Category: Food

Posted in appetizers/snacks, Baked goods, breakfast, Brunch, Food, lunch box

Meagan’s Crunchy Homemade Granola

Posted on by lmc

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If you’ve ever bought granola in the grocery store, you know that it can be quite expensive and it may be filled with lots of added fat and sugar. The beauty of making your own granola is that you can add anything you like so that it is tailor made for you and your family. Here is a recipe for the granola that my family loves. Meagan makes it on Sunday evening and packs it into a large airtight container so that it can be sprinkled on top of yogurt, fruit, or to be eaten with milk as a granola cereal. Once you’ve made your own granola, it’s hard to go back to the pre-packaged stuff on the grocery store shelf.

Meagan’s Crunchy Homemade Granola

6 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup honey
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup chopped nuts

Mix rolled oats and brown sugar together. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, honey and vanilla. Pour over dry mixture and stir to coat. Add in chopped nuts, and sunflower seeds. (Don’t add raisins until after baking.)
Spread granola on a lightly greased or sprayed cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees, for about 30 minutes. Stir frequently (every 5-10 minutes) to ensure even baking. Add raisins when finished baking. Cool and break into small pieces. Store in airtight container.

Posted in Baked goods, Baking, Bread, Food

Mary’s Irish Scones

Posted on by lmc

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My family has been making these scones for as long as I can remember. As a young girl, I used to watch my mom make batches of these buttermilk scones without having to use a recipe. She would mix everything up by hand, then swiftly kneed and cut triangular shapes from the rolled dough. During the Lenten season, Mom would make several batches as we would have scones and tea for Friday dinner.
These days, I regularly make scones for my family. I, too, can make them without the recipe but I use a biscuit cutter to uniformly cut the soft dough into circular shapes. We often top the baked scones with homemade strawberry-rhubarb jam.(Although, J and M prefer to top them with gobs of peanut butter.) After removing a batch from the oven, it isn’t long before they’ve all been eaten and everyone is asking for more.

Mary’s Irish Scones

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut margarine into flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, with pastry blender until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in raisins and buttermilk until dough leaves the side of the bowl. Add more milk or flour as needed. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Kneed until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Roll dough into a round about 1/4 to 1/2″ thick. With a biscuit cutter, cut scones and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

Posted in Food, salads

Sensational Seven Layer Salad

Posted on by lmc

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My husband’s Aunt Eileen used to make this salad for all of the family gatherings. She would use a restaurant style, stainless steel mixing bowl to prepare this magnificent tasting salad. If my memory serves me correctly, she used to put sliced radishes in her recipe. Oh, it was a special treat when Aunt Eileen arrived with this huge bowl of deliciousness.
She has since passed away but her memory lives on in all of us. Yesterday, I made this salad for a family gathering. As my daughters and I prepared the vegetables, I thought of Aunt Eileen and the cherished memories that I will forever hold in my heart.

Sensational Seven Layer Salad

1 head of lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 cups fresh broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
2 cups mayonnaise
2 tsp sugar or Splenda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp marjoram
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
4 strips bacon, cooked crisp, crumbled or 1 (3 oz) bag real bacon bits
2 green onions, thinly sliced

In a glass serving bowl, layer lettuce, mushrooms, broccoli, and peas. In a separate mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, sugar or Splenda, salt, garlic powder and marjoram. Pour this dressing mixture over salad mix. Top salad with the green onions, cheese, and bacon bits. Chill until ready to serve. Toss salad thoroughly just before serving.

Posted in Food, salads, side dishes

Perfect Potato Salad

Posted on by lmc

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Growing up in a large family, our meals were always quite simple. My mother wasn’t one to prepare complicated recipes. Opening a bag of frozen peas, boiling potatoes, and throwing meat in the oven, was about as complicated as she would get when preparing dinner. I first tasted potato salad at my in-law’s house and quickly realized that it was one of my husband’s favorite side dishes. After trying several recipes, this one has become a family favorite. Boiling the potatoes and eggs can take a bit of time, but this basic recipe is pretty simple to assemble in no time at all.

Perfect Potato Salad

5 potatoes, peeled and diced
3 eggs
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes; drain. Place eggs in a small saucepan; cover with cold water. Cover saucepan and bring water to a rolling boil for 1 minute; remove from heat, and let eggs stand in boiled water for 10 to 12 minutes. Drain water, peel and chop eggs.
In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, celery, onion, relish. Mix together mayonnaise, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Pour over potato mixture to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Posted in Food, salads

Crunchy Broccoli Slaw Salad

Posted on by lmc

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Spring has finally arrived and it’s time to pull out all of the delicious salad recipes that have been tucked away all winter long. Today’s recipe is packed with lots of A,C, and B vitamins, calcium, fiber, and protein. Broccoli is known as a “super food” because it is rich in so many vitamins and minerals and has a bushel full of health benefits. Packaged slaw makes this salad a snap to mix together. If you’re so inclined, throw in a handful of raisins for a burst of flavor and added texture. This is a very affordable and clever way to get your kids to eat their veggies!

Crunchy Broccoli Slaw Salad

1 (16 oz) package broccoli slaw mix
1 package chicken flavored ramen noodles, broken into small pieces
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup peanuts (optional)

Dressing

½ cup sugar
½ cup canola oil
½ cup cider vinegar
1 package chicken flavored ramen noodles seasoning

Mix the sugar, oil, and vinegar in a large bowl. Add seasoning packet from ramen noodles; mix thoroughly. Pour broccoli slaw, noodles, seeds (optional peanuts) into the dressing mixture and toss to completely coat all salad ingredients. Chill until ready to serve.

Posted in Baked goods, Brunch, Food

The Perfect Peach Cake Recipe

Posted on by lmc

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When my children were young, we always enjoyed heading out to local orchards to pick the season’s fruit. In the late spring, we would pick strawberries at Johnson’s Farms. In the early summer, we would pick blueberries from Blue Sky Farms, and in the fall, we would pack up the car and drive across the border to Michigan to pick apples and peaches. I have great memories of us packing up the car with a picnic lunch, making sure we had plenty of bug spray and sunscreen slathered on our faces and necks, and comfortable shoes so that we could pick a long while. I laugh as I think about finding my children plopped on the ground gobbling up the fruit in their half filled buckets, while I continued to pick as many berries as I could before the sun grew too hot. After we carried home our bushels of fruit, I would scour my cookbooks to try new recipes with our freshly picked crop. I found this recipe after picking a load of beautiful, white, Michigan peaches several years ago. Mixing the ingredients together takes minutes and the result is phenomenal. I have even used frozen or canned peaches when I am out of the fresh stuff. Either way, this cake is absolutely delicious!

The Perfect Peach Cake Recipe

3 eggs, beaten
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups fresh peaches – peeled, pitted, and sliced
½ cup pecans, chopped

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13×9” baking pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine all wet ingredients; mix thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients and mix well by hand. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until done. Let cool for 20 minutes and ice cake with my recipe for Powdered Sugar Glaze. Ohhhh, so yummy!

Posted in Baked goods, breakfast, Brunch, Food, lunch box

Our Best Banana Nut Bread

Posted on by lmc

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I have several recipes for banana bread in my stash of cookbooks and various magazine clippings but this is my family’s favorite. Adding wheat germ, nuts, and a few over-ripe bananas makes this quick bread loaf moist and flavorful. I often throw sweet, over-ripe bananas in the freezer so that I will have them on hand when I want to make a quick loaf. I thaw them on the counter or defrost them briefly in the microwave before mashing them into the batter. For an added health benefit, I add wheat germ to the recipe, giving a bit of crunch to the top of the loaf.

Our Best Banana Nut Bread Recipe

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup margarine, softened
2 eggs
3-4 medium ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup water
1 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/4 cup wheat germ

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x5x3″ loaf pan. In a large bowl, cream sugar and margarine; stir in eggs until blended. Add bananas and water; mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients except wheat germ and mix just until moistened. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle batter with wheat germ; gently press into the batter. Bake loaf for 55-60 minutes; cool for 5 minutes and remove from pan. Place on wire rack to continue cooling.

Posted in appetizers/snacks, Food, Main Dish, No-Bake

Tender Homemade Tortillas

Posted on by lmc

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Just last week, I posted a recipe for Favorite Taco Seasoning Mix so I thought I would share my recipe for Tender Homemade Tortillas as well. I use a tortilla press when making these little gems. Cut a plastic bag down the side seams but leave the bottom of the bag intact. Use the plastic bag to line the tortilla press. This makes clean up super easy and will help remove the flattened dough from the press without breaking the tortilla.
Making tortillas from scratch is fun, quick, easy and economical. Keep a bag of Maseca or masa harina in your pantry so that you can easily make a dozen or so in a very short period of time. Once you try the tasty and tender texture of these tortillas, you’ll be so satisfied, you won’t want to go back to the store bought brands.

Tender Homemade Tortillas

1 3/4 cup of masa harina
1 1/8 cup of hot water

In a medium bowl, mix together the masa harina and hot water. Kneed until pliable and smooth. If the dough is too dry, add more hot water, until dough is easy to kneed but not sticky. Let dough sit for 30 minutes, wrapped in plastic wrap.
Preheat a skillet or griddle pan set to medium-high heat. Divide dough into golf-sized balls. Press each in the tortilla press lined with plastic wrap or prepared plastic bag. Carefully remove the tortilla from the press and place on the hot griddle for 30-40 seconds per side. Transfer to a plate and cover with a towel to keep them warm and moist before serving.

Posted in Food, Homemade Mixes

Favorite Taco Seasoning Mix

Posted on by lmc

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As many in the area will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo this weekend, I thought it appropriate for me to share my “go to” taco seasoning mix recipe. I found this recipe shortly after I was married. I was tired of the salty packaged mixes found in the grocery store. Living in Chicago, we were used to visiting authentic Mexican restaurants like Lindo Mexico and El Jardin. I wanted to find a recipe that mimicked the flavor that I was tasting in the restaurant.
This recipe is adapted from an old cookbook that I use religiously. If you could see the stains on the pages of this cookbook, you would get a sense for its continuous use. I always triple the recipe and store the mixture in an old mason jar with a tight fitting lid. This way, I have plenty on hand when throwing together a quick meal. Use this seasoning for tacos, nachos, or for a tex-mex dip. Once you try this mix, you’ll never pay for the pricy,salty, packaged mixes again.

Favorite Taco Seasoning Mix

2 teaspoons instant minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried crushed pepper
1/2 teaspoon instant minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, stir to combine.
Package in a ziplock plastic bag or in a recycled jar. Store airtight in a cool, dry place. Makes the equivalent to one seasoning packet.

To use : Brown 1 lb. lean ground beef in a skillet, drain well. Add taco mix seasoning and 8 oz. water to the ground beef. Heat gently to develop favors, stirring occasionally. Makes filling for 8-10 tacos. Top tacos with guacamole, shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa, and sour cream (optional).

Adapted from More House Recipes cookbook

Posted in Baked goods, Food, frostings

Springtime Carrot Cake

Posted on by lmc

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When spring arrives, I am thrilled when I can open all of the windows to let a mild fresh breeze flow through the house. Now is the time to use up all of the left over shredded vegetables kept at the ready for the long season of winter baking. Carrots, zucchini, and squash and other veggies are all good candidates that can be thrown into spice cakes, quick breads, and muffins.
This weekend, I hoped to use up all of our remaining stash. Meagan had shredded and packaged loads of carrots last fall and there were a few left over packages that would be great for this recipe. Springtime Carrot Cake is a moist, sweet, and spice-filled cake that tastes even better the second day. For this cake, I take frozen shredded carrots out of the freezer and let them thaw. Having carrots prepped ahead is a real time saver. Shredded apples can be substituted for part (or all) of the carrots for this cake. Either way…it will be absolutely delicious. Use my Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting recipe to top this gem of a cake with a swirl of extra creamy sweetness!

Springtime Carrot Cake

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
3 eggs
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups shredded carrots
1 cup course chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13×9″ baking pan. Mix sugar, oil, and eggs until well blended. Stir in dry ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes. Stir in carrots and nuts. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 35-45 minutes. Frost with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting if desired.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package (8oz) cream cheese
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon good quality vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

Beat first three ingredients in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Carefully add powdered sugar, one cup at a time; slowly mixing after each addition, until smooth and of a spreading consistency.