Cinnamon Croissant Bread Pudding

The pudding is good without the sauce (if the idea of raw eggs bothers you). Dear Husband declared the pudding VERY good with the sauce and berries, and sans sauce and berries. He ate two healthy servings and proclaimed it delicious.

Law Enforcement Appreciation Week

The Seguin Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association provided lunch for the Seguin Police Department today - a small act of appreciation for all the SPD does for Seguin.

ALMOST A MEAL CASSEROLE

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef - browned, drained

1 cup chopped onions

28 ounces canned tomatoes - chopped

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups potatoes - diced

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

10 ounces frozen corn - thawed

10 ounced frozen lima beans - thawed

1 large bell pepper - cut in strips

1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine browned and drained beef, onion, and tomatoes with liquid, Worcestershire sauce and salt.
2. Spoon into a greased 3-quart casserole.
3. Layer the potatoes, flour, corn, lima beans and green peppers on top.
4. Cover and bake at 375 degrees F. for 45 minutes
5. Sprinkle with the cheese and continue baking, uncovered, for 30 minutes longer.

[Very good for preparing ahead of time. To reheat, place foil loosely over top and reheat in oven for about 20 minutes.]

my grandmother, my mother, me - and my husband

Every family has traditional recipes that are passed down through the generations: these tried and true recipes, with flavors that bring to the fore all of the marvelous Family Memories associated with the times you ate these dishes with loved ones.


My grandmother and my mother and I (after I married) made/make a very simple apple-celery-green onion salad. I know that some would call this a Waldorf Salad. However, we always asked: "Who is going to bring the apple-celery-green onion salad?" My children expect this salad on occasions such as Thanksgiving (goes so well with turkey) or Easter (delicious with ham) - or anytime I take a notion to add it to the menu.


It is simple. It is easy. And it is soooo good. Recently, my husband made this salad to take to his last Bible Study/Potluck meeting, sharing it with a group he has met with every Wednesday for 32 weeks in a Disciple IV class. And, as always: it was a hit. Class members were guessing at the 'special ingredients' and the special 'flavors' and asking Husband for the recipe.


Well, here 'tis (and it couldn't be simpler!).


My Family Apple-Celery-Green Onion Salad

2-3 large Delicious apples
5-6-8 stalks celery
1-2 bunches green onions (I use some of the green - according to how much salad I am making)
(I have been making this for so many years and never have written it down - just judging how many stalks of celery, how many apples, how many green onions - by 'sight'. It is one of those recipes you can 'play with' according to how many people will be served.)
Enough Miracle Whip dressing to moisten (I know! I know! Genteel people do not use Miracle Whip, right? Well - believe me - genteel folks will love this salad!)
Salt and pepper according to taste

See? It couldn't be simpler . . . however, it is a great salad!

We devoured these!

SPICY OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup butter flavored shortening

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, butter flavored shortening, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Stir in the oats and raisins. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until light and golden. Do not overbake. Let them cool for 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheets to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Note: the day I baked these, they never made it to the 'airtight container' - they were gone in a flash!

Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole

We really liked this dish!

The only thing I would do differently

(although others may disagree)

is put less sour cream.

I doubled the recipe.

One for us (yum-yum!) and one to give.

Since we have an all electric house, couldn't char the tortillas.

I tore them into fourths - which worked quite well.

GOOD!

Shanghai Chicken and Zucchini

Hot Chili Oil
{H-E-B used to carry this item - but it is no longer on the shelves]

Chili Oil Ingredients
10 - 12 small dried chilies (1 - 2 inches long)
to make 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped chili flakes

Note: use rubber gloves when working with the chilies.
(I used about 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped packaged chili peppers)
1/2 cup peanut, canola, or olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil, optional

Slit open the dried chilies.
Remove and discard the seeds.
Chop into flakes and put into a glass jar.

Heat the oil in a saucepan until it smokes.
Remove at once from the heat.
Let cool for 3 or 4 minutes.

Pour into the jar.
The chili flakes will rise to the surface but will sink to the bottom gradually.
The oil becomes spicy hot almost immediately,
but will become more so in a few days time. it keeps for months in a cool place.

SHANGHAI CHICKEN AND ZUCCHINI

WITH SPICY MANDARIN GINGER GLAZE

2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)

1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 can (11 ounces) Mandarin oranges, drained

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon hot chili oil

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon minced fresh gingrroot or 1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Lime wedges

In a medium or large Ziploc Zip 'n Steam bag, combine chicken, zucchini, oranges, soy sauce, hot chili oil, cornstarch, ginger root, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Seal bag and shake gently to combine ingredients. Pat ingredients into single layer.

Cook on full power for 5-6 minutes (I cooked 7 minutes) or until chicken juices run clear. Allow bag to stand 1 minute before handling. Carefully open bag. To serve, cut chicken into thirds and top with zucchini, oranges and sauce. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with fresh lime wedges.

[I did not sprinkle with the cilantro - although it certainly would have made a pretty dish with either cilantro and/or parsley atop it.]

I put the chicken and sauce on a bed of jasmine rice. This dish was scrumptious!! Doubt anyone uses that word to describe delicious food - but believe me, it was SCRUMPTIOUS!

This is Oh So Good!

An Anytime Snack

EASY MINI QUICHES

8 strips bacon

1 onion, chopped

1 cup milk

3/4 cup buttermilk baking mix

3 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 cups Cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, fry the bacon and add the onion. Cook until bacon is crisp and onion is soft. Drain fat. Crumble bacon and set aside.

In a blender, combine milk, baking mix, eggs and butter. Mix the onion, bacon, cheese and egg mixture toether and spoon into greased mini muffin cups. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned. Allow quiches to cool in the pan before carefully removing.

Makes 24 mini quiches.

I used Super Mini muffin pans and baked almost 48. Also, in my oven, the baking time was about 20-25 minutes. Soooo good!

Corn Tortilla Quiche

Hubby mentioned that I haven't been cooking breakfast in awhile. Soooo, I did. For the week!

Corn Tortilla Quiche

Ingredients:

3/4 lb. bulk pork sausage

5 (6 inch) corn tortillas

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup canned chopped green chiles

6 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup small curd cottage cheese

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley (for garnish)

Note: add some salt and pepper to taste for a little more seasoning.

Directions:

In a skillet, cook the sausage until no longer pink; drain. Place four tortillas in a greased 9-inch pie plate, overlapping and extending 1/2 inch beyond rim. Place remaining tortilla in the center. Layer with sausage, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses and chiles. Combine eggs, cream, cottage cheese and chili powder (and salt and pepper if desired); slowly pour over chiles. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until the center is set and puffed. Sprinkle with cilantro or parsley. Cut into wedges. ENJOY!

Very tasty

First try failed - cake fell. Discovered that (in my oven), had to bake the cake for one hour and fifteen minutes! AND, the cake is delicious!

“The biggest seller is cookbooks and the second is diet books — how not to eat what you've just learned how to cook.”Andy Rooney

Persimmons

PERSIMMON CAKE

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
2 cups persimmon pulp
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract



DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch loaf pan.
Whisk together the flour baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a bowl, set aside. Whisk together the eggs, persimmon pulp, milk, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl until smooth. Fold the persimmon mixture into the flour mixture until no dry lumps remain. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan, and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

______________________

I've not tried this recipe, BUT if I acquire some persimmons, I will give it a try!

The Garlic Jar Story

This garlic jar was to be a 2007 Christmas gift, but it didn't arrive in time for Christmas (ordered from the internet) - so instead a beautiful Christmas platter was given and I kept the garlic jar! The platter was purchased at our very own local Keepers (a great store!)

Garlic Shrimp

Makes 12 servings

3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/4 pounds cooked shrimp

Place garlic and oil in a small skillet and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper. Toss with shrimp in a large bowl. Chill until ready to serve.