April 21, 2011

Baking Mix

Don't buy Bisquick... make your own! Great for all sorts of recipes like Impossibly Easy Pies. Whenever I have Bisquick listed as an ingredient in a recipe it is always this instead.

8 cups all-purpose flour (or 4 cups each all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour)
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1 Tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups dry nonfat milk
2 cups shortening

    Preparation:

    Mix all ingredients in a large mixer. Or use a pastry blender to cut in shortening if you don't have a mixer. I store this in the freezer for up to 6 months. Yield: about 12 cups. You can cut the recipe in half if you think you won't use it up within a few months.

    For Biscuits:
    Mix 2 cups of Baking Mix with 1/2 cup water. Bake at 450 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes. (I never use this mix to make biscuits, I make my own.)

    For Muffins:
    Mix 2 cups of Baking Mix with 2 Tablespoons sugar, 1 beaten egg and 2/3 cup milk. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes.

    For Pancakes:
    Mix 2 cups of baking mix with 1 beaten egg and 1-1/3 cup milk.

    For Waffles:
    Mix 2 cups of Baking Mix with 1 beaten egg, 2 Tablespoons oil, and 1-1/3 cup milk.

    April 6, 2011

    Vietnamese Fried Rice

    3 cups cooked rice

    Heat 4 T. oil

    Add:
    1/2 pound cooked meat (any kind beef, pork, chicken)
    3 cloves garlic, minced
    1 large onion, chopped
    1 t. salt
    1 t. pepper
    1 t. sugar
    1 T. soy sauce

    Fry until hot. 

    Add rice and heat 5 minutes. 

    Add 1 cup veggies and stir well.

    Just before serving add 2 beaten eggs. Over medium heat stir until eggs are cooked.

    Serve.

    From More with Less Cookbook pg. 130


    Old Fashioned Beef Stew

    4 T. oil
    1/2 cup flour
    1 T. garlic powder
    1 t. salt
    1 t. pepper
    2 pounds beef cubes
    2 small onions, quartered
    6 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
    6 large carrots, peeled and sliced
    1/2 t. celery salt
    4 cups beef broth
    2 T. worchestershire sauce
    Dash or two of Tabasco sauce

    Heat oil over medium high heat. In a ziploc bag mix flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add meat a little at a time and shake to coat. In small batches, brown beef cubes in oil about 1 minute per side. Set beef aside. Add onions to pan and brown. Drain any fat from pan, if needed. Add meat and onions back to pot along with the rest of the ingredients. Stir well and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. 

    For a thicker broth, about 30 minutes before stew is done, combine 2 T. flour and 2 T. cold water, then slowly stir into stew.

    Suggestion: Serve with thick sliced homemade bread and root beer. :)

    Adapted from Angel's Old Fashioned Beef Stew from AllRecipes


    April 4, 2011

    Crispy Chicken

    1 1/2 cup Rice Krispies, crushed
    2 T. flour
    1/2 t. salt
    1/4 t. thyme
    1/4 t. poultry seasoning
    1/4 cup butter, melted
    4  boneless, skinless chicken breasts

    Combine cereal, flour, and spices.  Dip chicken in melted butter then cereal.  Place in greased pan. Drizzle with remaining butter.  Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.

    April 2, 2011

    Sesame Chicken


      Ingredients:
    2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
    2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
    2 green onions (sliced)

    Marinade-
    1 teaspoon chicken base
    ¼ teaspoon salt
    ½ teaspoon sesame oil
    ground white pepper (to taste)
    ¼ teaspoon sugar
    1 tablespoon raspberry wine (or any fruity flavored wine)

    Batter-
    ½ cup all purpose flour
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1 egg (beaten)
    ½ cup water (or as much as needed to make batter smooth)
    3 tablespoons cornstarch
    salt (to taste)
    1 tablespoon vegetable oil

    Sauce-
    3 tablespoons honey
    2 tablespoons sugar
    Salt (to taste)
    2 tablespoons ketchup
    1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
    a sprinkle of ground black pepper
     
    Cooking Instructions:
    Step 1: Cut chicken breasts into 1” chunks and in a glass bowl combine all of the marinade ingredients and mix well. Add the chicken and coat evenly. Cover and marinade for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
    Step 2: Meanwhile, in separate bowl combine all of the batter ingredients and mix thoroughly. The batter should be thick enough to coat the chicken but thin enough to flow around the pieces. Set aside.
    Step 3: Using a fork or tongs remove the pieces of chicken from the marinade and dip them into the batter to coat evenly (one by one). Deep fry the chicken in batches in your deep fryer for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. (or you can fry in hot oil at about 325 degrees in your wok for about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.
    Step 4: In your wok combine the sauce ingredients and warm over medium heat. Bring to a boil while stirring and simmer until sauce slightly thickens.
    Step 5: In the wok or in a serving dish coat chicken with the sauce and garnish with sliced scallions and sesame seeds.