Tag Archives: easy recipes

Sangria Punch for dVerse Poets

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Sangria Punch

Take strawberries, about a cup.
Disinfect, then slice them up.
If you are a liquor lover,
pour tequila in to cover.
Overnight, just let them stew,
then add sangria to the brew
and add fresh orange juice to it
and 7up, more than a bit.

Then slice more strawberries to freeze
and add as many as you please
to pretty glasses picked for show
and put them neatly, row on row
upon the freezer shelf to chill,
ready for your guests to fill
with fresh sangria punch to kill!

For dVerse Poets Quatrain “Punch” Quatrain prompt. Recipe below in non-quatrain form.

1 or 2 cups sliced strawberries and peaches, too, if you wish
2 or 2 cups tequila to cover well
Soak overnight in tall glass pitcher. In the morning, add
1 quart Kirkland Sangria, 1/2 quart fresh orange juice.
When ready to serve, add 1/2 quart 7up, mix and pour over
frozen strawberries places in glasses in freezer to chill.
Adjust for tastes. I do every time. Amounts are approximate.
Store covered in fridge. It improves in flavor as it sits.


HERE is the original dVerse prompt.

Wiling away the Time: Microwave Cup Cakes

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Reading Nigella’s recipe for lockdown cookies (cookies made with the ingredients you happen to have on hand since the lockdown) I was prompted to give you this recipe for last-minute Microwave Chocolate Cup (literally) Cakes.

I spent a week cooking every day and storing it all away in the freezer at the beginning of my sequestering and now I’m too lazy to do much except write, organize drawers and cupboards and swing in the hammock with Morrie, but when I have a yen for chocolate, I do have this easy recipe for chocolate cake cooked in the microwave in a cup!

1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup white sugar
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1/8 teaspoon soda
1/8 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon water
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Mix well in a coffee cup and microwave on high for 1 minute, 45 seconds. (I always cook it longer–2 minutes or more depending on your microwave. I also always wish I had chocolate chips and walnuts to add but never do.) Better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Shared Secrets of the Perfect Hamburger

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Forgottenman, the bachelor chef extraordinaire, has shared his hamburger secrets which I want to reblog. Go HERE to learn the secret of his success.

How Spreading Fake News about Haile Selassie led Me to Ramar’s Incredible Green Chile Enchiladas

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Oops.. I’m far away from home and find I don’t have the photo  of Haile Selassie and me in my computer’s photo album, so I’ll just use the single photo of him above and describe the one I wanted to use. In the photo, I am standing next to Haile Selassie with one hand on his shoulder and the other one pressed against his chest. Below is the little vignette I wrote to go with the illustration with which I was going to introduce the recipe.  Phew. I’ll run the photo when I get home. Someone remind me, please? In the meantime, I’ll team up his photo with one of Ramar’s Incredible Green Chile Enchiladas which, although it seems highly unlikely, do actually have a link to Haile Selassie. Intrigued? I’ll explain.

Spreading Fake News about Haile Selassie

When I was en route to Ethiopia the second time, this time flying back after a visit to my parents in the states, I stopped off in London to see my friend Deirdre, who’d been my roomie in Australia as well as my 5 month traveling companion between Australia and Ethiopia a few months before. While in London, we went to Madame Tussaud’s where she took a photo of me with Haile Selassie’s wax effigy. (photo unavailable but upcoming.)

A year and a half later when I moved back to the states, a reporter from the Cheyenne, Wyoming newspaper came to interview me about my adventures in the year leading up to and during the beginning of the revolution in Ethiopia.  As she looked through my pictures to find one to go with the story, she picked up this photo and asked where it was taken.  I told her Madame Tussaud’s and she asked if she could take it to run along with the story. 

The next day, she called me back and said that her editor had requested that she once again ask where the picture of me with Haile Selassie had been taken.  When I told her, she asked me just who this Madame Tussaud was and when I said that it was the name of a famous wax museum, she let out a long breath, “Oh, I thought it really was you and Haile Selassie.”  When I asked if she hadn’t questioned why I’d have my arm around him and my hand on his chest, she said, ‘Yeah, that’s what we were wondering about.” And that’s how I avoided spreading fake news about Haile Selassie and me.  

And this is the long way around explaining where I got this wonderful recipe. That reporter, Ramar Gorby, ended up becoming a good friend and it was she who first made this recipe and shared it with me.

To read recipe and see illustrations in a larger format,
Click on first photo and arrows.

 

12 scallions, cleaned and sliced into small slices, white and green parts both used. (You might not use them all, depending on your preference.)
1 lb. grated cheddar cheese.
2 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts with all fat removed.
Velvetize by cooking in chicken broth on top of stove. (Just the chicken. You’ll use the rest of the ingredients later.)
Combine and heat in a saucepan on stove: 1/2 cup of sour cream, 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup (if you wish, substitute cream of chicken soup for one of the cans) and one 7 oz. can of Ortega diced green chiles.
Deep fry each of the 12 flour tortillas, one at a time. When bottom side begins to get golden, flip over and fry other side. If they bubble up, press down with tongs.
We don’t want this to happen!
Remove with tongs and hold over pan to allow excess oil to drain back into pan.
and draining fried tortillas
Cook remainder of tortillas, stacking all on end to drain.
Set dishwasher to work.
Put one tortilla on plate. Arrange chicken down the middle and top with sauce.
Sprinkle scallions over meat and sauce.
Top with grated cheddar.
Fill pan with enchiladas and if you wish, put a narrow stream of sauce down the middle of enchiladas and top with scallions, grated cheddar and black olives.
You can store covered in refrigerator and heat uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes to serve later.
Or, if you want to serve them immediately, place uncovered in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and enchiladas are golden.

 

Ramar’s Incredible Green Chile Enchiladas


*12 scallions, cleaned and sliced into small slices, white and green parts both used. (You might not use them all, depending on your preference.)

1 lb.  medium or mild yellow cheddar, grated. (You probably won’t use it all.)

*2 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts with all fat removed. cut up into bite-sized pieces and velvetized in boiling chicken broth until totally white. Be sure pieces are totally white and tender.

*1 small can of diced black olives

Combine and heat in a saucepan on stove:

1/2 cup of sour cream
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup (if you wish, substitute cream of chicken soup for one of the cans)
1 can of Ortega sliced green chilis

*12 flour tortillas, deep fried in hot vegetable oil. If bubbles form, push down with tongs. When one side begins to turn golden, flip over and fry other side. When they begin to turn golden,  hold over fat with tongs to allow excess oil to drip off , then stand on end over several layers of paper towels to drain.  Blot off excess oil that collects at bottom.

Lay one tortilla on plate, spread a line of chicken down the middle.  Cover with a line of the sour cream, soup, chile mixture, then scallions and cheese.  Roll and put seam down in a large cake pan.  Repeat until all tortillas are rolled and lined up in pan. If you wish, drizzle a line of the sauce down the middle of the enchiladas and sprinkle cheese, green onions and sliced black olives on top of it.  Put in uncovered in pan in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. If more time is needed before serving, turn oven down to 150 degrees.

May be made ahead and stored covered in refrigerator. To finish, preheat the oven to 350°F, uncover the enchiladas and place in the oven while still cold and bake until the cheese is melted and the centers are warm, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Leftovers are good warmed up individually in a skillet with a little oil, turning so all sides brown.  I also like them cold. 

Enjoy. 

 

 

Rootie Tootie Margarootie Recipe

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Just discovered I’ve never actually put up the promised recipe for a Rootie Tootie Margarootie.  Here it is, as requested by Calen Sariel:

Rootie Tootie Margarootie Recipe: I’m not sure about amounts as I do it by taste, but I’m making these for a party Sunday so I will measure:

1/2 Cup Tequila
1 to 2  Cups Squirt (Make with one cup and if it tastes too strong, add another)
1/4 Cup Raspberry liqueur (Chambord or Antigua)
1 Cup Cranberry Juice
3 cups Ice

Mix in blender until slushy. You should make in batches as if you put more than this in blender at one time, the Squirt foams up and spills over. Taste and alter amounts to your taste.

Make more batches and store in freezer for an hour or so before serving so it is really slushy.  Stir and serve.  (In your freezer might only require 1/2 hour, depending on how cold you keep it.)

If you wish, mix sugar with a smaller amount of salt, rub lime around rim of glass and dip rim of glass into the sugar/salt solution.  Carefully fill with the Rootie Tootie Margarootie which should have the consistency of a slushie.

If it isn’t delicious, start adding more of each ingredient until it tastes good to you, then send me your recipe!  Adding more cranberry juice makes it sweeter and stronger tasting. 

“Since You Asked” The Recipe for the Best Sandwich in the World

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Okay, since I’m cooking this, I can guarantee four things.

1. It will be as easy as possible.
2. It will be flavorful.
3. It will be cooked in a crock pot.
4. It will feed a party of 8, at the very least.

 

Ingredients:

4 or 5 large stalks celery 
One pork loin or tenderloin
4 or 5 scrubbed potatoes, skin on. (If you wish, you can omit the potatoes.)
4 or 5 whole scrubbed carrots with each end cut off. (If you wish, you can omit the carrots.)

1 medium-sized onion, diced
Garlic powder
Kirkland 21 herb saltless dry seasoning mix
Pepper
KC Masterpiece Kettle Cooked Barbecue Sauce

Shredded cabbage (I buy already shredded.)
Shredded carrots (I buy already shredded)
Balsamic vinaigrette
Sweet Chili Sauce (in oriental seasoning aisle)

Bolillos or other large dense rolls.  Ciabatta would work, or French rolls.

Method:

Wash and cut the ends off the celery. Place in the bottom of the crockpot to form a “rack” to cushion the bottom of the pork loin. Rub the pork loin with the garlic powder. seasoning mix and pepper and place over the celery.  Sprinkle the onions on top, reserving a few.

Place the carrots and potatoes around and on top of the meat and sprinkle the rest of the diced onion over the top.  Sprinkle with the seasoning mix, garlic and pepper.

I use a rectangular crockpot with a removable cooking receptacle.  If you are using a regular round crockpot whose receptacle can’t be put on the stovetop, there is no need to brown the meat and veggies first as is described below.  Just put everything in the crockpot on high, then reduce to medium after it is well heated.

If you have a crockpot with a removable pot that can be placed on the stove top, place lid on crockpot and put on top burner of stove . In a few minutes, when you can hear contents begin to sizzle, turn to medium and allow to cook until well heated, then place on heating unit of crock pot. Turn to medium and allow to cook until potatoes and carrots are tender and meat can be shredded with a fork.

Remove potatoes, onions and celery and place pork on a cutting board.  Shred and then cut shredded pork into into 1 to  2 inch portions. Or, slice into 1 to 2 inch slices and then shred.  Place back in crock pot covered with bottled barbecue sauce to taste.  I use KC Masterpiece Kettle Cooked Barbecue Sauce and use quite a bit as I like my barbecue zesty.

Put carrots and potatoes in the fridge to be reheated as a side dish. I add them to give moisture to the meat and because they pick up the flavor of the pork and can be used on their own as part of a different meal or to accompany the heated up pork that isn’t made into sandwiches.  Cook the meat for another hour or two until well blended, then store in refrigerator.

I think barbecue has a better flavor cold or at room temperature, so I cool it off in the fridge, but if you prefer it hot, you could make the sandwiches immediately or reheat the meat before making sandwiches.

Cut the shredded cabbage and carrots into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces and mix.  Combine balsamic vinaigrette and sweet chili sauce to taste.  I use 1/3 portion of chili sauce to 1 portion of vinaigrette.  Pour over slaw mixture and blend well so the cabbage and carrots are well-coated but not soggy.  

To make sandwiches, cut bolillos or long buns in half lengthwise and remove some of the soft interior of the top part of the bun.  Butter the inside sides of the bun and place on a warm griddle or frying pan.  Press down with something weighted to insure all surfaces touch the griddle and allow to brown.

Spread a generous portion of the barbecue pork over the bottom of the bun, top with the oriental coleslaw mixture, Put top of bun on top and enjoy.  The mixture of hot and cold, soft and crisp, sweet and vinegar is to die for.  Hope you agree.  Let me know what you think. 

 

 

Since you asked

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This sandwich, which I’ve had for three meals in the past two days is the best sandwich I’ve ever had in my life. If I get enough requests in comments, I’ll put the recipe (sort of) on my blog.  Be forewarned.  I just assemble ingredients without measuring, so I’ll tell you how I made it but you’ll have to figure out proportions by taste, like I do.

Since a few of you asked, HERE is the recipe for the above pictured barbecued pork sandwich.

This prompt asks questions relating to food.  Below are my answers:

 

The QUESTIONS:

1. Do you enjoy food from countries that are not your own? Yes.  Thai, Indonesian, Mexican, Italian, Ethiopian. 

2. When you prepare salad for yourself, do you rip your greens (lettuce, spinach, &c…), or do you cut them? Shred, then chop into inch long pieces.

3. There’s a saying that goes: “Life is short, eat dessert first.”  What do you think of that advice? Good advice as a metaphor, not literally.

4. Have you ever thrown spaghetti against the wall to test for doneness? — If it sticks, it’s done (so they say) — What other such kitchen habits might you have?Nope.  Never. Stupid advice and even if it worked, I know I’d have to clean it up so I still wouldn’t.

5. How often do you eat fish? Never ever.

6. When purchasing food for yourself, do you check the nutritional label? If so, what are you checking for? Sometimes for salt and calories.

7. How often do you eat salad as a meal? As an entire meal, once or twice a year, but I eat salad with most meals.

8. Do you have any food quirks? For example: do you arrange a particular food in a certain way before eating? Or eat certain foods in a particular way every time? (i.e.: bite the heads off of gummy bears) I love blue cheese on salads but can’t stand it in any dish that is hot. 

9. When boiling water for pasta or whatnot, what are your “tricks” for keeping the water from boiling over? I put a metal spoon or fork in the water.

10. Are there any recipes that have been passed down through the generations in your family? Have you passed them to anyone outside of your family? or are they a closely guarded secret? Scalloped potatoes, meatloaf, steamed steak, ice cream custard from my mother.  Stroganoff shepherd’s pie from my sister. 

11. In general, how do you feel about “diet” foods? Meaning: foods with artificial sweeteners or alternative fats in them. For example: Diet soda or low fat muffins. I am trying to cut back on diet sodas. I prefer them over regular ones, which I never drink.  I use nonfat lactose-free milk and nonfat soy milk. Stevia or no-calories sweeteners.

12. Have you purchased food online? What do you think about that idea? No, except for packages of Schilling/McCormich powdered chili mix or spaghetti mix which is quite expensive in Mexico.  When I’m going to the states, I will occasionally order it via Amazon.

13. When cooking for you and yours, what kinds of experiments have you tried? I often cook according to what is in the fridge. I rarely record amounts for recipes I think up..I just cook to taste.  See testimony of this in the caption under the lonche (sandwich) above.

14. Do you now, or have you ever, grown or raised any of the food you eat? When I was a little girl, I planted a garden. I can’t remember what was in it, though.

15. Are you a vegetarian? If not, has the idea of becoming one ever crossed your mind? No. No.

16. When arranging the food on your plate, does everything have to be separated, or is it okay for your food to touch? Okay to touch.

17. When eating out, what foods on the menu might push you out of your comfort zone? (for example: pineapple on pizza makes some people twitch) I agree.  No pineapple or fresh tomatoes or mushrooms on pizza. No tomatoes on salads. NO FISH or organ meats. 

18. Do you have a sweet tooth? If so, what kinds of foods generally satisfy the craving? Ice cream!!!!! Chocolate.

19. What foods (if any) do you like to mix that other people might find strange? Potato chips with ketchup and cottage cheese. 

20. When eating out, at what kind of restaurant do you prefer to dine? Mexican or Italian, fast food or Thai.

21. In general, how do you feel about organic food? Good idea but I don’t go out of my way to look for it.

22. What foods (if any) do you eat when you are happy or unhappy? Ice Cream. Potato Chips. Chocolate

Easy Peasy Crockpot Upside Down Lasagna Recipe

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Easy Peasy Crockpot Upside Down Lasagna Recipe Continue reading →