Yams a la Lucy / a la Karen

350 degrees F

3 cups yams/sweet potato

1/2 cup butter

1 tsp Vanilla

1/2 C. sugar

2 Beaten eggs

1/4 C. Milk

Make mashed potatoes (microwave not optimum) mix all above ingredients and put in med. size baking dish.

Topping:

1/3 C. Butter

1 C. brown sugar

1/2 C. flour

1 C. chopped pecans (almonds ok)

Spread over mashed mix and bake for 350 degrees for 25-30 mins.

My sister Karen makes this fabulous sweet potato dish - it's SO YUMMY, even for someone who doesn't like yams!!

NO PECTIN STRAWBERRY JAM

Combine in a saucepan, bring to a boil and boil TWO minutes.
4 c. crushed fruit
2 T. apple cider vinegar
Then add:
4 c. sugar
Stir and bring to a boil. Boil TEN minutes
Put into hot jars that have been prepared for canning. Fill to within ½ inch of the top. Put hot lids on clean jar surface. Screw on rings. Turn jars upside down for 15 minutes and then turn them right side up again. If a jar does not seal by morning, use it first.

I found this recipe on facebook, and I wanted to document it so I can try it someday when we have lots of strawberries again, like this last spring! Mmm! (Melissa Howlett's fb page.)

Crockpot Garlic Baked Potatoes

Found this recipe on Pinterest. The complete recipe, including pictures, and the blogger's kids' reactions, click here to see the post. 


The Ingredients:
--4 big brown potatoes
--2 T melted butter
--2 T olive oil
--salt and pepper
--8 or so garlic cloves

The Directions:
Peel the garlic and cut it into long slivers.

Wash your potatoes, and pat dry. Carefully cut slits into each potato about 1/2 inch thick almost do the very base. The potato should start to separate a bit like an accordion.

Shove as many garlic slices as you can in each slit of each potato.

Nestle the potatoes into your crockpot. I used an oval 6qt Smart Pot, and the potatoes didn't fit all the way down to the bottom, they kind of were halfway on each other. It doesn't seem to matter.

Liberally salt and pepper. Combine the melted butter with the olive oil and drizzle over the top of each potato, trying to get some in the garlic-filled slits, if you can.

Cover and cook on high for 2-4 hours or on low for about 6. They are done when the potatoes reach desired tenderness.

Top with sour cream.

Cilantro Lime Rice

2 T butter

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 2/3 C water

8 t chicken bouillon

½ bunch cilantro, chopped

2 t cumin

2 small cans diced green chilies

1 T lime juice

½ t pepper

3 ½ C rice

Saute onion, garlic, and butter until the onion is soft.  Add rice and water and all the other ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover with lid and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Slow Cooker Garlic Mashed Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds red potatoes, diced with peel

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup butter

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup milk, or as needed

DIRECTIONS

Place the potatoes, water, and butter into a slow cooker. Season with salt, 

garlic powder, and pepper. Cover, and cook on Low for 7 hours, or High for 4 

hours.

Mash potatoes with a masher or electric beater, adding the desired amount of 

milk to achieve a creamy consistency. Keep warm on low until serving.

~~~

I've done potatoes in the slow cooker, but they weren't boiled.  More like 

steamed.  Simply put them in, cut into chunks if not baby potatoes.  Add a 

small amount of broth or water, some butter or olive oil, salt, pepper and a 

bit of parsley.  They come out very nice. 

These notes were found in a google search at: http://bigspud.com/files/pboiledslowcooker.htm 

Sauted vegetables

I wanted some good vegetables to go with our chicken and pasta dinner last night, and found a suggestion on the pasta box. I tweeked it and  came up with this:

2+ tbsp olive oil

1 onion, sliced thin and cut slices in half (for long thin pieces)

Several small zucchinis sliced (probably could have cut these differently to match too)

Salt & pepper to taste

2 tomatoes, cut into 16th pieces (lengthwise, not diced - looks nicer)

In a large skillet, heat oil, and saute onion until just turning transparent. Add zucchini pieces, and turn occasionally until just beginning to soften. (Use lid between turnings to speed cooking process.) Add tomato pieces and heat turning occasionally about two minutes. Add salt & pepper, and turn into serving bowl. Serve hot. Mmm!

Mom Howlett's Cranberry Jello Salad

2-6 oz pkgs Raspberry Jello (we so prefer sugar free!)

1 lb pkg whole cranberries

1 lb crushed pineapple

1 whole orange, cut in quarters (with rind)

½ C crushed walnuts

3 single sticks celery

4 C boiling water

1 C cold water

Put cold water and food ingredients in a blender. Blend slowly so as to leave a little crunchy. Place in 9X13 pan and set aside. Mix jello with hot water until dissolved. Carefully pour over blended ingredients; stir gently to combine ingredients. Chill overnight or until well set.

Roasted Vegetables with Feta Cheese

Found this favorite online*.

1/2 red onion, quartered
10-15 small fingerling potatoes
4 red or yellow baby bell peppers, sliced
3 carrots, halved and cut into large pieces
8 cloves of garlic, leave the skins on for roasting
1 green zucchini, sliced
4-5 asparagus spears, ends removed and cut into thirds
1 handful of grape tomatoes
Olive oil
Sea salt and freshly cracked lemon pepper, to taste
Dried thyme
Dried oregano
Garlic powder
Feta cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tin foil (for quick and easy clean up) then coat the tin foil lined baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray. Clean and slice the veggies and layer all but the tomatoes, zucchini and asparagus on the sheet. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on top, season with sea salt, cracked lemon pepper, garlic powder, thyme and oregano to taste. Toss to coat and place in the oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, add the tomatoes, zucchini and asparagus to the roasted veggies, toss and return to the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Once the garlic cloves cool down, carefully peel the skin off. Add garlic cloves back in with the rest of the veggies then sprinkle with feta cheese. Enjoy.

*Find recipe w/step-by-step pictures at: http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/2010/02/roasted-vegetables-with-feta-cheese.html

Pilafian's Rice Pilaf - The Ultimate Version

4 T butter*
1 handful fine egg noodles
1 (large) clove garlic, minced
1/2 C chopped onion
1 C sliced mushrooms
1/2 t dried dill weed
1 C white rice (regular uncooked)
2 C chicken broth
1/2 t (or to taste) salt
1/2 C lightly toasted pine nuts (optional)

1) Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in noodles and let them brown (do not let butter of noodles burn). Add garlic, onion, mushroom and dill weed. Saute 3 minutes. Stir in rice and saute until it takes on a whitish, non-translucent appearance. (*I never use any more than 1/2 C butter, even when I make this with lots more rice!)
2) Meanwhile, heat the broth and salt to boiling in another pan. Pour over rice mixture and stir briefly. Cover pan tightly and simmer 25-30 minutes (steam will subside toward end of cooking time). Do not peek.
3) Remove pan from heat. Toss pilaf lightly; then cover pan, placing a dry cloth of paper towel between pan and lid to absorb moisture. Let stand 10 minutes (a very important step). Serve topped with pine nuts, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

Printable version here.

Ratatouille

I found this recipe online the other day, and it was SSSOOOO good! It's one of my new FAVORITES!

Classic, hearty casserole dish starts with sauteed garlic, eggplant and parsley as a bottom layer. Zucchini, Parmesan cheese, onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, and tomatoes complete this casserole before being baked golden brown and crispy on top.

Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 t dried parsley
1 eggplant, cut into ½ inch cubes
Salt, to taste
1 C grated Parmesan cheese
2 zucchini, sliced
1 large onion, sliced into rings*
2 C sliced fresh mushrooms*
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2 large tomatoes, chopped

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Grease casserole dish with 1 tbs. olive oil.
3. Add remaining olive oil to medium skillet. Heat over medium heat.
4. Saute garlic until tender. Stir in eggplant cubes and parsley. Saute 10 minutes.
5. Season eggplant with salt.
6. Spoon eggplant into casserole. Spread to create even layer. Sprinkle eggplant with parmesan cheese.
7. Arrange zucchini slices in even layer over eggplant. Sprinkle zucchini layer with parmesan cheese.
8. Repeat layering with onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, and tomatoes.
9. Sprinkle remaining parmesan on top.
10. Bake 45 minutes. (Out of time, I microwaved this 18 mins on HI.)

*(I think next time I will saute the onions & perhaps the mushrooms slightly before using)

Recipe and pictures available at: http://www.eggplantrecipes.net/EggplantRecipes/Ratatouille.htm


Printable version here.