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Chemistry for the Kitchen

January 27, 2008 1 Comment

Marye at Baking Delights recently posted a link to this fun & amusing, yet rather useful chart. If you’ve ever had a chemistry class in high school or college, and you like cooking, then you should enjoy this. It takes the layout and design of the periodic table of elements, but instead of hydrogen, helium, and carbon, you’ll find things like mayonaise, jelly, and tartar sauce. And what does the chart tell you? How long the items will stay fresh, of course! Visit the links below for a good laugh, or print the chart out and keep it handy in your kitchen as a reference tool.

Table of Condiments that Periodically Go Bad – Black & White version

Table of Condiments that Periodically Go Bad – Color Version

Filed Under: random news, recipes

Recipe of the Week: Fantasy Football Meatballs

January 25, 2008 1 Comment


Here in the United States, there will be a lot of buzz about the upcoming Super Bowl next week, and many households will be holding Super Bowl parties, big and small, next Sunday. For this reason, I decided to post an appetizer for the recipe of the week. Whether eaten as a finger food or put on a sandwich, meatballs are a tasty treat for any party or gathering, and this recipe from Smuckers is no exception. And even if you’re not a football fan, you can still enjoy this great snack.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup minced onion
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil -or-
1 (16 ounce) pkg frozen prepared, bite-sized meatballs, thawed (about 32)
1 (12 ounce) jar Concord Grape Jelly
1 (12 ounce) bottle chili sauce

Directions:

1. COMBINE first eight ingredients, mixing well; shape into 36 one-inch meatballs.

2. COOK in oil over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until browned. Drain on paper towels. 3. COMBINE grape jelly and chili sauce in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring until well combined, about 3 minutes.

4. PLACE cooked or thawed meatballs in a single layer in skillet coating each meatball evenly with sauce. Cover; simmer 10 minutes stirring occasionally, until sauce is bubbly and meatballs are heated through.

5. TRANSFER glazed meatballs to a chafing dish or slow cooker. Serve with toothpicks. Makes about 32 appetizers

Filed Under: appetizers and snacks, Recipe of the Week, recipes

Recipe of the Week: Chicken & Dumplings

January 18, 2008 2 Comments


In January I love eating soups, stews, and casseroles. So it seemed like the perfect time to feature something warm and hearty for the recipe of the week. This recipe for chicken and dumplings is a little different from what I think of as tradtional, Southern chicken and dumplings, but it’s still comfort food at it’s best.

Ingredients
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups chopped potatoes
1-1/2 cups chopped parsnips
1 clove garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried sage, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 14-ounce can chicken broth
1 10-3/4-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
1. For stew, in a 4- or 5-quart slow cooker combine the carrots, potatoes, parsnips, garlic, bay leaves, sage, the 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables. In a medium bowl gradually whisk broth into soup. Pour broth mixture over the chicken.
2. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.
3. If using low-heat setting, turn slow cooker to high-heat setting. With a wooden spoon, stir stew. Remove bay leaves; discard. In a small bowl combine water and cornstarch; stir into stew until combined.
4. For dumplings, in a medium mixing bowl combine flour, cheese, cornmeal, baking powder, and the 1/4 teaspoon salt. In a small bowl combine egg, milk, and melted butter. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Stir with a fork until moistened. Use 2 spoons to drop dough directly on top of stew.
5. Cover; cook for 25 to 30 minutes more or until a toothpick inserted into a dumpling comes out clean. (Do not lift cover during cooking.) Makes 8 servings.
Prep: 25 minutes Cook: 8 to 10 hours (low), 4 to 5 hours (high); plus 25 minutes (high)

Filed Under: casseroles and quick meals, Recipe of the Week, recipes

Sweet Thursday: Mini Almond Bundt Cakes

January 17, 2008 4 Comments

Thi is a recipe I found the other day on the Martha Stewart site. Mini bundt cakes are so cute, and the icing and almond slices really add a lot to the look (and taste) of this snack. In fact it doesn’t get any easier than this to decorate a cake. I also think this would make a beautiful dessert as one large bundt cake, and it would definitely be great to serve to guests or take to a party.
Makes 6
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
6 tablespoons sliced almonds
1/3 cup coarsely chopped almonds
5 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream, or plain yogur
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter six mini Bundt pans; set aside. Spread sliced almonds out on a baking pan, and toast until golden brown. Transfer nuts to a bowl to cool.

In a medium bowl, combine chopped almonds, light-brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; set aside. In another medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine 6 tablespoons butter and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg; beat until combined. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla, and beat until smooth. Add 1/3 of reserved flour mixture and half of sour cream; beat to combine. Repeat. Add final third of flour mixture, and beat to combine.
Fill each Bundt pan with 3 tablespoons batter, and spread evenly with a small offset spatula or spoon. Sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons of reserved almond-spice mixture. Top with additional 3 tablespoons batter; the batter should come to within 1/2 inch of the rims of the pans.
Bake until cakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely. Unmold cakes. Place cakes, flat sides down, on a wire rack placed over a baking pan.
Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat until color turns nut brown, about 5 minutes. Pour butter into a medium bowl, leaving behind any dark sediment. Stir in confectioners’ sugar, remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla, and 3 tablespoons milk until smooth; add an additional tablespoon milk, if necessary, so glaze is pourable. Drizzle glaze over cakes, and sprinkle with toasted almonds. Serve.
Tip – For one large bundt, use a 10 inch bundt pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes

Filed Under: desserts, recipes, Sweet Thursday

Quick Meal – Pork Chops & Rice

January 14, 2008 Leave a Comment

Another feature I’ve considered adding is the Quick Meal feature. (originally I was going to call it Quick Meal Monday, but here we again run into this problem: I don’t always post on Monday.)

I think of a Quick Meal as anything that takes a short time to prep. Even if it takes 6 hours to cook something in the crockpot, I still think of it as a quick meal, because I didn’t have to spend a lot time preparing it. But of course the best quick meals are the ones which you can cook at the spur of the moment with ingredients that you regularly keep on hand.

Most likely if I keep this idea, it would sometimes accompany the Menu Plan Monday. That is, it would feature an item that I placed on my menu plan Monday post. (but it doesn’t have to. it could be totaly ramdom as well.)

This quick meal post is on Pork Chops & Rice, which is an item I placed on my menu this week. My husband loves casseroles with rice (as do I), so I keep several recipes like this one on a regular rotation. (And these are perfect to cook when you’re doing it at the last minute)

1 can Cream of Celery Soup
1 cup water
3/4 cup uncooked regular white rice
1/4 tsp. pabrika
1/4 tsp. pepper
3-6 boneless porkchops (i usually get a pack of 4 or 5)

In a shallow baking dish mix the water, rice, paprika, and pepper. Place porkchops on top of rice mixture. Sprinkle with addtional pepper and paprika. Cover with tin foil.

Bake at 375 for 45 or until meat and rice are done. For a big family, you can double this recipe.

Tip: Spinkle cheddar cheese on top before cooking for additional flavor.

Filed Under: casseroles and quick meals, recipes

Recipe of the Week: Hot Cocoa

January 11, 2008 2 Comments

I usually just go with instant cocoa, and I’ve actually been meaning to buy some at the store and never got around to it, but the other day I found a recipe for homemade cocoa, which inspired me to search for others until I found the perfect hot chocolate recipe to make. This recipe was the perfect one for me to try because it was quick, and I already had all of the ingredients on hand in my kitchen. I tried it out, and it tasted wonderful, so I decided to make it the recipe of the week. If you’re like me, and you’re living in less than tropical weather right now, you should try it out.

1 cup sugar
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 cups milk
2/3 cup water
2 teaspoons
Minature marshmallows, optional

Directions – In a large saucepan, combine the suagar, cocoa and salt. Stir in milk and water. Cook and stir over medium heat until heated through. Remove from the heat, stir in extracts. Serve in mugs with marshmallows if desired (makes 10 servings)

Tip – Divide this recipe in half if you have a small family, or divide it in half twice for one or two people.

Tip – I actually added a little extra sugar to mine, which made it a little less rich tasting, but if you’re on a low sugar diet or you’re a fan of dark chocolate, you should like the recipe as is, or even with a little less sugar.

Tip – Add your choice of extra spices and extracts to create your own unique flavor. I added extra almond extract to mine, and it was delicious!

Filed Under: drinks, Recipe of the Week, recipes

Recipe of the Week: Slow Cooker Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

January 4, 2008 5 Comments

There’s nothing like a fresh, warm piece of cake or cobbler to satisfy your hunger on a cold winter’s day. I was digging through my cookbooks and internet files for the perfect wintery dessert when I ran across this Hot Fudge Sundae cake from Betty Crocker. The name of the dessert alone made me hungry and the picture was simply mouth watering. And the actual prep time is only 15 minutes! (plus baking time of course) I just had to share this one with you!
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 1/2 cups hot water

1. Spray inside of 2- to 3 1/2-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Mix flour, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, the baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Stir in milk, oil and vanilla until smooth. Stir in nuts. Spread batter evenly in slow cooker.
2. Mix brown sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa in small bowl. Stir in hot water until smooth. Pour evenly over batter in slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on high heat setting 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

4. Turn off slow cooker. Let cake stand uncovered 30 to 40 minutes to cool slightly before serving. Spoon warm cake into dessert dishes. Spoon sauce over top.
Note: This recipe was tested in slow cookers with heating elements in the side and bottom of the cooker, not in cookers that stand only on a heated base. For slow cookers with just a heated base, follow the manufacturer’s directions for layering ingredients and choosing a temperature.

Filed Under: desserts, Recipe of the Week, recipes

Favorite Posts of the Year 2007

December 30, 2007 3 Comments

I’ve been to a few blogs that have countdowns and lists of favorite posts for the year. In the spirit of the New Year, I decided to do the same, as it seems like a fun tradition. So here is list of some of my favorite recipes and other posts for 2007.

Filed Under: cleaning, crafts, recipes

Recipe of the Week: Sausage Balls

December 29, 2007 Leave a Comment
For the recipe of the week, I chose to do one of my favorite appetizers…sausage balls. This is an easy and tasty recipe for a party or for a quick snack at home.

1 lb. mild or hot sausage
2 c. grated sharp Cheddar cheese
3 c. Bisquick (biscuit mix)
Allow cheese to come to room temperature. Combine all ingredients (easier done by hand). Shape into 1 inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Filed Under: appetizers and snacks, Recipe of the Week, recipes

Chocolate Bon Bons

December 19, 2007 2 Comments

Bon Bon Ingredients:
2 lbs. confectioners’ sugar
2 sticks butter, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 qt. chopped pecans
1 c. coconut (optional)

Coating Ingredients:
9 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (approx. 1 1/2 bags)
1 bar paraffin wax

Directions:
Sift sugar into a bowl; cream in butter. Add milk and vanilla; stir until smooth and creamy. Fold in nuts and coconut. Refrigerate until firm. Roll into balls. stick toothpicks in each ball (for dipping) and refrigerate again until firm (about an hour or so). Melt chocolate and wax in double boiler. Dip bon bons in chocolate mixture, and set out on wax paper. Let dry completely.

*Tips*

– Sticking the toothpicks into the balls before they are refrigerated (rather than sticking the toothpicks in just before dipping) will help the balls to stay on the toothpick during the dipping process. If you stick the balls with the toothpick just before dip them, they will be more likely to fall into the chocolate, and you’ll have to fish them out with a spoon, which can be very frustrating.

-Upon removing the toothpicks, you’ll probably be able to see very noticeable holes from the toothpick and any chocolate that was attached to the toothpick. For this, I recommend using any left over chocolate (or make more if needed), and spoon it over all the holes.

-Be sure to use semi-sweet chocolate chips and not milk chocolate, or else the mixture will not turn out right.

Filed Under: cookies and candy, desserts, recipes
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