Grandma Heisey's Snack Cake

Today I got to make dinner for a friend whose little boy is allergic to eggs and I wanted to include a dessert.  I suddenly remembered Grandma Heisey had a recipe for snack cake that was eggless.  I jazzed it up a little by adding walnuts and chocolate chips. The frosting recipe is straight off the can of Hershey's cocoa powder.

Snack Cake
Heat oven to 350°
Grease a 8X8 pan
Mix dry ingredients:
1 2/3 C flour
1 C brown sugar
1/4 C cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp.salt
Add wet ingredients:
1 C water
1/3 C vegetable oil
1 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes

Frosting
1/2 C butter, melted
2/3 C cocoa
3 C powdered sugar
1/3 C milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Add cocoa to melted butter and mix well. Alternate adding powdered sugar and milk.   Add vanilla.

Chelsea's Zucchini Bread

In the fall when we have an abundant crop of zucchini, I'm tempted to try all sorts of creative recipes with zucchini.  However, nothing can beat the time-honored favorite: zucchini bread.  Plus Chris begs me to make it every week! The recipe here is one that Chelsea brought home years ago from Activity Days.  I've tried several this fall but this one is Chris's favorite.

Preheat oven to 325°
Mix together in large bowl:
1 C oil
2 C sugar
3 eggs
1 Tbs vanilla
2 C shredded, raw zucchini

Add the following and mix in:
3 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 Tbs cinnamon

Chop and add:
1/2 C walnuts
Grease 2 loaf pans and dust them with flour.
Pour into the 2 pans.
Bake at 325° for 1 hour.  10 minutes less if using a convection oven. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Here is the recipe in Chelsea's own little girl handwriting!

Harvest Salad

In October, when we harvest our Bosc pears, we always have way more than we can eat fresh. Because I'm not a fan of canning and no one wants to eat a frozen pear, I dehydrate them instead. I don't know where you can buy them already dehydrated, maybe at a health food store. The Bosc are superior for dehydrating over other pears because they have a firmer texture and hold up well under processing.  Here's a link if you'd like to know more about Bosc pears:

http://usapears.com/Recipes%20And%20Lifestyle/Now%20Serving/Pears%20and%20Varieties/Bosc.aspx 

This salad is packed with nutrients and is very satisfying with it's complex textures and flavors.  I usually dress it simply with lemon juice and olive oil, salt and pepper, but you can make a balsamic vinaigrette (1 part vinegar to two parts olive oil) or use any sweet store-bought dressing.  The Costco balsamic vinegar dressing is very good!

6 C spinach
1/2 C dried pears
1/2 C walnuts
1/4 C dried cranberries (optional)
1/4 C blue cheese, crumbled

Combine and enjoy!

Southwest Bean Salad

I got this recipe from a friend who made it for our symphony dinner.  It's great for picnics and barbecues!

1 can black beans
1 can white beans
1 can corn
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1/2 C cilantro, chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Italian dressing, to taste (about 1/4 C)
Mix it all together and enjoy!

Citrus Marinated Chicken

We had a barbecue for Brooke's 20th birthday and we had this delicious chicken! If you want to serve it southwest style, omit the italian spices and parsley, and substitute with cumin, chili powder and cilantro.

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup orange juice (you can also use some lime juice, especially if going southwest!)

2 cups olive oil

1 C fresh parsley, chopped

2 tsp. salt

2 T italian seasoning

1 tsp pepper

Mix all together and marinate chicken for about an hour. Grill until cooked but still juicy and tender. We served the chicken with lemon caper sauce. 

I used the leftover marinade (that didn't touch the chicken!) to pour over chunks over red potatoes then roasted them at 375 for 45 minutes covered, then 15 minutes uncovered.

Southwest Chili

Nothing is quite as satisfying as a large bowl of chili on a snowy day!  You can serve it with cheese and crackers or bread.

1 lb ground beef, browned (or stew meet, or leftover pot roast)

1 can chopped tomatoes

2 cans beans (kidney, pinto, black, white or combo), rinsed

1 medium onion, chopped

1 can chili peppers

3 C beef broth (can be from bouillon)

1 tsp garlic powder (or 3 cloves of garlic, crushed)

4 T chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano or italian seasoning

1 tsp salt

Lightly brown the onion then add all the other ingredients.  Simmer for 2-3 hours. Can be made in the crock pot for 5 hours on high or 10 hours on low.  Serves 4-6.

Quinoa Tabouli

This is a great salad for a party or picnic.  It's unique and packed with nutrients!

1 cup quinoa, cooked
2 C parsley, chopped
1 1/2 C mint
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1/2 C red onion, diced
4 roma tomatoes, diced
Mix all of the above together then stir in the dressing:

4 T olive oil
3 T lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cracked pepper
Serves 10- 12

Mrs. Fields' Cookies

I got this recipe from Aunt Linda.  I have no idea if it's an authentic "Mrs. Fields" recipe or not! Sometimes I substitute half of the the butter with coconut oil.  And sometimes I substitute some of the white flour with wheat.  Maybe to assuage the guilt?  Anyway, the secret to making these soft and delicious is to take them out of the oven when they still look undercooked.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 convection)
Blend:
1 C butter
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
Add:
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix in:
2 C flour
2.5 C oatmeal (blended)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
12 oz. chocolate chips
1.5 C chopped walnuts

Scoop onto greased cookie sheet (or better yet, use a silicone mat on a jelly roll pan).  Bake for 8-10 minutes. (start with the minimum!)  Take cookies out while still a little doughy.  They will continue to cook while they cool.  Loosen from pan after 2 minutes.

Tortilla Soup

This is a super easy and satisfying meal.  I made this batch a couple of days after we had pulled pork tacos so used pulled pork, but you could also make it with boiled chicken (boil for about 20-30minutes).

2 Cups pulled pork or boiled chicken.
2 cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 can corn
1 can pinto, white or kidney beans
1 can black beans
l med can chopped chili peppers
1 small onion, diced
2 C chicken broth (from bouillon or can use fresh or canned)
4 Tbs chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano

Toppings:
Sour cream or greek yogurt
Shredded cheese
Chopped cilanto
Avocado, sliced

Put all of the above (except toppings) in a crockpot and cook on low for 5 1/2 hours.  Or add 1 more Cup of chicken broth and cook on the stove for an hour.

This is one of Peityn's favorite meals!

Boiled Eggs

Everyone talks about how easy it to boil an egg but few actually know how to do it!  Just put the eggs in a pot and cover them with water.  Turn on the stove to medium.  If you have a gas stove, set the timer for 25 minutes.  If it's electric, try 30.  When the timer rings, rinse eggs in cold water and store in fridge.  Some say that if you pour in a little baking soda, the eggs will be easy to peel.  Let me know if it works! If you want to dye your eggs, pour boiling water into several cups.  Add a little vinegar and several drops of food coloring to each cup.
Hard boiled eggs make a great snacks and can be made into egg salad or put into salads. A cheap nutritious, delicious food!

Sloppy Joes

1 lb. ground beef
1 cup diced onion
1/2 C chopped bell pepper
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp chili powder
10-3/4 oz.can condensed tomato soup
5 hamburger buns
Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese (optional).
Brown the ground beef, onion and bell pepper. Add the soup and seasonings and stir together.  Scoop onto lightly toasted buns and top with cheese if desired.

Easy Cheesy Potatoes

2lbs hash brown potatoes

1 16 oz container sour cream

1/4 C melted butter

4 Tbs dried onion

1/4 C green onions, chopped

2 cans cream of chicken soup

3-4 shakes of seasoned salt

2 C grated cheddar cheese, divided

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Stir all ingredients together except one cup of cheese. Pour into a 9X13 glass casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.  Bake for 45 minutes uncovered.

Baked Mediterranean Tilapia

This recipe came straight off the bag of frozen Costco tilapia.  So simple but delicious! I forgot to take a picture straight out of the oven so the one above is from Grandpa Plasterer's half-eaten plate.  The one to the left is what was left in the pan. Of course fresh basil and garlic are the best but if you don't have them you can make substitutions.





4 tilapia loins
1 large onion sliced 1/4" thick
2 medium tomatoes sliced 1/4" thick
4 T chopped fresh basil (or 2 T dried)
8 cloves of garlic, crushed
4 T olive oil
20 kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
Saute onions in 2 T olive oil and put them in the bottom of a 9X13 glass casserole dish.
Place fish on top of onions then top with all the other ingredients. Drizzle with olive oil.
Bake at 400 degrees, uncovered for 15 minutes or until the tilapia is flaky.

Roast Beef

There are two kinds of roasts that we make in our family.  The one we cover with steak seasoning and cook for about 45 minutes.  We then thinly sliced it and serve it with horseradish if desired. There really is nothing easier than this roast.  The secret is to get top round or eye of round.  This cut is more compact and looks "round".

The other roast we make is a pot roast.  You have to use a loose cut of meat like chuck, and cook it for a long time at a low temperature.  I'll address that type of type of roast in another post.

Ingredients

3-4 lb. round roast

Steak seasoning

Instructions

Preheat convection oven to 325°. Regular oven to 350°.

Cover the entire roast in seasoning and let it sit for about 1/2 hour if possible.

Put the roast in a shallow pan.

If you have a meat thermometer, cook until 132 degrees. (or for about 45 minutes)

Take the cooked roast out, cover with foil and let it sit for 15 minutes.

Slice as thinly as possible.

The most important thing with this roast is to NOT overcook it or it will get tough.

Broccoli Pie

Taco pie was such a big hit with Chris and Clay that I decided to make broccoli pie the next day.  Chris was not a fan!  But the next day Marta had some and loved it.  So, there you go.

2 C fresh broccoli (chopped)

1/2 c chopped onion

1 tomato (chopped)

1/2 C green pepper (chopped

1 1/4 C grated cheese

1 C milk

3/4 C Bisquick (or homemade substitute)

2 eggs

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees and grease a 9" pie plate.

Cook broccoli in microwave until tender (about 7 minutes).

Drain thoroughly. Mix broccoli, onion, green pepper and cheese in pie plate. 

Beat Milk, eggs, Bisquick and salt and pepper.

Pour mixture over vegetables and cheese.

Bake 35-40 minutes.  Let stand for 5 minutes.

Taco Pie

When I was a young, 19-year-old bride, I had no idea how to cook.  A friend of mine took me under her wing and wrote up all her favorite easy recipes.  I was touched that she would take the time to do this when she had a family of her own to take care of! This is one of her recipes.  It calls for Bisquick but you can substitute homemade Bisquick if you don't have any on hand.

1lb of ground beef 

1/2 chopped onion

2 Tbs. taco seasoning

1 4 oz canned chopped, green chilis (drained)

1 C milk

2 eggs

3/4 c Bisquick

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 1/4 C grated cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Brown ground beef and onions. 

Drain and stir in taco seasoning. Spread in plate and top with chilis. Beat milk, Bisquick and eggs until smooth. Pour into plate.  Bake for 25 minutes.

Top with tomatoes and cheese then bake for 8-10 more minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Top with sour cream or greek yogurt and salsa if desired.

Here's Chelsea chopping onions for her taco pie!

Angel Pasta with Sun-dried Tomatoes

Years ago when Aunt Jeni and uncle Nate were coming to visit, I told my mom that I was worried about what to feed them because they were eating vegetarian at the time.  Mom saw this recipe in the paper and wrote it all down for me.  I can't remember if Jeni and Nate liked it but it's been one of our favorites ever since!  I would only use 1/2 lb. of angel pasta because it's tastier when there's more sauce.  Plus it makes a lot of pasta! The picture shows how much is left after five people have already eaten. I thought you might like to have this recipe written in Grandma's own hand. Enjoy!

PS. A scallion is a green onion.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

1 small onion, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1/4 bell pepper, chopped

1 medium potato, chopped

1 large head of broccoli, chopped

6 C of chicken broth

1 Can evaporated milk

Cook all vegetables together with the chicken broth for 15- 20 minutes or until tender. Blend a small portion at a time, then put back in pan and add the milk.  Can serve with shredded cheese. 

Serves 4-6.

Rice Noodles with Almond Pesto

1/2 lb. flat rice noodles

1/4 C extra virgin olive oil

1/4 C fresh sage leaves

1/4 C almond butter

1 garlic clove, crushed

4 green onions, minced

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 tsp. lemon zest

Pinch or two of crushed red pepper

1/2 C + 2 Tbs. freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp.Salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Cook the noodles to al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water.

Fry the sage in 1/4 C olive oil. Then crumble in a paper towel.

In a bowl, combine sage, garlic, green onions, lemon zest, red pepper, 1/2 C parmesan cheese, olive oil (from the pan) and salt and pepper. Add noodles and sprinkle with 2 Tbs. parmesan cheese.  If the sauce  needs more moisture, add a little water from the pasta.

Serves 3-4.

Chili Relleno

Preheat to 350 degrees
6 canned whole green chilis
1 can evaporated milk
4 eggs
3 T flour
1 lb cheese (cheddar or cheddar and jack)
8 oz tomato sauce
Combine all ingredients except the tomato sauce about 1/4 of the cheese. Pour into a 9 X 13 glass casserole. Bake for 30 minutes. Pour tomato sauce over and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 15 more minutes.

Chicken Broccoli

The night I made this recipe, Chris had a concert.  We ran out of time and had to eat it after the concert and when I took the picture, I forgot to change the shutter speed so the picture came out terribly!  But the recipe is still good.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

3 C broccoli (cook in the microwave for about 7 minutes with a little water)

3 chicken breasts, boiled

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

1 cup mayo ( may substitute sour cream or greek yogurt for some)

2 C cheese
1/2 tsp curry
1/2 tsp paprika (to sprinkle on top)

Combine chicken and broccoli in a 9 x 13 glass casserole dish
Combine all other ingredients except the paprika and then pour over the broccoli and chicken. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 45 minutes, uncovered.  Serve over rice.

German Pancakes

This is the recipe Dad makes for special occasions!  He got it from Grandma Linford (Barbara).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
6 eggs
1 Cup flour
1 Cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbl. butter
Mix all of the ingredients except the butter in the blender.  Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 9x13 glass casserole dish.  Pour the egg mixture into the glass dish.  Bake for about 20 minutes.

Roasted Asparagus

asparagus
olive oil
crushed garlic
kosher salt
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Drizzle olive oil over asparagus.  Sprinkle with garlic, salt and cheese.  Bake at 400 degrees for 9 minutes.

Lemon Barbecue Meatloaves

This is Grandma Flahive's recipe for meatloaf.  She got it from the Jr. League Cookbook.  If you're not

a fan of meatloaf, this one will change your mind!  And as weird as it sounds, make sure you eat the lemon (rind and all) with the meatloaf.

1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
4 slices dried bread, cubed
1/4 C lemon juice
1/4 C minced onion
1 egg slightly beaten
2 tsp seasoned salt

1/2 C ketchup
1/3 C brown sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
6 thin lemon slices

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ground beef, bread cubes, lemon juice, onion, egg and salt. Shape into 6 small loaves.  Arrange in a 9X13 greased baking dish.  Bake 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, allspice and cloves, Cover the loaves with the sauce and place a lemon slice on each one.  Bake 30 minutes longer basting occasionally with sauce from the pan.

Soft Tacos

1lb ground beef

taco seasoning

tortillas

lettuce

tomatoes

cheese

fresh salsa

Brown the beef then add 2T seasoning. Warm the tortillas.  Allow everyone to assemble their own tacos according to taste.  Can garnish with avocado and sour cream or greek yogurt.

Sukiyaki

When I was a teenager, a lady at our church had several Japanese girls stay with her for a few weeks.  One evening, they taught all us American girls how to make sukiyaki. For years I made this for our family but when my two youngest came along, I quit making it because they were such picky eaters.  Recently, I decided to bring it back into the rotation.  Sukiyaki definitely fits the category of comfort food: rich, satisfying and healthy!

1/2 cup vegetable oil 

1lb good quality beef, cut up (if you use a cheaper cut, make sure you marinate it)

asian seasoning (optional) or crushed garlic

1/4 head of napa cabbage

1 5oz can of water chestnuts, sliced

1/2 lb tofu

2 C sliced mushrooms

1 C bean sprouts

1 egg

5 green onions

2 C beef broth

1/2 soy sauce

Stir fry the meat for about 5 minutes and sprinkle with asian seasoning or crushed garlic, then transfer to a plate. Saute the cabbage and chestnuts in vegetable oil for about 4 minutes.  Add tofu  and mushrooms and cook 2 more minutes. Add the cooked meat. Add bean sprouts and egg and stir. Add green onions. Serve in a bowl with a little rice.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

1 Can pineapple chunks
1 onion, cubed
1 bell pepper, cubed
1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 C apple cider vinegar
1/4 C water
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1T cornstarch
3lbs. Chicken legs and thighs or 3 breasts, cubed

Dissolve cornstarch in water. Add other ingredients.  Stir and cook until until thickened. Pour over chicken, pineapple and veggies. Bake uncovered, 1 hour.  The picture shows stir fry vegetables on top. (from Costco, freezer section) From Grandma Flahive.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Chinese Chicken Salad

Salad

2-3 Cooked chicken breasts

1 head iceberg (Can substitute ½ for ½ Napa cabbage)

6 green onions sliced

1-2 cans of mandarin oranges

½ cup of toasted slivered almonds

¼ cup toasted sesame seeds

⅓ bunch cilantro

1 package of ramen noodles crumbled (optional)

Dressing

4 T White vinegar                           4 T rice vinegar

7 T sugar ½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup water 2 tsp salt

1 T Sesame oil 1 tsp pepper

Combine all the salad ingredients then add dressing.