apple crisp

So we went apple picking last weekend. I LOVE apples. Crunchy tart cooking apples. We got Macoun apples. So tasty, and crunchy, sweet but tart, and JUICY! The first thing I made was an apple crisp. I let the 6 year old take pictures... so you will see what happens, and because of that there are a few missing, like the ingredients, sorry... But here is the tasty goodness....

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup butter, melted

3 cups of apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (or my way as seen below) (I used 3 apples, it was closer to 3.5 cups)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350* and grease an 8" square pan
Mix together brown sugar, flour, oats,

Add butter..

Let the 5 year old help mix it up (it makes her happy)

This is what it should look like, all crumbly and good. You can add some cinnamon here if you like, I didn't and it was good.

Measure and chop the apples. We have a peeler corer slicer thingie, 

I love it, makes it SO fast!! (dont mind the messy table this was being done as dinner was cooking too!)

 It does make measuring the apples hard.

I chopped them into 4ths at that point. 

Press half of crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan.

Lay the apples over the crumb mixture, then sprinkle with the white sugar and cinnamon.

Put the rest of the crumb mixture on top of the apples. 

Bake for 40 to 45 mins. You want it brown and crunchy on top, you will see the bubbly goodness peeking up in places. (Sorry no picture, we were eating dinner at the time and that was WAY more important to the 6 year old photographer)

I think next time I will add cinnamon to the topping. It was definitely tasty. More apples is more better. I also might try tossing the apples with the cinnamon and sugar next time. 

what to do with leftover taco filling

So, you have leftover taco filling? I know.. it's a shocking thing! I mean you can do nachos,but they are a bit over done honestly. Tasty, yes! Boring tho. I have been mucking around with other ways to deal with leftovers and have my family enjoy them. Pasties! Tasty little hand pies, filled with tasty goodness. So I hunted a pie crust recipe that used the food processor. I found this one.
http://www.marthastewart.com/333879/savory-pie-crust

Yield
One 9- or 10-inch pie shell
Add to Shopping List
Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
Directions

Place the flour, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse to combine. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. While the machine is running, gradually drizzle in the water, processing until the dough comes together to form a ball.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and shape it into a flat disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Now I did change it a bit, I cut my butter the night before, tossed with a small amount of flour, and put it into the freezer. I knew I needed it to be COLD, and frozen was about as cold as I could think of. I also omitted the pepper and added some garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder. Before I added the water, when I started getting things together I put the water into the freezer as well, again nice and cold, but with no ice cubes. I forgot to take pictures of all that.. but here is what you  need..


2 batches of the above pie crust recipe
about 2 cups leftover taco filling (mine was beef this time, from the hurricane tacos posted here http://tastytoesandotherthings.blogspot.com/2011/08/hurricane-tacos.html just use beef instead of chicken)
about 2 cups of leftover rice
cheese

(please ignore the bread in the background of the picture, it is my tasty challah that the kids wanted some of)

roll out the crust in 2 batches,

 and cut into about 4 inch rounds, I used a plastic cup to cut with.

Now start filling. You dont want too much in, or they explode.

Just a bit of rice

Then a bit of taco filling

Now a bit of cheese

Now wet one side with a finger dipped in water, smush the halves together and push the sides closed, then press with the tines of a fork. Poke 2 sets of holes in the top to vent, and lay on a parchment lined sheet pan.

bake in a 350 oven for about 30 to 35 mins. they will look mostly the same but firmer when you poke them.

You will still have some oozing out even when you crimp well. At least I did.
The kids LOVE this. They would have eaten them all if I let them. YUM!! I did have a few left that did not have meat, I ran out, so I filled them just with cheese and rice, they were good too, not as good, but good. What can I say, I like the filling.

Cran-Pineapple Pork

So I am a fan of the quick and easy dinner. I like no fuss. It's just easier that way. I came up with this. It's not only easy, but TASTY.

Cran-pineapple Pork

1 pork roast (frozen or not) The size that will fit in your crockpot well
1 can jellied cranberry sauce
1 can pineapple chunks
chopped garlic to taste

Put roast into crockpot, open can of cranberry sauce and dump in (you can break it up a little) open can of pineapple (steal a few pieces cause they are yummy) and dump in, juice and all, toss the garlic in over everything. Put on low for about 8ish hours. (6 if its thawed) Take roast out, turn crock to high,  thicken the liquid for gravy buy using cornstarch and water (it is just a faster way, and easier for the crockpot I find) make veggies, make a starch, and there you go!!! I would not advise eating the pineapple, it doesn't taste good. So you can use pineapple juice if you like. It might work. I don't know. If I ever get around to buying pineapple juice I will just drink it.

Christmas Quiche

OK, OK, OK, I know it is a bit early. BUT you have to plan!! OK, "I" have to plan. This is what we have Christmas morning. Every year. It is easy. Make it the day/night before and just reheat in the morning while the coffee is making.


QUICHE

so simple..

1 pie crust (or not, if not spray the pie dishes with Pam or other non stick spray)
8 eggs
1/4ish cup of milk OR cream OR half and half
1/3 cup shredded cheese of your choice
1/2 lb bacon, or sausage, or1/3 cup chopped broccoli

 Preheat oven to 350*
Take the pie plate, if you are using a crust, place it in the pan, if not spray with cooking spray.
In a LARGE bowl crack all 8 eggs add the milk/cream/half and half and mix well.
Into the crust or preped pie plate, put the filling topped with the cheese, then pour the eggs over top.
Place in oven and cook for about 30 mins, but check it. insert a knife and when it comes out clean it is done! So easy.
NOTE: if you are using the broccoli, it must be steamed 1st and then drained VERY well.

I also take the leftover bits of bacon, sausage, and broccoli and make "garbage quiche" SO good!. Make it the same way, just add all 3 things, the bacon, sausage, and broccoli (and cheese of course!) Same eggs and milk, and cooked the same way.

To reheat them, into the oven at 350 for about 15 mins. So pop them into the over, and then make the coffee!!

Enjoy the easy Christmas breakfast. You can of course add in some croissants, or the like to round out breakfast. I love this because I make it the night before in almost no time, and then while its cooking I wrap more gifts!

Impressed Chicken and Fruited CousCous

So here is another one that I don't have pictures of. I need to make it again before I can do that. However, this was VERY tasty and the kids gobbled it right up! I couldn't think of anything to call it other then "impressed chicken". I served it with something else new, "fruited couscous" again, very tasty! So here you go! This fed all 4 of us, 2 adults and 2 kids.


3 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
4oz (1/2 a block) cream cheese
2tsp garlic powder
tsp paprika
2tsp CRUSHED dried basil
2tsp CRUSHED dried oregano
2tsp CRUSHED dried parsley
1/2tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp minced dried onion
1/2 C seasoned flour (mix in some salt paprika garlic powder and pepper)
2 eggs mixed with about 1/2 C water
1C seasoned bread crumbs mixed with
1/4C crushed cheeze-its (left overs from the kids snacking)

pound the chicken thin
mix the cream cheese, paprika, garlic, onion, pepper, basil, oregano, and parsley together
divide the cheese into 1/3s and place each portion into the center of the chicken, fold the sides of the chicken OVER the cheese and then roll up.
Wrap in plastic wrap, and put into the freezer for about 30 mins or in the fridge for a few hours.
Mix up the seasoned flour, and bread crumbs.
Beat the eggs and water together.
roll the chicken in the flour, then egg then breadcrumbs.
preheat the oven to 400*
I would have liked to put the chicken in the fridge for another half hour at least, but didn't have time
Bake in oven for 30 mins uncovered (check temp at least 160* please!!)
Remove from oven and let set for about 10 mins.

YUM!!! This came out so good I was SO impressed with myself!! I served it with fruited couscous.

1 1/2 C water
1/2 tsp chicken base
1/8 C dried apples
1/8 C crasins
1 C pearl couscous
1Tblsp butter

heat water to boiling
add everything but couscous
simmer for 3 mins, add couscous
cook stirring occasionally for 5 mins
add butter and stir cooking for another 3-4 mins
let set for 5 mins
PERFECT!
Try it, impress everyone!!

This one is for the men that think "Real MEN don't eat QUICHE!!"

Admit it. Someone says, "Oh quiche! I will make you that!" and you get disappointed. I know I know.. You think it isn't MANLY to eat quiche.. Well, this quiche is for you!!


Steak Quiche

8 eggs
2 tablespoons salsa
1/3ish teaspoon salt
1/3ish teaspoon pepper
1/4ish cup milk (I dont measure it, I just add how much I think I need)
3/4 cup shredded cheese
1/2 cup leftover steak cut thin and small
Pam or other non stick spray

Preheat the oven to 350*
In a large bowl beat eggs milk salt and pepper together

Let the small children help with the eggs, they like that.

Spray a 9" pie plate with pam, (or butter because I was out of pam, this does make the bottom a bit browner is all)

 sprinkle the steak in as evenly as you can, same with salsa, and cheese. (Ok this one has broccoli instead of salsa, but the 5 year old ate it with broccoli so I am NOT complaining!)

Pour egg mixture over everything.

Bake for 30-45ish mins or till a knife can be inserted in the center and comes out clean.

(WARNING: this will grow, eggs puff when you cook them, dont worry, they will deflate)
Cool for 5 mins Serve and enjoy!

If you like a little GREEN in yours you can try it this way..

and see.. pictures above..

Steak and Broccoli Quiche

8 eggs
1/3ish teaspoon salt
1/3ish teaspoon pepper

1/4ish cup milk (again no measuring)
3/4 cup shredded cheese
1/2 cup leftover steak cut thin and small
1/2 10oz package frozen broccoli, cooked and WELL drained
Pam

Make it with the same directions as above using the broccoli instead of the salsa, OR use them both!


And you didn't think quiche could be "real man" food!!

Yes, I know there are no pictures. I don't have any of this. I will take some the next time I make it. That might be as early as next week.

Ok so now there are pictures.. enjoy!!

Please keep in mind this was posted in my other blog first, I did NOT steal it as you can NOT steal what is yours!!

Hurricane Tacos

This is my Yummy Taco recipe. I decided that considering I made it for the "night of Hurricane Irene" that I should rename it to this. It is one of my favorite things. I bet I could have it every day for a week. But now to the food.. 

I don't care what brands you use. This is what I have. And yes.. garlic POWDER!!! I know I know.. but please, trust me on this one. So that list is, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder. 

 Again, the salsa doesn't matter. I prefer medium, but mild is what they had, so mild is what we have. So this part is salsa, and boneless skinless chicken breasts (yup, that is 2 of them, and yup, they are sitting there in their little bags frozen and happy).

 And my Crockpot. I use it lots. It looks like the outside should be wiped down. Hmmm..

 Drop those frozen rocks of chicken into the bottom of the crockpot. Still frozen. I suppose you can do this if they are not frozen, but I never have.

This is about a cup of salsa. I know that sounds like quite a bit. But I promise, this is about the 10th time I have made this, and this is how much you need.

Oh look, sand art lol. now put in about 1/4 cup of cumin, a little less then that of chili powder and then the rest to make up a half cup of garlic powder. Again, yes, I know it sounds like a lot of spices, just do it. YOU can add red pepper flakes, or cayenne powder. I can't, no one in this house likes things as spicy as I do.

 Now mix it all up. I know it looks SO gross. But this way it is all together, and you can get any lumps out. (Ok, so I need more garlic powder and mine is getting a bit lumpy from the humidity)

 Put it on top of the chicken. Squash it around a bit. try to get it under. At this point add 2 chicken bullion cubes, OR use the stock paste stuff. (I use the paste) I would have taken a picture of this, but the camera battery died. DO NOT add water. I know it looks dry, and not like it will come out good. I do however promise that you do NOT need to add ANY liquid at all!!

 Cover and if you have waited till about noon to make this, cook on HIGH for about 4 or 5 hours. If you are all kinds of organised and remembered to put this on in the morning, then LOW will work for 6 to 8 hours.


At this point we were waiting for Hurricane Irene. She not only took her sweet time, but then seemed... lack luster. (till the rain and everything flooded the basement and took the hot water heaters and boilers with it, why is there a drain in the basement that drains the back yard INTO the basement anyway??)


Now take out one breast and shred it. I should warn you that it might stain your cutting board, I bleach mine, so I don't care! Push it off to one side.

Take out the 2nd breast.

 Shred this one too, you will get a pile of meat that seems to be about, ummm,. 3ish cups? I don't know, I didn't measure it. (Be shocked I measured anything!)

This is what is left in the bottom of the crockpot. a red soupy bit. YUM!

Toss the chicken back into the crockpot.

Mix it all up.

Use what you like to make your taco. This one has re-fried beans, the yummy meat, cheese, salsa, tomato, and lettuce.

 I love them!! They are sooo good, they come out tasty. So very tasty. This is MORE then enough for 2 adults and 2 kids. The leftovers are good. The leftovers make at least 2 lunches. They would make YUMMY nachos too.. You can make more of this to feed more people. I have done 4 very large breasts, and it fed (with leftovers) 4 kids, and 6 adults. It is perfect for parties, it seems to make a lot more then you think it will. I am hoping to get around to making the leftovers into pasties. Those little pocket pie things. Gotta make the dough... hmmm...

The Beginning...

So after much thought, I figured I would start this, a place for me to have all my recipes put together. Well, the ones I share at least. The newer ones will (hopefully) have pictures. So, enjoy the food, and remember, if you make something tell me how it came out. If you want to share it, please respect what I have created, and link back to here.