7-Minute Supper

Well, this was a lie. It took way longer than seven minutes to make this. Sam suggested maybe if you weren't a picky eater (like me) it would only take 7 minutes to eat. Maybe. This recipe is from Gooseberry Patch (again. Only one more to go from this cookbook). It wasn't that great. And I almost passed it over, but I can't resist anything with those french fried onions. So here it is...



7-Minute Supper

1 lb ground beef, browned (this by itself took 7 minutes to do. If I was being literal I would have stopped right here)
1/3 cup long-cooking rice, uncooked (I guess as opposed to minute rice)
1-oz pkg onion gravy mix
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1 1/2 cups water
10-oz pkg frozen peas, thawed (I know, 2 recipes in a row with peas! This is why it took me longer than 7 minutes to eat, because I had to pick around the peas)
5-oz can water chestnuts (I doesn't say to drain, but I did)
2.8 oz can French-fried onions (that's the little size. I always buy the bigger size, then eat the extra. Can't help it they are soooo good)
soy sauce to taste

Add beef, rice, gravy mix, garlic salt and water to a 12" skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 15 minutes (see, they're not even pretending this will only take 7 minutes). Stir in peas and water chestnuts; simmer until rice is tender. Remove from heat; toss in onions. Season with soy sauce before serving.

So this was okay, but not great. I've definitely made worse. And everyone ate it, so that counts for something. Maybe my appetite was gone due to all the FF onions I ate while preparing it. Who knows.

Turkey Tetrazzini

Hello! I have been saving this recipe for when I had turkey leftovers. It is from Gooseberry Patch. It might sound like a lot of work for leftovers, and it kind of was, but it was so yummy! Everybody liked this. Highly recommend...anyway here it is.

Turkey Tetrazzini
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
3 cups turkey gravy or broth (I had to buy canned gravy since there was no gravy leftovers from Thanksgiving)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste
2 1/2 cups turkey, cooked and diced (I didn't dice it. Just cut it up into bite sized pieces)
5 cups prepared rotini (which after some trial and error, I discovered is a one-pound box, cooked)
10-oz pkg frozen peas, thawed (yes, I put these in. No, I didn't eat them. Made the kids, though. Hee hee)
1 cup sliced mushrooms (these I left out. Nobody likes them. Not even you. No you don't.)
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Saute onion and celery in butter in a 12" skillet until tender; reduce heat and whisk in flour and milk. Stir in gravy or broth, whisking constantly (which is basically impossible when you have 3 cans to open and your rotini cooking, too). Heat over low heat until thickened; add 3/4 cup cheese and stir until melted. Season as desired (since I used canned gravy I didn't add any extra salt). Combine sauce w/ turkey, pasta, peas, and mushrooms; spread in a 3-quart baking dish (which I do not have. I used my PC 9x13 baker and it came out perfect. I actually put the turkey and pasta in the baker, then poured the sauce over it, and stirred it right in the dish. It worked better than putting it all in the skillet and then having it overflow and me getting really mad. So this was good). Sprinkle w/ remaining cheese and bread crumbs. Bake @ 350 until hot and bubbly, about 20-30 minutes (mine took 22). Makes 6-8 servings.

Yeah so it makes a lot, and now we have leftovers from our leftovers. But that's okay because it tasted really good. So you guys should so try this. I think it would be yummy with chicken too if you don't want to wait to have turkey leftovers from next Thanksgiving =)

Our Recipe

Just in time for the holidays, today's recipe comes from someone we all know and love. It was something we used to make when Mom worked until suppertime and we had the house (and kitchen) to ourselves after school, in Limestone, ME. I estimate we were between 3rd-4th grade at the time. This was never the same recipe twice, due to our great culinary improv skills, but here is the gist of it...

Our Recipe

Tupperware cup about 2/3 full of water

squirt of ketchup and/or mustard

spoonful of sweet relish

1 heaping tablespoon each of dry strawberry and chocolate milk powder

dollop of pickle juice

sprinkle of each of the following: cinnamon, pepper, salt, sugar, etc...to taste

Variation: Instead of water, start with some of Mom's caffiene-free diet Coke, or Tab, if there's enough in the fridge. But don't finish it or she'll be mad.

Mix well and sip (cautiously)(if you have a straw it helps). The first time we did this, it was really good (??). Subsequent recipes did not go so well. We could never duplicate the magic of the first time, but it wasn't for lack of trying.

This tasty beverage goes great with the following after school snack:

Cheese Sandwich without Using the Stove Since We Can't When Mom's Not Home

1 slice white bread

1 slice plastic-wrapped cheese

imitation bacon bits to taste (optional)

Place bread in microwave. Unwrap cheese and place on bread slice (throw away wrapper lest your mother see it and yell at you for not picking up your mess). Sprinkle with bacon bits, if using. Microwave on high (PowerTime 1 PowerTime) until really stinkin hot and melty (approx 1 minute). This was more a favorite of a cute certain someone than it was of mine. I thought the bread was soggy and gross. My mom still has that same microwave.

For those parties interested in removal of this picture from my blog, it is being held in reverse ransom. Once we have secured from you a promise to not move to Portland, it will be removed from the website. Which I don't know how to do that. But I think Steve does. Since this whole idea was his in the first place. The recipes will remain.

Pork Schnitzel

Snow bells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles....Whoever knew what schnitzel was in that song? Come to find out it's basically fried pork chops, but so good. This one is also from Gooseberry Patch. I used 8 pork chops and gave half to the Hinchliffe's since I was making them dinner last night in honor of baby David. I don't know if they liked it or not, but we all loved it. The pork was so moist and yummy. The last few times I have made pork chops they have been so dry. So anyway enough jibber jabber, here's the recipe....

Pork Schnitzel
6 1/2 inch thick boneless pork chops
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup bread crumbs (plain)
3 tbsp oil

Pound chops between 2 pieces of waxed paper til 1/8 inch thick (I didn't do this, I just left them as they were, and I had bought "thin sliced," and they came out fine). Season both sides of chops with salt (I forgot to do this step but they were still fabulous). In a shallow bowl whisk egg and milk together. In a second bowl combine bread crumbs and flour (I so could have used those Pampered Chef trays for this, Jess). Dip pork chops in egg mixture, then coat w/ crumb mixture. Heat oil in 12 inch skillet. Fry chops for 3 minutes on each side. Then I put them on paper towels to soak up some oil, but it didn't say to do that. Serve while hot.

So those Swiss/German people really know what they're talking about. No wonder it was one of Frauline Maria's favorite things. This is definitely a make again, and I love that besides the pork chops, you don't have to buy anything. All this stuff I always have. So you guys should try this one for sure.

Autumn Pork Chops

I made this one last Friday, just haven't had time to post it yet. I made it in honor of my good friend Autumn...ha ha. Really it's just a seasonal recipe. From the Gooseberry Patch.

Autumn Pork Chops
4 bone-in pork chops
4 tbsp butter
2 red apples, cored and halved
2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp brown sugar
nail & hair trimmings from Autumn (she might feel weird about this. Go to her hairdresser to she if she has any extra from Autumn's last haircut)(ewwww, just kidding about that part)

Place chops in a 9x13 pan sprayed with cooking spray. Spread 1 tbsp of butter on each chop (this was actually hard to do. It didn't want to spread. So I melted it a little in the microwave and it worked much better). Place one apple half on each chop, cut side down. Sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar (and hair, if using)(so gross, but funny. I am giggling right now). Bake @ 350 for 30-45 minutes or until no longer pink.

This was okay, but the meat turned out a little dry. The apples looked weird but tasted good, like warm applesauce sort of. Anyway I probably won't make this again. And Autumn breathes a hugh sigh of relief.

Ravioli Casserole (not Chef Boyardee)

Hi girls. I made this yesterday for the potluck we had at church for the Adoption and Orphan Care Ministry (since we want to adopt and care for an orphan =). It turned out well. There was a little bit leftover but most of it was gone. Steve, Sam, and I each had some on our plates and it was good and tasty. I think next time I will use meat ravioli though...I like it better. Oh yeah, and this one is from Gooseberry Patch.

Ravioli Casserole
28 oz jar spaghetti sauce
25 oz pkg frozen ravioli, cooked
2 cups cottage cheese
4 cups shredded mozarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Spread 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce in bottom of 9x13 pan. Top w/ half of the cooked ravioli. Spread w/ half of the sauce you have left, then with 1 cup cottage cheese and 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, then sprinkle w/ parmesan cheese. Bake @ 350 for 30-40 minutes, uncovered.

So easy, and tasty too. But I like anything (almost) like this anyway. But you should totally try it. Except not Jessica since Jon doesn't like cottage cheese. But everyone else should. Mom.