Vegan Bacon Seasoning Salt

If you love the taste of bacon, but don't want to use actual bacon, then this seasoning mix would work perfect. You can add this seasoning blend to so many dishes like rice, French fries, vegetable dishes, or any dish that you want a bit of bacon flavor.

Ingredients

1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. hickory smoke salt
1/4 c.  smoked paprika
1/4 c. garlic powder
3 tsp.  onion powder
3 tsp. finely ground black pepper

Directions 

Combine sugar, hickory smoke salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper in a container that has a tight fitting lid.  Shake the jar to thoroughly mix the ingredients. You can use a glass jar or an empty seasoning container.

Sweet Potato Quick Bread

This is a quick and easy bread to make using sweet potatoes. The bread is moist and spicy, almost like a pumpkin bread.  Just one bite of this bread will have you wanting to eat more.

Ingredients

1 1/ c. sugar
1 1/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 c.  oil
4 eggs
2 c. sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
2/3 c. milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. raisins (optional)
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
3 1/2 c. flour
2/3 c. milk
1 c. pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans or four 5 3/4 x 3 x 2-inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl sugar, brown sugar and oil together.  Beat well. Add eggs, sweet potatoes, milk, vanilla, and raisins. Mix until well blended together. 

Add the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice. Mix thoroughly.

Add flour.  Stir only until moistened.  Gently fold in pecans if desired.

Divide the batter between the 2 prepared loaf pans.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool in the pans for 10 minutes.  Turn out and place on wire racks to cool.

You can substitute applesauce in place of the oil.  Just add 5 to 8 minutes baking time. 

Beef Cubes and Rice

This hearty meal of tender beef chunks, rice, and mushrooms goes together quick and is full of flavor.

Instead of buying beef stew meat, buy a roast and cut it up yourself.  You can save money that way and have the meat pieces the size that you want.

Ingredients

3 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. butter
2 lbs. beef roast, cut into bite size pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. cumin
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. flour
5 1/2 c. beef broth
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 (6 oz.) packages long grain and wild rice mix
1 (8 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained

 Directions

In a heavy cast iron skillet or cast iron Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter together over medium heat. 

Season the beef cubes with salt and pepper, Italian seasoning and cumin.

Place the flour in a shallow bowl or pan.  Dredge the seasoned beef pieces in the flour.  

Brown the beef in the hot oil and butter, stirring and turning often, so all sides are browned.

Add onions, bell pepper and garlic.  Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to keep them from burning.

 Pour the beef broth into the pot, scraping the bottom of the skillet or Dutch oven to remove the flavorful browned bits stuck on the bottom. 

Add Worcestershire sauce, rice, the flavor packets found in the boxes of rice and mushrooms.  Stir until the seasoning is completely mixed in. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the beef is tender and the rice has absorbed the liquid.  This can take about 60 to 30 minutes. 

If you are working and want a meal to come home to, place the Dutch oven in the oven set at 175° or in a slow cooker set on low.  Cook for 8 hours or more. 

Serve and enjoy.

Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies are one of our favorite cookies.  Especially around Christmas time.

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. butter
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. buttermilk
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
6 c. flour

Directions

Heat oven to 350°. Grease a cookie sheet or line the cookie sheet with a silpat.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, and sugar until light and fluffy.  

Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Pour in the buttermilk and mix in well. 

Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, and flour.  Mix until smooth.

Roll the dough into balls between the palms of your hand. Place on a prepared cookie sheet about 3-inches apart. Dip the bottom of a glass in sugar.  Press the sugared bottom on the cookie top and press down, so the cookies have a flat top.  Sprinkle with sugar or colored sugar.

Bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the sides just start to turn brown.

Remove to a cooling rack and allow the cookies to cool.   Or at least try to wait that long.

Pork Chop Medallions

 This is an easy supper to make up. The gravy is so flavorful and the pork is so juicy and tender. My family loves this meal. 

Ingredients

1 Tbs. cooking oil
4 pork chops
salt and pepper
1 c. onion, chopped
1 Tbs. garlic, minced
3 Tbs. butter
1 (8 oz.) can mushrooms, drained
1/4 c. flour
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 c. beef broth or chicken broth
1 tsp. rosemary (optional)

Directions

In a cast iron skillet, add cooking oil.  Heat over medium high heat. 

Season both sides of the pork chops with salt and pepper.  

Add the pork chops to the hot skillet. Cook until the pork chops are browned, turning them over to brown both sides. This can take about 3 minutes on each sides. Remove the pork chops from the skillet and place them on a plate. Set aside.

 Melt the butter in the skillet. Add the onions, garlic, and mushrooms.  Sauté until soft.

Stir in the flour.  Cook and stir for about a minute to remove the flour taste.

Pour in the beef or chicken broth, stirring constantly to remove the flour lumps.  Scrape the bottom of the skillet to remove the flavorful bits.  Add Worcestershire sauce and season the sauce or gravy with salt and pepper.  Simmer for about 5 minutes.

Add the pork chops back into the skillet. Simmer to reduce the gravy, spooning some over the top of the pork chops. 

Serve with mashed potatoes or rice.

Fried Cabbage and Bacon

This is an old recipe, passed down through the generations. It is full of flavor and so easy to make.  Fried cabbage and bacon can be served as a side dish or as the main meal.  

Ingredients

6 slices bacon, cut into pieces
2 lbs. cabbage, cored and chopped or 1 large head
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
2 tsp. prepared mustard
2 tsp. vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large stockpot or cast iron Dutch oven skillet, fry the bacon until the fat melts and the bacon is crisp. Remove from the skillet and place on paper towels to absorb the excess fat.

Drain off all but 1 tablespoon bacon grease.  Don't throw the bacon grease away as you may need a little extra when frying the onions.

Add onion and garlic to the skillet.  Cook and stir until the onion caramelizes.  This takes about 10 minutes.

Add cabbage.  Cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally.  Cook until the cabbage wilts  begins to turn brown. This takes about 12 to 16 minutes.

Stir in the mustard, vinegar, red pepper flakes onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Notes;

Add some shredded carrot for extra color.

Add some cooked egg noodles to the dish.

For extra meat and flavor, cut up some Kielbasa and fry that along with the bacon, onions, and garlic.

Chicken Casserole

 With cooler weather,  our family likes to settle down and eat comfort food. This chicken casserole is one of our favorites to make. It is so easy to put together, especially if you have left over chicken. 

Ingredients

2 c. egg noodles, cooked
2 to 3 c. chicken, cooked and shredded
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 c. corn, frozen
1 c. whole milk
2 (10 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup
1 c. (4 oz.) cheddar cheese, shredded 
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 tsp. onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
3 c.  stuffing mix, crushed or Ritz crackers
5 Tbs. butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spray or grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine egg noodles, chicken, onion, sweet bell pepper, garlic, cream cheese, corn, milk, cream of chicken soup, cheddar cheese and bacon.  

Season with onion powder and salt and pepper to taste. Spread in prepared baking pan. 

Combine the stuffing mix with the butter.  Sprinkle over the top of the chicken mixture.

Place the baking pan in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, and the dish is heated through.

Notes

You can use canned corn. Just be sure to drain the liquid out of the can.

Ritz crackers or panko bread crumbs can be used instead of stuffing mix.

If you want to reduce some calories, use 3/4 cup French fried onions in place of the stuffing and butter.