I live in a rural area of Arizona. I grew up in Iowa and transplanted to Arizona in the early 80's. I moved from a small Iowa farm to Phoenix, Arizona. Talk about culture shock! I lasted a couple years in metro Phoenix, then looked at a map and chose a small town.
I live with my husband, Ken, and dog, Maggie, on an acreage just outside town.
So much of what I learned by doing, as a way of life, is being lost. Everyone has something to offer the younger generation, so here I go...
You may have already heard this and wondered whether or not it works. Well, a wooden spoon placed across the top of the pan does prevent starchy foods, such as potatoes and noodles, from boiling over, for a time anyway. You know how the smell of something boiling over takes over the kitchen? It totally wipes out the smells of all the other good foods, so I avoid it as much as possible. When I’m in the kitchen, I’m usually distracted with preparing something else while the potatoes or noodles cook.
Wooden spoon works
Using a spoon across the top of the pan does buy enough time for me to reduce the heat without a mess. This is one of those tips that’s now became a habit. I still have to keep an eye on the pan, just not as close as before.
Now, I never boil anything without a spoon. It works!
Contrary to popular belief, light and fluffy eggs are easy to make. These definitely aren’t my parents’ eggs. Whenever I fry bacon, I save some of the grease to use for cooking the eggs. [I keep a half pint jar of bacon grease in the frig to add a little splash of flavor to other recipes, too.]
Eggs starting to cook.
2 tablespoons bacon grease
3-4 eggs
1 tablespoon milk for each egg
Lawry’s seasoning or table salt
Pepper
American cheese slices or shredded cheddar cheese
Chives, optional
Melt bacon grease in saucepan over medium high heat.
Seasonings added
Combine eggs and milk in bowl.
Beat with fork or whisk until very well blended.
Pour into preheated saucepan.
Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper and chives.
Let sit and cook a few moments.
Gently push eggs around with spatula.
When nearly set, flip to finish cooking.
Put cheese slices on eggs.
Push edges to center while cooking.
Turn off burner.
Cover pan and wait a few seconds for cheese to melt.
Serve immediately.
American cheese melts quickly.
The shredded cheddar takes a bit longer.
Potato soup generally isn’t real exciting. This recipe will change your mind. One day, I didn’t feel a trip to town just for fresh milk, so as I was tweaking this recipe I substituted evaporated milk. Wallah! This soup has a pleasing, smooth, sweet taste. Pair with Honey/Slightly Wheat Buns for a great meal.
Saute Onions
1 medium onion, chopped
¼ cup butter
1 can (14-3/4 oz.) chicken broth
2 cans (14-3/4 oz. each) cream-style corn
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼ – ½” cubes
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
¼ cup water
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Potatoes and Corn added
Optional – 4 strips bacon, cooked & chopped
In stock pot, sauté onion in butter until tender. Add broth, water and potatoes; bring to a boil. Add corn. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Reduce heat to low.
Stir in milk, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until heated through, stirring occasionally.
Stir in bacon for a nice flavor boost or sprinkle on top of individual serving bowls.
Milk and Seasonings addedPotato and Corn ChowderHoney Bun with Potato and Corn Chowder. Soup’s on. Let’s Eat!
I was a bit under the weather yesterday, so I turned to an old standby. Nothing makes you feel better than a piping hot bowl of chicken noodle soup. True comfort food. This one starts with a can of chicken broth. It’s easy to double this recipe and throw in more of what you like.
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
1 boneless chicken breast, raw* or cooked, cubed or shredded
1 14.5 oz can chicken broth
1 large carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
¼ cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon celery or garlic salt
3 large handfuls(cups,) uncooked noodles
1 cup milk
½ cup flour
1 cup frozen peas
Salt and pepper, to taste
Country Pasta Noodles
Combine chicken, broth, carrot, celery, onion, garlic, pepper and celery salt in large pan. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer while the noodles cook. In another saucepan, cook noodles as directed, then drain. I love these Country Pasta noodles. They’re the closest thing I’ve found to homemade. *If using raw chicken, boil in broth until tender, then add carrot, celery, onion, garlic, pepper and celery salt.
Combine milk and flour in jar. Shake well until no lumps remain. Whisk into soup. Return to boil for 5 – 8 minutes, stirring constantly to cook flour and thicken. Reduce heat to medium low. I don’t like mushy peas, so I add them now with the drained noodles. Heat, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until peas are cooked.
This is another adding things you like to a can/jar recipe that I learned from my sister. When comparing the price of tomatoes and tomato sauce vs. the price of a jar of spaghetti sauce, they’re not too far apart. This is perfect when you’re looking for a quick dinner. Week nights, I just don’t have the time (or inclination) to make spaghetti sauce from scratch. I use Angel Hair pasta because it cooks so much quicker.
Browned Hamburger for Sauce
1-2 jars/cans of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 lb. lean hamburger, browned
1 teaspoon of minced garlic per jar
¼ cup finely chopped onion per jar
Optional, if you need to make a little larger batch…
1 each 8 oz. can tomato sauce
¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning, oregano or basil
Spaghetti Sauce in Pan
Brown hamburger and onion in sauce pan. Drain off fat and any excess liquid. Add spaghetti sauce and minced garlic, then mix thoroughly. Heat on medium until heated clear through. That’s it. Quick and easy.
Now if you need a little more sauce, especially since the jars are no longer a full quart, add 1 each 8 oz. can of tomato sauce and ¼ teaspoon seasoning. This ratio works well for me. If I add 2 cans, I add ½ teaspoon seasonings.
If your sauce seems too runny, add a few plain instant potatoes and it will thicken right up without affecting the flavor.
These cookies are so good. I mean melt in your mouth, can’t stop eating them kind of good. They have just the right blend of sugary peanut flavor. It’s been a while since I made them. Things always tastes better when you haven’t made them recently. Store in airtight container and they’ll stay soft.
Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup butter-flavored Crisco
1 cup peanut butter, creamy or chunky
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup white granulated sugar
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons baking soda
Cream together shortening, peanut butter, brown and white sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each egg.
Add flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda to the creamed mixture. [If you want, combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl first. I don’t waste my time with this step. I sprinkle the teaspoon measurements, then dump in the flour and call it good. Why get another bowl dirty?]
Preheat oven to 375°. Chill dough slightly, about 15 minutes. Chilled dough is easier to work with. Form dough into 1 ¼” balls by briefly rolling in palms. [I use a small scoop to grab the right amount of dough for uniform balls.] Put about 3” apart on non-stick cookie sheet or lightly grease a cookie sheet if yours aren’t non-stick. Dip a fork in white sugar and flatten the balls, making a crisscross pattern.
Fresh out of the oven
Bake in 375° oven for 8 minutes. Remove cookies sheet from oven and let the cookies finish cooking on the cookies sheet. Transfer cookies to racks to finish cooling.
Makes about 6 dozen.
Chocolate Drizzle for Cookies
½ cup chocolate chips
1½ teaspoons Crisco*
To make a chocolate drizzle, melt chocolate chips along with Crisco in microwave for 20 – 30 seconds, then drizzle over cookies while warm. It may take more or less time depending on the wattage of your microwave.
*Don’t use any other type of oil, butter of lard. It needs to be Crisco to work.
Cooking isn`t an exact science. It`s all about combining flavors you enjoy. I pick recipes that sound good, then tweak them to my family`s tastes. I`ll never forget the summer of perfecting the Margarita, but that`s a story for another day.
I`ve tried many different salsa recipes over the years. This one I created several years ago. I used to pick up a couple of each pepper at the store and start chopping. My tastes have changed, so now I skip the Habanero and Serrano chilies. It`s hard to find flavorful fresh tomatoes locally, so for consistency, I start with a can of petite diced tomatoes. Be sure to refer to the Washing Vegetables and Fruit page under the Granny Knows section before you start chopping.
The following recipe starts off as Pico de Gallo, then with the addition of more tomatoes and sauce, it ends up as Salsa.
Washed Vegetables
1 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes (2 cans for salsa)
2 each Hatch green chilies
2 each Hungarian peppers (4, if small)
1 jalapeño or other hot pepper
2 bunches green onions or ½ cup chopped onions
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
Put can of tomatoes in large mixing bowl. Add garlic, lime juice and olive oil. After washing peppers, onions and cilantro, let drain. Chop onions and add to bowl. Remove stem end of peppers. I remove the seeds. Some folks leave them in – it’s all a matter of preference. Personally, I don`t like getting pepper seeds stuck in between my teeth. Slice lengthwise.
Peppers ready to chop
Next, cut Hatch and Hungarian peppers into narrow strips and chop (or put in your food processor to let it do the work for you.) Add to mixing bowl. Finely chop the jalapeño pepper and add a little at a time depending on how hot you like it. Stir well. Stop here and you have fresh Pico de Gallo.
For Salsa, continue by adding another can of tomatoes and an 8 oz. can of tomato sauce. I use the “no added salt” tomato sauce. Stir well. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Salsa always tastes better at room temperature, so let it warm up before serving.
No matter where you get your vegetables, at the store, farmer’s market or from your own garden, they need to be washed. Prepared washes are not always available here. When they are in stock, they can be pricey. The easiest and cheapest method I`ve found is using ¼ cup white vinegar in ½ gallon of water. Scientifically, I don`t know how much bacteria, germs, etc. it does remove. However, no one likes excess dirt or creepy, crawly things in their food. When you spend the time to prepare food, you definitely don’t want to make anyone sick.
Unwashed Peppers and Cilantro
First, rinse the produce well under running water. Don’t scrub with a brush as it may scratch the surface and let unwanted bacteria in. Use your hands to rub off visible dirt. I’ve recycled a ½ gallon pickle jar to wash my veggies in. If I have a lot of produce to do at once, I recycle a gallon pickle jar and increase the white vinegar to ½ cup. I make sure the skin is intact with no holes or mushy spots. Some vegetables float, so when the lid`s put on, it keeps them submerged. Keep the vegetables in the vinegar/water solution for 15 minutes. Dump out and refill the jar with cool water. Return the produce to the jar for 5 minutes, then rinse briefly.
Another view, Peppers and Cilantro in SolutionPepper and Cilantro in Vinegar Solution
Following the initial soak for leafy greens, (cilantro, parsley, leaf lettuce,) I swish the greens around and change the water a couple times until the rinse water is clear. I’m on a private well, so I don’t have chlorinated water. Our drinking water runs through a RO system. I’d use filtered water in the vinegar solution if I lived in town rather than the chlorinated city tap water.
Always be sure to wash cantaloupe and watermelons. Even though you don’t eat the rind, the bacteria is transferred inside when you slice it.
I’ve been noticing a lot of posts lately that always begin with “The Top Ten…” Well, try as I may, I can’t cut my spice list down to only ten. Plain old salt and pepper are a given. Everyone has those. The following are my ‘go to’ seasonings for cooking and baking. Many are combined with others and used in rubs, seasonings for roasts, marinades.
Allspice – Use in soups, barbeque sauce and marinades.
Basil – Use this in spaghetti sauces, lasagna, breads.
Bay Leaf – Makes any soup or stew taste better. Be sure to remove the leaf before serving.
Caraway Seed – Essential for Caraway/Rye bread.
Cayenne Pepper – A dash here and there adds a little zip. Great for livening up Spinach dip.
Celery Salt – Add to flour when breading chicken for frying.
Chili Powder – Mexican/Southwest meats, rice, cowboy beans and of course, chili.
Chives – Put in scrambled eggs, top baked potatoes, add to biscuits and dumplings.
Cilantro – A must have for Mexican/Southwest meat, rice or bean dishes.
Cloves, Ground – Use in cookies, pumpkin pie, pumpkin rolls, spice cake.
Cinnamon, Ground – Use mostly in baked goods.
Cream of Tarter – Use when making a delicious, soft sugar cookie.
Cumin – Another must have for Mexican/Southwest meat, rice or bean dishes.
Dill Seed – Use in dips, sautéing/roasting veggies, herb bread
Dill Weed – Use in dips, sautéing/roasting veggies, herb bread
Garlic Powder – Use in everything (except cookies or cakes)
Celery Leaves – Adds a nice light celery flavor in soups, stuffing, baked poultry
Celery Seed, Whole – Use in coleslaw, meat rubs and season veggies.
Ginger, Ground – Use in cookies, pumpkin pie, pumpkin rolls, spice cake.
Mustard, Ground – Use in Swiss steak, good to have on hand.
Nutmeg – Use in pumpkin pie, pumpkin rolls, spice cake.
Onion, Minced – Good to have on hand in case your run out of fresh.
Onion Powder – Use in everything (except cookies or cakes)
Oregano – Use this in spaghetti sauces, lasagna, breads.
Paprika – Adds color when sprinkled on deviled eggs, use in goulash.
Parsley – Adds color and a little flavor to biscuits and soups.
Red Pepper Flakes – Use to add a little hotness to foods
Rosemary – Use on poultry, in herb bread.
Sage – Use in stuffing, dressing, baked poultry
Thyme -Use in herb breads, sautéing/roasting veggies, and on meats.
I have a few other spices in my cupboard, but don’t use them as often as these 30. It’s always good to have Kosher salt or sea salt on hand, too. Some recipes call for a larger salt crystal. Never substitute table salt for Kosher or sea salt without reducing the measurement.
Spices have always been expensive. When I was first starting out, (back in the day when minimum wage was less than $3.00/hour,) I’d buy a spice tin each payday. Dang, I’m showing my age. Spices came in tins – not bottles. Even now, I don’t buy garlic or onion salt, I make my own by mixing 1 teaspoon powder with 3 teaspoons of table salt. I guess I could do the same with celery salt. I hadn’t thought about it as I don’t use it as much as I do garlic and onion salt.
This is a no-brainer for a good, filling supper on a cold night. I’m sure there’s hundreds of variations on this recipe. Brown the meat, and a few minutes later, pop it in the oven and you’re done. I usually use 93% lean hamburger, but any ground meat tastes fine – elk, turkey, chicken. This recipe can be easily doubled to make an 11″ x 17″ casserole. For one pound of meat, I use either an 8″ square or 8″ x 10″, 2 qt. baking pan.
Meat first
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion (optional)
Salt and pepper
1 10¾ oz. can Cream of Chicken soup
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons water
1 lb. tater tots, frozen
Preheat oven to 350°.
Chicken Soup Mixture Next
Brown ground beef in skillet. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper to your taste as it is browning. Put chicken soup, water and garlic in a small bowl and mix well. [My oven heats up quickly. I start the oven at this point.] Drain fat from browned meat.
Tater Tots Last
Put in greased casserole dish and spread out to form a layer of meat on the bottom. Next, evenly spread the chicken soup mixture over meat. Top with frozen tater tots.
Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or so until tater tots are done and crisp.
