Creamy Rice Pudding

Creamy Rice Pudding

4 cups milk
1/2 cup of short grain rice, it is preferred for this kind of pudding
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a sprinkle of raisins is optional
Bring milk, rice and salt to a boil using medium heat. (Very important or you will scorch the milk and burn the pudding)
Bring to a boil, stirring almost constantly. Be patient this takes a few minutes.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. (Add raisins at this time if using).
In a separate bowl, mix the egg, sugar and vanilla.
Take about 1/2 of cooked rice and whisk it into the egg mixture slowly.
Stir the rice and egg mixture into the remaining rice and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Serve warm or cooled completely. Each person can sprinkle cinnamon if desired.
If you are cooling it completely, cover the pudding with a plastic wrap so it will not form a skin over it.

Source: Mennonite Girls Can Cook

I am re posting this recipe because I absolutely love Rice Pudding.

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

A Busy Week !

I've had a very busy week and haven't had time to post any new recipes.
I'll get back to it this weekend.
Until then, I want to thank everyone that follows the blog, I appreciate it.

I need to come up with a new category to research and post.
I still have so many recipes from Aunt Faye and my family that I want to write about.

We're going to the Mennonite Relief Sale  in April, I think it's in two weeks.
I'll definitely return to the cookbook booth as soon as we get there and I'll have a lot of new recipes and stories to post.

Until then,
Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Aebleskivers

These are like little doughnuts without the fat.
Scandinavian, Dutch pancakes traditionally filled with Apples while cooking.

Eggs made in the Aebleskiver Pan.
I add a bit of butter to each Well and
Brush the melted butter to coat it.
There's usually more Egg White so as they begin to cook,
I push the Whites back with a Silicone Brush.
I flip them with the Brush and a Spoon to create the Ball.
You can Make them Runny or cook longer for a fully cooked Yolk.

They can also be filled with :
A Piece of Chocolate
Lemon Curd
Fruit Jam
Peanut Butter
Nutella
Fruit Pie Filling

They can be filled as they're cooking or split and filled after cooking.
They can simply be buttered and topped with Maple Syrup.
They are very versatile and can be personalized for each guest.
I also use the pan to make Eggs,  placed on top of English Muffins.

You need a special Aeblelskiver pan. They were originally made of Cast Iron and are now available in a non stick pan sold at specialty kitchen stores.
I happen to own both.
The have seven round wells that create the circular pancake when cooked on the stovetop.
They are turned with a wooden skewer to create the ball.


Aebelskiver Batter:

1 1/2 C Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 Eggs, beaten
1 C Sour Cream
1/2 C Buttermilk or Milk
Butter
Your choice of fillings.


Sift, in a large bowl:
Flour
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Salt

In a smaller bowl, whisk together:
Eggs
Sour Cream
Milk

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and beat by hand or with an electric mixer until smooth.
It makes a Crepe textured batter.

Heat the pan over Medium heat and place a bit of butter in each well.
Coat the well with a brush.

At this stage you can either fill each well 1/2 full, fill with a filling, top with additional batter and finish cooking. You can also fill each well completely with batter, cook completely and wait until served to split them open and fill.

They will cook 1/2 way and then turn them with a wooden skewer or spoon to cook completely.
They should be golden brown on each side.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

These are the Eggs I make
in the Aebleskiver Pan.!

Muffin Tin Recipes

Today I've discovered Muffin Tin recipes.
I have never heard of these before, but they're fascinating to me.

It's another one of those American cooking ideas that only we could come up with.
I'm sure that some Culinary Schools would be aghast at the concept.
You all know who I'm talking about, but we love our quirky American cooking skills!

The recipes are a bit vague and I simply mention a few without a recipe.
The numerous recipes for Muffin Tins can be found online and there's a cookbook available .

These are just a few that I would make.
Maybe the most interesting to me !



Baked Eggs and Hash Brown Cups.

This recipe is adapted from The Dallas Morning News Taste Section 3/18/2015

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Liberally Butter the cups of a 12 C Muffin Tin

1 - 20 oz. bag of shredded Potatoes (if frozen, thaw and squeeze any excess moisture.
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
12 Extra Large Eggs
Vegetarian Bacon bits or Real Bacon Bits
Maple Syrup, warmed

In a medium mixing bowl:
Potatoes
Garlic Powder
Salt
Pepper
Toss to combine and coat well.
Evenly divide the Potatoes among the cups.
Use your hands or the back of a spoon to cover the bottom and up the sides of the cups to create a well.

Bake for 25 minutes.
The edges should be golden brown and crisp.

Crack one egg into each cup.
Season additionally to taste with Salt and Pepper.
Sprinkle the top of each Egg with Bacon Bits.
Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the egg whites are set according to your taste.
Remove the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes.
Carefully remove each egg cup from the pan.

Serve drizzled with Warm Maple Syrup.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!








Muffin Tin Potatoes Gratin.... Sacre Bleu!

2 large Potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced. This is where you can use your culinary skills and bring out the Mandolin !
1/2 C Shredded Swiss Cheese
2 Green Onions, sliced
Salt and Pepper to taste
Heavy Cream

Spray the cups of a Muffin Tin with a non stick Vegetable Spray

Fill the cups with some of the potato slices
Top with Cheese
Onion
Top off each cup with 1-2 TBS of Cream
Cover the entire tin with foil and bake 15 minutes at 375 degrees
Remove the foil
Bake an additional 15 - 25 minutes

Invert onto a serving platter.


Muffin Tin Baked Eggs:

Spray each cup with a non stick Vegetable Spray

Crack an egg into each cup
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes according to how you like the yolks ( I like them runny)

Serve on a Toasted English Muffin topped with your favorite Shredded Cheese or a slice of the All American Yellow Cheese that we all grew up eating.

I put the cheese on the Muffin and heat it in the microwave just until it begins to melt and then top it with the egg .



Toast Cups with Bacon and Eggs:

This is a really cool recipe for a breakfast crowd.
Of course I use Vegetarian Bacon that I either microwave or fry lightly in vegetable oil to get it crispy.
Every one else can fry your bacon as you normally do.

I left out the amounts of ingredients, it all depends on the number of guests you're serving.

You'll need the following:

Sliced White Bread
Cooked Bacon
Eggs
Shredded Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Spray the cups with a non stick Vegetable Spray
Cut circles out of the bread with a biscuit cutter
Press the bread into each cup
Place some crumbles Bacon in each one
Top with 1 TBS of Cheese
Bake these for 5 minutes 375 degrees

Crack an Egg into each cup
Season with Salt and Pepper
Bake an additional 8 - 10 minutes depending on how you like your yolks. ( we like ours runny)

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Baked Left Over Mashed Potatoes:

Here's what you'll need for this recipe:

Warm Mashed Potatoes with added Butter
Add any of the following ingredients  and mix well:
Cooked Bacon ( Vegetarian or Real)
Shredded Cheese , I like Gruyere or Swiss
Fresh Parsley, chopped
Chives, chopped
Green Onions, sliced
Sour Cream for a Garnish

Spray each cup with a non stick Vegetable Spray
Fill each cup with a large scoop of the mixture
Score the tops with a fork
Brush with Melted Butter

Bake at 375 degrees until the tops are browned and crispy

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Pizza:

3/4 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 C milk
1 egg, beaten
1 C shredded cheese, your choice ( I recommend Mozzarella)
3/4 C diced pepperoni ( vegetarian is available)
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Your favorite Pizza Sauce for serving ( heated)

Spray a 12 C muffin tim with vegetable spray
preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a Bowl:
flour
baking powder
basil
garlic
oregano
Whisk well
Whisk in:
milk
egg
Fold in:
Cheese
red bell pepper
pepperoni

Divide among the wells of the muffin tin
Bake for 25-30 minutes
Serve with warm pizza sauce.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Other recipe ideas in a Muffin Tin:

Pie
Cinnamon Rolls
Lasagna ( I've posted this recipe on the blog under Lasagna Rolls in a Muffin Tin)
Tex - Mex Tortilla Cups

My wife makes individual Stuffing Cups at Thanksgiving. She freezes any left overs.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Vegetarian Chicken Salad...... Yes, that's correct!

I would put this up against any meat eater's Chicken Salad.
I don't think you could tell the difference. Really!

I use Quorn Chicken Cutlets ( there are 4 to a package.

I thaw them and briefly saute them in a TBS of Vegetable Oil, just until both sides have browned.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the following:

1/2 C Mayonnaise
1/2 C diced Celery
1/2 C diced Onion
1/4 C Dill Pickle Relish
1/2 C chopped Pecans

Dice the Chicken and add to the mixture.

Salt and Pepper to taste.
Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour before serving.

You can delete or add any of your favorite ingredients to personalize it.
I often add some dried Cherries , Dried Cranberries or Grapes cut in half.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Cole Slaw

Cole Slaw is another dish that has a million recipes.
Everyone has a favorite.

There are as many Dressing recipes as there are Slaw recipes.
The list is endless.

Here's my favorite Cole Slaw and Dressing recipe.
There's another recipe at the end of this one.....

2 heads of Green Cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded
1/4  head of Purple Cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded
1  Large Onion, chopped
4 large Carrots, shredded
Prepare and mix together in a large serving bowl.
Refrigerate until ready to add dressing and serve.


Dressing:

I use a homemade Ranch Dressing.
You can double or triple the recipe , store it in a jar in the refrigerator for other salads.

1 C Mayonnaise
1/2 C Sour Cream
1/2 tsp Vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Paprika
1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 C Parsley, minced
2 TBS fresh Dill, minced
1 TBS fresh Chives, minced
1/2 C Buttermilk ( add at the end)

Combine all ingredients, except the Buttermilk and whisk well.
Add the Buttermilk at the end to desired consistency.
Place in a jar,  (Shake, Shake, Shake) and store in the refrigerator until chilled.
Just before serving, add the dressing to the cabbage and toss to mix well.

I wanted to talk about the difference between Shredded and Grated.
Many people are confused by these two processes.

Shredding and Grating are two completely different processes that create different results.
There are many types of Graters and Shredders available, but having one that gives you both surfaces is the best.
I've posted a picture of a Box Shredder/Grater.
The front is for Shredding, the back is for Grating.
You can see that the end result will be completely different.

Shredded food results in a thread like shape, grated creates  smaller, finer pieces.
Think about grated Parmesan Cheese that has a powder like texture.

Shredded Carrots are fine for Cole Slaw where Grated Carrots would not create the desired texture.

Here's another recipe.....
who can have just one recipe for Cole Slaw?



Ingredients:
1/2 C Mayonnaise
1/3 C Sugar
1/4 C Milk
1/4 C Buttermilk
2 1/2 TBS Lemon Juice
1 1/2 TBS White Vinegar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Black Pepper
8 C finely chopped Cabbage (approx. 1 medium head)
1/4 C shredded Carrot (approx. 1 medium Carrot)
2 TBS minced Onion

In a large Mixing Bowl:
Mayonnaise
Sugar
Milk
Buttermilk
Lemon Juice
Vinegar
Salt
Black Pepper
Whisk well.

Add:
Cabbage
Carrot
Onion
Mix until well combined.

Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Mix well just before serving.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Cole Slaw and Dressing:

And just when I think I've seen the best Cole Slaw Dressing, I discover another one. This tells me that there are so many varieties and you just have to try some and choose your favorite.

Here's my latest and I'm making this for Easter 2017.

1 Head of Green Cabbage, shredded. (I shred it by hand like my Grandmother did.)
1 Medium Onion, finely chopped.
2 Medium Carrots, peeled and Grated on a Box Grater on the large holes.

1/4 C Cider Vinegar
1/4 C Real Mayonnaise
1/4 C Sour Cream
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp Caraway Seeds or Celery Seeds
Salt and Pepper to taste.

In a Small Bowl:
Onion
Vinegar
Stir to combine well.
Set aside for 1 hour at Room Temperature.

In another Large Serving Bowl
Mayonnaise
Sour Cream
Mustard
Sugar
Seeds
Whisk well.

Add:
Cabbage
Carrots
Onion/Vinegar Mix
Toss well.
Season to taste with Salt and Pepper.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Crock Pot Mac & Cheese

After much thought, I've decided to post this recipe.
I've made it many times and it's great.

I have so many versions of Mac & Cheese and I really can't decide which is my favorite or should I say, which one has the right to be labeled a Best of the Best Recipe.
We all have our favorites.
How many versions of Mac & Cheese can I post?

When we served the latest one that I made, we asked the kids why they love Mac & Cheese so much.... they simply replied, "Kids Love Cheese"!
I don't think I've made a version that they don't eat.
I know that they absolutely love this Crock Pot Recipe.

It's certainly less time consuming than the last one I created.

1 C Milk
1/2 tsp Dry Mustard
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
4 TBS (1/2 stick) cut into pieces
1/2 C Sour Cream
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can of Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup
2 C dry Elbow Macaroni
2 1/2 C Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
3 eggs, beaten

Boil the Macaroni in a 2qt. saucepan for about 7 minutes
Drain
In the saucepan, melt Butter and Cheddar Cheese until creamy

In a Slow Cooker:
Cheese/Butter mixture
Sour Cream
Soup
Salt
Pepper
Milk
Dry Mustard
Stir well!

Add Eggs
Add Macaroni and stir again

Set Slow Cooker on Low and cook for 3 hours.
Stir occasionally

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

More Mac & Cheese recipes to come.....
I just can't get enough of them!