of the septic systems so that my kitchen sink will be useable once again. 

No, that wasn't a typo.  Septic systems, as in two.  The people who built my house eons ago must have had plans to convert it into a two-family dwelling at one time.  Upstairs I have one septic system.  Downstairs, I have another.  It's a daylight basement that I converted to an apartment years ago, but quit renting it out when the septic system for the apartment began acting up.  Little did I know that the upstairs kitchen sink drained into the downstairs septic.  And when that failed, all that dirty dishwater began flooding the apartment downstairs.  I didn't know this, as I seldom go downstairs.  When I discovered the flooding, I was sick.  Brand new carpeting ruined.  Everything musty.  It's heartbreaking.

So Thursday I have a neighbor kid coming over to help me tear out the carpet and begin the process of drying out.  In the meantime, I'm up to my ears in work, and really can't spare the time for such nonsense. 

So to all 2 of my loyal followers, I may not be dropping in as much as I'd like to.  At least for the next month or so, while I deal with a gazillion old house issues.  Ahhhh, the joys of sinking my life's savings into a 100-year-old house!

Overnight Soft Herb Rolls

This is one of the best dinner rolls I've ever tasted.  They are a heavy roll, hearty, tasty, and unique.  The recipe is from the November 2008 issue of Sunset Magazine.  The rolls are the brainchild of Chef Bradley Ogden, who created them at the Lark Creek Inn, Larkspur, California, in 1995. You can use fresh herbs or dried, but if using dried, use slightly less, since the flavor will be stronger.  The rolls are much better with fresh herbs, though.

The recipe calls for 15 minutes of kneading, and I followed the recipe religiously the first time I made them, kneading for 15 interminable minutes.  But the second time (tonight), I decided to see what would happen if I only kneaded for 5 minutes.  Also, this time, I refrigerated them.  I'll bake them tomorrow morning, and will let you know the results, but I expect the kneading (or lack thereof) won't make a noticeable difference.  Either way, I'll update  this post with the results after I bake them tomorrow.  (UPDATE:  Surprisingly, the rolls raised a little in the fridge overnight.  After taking them out of the fridge, I let them rise on the kitchen counter for an hour. Then I brushed them with egg and sprinkled them with coarse sea salt and popped them in the oven. They came out just fine.  The shortened kneading time doesn't seem to have made a difference.  I think you could also use a bread machine for the kneading.)

Overnight Soft Herb Rolls

1 pkg active dry yeast (about 1 Tbsp)
3 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp each flat-leaf parsley, fresh dill, chives, & rosemary
2 Tbsp melted butter
1 large egg
1 c milk or half-and-half
3 1/2 to 3 3/4 c all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp lightly beaten egg
About 1 Tbsp coarse salt

1.  In large bowl, sprinkle yeast over 1/4 c. cool (70 degrees) water.  Let stand until dissolved, 5 minutes.  Stir in sugar, table salt, herbs, butter, 1 whole egg, and milk.  Add 3 1/4 c. flour and stir to moisten.

2.  Knead dough on a lightly floured board until elastic and not sticky, 15 minutes.  Add flour as needed to prevent sticking.  Shape into 12 equal balls.  Place in a well-buttered 9x13" pan.

3.  Let dough rise in warm place until doubled, 45-60 minutes.  Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350.  Brush rolls with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse salt.  Bake until deep golden, 25-30 minutes.

Make ahead:  Prepare through step 2.  Immediately wrap airtight (do not let rise) and chill up to 1 day.  Proceed with step 3.

Recipe: Sunday Spinach

I just finished a plate of creamed spinach that was divine. It's the first time I tried this recipe, and it's a keeper! Without further ado, here is the recipe.

SUNDAY SPINACH

Two 10-oz pkgs frozen chopped spinach

6 T finely minced onion

1/4 c. melted butter

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp black pepper

2 T cream cheese

6 T grated Parmesan cheese

6 T heavy cream

Tabasco sauce (optional)

Italian bread crumbs

Cook spinach according to package in unsalted water. Drain well. Saute onions in butter. Add drained spinach, salt, and pepper to taste. Pour in cream. Add cheeses and Tabasco sauce. Mix well. Before serving, place in baking dish and top with buttered Italian bread crumbs and bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Freezes well.

Note: when I make this again, I think I'll reduce the onions to 5 T. instead of 6, and increase the cream to 8 T. instead of 6. I like onions, but I thought they almost overpowered the spinach. Regardless, it turned out really superior.

Recipe: Sherrie's Creamed Chicken & Noodles

If you wonder why there are so many recipes with my name on them, it's because they are my own inventions. It's a bit egotistical, but hey, I want credit for my daring inventions! We won't talk about the epic failures, of course. And speaking of epic failures, check out the picture on the left. What happened to the broad's nose??? And I guess she's such a good cook she doesn't need to see what she's doing, because her eyes are obviously closed!

This is another recipe you can make, using chicken baked with my special chicken seasoning (see earlier posts). This is a very hearty and filling meal, with a trace of spicy hot from the Mrs. Dash seasoning. But only a trace. No burned mouth linings!

SHERRIE'S CREAMED CHICKEN & NOODLES

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts baked with Sherrie's Sensational Chicken Seasoning. Remove hot chicken from pan and set aside to cool a little.

While chicken is cooling, mix 1 pkg Country Gravy mix with 1 c. water and 1 1/2 c. milk. Add to pan drippings. Bring just to boil, stirring often.

Cube or shred chicken and return to pan/gravy. Mix well.

Serve over egg noodles or white rice. This will really stick to your ribs.

Recipe: Sherrie's Chicken Salad

After you have baked chicken using my chicken seasoning (see previous post) let it cool, then cube and place in bowl, along with all the pan drippings (mostly the seasoning that came off the chicken).

Mix with Best Foods Real Mayonnaise. Serve on toast for a sandwich, or on a bed of lettuce as a salad.

Optional additions to the salad: chopped celery, mild chopped onion (easy on the onion), Thompson's seedless grapes.

If using as a salad, the Thompson's seedless grapes (the green ones) are awesome. They provide a wonderful complement to the chicken.

Recipe: Sherrie's Sensational Chicken Seasoning

After much testing, I came up with my own kind of chicken seasoning, which I make in large batches and store in my spice cupboard in shaker bottles. I also give it away for Christmas because it seems to be so popular.

I'm sorry I can't give exact measurements. Seasonings are highly personal, so I suggest you do what feels right for you.

SHERRIE'S SENSATIONAL CHICKEN SEASONING

4 bottles Mrs. Dash salt-free seasoning, original blend

Kroger Spice Classics poultry seasoning. If you can't find, then substitute with sage, onion powder, & coarse ground black pepper, or use Kroger Grill Time chicken seasoning (go easy--salt is 2nd ingred)

Oregano

Granulated garlic

Empty all 4 bottles Mrs. Dash seasoning into bowl. Save the bottles. Then, add generous amounts of the other ingredients as per taste (go easy on garlic). Mix well and, using a funnel, refill the empty Mrs. Dash bottles. Replace shaker tops, screw lids down tight, and return to pantry. To avoid confusion, I use masking tape to cover the original Mrs. Dash labels and write "chicken seasoning" on the tape. I save my shaker-top spice bottles to re-use for my chicken blend, so I always have extra bottles around.

When using on chicken, I rinse boneless, skinless chicken breasts in water, and put in baking pan dripping wet. Then I liberally coat both sides of chicken with seasoning, add a little bit of water to the pan to keep the chicken moist, put a lid on the pan, and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. I have waterless cookware, so the lids form a tight seal and baking the chicken that long doesn't dry it out. In fact, halfway through baking, I turn the chicken over and return to oven. When done, the seasoning provides a very tasty crust to the chicken. And because the seasonings are low salt, the chicken isn't overpowered with sodium.

Tomorrow and the next day, I'll post recipes for using chicken cooked with Sherrie's Sensational Chicken Seasoning. *g*

Recipe: Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

I just made this recipe for the first time last night and it's divine. I served it over egg noodles, but it could also be served with rice. This is a hearty, juicy dish, and because the meat cooks all day in the crock pot, it is incredibly tender. The only thing I would change is to leave out the 1 tsp. of salt, or cut it in half. There is plenty enough salt with the bouillon and soy sauce, so adding more salt was overkill. Still, it was delicious!

SLOW COOKER PEPPER STEAK

2 lbs beef sirloin, cut into 2" strips
garlic powder to taste
3 Tbs vegetable oil
1 cube beef bouillon
1/4 cup hot water
1 Tbs cornstarch
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 large green bell peppers, roughly chopped
1 (14.5 oz.) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid
3 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp white sugar
1 tsp salt (I would delete this salt)

Sprinkle strips of sirloin with garlic powder to taste. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the seasoned beef strips in the vegetable oil. Transfer to slow cooker. Mix bouillon cube with hot water until dissolved, then mix in cornstarch until dissolved. Pour into the slow cooker with meat. Stir in onion, green peppers, stewed tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar, and salt. (Note: I mixed all liquids together first, then added to beef)

Cover, and cook on High for 3-4 hours or on Low for 6-8 hours.

Glorified Rice

This is a rice salad usually served with meals, but is so sweetly delicious it can also be served as dessert. It's almost like a rice pudding. This is my mom's recipe, and I have no idea if she made it up or adapted it from another recipe. Friends have mistakenly called it Heavenly Hash, but that's a different recipe that calls for marshmallows and fruit cocktail, while my recipe has neither. I don't normally use a recipe for this, so I've done my best to give approximate amounts of ingredients. Don't let the simple ingredients mislead you. This is really delicious!

GLORIFIED RICE

Cooked rice (1 small saucepan full?)
1-2 cans crushed pineapple
1 jar maraschino cherries, sliced in half
1 tub Cool Whip

Add 1 or 2 cans drained crushed pineapple to cooled rice. Fold in Cool Whip. Add cherries last (if you add them first, it will turn the salad pink). Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Sometimes the rice will absorb so much Cool Whip overnight that you'll need to add more, to keep things moist.

If used as dessert, serve in glass goblets and garnish with a whole maraschino cherry.

Recipe: Sherrie's Pasta Salad

After trial and error, I came up with a pasta salad that I really like. The nice thing about this salad is that you can add or subtract ingredients per taste. I happen to like broccoli and cauliflower, so I include them. Whenever I make this salad, it disappears pretty fast. My brother-in-law really likes it, and when we have summer get-togethers he always asks me to make it.

SHERRIE'S PASTA SALAD

--1 small package corkscrew noodles, cooked in seasoned water

--Bernstein's Cheese Fantastico salad dressing

--raw broccoli, cut to bite-size pieces

--raw cauliflower, cut to bite-size pieces

--red peppers, chopped

--green peppers, chopped

--sliced black olives

--green onions, sliced (I used mostly tops)

--cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

--Kraft grated parmesan cheese

Boil noodles in water seasoned with chicken bouillon and garlic powder. Drain and cool a little, then lightly marinate with Bernstein's dressing to keep the noodles from sticking together. Regrigerate while preparing vegetables.

Chop veggies and add to noodles. (To keep the green onions from overpowering the salad, I discard most of the white bulb and use the rest, including the tops) Add more Bernstein's dressing and parmesan cheese and toss. Optional ingredients: frozen peas, mushrooms, grated carrot, pepperoni, hard-boiled eggs, or whatever else you fancy.

Recipe: Fruited Spareribs

I first tasted this at a friend's 34 years ago, where I'd been invited for dinner. It's delicious, and quite different from normal dinner fare. Men seem to really like it a lot, and there are seldom leftovers. The bananas and pineapple really make this a tasty dish.

FRUITED SPARERIBS

4 lbs. spareribs

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup catsup

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp ginger

2 green onions, chopped

1 13 1/4-oz can pineapple chunks, drained

2 bananas, chunked

Cut ribs into serving-size pieces. In shallow open roasting pan, mix brown sugar, soy sauce, catsup, salt, pepper, green onion, and ginger. Add ribs & coat with sauce. Bake at 325 for 1 hr and 50 minutes, occasionally basting ribs while baking. (Cover with foil last 1/2 hour if ribs get too dark)

Remove from oven and carefully spoon fat from pan and push ribs to one side. Add pineapple and bananas, brush with sauce, and bake 10 minutes longer.

Recipe: Karen Johnson's Award Winning Tuna Casserole

This is a sinfully rich tuna noodle casserole. I first tasted it at an office potluck about 30 years ago and have made it many times since then. It is named after the employee who made it for the potluck. When I asked for the recipe, Karen told me that if I passed the recipe on, I had to substitute her name for mine, and each person passing it on adds their name to it. She said it was a "tradition." I don't know if she was pulling my leg or not. Regardless, since I got the recipe from her, I preferred to leave her name on it, as a way to remember her. If you wish to put my name on it, that's your decision.

There are two unusual ingredients--Velveeta cheese and dried parsley flakes--that "make" this casserole. Try it, you'll like it!

KAREN JOHNSON'S AWARD WINNING TUNA CASSEROLE

16-oz. (or slightly less) Velveeta, cubed

1 small tub margarine

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can milk

4-6 Tbs. dried parsely flakes

1 large can tuna fish

12-oz. package cooked noodles

--In large saucepan mix first 5 ingredients & heat till cheese melts (reserve some cheese and parsley for topping)

--Stir in noodles, then add tuna

--Turn into casserole and top with reserved cheese and parsley

--Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 mins or so

Recipe: Salmon-Cheese Bake

This is another recipe from Better Homes and Gardens. It came from the January 1972 issue, and is fast and easy. It's surprisingly elegant and is marvelous as brunch. I like to serve it with a tossed green salad or Waldorf salad. The Waldorf salad makes an especially nice contrast with the salmon.

SALMON-CHEESE BAKE

1 16-oz. can salmon, drained and flaked

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 cups packaged biscuit mix

1/2 cup water

2 slices mozzarella cheese

2 Tbs. grated parmesan cheese

1 can condensed cream of celery soup

1/4 cup milk

1/4 Tsp. dried dillweed

Combine salmon and onion; set aside. Combine biscuit mix and water; divide in half. Roll half the dough to an 8" square. Fit into bottom of greased 8x8x2" baking pan. Top with salmon mixture, then mozzarella cheese slices. Roll remaining dough to 8" square; place over cheese layer. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake in 450 oven for 15-18 minutes. In small saucepan, combine soup, milk and dillweed. Heat mixture through. Serve some dill sauce over squares of casserole; pass remaining. Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: Barbecups

Here's an incredibly fast and easy recipe that is tons of fun to serve and eat. It's basically mini-sloppy Joes in a muffin tin. Kids really like it because it's unique and you can eat it with your fingers. This is a 1968 Pillsbury Bake-off winner and I found the recipe in my favorite magazine for recipes: Better Homes and Gardens. (Where else?!!)

BARBECUPS

--Brown 3/4 lb. ground beef. Drain.

Add:

--1/2 cup Kraft Barbecue Sauce

--1 Tbs. instant minced onion

--2 Tbs. brown sugar

Next:

--open 8-oz. can Pillsbury Refrigerated Tenderflake Biscuits

--press each biscuit into an ungreased muffin cup, making sure dough goes up to edge of cup

--spoon meat mixture into cups

--top with 3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese

--Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes 12.

Recipe: Creamy Ham Casserole

This is another potluck favorite. I got this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens in the 1970s. I have more recipes collected from BH&G than any other source. While I loved the old BH&G, and deplored the day they went all glitzy and modern (and, in my opinion, much harder to read because of the layout and clutter), they are still one of the best sources for kitchen-tested recipes.

One day, I'm going to blog about my favorite pet peeve: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. But that's for another day. For now, today is devoted to recipes.

CREAMY HAM CASSEROLE

1 med. head cauliflower (2 pounds)

2 cups cubed cooked ham (I use turkey ham)

1 3-oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained

4 Tbs. butter or margarine

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 cup (4 oz.) cubed sharp process American cheese

1/2 cup dairy sour cream

1 cup soft bread crumbs (1 1/2 slices)

1 Tbs. butter or margarine, melted

Break cauliflower into buds (about 4 cups). Cook, covered, in boiling salted water till tender, 10-12 mins. Drain. Combine ham and mushrooms. In medium saucepan melt the 4 Tbs. butter and stir in flour. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir till mixture thickens and bubbles. Add cheese and sour cream to sauce. Stir till cheese melts.

Combine with cauliflower and ham mixture. Turn into 2 quart casserole. Combine crumbs and the remaining butter. sprinkle over top. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes or till hot. Makes 6 servings.

If you don't love this casserole, then you aren't normal. :-)

Recipe: Calico Beans

I've had numerous requests for my recipes on Twitter, but trying to do recipes on Twitter is difficult due to limited space. So I decided to post the recipes on my blog instead. I will do so periodically.

The following recipe is a potluck favorite. In fact, I got it at an office potluck about 30 years ago. It's hearty and filling, and keeps a long while in the fridge.

CALICO BEANS

Saute together:
1 lb. hamburger
1/2 large chopped onion
1 lb. bacon (I usually cook bacon first, then remove from pan, drain most of the fat, then cook hamburger and onion. When hamburger done, I crumble bacon and add back into pan.)

Then add:
1 c. brown sugar (I use 3/4 cup, as I think 1 c. too sweet)
1/2 c. catsup
2 TBS vinegar
1 TBS prepared mustard
1 tsp. salt
1 15 1/2 oz. can baby lima beans, including liquid
1 15 1/2 oz. can kidney beans, including liquid
1 medium-large can pork and beans.

Turn into casserole and bake at 350 for about 1 1/4 hours.