Cooking from "Scratch"

Cooking from scratch is sometimes simple, sometimes complicated or requires a mixture of experience and knowing what flavors work best with the dish. The southern, downhome recipes on this blog are designed for the new cook as well as the very experienced. All it takes is a little time in understanding the ingredients and steps.

I offer you recipes that I prepare often or recipes that are family traditions. I will tell you in advance if it one that requires a bit of thought as I sometimes do not measure exact ingredients. These you can experiment with easily and none of them are complicated. That's the best part of scratch cooking, you can claim the dish as your own.

Note to new cooks: from scratch means you start with basic ingredients where nothing is pre-mixed and you have to measure the quantities.

Of course, there are recipes from others that have proven just too good to not share. Like the Best Breadmachine White Bread. It would be wrong to keep that to myself. Then there those that are simply links to articles I've written elsewhere but they take you directly to the recipe.

We discuss using fresh vegetables, making your own seasonings, growing your own herbs and how to use them. I hope you stay for a while and enjoy using the recipes and suggestions. Leave a comment or share something. I will post the recipe with full credit to you if you do.

Awesome Fast Food Chicken made totally from Scratch

I experiment on Sundays because it is kind of lay-back time. Today, I looked around in the fridge to see what I had and luckily, there was a package of boneless chicken thigh meat.

So by now you know I do not measure anything unless it is crucial to the recipe (I wouldn't want anyone to mess up a big pot of gumbo). My recipes are very open to expermentation.

This recipe was made with other things just lying around in my spice cabinet that I saved from take-out. It is so affordable it's laughable. Here we go...

• Any amount of boneless chicken thigh or breast meat
• 8 packs of fast food soy sauce
• 1 slice of orange or lemon peel
• 1 pack of Chinese mustard
• 1 pack of ketchup
• 1 pack of Taco Bell hot sauce
• 1 clump of brown sugar (you might want to taste sauce to get sweet to your taste
  
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 small clove of garlic, sliced
• a sprinkle of ginger
• a sprinkle of white pepper
• a sprinkle of onion powder
• 3/4 teaspoon instant coffee
  
• 1/2 cube chicken bouillon
  
• 3/4 cup water (room temperature)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (any will do though)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of cooking oil

In a half teacup of water, place the slice of lemon or orange peel. Heat in microwave for 30 seconds. Allow to remain in water while you open the packets of soy sauce. Empty packets into a small bowl.

Slice the peel thinly. This is easy to do with a pair of scissors. Add the peel to the soy sauce.

To measure the brown sugar, just squeeze out a clump into the bowl. Add remaining ingredients (except the 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil) and whisk or stir well. Allow to sit while you prepare the chicken.

Wash and drain chicken. Slice or cut with scissors into nice size portions. Do not add salt or any other seasoning.

In a proper sized skillet, preferably iron or one that will stand high heat, place the remaining cooking oil. Heat on medium until it covers the bottom of the skillet. You may have to swirl it around until it does.

Place chicken pieces in the warm oil and brown to a medium brown. It doesn't have to cook all the way through. Be careful not to burn.

Remove chicken from the skillet and drain off any excess oil. Add a little of the soy sauce mixture and use it to loosen any particles stuck to the skillet. Add the chicken. Pour the rest of the soy sauce mixture over the chicken.

Bring to a boil and then cover, cook over medium heat. When the sauce has reduced to where it is getting thick, remove the cover. Continue cooking until the sauce is thick like take-out Terriyaki chicken.

Spoon sauce over Perfect Rice http://www.ehow.com/how_4452561_make-perfect-rice.html /.

Dirty Rice, Spinach Salad and Strawberry Lemonade

Cajun Dirty Rice Fresh ingredients for spinach salad Fresh Strawberry Lemonade

Cajun Dirty Rice is a savory rice dish that is easy to make but it has a few extra steps. Probably not too different than pilaf. This dish will fill your house with an aroma that will wow your guests. It is also easy to adjust the serving size and you will know after you make it the first time.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 C rice, washed and drained
2 C water
3/4 lbs fresh chicken gibblets
1/2 lb ground turkey or pork
1/4 C olive oil, divided
1/2 stick butter, divided
1 lb fresh chicken livers, washed and drained
1/2 C chopped green bell pepper
1/2 C chopped red bell pepper
1/2 C chopped celery
1/2 C chopped brown onion
2 cloves chopped fresh garlic (powdered is not the same)
Salt and Pepper to taste. Start with 1 tsp but you can always add more later.
A sprinkle of cayenne pepper or Tobasco sauce
A large casserole with lid
Pan spray coating

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Boil the giblets until tender in the 2 cups of water. Drain and reserve the broth.
Process the giblets in a food processor until finely ground but not liquefied.
Spray the casserole with pan coating. Add the giblets and chopped veggies (including garlic) in half the olive oil and butter.

Brown the giblets and veggies in a the casserole on stovetop. Add the rice, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Add the broth from the giblets. Cook ingredients on stovetop. Stir occasionally. Cook until rice is tender.

Meanwhile, add the livers to the food processor. It's okay to not clean it of the giblets and veggies left over. Process the livers until liquid. Spray a skillet with pan coating and add remaining butter and olive oil. Melt but be careful, olive oil has a low melting temperature and will start to smoke. If it does, start over. Add the livers and cook until just the center is pink. Turn off heat.

Add the livers to the cooked rice, giblets and veggies. Mix well. Bake the dish in oven until rice is completely cooked and no signs of extra moisture remain.

Simple Spinach Salad
This is dollar store shopping at its best!

Ingredients
1 bag of dollar store fresh spinach
1 container of washed, mixed variety mini tomatoes ( mixed varieties usually come in yellow, grape, plum and cherry)
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 fresh juicy lemon
1 clove fresh garlic
1 squeeze mustard ( just take the mustard container and squeeze some out)
Salt
Pepper

Wash spinach and drain to remove all noticeable water. Dry with paper towels or salad spinner.
In food processor, put in two of each variety of tomatoes.
Add lemon juice.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Add mustard.
Process until there are only small chunks of tomatoes showing.
Arrange spinach in a salad bowl. Pour dressing over it and mix lightly.

Strawberry Lemonade, another dollar store goodie.

Ingredients:
1 quart fresh strawberries (or raspberries), washed and drained
1 C sugar
10 fresh, juicy lemons
Ice
Water to fill container
Tall pitcher or punch bowl

Mash or process berries until liquid.
Add sugar and process more.
Squeeze lemons and add juice to pitcher.
Add processed berries.
Add water, leaving room to add ice.
Stir and taste. Add more sugar to your taste. Stir.
Add ice and stir again.
Or leave out the ice and only add it to the glasses.

The Best Leg of Lamb Dinner We Ever Served

We are still getting phones calls thanking us for such a wonderful meal...

For Easter, Bernice, Johnnie and I started with a simple idea of preparing dinner for our usual Football Sunday group. Before I left for home that night the list had grown to 18 invited guests because we had this superb menu and we kept thinking of people we wanted to share it with.

MENU
*Recipe included on this page

• Grilled Leg of Lamb
• Grilled Marinated Chicken
• Stuffed Prawns
• Plain Grilled Prawns
• Orzo Cucumber Salad
• Spinach Salad with Fresh Tomato Dressing*
• Monkey Bread*
• Green Beans and Cauliflower with Potatoes
• Dirty Rice*
• Spaghetti (for wee ones)
• Strawberry Lemonade
• Chocolate Pecan Pie
• Traditional Pecan Pie
• Lemon Dainties
• Brownies

Hors d'oeuvres

• Spicy Sweet Pecans
• Cheese
• Strawberries
• Crackers

Wines

• Don's Red 2002
• Beringer Pinot Grigio
• Beringer Merlot 2005

Johnnie was the Executive Chef and took charge of the meats, Bernice was Prep and I was the line cook. Believe it or not, we didn't plan it that way. It just happened when we decided which dishes we were each going to prepare. We are joking around about this but it pretty much describes what we did.

Recipes are in the next post…

The Best Breadmaker White Bread

March was "Test My Breadman Breadmaker" month and before I found the perfect recipe, I had two loaves of bread with too much flour and no flavor. I used one for the bread pudding recipe that is posted earlier this month.

The new recipe is dangerous. Do not start it too late in the evening or you will be unable to sleep with the aroma floating around you. It was very hard not to get up and cut a slice for a midnight snack.

Breadmaker instructions tell you not to add the yeast to the liquid and that is the opposite for this loaf. Follow the instructions exactly and you will not be disappointed.

It calls for breadmachine yeast and bread flour. I used fresh active dry yeast and unbleached flour and it was perfect. The crust is tremendously crusty.

It makes a very tall loaf.

One hint, fluff your flour with a whisk before lightly spooning it into the measuring cup. Do this with each of the three cups required. It should equal 400 grams (if you weigh).

Here is the link to the recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Best-Bread-Machine-Bread/Detail.aspx?washelp=1&rid=727770&strb=1

Brenda's Quinceanera

What is a Quinceanera celebration? The Quinceanera celebration traditionally begins with a religious ceremony. A Reception is held in the home or a banquet hall. The festivities include food and music, and in most, a choreographed waltz or dance performed by the Quinceanera and her Court.

It is traditional for the Quinceanera to choose special friends to participate in what is called the Court of Honor. Usually, these young people are her closest friends, her brothers, sisters, cousins – the special people in her life with whom she wants to share the spotlight. The Quinceanera's Court of Honor can be comprised of all young girls (called Dama), all young men (called Chambelán or Escorte or Galán) or a combination of both..

The Quinceanera traditionally wears a ball gown, with her Court dressed in gowns and tuxedos. Guests usually receive small tokens, cápias and cerámicas, to commemorate the celebration.

• tiara
• cross or medal
• Bible or prayer book and rosary
• scepter

Other accessories for this special occasion might be:

• flower bouquet
• cake decoration
• cake server set
• champagne glasses
• the last doll
• guest book
• photo album
• invitations/reception cards
• ceremony pillows
• guest favors

There are many traditions throughout the quinceanera celebration. One of the most popular is the Changing of the Shoes. The father or favored male relative ceremoniously changes the young girl’s flat shoes to high heels. This is a beautiful symbol of the Quinceañera’s transformation from a little girl to a young lady.

At the church ceremony, a special Kneeling Pillow, sometimes personalized with the Quinceañera’s name, is placed in position for the young girl to kneel on during the ceremony. And, a touch of elegance is added with smaller decorated Ceremony Pillows for the presentation of the Quinceañera’s ceremony gifts, such as the Tiara, the Scepter and the Shoes.

At the reception, there is always the toast to the Quinceanera, known as the brindis. With decorated Champagne Glasses, the guests are invited to offer their congratulations and best wishes.

The Last Doll is used as part of the ceremony or as decoration and keepsake. In some customs, the Quinceanera doll represents the last things of a child now that the Quinceanera will focus on the things of a young lady. In some Hispanic cultures, the cápias (printed ribbons with the Quinceanera’s name and date) are pinned to the doll, and the Quinceanera circulates among her guests, thanking them for their presence and presenting them with a memento taken from the doll. Information from http://www.quinceanera-boutique.com/quinceaneratradition.htm.

Brenda's Quinceanera: Have you ever attended a very formal event and the atmosphere was like home? That is what great hostesses do, they give the best they have to their guests. Surrounded by the elegance of chandeliers, flowing and shimmery fabric, we were guests of the one of the most gracious hostesses ever. Silvia, it was an exceptional commemoration of Brenda's special day.

Our group of 15 ( Bernice, Floyd, Don 1, Don 2, Cynthia, Tamara, Gary 1, Tobe, Gary 2, Veronica, Joe, Carl, Wendy, Bug and myself) regularly get together for occasions that center around meals and celebrations. Veronica and Silvia are cousins and Silvia is Brenda's mother. Floyd is Brenda's pretend Grandpa and Silvia sent him a formal invitation, requesting his attendance at her daughter's Quinceanera. Lucky us! We walked into the hall, signed Brenda's guest book and then looked around. It was packed already. Spotting Gary 2 and Veronica (they're a couple), we greeted them and then found a seat at Joe's table. It wasn't long before the catered dinner was served and we enjoyed traditional beef in sauce (perhaps chilpotle), rice, beans and thick, homemade corn tortillas. It was classic and delicious with some non-traditional flavors.
(Silvia gives Floyd a smoochie)The food was served all night long and was still being served when we left at 9:30 pm. It was a lesson in hospitality because there is usually a cut-off point for most occasions. No guest was left unattended. Additionally, we sipped on Veronica's delicious, fat and tall Margaritas. Just like the food, the maggies, beer, water and soda were available forever, it seemed.

Brenda, though she was the guest of honor, was all smiles all night no matter what she had to attend to or how many people were clambering for her attention. (photo Brenda)


She was a princess in her white, red-trimmed gown. The back tied like a corset that cinched her already tiny waist.

After I took this photo, the dancing began. I have to remember to ask if there is a name for how the couples dance together. This wasn't the formal presentation dance. It is a two-step where the man is clearly leading and is done to very fast and energetic music. The woman wraps her arm around her partner's neck and he holds her closely and leans over her as they make their way around the dance floor. It was so fast, I couldn't get it with the Nikon. Maybe she will let me download the video and put it in this post later. However, here she is dancing with her girlfriends.

I spent some time with the little ones who were a part of her court.



Children were very important guests at the event. Left to their own devices, they played, they greeted, danced, ate, ran around and had a very good time. They were fascinating to watch because not once did any of them demand special attention. No tantrums, no crying and we are talking toddlers, five- and six year-olds.

However, my Nikon has tantrums. It will not fire off in the winter after 8 pm. Seriously. In the summer, it goes into daylight savings and gives me an extra hour and a half to get the job done. It may be because the flash knows I hate using it and, sometimes, especially when there is a great shot that I want, it knows it and won't cooperate. Never speak aloud in front of inanimate objects about their poor performance or you will be sorry. That is why I do not have a photo of Brenda dancing that special dance I told you about earlier. And that is why all the photos have the warm glow to them. I do prefer ambient light but it was very dark in the event hall.

Back to the Quinceanera...


(Gary and Brenda)

I danced a little bit because it is hard to resist the upbeat of Latin music. But Floyd, Veronica and Gary didn't have a problem staying on the floor cutting it with the youngsters. Not saying me and Joe are too old but I wanted to shoot as many photos possible and Joe was tending the maggies, lol.

(Veronica and Floyd)

Then it was time for Brenda's presentation. Through the glass doors you could see her fluffing her dress for the grand entrance while her Chambelán lined up outside to receive her.

You could also see there was a line of guests waiting to be admitted but it was standing room only inside. No one could enter unless someone left and that did not happen right away. The line was still there when we left. It was wonderful that so many people came to celebrate Brenda's special day.
(Brenda and escort)(Chambelán)

Since I'd never attended a Quinceanera, there was a little part of the ceremony I didn't know about. It was about the cake. Having a serious craving for sweets, I was all set to indulge it with the goodness it deserved. A tiered affair with fresh roses sat on the court's table. It was very beautifully covered in fondant and wrapped in red ribbons. I couldn't take my eyes off of it.
The cake cutting ceremony was a separate affair and wouldn't be cut until the following day. There was much inward wailing and gnashing of teeth at this news! Floyd had the honor of breaking that bit of news to me.

When it was time to go, Gary said he was calling a cab for the three of us. Veronica and Joe were staying longer. It was the right thing to do.

The next day being Sunday, the cutting of the cake took place at Veronica's and Gary's. Veronica sent another invitation for us to attend. Floyd lives across the street from them. The cake cutting didn't take place until 9 pm I heard. I was home by 8 pm so I missed it.

Floyd, Joe and I agreed that Brenda's Quinceanera was one of the best events we'd ever attended.

How to Cook Bread Pudding in a Bread Maker

I experimented with making Brioche in my Breadman Bread Machine, trying to get the flour just right. I tried measuring, weighing by ounces and then weighing by grams. It was all still too heavy for me so I put the loaves in the freezer. Saving bread is a great way to have enough for homemade dressing, something I love, love, love!

Then, again, I love bread pudding also and looked for a recipe for making it in a breadmaker. I thought it would be easy to find a recipe on the Internet but all of them had instructions for baking in regular ovens. "Stop being lazy" I told myself and just go experiment. On the first try, the results were just perfect! I am amazed, actually, because it usually takes at least three efforts.

This recipe is best with a dense textured egg bread. Since I am more into flavor than sweetness, you may want to add a little more sugar to the recipe. Do the same with the spices.

Ingredients:
In a large measuring cup, combine eggs, sugar and spices:
3 Medium eggs
1/2 Cup sugar (or more to your taste)
3/4 Teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the eggs and sugar together until smooth, then add the following:
1 1/2 Teasponns vanilla flavoring
1/8 Teaspoon lemon flavoring
1/4 Teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 stick butter, melted
Continue beating until smooth.
To the egg mixture, add enough milk to make 24 ounces total and then beating until all is mixed.

Cut the Brioche into small squares and place in a mixing bowl. Pour egg mixture over bread and allow to soak for at least 1 hour.

When the bread has taken up most of the liquid, Stir lightly to make sure the liquid has coated every piece. Place the bread into your Breadman Breadmaker pan. Use the "Bake" setting and time it for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Immediately remove from bread pan when the timer goes off and put it onto a place or suitable serving dish. Allow to cool a bit to serve warm.

It has a cripsy crust with a moist inside. It is just moist enough to slice without crumbling, great served with fresh berries and whipped cream.