Hello, My Friends

Hello my friends…

I am due to put a recipe up on this blog today, but I am afraid with all that is happening around the world, my heart isn’t in it.

Hurricane Irma has done so much destruction and is not yet finished. Hurricane Jose is hot on her heels and then there is Hurricane Katia who is off doing her own thing, but it will be of no good.

All this going on and Mexico is hit by an 8.1 earthquake this morning. I really do wonder what is happening to our world. So much devastation does not give me any incentive to share happy times and recipes, so I hope you will allow me this day and I will be back, God willing, next Friday.

Stay safe, my friends 😊

Happy Monday

I know many people don’t like Mondays, and their days always start with, what’s for supper? It’s a rut we all get into as the weekend is over and the new week needs to start with structure.

There is always one thing my Mum used to do with me on Sunday evening to get ready for this awful day for both of us. Dad would be settled into his favourite Sunday program, and we would go to the kitchen to give us something to look forward to Monday, bake goodies!

This was one of my all-time favourites and my boys as they grew up.

The name can be deceiving so here is a bit of history to go with these delightful treats. When they were first baked, the main centre was cheese. It was one ingredient that was easy to get as most farmers made their own, but as time passed and people started being able to create things differently once money became more abundant, these tarts became a sweet treat instead of part of the savoury dinner.

They are delicious for the finishing touch to a meal, or a delectable sweet dessert to take to a pot luck or even for children at a birthday gathering. Any excuse will do to make these easy tarts.

Enjoy!!!

Basic pie crust recipe

If you live in the USA or Canada you are more likely to use all lard or shortening in your pie crust rather than a mixture of fats. In this case use the following recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (8oz) all-purpose flour

• 2/3 cup (5oz) lard or shortening

• pinch salt

• 2 tablespoons cold water

Method

1. Place the lard or shortening into a bowl, add a good pinch of salt and the water, and cream the ingredients together.

2. Sift the flour on top and using a palette knife mix it into the fat to make a dough.

3. Chill for 30 minutes and then roll out and use as required.

Cheese Tarts

Ingredients

Pastry - for double pie crust or 12 tarts (sometimes, in a pinch, I have used the frozen tart shells)

1 cup plain flour

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1/3 cup butter

½ cup sugar

1 egg

¼ cup milk

½ tsp. vanilla

Thick Raspberry Jam (or whatever type you desire)

Method:

Line 10 or 12 pans with pastry

Measure flour and sift with baking powder and salt.

Beat together butter, sugar and eggs, until very light.

Add dry mixture alternately with milk, combining after each addition, and include vanilla with last addition of milk.

Put a spoonful of jam in each tart shell, then fill with 2/3 full of the batter.

Bake in moderate oven, 350F (180C) for 15 to 20 minutes.

Once cooled, frost with your favourite butter or chocolate frosting. (Mum used to let me put sprinkles on some, too)

I hope you enjoy making these, and enjoy eating them even more. They are also delicious served with a scoop of ice cream.

There, now Monday doesn’t sound so bad, does it 😊

This second recipe with the above rice dish, is perfect. Combined, these recipes make a lovely meal anyone will love.

Sweet and Sour Chicken (Pork Chops)

Ingredients:

Cut up a whole chicken or 6 chicken legs or breasts, brown while mixing up sauce.

Sauce:

1 cup ketchup
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped onion
1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 cup canned peaches – I use a large can and all the peaches
½ cup peach juice –  and all the juice
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup white vinegar
1 ½ tsp. soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Put chicken pieces in large frying pan or Dutch oven with lid. Cover and simmer 1 – 2 hours.
Serve with Chinese Rice (above ) or mashed potatoes.

Chinese Rice

Hello friends,
I am glad to see you back, and hope you have had a good week. I know I have, because I have been reading many of my recipes to find just the right ones for today’s entry.
One meal my boys always loved is the one I picked for you to see, and hopefully try it. I made it for guests and even pot luck meals, and everyone always loved it.
As you will notice the first recipe is in two parts. I know finding Onion Soup Mix can be hard  to find sometimes, so I make my own, and it just makes a much better taste to the rice.

Chinese Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups long grain rice, uncooked
1 pkg. Onion Soup Mix (look below)
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 1/3 cup water
1/3 cup oil

Put all ingredients in 2-quart oven proof dish. Mix, place lid on and put in 180C oven for 1 ¼ hours.
Mix and serve.


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Dry Onion Soup Mix

Ingredients:

2/3 cup Dried, Minced Onion
3 tsp. Parsley Flakes
2 tsp. Onion Powder
2 tsp. Turmeric
1 tsp. Celery Salt
1 tsp. Sea Salt
1 tsp. Sugar
½ tsp. Ground Pepper

Mix all ingredients of soup mix in a jar, then give the jar a good shake. Shake jar before each use.
Use 4 tablespoons in a recipe, as that measure equals 1 packet of soup mix.
Store in a dry, cool place.

Spicy Braised Lamb Shanks

For those who like a bit of spice.....

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Baking Time: 2 hours

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1/3 c. (75mL) all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp. (7mL) curry powder

1 tsp. (5mL) ground cinnamon

½ tsp. (2mL) ground allspice

½ tsp. (2mL) salt

6-8 lamb shanks, about 6 lbs. (3 kg) total

1 to 2 tbsp. (15 to 30mL) olive oil

1 c. (250mL) chopped carrots

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

6 garlic cloves, sliced

¼ c. (50mL) cognac or brandy

1 ¼ c. (300mL) dry red wine

2 c. (500mL) chicken broth

5 ½ oz. (156mL) canned tomato paste

Finely grated peel of 1 small orange

1 tsp. (5mL) hot red chili flakes

1 tsp. (5mL) fennel seeds (optional)

1 bay leaf

½ c. (125mL) chopped coriander or flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl, stir flour with curry powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Rub shanks well with flour mixture. Set aside remaining flour mixture.

2. Heat 1 tbsp. (15mL) oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep, 16-cup (4L) ovenproof saucepan or Dutch Oven. In 2 batches, brown shanks on all sides, from 8-10 minutes, adding more oil, if necessary. Remove shanks as they are browned to a plate.

3. Preheat oven to 350F (180C). After removing shanks from pan, lower burner temperature to medium. Add carrots, onion and garlic to pan. Add more oil if needed. Cook, stirring often, until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Stir in any remaining flour mixture. Return shanks to pan. Pour cognac over shanks and onion mixture. Carefully bring a lit match close to onion mixture and ignite.

4. When flames have died out, add 1 cup (250mL) wine, broth, tomato paste, peel, chili flakes, fennel seeds, if using, and bay leaf. Increase heat to high and bring sauce to a boil, stirring to blend flour-onion mixture with liquid and tomato paste. If shanks are large, you may have to remove 1 or 2 from pan to achieve the blending, then return them to pan.

5. Cover tightly and place in a 350F (180C) oven. Turn shanks every hour and stir sauce until the meat is fork tender, 2 to 3 hours. Fresh, never frozen shanks take 2 hours, while previously frozen shanks may need 3 hours.

6. Remove shanks to a warm platter. Cover with a tent of foil to keep warm. Stir ¼ cup (50mL) wine into sauce to perk up flavour. Unless sauce is thick enough to coat shanks, place saucepan over hot heat and boil sauce, uncovered and stirring often, until reduced enough to thickly coat meat. You will have to stir sauce constantly near end of cooking to prevent it from sticking. Remove and discard bay leaf. Spoon sauce over shanks and sprinkle with coriander if liked.

Make Ahead:

This is a perfect recipe to make ahead as flavours improve with refrigeration. The entire dish can be made 2 days ahead, then covered and refrigerated until ready to serve. To reheat, set saucepan over medium-low heat,. Cover and stir often until piping hot. Or reheat covered and stirring often in a 350F (180C) oven. This dish also freezes beautifully and can be defrosted in the refrigerator overnight or in microwave.

Porcupine Meat Balls

I think this is the perfect recipe to start my blog off with, as it is one of my families favourites.

Ingredients:

1 pound mince
1 onion, chopped finely
1 tsp. garlic granules
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. mixed herbs
½ cup long grain rice, uncooked
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 cans Tomato Soup

   Mix all ingredients in bowl (except Tomato Soup). Make into meatballs and place on pan with rack (for grease to drip). Brown in oven at 180*C for ½ hour.

   In large pot mix 2 cans Tomato Soup and 2 cans water, and a small handful uncooked rice. Place meatballs in pot and stir just to coat meatballs. Simmer for 1 ½ - 2 hours.

Serve with mash and veg

Good next day or to freeze.

Introduction

It’s never too late…

I have been around this old world for a lot of years. I have seen many catastrophes and sad times, and just as many weddings, births and happy times. No matter what is going on in the world, there is always one thing that happens… we eat!

Feasts have been made for thousands of years, both in celebration and sadness. In every country there is that one special dish conjured up that lets others know there is happiness or sadness, and the basis of its origins.

This is some of the things I want to explore with you, my followers. I think food is the one thing that we all have in common, but have made it into a chore, instead of a love filled, and enjoyable art.

I will be sharing recipes from world wide places, family favourites and some that are just fun to produce with children and friends. There will be quick meals for families on the go, and cheap recipes for people on tight purse strings.

There are many appliances out there to help make your experience in the kitchen more enjoyable, and in some cases, easier. I will also let you know what I used when I prepared a lot of these recipes.

So, I hope you all enjoy what I have to offer, and enjoy cooking as much as I do.

Wendy :)