Hamburger Cheese Biscuit Ring

This is a recipe from the early 1960's. It is one that my mother often made after a long day of taking care of her family. This meal goes together quickly, so you don't have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. If you want to save even more time, use the premade biscuits in a can.

Ingredients

2 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 (10 1/2 ox.) can condense cream of celery soup
1/2 c. tomato soup
3/4 c. beef bouillon
1/4 c. ketchup
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 c. sliced stuffed olives
salt and pepper to taste

Cheese Biscuits

1/4 c. shortening
1/3 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
2 c. biscuit mix
2/3 c. milk

Directions

In a large cast iron skillet, brown ground beef and onions.  Drain off excess fat.

Mix in condensed cream of celery soup, tomato soup, beef bouillon, ketchup, chili powder, and red pepper flakes.  Bring to a simmer and cook until it is slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn the heat to low while you prepare the cheese biscuits. 

Preheat oven to 425°. Grease a baking sheet.

Cut in shortening and cheese into biscuit mix. 

Add milk.  Stir with a fork to make a soft dough, beating for 15 strokes. Do not over mix or the biscuits will be tough. 

Drop dough by tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes 12 large biscuits.

To serve, spoon meat into the center of a platter and surround with hot Cheese Biscuits. Garnish with sliced stuffed olives.

No Bake Butterscotchies

This is a simple and easy recipe to make no bake cookies.  It only takes about 10 minutes to whip up a batch of these cookies, and they disappear almost as fast.

Ingredients

1/2 c. evaporated milk
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 Tbs. butter
1 (6 oz.) pkg. butterscotch morsels
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. crisp ready to eat cereal
1 1/4 c. flaked coconut
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Directions

 Line your counter or cookie sheets with waxed paper. You will need this done before you start to cook, because the mixture hardens rather quick.  

Combine the evaporated milk, brown sugar and butter in a 2-quart saucepan.  Stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Continue to boil, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add the butterscotch morsels, and vanilla.  Stir until the butterscotch morsels melt, and the mixture is smooth.

Stir in cereal, coconut, and walnuts.  Mix thoroughly.

Working quickly at this stage, drop spoonfuls of the cookie dough onto waxed paper. The cookies will start hardening pretty fast at this point. Set them in a location where it is cool, so they will set up sooner. Enjoy.

Pork Scallopini With Mushrooms

This dish may sound difficult to make, it is super easy. In a short amount of time, you can have supper done and on the table! It tastes as good and even better than what you can get from a restaurant. It is comfort food that you can enjoy anytime.

Ingredients

3 to 4 Lbs. pork tenderloins cut into 1-inch slices
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 c. flour or 3/4 c. breadcrumbs and 2/3 c. flour
2 Tbs. Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 c. cooking oil
1/4 c. butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1 lb. fresh mushrooms or canned mushrooms, drained
hot cooked fettuccine, rice or mashed potatoes

Directions

Season each side of the pork tenderloin with salt and pepper to taste.

In a shallow dish, combine flour, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper. 

In another dish, combine buttermilk and egg together. 

Dip the pork tenderloin into the buttermilk mixture.  Allow the excess to drip off. Then dredge the pork tenderloin in the flour mixture. Set aside on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper, so the flour adheres better when you begin cooking them. 

In a large cast iron skillet, heat cooking oil and butter over medium high heat. Add pork tenderloins, being careful to not over-crowd the skillet.  You may need to work in batches, depending on how large the skillet is. Brown the pork tenderloin on both sides. Place the pork tenderloins on a platter and cover with a sheet of foil to keep them warm. Repeat the process of frying the pork tenderloins until they are all browned. 

Add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Sauté until the onion is translucent. 

Add chicken broth, thyme, oregano, and rosemary. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release the browned bits because that is where all the flavor is. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in heavy cream and cook for another 3 minutes.

Mix cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water.  Turn the heat up to high. Whisking continuously, pour the cornstarch and water into the skillet.  Cook and stir until the sauce thickens.

Return the pork tenderloin to the skillet. Spoon some sauce over the top of the meat. 

Cover and cook on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pork is done. It should be at least 145° when a meat thermometer is inserted into the center of the pork. 

Place the pork tenderloin over a bed of hot, cooked fettuccine,  rice or mashed potatoes.  Pour the sauce over the top.  Serve and enjoy.

Easy No Cook Brine Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

 

This is the easiest bread and butter pickle recipe ever!  Simply mix up the brine and pour over the sliced cucumbers.  No cooking involved. 

Ingredients

7 c. cucumbers, sliced thin (peeling them is optional)
2 Tbs. pickling salt
2 sweet bell peppers, thinly sliced into strips
1 large onion, thinly sliced into half rings
2 c. sugar
1 c. vinegar
1 tsp. celery seed
1 Tbs. mustard seed
1 1/2 Tbs. pickling spice homemade or bought from the store

Directions

Place sliced cucumbers in a large glass or plastic bowl. We use an ice cream bucket to hold our bread and butter pickles.

Sprinkle salt over the cucumbers and place them in the refrigerator for about an hour.  While the cucumbers are in the refrigerator, make the brine.

Combine sugar, vinegar, celery seed, mustard seed and pickling spice in a bowl.  Stir to combine.

Remove cucumbers from the refrigerator. Drain the cucumber juice off.  Rinse under cold water and then drain again.

Add the sweet bell pepper, and onion to the cucumbers. Stir or toss to combine. 

Pour the brine over the cucumbers.  Mix well.

Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 2 days for better flavor.  Stir occasionally.    

Give the cucumbers a little stir to make sure they are covered with the brine.  Then serve and enjoy!  Keep the bread and butter pickles in the refrigerator.

Creamy Mushroom Chicken

You can use whole pieces of chicken or chicken breast pounded to an even thickness.  Even strips of chicken will work great for this dish.

Ingredients

6 to 8 pieces of chicken
3 Tbs. oil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
2 (4 oz.) cans mushrooms, drained or 3/4 c. sliced mushrooms
3 Tbs. butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs. flour
1 c. chicken broth or 1 c. hot water and 1 chicken bouillon cube
1 c. heavy cream or half and half
2/3 c. Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°

Place chicken in a large bowl. Sprinkle garlic powder, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper over the chicken.  Toss to coat the pieces of chicken evenly. 

In a large cast iron skillet, fry the chicken on both sides until browned, over medium heat. This takes about 2 to 4 minutes on each side. 

Remove chicken to a plate or a casserole dish.  Cover with a lid or a sheet of foil to keep the chicken warm.

Melt the butter in the skillet that you just cooked the chicken in.  Add the mushrooms, and minced garlic cloves. Stirring constantly, cook 3 to 4 minutes. 

Sprinkle the flour into the pan, whisking to combine.

Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream, whisking constantly until there are no clumps of flour.

Add the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and cover with a lid or foil. Or return the chicken to the skillet if it is ovenproof and cover it with a lid or sheet of foil. 

Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken tests done with a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should read 165° when inserted into the thickest part of the meat.

Serve and enjoy.  You may add more Parmesan cheese over the top. This dish is great with creamy mashed potatoes.  You don't have to make these potatoes ahead of time.

Steak Seasoning

Making your own seasoning is a great way to have seasonings made to the way that you like best. This recipe calls for paprika, but you can use smoked paprika. It will give your food a hint of smokey flavor.

Ingredients

2 Tbs. black pepper or whole peppercorns
2 Tbs. paprika
2 Tbs. sea salt
2 Tbs. dried parsley flakes
1 Tbs. granulated garlic or garlic powder
1 Tbs. granulated onion or onion powder
1 Tbs. dill seeds
1 Tbs. coriander
1 Tbs. cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)
1 Tbs. dried red bell pepper
2 tsp. mustard seeds
2 tsp. caraway seeds

Directions

 Combine black pepper, paprika, sea salt, granulated garlic, onion powder, dill seeds, coriander, cayenne pepper, red bell pepper, mustard seeds and caraway seeds in the bowl of a mortar and pestle. You can also use a spice grinder or food processor. Another way to break down the hard spice seeds is to place the spices in a heavy closable bag and crush them with a rolling pin, or wooden mallet.

Process until the spices until they are the consistency that you like best.

Pour this into a container that has a tight-fitting lid or use a sealable plastic bag.  

Shake the contents thoroughly to combine. Use to season steak, chicken, pork, potatoes, and vegetables.

Easy Delicious Cornbread

There are several ways to make this cornbread to suit your tastes.  You can add more sugar if you like a sweeter cornbread or less sugar if you don't like it as sweet.  Increase the cornmeal to 2 cups for a more cornmeal taste and decrease the flour to 1 1/2 cups.

This bread is great on its own, or with chili soup or any soup.

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. cornmeal
2 1/2 c. milk or use half milk and half heavy cream or buttermilk
2 c. flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/3 to 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/3 to 1/2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. vegetable oil

Optional ingredients

1 can diced jalapenos, drained and diced
shredded cheddar cheese
1 can Mexicorn, drained

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, or melt 1/4 c. butter in the bottom of the pan for a delicious butter flavor. You can also use a large cast iron skillet instead. 

In a small bowl, combine cornmeal and milk together.  Leave stand for 10 to 15 minutes.  Whisk the mixture occasionally during that time. If you skip this step, your cornbread will be very dense or doughy in the middle, and this is not the way you want your cornbread to turn out.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Mix in the cornmeal mixture, eggs, vanilla, and oil.  Beat for 5 minutes on low speed. 

Pour batter into prepared pan. 

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean. Serve with some honey butter spread.