.................. Cooking with Barry & Meta: June 2013

Aunt Waunita’s Broccoli Salad

Aunt Waunita began making this recipe as soon as “sweet and tany” broccoli salads became the rage.

With an excess of broccoli in my sister’s refrigerator, she pulled out our aunt’s recipe and that’s what I made to accompany tonight’s dinner.

I’ve made other variations — one’s that called for lightly blanched broccoli (this one doesn’t) + those with added sunflower seeds or almonds, or that use dried cranberries or even cherries. Sometimes the most basic things are the best!

Broccoli Salad

1 bunch broccoli (2 large or 3 average stalks), finely chopped

½ cup raisins

½ medium onion, finely chopped

5 to 8 slices bacon, fried & crumbled

1. Combine first 3 ingredients.

2. Add dressing and toss; refrigerate until ready to eat.

3. Mix in bacon right before serving.

Dressing

Note: Our aunt’s recipe calls for double the amount of all the following ingredients. Both my sister, Marla, and I believe it is way to much so we cut all amounts in half. We prefer salad with dressing versus dressing with a bit of salad!

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup granulated sugar

1½ to 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Thoroughly blend all ingredients.

Recipe without photos . . .

Broccoli Salad

1 bunch broccoli (2 large or 3 average stalks), finely chopped

½ cup raisins

½ medium onion, finely chopped

5 to 8 slices bacon, fried & crumbled

1. Combine first 3 ingredients.

2. Add dressing and toss; refrigerate until ready to eat.

3. Mix in bacon right before serving.

Dressing

½ cup mayonnaise

My version of One-pot Pasta with Tomatoes, Veggie Broth, Olive Oil, and Seasonings

I found this recipe on Facebook —the directions were included but no source was listed.
It looked intriguing so I just had to try it.
This is how the FB post described the recipe: Throw it all in the pot, INCLUDING the uncooked pasta, and cook! - Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. The starch leaches out of the pasta and makes a rich, warm sauce for the noodles. The other ingredients cook right along with the pasta.

Although I served this with Magic Chicken, it could easily be a stand-alone meal. I added my comments in parenthesis.
And . . . the results — Our niece had two helpings, Barry thought it was delish, and my sister is taking a container of leftovers to work tomorrow. Think this is a keeper!

One-Pot Pasta with Tomatoes, Veggie Broth, Olive Oil, and Seasonings

12 oz. pasta (I used whole grain spaghetti )

1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with liquid

1 large sweet onion, cut in thin strips

(My other additions: about ½ lb. mushrooms, sliced thin)

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 large sprigs basil, chopped

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
(½ to 1 teaspoon Kosher salt)
(½ teaspoon pepper)

4½ cups vegetable (or chicken) broth — NOT low sodium

2 tablespoons olive oil

Additional salt & pepper for seasoning as needed

Parmesan cheese for garnish

1. Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, (mushrooms), garlic and basil, in a large stock pot.

2. Pour in broth.

3. Sprinkle with pepper flakes, oregano, salt and pepper.

4. Drizzle top with oil.

5. Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and keep covered and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated – I left about an inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot – but you can reduce as desired .

6. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed and stir pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot.

7. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.

Related Recipe: Sausage-Pasta One-Pot Meal

Recipe without photos . . .

Pasta, Tomatoes, Veggie Broth, Olive Oil, and Seasonings

12 oz. pasta (I used whole grain spaghetti )

1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with liquid

1 large sweet onion, cut in thin strips

(My other additions: about ½ lb. mushrooms, sliced thin)

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 large sprigs basil, chopped

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
(½ to 1 teaspoon Kosher salt)
(½ teaspoon pepper)

4½ cups vegetable (or chicken) broth — NOT low sodium

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt & pepper for seasoning as needed

Parmesan cheese for garnish

1. Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, (mushrooms), garlic and basil, in a large stock pot.

2. Pour in vegetable broth.

3. Sprinkle with pepper flakes, oregano, salt and pepper.

4. Drizzle top with oil.

6. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed and stir pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot.

7. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.

MAKING THE MOST OF LEFTOVERS! Beef Stew with Homemade Dumplings

Monday’s Pot Roast becomes Tuesday’s Beef Stew with Homemade Dumplings. Here’s what happened . . .

BEEF STEW — Monday’s dinner of Pot Roast in the Slow Cooker, complete with veggies, became Tuesday’s Beef Stew. It was easy . . . after cooling the roast, I cut up the beef and veggies into bite-size pieces before putting them in the refrigerator. Tuesday evening I reheated the roast and veggies in a stockpot on top of the stove, adding additional water (could use broth) to create a stew-like consistency.

DUMPLING — I simply pulled out my homemade Basic Baking Mix and stirred up the mix with milk . . . creating dumplings in a matter of minutes. Check out the recipe that follows.

Dumplings

4 medium dumplings

1 cup Baking Mix

¼ cup milk

Chopped parsley for garnish, if desired

12 medium dumplings

3 cups Baking Mix

3/4 cup milk

Chopped parsley for garnish, if desired

Stove-top Method

1. Add milk to the Mix all at once, stirring about 30 strokes.

2. Drop by tablespoon on top of boiling stew. Add chopped parsley for garnish if desired.

3. Cover and boil gently 12 minutes without removing cover.

Oven Method — Prepare as in step #1 & 2 above. Cover and place in hot oven (425° to 450°) about 20 minutes.

Also, please check out our MIXES and MORE tab at the top of the page.

Spice Island Ginger Cookies . . . can’t stop eating them!

Must admit that I didn’t much care for fresh ginger when I first sampled it . . . but somewhere along the way, I’ve acquired a taste for the knobby root. So when I discovered a ginger cookie recipe that contained both fresh and ground ginger, I had to give it a try.

When doing research on the cookbook for the Kirby House (a restaurant in a Victorian-era mansion), I discovered that the Victorians loved the “shockingly strong” taste of ginger. And, when I first tasted these cookies, I immediately thought of that description. Factor in a teaspoon of white pepper added to the mix, and you end up with a cookie that has a “bite.” Don't’ worry – there’s enough sugar and molasses to make this a VERY pleasant “bite” . . . one that invites you back for seconds.

As I said in the title above . . . I can’t stop eating them! They are actually what is termed “refrigerator” cookies, meaning that the rather stiff dough is formed into logs . . . so I can bake some warm cookies for now and refrigerate or freeze the remaining dough so I have cookies on call!

Spice Island Ginger Cookies Makes about 5 dozen cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup molasses

1 teaspoon white vinegar

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger root – I grate it

Sanding or other coarse sugar . . . for sprinkling on baked cookies

I use a spoon to scrape the skin off the ginger root.

This is what it looks like once it is grated.

1. Combine first 7 ingredients; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar well. Beat in egg.

3. Add molasses, vinegar and fresh ginger and mix well.

4. Gradually work dry ingredients into creamed mixture.

5 Shape dough into 2 or 3 logs about 2” in diameter (or adjust size to your preference), wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper and refrigerate at least several hours or until firm. Can also be frozen.

6. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°. Cut longs into scant 1/4” slices. Place about 1/2” apart on lightly sprayed nonstick or parchment-lined baking sheets.

7. Bake in preheated oven for 9 to 14 minutes, or until edges just start to brown.

8. Remove from oven, immediately sprinkle with sanding sugar (or any coarse sugar), and cool on racks.

Notes:

 For crisp cookies, bake longer; for slightly chewy cookies, bake a little less.

If you don’t want to wait for logs to get firm enough to slice: Shape dough into 1” balls. Place on baking sheet. Press with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar to about 1/4” thick. Bake 10 to 12 minutes.