Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

Ya just gotta love these awesome little, no... correction...  HUGE veggies.  Spaghetti squash are amazing things... They grow well in home gardens, even up here with our short growing season, and are readily available in grocery stores. 

We didn't grow any in our garden this year, but my neighbor gave us some of hers.   They are oh so good, sweet and just fun to eat.  Without lots of butter, salt & pepper or made into zucchini treats, most squash are fairly tasteless to me.  I actually was quite surprised how flavor these have. 

Spaghetti squash are easy to cook and it's kinda fun to scrape out the yellow, spaghetti-like strands of goodness.   Here are the instructions for microwaving them:

Microwave Spaghetti Squash

1.  With a long, sharp knife, pierce squash three or

        four times along the perimeter, making sure

        the holes extend all the way to the center

        of the squash. (This creates steam vents in

        the squash.)

2.  Microwave squash for 20 minutes. Steam

        should be coming out of the holes by

        the end of this time.  If not, microwave

        for another 4 or 5 minutes.  Let

        squash sit in the microwave for 10

        minutes after cooking.

3.  Cut off stem end of squash.  Cut remaining

        squash lengthwise.  You will see light

        yellow squash and darker, almost amber

        areas.  The darker areas will contain

        seeds.  Remove all seeds and retain the

        light yellow strands.

At this point you can enjoy the wonderfully sweet and rich taste, buttered and seasoned to your liking, or as a pasta-less spaghetti with your favorite sauce.  It's a really good way to have your Italian food without the heaviness and calories of typical pasta.  We really enjoy it like this.  A friend uses spaghetti squash in her Chicken Parmesan and says it is awesome.

The green beans seen there on the plate are out of our garden.  While they taste really good, I have to say they don't taste enough better fresh from the garden to justify the length of time you have to cook them... I'm just way ok with opening a can!  I cooked them for almost 8 hours on high in a crock pot the other day and they still weren't done.  I cooked them for another 5 or 6 minutes in a pressure cooker and they're not too bad.  They are still a little too crisp for our preference but  I wasn't going to mess with them anymore that night.  Next time I cook them, I will try them in the pressure cooker to begin with.  If it's still a pain, the ones in the freezer will probably either be pressure canned or go out to feed the critters!  They do can really easily... we did about 50 pints a couple of weeks ago and they turned out great.

If you haven't tried spaghetti squash, give it a try... I predict you'll find a new favorite veggie.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

This is an incredibly rich pie, but oh so worth the calories!!  Really yummy and very easy to do.  Of course, my job was made easier since I used the leftover third of a batch of pie dough which I made up the other day for an apple pie recipe I was trying.  That one didn't turn out as good as I'd like, so I probably won't be posting that endeavor.  But this one, it's a keeper!

Notes:  On instruction #2 where it says to beat in more of the ingredients, I would suggest mixing it quite well to insure the sugar dissolves.  I just mixed it with a rubber spatula and I think the texture would have been even better had I mixed it slowly for a little while with an electric mixer . 

Also, the instructions say to bake for 50-60 minutes.  I cooked this one for about 70 minutes, so you'll just have to test it to see when the knife comes out clean.

This recipe comes from tastykitchen.com.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

4 oz. Semi-sweet Chocolate Bar or

        1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 T butter

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/4 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

3 whole eggs

1 1/2 cup pecan halves

9" unbaked pastry pie shell

1.  Melt semi-sweet chocolate with butter in a

        microwave safe bowl, ir on the stove,

        stirring until smooth.  (30 seconds, stir,

        then another 20-30 seconds.

2.  Remove from heat or microwave and beat/stir

        in corn syrup, sugar, vanilla and salt until very

        well incorporated.

3.  In a separate bowl, beat eggs with a fork.

4.  Add eggs to chocolate mixture and whisk in until

        well combined.

5.  Roughly chop pecans and place on the bottom

        of the pie shell.

6.  Pour chocolate mixture over the top of the pecans.

7.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes until a

        knife inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out

        clean.    Serve with whipped cream if desired.

Ahhhhh.... Chocolate, Pecans & crust... darn near everything you could ever hope for!

Cake Mix Cookies

Most of you have probably heard of these quickie cookies, and many, I'm sure, have made them... but for those of you who haven't or have forgotten what a little blessing they are, here they are again.

A couple of weeks ago, I was called and asked to bring a couple of dozen cookies to an event at the church... THAT night!  OK, cookie baking was not on my agenda for the day... so I grabbed this recipe and turned out a batch of them in no time.  They were great!

You can use any flavor cake mix you want, chocolate, yellow, spice, lemon, white, or anything you can find.  I used a yellow mix and added chocolate chips and nuts... Oh my!  They were so good.  I found the dough to be just a little softer this time than I wanted, so I threw in an extra handful of flour to stiffen it up a bit.  YUUUUMMMMMEEEE!

Check online for a plethora of variations to tickle your fancy.

Cake Mix Cookies

1 (18 oz.) cake mix, flavor of choice

1/2 cup oil

2 T water

2 eggs

1.  Mix everything together.

2.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. 

3.  Bake @ 350 degrees for 10-12 min.

4.  Let rest on cookie for a few minutes.

5.  Remove to cooling rack to finish cooling.

Optional additions:  1 c peanut butter, chocolate chips, nuts, raisins, etc.

Happy nibbling!

Zucchini Casserole

 I love this casserole!  I got it from another temple buddy...   S. Graham, back in July.  It really is tasty and easy.  Thanks for sharing, S. xox  (Excuse the less than appetizing picture... I didn't think to take a picture until after I had served dinner out of it!)

It says to use a 9x9" baking dish, but I add a pint jar of my canned/bottled chicken which makes it too much for that size dish.  To compensate for a larger baking dish, I either use 2 boxes of stuffing mix (Stove Top) or toast 4-6 slices of bread, crumble it into small pieces and add some of the same spices in the packaged product, plus add a bit more margarine.



It's a nice comfort-food-type meal... I've made it several times, with and without the added chicken. 

Zucchini Casserole

6 cups shredded or  diced (about 1/2") zucchini, unpeeled

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup water

Combine and microwave:  above 3 ingredients in a
        covered dish for 5-6 minutes.  Drain well.

Melt: 1 stick margarine, (1/2 c.)

Combine: Melted margarine and 1 pkg. (6 oz.) dry
        stuffing mix (Stove Top) with seasoning pkt.
        NO water.  Mix well.

Combine in large bowl and blend well:

        1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

        1 cup sour cream

        1 cup shredded cheese

Add:  drained zucchini and onions, blend well.

Put:   1/2 stuffing mixture in 9x9" baking dish.

Add:  zucchini mixture.

Top:  with remaining stuffing mix.

Bake: at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serves: 4 to 6

Opt.  Add cooked chicken (12 oz. can or leftovers).
       4-6 crumbled slices toast plus desired seasonings.
         (Check stuffing mix box to see what they use.)

Cowboy Stew

Howdy, folks!  This is my all-time, go-to, dinner-in-a-hurry recipe!  It tastes wonderful, is quick and easy to throw together, and I haven't found anyone yet who doesn't like it. 

I got this recipe from a friend, A. Hensley, but as soon as I started talking about it, I was promptly informed by her sister, P. Blackburn, that the recipe is HERS, not A.'s.  So, since I love 'em both,  I'll give credit here to a couple of nifty sisters!  Thanks for sharing it with me and now the blogging world.

One day on my way home from Snowflake, AZ I learned of the passing of a good friend's husband.  When I got back to Heber-Overgaard, I stopped by her house before heading home.  I felt so bad for her and her family... what a hard thing.  Anyway, she was expecting her sons and their families up from the Mesa/Phoenix area any minute.  I left her, went home, opened a bunch of cans and popped the lid off a jar of my canned hamburger, threw the stew together and was back to her house with it hot and ready to eat in less than an hour, TOTAL! ...including travel time!  They loved it and still talk about it.  She's still amazed that something that tasted that good was so quick to make. 

It's a complete meal in itself but, of course, you can always add a salad, some bread/rolls and butter or the Kickin' Crackers from my last post.  It's a winner and especially with the cool weather approaching rapidly, this will probably become one of your family's favorites, too.

The recipe calls for 1 lb. of browned ground beef.  I'm sure that is wonderful, but I always use my bottled/canned ground beef.  Makes it soooo quick!

Also, sometimes I throw in a handful of dehydrated onions and some granulated beef bouillon, but it is really not necessary... just something I do once in a while.  If I was going to use fresh hamburger, I'd probably saute some onions to go with the browned meat.... we like onions.

One change we've made is to substitute just about any other kind of beans for the kidney beans.  My family doesn't care for them.  I normally use either pinto or great northern white beans.  Anything your family likes, go for it.

It is important NOT to drain the Ranch Style beans as that is where the unique flavor comes from.  In fact, I always rinse the can to get all the sauce out.  AND it is important not  to add extra salt.  There is plenty of salt in the canned stuff.  Additionally, I always take my kitchen shears and cut up the stewed tomatoes since I prefer small chunks of tomatoes...

It is just as easy to double or triple this recipe, if you have a large enough pot, to feed a big group.  Also, if you'd like it a little soupier, just add some water... easy peasy!

Cowboy Stew

1 can Ranch Style beans, undrained

1 can kidney beans, rinsed & drained (or substitute for your favorite beans)

1 can corn, undrained

1 can green beans, undrained

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 can diced tomatoes

1 lb. ground beef, browned

Drain and rinse kidney beans.  Add all ingredients into a large pot.  Heat thoroughly.  EAT!  That's All Folks!!

Steve's Kickin' Crackers

Before I begin, I must first make a disclaimer here: "Steve" does not refer to MY Steve... This Steve is a brother-in-law of the gal I got this recipe from: L. Rothans.  My Big McK wanted to lay claim to this great little treat, but I wouldn't let him!

I   have   a   very  good  resource  for 

awesome recipes... from awesome cooks!  Each Friday morning, Big Mck and I serve at the Snowflake Arizona Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We have a circle of friends, some of the nicest people to be found on the planet, to spend this time with.  The women are really some of the best cooks you'll ever find.  They bring in wonderful things to help everyone stave off hunger attacks since many of us don't feel like eating that early in the morning.  The men, especially, can be found hovering close by these delectable offerings, more than willing to taste test them and give their reports.  Sometimes there is a huge array of goodies... baked goods, soups, fruit, dips & chips... oh man, my mouth is watering even as I write this.  OK... moving on now...

I have made these crackers 3 times already since receiving the recipe.  We have to keep them in a cabinet, out of sight, or we just nibble on them all day!

One change I've made to the original recipe is I use EVOO, extra virgin olive oil, instead of canola oil.  I have done a little research into it and believe it is very good for us... not just 'not as bad' as vegetable oil, etc., but actually GOOD for us. 

Also, I believe any kind of cracker would be wonderful in this recipe, taste-wise.  Having only tried saltines, I don't know how other types of crackers like club, wheat thin-type, Ritz-type, etc., would react with the oil mixture.  Next time I plan to add a few of whatever other kinds of crackers I have in the house to see if they'll work, too.  The saltines, I know, hold up beautifully and are crisp, not soggy at all.  The first batch I made was with Bashas' (a grocery store found mostly in Arizona, but some in NM and CA) store brand whole wheat saltines and they were really, really, really good!  The second and third time I used Nabisco's Premium Saltine Crackers with Multi-grain topped with Sea Salt (because that was the brand one of my daughters picked up for me).  These are also very good, but I think I prefer the whole wheat ones.  I am looking at the ingredient list from the Nabisco crackers and the first ingredient is unbleached enriched flour with whole wheat flour listed nearer the bottom.  The w.w. crackers are a little dark in color and I prefer that appearance.  But truthfully, if blindfolded, I don't think I could pick one out from the other... with that much cayenne and red pepper flakes, plus the ranch dressing mix, I really don't think the cracker is anything more than the 'carrier' of the flavor. 

These crackers are awesome with dips, salads, soups or anything... or all by themselves.  I feel they're not a bad-for-you snack either.  I mean, with whole wheat, EVOO and cayenne, we could almost call them a health food, right?! 

I hope you love them as much as we do...  Thanks Sis. Rothans!  I'll post your cheese ball recipe soon.

Steve's Kickin' Crackers

1 1/2 C.   Canola Oil (or EVOO)

1 1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

1 1/2 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix

1  1-lb box of whole wheat saltines, off/store brands
           are fine & cheaper

1.  Mix the first 4 ingredients together, very well.

2.  Open all 4 sleeves of crackers and carefully place
            them in an unscented kitchen garbage bag.

3.  Stir liquid mixture again and add to bag with
            crackers. 

4.  GENTLY turn and 'massage' bag to coat the
            crackers. 

5.  Place coated crackers on 2-3 large cookie sheets
            and let sit, uncovered, for 30 minutes
            to absorb the mixture. 

6.  Store in an airtight container.  These will keep for
            a very long time.

(Not that they'll really last as long as they will keep!)

Enjoy!

Super Easy Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Ahhhh... my first recipe here... and it's a good one!  I've made this zucchini bread using Devil's Food, White, Spice and just regular Chocolate cake mixes... they are all good but, in my opinion, the Devil's Food is by far the best.... way chocolatey and moist... almost like a nice, gooey brownie.

Super Easy Zucchini Bread

3 eggs

1 1/2-2 cups shredded zucchini

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 teaspoons butter, melted

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1 (18 1/4 ounce) box Devil's Food chocolate cake mix (any can be used)

1/3 - 1/2 cup sugar

1. In one bowl mix all ingredients. Will have some lumps and that is ok. As we age, those lumps are badges of honor!

2. Pour into 2 greased and floured bread loaf pans or 1 loaf pan and 12 muffin cups (lined).  I like to use a cooking spray, like Pam or Vegalene, then coat with sugar instead of flour... nice touch!

3. Cook for 45 minutes at 350°F.

4. Muffins 25 minutes at 350°F.

Because I live in a high-altitude area (6700'), I throw in a little extra flour, maybe 1/4 cup to compensate.  This is not a high-rising bread... perhaps smaller loaf pans would make them a little taller... but all the flavor is there anyway!! 

This bread also freezes well... in fact, I have some in the freezer right now... hmmm, breakfast food??  (OK, I just went and got a loaf for a picture... and if you look closely, you can still see the ice crystals on it!  That's what it looks like using the sugar to coat the pans... nice, crispy sweet edges!)

Oh, yeah!  It's good!

Enjoy!

Prologue

Welcome... one and all!

OK, so why would someone who really doesn't enjoy cooking create a cooking blog?  Well, this person is doing it because she loves collecting recipes!!  My husband, Big McK, laughs at me and all my recipes, saying: "But you don't cook!"  Ha ha... well, no, at least not any more often than I have to!!  Collecting recipes is kinda like him having guns and ammo but never going shooting!  It's just something we have to do!  Having cooked for a family of 11 and survived, I pretty much burned out on cooking a long time ago, but still do have to once in a while.  I have to tell you a little secret however, if you kinda quit cooking, the other people in your house pick up the slack if they want to eat!  :)  Big McK has become a very accomplished cook... But I digress... 

Like I mentioned, having cooked for a big family, we've found it difficult to cut back to just the two of us.  It's not all that bad, though.  I firmly believe in the old adage, "Work smarter, not harder!"  Trust me when I say, it's just not a bad thing to have several meals' worth of leftovers stashed in the fridge!!  That is a luxury I never experienced with that many hungry scavengers forever lurking around for some edible morsel to inhale! 

I am excited to begin posting yummy recipes that I've acquired over the years.  Some of the recipes will be concoctions I've put together, many will be delectable things which have been made by others and their recipes shared with me (because I now crave them!), and others will be ones that have just somehow come to live in my kitchen.   I will try to give proper credit to each if I can.

My intentions are to share things that we've really liked and have been successful for us.  Some will, however, be ones I've found, haven't tried yet, but sound awesome.  (If you want to,  you can report back to me on those when you try them!)  They won't be exotic or difficult or made with funky ingredients that are hard to find.  I don't cook with fancy stuff, mostly just items that are in most every one's kitchens.  I plan to do some pictures of the dishes if I've just made it and can take a picture.  I also plan to post the recipes, ingredients, instructions and so forth first, with pictures, commentary, etc. separate so they are easy to copy and paste in your word processing programs or print systems.  That's one of things I have the most difficulty with when I find recipes on various websites... the pictures, while wonderful, complicate copying the recipes for my use.  Hopefully, I can simplify that job for you.

So, all that said... let's get going with this project!  I'll be posting something very soon... Sign up to follow me by e-mail... or y'all just come back often, ya hear?!  :)