Breakfast for Dinner

A really great way to stretch your grocery budget AND to make your family think they're getting a great treat is to serve breakfast for dinner. I do it once a week now. I was afraid that when I started Weight Watchers, I'd have to give up my breakfast for dinner routine. As a matter of fact, I thought I'd have to give up a lot of things.

As it turns out, I gave up nothing, except for 35 pounds so far (since mid-September). I still eat everything I used to eat. I just watch my portion sizes. I have never, not once, felt deprived, or "on a diet" since beginning with Weight Watchers. And that's key to sticking to a weight loss plan, isn't it? Feeling satisfied!

Last night, we had pumpkin waffles (two waffles each, for just 5 points!) and baked apples. It was delicious, satisfying, and belly-warming on that cold winter night. I want to share with you the recipe for baked apples. I modified it slightly from the original Weight Watchers recipe, but the Points Plus value remains the same.

Baked Apples
serves 6 (5 points each)

What You Need:

• 6 apples (I used red delicious, because they were on sale!)
• 12 Tbsp raisins
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup apple cider
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
• 2 Tbsp chopped toasted pecans

How it's Done:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut a small slice off the bottom of each apple, so that it stands up straight in your baking dish.
3. Scoop out the core with a knife and spoon or a melon baller, but leave the bottom intact.
4. Fill each apple with 2 Tbsp raisins. Sprinkle them with the cinnamon.

5. Combine the cider and maple syrup. Pour this around the apples.
6. Bake, uncovered, for about an hour. Baste the apples with the syrup/juice mixture every ten minutes.
7. Top each apple with 1 Tbsp yogurt and 1 tsp chopped pecans. Serve immediately.

Happy Thanksgiving! Menu & Recipes

Thanksgiving Delights

 

On Thanksgiving Day we’re thankful for

Our blessings all year through,

For family we dearly love,

For good friends, old and new.

 

For sun to light and warm our days,

For stars that glow at night,

For trees of green and skies of blue,

And puffy clouds of white.

 

We’re grateful for our eyes that see

The beauty all around,

For arms to hug, and legs to walk,

And ears to hear each sound.

 

The list of all we’re grateful for

Would fill a great big book;

Our thankful hearts find new delights

Everywhere we look!

 

By Joanna Fuchs

www.poemsource.com

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My Family's Thanksgiving 2010 Menu

Cheese Ball & Crackers

Roast Turkey

Pan Gravy

Cornbread Dressing with Bacon & Onions*

Buttery Corn Pudding

Mashed Potatoes

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

Honey-Nut Crunch Sweet Potatoes with Cranberries

Pumpkin Yeast Rolls*

Sweet Peas with Pearl Onions

Simple Pumpkin Mousse

Crustless Pumpkin Pie*

Pumpkin Bread Pudding*

Banana Bread

Apple Crisp*

Vanilla Ice Cream

*Recipe follows

*************************************************

Hints for a Delicious Turkey

I don't inject my bird. I don't deep fry it. I don't really do anything special. But my turkey is always the moistest, most delicious around. How do I do it? Well, Grammy always taught me that the most important thing about cooking is paying attention to detail. Not skill. Not talent. But rather taking care...doing the job at hand and doing it well. Pay attention to the foods you're cooking. My biggest turkey tip:

Baste it. A lot.

Keep squirting or spooning the juices over your bird. This keeps the bird moist and helps even browning.

More tips:

Rub your bird, inside and out, with a high-quality olive oil. Then, rub in your favorite herbs. I like to use garlic, pepper, and salt..only those three. You can get fancier, but I find that those three make the best flavor.

To stuff, or not to stuff?

I've done both. I prefer unstuffed. I like to cook my dressing on the side, and I stick a whole onion (stick it with a fork a few times first), a couple cut-up carrots, and some celery in the cavity to add flavor to both the bird and the drippings -- which you'll use for gravy later!

Use a meat thermometer. These are available at low cost. They're tremendously useful. Another way to tell when your bird is probably done: The wings and drums will wiggle loosely in their sockets. A meat thermometer is your best bet, though.

Avoid cross-contamination.

Defrost in the fridge. I pulled out my turkey on Sunday and it was perfectly thawed this morning.

Emergency thawing: place the WRAPPED turkey in a clean sink full of cold water. Change the water every thirty minutes until the turkey is thawed.

****************************************************************

Thanksgiving Recipes

Cornbread Dressing with Bacon & Onions

I rely on boxed stuffing mix for this quick, delicious variation on dressing. It's a favorite with my entire family.

What You Need:

• 2 boxes of cornbread stuffing mix
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1/2 cup butter, divided
• 1/4 lb bacon, diced

How it's Done:

1. Heat 1/4 cup butter in a skillet. Add bacon and onion. Cook and stir until onion is translucent and bacon is cooked.
2. Bring to a boil 3 cups of water.
3. Put the dry stuffing mix in a large mixing bowl. Cover with the bacon and onion. Top with the rest of the butter. When the water boils, pour it over the entire thing.
4. Let the stuffing stand for five minutes.
5. Grease a 2 quart baking dish. Transfer the stuffing to the dish. Pack it down tightly. Bake in the oven with your turkey for the last hour of cooking.

Pumpkin Yeast Rolls

These beauties are just a spin off of my favorite sweet potato rolls. They're easy to make and taste delicious.

What You Need:

• 1 cup warm milk
• 2 packets active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 3 to 4 cups flour (I used White Lily all-purpose flour)

How it's Done:

1.Proof your yeast: In your mixing bowl, combine warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Stir it up and then let it sit undisturbed for ten to twelve minutes. It should get bubbly and double in volume. (If it doesn't, don't proceed, because it means your yeast is dead. Go out and buy new, fresh yeast. Yeast should be used by the expiration date. If you buy it in a jar, use it within 6 months of opening.)

2.Stir in egg yolk, butter, and salt. Add pumpkin puree and stir to combine.


3.Half a cup at a time, stir in your flour. If you're not using a stand mixer, a wooden spoon is the best tool for this job. Your dough will be slightly sticky when all the flour is stirred in.


4.Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. You could also use your stand mixer for this job. By hand, it will take about 8 minutes.


5.Form the dough into a ball. Coat lightly with oil and place in a large mixing bowl. Cover gently and let rise until doubled in size. This will take anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes.


6.Punch down your dough. Divide it into 10 equal parts. Roll each piece into a rope. Roll cinnamon-roll style, pinching the end seam to seal. Place each on a cookie sheet that's been oiled and dusted with cornmeal. Cover loosely. Let rise again, until doubled, about 45 minutes to an hour.


7.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake rolls 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned.


8.Immediately upon removal from oven, brush rolls with melted butter.
 
 
 
Crustless Pumpkin Pie (a.k.a. Pumpkin Pudding)

This wonderful dessert will satisfy your desire for pumpkin pie and you won't even miss the crust! Better still: you can make it in your slow cooker, freeing up time AND oven space!

What You Need:

• 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
• 12 oz can evaporated milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp melted butter
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

How it's Done:

1. Beat eggs well. Add the rest of the ingredients and keep stirring until it's uniform in texture and color.
2. Pour into a greased slow cooker.
3. Cook on high for three to four hours. Start checking for doneness at the 3 hour mark. You'll know it's done when the center is set and it looks like a pumpkin pie.
4. Serve as is or with whipped cream.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Make the most out of this favorite American fall food. Who says you need to stop at pumpkin pie? Try this delicious twist on a traditional bread pudding. I've used milk in place of heavy cream to cut down on calories, but make no mistake: this is a very rich dessert that's full of sugar. A little bit will do you well.

What You Need:

for the pumpkin bread:

• 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger

for the custard:

• 3 cups milk
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

for the nonalcoholic vanilla sauce:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• vanilla bean, scraped

How it's Done:

1. Bake the pumpkin bread.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line three loaf pans (8x5 is fine) with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set them aside.
2. Beat together the pumpkin, eggs, vegetable oil, milk, and sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, soda, and all the spices.
4. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients all at once and stir only until combined.
5. Divide amongst loaf pans and bake for about an hour, until a pick inserted near center comes out clean.
6. Let the loaves cool completely. I like to wrap mine and store them overnight before use.
7. Cut two of the loaves into 1/2" cubes. Spread them out on cookie sheets and bake at 325 for about 20 to 30 minutes, until they're toasted dry. You can use the other loaf another time.
8. Set the cubes aside and prepare the custard. Bring the milk and vanilla extract to a simmer over medium heat, stirring very frequently to prevent scorching.
9. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, pumpkin puree, and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
10. Slowly drizzle in the heated milk, stirring the whole time to prevent the eggs from cooking.
11. Butter a 9x11" baking dish. Spread the pumpkin bread cubes evenly in the dish.
12. Drizzle the custard over the cubes, stirring and pressing the cubes to fully saturate them with custard. Let it stand up to 30 minutes so that the bread soaks up the custard as much as possible.
13. You need to cook this in a water bath, so find a pan bigger than the one you're cooking it in. Place the bread pudding dish into the larger dish and position the whole thing on the middle shelf in your oven.
14. Pour hot water into the bottom dish.
15. Bake for an hour. You want to see it puffed up, but the center will still be a bit jiggly. Take it out of the oven and out of its water bath. Let it stand 30 minutes before topping with sauce and serving.
16. While it sits undisturbed, make your vanilla sauce. Bring all the ingredients (just the seeds of the vanilla bean, not the bean itself) to a boil in a sauce pan with high sides. Cook and stir for two minutes. Remove from heat.
17. You can either drizzle the sauce over the entire dish, or you can drizzle a bit over eat individual serving. For additional flavor and eye appeal, sprinkle each serving with a combination of ground cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, to taste.

Apple Crisp

What You Need:

• 3 lb tart apples, cored (peel them if you want to. I left my peels on for color and texture)
• big bowl of water with Fruit Fresh added (for dipping the sliced apples)
• 2 Tbsp apple cider, orange juice, apple juice, lemon juice, or water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional, I omitted them today)
• 1/4 cup softened butter

How it's Done:

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Slice the apples thinly as you would for pie. Dunk them in the Fruit Fresh water ( I leave all the slices in the bowl until I'm ready to proceed).
3. In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, and 2 Tbsp all purpose flour. Toss apples in sugar mixture.
4. Grease a 2 quart baking dish. Pour the coated apples into the dish and distribute them evenly.
5. Drizzle with whatever juice you prefer.
6. Combine the topping ingredients: softened butter, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts (if using). Sprinkle topping evenly on apples.
7. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes, or until apples are tender and dish is bubbling.
8. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

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I'd like to leave you with one final verse:

May your stuffing be tasty,

May your turkey be plump.

May your potatoes & gravy

Have nary a lump.

May your yams be delicious.

May your pies take the prize.

May your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off of your thighs.



Thanksgiving -- Another Great Recipe for You

I won't be able to post a completed picture of this dish until Thanksgiving, because it's one of the few dishes I insist on making the day of the dinner. However, it's so good that I want to get this recipe into your hands in time for your big day. I'll update the recipe with completed photos once I prepare it. Of course, I could always just make one just for the blog, and another for my family's celebration. However, that's not economical for my wallet or my waistline. I can't resist this dish, so twice a year is all it gets. :)

There are so many versions of corn pudding available to try. Some use saltine crackers. Some use bread crumbs. Some use bell pepper. Some use bacon. Some include green beans. Mine is a result of my family loving corn but not being satisfied with the recipes out there. It takes a while to bake, so be patient. It's well worth the wait.

Buttery Corn Pudding

What You Need:

• 2 cans of corn, drained
• 2 cans of creamed corn
• 1/2 lb cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 a large onion, minced
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 cups of Ritz-type cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• ground black pepper to taste

How it's Done:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (or, leave it at your turkey roasting temperature). Spray a 9x11" casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray or coat with butter. Set it aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine all four cans of corn, 3/4 of the shredded cheese, the onion, the eggs, 1 cup of the cracker crumbs, and pepper if desired. Pour this mixture into your baking dish.
3. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top of your corn mixture.
4. Combine the other cup of crumbs with the melted butter, and sprinkle the crumbs over the top of your casserole.
5. Bake, uncovered, for an hour at 350 degrees, or 90 minutes to 2 hours if you're baking it alongside your turkey.
6. Let the dish stand for ten minutes before serving.

Thanksgiving -- Day 2

Now, I have this problem that may or may not be unique to my little family. You see, I'm the only one who loves cranberry sauce! Every year, I buy a whole container of cranberry sauce, only to have one or two servings before throwing the rest away. What a waste! I can't simply give it up. Oh, no! It wouldn't be Thanksgiving dinner without my cranberry sauce! So I've devised a simple method to have my cranberry sauce without waste. I make a small batch.

This recipe easily doubles to accommodate a family that's more appreciative of a good cranberry sauce.

Whole Berry Stove Top Cranberry Sauce
Serves 2 to 4 depending on portion size

What You Need:

• 6 oz fresh cranberries (use the other half of the bag bought for the sweet potatoes!)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup water

How it's Done:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan with high sides.

2. Bring to a boil. Stir frequently.
3. Cook and stir about 15 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

I'm thankful for loving family and good friends to keep nearby during this holiday season and always. What are you thankful for?

Thanksgiving

Do I even need to mention that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday? I see it as my showcase day: the day when I share my cooking passion and skill with friends and family. My wares are on display. I get to see cleaned plates and food-drunken grins. It's quite an ego-stroke.

This year, I'm toning my Thanksgiving down quite a bit, for two reasons. First, because I want a stress-free holiday season. In years past, I have worked myself into a frenzy cooking ten or more side dishes and an equal number of desserts. Also, I'm working on my weight, so I need to be careful what I serve. There are a couple dishes that I'm going to make that are very fattening but very worth the caloric cost. Other than those, I'm making my dinner plans healthier.

Each day this week, I'll share with you a recipe that I'm using for my family's Thanksgiving celebration. I'm cooking these in real time, and freezing them to use on the big day. That's another way to de-stress your holidays: plan ahead, prepare ahead. I hope you enjoy my recipes.

First recipe: Sweet Potatoes made healthier

Normally, my sweet potato recipe consists of tons of butter, brown sugar, pineapple, and pecans. Here's a healthier option:

Honey-Nut Crunch Sweet Potatoes with Cranberries

What You Need:

• 2 1/2 lb peeled, cubed sweet potatoes (1" cubes)
• 6 oz fresh cranberries
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup apple cider
• 6 oz whole almonds (unsalted), ground into a coarse meal
• 1/4 cup honey

How it's Done:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Layer the sweet potatoes and cranberries in a 2 quart baking dish.

3. Pour the apple cider over the sweet potatoes, then sprinkle with the cinnamon.
4. Combine ground almonds and honey. Sprinkle over the top of the sweet potatoes.


5. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes. Remove lid and bake an additional 15 minutes to brown top.

I'm thankful for full bellies and full cupboards...I'm thankful my family never

needs to experience true hunger. What are you thankful for?

Polenta Tots

It's the end of the month. I planned very, very poorly for groceries this month. Therefore, our last several days of the month have had to be more creative than even I care for. And my favorite Bare Cupboard recipe searching site, Cooking By Numbers, seems to have been taken off the 'net for some reason, so I've been seriously winging it. I haven't done too badly: we've had vegetable lo mein, bean & rice burritos, even some pan-fried pork chops. But I'm going to be so glad when grocery day rolls around. Enough of this seat-of-my-pants stuff.

One of the tricks up my sleeve is polenta. Using just one ingredient (well, okay, one main ingredient plus seasoning), I can create several dishes: grits, and polenta prepared many ways. Today, I made polenta tots. They're bite-size bits of polenta, baked until crispy on the outside and soft in the middle, golden in color and resembling tater tots. Here's how I do it:

Polenta Tots

What You Need:

• 2 cups uncooked polenta (also called grits)
• 6 cups water
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp minced parsley

How it's Done:

1. Combine everything in a tall-sided saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and maintain a simmer, stirring constantly, until your arm is about to fall off. Then, switch hands and do it some more.
2. No really -- cook and stir about 20 to 30 minutes or until the polenta is pretty much a solid mass that takes a long while to fall back into place after you run a spoon through it.
3. Line a 9x11" baking dish with parchment or foil. Spread polenta in the dish. Cover and refrigerate several hours, or overnight.
4. Remove polenta from the pan. Cut into desired shapes. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Flip over and bake another 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with more sea salt when they come out, if you want.
5. Serve with pizza sauce.

Fond Memories of Food and Family

Day 110.

The first cookbook ever given to me was Kids Cooking for Kids. I still have it, with all of my own notes and recipe written in my own penmanship.

Every time I look through the cookbook, it brings a smile to my face. Now, my own children look through it and choose recipes to try on their own.

My breakfast "recipes" from childhood

One of the very first recipes I made by myself. From Kids Cooking for Kids.

The two leading influences on my love of cooking are my mother and my grandmother.  Growing up, I was always served fresh, wholesome, cooked from scratch meals by my mother. We'd have garden-fresh vegetables, backyard-raised beef, homemade breads, and homemade desserts. Thanksgivings were mostly spent at my grandmother's house, where a feast would await us. Grammy spent weeks preparing for Thanksgiving, and would be up cooking and cleaning all night before the big day. But it never showed. She was always so loving and fun to be around.

For many years, the Army kept us away from Grammy's at Thanksgiving. This year, however, my family and I got to visit for Thanksgiving and my own children got to experience their very first Grammy Thanksgiving. Now, it wasn't the feast of Thanksgivings past... it was smaller, and partially catered. But a few favorite dishes graced us with their presence, and just being at Grammy's made it special.

One side dish that Grammy makes is turnips & carrots. It's very simple to do, but it's so delicious. Only five of us like it: My Grammy, my mother, my two children, and me. Maybe we can add you to that list.

Turnips & Carrots

What You Need:

• 3 turnips, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 lb carrots, peeled and cut up
• 1/4 cup butter
• splash of milk
• salt to taste

How it's Done:

1. Boil turnips and carrots together until soft, about 20 to 30 minutes, then drain.
2. Move to a mixing bowl and add milk, salt, and butter. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.

This Won't Convert the Broccoli Haters in Your Life

Day 81.

Today, my baby learned to ride without training wheels. I ran outside and snapped about a hundred pictures of her tottering along on two wheels. All the while, images flashed through my mind of scraped elbows and battered hands. But she did it. She rode without training wheels today. I am so proud of her.

But each time she reaches a milestone, a part of me wants to cry, "No! Stay little!" She's my baby. When she lost her first tooth, I cried. I didn't let her see me, and I certainly did not break down into hysterics, but I shed a few tears. When she started first grade this year, I spent the first couple of hours of her school day at Starbucks. Not really treating myself. You see, Starbucks is directly across from the school. I sat on the porch with a friend, and we drank coffee and looked at the school. Then, I went home, and sat in the back yard and looked at the school. I missed her. (for the record, these days, I'm okay with her going to school, and I go about my daily business without pining for her in the back yard, although I know when her P.E. class and recess times are, and I listen to the kids squealing outside during those times.)

I'm very proud of all of her accomplishments. She's in the gifted program. She's spelling third grade words with no effort. She's about to take part in a musical production about ancient Rome. She's on the soccer team. She's a terrific kid. And she's growing up. And that's bittersweet.

But she'll always be my baby...



...who doesn't like broccoli.

Your broccoli haters probably won't like this dish, either. But if broccoli's your thing (and it's definitely my thing), you'll love this dish. The broccoli emerges tasting sweet.

Baked Broccoli

Ingredients:

• 1 lb broccoli florets
• 1 Tbsp melted butter
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

How it's Done:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Steam broccoli as usual.
3. Toss with melted butter and bread crumbs. Spread in an 8x8" square baking dish. Top with cheese.
4. Drizzle oil over top.
5. Bake 30 minutes.

Give Your Slow Cooker a Chance to Impress You

Day 69.

Do you use a slow cooker?

Do you use a slow cooker for anything other than a hunk of meat and some hardy vegetables?

I love my two slow cookers, and long for two more. I'd like to have one large slow cooker that's company presentable. My two slow cookers are food stained and old, chipped and yellowed with age, but work perfectly. I'd also like to have one of those tiny slow cookers that are perfect for a small side dish or appetizer.

When my husband was in Egypt on his first overseas mission, I mailed him a Lil Dipper, some Velveeta, a can of Rotel, a can opener, a plastic mixing bowl, a spoon, and a brown bag of Mission tortilla chips. It was his favorite care package. See? Slow cookers can bring happiness. :o)

Your slow cooker is a wonderland of cooking capability. You can use it to make almost anything. You can make a main dish: soup, stew, pot roast, of course, pot pie, casserole, beans. You can also use it to make breakfast for you while you sleep, and dessert while you go about your day. Your slow cooker can even be used as a room freshener, to make your house smell lovely.

For now, let's tackle something many people find challenging: dried beans.

I remember when I was 20 years old, and my husband was 21, far too young to have a toddler, but we did. We qualified for WIC back then, and they would allow me to purchase certain food items: ready-to-eat cereal, milk, Juicy Juice, cheese, eggs, and dried beans. I would always give those beans away. I didn't know how to cook them and didn't care to try. Dried beans? Ick! Probably they tasted as bad as dried milk! No, thank you! I'll pass. I told you I was too young.

I don't remember when I decided to give dried beans a chance, but I'm so glad I did. I still use canned beans frequently, because they're so quick. Relatively speaking, canned beans are economical, too, at under $1 per can. However, I can generate three to four cans' worth of beans with one pound of dried beans. Dried pinto beans cost me 99 cents per pound. If I buy them in bulk in the produce department, they cost me even less.

For me, saving money is my full-time job. I can save 66% or more by purchasing dried beans. The energy used to cook them is negligible in the big picture. They're boiled for ten minutes, then slow cooked all day. Slow Cookers are very energy efficient.

If you haven't tried dried beans yet, I encourage you to do so soon. Here's the simplest recipe I know.

Slow Cooker Pinto Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 lb dried pinto beans, sorted and rinsed
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• at serving time only: salt and pepper to taste, optional hot sauce, cheese, taco sauce, or sour cream

How it's Done:

1. Put a kettle of water on to boil.
2. Pick through the beans. Sometimes the machinery used to harvest them also harvests small pebbles. Remove any funny-looking beans that are cracked, broken, shriveled up, or otherwise unappealing. Rinse the good beans in a collander.
3. Put the beans in a pot. When the kettle of water is boiling, pour it over the beans. Bring the beans to a boil on high heat. Boil at a full, rolling boil for ten minutes.
4. Pour beans and boiling water into the crock of a large slow cooker.
5. IF YOU WILL BE GONE ALL DAY, add the onion and garlic now. IF YOU WILL BE HOME, add the onion and garlic in FOUR HOURS. Cover and cook on low all day long. The beans will take from 8 to 10 hours to cook, so get them started first thing in the morning.

I recommend serving your beans with a side of rice. It's said that beans and rice together form a perfect protein. Here's a delicious side dish to go along with your beans and rice:

Slow Cooker Triple Cornbread
(yes, you can bake bread in your slow cooker)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 11 oz can of corn
• 14 3/4 oz can of creamed corn
• 2 Tbsp sour cream
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1/4 cup finely minced onion
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 Tbsp baking powder

How it's Done:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. Grease the crock of a large slow cooker.
3. Pour batter into crock. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours, then uncover, turn off the heat, and let it sit for 15 minutes before removing from the crock. You should be able to flip the crock over onto a plate and the whole loaf should slide right out without any trouble.

For more slow cooker recipes, visit Dining with Debbie each Wednesday.

Southern Cookin' Sundays #1

Day 66.

 

Today's the first of four Sundays in March that I will use to feature full, traditional Southern cuisine. This is not diet food. In fact, your arteries may narrow a little just reading this entry. But your belly will be very pleased with your culinary selections if you choose to replicate my menu. And your house will smell very nice. It'll smell so nice that you'll wish you could bottle the scent. And you'll open your windows to let in some cool air and your neighbors will smell the yummy scents and you might find yourself with some company this evening.

 

Oh, and by the way: If you make this menu for just your family, you should have leftovers to last several days. Cook once, eat lots.

 

Southern Cookin' Sunday #1

 

On today's menu:

• Barbecue Pork Ribs
• Cole Slaw
• Potato Salad
• Baked Beans
• Hushpuppies (cheated with a mix)
• Peach Pie with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
• Sweet Tea

Invite a few friends to join you for supper. You'll have more than enough.

 

Step-by-Step Directions (individual recipes follow):

 

THE NIGHT BEFORE (I began preparing at 7:00 p.m. and went to bed at 10:00 p.m.):

1. In a bowl, place 4 to 5 cups of shredded cabbage, carrots, and raddicchio.
2. In a separate bowl, combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 Tbsp vinegar, 1/2 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp celery seed, and 2 Tbsp milk. Whisk well. Pour over cabbage.
3. Stir cabbage to coat completely. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
4. Peel and quarter 3 pounds of Yukon Gold (or other waxy type) Potatoes. Place them in a large pot and cover with cool water.
5. Bring to a boil and continue boiling about 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Don't overcook them or you'll end up with grainy mush.
6. Drain potatoes and move to a large bowl. Let them cool.
7. Meanwhile, cook 1/2 lb bacon to crispy and drain on paper towels. Hard-cook three large eggs and let them cool. Peel and roughly chop the eggs. Crumble the bacon.
8. In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp celery seed, 1 tsp paprika, 2 tsp yellow mustard, 1 Tbsp relish, 1/2 cup finely minced white onion, 1 tsp sea salt, and 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper.
9. Pour dressing over potatoes. Add eggs and potatoes. Toss gently to coat. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
10. Pick through and sort 1 lb dried pinto beans. Place in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Boil at a hard boil for ten full minutes. Transfer beans and water to a large slow cooker. Make sure the water is at least double the depth of the beans. I prefer to play it safe and triple the water. Cover and cook on low overnight (at least 8 hours, but up to 12).
11. In a saucepan, combine 2 cups whipping cream and 1 cup milk, 1 vanilla bean (scraped, seeds added to cream, add pod, too), and 1 cup of sugar. Bring to a slight simmer. Remove from heat and put in an air-tight container. Refrigerate overnight.
12. Take a bath, read a book, watch a movie, or do whatever it is you do to relax. You've worked hard! Your efforts will pay off tomorrow.

THE MORNING OF YOUR SOUTHERN COOKIN' DAY:

 (I began at 9:00 a.m., took a break from 10 to 11:00 a.m., and worked hands-on until 2:00 p.m. Then, it was occasional stirring and flipping until another 30 minute bout of hands-on work from 5:30 till 6:00)

1. Drain your beans. Reserve 4 cups of beans for your baked beans. Bag up the rest and freeze them in 2 cup portions for later use. These can be used in any recipe calling for canned beans. 
2. Remove the vanilla bean hull from your custard. Process in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. Look for the custard to double in size. Move to an air-tight container and place in the freezer. 
3. Next, it's time to make some peach pie. Roll out two pie crusts. Position one in a 9" deep dish pie plate. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Brush the pie crust with a beaten egg.
4. Place 4 cups of sliced peaches (I used frozen ones) in a collander. Drizzle 1 Tbsp lime juice over the peaches. Let them sit in the collander for about 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine 1 1/4 cups sugar, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon. Mix well. Pour peaches into mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, then stir to cover with the sugar & flour mixture.
6. Pour the peaches into the pie crust.
7. Dot with 2 Tbsp cut up butter.
8. Cover with the second pie crust. Make vents in the top.
9. Position your pie plate over a large cookie sheet in case of spilling in the oven.
10. Bake 40 to 55 minutes, until golden brown.
11. Let the pie cool a full 2 hours before cutting it. This allows the filling to set. Serve with your homemade vanilla ice cream. But first, on to the sweet tea, then the ribs and beans.
12. Make some sweet tea. It needs time to cool, so make it now. Bring a quart of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add 8 tea bags. Let it stand for 10 minutes.
13. Pour 1 1/2 cups of sugar into a 2 quart pitcher.
14. Remove tea bags from water and throw the tea bags away. Pour the tea into the pitcher and stir until the sugar is all dissolved. Add enough ice to fill the pitcher, stirring to melt most of it. Set it in the fridge until dinner is ready.
15. Prepare the dry rub ingredients for your barbecue ribs. In a ziploc bag, combine 3 Tbsp paprika, 2 tsp each red, black, and white pepper, 2 tsp onion salt, and 2 tsp garlic powder.  Close bag securely and shake to mix ingredients. Rub on both sides of 2 racks of ribs and let them stand for 1/2 an hour.
16. If you want to eat at 6:00 p.m., your ribs need to go in the oven at 1:15 or so. Set the oven to 275 degrees and put your ribs in. Bake 2 hours.
17. Meanwhile, start your barbecue sauce. In a large saucepan, combine 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp chili powder, 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp sea salt, 3 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp black pepper, 4 cloves of garlic, minced, 2 cups of ketchup, 1 1/2 cups white vinegar (I've been known to use rice vinegar with fantastic results), 1/2 cup dry white wine, 2 cups of water, a large onion, diced, 1/3 cup molasses, and 1/4 cup honey. Whisk well, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
18. After the ribs have been cooking for an hour, put together your baked beans. Fry 6 slices of bacon crispy and let them drain on paper towels. When they're cool enough to handle, crumble them. In a mixing bowl, combine bacon, the beans you reserved from earlier in the day, a chopped up onion, 1 clove minced garlic, 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup honey, and 1/2 cup molasses. Put them in the oven with the ribs and let them cook for the rest of the time the ribs cook (just over 2 1/4 more hours).
19. When the ribs have cooked 2 hours, flip them over and cook another 2 hours.
20. With 15 minutes left on the ribs, prepare your hushpuppies. I cheated and used a mix that only required water. I wish I'd gone ahead and made them from scratch. Make your balls and set them aside. Preheat your oil to 375 degrees.
21. Now it's time to brush the ribs with barbecue sauce. Pull them out of the oven and coat them with sauce. Put them back in the oven for an additional 20 minutes. Remove the lid from the baked beans and let them continue to cook.

22. Fry the hushpuppies. Drain on paper towels.
23. Your dinner is ready to serve. Go stuff yourself silly.

Here are the individual recipes in case you don't want to make a full, traditional Southern menu.


Oven Barbecued Pork Ribs
makes 2 racks

Ingredients:

• 2 racks (2.5 lb each) pork ribs
• dry rub (recipe follows)
• barbecue sauce (recipe follows)

How it's Done:

1. Rub both sides of the racks of ribs with the dry spice rub.
2. Let stand at room temperature for 1/2 an hour. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
3. Cook 2 hours. Flip racks over. Cook another 2 hours.
4. Brush barbecue sauce on both sides. Cook another 20 minutes.
5. Serve with additional barbecue sauce on the side.

Dry Rub for Ribs:

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp each black, white, and red pepper
• 2 tsp onion salt (or 2 tsp onion powder and 1 tsp sea salt)
• 2 tsp garlic powder

How it's Done:

1. Combine all ingredients in a ziploc bag. Close bag securely and shake to mix. HINT: Double or triple this recipe and store it in your pantry for a quick BBQ rub for any meat!
2. Rub on both sides of ribs.

Barbecue Sauce that'll stop you from buying that bottled junk
Makes 4 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp sea salt
• 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp black pepper
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1 1/2 cups white vinegar (though I prefer rice vinegar for flavor)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups water
• large onion (I recommend vidalia), diced
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup honey

How it's Done:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Use a whisk to blend them well.

2. Bring to a full, rolling boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Can be stored in the refrigerator for later use.

Cole Slaw
Ingredients:

• 4 to 5 cups shredded cabbage (can add carrots and raddicchio for variety -- I save the raddicchio from bagged salad for this purpose)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp vinegar
• 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp celery seed
• 2 Tbsp milk

How it's Done:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, celery seed, and milk.
2. Toss with shredded veggies in a large bowl.
3. Cover and refrigerate several hours, or overnight for best results.

Southern Style Potato Salad

Ingredients:

• 3 lb Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 3 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, rinsed, and chopped
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp celery seed
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp yellow mustard
• 1 Tbsp relish
• 1/2 cup finely minced white onion
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

How it's Done:

1. Peel and quarter potatoes. Place in large pot and cover with cool water. Bring to a boil. Continue boiling 20 minutes. Drain potatoes and set them in a large mixing bowl. Allow them to cool.
2. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Pour over potatoes. Toss gently to combine.
3. Cover tightly and refrigerate several hours or overnight for best taste.

Baked Beans

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked pinto beans
• 6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup molasses

How it's Done:

1. Combine all ingredients in a 2 quart casserole.
2. Cover and bake at 275 degrees for 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Peach Pie

Ingredients:

• pastry for a double crust pie
• 1 beaten egg
• 4 cups of sliced peaches (I used two bags of frozen sliced peaches)
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp butter

How it's Done:

1. Roll out the bottom crust and position in a 9" deep dish pie crust.
2. Brush bottom crust with a beaten egg.
3. Partially thaw peaches if frozen. Place in collander and drizzle with lime juice.
4. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and ginger. Toss with peaches.

5. Pile the peaches high in the crust, mounding in the middle.
6. Drizzle with vanilla extract and dot with butter.
7. Position top crust over filling and pinch seams closed. Vent the crust.
8. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 to 55 minutes. Watch crust for burning. Cover with aluminum foil if the crust browns too quickly.

Simple Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod and all

• 1 cup sugar

How it's Done:

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.
2. Heat to barely a simmer, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
3. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.
4. Remove vanilla pod.

5. Process in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.
6. Return to airtight container and freeze until firm, at least two hours.

*You can rinse off the vanilla pod and set it aside to dry. When it's dried and brittle, process it with sugar for a wonderful vanilla sugar.

Sweet Tea
makes 2 quarts

Ingredients:

• 1 quart water
• 8 tea bags
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• enough ice cubs to fill the pitcher

How it's Done:

1. Bring 1 quart water to a boil.
2. Remove from heat and add 8 tea bags.
3. Let tea steep for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, pour 1 1/2 cups sugar into a pitcher.
5. Remove tea bags from water. Pour water into pitcher. Stir until all the sugar is dissolved.
6. Add enough ice cubes to fill the pitcher all the way.
7. Refrigerate.