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Canning and Cooking - Iowa Style
Tried-and-tested canning and cooking recipes
In , , on September 15, 2015 with No Comments

Taco Salad For A Crowd

When you have kids in sports, you frequently have potluck dinners, whether before a cross country meet, football game or after the season for an awards banquet. One of my go-to recipes for these events is taco salad, first because the kids usually eat all of it (and I don’t have to worry about leftovers) and second because you can make a large recipe. I usually end up making this in my lasagna pan so I’ve got room to mix everything together. I got this recipe when I was in 4-H from one of our group leaders.

If you aren’t making a dish for an entire team and don’t want to have taco salad for days on end, this recipe can easily be halved.

 

Taco Salad For A Crowd

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (you can use your favorite ground meat: turkey, venison, beef, pork or even chicken)
1 package taco seasoning (optional)
3 packages ready-to-eat salad greens
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 a medium red onion, diced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
16 ounces sliced black olives
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 bag original flavor Doritos, crushed
1 bottle Catalina salad dressing
Sour cream (optional)

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef until no longer pink; drain excess fat. Add taco seasoning to the browned meat (if using), mixing well until combined.

While the meat is browning, in a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients except the sour cream and Catalina dressing. Add the browned ground beef. Pour the Catalina salad dressing over the ingredients, and mix well until the salad dressing evenly coats everything. Serve with sour cream if desired.

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In on September 14, 2015 with No Comments

Ham, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Bake

On the weekends I often make a breakfast casserole to make the morning meal a little easier to deal with, especially if the boys have guests overnight. A breakfast bake can be changed up with different meat ingredients, and we like to make this one that has ham. I’d made a loaf of homemade country white bread the day before, and leftover homemade bread is great in this recipe. This bake can be prepared the night before and kept in the refrigerator until you’re ready for breakfast, or make it a couple of hours ahead the same morning, allowing time for the bread to soak up some of the milk-egg mixture before you bake it.

 

Ham, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Bake

3 cups cubed white bread (leftover homemade or store bought is fine)
2 cups half and half or milk
10 eggs
2 cups diced ham
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. To the baking dish add the cubed white bread. Evenly sprinkle the diced ham and shredded cheddar cheese over the bread pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the half and half or milk, eggs, ground mustard, salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Pour the mixture over the bread, ham and cheese. Cover the casserole with foil. Refrigerate overnight (or 1-2 hours if making the same morning).

Bake the casserole, covered at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly and a knife inserted into the middle of the casserole tests clean.

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In , , on September 13, 2015 with No Comments

Italian Pasta Salad and Watermelon Peach Salsa

Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful fall day here in Iowa. The sky was a gorgeous blue, the humdity was low (finally!), and the bugs were nowhere in sight. Kevin wanted to grill some burgers, so I thought I’d whip up a couple side dishes to go along with.

The boys love my Italian Pasta Salad and tell me I need to make it more often. It’s an easy peasy recipe that’s great to take to potlucks and family reunions. I eyeballed the amount of each ingredient, so you can add more or less to your family’s taste.

I also decided to make a Watermelon Peach Salsa. We have four peach trees, the kind that has the little white peaches, and they are huge this year. I’ve already canned two lugs of peaches, so this was a great way to use up a few more. The recipe called for cilantro, but my family’s not a huge fan, so I omitted it.

 

Italian Pasta Salad

1 package rotini pasta noodles, cooked per package directions and cooled
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 a medium red onion, diced
1/2 a red bell pepper, diced
1/2 a green bell pepper, diced
1 3.8 ounce can sliced black olives
Half a package of turkey pepperoni (or regular if you prefer), sliced into strips
1 bottle zesty Italian dressing

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Set aside until cool.

In a large bowl, combine the diced onion, diced peppers, black olives and sliced pepperoni. Add the cooled pasta. Pour the Italian dressing over the pasta, and mix until well combined. Refrigerate for several hours to let the flavors meld together.

 

 

Watermelon Peach Salsa

2 cups diced watermelon
2 cups diced fresh peaches
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/2 a green bell pepper, diced
1/2 a red bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
Juice of 1 lime
Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, and mix well. Refrigerate for several hours to let the flavors marinade together.

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In , on September 10, 2015 with 2 Comments

Herbs de Provence Roasted Chicken

The honey-roasted chicken was a hit, so I’ve been on the search for another roasted chicken recipe. I stumbled across this recipe on Pinterest, at the Taste Love and Nourish blog. I love Dijon mustard and herbs de Provence, so this sounded like a match made in heaven. It smelled so delicious while roasting that I could hardly wait. I served the chicken with mashed potatoes and mixed veggies.

 

 

 

 

Herbs de Provence Roasted Chicken

1 roasting chicken, 5 to 7 pounds, giblets removed, rinsed and dried well
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon onion, finely minced
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the dried chicken on a rack inside a large roasting pan.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Gently slide a spoon between the breast meat and the skin to separate the two. Place 1 to 2 teaspoons of the herb mixture under the breast skin, and rub it around. Use the remaining herb mixture to rub over the rest of the bird.

Tuck the wings under the bird to prevent overbrowning, and tie up the legs with kitchen twine.

Place the chicken in the oven, and reduce the temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook about 20 minutes per pound (around 2 hours), or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees Fahrenheit when inserted into a thigh. After 1 hour of roasting, add 2 cups of chicken stock to the roasting pan. Baste the chicken with the stock occasionally during the last hour of roasting.

Remove the chicken from the oven, and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. If desired, use pan drippings to make gravy.

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In on August 31, 2015 with No Comments

Biscuits and Gravy

My favorite breakfast meal, hands down, is biscuits and gravy. Actually, I’d eat this at any meal, but I admit I’m a bit of a biscuits and gravy snob. I’m picky about this recipe. I want to see the meat, not have it all pureed so all you get is the sausage flavor. I also dislike it when the gravy is simply browned sausage in a white, pasty gravy that has no flavor, or all you can taste is flour.

Years ago when Kevin and I first were married, I spent a lot of time at the library looking through cookbooks trying to improve my meager cooking skills. Somewhere along the line I ran across a biscuits and gravy recipe. Perhaps it was from one of Chef Paul Prudhomme’s cookbooks, but I don’t really remember, but the recipe was delicious, and I’ve used it ever since.

 

Biscuits and Gravy

1 1/2 pound sage-flavored breakfast sausage
1/2 onion, diced
3 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour (more or less depending how much grease you get from the sausage)
1 pint half-and-half cream
2 to 2 1/2 cups milk (depending how thick or thin you like your gravy)
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4  teaspoon grated nutmeg (I like using fresh)
Hot pepper sauce to taste (I use 5 to 6 dashes – the boys like a little heat!)

In a large skillet, brown the sausage with the diced onion over medium-high heat. Cook until browned. Do not drain. Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the meat mixture. Mix well, and cook until all the sausage drippings are incorporated into the flour, about 5 minutes.

Add the half-and-half cream and milk to the skillet. Add the poultry seasoning, nutmeg and hot pepper sauce. Combine everything well, and stir until the gravy reaches your desired consistency. I like my gravy medium consistency:

 

 

Serve over warm biscuits.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings (only 4 in my household of a hungry husband and 2 sons with big appetites!)

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In , on August 30, 2015 with No Comments

Honey Roasted Chicken

We raised chickens this year, for the first time in a few, and after the poultry/avian flu problem earlier this year, boy am I glad we did. These are meat chickens, and we’ll be getting some laying hens in a few weeks so I can stop paying $4 for a dozen eggs – and have tastier eggs to boot.

Now that we have all these chickens in the freezer, I’ve been on the hunt for different recipes. We love fried chicken and barbecue chicken, but you can only eat those so many times without never wanting to see a chicken again! I found a recipe on Oh, Sweet Basil for honey-roasted chicken, and I think I’ve found a new favorite! Not only is the recipe easy, but the accompanying sauce is tasty and complements the honey very nicely. The guys said I can definitely make this again.

 

 

 

Honey Roasted Chicken

1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
2 whole chickens (3 1/2 to 4 pounds each), giblets discarded (or saved for another use)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup honey
5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and move the rack to the center position.

In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper and paprika. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, and rub the spice mixture under the skin and over the outside of each bird. Tuck the wings behind the back, and tie the legs together with kitchen twine to ensure even cooking.

Stir the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water together in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, bring the honey and 4 tablespoons of the cider vinegar to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until the mixture is reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Slowly whisk the cornstarch mixture into the glaze. Return to a simmer, and cook for one minute. Set aside.

Arrange the chicken, breast side down, on a rack inside a roasting pan. Roast until the chicken is golden, about 35 minutes. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, and carefully flip the chicken so it is breast side up. Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour 1 cup water and the chicken broth into the roasting pan. Return the pan to the oven, and roast until the thigh meat registers 165 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit, about 35 to 45 minutes. Brush the chicken evenly with a thick layer of the glaze, and continue to roast until the glaze is golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, and brush with the remaining glaze. Let rest for 15 minutes.

While the chicken is resting, pour pan juices into a saucepan, and skim off any fat. Stir in the thyme. Bring to a simmer, and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened and reduced to 1 cup, about 15 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and the remaining 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Carve the chicken, and serve with the sauce.

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In , on August 27, 2015 with No Comments

Chocolate Pound Cake

I was in the mood for cake, and after searching through my recipes on Pinterest, I decided on pound cake. Thanks to making bread earlier, I had a few extra egg yolks, and I didn’t have enough unsweetened chocolate in the house, so I made a few modifications to the recipe I found to use what I had on hand.

I adore anything with chocolate, and I love pound cake, so this recipe was made for me 🙂

 

 

Chocolate Pound Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup butter, softened
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
4 ounces good bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled (I used Ghirardelli)
2 eggs plus 3 egg yolks
1-2 teaspoons good vanilla extract

Great and lightly flour a 10-inch tube pan. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add milk, butter and cooled chocolate. Carefully mix on low to medium speed until combined. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.

Add eggs and vanilla extract. Beat 2 minutes more.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove cake from the pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.

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In , on June 6, 2015 with No Comments

It’s Jammin’ Time: Strawberry Honey Jam

Kevin and I needed freezer bags this weekend so we could butcher our chickens, so that meant a trip to Kalona and the Stringtown grocery store. Those who live in eastern Iowa know about Kalona and this store. It’s run by the Amish, and you can buy just about anything there in bulk, from spices to noodles and homemade baked goods.

We found our chicken freezer bags, but the store has expanded since we were last there, and they’ve added a produce section. We found the most beautiful, fresh-picked strawberries that I’ve seen in a long time, so, of course, I came home with a flat to make some homemade jam – and a lot of other things for canning and smoking fish later in the season. And some homemade pecan-topped cinnamon rolls. And cheese curds. Good thing we don’t live next door to this place!

I love to make jam, but I hate the fact that so many jam recipes take a ton of white sugar, something I’ve been trying to avoid. Last summer I made several different jam recipes and substituted honey for the white sugar, so I decided to do the same with these gorgeous strawberries.

 

 

I used a raw buckwheat honey, which was delicious on its own, and the result is amazing strawberry jam. I did use pectin, which I don’t normally do, because there isn’t a lot of pectin in strawberries, and I didn’t want to add apple (a natural source of pectin). Two quarts of berries yielded 5 half-pints of jam in the end.

Strawberry Honey Jam

Ingredients:
2 quarts freshly picked strawberries, washed and hulled
1 1/3 cup unprocessed, raw honey
1 box powdered pectin
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Wash and hull strawberries. In a large pot, add the strawberries, and mash well. Add honey and powdered pectin to the pot. Stir until combined. Heat mixture to a boil, and stir constantly until the jam starts to thicken. The length of time depends on your pot size, how juicy the strawberries are, etc. I stirred this batch for approximately 20 minutes.

 

 

 

When thickened, ladle jam into sterilized jam jars. Add lids and rings; tighten just until finger-tight. Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.

Yield:  5 half-pints

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In on April 19, 2015 with No Comments

Adjustment to Days of Casseroles…and Other Topics

Thanks to a raging sinus infection (thanks a lot spring pollen!), I had to modify our 365-day casserole challenge. We’d done 10 days in a row of new and different casseroles, which for the most part were a huge success. On what would have been day 11, we had leftover casserole, so it technically was still a casserole day, but then I got hit by these nasty allergies, and I didn’t do much of anything for a few days.

Kevin, bless his heart, took over cooking for a couple of days, but he’s just not a casserole kind of cook. We did, however, have family favorites such as liver and onions (which were awesome) and pork chops on another night.

So, I’ve amended the titles of these casserole posts, as it’s been decided we just like too many other dishes and cooking styles to solely concentrate on casseroles alone, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be working through my huge list of casserole recipes. I’ll be sure to post each new one as we try it.

On the gardening front, the plum trees are in full bloom, and the apple trees are getting ready to bloom. Of course, the forecast for the upcoming week is for lows in the 30s, so I’m hoping we don’t have a frost, or there won’t be any fruit from these trees this year. The radishes, lettuce, peas and kohlrabi are peeking through the ground, and the cauliflower and rhubarb are looking pretty good too. Kevin said he spotted a few stalks of asparagus coming up, so in a few weeks we can hopefully have a meal with fresh garden veggies.

The chickens are growing larger every day, and we’re down to 51 now after starting out with 54. Butchering will be on the agenda in a few weeks, and we’re all looking forward to that first BBQ chicken dinner, as well as getting that empty-looking freezer filled with meat.

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In , on April 13, 2015 with No Comments

Days of Casseroles: Day 10 – Loaded Mashed Potato Bake

I found today’s recipe at Mom on Timeout, and I’m using the picture from that website as well, mostly because I mixed everything in with the mashed potatoes, and her picture is so much prettier than mine! No matter the looks, it tastes wonderful and pairs nicely with the roast beef we had with it.

 

This is mine 🙂

 

Loaded Mashed Potato Bake

9 or 10 medium-sized potatoes
8 slices of bacon
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Cook or bake bacon, and chop into small pieces.

Peel and cube potatoes. Place potatoes in a large pot, and fill with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and let simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Drain the water, and return the potatoes to the pot. Mash potatoes with butter, cream cheese, sour cream, milk, onion powder and garlic powder.

Stir in 1 cup of cheese and half of the bacon pieces.

Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Transfer mashed potato mixture to the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bacon.

Place dish in a preheated oven, and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted. Sprinkle with chives before serving.

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