Mom's Scalloped Potatoes

Growing up, we loved my mother's scalloped potatoes.  They were usually served in the Winter, when warm potato dishes seem most appreciated.  With lots of diced ham thrown in, this was a main dish.  Without any (leftover) ham, this was a side dish.  Cheese was added if Mom had some on hand; but they're just as good with or without cheese.  Here is her (easy) recipe, passed down from her mother (and I'm sure generations before that).

 

Soooo good and filling for supper on cold Winter nights

 

Easy Scalloped Potatoes

In a casserole dish, layer: 

Thin-sliced potatoes

Thin-sliced onions

Diced ham, if desired

Shredded Cheese, if desired

small pats of butter, 3-5 inches apart

salt and pepper to taste

Layer all a second time

Pour milk over all until half to 3/4 up side of casserole dish

-Heat at 350, approx. 1 hour, until potatoes are done.  Can be heated on high in microwave until potatoes are done, approx. 30 min.

 

 

Ice Cream 101

Thanksgiving morning took an unusual twist this year.  I was invited to
observe homemade ice cream being made in an electric ice cream maker.  Since I wasn't hosting any Thanksgiving dinner this year, I was eager to learn.  My own ice cream maker has been shelved since we received it for a wedding gift--18 years ago!!  I have been telling myself for that long that "one of these days..."  Now, with hands-on experience, I would have no excuse.  I rode my bike over to Mark Larsons where Mark and his girlfriend Mary had the ice cream churning.  A sampling of the finished product and I knew I would be making my own soon.  I swear it was the most delicious ice cream I've had (and I usually buy the best).  Mark was kind enough to share his blue ribbon recipe, below.  And, below that, are my own blue ribbon chocolate and caramel sauces for sundaes.

  Mmmm, my two favorites!

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 gal. whole milk, approx.
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla (Mark says: "Don't bother with fake.")
12 oz. evaporated milk
1 pint heavy cream
-Combine eggs, 3 cups of the milk and the sugar in a heavy saucepan.  Cook over low heat until it thickens.  Cool. (This is the custard.)  You may refrigerate at this point if you want to do later or the next day.
Mix together custard, salt, vanilla, evaporated milk and cream.  Pour into ice cream freezer.  Top to fill line with milk.  Freeze. 
Note:  Mark uses regular or canning salt for freezing; says rock salt is dirty.

Excellent Chocolate Sauce
1/2 cup butter
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
1 cup evaporated milk or 1 cup Half 'nHalf
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
-Melt butter and chocolate.  Add rest.  Boil 1-1/2 minute.  Can serve warm or cooled.  Stores well in refrigerator or freezer.

Best Caramel Sauce
1 cup butter
2-1/2 cups brown sugar
pinch salt
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
-Melt butter.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cook on stove to soft ball stage; or put in microwave on high and cook in two-minute intervals, stirring in between.  Cook to soft ball stage.  Stores well in refrigerator or freezer.

Waffles and Cakes Breakfast Fare

These are my favorite recipes for a high-carb breakfast.  I started with old tried-and-true family recipes and doctored them over the years for improved flavor.  I love making any one of these from scratch.  They are especially good with ingredients such as homemade bread, local sweet corn, farm fresh eggs, fresh cream...    You'll never go back once you've had this old-fashioned goodness in breakfast fare.  The homemade flavor will zoom you back to your childhood--the warmth and comfort of the family breakfast.    Moderation is the key to enjoying these without guilt; so we limit ourselves to not more than once a week for this type of fare; usually on  a weekend morning with a bike trip to follow, or during cold Winter months when a breakfast like this adds to the comfort of a warm room.  These recipes are also perfect for company--friends and relatives will rave about your delicious breakfasts!  Note:  also see bread pudding--5/17/2011 post.

 No packaged mixes or frozen fare here!

Homemade Maple Syrup 
1 cup packed dark brown sugar 
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tsp maple flavoring
*Note: A healthier choice would be honey with or without maple flavoring.

Buttermilk Pancakes   
Note:  H&H or whole milk may be substituted for the buttermilk.  
1-1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 egg
2 cups buttermilk
1/3 cup oil
 

Buttermilk Waffles  (20, 4-inch waffles)
Note: H&H or whole milk may be substituted for the buttermilk.
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup melted bugter
2 cups buttermilk
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract (optional)
-Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt.  In separate bowl combine melted butter, buttermilk and egg yolks.  Stir in flour mixture just until moist.  In separate bowl beat egg whites with electric mixer until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold egg whites into flour mixture, leaving a few fluffs of egg white.  Pour one cup batter on preheated, lightly-greased waffle iron.  Close lid quickly and don't open until done.  Bake according to directions.  When done, use fork to lift waffle off grid.  Serve warm.

Belgian Waffles           Makes 10, 4-1/2" waffles
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs, separated
1-1/2 cups milk
1 cup butter (no substitutes)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-Combine flour, sugar and baking powder.  In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks and add milk, butter and vanilla.  Combine dry ingrediients and egg mixture.  Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Fold into batter.  Bake in preheated waffle iron according to directions.  Serve with fresh fruit or syrup.

French Toast      makes 5-6 servings of two slices each
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups cream, H&H or evaporated milk
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
10-12 slices bread 

Corn Cakes
Note:  This recipe is from Dee Nelson and uses real corn
Drain and mash with a potato masher:  1 cup cooked corn
Beat 2 eggs and add 6 Tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg.  Melt butter in a fry pan and add batter by the Tblsp.

Cornmeal Pancakes
1-1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk (H&H or whole milk may be substituted)
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
-Mix and fry.

Potato Pancakes
1 egg, beaten
2 Tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded potatoes, rinsed well and drained
1/2 cup butter
-Combine egg, flour and salt. Stir in potatoes. Heat butter in skillet. For each pancake use 1/4 cup of mixture and fry in butter until crisp and golden.
 

 

Home-Rendered Lard

It's easy to make home-rendered lard.  And to make flavored lards too.  The instructions are below, but first, the benefits:

Home-rendered lard:
-has less saturated fat than butter  (40% vs 60%)
-is higher in monosaturated fats than butter, decreasing risk of heart disease
-has 3 times more beneficial polyunsaturated fats than butter
-helps skeleton absorb calcium
-protects liver from toxins
-bolsters the immune system
-is a good source of Vitamin D
-contains no unhealthy trans fats (as in oils and margerine)

a sampling of my lard, flavored lards and packaging

To prepared lard for rendering:
Remove skin from lard and cut into 1" square pieces or grind.  (You can buy it from the butcher by the pound, either in chunks or ground.)  I buy the chunks and cut it because the cracklings are larger and more defined.

To render:
Depending on the amount of fat you have, either put the fat in your crockpot on low or in a roaster pan in the oven at 250 degrees.  The lard should not fill more than half of the crockpot or pan.  No need to cover, but add a little water to the bottom of the pan so it doesn't scorch.  The water will evaporate.  Just cook 6-8+ hours until most of the fat has melted and bits of cooked meat (cracklings) come to the top.  When the cracklings are brown and shriveled, remove the fat from oven or other heat, before they start to sink back to bottom.  Strain the fat well so there are no bits or crumbs.  Put into containers (see below).

Using the cracklings you have strained out of the fat:
I get out my largest fry pan and fill it with a single layer of the hot cracklings.  Fry them over medium heat until all of them are brown and somewhat crispy--not too dark, but a light brown.  Remove some to a small bowl, add some cinnamon and a little milk, H&H or cream and whoo-boy!--are you in for a treat!!  Remember, you only do this once a year so don't worry about calories here.  Besides, this is a delicacy in NY restaurants, so treat yourself.  The rest of the cracklings can be frozen and used in breads, cookies and atop salads.  See the internet for recipes.   

To store the fat:
When the fat is still liquid, pour it into storage containers.  The hot fat is yellow, but will turn white as it cools and solidifies.  I package mine in three different amounts:  2/3-cup for pies, 1 cup for bread making and a larger tub for general cooking.  I keep the larger tub in the fridge and freeze the rest for longer keeping.  It keeps in the fridge well for about a year and for several years in the freezer.

For flavored lards:
This is a bonus!  For a few months before butchering season (usually Sept and Oct), I save the fat after roasting or cooking meats.  This fat comes from meats or poultry flavored with herbs, fruits, marinades, BBQ rubs, smoke flavoring, etc; so the fat has that flavor infused in it.  Since this fat is too thin for pastry or bread, I mix it half and half with my newly-rendered lard.   The best time to do this is when the lard is hot so that it melts the fat and you can mix them better.  These flavored lards are remarkable for frying, making appetisers, potted meats or for homemade bread and pastry.  (i.e. use herbed lard for pot pie crusts or pasties; use smokey BBQ lard for homemade BBQ buns; fry potatoes or veggies in any flavored lard)

Bye-Bye Microwave

I never thought in a bijillion years that I would even consider getting rid of my microwave, but after reading from this website: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/18/microwave-hazards.aspx, I have not used my microwave once.  And it's now sitting by the back door, ready for disposal.  I won't go into detail, just read from the website for yourself.  I don't doubt what it says is true, and I stopped using my microwave right then and there.

My daughter first tried to "enlighten me" when she was visiting, and I appeased her by allowing her to remove my microwave from the kitchen to basement storage.  But at the end of her visit, I was waving good-bye to her with one hand and had the other hand on the basement door ready to retrieve my microwave.  "She's totally crazy" I thought--no microwave???!!!

Since then, I revisited the subject with her and she reminded me of the "watering plant" experiment; where two identical plants were watered--one with tap water and one with microwaved water; and the microwave-watered plant died.  She also suggested I google "microwave hazards and read it for yourself".  I did and I was convinced.  I'll never use a microwave again.

In the short time I've gone without it and used the stove, I've discovered a few things I like about not having a microwave:
-I can have all the meal dishes cooking on the stove at one time, and monitoring their  doneness, versus putting dishes individually in the microwave for a few minutes to several minutes each.
-I do not have to overheat the first few dishes going into the microwave so they are still hot when the last dish is ready for the table.
-I get benefits like bacon grease for frying and pan scrapings for gravy.
-I use fewer dishes.  I cook, refrigerate and reheat in the same pan.
-Food tastes better.  Hubby noticed this immediately!

My peace of mind is well worth it!!!  Life is more simple.

Holiday Decorating with Food

It's hard to wait until after Thanksgiving to start Christmas decorating; but I've made it my rule out of respect for the Thanksgiving holiday.  Preparing the decor for my kitchen, though, takes the edge off my anticipation; and I have so much fun doing so!  Since I spend most of my time in the kitchen, it gets lots of decorating.  Trees, crocks, bowls, shelves and cupboards are adorned with natural and culinary symbols of the season.  My prepared inventory is below, ready for stringing, trimming, hanging and arranging. 

  Gingerbread men, dried fruit slices, studded oranges,
bay leaves, whole spices, popcorn, cranberries, peels.

 

an illustration:  my previously-empty bowls

 

Note: The orange peels in the pan at the bottom of top picture are for simmering potpourri during Christmas week when the family has begun to gather and friends are stopping by.   I have us save our peels and then toss them with cranberries, cinnamon sticks, cloves, anise stars and whole allspice in a pan of simmering water. I add water as needed, keeping the water a couple of inches above the spice and peels. It simmers all the while there is someone in the kitchen.  Every few days, I discard it all and start over.  Mmmm--a warm and wonderful yuletide smell for our gathering kitchen. 

 

 

The Celery Made Me Do It

Normally, I only buy veggies from farmers and farmer's markets, year-round.  If I run out, or don't have it put up, I go without until the following year.  This year, celery crops were scant and scarce and my frozen supply is almost depleted.  Then I spotted the HyVee ad for celery on sale at such a low price I couldn't resist.  I broke my own rule and stocked up--guilty, but rewarded.  Here is what I did with six bunches of celery. (before freezing)

From left to right:
Wide ends, skinny stalks and leaves.  These are for celery broth: 
Put in large pot, cover with enough water to double volume in pot and cook down to approx. half.  Simmer until it has a strong celery flavor.  Freeze in ice cube trays and one-cup portions for soups, stews, meat broth, rice, gravies...
Sauteed Chopped Celery:  Ready to go atop or stuffed in meats/poultry.
Celery Chunks:  For soups, stews, roasts and pressure cooking.
Chopped Celery:  Stir fries, meat loaf, stuffings, winter salads...

Note:  Celery needs no processing before freezing.  Just be sure it is fully dry after washing it.  Just package and freeze.