Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Fried Ham With Onion Gravy

While cleaning up the house I 
was trying to think of a quick
dinner with meat I had in the freezer.

Ham steak came to mind...
then I thought of ham pot pie,
and ham and noodles.

I looked in the Mennonite Community cookbook
hoping for some old fashioned recipe to
fit the ham and noodle family.

"Fried Ham and Onion Gravy with Noodles"
appeared before my eyes, and I was sold.
 The recipe had a noodle recipe listed-
and it sounded like pot pie noodles,
but I didn't have the time to try it.

I added this and that and used
noodles that were in a bag, already made.

Fried ham, smothered in a creamy, onion and white
bean gravy, served over a bed of noodles. 



Fry ham in a little butter and remove from skillet. 

 
Add a little more butter and slice a medium onion.
Yes, I am sounding like Paula Dean. Butter, Butter, Butter.


Make onion gravy and add the ham back to your skillet.


Serve on a bed of noodles and you have a hearty meal.

Fried Ham and Onion Gravy

1 ham steak, cut in strips
2 Tbsp. butter, divided
1 medium onion, sliced
1- 15.5 oz. of white beans
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup sour cream

Fry ham in 1 Tbsp. of butter until browned on both sides.
Remove from skillet. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter and add onion slices.
Saute until slightly brown and add beans, salt and pepper.
Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Add creams.
Return ham to skillet and simmer another 5 minutes.

Cook 2 1/2 cups of noodles, lightly salted

Serve ham gravy over noodles.

Reminds me of the south. Mmmmm...

Enjoy,
Hope

Monday, August 29, 2011

White Chili & Corn Bread

I couldn't help but think of chili
and cornbread while sitting at my 
desk with an a/c vent blowing on me
and pouring rain outside the window.

So... that's what we had for dinner.

Those of you who have not tried
white chili you must make it at once.

Mmm... I prefer this over regular chili.


It's so creamy and good.


 Corn bread is chili's best friend.



This recipe if from Taste of Home, I modified a couple things.
See my markings and do as you like.


Creamy White Chili

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
(I was in a hurry so I used 1- 12 oz. can of chicken.)
Fresh chicken is better, canned chicken is faster.
1 medium onion, chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
( I crushed 4 fresh garlic cloves)
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cans (15-1/2 ounces each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
(I used a 32 oz. carton of broth)
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream  

In a large saucepan, saute the chicken, onion and garlic powder 
in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add the beans, broth, 
chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. 
Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. 

Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream.

Would any of you like my corn bread recipe?
Just trying to get you folks to talk.

Blessings,
Hope

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Madelyn Turns Two

Tonight we had a cookout/birthday party
for my little niece Madelyn.
Her birthday was awhile back,
but Aunt Hope never made her a cake.

I was trying to think of a quick and
cute birthday cake and decided
on a ice cream cone cake.


Bake two 9 in. cakes.


 Cut apart and place on board.


Ice and serve. Simple as that.


The table.


A birthday banner I hung between two branches.


Ready set... go!


The birthday girl, Madelyn. A sweetheart for sure.


Blessings,
Hope

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Crab Cakes

I have been hankering to eat some
crab cakes. Nothing like a well flavored
crab cake topped with tarter sauce.

So I decided to kill the craving and
make some crab cakes tonight.


 Make patties and dust with flour. Warning, they are very fragile.


Carefully scoop into hot grease and fry 4 minutes on each side.


Top with tarter sauce and dig in.


Crab Cakes

2- 6 oz. cans of crab meat
16 Ritz crackers, crushed
1 slice of bread, crumbled
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup mayo
1 egg
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. old bay seasoning
Dash of cayenne pepper
flour for dusting

Tarter Sauce

1/4 cup mayo
1/4 tsp. dill weed
1/8 tsp. old bay seasoning
1 Tbsp. green pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp. onion, chopped
dash of cayenne pepper 


Drain crab meat well. Add ingredients and mix.
Use 1/3 cup mixture of mixture per pattie.
Dust with flour. Heat oil. Carefully scoop in oil
and fry until brown on both sides.
About 4 minutes per side.

Top with tarter sauce and serve.
Makes 6 crab cakes.


Blessings,
Hope

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Mustard Glazed Grilled Ham

Grilled ham?
I had grilled ham at my sister, Faith's, house
the other week and thought it was delicious.

I added black and red pepper to give it a little zing.


 Costco sells a pack of three ham steaks for around $11.00.



Mix together sauce and baste ham.


 Baste the other side when flipped. Grill until heated through.


 Add some sweet potato fries and garden veggies.


Mustard Glazed Grilled Ham

1 boneless ham steak
2 Tbsp. mustard
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 shakes of red pepper

Mix together and baste. Grill until heated through.
Slice and serve.

Blessings,
Hope

 

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Old Fashioned Cupcakes

I have been wanting to make this
old fashioned cupcake recipe for a long time.
I was sick today, so I decided to make
them to pass the time this evening.

A friend had gave me a magazine
called "Where Woman Cook."
It features women all over the world
that cook in practical kitchens.
It's a wonderful magazine I would
recommend to anyone.

These cupcakes are delicious.
They are different than most cupcakes,
they are more like a shortcake.
I added fresh peaches to the batter
and icing, and they taste just like summer.

A moist cupcake topped with creamy, peach icing.


 I love buying printed cupcake papers.


Cool frosting and ice generously.


I ate one... then had to eat another one for this photo.


Place on a plate and off to a picnic you go.

Old Fashioned Cupcakes

1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla
1 peach, diced 

Add flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt to a large
mixing bowl. Mix on low speed for 3 minutes.

Add butter and continue mixing on low speed until
mixture resembles course sand.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed.
Slowly add milk and vanilla to batter and
continue mixing until thoroughly combined.
Fold in peach.

Scoop 1/4 cup batter into baking cups.
Bake at 325 for 17-20 minutes,
until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool and frost.

Creamy Peach Icing

1 cup Crisco
 4 cups 10x sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 peach, diced

Whip together crisco and peach. Add 10x sugar,
salt and vanilla. Beat until creamy.
 Cool in refrigerator to thicken.


Blessings,
Hope