Recipe of the Week: Foil Pack Potatoes

I’m posting my menu & recipe a little later than usual because I wanted to give my posts that I published over the weekend a little more time at the top of the blog. And then I flipped through all my photos and just could not decide on what recipe to post for this week.

Finally I decided to go with these foil pack potatoes. Sorry that the photo’s not that great, but it is a delicious side item that you can bake in the oven or on the grill. The recipe I used called for taco seasoning, but I used chili powder and a little salt and pepper instead. But you could use any seasonings or toppings you like.

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Recipe for Foil Pack Potatoes: Ingredients:
Potatoes (1 or 2 per person)
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Chili Powder
Salt & pepper
Directions: Cut potatoes into thin slices or cubes. Place slices from one potato (or 2 small potatoes) on a piece of foil. Sprinkle with chili powder and cheddar cheese. Bring up foil sides and fold down to seal the packet Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. Serve beside your favorite dish. (Optional – Top with sour cream and other toppings when serving.)

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Tips & Suggestions:
-I actually boiled my potatoes on the stove for 10 to 15 minutes to ensure they were soft enough for our liking. But I suppose you could also bake them a little longer, and maybe add a tiny bit of water to each pack to prevent them from being too dry.
-Add other veggies to your pack like peppers, onions, carrots, or mushrooms.
-For a complete meal, add a piece of chicken or other meat to your pack.
-For a cookout, place your packets on the grill for 35 to 40 minutes.
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I’m posting a link to this post on the following sites:
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday is hosted by Blessed With Grace.
Homemaker Mondays is hosted by
11th Heaven’s Homemade Haven.
Making A Happy Home Monday is hosted by
As For Me and My House….
Kitchen Tip
Tuesdays is hosted by Tammy’s Recipes
Make Something Monday is hosted by
Go Graham Go! and Jolly Mom
Tasty Tuesday is hosted by
Forever Wherever.
I Am Blissfully Domestic is hosted by Blissfully Domestic.
Ultimate Recipe is Swap is hosted by Life as Mom.




-Jerri

Recipe of the Week: Spoon Bread


Just a reminder: If you’d like to submit a dessert for my February edition of Sweet Thursday, you have until this week to do that. You can send your stuff to: simplysweethome@hotmail.com. For more information, click here.

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This week I decided to share one of my new recipes. I tried this for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and I wasn’t exactly sure how it would turn out or how it would go over with my husband. I’m pleased to report that he liked it, even though I cooked it a little longer than I was supposed to! It’s supposed to be mushy, kind of like oatmeal or pudding, but mine was a little more solid than that. Still tasted pretty good though!

I actually tasted this for the first time when the singing group that I was in, in high school, went to Virginia. We ate at this really nice Revolutionary period resturant, and I swear it was the best meal I’ve ever eaten! We had fried chicken, mixed vegetables, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, biscuits & rolls, and of course spoon bread. (And I think we had ice cream for dessert.) Anyway, I’m sorry to say that I don’t know the name of the place, but it was fabulous!

I think I liked the chicken and mashed potatoes the best, but I was also rather impressed with the Spoon Bread; I’d never had it before, and I never would have thought I’d eat something like that, but since they put it in front of me, I tried it out. I think theirs was a little better than the stuff I made, but mine was good too, if I do say so myself! Hope you enjoy it!


Recipe for Spoon Bread

Ingredients:
1 cup cornmeal
1 tsp. salt
2 cups boiling water
1 cup cold milk
4 eggs
5 tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

Directions: Preheat oven to 425. Combine cornmeal and salt in a bowl and stir in boiling water until smooth. Let mixture stand for several minutes. Stir in milk. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg is added. Stir in melted butter. Pour batter into a 2 1/2 quart baking dish and cook for 25-30 minutes. Serve while still warm with LOTS of extra butter.


Tips & Suggestions:

-Be sure that you serve this with plenty of butter. It makes a HUGE difference in the taste.

-I’ve also heard of people serving this in a bowl and pouring a little extra milk over it. Could be good, if you’re an old fashioned kind of person…then again, it’s already an old fashioned recipe to begin with, isn’t it?

-My husband said that this reminded him of grits, and so I thought that this would be great to serve as a breakfast food. You could serve it with bacon & eggs. Or you could serve it by itself, as you would with grits or oatmeal. And I think it would be great with butter and sugar on top! Maybe a little cinnamon too!

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Please visit the following sites for more great recipes & other ideas:
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday is hosted by Blessed With Grace.
Homemaker Mondays is hosted by
11th Heaven’s Homemade Haven.
Making A Happy Home Monday is hosted by
As For Me and My House….
Kitchen Tip Tuesdays is hosted by Tammy’s Recipes
Make Something Monday is hosted by
Go Graham Go! and Jolly Mom
Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Forever Wherever.

-Jerri

Works For Me Wednesday: Bagel-Fuls

If you are looking for a new snack to serve to your kids (or to yourself, for that matter) consider trying Bagel-fuls. Bagel-fuls are one of the latest products from Kraft. A box of 4 sells for around $2, and they come in the following flavors: Original, Strawberry, Cinnamon, Chive, and Whole Grain.

I’ve personally tried the Original flavor, and I liked them very much. You can eat them straight out of the fridge, or you can warm them in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Either way, it is great for a quick snack. I totally recommend this product to anyone who’s looking to save time in the morning or anyone who rushes off to work or other appointments and is tired of eating the same old quick breakfasts.

Over the years I’ve eaten a lot Nutri-grain bars, cereal bars, and other quick/instant breakfasts both at school, at the office, and at home, and I think Bagel-fuls are really good for a change. It is true that for just a little more money you can buy a bag of 6 or 8 bagels and a container of cream cheese and just make it yourself, but for a quick, convenient, mess-free, on-the-go snack, Bagel-fuls work just fine for me.

For more WFMW, visit Rocks in My Dryer.

-Jerri

Recipe of the Week: Cinnamon Rolls

It seemed fitting to end the week with a recipe for cinnamon rolls. Cinnamon rolls are one of my husband’s favorite things to eat for breakfast or dessert, and I’m a pretty fan myself, so we definitely eat our fair share of these things. There must be a ton of recipes for cinnamon rolls out there, but I chose to share this one from BHG.

Ingredients:

4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 package fast-rising active dry yeast
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/3 cup sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Icing (see recipe below)

Directions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour and yeast. In small saucepan, combine milk, water, the 1/2 cup sugar, oil, and salt. Heat; stir over medium heat till just warm (120 degree F to 130 degree F).
2. Add milk mixture and egg yolks to dry mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl often. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
3. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that’s smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes). Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
4. Roll out dough to form a 14×12-inch rectangle. Spread with softened butter or margarine. Sprinkle with a mixture of 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon.
5. Roll up, jelly-roll style, starting from long side. Seal seam. Slice into 12 pieces. Place in greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Cover; let rise in warm place till nearly doubled (20 minutes).
6. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 20 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly; remove from pan. Frost warm rolls with Cream Cheese Icing. Serve rolls warm or cool on a wire rack. Makes 12 rolls.
Cream Cheese Icing: In a medium mixing bowl, beat one 3-oz. package cream cheese, softened; 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened; and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 tablespoon milk. Gradually add 1-1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar until icing is spreading consistency.


Recipe of the Week: Cinnamon Muffins

Here’s something a little sweet for breakfast: Cinnamon Muffins (from BHG). Whether your a parent or a kid, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But sometimes, due to lack of time, resources, or out of the force of habit, we end up having the same breakfast foods over and over. I don’t know about everyone else, but for me, even the the greatest hot breakfast in the world could get old if I had to eat it every day.

The great thing about muffins is that they come in a variety of flavors, and if you’re making them for just one or two people, an entire batch can last for two or three days. It’s also great because you can make them the night before, and then grab a couple on your way out if you’re in a hurry.

These Cinnamon Muffins are sure to please, and I think we can all agree that it’s a step up from cinnamon toast (though I love a slice of that in the morning as well).

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease twelve 2-1/2-inch muffin cups; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl stir together flour, the 1/2 cup sugar, the baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. In a small bowl beat egg with a fork; stir in milk and the 1/3 cup melted butter. Add egg mixture to flour mixture all at once. Stir just until moistened (batter will be lumpy).

3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean.

4. Meanwhile, combine the 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Cool muffins in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups. Dip muffins into the 1/4 cup melted butter, then into sugar-cinnamon mixture. Serve warm. Makes 12 muffins.

Bacon-Chive Potato Salad

What would a backyard barbecue be without potato salad? This recipe is a little different from what I’m used to. In my family recipe, the potatoes are always peeled and sliced into smaller pieces, and it includes eggs, mustard, mayo, and pickle relish. I would post it here today, but it’s one of those recipes that I don’t have exact measurements for; I just sort of throw it together, but some time I’ll try to write it down as I make it, and I’ll post it here when I do.

In the meantime, this Taste of Home recipe looks pretty good!


Ingredients:
2-1/2 pounds small red potatoes
1/2 cup real bacon bits
1/4 cup minced chives
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions: Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool. Cut into wedges; place in a serving bowl. Add bacon and chives. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper. Spoon over salad; toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Yield: 8 servings.

Recipe of the Week: Lemon Easter Bread

Happy Easter everybody! I hope you’ve all had a fun holiday weekend!

Things have been a little out of whack for me this week. I didn’t do a Menu Plan Monday post for this past week, because my mom and stepdad were in town, and we did very little eating at our house. (hence, no MPM for me) And before they got here my schedule was filled with appointments (not to metion, a little housework), and after they got here, I spent the majority of my time with them, shopping, showing them all the sites, and that sort of thing. And on top of that, I’ve been feeling sick the last few days. So with all this going on, I haven’t had much time to devote to posting.

But I’m feeling a little better today, so here’s the recipe of the week. (better late than never). I was going to do another Easter dessert for this week, maybe even something you could make using leftover Easter candies, but in my search for recipes, I ran across this bread, and I decided to post it instead. This came from Taste of Home, and though it’s called Easter bread, it sounds like a good recipe for any occasion. As I’ve previously said, I love any and all breads, and I also happen to love lemon flavored desserts, so this is definitely a good combination for me. I hope you all enjoy it!

Ingredients:
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
1 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant lemon pudding mix
3 eggs, lightly beaten
5 to 5-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions: In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, butter, pudding mix, eggs and 3 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape into loaves. Place in two greased 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Yield: 2 loaves.

Thanksgiving Recipes: Hashbrown Casserole

HASHBROWN CASSEROLE

1 lg. bag hashbrowns

1 sm. bag hash browns
1 stick melted butter
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 bag shredded Cheddar cheese
Small sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Combine all ingredients together in a 9 x 13 inch casserole. Sprinkle more Cheddar cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Thanksgiving Recipes: Green Bean Casserole

Green Bean Casserole
Prep: 10 minutesBake: 30 minutes

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup milk

1 tsp. soy sauce
Dash ground black pepper
4 cups cooked cut green beans
1 1/3 cups French’s® French Fried Onions

Directions:
MIX soup, milk, soy, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in 1 1/2-qt. casserole.
BAKE at 350°F. for 25 min. or until hot.
STIR . Sprinkle with remaining onions. Bake 5 min.

TIPS: Use 1 bag (16 to 20 oz.) frozen green beans, 2 pkg. (9 oz. each) frozen green beans, 2 cans (about 16 oz. each) green beans or about 1 1/2 lb. fresh green beans for this recipe.
For a change of pace, substitute 4 cups cooked broccoli flowerets for the green beans.
For a creative twist, stir in 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese with soup. Omit soy sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup additional Cheddar cheese when adding the remaining onions.
For a festive touch, stir in 1/4 cup chopped red pepper with soup.
For a heartier mushroom flavor, substitute Campbell’s® Condensed Golden Mushroom Soup for Cream of Mushroom Soup. Omit soy sauce. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped red pepper with green beans.