Chicken Corn Chowder

I'd like to introduce you to my "three sisters!" Well, actually, I don't have three sisters, that is just what I call this standby combination of carrots, onions and celery! I use these three vegetables for the basis for so many of the dishes I cook; soups, sauces and even stir fry.

Here is how I put them to work today.

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Cook 1/4 lb. natural uncured bacon till almost done.

Add 1/2 sweet onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

4 organic carrots, chopped

Cook till "three sister's" are tender

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Add 6 thawed, chicken tenderloins, cut into bite sized pieces

Cook till no longer pink.

Season with Sea Salt, Organic Pepper and Mrs. Dash (Garlic and Herb)

When chicken is done, add 3 potatoes, peeled and diced

Cover with 2 cups Organic/Free Range Chicken Broth

Cover pot and simmer till potatoes are done.

Add 2 cups Organic Half & Half

1 cup organic frozen corn kernels

1 teaspoon Superior Touch Better Than Bouillon Chicken Flavor

Heat but do not boil!

(Thicken with 1/4 cup flour/milk mixture)

Season to taste

Then taste...and taste...and...

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Simple Seafood Salad

Here's a fast, easy salad that can be a

jumping off point for other menu items.

Toss together in a pretty, large bowl;

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1 lb. Salad Shrimp

1 lb. Immitation Crab meat, chopped to the size of the shrimp meat

3 green onions, thinly sliced (whites only)

1 &1/2 Avocado, chopped

(sprinkled with just a dribble of lemon juice to keep from turning brown)

1 small tomato, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cup Best Foods Mayonaise

Sea Salt, Pepper and Johnny's Seafood Seasoning to taste

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This could be served on a bed of lettuce, stuffed in celery hearts or hollowed out tomatoes or peppers, or as a delicious sandwich filling.

Right now, I am going to stuff myself with some!

Cheese Stuffed Shells

Here is a tasty variation on my recipe for Stuffed Manicotti.

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Cook Large Shell pasta (25)

or 14 pieces of Manicotti

about 10 minutes in boiling salted water.

Drain and set aside.

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In a large bowl mix;

1 15oz. tub Ricotta Cheese

1/4 C. grated Parmesan Cheese

2 C. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 Large Egg, beaten

2 T. chopped fresh parsley (I didn't have any today)

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You can use

3 C. Spaghetti Sauce

or "doctor" it up like I do; here's how.

In a pan, fry 1 lb. ground beef

(I use ground venison because Gentleman Farmer hunts and that's what we have in the freezer.)

1/2 small sweet onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

When browned, add your favorite jar sauce and 2 T. brown sugar

Simmer for a bit.

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Spread thin layer of sauce on bottom of a 9X13 baking dish.

(I used a round one ~ I rarely follow the rules!)

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Fill shell pasta with cheese mixture and nestle into sauce in dish.

Filling pasta can be messy, but I use my handy small ice cream/cookie dough scoop.

Makes filling go fast.

Manicotti, on the other hand, is always a challenge. I fill a heavy duty zip lock bag with cheese and snip off a corner. Squeeze into Manicotti. Makes filling the tubes easier!

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Top with remaining sauce.

Cover with foil and bake 375* for 35 minutes

(Because I'm a little O.C.D. - see post at The Parables - I don't want foil to come into contact with my food so I always cover with parchment before using foil.)

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This can be topped with more shredded cheese of your choice. I chose not to use any because we don't need it.

Serve with a nice salad and a vegetable and garlic bread!

Enjoy!

Bread in a Flower Pot!

Country White Bread in a Flower Pot!

3 T. yeast

2 C. warm water (110* - 115*)

1/2 C. sugar

1 T. Sea Salt

1/4 C. powdered milk

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 C. vegetable oil

6-7 cups bread flour

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Dissolve yeast in 2 cups warm water.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, salt, eggs and oil.

Add in yeast/water and 3 cups of the flour and powdered milk.

Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form soft dough.

(I added 1 cup White Whole Wheat as part of the flour.)

turn onto a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

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Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise until double~about 1 hour.

(I preheat my oven to 200* and then turn off and let dough rise in there.)

Punch down dough. Divide in half and shape into loaves if using regular loaf pans (greased) or

fill well seasoned terra cotta pots 1/2 full.

NOTE: Use only unglazed terra cotta pots to avoid lead poisoning!

Also, regular pots need to be seasoned with oil in a warm oven.

I cut waxed paper to fit in my large pot just to make sure it wouldn't stick. (greased)

You can check the internet for directions for baking in terra cotta pots.

(My pots were made for baking in. But I got them so long ago, I can't remember where.)

Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, again about 1 hour.

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Bake at 375* for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from pans/pots to cool on wire rack.

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Yum!

:~P

Farmhouse Calico Beans

Tonight just seemed like a 'Bean Night'. Gentleman Farmer agreed.

Here's the recipe.

In a deep pot, brown 1 lb. Hamburger (ground turkey, or 1 cup. cubed ham can be subtituted. Tonight, I used ground venison breakfast sausage.)

along with 4 strips bacon and 1/2 large onion, chopped.

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When meat is cooked through, add

1 can pork and beans ( I used Bushe's Maple Cured Bacon)

1 can kidney beans, with liquid

1 can black beans, with liquid

1 can Butter beans (or any white bean you prefer)

Add

1/2 C. ketchup (I use 1 can stewed tomatoes)

1/3 C. brown sugar

2 T. Apple Cider Vinegar

1 t. dry mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

Stir and simmer about 1 hour.

Be careful, this will scorch on the bottom if not stirred now and then.

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Serve with piping hot buttered corn bread. Enjoy!
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This will be even better the next night!

Pasta and Cheese

Greenhouse Pasta and Cheese

(I don't use a recipe with this, just add stuff 'til it's right, the way Gram did. So I'm making some estimates here.)

I love all the many different pasta shapes; pretty much anything you like will work ~ macaroni, fusilli, penne like I used today...

Cook your pasta according to the package directions.

In another saucepan, melt about 4 tablespoons of butter and stir in about 4 tablespoons of flour. Make a roux (paste, another thing from Gram). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in about 4 cups of milk ~ we like whole. =) Then start adding your cheese. We use whatever cheese is hanging out in the fridge, so tonight it was some tangy Mexican queso and some shredded cheddar. Mr. Browning likes the sauce thinner, so maybe 2 cups of cheese altogether. Save some to sprinkle on the top when you pour the sauce over the pasta.

Bake for 15 minutes at 350* until it's bubbling and thickened and you just can't stand it any longer! Dig in!

I've heard of an infinite number of things to add like bacon, chives, bread crumbs...egg (if you're like our favorite president Reagan.) The possibilities are endless. Toss in whatever sounds good to you at the moment.

Peanut butter cookies with a twist

I started mixing up a batch of peanut butter cookies a few days ago and then realized that I had plum run out of vanilla. I searched through my spice drawer and found some almond extract; would that work as a substitute? I took the risk and now this recipe is a weekly request. My husband (who doesn't expound normally) said that they are the best cookies he's ever eaten! My heart swells.

Go try them out!

Greenhouse Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup peanut butter (do you like crunchy or creamy?)

1/2 cup sugar (go with the real stuff here, no faux)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg (guess which egg we used today)

drum roll, please...1/4 teaspoon almond extract (this stuff is strong!)

1 1/4 cup flour

Cream together the butter and peanut butter. Add the sugars, soda, and the baking powder. Beat in the egg and almond extract. Stir in the flour. Shape dough into 1 inch balls; make cross~marks with the tines of a fork. Bake for about 7 minutes at 375*. A baking stone makes great cookies, if you have one!

~I revised a recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book~