Ginger Snaps

One of our favorite cookies to make through the year are Ginger Snaps. Spicy cookies made with molasses, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. It is a delicious combination of spices that is sure to please everyone who tries them.

Ingredients

1 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 stick butter or margarine
1 egg
1/2 c. molasses
1 Tbsp. milk
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
2 to 3 1/2  tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups all purpose flour
Granulated sugar for coating the ginger snaps

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. 

Cream together granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

Beat in egg.  Add the molasses and milk, mixing until thoroughly combined.

Add baking soda, salt, cloves, ginger and black pepper.

Gradually stir in the flour.

Roll tablespoons of dough into a ball. Roll the balls in granulated sugar and place on cookie sheets. If the dough is too sticky, place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before forming the cookie dough into balls.

Bake 7 to 9 minutes.  The tops should show signs of cracking and the cookies should still be soft when you take them out of the oven.

Add Place dry ingredients in a bowl and stir until blended. Add wet ingredients and stir until blended. Shape into a ball and wrap in wax paper. Chill 1 hour. Roll out and cut with a 2 inch cookie cutter. Sprinkle tops of cookies with sugar. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake 8 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes before transferring. Makes 2 dozen.

 French Bread

Homemade French Bread is so good, especially when served with soups or spaghetti. This is an easy recipe that doesn't take a lot of time to prepare. The longest time is waiting for the bread dough to rise.

Ingredients

1 pkg. or 1 Tbsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. sugar or honey
2 cup warm water (110°-115°)
2 Tbsp. olive or vegetable oil 
1 tsp, salt
5-6½ cups all purpose flour
Cornmeal

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water.  Allow to stand for 8 to 10 minutes to make sure the yeast is active and alive.

Beat in one cup flour using a wooden spoon. You can use a mixer with the dough hook attachment and mix for 2 minutes.

Add oil, salt and enough flour to make a stiff dough. 

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough into a greased bowl, (I use the same bowl that I mixed the dough in). Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise in a warm location until doubled in size. This can take 90 minutes to 2 hours, depending on how warm it is. 

Punch dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes.

Divide the dough in half. Roll each half out into a 9 x 13-inches rectangle. Starting at the long edge, roll the dough up, jellyroll fashion. Press out the air bubbles with your fingertips as you go. Pinch the edge to seal. Place the dough, seam side down, on a large greased baking sheet that has been dusted with cornmeal.  Cut about 5 slashes diagonally across the tops of each loaf. Or cut one long slash lengthwise down the center of the dough.

Place in a warm location and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 

Preheat oven to 375°. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown. They should sound hollow when tapped with your finger.  Makes 2 loaves.

 Stuffed Saucy Meatloaf

This meatloaf recipe is simple and easy to make. It combines four great tastes of seasoned hamburger, mashed potatoes, cheese and a spicy sweet sauce over the top.

Mashed Potatoes

1 lb. potatoes, cooked and peeled
2 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese or Cheddar cheese, or Pepper Jack
1 c. milk (more or less)

Sauce

1 c. ketchup
1 1/2 tsp. mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. onion powder
Hot sauce (optional)

Meatloaf

2 lbs. ground beef
3 large eggs, beaten
1 oz. packet dry onion soup mix
1/3 c. sauce mixture
2 c. oatmeal or breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. garlic powder

Directions

Cook potatoes in boiling water until they are done. Drain. 

Place the potatoes in a bowl and begin mashing them with a potato masher, fork or an electric mixer or beater. 

Add butter, salt, pepper, cheese, and some of the milk. Continue mashing the potatoes, gradually adding more milk until you have your potatoes the right consistency. Set aside and let cool.

Preheat the oven to 350°.

In a small bowl, prepare the sauce by combining ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and onion powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, eggs, dry onion soup mix and 1/3 cup of the sauce mixture that you just prepared.  Mix thoroughly with clean hands. until combined.  Put the meat mixture into the loaf pan and press out evenly.

Place a sheet of waxed paper on a work surface. Place the hamburger meat on the waxed paper and then pat the mixture into a rectangle, about 1/2-inch thick.

Spread the mashed potatoes over the beef in an even layer leaving 1/2-inch border around the edges.

Sprinkle the cheese over the potatoes.

Using the waxed paper to help lift the meat, roll up the meat jelly roll style, encasing the potatoes and cheese inside. Do not roll the waxed paper up with the meat and potatoes though.

Pinch the ends of the meat loaf to seal in the potatoes. Carefully place the meat roll into a large loaf pan or baking sheet.

Spread the remaining sauce mixture over the top of the meatloaf.

Place the pan in the oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 60 minutes or until completely done and the internal temperature is 1656°.

Let the meatloaf stand for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Ham Over Rice

There are days when I don't have much time to cook. On those days, I use canned soup for the cream sauce base. And if I don't happen to have any rice left over, I use Minute Rice to get the meal cooked and on the table in the least amount of time. 

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
1/2 stick butter or margarine
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. milk
4 c. cooked ham, cut into cubes or bite sized pieces
1 small carton sour cream
Pepper to taste
Rice, cooked
Cheese, sliced

Directions

In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter or margarine over medium heat. Add the onions and saute them until tender and caramelized.

Add the cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, milk and ham. Simmer until heated through.

Just before serving, stir in the sour cream.

Serve hot over rice. Place slices of cheese over the top.

 Skillet Macaroni and Beef

 One of our favorite meals is  Macaroni and Beef.  We use tomato juice that we canned from the tomatoes in the garden. But when we run out or our supply is low, we use the tomato sauce.  This is a very simple and easy meal to put together so you and your family can sit down to eat without having to wait.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
2 c. uncooked macaroni
1 onion, minced
1 sweet pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (optional)
16 oz. tomato sauce
1 c. water
1 to 1 1/2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning (optional)

Directions

In a heavy cast iron skillet, brown beef, onion, sweet pepper and hot pepper together until the ground beef is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender.

Add the macaroni.

Pour in the tomato sauce, water and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt ,pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning. I usually don't measure the Tony Chachere's seasoning. I just sprinkle some in.

Bring to a boil, then lower heat. Cover and simmer for about 25 minutes or until the macaroni is done. 

You can add some cheese with the meal as well.  We usually uses cheddar cheese or hot pepper cheese, but use the kind that you like best.

 Chicken Breast Supreme

When the weather is colder out, it is nice to put a meal in the oven to bake. It helps warm the kitchen. Plus, it warms the heart and body of those who share the meal with you.

This is our favorite go to meal. Instead of frying it low and slow on the stove top, I will often put it in the oven to bake at 175° for 8 to 9 hours. At the end of that time, you will have chicken that is falling off the bone tender.

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts
1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbs. butter 
2 Tbs. oil
1 onion, diced
1 (3 oz.) can mushrooms, undrained
1/2 c. sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Directions

Remove the bone from the chicken breast if desired. This step is optional.

In a shallow pan or plastic bag, combine flour, paprika, salt, and pepper together. Shake the chicken breasts in the flour mixture. Place them on a plate or pan. Allow them to stand for 15 to 20 minutes until a crust forms.  

Melt the butter and oil in a heavy cast iron skillet. Fry the chicken breasts over medium heat until they are golden brown on all sides. 

Combine onion, mushrooms, sour cream, and cream of mushroom soup together in a bowl. Pour over the chicken and heat until bubbling. 

Simmer covered over low heat for 45 minutes, or until chicken is tender or tests done at 165°. 

Serve on a bed of rice or with mashed potatoes.

 Blueberry Pineapple Salad

Ingredients

1 small can crushed pineapple
1 (14) oz. can blueberries
2 boxes raspberry gelatin
1/2 pt. Whipping cream whipped or 2 c. whipped cream
1 1/2 c. miniature marshmallows
1/2 c. pecans, chopped (optional)

Directions

Drain pineapple and blueberries, reserving liquid in a measuring cup.  

Add water to the reserved juice to make 4 cups.  

Heat 2 cups of the water and reserved juice until it comes to a boil. 

Add the raspberry gelatin, stirring until the gelatin is fully dissolved. 

Pour in the remaining liquid, stirring to combine.  Place in the refrigerator and leave until the gelatin is partially set. 

Gently fold in the whipped cream , fruit, marshmallows and pecans.

Place in the refrigerator and chill until firm. 

Cut into squares and place on a lettuce leaf if desired.