Shower Door Cleaner

Ingredients:

2 C. Original blue Dawn

2 C. white vinegar

Also need a spray bottle

Directions:

1. Pour Dawn and vinegar in a glass bowl, stir.
2. Heat for 4 minutes in the microwave.
3. Remove and stir again.
4. Using a funnel, pour the solution into the spray bottle.
5. Shake well to mix the solution.
6. Use as needed on the shower doors.

Note:  This can also be used on a glass stovetop.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

 A very simple recipe that just takes time...a year is good!

Ingredients:

5-6 vanilla beans

8 oz. vodka

Also needed, an airtight glass bottle or jar.

Directions:  

1. Slit the vanilla bean pods down the center and submerge in the vodka. 
2. Be sure the vanilla beans are covered.
3. Store at room temperature, out of sun light.
4. Shake the jar once a week or so.
5. Let vodka infuse for a minimum of six months, ideally a year.
6. Remove bean pods from vodka and use as normal.

Ham and Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

2 lbs. Russet potatoes

2 C. cubed ham

1 ½ C. shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, divided

3 T. unsalted butter

¾ C. chopped yellow onion 

3 garlic cloves, minced

¾ t. salt

½ t. fresh ground pepper

½ t. smoked paprika

½ t. ground mustard

1 t. dried parsley (or 2 t. fresh chopped parsley)

3 T. all-purpose flour

2 C. whole milk

optional, for garnish: chopped fresh parsley, green onion, chives, or hot sauce

Directions:

1. Peel potatoes, cut into ¾-inch pieces. You’ll have just over 6 cups chopped potatoes. 
2. Cover with water in a medium pot. 
3. Bring to boil. Once boiling, boil for just 5–6 minutes. Potatoes should be only slightly softened.
4. Drain. 
5. Grease a 9×13-inch or any 3–4-quart oven-safe dish. 
6. Add warm drained potatoes, ham, and 1 cup of shredded cheese. 
7. Gently stir together. 
8. Set aside.
9. Preheat oven to 375°F.
10. Melt the butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. 
11. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions have softened, about 3 minutes. 
12. Stir in salt, pepper, smoked paprika, ground mustard, parsley, and flour until combined and flour has absorbed any liquid. 
13. Reduce heat to low, and then slowly stir in the milk. 
14. Simmer for 3–5 minutes or until thickened into a gravy consistency. 
15. Remove from heat. 
16. Taste and, if desired, add more salt, pepper, paprika, mustard, or parsley to taste.
17. Pour warm sauce over ham and potatoes. 
18. Toss gently to coat.
19. Bake, covered with aluminum foil, for 30 minutes. 
20. Remove aluminum foil, sprinkle remaining cheese on top, and return to the oven for 5–10 more minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbling around the edges.
21. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh parsley, green onion, chives, or a drizzle of hot sauce.

Sweet and Spicy Pickled Radishes

Ingredients:

1 lb. radishes, sliced thin

¼ C. cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno, stem removed, finely diced

1 C. distilled white vinegar plus more as needed

2 T. sugar

2 T. kosher salt

1 t. red pepper flakes, optional

1 T. mustard seed

Directions:

1. Wash and dry the radishes.
2. Thinly slice the radishes and add to a large bowl along with the chopped cilantro and diced jalapeño, set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar with the sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. 
4. Bring mixture to a low boil on the stove, then turn off and allow to cool completely. 
5. Pack a quart canning jar to the top with the radish/cilantro/jalapeño mixture. 
6. Pack tightly. 
7. Sprinkle the red pepper flakes and mustard seed on the top of the packed radishes.
8. Pour the cooled vinegar mixture over the top of the mixture in the jar, if needed, top off with additional vinegar and a pinch of salt.
9. Place the lid and ring tightly on the jar and allow to sit at room temperature for 24 hours before placing in the refrigerator.
10. Consume within 7-10 days.

Cheese and Pepperoni Pizza Stromboli

Ingredients:

Pizza Crust Dough

Pizza or spaghetti sauce

Mozzarella cheese

Pepperoni

Note:  Thinly sliced toppings work the best.  Also toppings that do not produce a lot of moisture also work better.

Directions:

1. Make the pizza dough and roll it out into a thin rectangle.
2. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
3. Cover ⅔ of the dough (left side) with a thin layer of pizza or spaghetti sauce; make sure to leave a 1-inch edge without sauce and the ⅓ of the dough (right side) without sauce to allow the dough to seal properly.
4. Sprinkle with an even, yet thin layer of cheese.
5. Layer on the pepperoni or other toppings.
6. Starting with short edge of rectangle on the left side of the dough, roll the dough up and pinch the edges closed to seal in the ingredients.
7. Place the Stromboli seam side down on a foil lined baking sheet.
8. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

Homemade Pickled Ginger (Gari)

 Ingredients:

8 ounces fresh young ginger root, peeled

1 ½ t. sea salt

1 C. rice vinegar

⅓ C. white sugar

Directions:

1. Slice ginger into paper-thin slices. 
2. Place in a bowl, sprinkle with sea salt, and stir to coat. 
3. Let stand for about 30 minutes.
4. Rinse most of salt from ginger slices, then transfer to a clean lidded jar.
5. In a saucepan, stir together rice vinegar and sugar until sugar has dissolved. 
6. Bring to a boil, then pour the boiling liquid over ginger slices in the jar.
7. Seal the jar. 
8. After a few minutes, the liquid may change to a slightly pinkish color; don't be alarmed. 
9. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 week.

Tamale Pie

 Ingredients:

1 box corn muffin mix (such as Jiffy)

1 large egg

½ c. sour cream

½ c. canned creamed corn

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. chili powder

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded.

½ c. red enchilada sauce

1 c. shredded cheddar

1 c. shredded Monterey Jack

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 
2. Grease a large oven-safe skillet with cooking spray. 
3. In a large bowl, whisk together corn muffin mix, egg, sour cream, and creamed corn. 
4. Transfer to prepared skillet and bake until golden, 20 minutes. Let cool.
5. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. 
6. Add onion, cumin, and chili powder and season with salt and pepper. 
7. Cook until soft, 5 minutes. 
8. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. 
9. Add chicken to onion and garlic mixture.
10. Add ⅓ cup of enchilada sauce.
11. Poke entire surface of cornbread with a fork and pour over remaining enchilada sauce. 
12. Spread chicken mixture over crust.
13. Sprinkle with cheeses.
14. Cover with foil and bake until cheese is melty, about 20 minutes. 
15. Switch oven to broil, remove foil, and broil until cheese turns golden, about 5 minutes.

Homemade Flour Tortillas Made From Scratch

Ingredients:

1¾ C. All-purpose Flour

½ C. Water

¼ C. Coconut Oil

1 t. Salt

½ t. Baking Powder, optional

Directions:

1. Heat the water in the microwave. 
2. Then mix the oil into the water until it is all melted. 
3. In a large mixing bowl add flour, salt, and baking powder and mix well.
4. Pour the water-oil mixture over the flour, using a fork mix it together well. 
5. Using your hands, knead the dough several times. It should look and feel like a big ball of playdough. 
6. Divide that dough into 9 balls. 
7. Flatten each ball with your hand trying to keep it as round as you can.
8. On a clean suffice or plate add a light dusting of flour then place one of the flattened balls on top. Lightly dust the top of the ball with flour. 
9. Using a rolling pin (or a tortilla press if you have one) slowly start working around in a circle to flatten it out. You want to get it as thin as you can without ripping it. 
10. After you have it flattened heat a non-stick or cast iron skillet on medium to high heat on the stove. Cook it about 40 to 60 seconds on each side. 
11. Repeat for each tortilla.
12. When you remove from the pan, place in a warmer or on a plate with a lid over it to keep them hot and moist do they do not harden or dry. 

Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie

Ingredients:

1 lb. extra lean ground beef

1 C. onion, diced

½ t. salt

1 C. shredded cheddar cheese

½ C. Bisquick Baking Mix

1 C. milk

2 eggs

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400° F.
2. Spray 9" pie plate with cooking spray.
3. Cook ground beef and chopped onions until beef is brown; drain.
4. Stir in salt
5. Spread in pie plate and sprinkle with cheese.
6. Stir remaining ingredients until blended.
7. Pour into pie plate.
8. Bake 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Zucchini Fritters

 Ingredients:

2 zucchini

2 carrots

1 onion

salt, pepper and spices to taste

4 T. flour

1 egg

Directions:

1. Grate the zucchini, carrots, and onion into a bowl.
2. Remove excess moisture from mixture.
3. Add salt, pepper, flour and egg, and mix well.
4. Form into pancake shapes.
5. Place into hot oil to cook

Party Pretzels

 

Ingredients:

4 to 4½ C. all-purpose flour

1 pkg. active dry yeast

2 T. sugar

2½ T. salt, divided

1 C. milk

½ C. water

2 T. vegetable oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten with 1 T. water

Vegetable cooking spray

Coarse salt, Parmesan cheese, poppy, sesame or dill seeds

Directions:

1. In a large bowl thoroughly mix 1½ cups four, undissolved yeast, sugar and ½ teaspoons salt.
2. Heat milk, water and oil to 120 to 130° F.
3. Add to dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes at low speed of an electric mixer.
4. Increase speed to high, beat an additional 2 minutes.
5. Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough.
6. Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
7. Place in a bowl coated with vegetable cooking spray.
8. Cover; let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 to 40 minutes.
9. Punch dough down. Divide dough into 12 portions.
10. Roll each piece into a 12-inch rope.
11. To make pretzels, curve ends of each rope to make a circle; cross ends at top.  
12. Twist ends once and lay down over the bottom of the circle.
13. Cover shaped pretzels; let rest in a warm, draft-free place for 5 to 10 minutes, until risen slightly.
14. In a large pot bring 2 quarts of water and remaining 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil; reduce heat to simmer.
15. Place 4 to 5 pretzels in water; cook 20 seconds, turning once to cook both sides. 
16. Remove and drain on a wire rack.
17. Repeat with remaining pretzels.
18. Place pretzels on baking sheets coated with vegetable cooking spray.
19. Brush with beaten egg mixture and sprinkle with desired toppings.
20. Bake in a preheated 350° F oven for 35 minutes or until done. 
21. Cool pretzels on wire rack.  
22. Serve with various spreads or dips, if desired.

Tip:

If you are looking for Pretzel Buns, but are having a hard time finding them in the store, try using the recipe above, but instead of shaping them into pretzels in Step 10, shape them into round buns.  We did this and they were quite good.

Microwave Sticky Buns

Ingredients:

3 T. butter
⅓ C. brown sugar
1 T. water
1 t. cinnamon
1 can refrigerator biscuits
½ C. chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

1. In 8-inch round glass dish combine: butter, sugar, water, and cinnamon. 
2. Microwave on high for 1 minute. 
3. Stir as soon as butter is melted. 
4. Stir in nuts. 
5. Separate biscuits. 
6. Cut each into quarters. 
7. Place into sugar mixture. 
8. Stir carefully to coat each piece. 
9. Push biscuits to outside of dish and place a custard dish in center upside down. 
10. Cook on high 2½ to 3 minutes. 
11. Remove custard dish and let stand 2 minutes before pulling sections apart. 

Tip: dump sticky buns onto a serving platter, put round plate over buns upside down then turn over. Remove custard dish afterwards.

Crockpot Beefy Potato Taco Casserole

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
2 cloves garlic minced
1 oz. packet taco seasoning
10.5 oz. cheddar cheese soup
4 C. potatoes sliced
2 C. shredded cheddar cheese

1 C. beef broth

Directions:

1. Brown your ground beef with garlic and drain.
2. Place your potato slices in the bottom of a slightly greased 4-quart crock pot.
3. Spread your ground beef evenly on top of your potatoes.
4. Sprinkle your taco seasoning on top of everything.
5. Spoon your soup evenly on top.
6. Sprinkle your cheese evenly across the top of everything.
7. Gently pour your beef broth evenly around your crockpot.
8. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-2.5 hours.
9. Let it cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.