Family Recipes for Thanksgiving

Gran's Cornbread Stuffing

1/2 pound cubed bread stuffing (from bakery or homemade)
1 8X8 pan of cornbread (from mix- day old)
1 stick butter
3 eggs
4 stalks celery diced
1 small onion diced
1 tsp sage
1tsp thyme
2 tsp nature's seasoning or Mrs. Dash
1/4 cup fresh parsley
2 cups chicken broth (or enough to cover)
salt and pepper to taste

Break up corn bread and cubed bread into greased casserole dish

saute celery and onion in 2 tbsp of butter until soft, then melt the rest of butter in pan with veggies
Toss bread with veggies and butter mixture
Add herbs and spices, beaten eggs, and mash to even top then cover with broth, just to the top
Bake at 350 for 1 hour
*** You can make ahead of time and cook 45 minutes then reheat for 15 minutes just before serving***

Jan's Cranberry Relish

1 bag of fresh cranberries

2 oranges with peel on, sliced

1 large can of crushed pineapple

1 cup of sugar

Blend in the food processor.  Make this ahead at least 3 days for the flavors to come out.  You can also add fresh ginger.  Add less or more sugar if needed.

Brittany's Garlic and Rosemary Sweet Potatoes

3-4 medium sweet potatoes diced
3 tbsp olive oil
2 sprigs of rosemary leaves, chopped
6 garlic whole cloves peeled
3 tbsp butter
Salt and Pepper

Toss the vegetables, spices, and oil.  Dot butter on top.  Roast at 375 in a large casserole dish for about 15 minutes and stir. Cook an additional 15 minutes or until soft and caramelized.


Corn pudding

3 eggs

1 cup of milk

3 teaspoons of flour

salt and pepper

1 can of corn drained

1 can of cream corn

2 to 3 teaspoons of sugar

2 teaspoons of melted butter

Mix all ingredients and pour into a buttered casserole dish.  Bake at 325 degrees for one hour or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Aunt Slick's Apricot Cake
1 package of lemon cake mix
1 small package of lemon gelatin desert
4 eggs
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1 cup of apricot nectar
Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased bundt pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.  Remove from pan and drizzle glaze on.
Glaze:
1 1/2 cup of powdered sugar
2 teaspoons of apricot nectar
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
Combine and pour over cake.

Feeding College Kids

What better way to spend an evening than providing a family style meal for college kids before they go back to school? They crave a home cooked meal, they love to eat, and they are easy to please.   My son, Forrest invited his friends and their families to a little get-together before heading back off to college.  A perfect chance to pack in some quality time with old friends and their families, and of course, to eat some good food! I hope you enjoy these recipes.

Ricotta Sausage Quiche

1 carton of ricotta cheese (8 ounces)

1 package of sausage, browned

1 8 ounce package of mozzarella cheese

1/2 package frozen spinach, cooked squeezed to remove water

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup of parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

9 inch pie crust

Mix all ingredients and pour into pie crust.  Top with a light sprinkling of more parmesan.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour. 

Cajun Black Beans

2 andoulli sausage diced fine

1 medium onion diced

2 cans black beans

1 can Rotel tomatoes with chilies

2 cuped cooked rice

3 cloves of garlic

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 

Saute onion garlic and sausage in olive oil.  Add beans and tomatoes.  Simmer for 45 minutes.  Add rice.  Cook for 15 minutes.

Cheesy Potatoes

2 16 oz. bags of cubed frozen hash brown potatoes (or equivalent of potatoes)

1/2 onion sauteed in butter

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of celery soup

16oz sour cream

salt and pepper 

16 oz chedder cheese

Combine all ingredients and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour

Serve with a big salad and a baked ham and enjoy!

Sincerely, 

Jan

Favorite Pesto Ideas

Pesto is one of my all time favorite foods.  For only $1, I was able to grow my own thriving basil plants from seeds, which have kept me in experimental cooking mode all summer long.  Here are my favorite pesto recipes, made with fresh basil from our garden.  Pesto freezes perfectly, so feel free to make large batches and freeze them.  Its a convenience food that you can bring out anytime that you are looking for a boost of flavor.  Just defrost them in the fridge and add a little more olive oil and some Parmesan cheese, then toss in your favorite pasta or top pizza crust.  Use them to top roasted veggies, marinate chicken for grilling, or drizzle over broiled fish.

Walnut Basil Pesto

1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup toasted walnuts
1 clove garlic
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
salt/pepper to taste

Mediterranean Pesto

1/4 cup blanched almonds
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 red pepper roasted fillet
8-10 mediteranean style olives
1 clove garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
red pepper flakes/salt to taste

Blend in food processor until smooth. 

Toasted Quinoa Pilaf and Quinoa Stuffed Pork Chops With Rosemary Beurre Blanc

A nutty, fluffy quinoa pilaf that is easily adaptable to any meal!  Just add any of your favorite herbs or veggies for a tasty, nutritious side dish.  

Toasted Quinoa Pilaf

1 cup quinoa rinsed and dried

½ cup minced yellow pepper (or any preferred pepper)

½ cup minced onion

½ cup minced celery stalk + leafy tops

2 crushed garlic cloves

2 tbsp olive oil

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

¼ tsp thyme

¼ tsp sage

2 cups vegetable broth

Rinse and strain in a siv or fine strainer to remove any dust or debris.  Heat oil on medium-high and sauté vegetables unitl soft and quinoa until it is golden brown and smells nutty, about 15 minutes.  Some popping is to be expected.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.  Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.  Fluff and serve.

Quinoa Stuffed Pork Chops With Rosemary Beurre Blanc Sauce

2 butterfly cut pork chops

Mrs. Dash or other all purpose seasoning

1 tbsp all purpose flour

leftover quinoa pilaf

1-3 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 and olive oil in saute pan on stove at medium high.  Sprinkle chops with seasoning and salt, then stuff pork chops with just the right amount of leftover quinoa pilaf for the size of the chops.

Fold chops and tie each one with butcher's twine.  I am not trained in this either so just wing it!  Something like this:

Dust lightly with flour and sear in preheated pan with oil at medium-high heat on both sides. 

Remove the pork chops into an oven safe dish until they reach 145-160 degrees.  Now make the sauce!

Rosemary Beurre Blanc Sauce

1 cup vegetable broth

1/4 cup white wine

1 long sprig rosemary

1/2 stick butter

1 garlic clove sliced

salt/pepper to taste

In remaining oil from pork chops add garlic, deglaze pan with the wine, scraping up the yummy bits left from the pork chops.  Add vegetable broth and the intact rosemary sprig.  Reduce until it thickens a bit and the sauce is infused with rosemary.  Strain the garlic and rosemary from the sauce and return to the pan.  Add butter and melt into the sauce.  Add salt and pepper as needed.

Summer Veggie Dishes

While I am not a big fan of the Summer heat, I absolutely love the variety of fresh vegetables and herbs available from the farmers markets and our small garden.  I just choose what looks good or what has popped up in the garden and then force myself to come up with new ideas.  Here are a few from this week!

Summer Squash Bake

5 small yellow squash
4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
1/2 cup prepared whole wheat bread crumbs
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Slice squash and toss with onions, salt and pepper.  Dot top with 2 tbsp butter.  Metl remaining 2 tbsp and mix with bread crumbs.  Bake at 400 for 30 minutes, turning mixture once between cooking time.  Top with bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.  Bake for additional 15 minutes.

Fresh Summer squash from our garden

Warm Heirloom Tomato Salad

1 roasted red pepper from jar sliced

¼ cup meditteranean olives

Raw

1 can artichoke hearts sliced in half

10-15 fresh basil leaves

1 cup chopped spring onion

1 pint cherry/grape/pear heirloom tomatoes

2 tbsp olive oil

Eat as a raw salad or warm in the oven at 350 for 15 minutes.  Eat as a side dish or a condiment to fish or chicken.  Toss with pasta or cooked grains.

Leftovers tossed with chicken

Warmed

Follow us and get a chance to win some delicious pepper jelly! Yum!

Our first of many contests… More to come. Become a follower of Pass the Pan and when we get to 25 followers we will randomly choose on of our lucky followers to win a jar of Fran and Jan’s Pepper Jelly! Cooking is all about sharing and we want to share with you and your friends!

Mrs. Campbell's Summer Cooking Class 2011

The St. Michael Lutheran School Summer cooking camp enjoys a creative age-appropriate cooking class.  Silly snacks, holiday goodies, and healthy habits are just some of the
hands-on experiences to be enjoyed. Some other child-friendly
topics that will be explored are kitchen safety, manners, and
nutrition. 

Cooking for Kids

Cooking with kids should be fun and easy.  It can be a creative way to pass the time on rainy days.  Kid's food can be just for fun, or also important way to nourish your children.  But, it can be tricky.  Here are some great kids recipes that Mrs. Campbell teaches in her Children's Cooking Camp. 

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches

Cookie
2 1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
pinch of salt
2 sticks of butter softened
1 cup of firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup of sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1/2 package of chocolate morsels (6 ounce)  can use the whole package if needed
Vanilla Ice Cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix flour, soda, and salt together in a small bowl and set aside. In another bowl mix butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.  Add dry mixture and mix well.  Add morsels.  Bake for about 9-11 minutes on an un-greased cookie sheet until lightly browned. Cool cookies and place a scoop of softened ice cream on one cookie.  Top with another cookie. Enjoy or place in freezer to be eaten later.

Ham and Cheese Quiche Minis

Ingredients:
1 package of "Ritz" type crackers
4 eggs
1 cup of half and half
1 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices of sandwich ham, cut into small cubes
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Directions:
Spray 12 muffins tins with cooking spray.  Place one cracker in each.  Layer meat and cheese in each muffin tin.  In a bowl beat eggs until yolk is blended with whites.  Add milk and salt.  Pour into muffins tins filling about 3/4 full.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-35 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Potato Boats

Ingredients:
6 potatoes
1 cup of sour cream
1/2 stick of butter
1 cup of shredded cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Wash potatoes.  Place  potatoes in the oven at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until done.  Cut in half using a hot pad to hold the potato while cutting with a knife.  Scoop our potato and put into a bowl.  Mix with all of the rest of the ingredients.  Place mixture back in potato skin.  Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 450 degrees for about 5-10 minutes. Can make these earlier in the day and cover and refrigerate.  Increase cooking time by about 5-10 minutes or until potato is hot all the way through.


Here are some of Brittany's 2 and 4 year olds' favorite recipes:

Granola Breakfast Cookies
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup butter softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup unrefined cane sugar
3 tbsp black strap molasses
2 eggs beaten
1 tsp salt
1tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (toasted if preferred)
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1tsp pure vanilla or almond extract
1/2 cup of milk (reserved until end)

Preheat oven at 350.  Mix flour, salt, soda, cinnamon and oats in a large bowl (this is a great job for the kids).  Cream sugar and butter, then add eggs, molasses, and flavor extract.  Combine wet and dry ingredients.  Add walnuts and raisins and combine.  Add milk as needed to soften the mixture, up to 1/2 a cup.  Roll golf ball size "cookies" and place on baking sheet and slightly squish down.  Cook 12-15 minutes.

Hidden Veggie Bolognese Sauce
1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
1 jar favorite classic pasta sauce
1 14 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove
1/2 small red onion
1 medium carrot
1 small zucchini
1/2 red bell pepper
6 mushrooms
1 tbsp Italian seasoning or fresh herbs

Place all veggies in food processor and grind to a pulp.  You can also use a cheese grater if preferred.  Brown beef or turkey and drain, then set aside.  In same pan add olive oil and veggies.  Saute in oil until soft then combine sauce, meat, veggies, and tomatoes.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Top your favorite pasta or add to lasagna!

Recipe makes enough sauce for 2 lbs of pasta.  I usually reserve half of the batch in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Nutty Monkey Sandwich

2 slices whole wheat bread
2 tbsp almond butter
1/2 banana sliced
1 tbsp strawberry preserves
1 tbsp butter

Heat butter in skillet on med-low.  Spread one slice with almond butter and one with strawberry preserves and stick banana slices into almond butter.  Grill on each side until toasty on the outside and oozy in the middle.

If interested in Jan's cooking camp:

The St. Michael Lutheran School Summer cooking camp enjoys a creative age-appropriate cooking class.  Silly snacks, holiday goodies, and healthy habits are just some of the
hands-on experiences to be enjoyed. Some other child-friendly
topics that will be explored are kitchen safety, manners, and
nutrition. 

Contact us for more info!

Kitchen of the future!

Images taken from The American Woman's Cookbook by Ruth Berolzheimer, passed down through four generations in my family.  It has tips on everything from how to make toast, to shopping on a budget to throwing a fabulous cocktail party!

The Evolution of Meatloaf

Every family has their "special recipe" for meatloaf.  This is how we meatloaf has evolved in our family from generation to generation.

Jan's Traditional Meatloaf

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
2 slices whole wheat bread
2 eggs
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup minced onion
1 tbsp fresh parsley
1tbsp worcestershire sauce
Salt, Pepper, Garlic powder to taste

Preheat oven to 350.  Dip bread in water and wring dry.  Mix soggy bread, eggs, ketchup, onion, parsley and worcestershire together until combined.  Combine mixture with ground beef.  Bake in loaf pan for 30-45 minutes or until internal temperature reads 160.

Brittany's Turkey Loaf

1lb ground turkey
1/4 cup finely diced carrot
1/4 cup finely diced onion
1 clove garlic crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4  tspn crushed red pepper flakes
1tspn basil
2 slices whole wheat bread torn into small peices
1 tbsp parmesan or other grated cheese
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1 large egg
salt and pepper to taste

Saute carrot, onion, garlic, and pepper flakes in olive oil until they begin to soften.  Let cool and combine with all other ingredients.    Place in pan and cook at 375 for 30-45 minutes until internal temperature reads 165.