hmmm... it's Friday, where has my week gone?
I cooked with two different legumes this week and made several meals for very little expense. Legumes are a great way to extend the protein available in your diet while keeping meal costs affordable. This week I used lentils and pinto beans.
I only used one cup of lentils and have plenty left for other meals. I chose to sample a new recipe shared on Frugal Village, a frugal living message board, Sloppy Sam's. The Sloppy Sam recipe was quick and easy. The result was delicious. Though, I wouldn't exactly compare it to the meaty Sloppy Joe version. This dish is very good served in a warmed wheat pita with shredded cheddar cheese.
Sloppy Sams 4 servings so says the official recipe, but I got closer to 8 servings from this... it's very filling!
3 cups water
1 cup lentils, rinsed
salt to taste (optional)
1 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped tomato [I used 1 can diced stewed tomatoes]
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 tablespoons molasses
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
salt and ground black pepper to taste
4 hamburger buns, split
Combine water and lentils in a saucepan; season to taste with salt if desired. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook onions with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the onions have softened and turned translucent, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, ketchup, mustard powder, chili powder, molasses and Worcestershire sauce; simmer 5 to10 minutes until thickened. Drain lentils and reserve cooking liquid. Stir lentils into sauce mixture, adding cooking liquid or water as needed to obtain the desired "sloppy joe" consistency. Serve on buns. It's even better after sitting in the fridge over night... one of those recipes that actually tastes better when served the next day!
I also chose to prepare an entire bag of pinto beans. This makes much more than my small family (three at home) can reasonably consume before spoiling. So, at least half of the batch will be used to prepare refried beans, which will be frozen for later meals. A batch of cornbread, rice and fried potatoes will accompany those not mashed and refried!
The lentil recipe was a bit more spendy than just preparing the pinto beans, but overall I saved significantly versus using other available protein sources. Beef, chicken, pork, fish are all rather high in cost right now and I doubt the price will drop.
One way to cope is to stretch the weekly food budget by adding more meals featuring lovely legumes. There are many recipes available through searching the internet. Preparing legumes is simple and the instructions are usually very plain. Lentils are wonderful because they can be prepared quickly and do not require soaking. They also last in your pantry forever.
In order for legumes to act as complete proteins, they must be combined with other foods. The sloppy sam's need to be served with grain in order to be complete. Once placed inside a pita with some cheese or on a bun, you have a complete protein and a healthy meal. Other examples of legume combinations resulting in complete protein are: red beans and rice (or any legume and rice), pinto beans and cornbread, hummus and pitas, peanut butter sandwich (any legume and grain).
My husband is an avid gardener, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention the agricultural aspect of legumes. They are easy to grow and can grow (but not as productively) in poor soil. The plants are high in nitrogen and are beneficial biomass to improve the soil. Simply till them into the soil. By growing your own legumes you have a very inexpensive protein source and an equally inexpensive organic fertilizer for your garden!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
De-cluttering and Repurposing
Well, it's time to de-clutter. You know... you just have to stop and do that every so often. And, it's a bit over-due in my house.
De-cluttering for me is a process of removing things from my home or re-purposing them. If I have no use for them, but they are fit enough for another person's use, I'll donate items to a charity. If they are worn, I will either throw them out or find another purpose for them. I'd love to fix more things, but I'm just not skilled, motivated or capable of fixing some of the items... so they re better off going to the trash or to someone who can fix them.
I love the idea of re-purposing items. And, with the internet, there are so many resources for creative re-purposing... there's just no excuse not to do it.
Today, for example, my husband sorted through his closet and had several pairs of jeans which were either too worn or too small. Those in good shape, but too small went to charity. Those that were worn... had the scissors taken to them. One pair will be a book bag (made from the pockets, and section just above the crotch) and two childrens aprons (made from the legs). Others may become potholders, neck rolls, or other such items. I found a lot of instructions online for re-purposing blue jeans. It will be fun to break out the sewing machine for these simple projects.
Another simple project involves using old t-shirts to make durable grocery bags. The idea came from the Martha Stewart website and is extremely simple and cute!
A fond memory of mine involves sitting in the quilting bee with the ladies of our community. They never let material go to waste. Every scrap had a purpose. If nothing else, they were sewn into patchwork quilts. Though I grew up around the quilting bees and know how to sew the tiny stitches to hand quilt... I don't sew very well and I've never laid out a quilt pattern. I hear the old ladies' voices telling me that it doesn't matter, just do my best and regardless, the quilt will be warm.
I don't know if I'll ever be able to go that far with my re-purposing. But, I do intend to make my girls each a t-shirt quilt from their youth shirts. I've got them cut out and just need to sew it all together. One day, I will make time for this... once I get over the anxiety I have about it.
In the meantime, I'll practice my stitching with some more simple projects.
De-cluttering for me is a process of removing things from my home or re-purposing them. If I have no use for them, but they are fit enough for another person's use, I'll donate items to a charity. If they are worn, I will either throw them out or find another purpose for them. I'd love to fix more things, but I'm just not skilled, motivated or capable of fixing some of the items... so they re better off going to the trash or to someone who can fix them.
I love the idea of re-purposing items. And, with the internet, there are so many resources for creative re-purposing... there's just no excuse not to do it.
Today, for example, my husband sorted through his closet and had several pairs of jeans which were either too worn or too small. Those in good shape, but too small went to charity. Those that were worn... had the scissors taken to them. One pair will be a book bag (made from the pockets, and section just above the crotch) and two childrens aprons (made from the legs). Others may become potholders, neck rolls, or other such items. I found a lot of instructions online for re-purposing blue jeans. It will be fun to break out the sewing machine for these simple projects.
Another simple project involves using old t-shirts to make durable grocery bags. The idea came from the Martha Stewart website and is extremely simple and cute!
A fond memory of mine involves sitting in the quilting bee with the ladies of our community. They never let material go to waste. Every scrap had a purpose. If nothing else, they were sewn into patchwork quilts. Though I grew up around the quilting bees and know how to sew the tiny stitches to hand quilt... I don't sew very well and I've never laid out a quilt pattern. I hear the old ladies' voices telling me that it doesn't matter, just do my best and regardless, the quilt will be warm.
I don't know if I'll ever be able to go that far with my re-purposing. But, I do intend to make my girls each a t-shirt quilt from their youth shirts. I've got them cut out and just need to sew it all together. One day, I will make time for this... once I get over the anxiety I have about it.
In the meantime, I'll practice my stitching with some more simple projects.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Homemade Hashbrowns
I decided to start the morning with some homemade hashbrowns in a breakfast skillet scramble. Yum! I can't imagine why anyone would buy hashbrowns. They are so simple to make, cost far less and taste oh so much better!
There are two schools of thought on homemade hashbrowns. My sister-in-law uses raw potatoes grated in her food processor and then fries them up. They are tasty, but don't really stick together much. I like to boil my potatoes first, then grate them and make the patties. These are tasty too... but they make the actual patties.
The trick when you boil them is to leave the peels on and boil them just until they get a little tender (about 10 minutes). Don't boil them as long as you would for mashed potatoes. They need to still be firm... or you'll have mushy hashbrowns. Then chill them. Some recommend overnight chilling and this is good if you plan ahead. I'm more spontaneous... so, mine were chilled with cold water and a sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes. It works.
Then, you just peel them, grate them and you can scoop them into the skillet and fry with butter and onions... or however you like them.
If you want to freeze them for later use, simply place waxed paper on a cookie sheet and put the piles of hashbrowns on it. Place in the freezer and freeze individually. Then, when frozen, move to freezer safe bags or vacuum seal.
There are two schools of thought on homemade hashbrowns. My sister-in-law uses raw potatoes grated in her food processor and then fries them up. They are tasty, but don't really stick together much. I like to boil my potatoes first, then grate them and make the patties. These are tasty too... but they make the actual patties.
The trick when you boil them is to leave the peels on and boil them just until they get a little tender (about 10 minutes). Don't boil them as long as you would for mashed potatoes. They need to still be firm... or you'll have mushy hashbrowns. Then chill them. Some recommend overnight chilling and this is good if you plan ahead. I'm more spontaneous... so, mine were chilled with cold water and a sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes. It works.
Then, you just peel them, grate them and you can scoop them into the skillet and fry with butter and onions... or however you like them.
If you want to freeze them for later use, simply place waxed paper on a cookie sheet and put the piles of hashbrowns on it. Place in the freezer and freeze individually. Then, when frozen, move to freezer safe bags or vacuum seal.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Taxes, Tuition and Time
Yesterday was all about getting the taxes finished. I have to have them complete so that my daughters can complete the FAFSA and apply for scholarships. Fortunately, they weren't too complicated this year.
I love being able to e-file the taxes. It seems much faster. The software asks questions which makes it easy. The entire process is relatively painless. I think Free-File is great! If you qualify, you must go to www.irs.gov and pick a software vendor from there. If you go directly to the software site, it won't allow you to free-file. I just love modern technology!
With that done, it was time to work on some scholarship and financial aid info for my daughters. My oldest is attending a private college in another state and my youngest will attend the same school next year. I was really surprised to learn in our search for colleges that the private colleges often have financial aid packages which make them more affordable than public universities. That is certainly the case with the college my girls have chosen. I am not wealthy. I could not afford the tuition which is close to my annual salary. However, between scholarships and grants, the cost was reduced to less than what I would pay for them to attend a state univ. Talk about a bargain!
Right now, I'm working with the financial aid office to have them re-evaluate my oldest daughter's financial aid package. We had a change in our financial situation which made a significant change to our income from what was reported on the FAFSA used to make the determination. It's important to know that if this happens, the financial aid office can re-evaluate. It's crucial to notify them as soon as possible and provide them as much information as possible. It's a slightly painstaking process, but well worth the effort. I'll have all of that ready to mail next week.
It's hard core scholarship season. I'm cracking the whip daily to make sure my daughters are applying for scholarships. Every little bit helps. They both have a goal of trying to have everything paid for through scholarships and grants. This would leave their college fund available to help pay for graduate school, for which it is more difficult to receive funding. I appreciate their goal. I think it's entirely do-able. My goal, is simply to have their schooling remain affordable!
Time...really does fly by. It seems that it wasn't long ago I was completing scholarship applications myself. I recall when my daughters were little thinking about them heading off to college and it seemed so far away. Now that it's here, where has all the time gone? Perhaps, I should learn to be more frugal with my time.
I love being able to e-file the taxes. It seems much faster. The software asks questions which makes it easy. The entire process is relatively painless. I think Free-File is great! If you qualify, you must go to www.irs.gov and pick a software vendor from there. If you go directly to the software site, it won't allow you to free-file. I just love modern technology!
With that done, it was time to work on some scholarship and financial aid info for my daughters. My oldest is attending a private college in another state and my youngest will attend the same school next year. I was really surprised to learn in our search for colleges that the private colleges often have financial aid packages which make them more affordable than public universities. That is certainly the case with the college my girls have chosen. I am not wealthy. I could not afford the tuition which is close to my annual salary. However, between scholarships and grants, the cost was reduced to less than what I would pay for them to attend a state univ. Talk about a bargain!
Right now, I'm working with the financial aid office to have them re-evaluate my oldest daughter's financial aid package. We had a change in our financial situation which made a significant change to our income from what was reported on the FAFSA used to make the determination. It's important to know that if this happens, the financial aid office can re-evaluate. It's crucial to notify them as soon as possible and provide them as much information as possible. It's a slightly painstaking process, but well worth the effort. I'll have all of that ready to mail next week.
It's hard core scholarship season. I'm cracking the whip daily to make sure my daughters are applying for scholarships. Every little bit helps. They both have a goal of trying to have everything paid for through scholarships and grants. This would leave their college fund available to help pay for graduate school, for which it is more difficult to receive funding. I appreciate their goal. I think it's entirely do-able. My goal, is simply to have their schooling remain affordable!
Time...really does fly by. It seems that it wasn't long ago I was completing scholarship applications myself. I recall when my daughters were little thinking about them heading off to college and it seemed so far away. Now that it's here, where has all the time gone? Perhaps, I should learn to be more frugal with my time.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Valentine's Day Reflections
Yesterday was really busy. It began with a shopping trip and ended with an incredible, memorable meal.
In our home, Valentine's Day has become a celebrated holiday much like Easter or Thanksgiving but not up to the level of Christmas. I really hadn't realized I'd created such tradition until my oldest daughter in college lamented not being home for Valentine's Day for the first time. She related that, since they split other holidays with their dad, Valentine's Day was the only one they were consistently home to enjoy with us and I had created several memorable traditions... including the meal. I like that I have made my family feel loved and appreciated on one special day each year and that it's been a special, memorable part of our lives together.
I splurged a bit on the meal but not too bad. I was able to prepare the following menu for slightly less than $10/plate:
Shrimp Cocktail
Wheatberry Salad
Snow Crab Clusters
Filet Mignon
Twice Baked Potatoes
Rolls
Tiramisu
Sparkling Grape Juice
We usually serve rock lobster tail, but I couldn't find it this year and my youngest daughter prefers crab. So, the substitution was made when I went shopping in the morning. My shopping trip began at our local bargain store, where I found the sparkling grape juice for $1.29/bottle. I finished by picking up the crab and steaks and headed home to start cooking.
After scrubbing and wrapping potatoes, they were tossed in the ashes of my woodstove to bake as I prepared my wheatberry salad. The day was off to a grand start!
I paused in the afternoon to go pick up a gift for my husband. A friend had offered to let me have his sliding glass doors when he replaced them. My hubby has been collecting windows and sliding glass door panels with which to build a greenhouse for several years. With these two panels, I believe he has enough glass to build his greenhouse now.
Upon my return, my hubby helped me to finish preparing the meal and we enjoyed it with my daughter and her boyfriend. Our gift exchange was minimal this year, but that's okay because the meal and time spent preparing it together and eating together is really what we enjoy on this holiday.
In our home, Valentine's Day has become a celebrated holiday much like Easter or Thanksgiving but not up to the level of Christmas. I really hadn't realized I'd created such tradition until my oldest daughter in college lamented not being home for Valentine's Day for the first time. She related that, since they split other holidays with their dad, Valentine's Day was the only one they were consistently home to enjoy with us and I had created several memorable traditions... including the meal. I like that I have made my family feel loved and appreciated on one special day each year and that it's been a special, memorable part of our lives together.
I splurged a bit on the meal but not too bad. I was able to prepare the following menu for slightly less than $10/plate:
Shrimp Cocktail
Wheatberry Salad
Snow Crab Clusters
Filet Mignon
Twice Baked Potatoes
Rolls
Tiramisu
Sparkling Grape Juice
We usually serve rock lobster tail, but I couldn't find it this year and my youngest daughter prefers crab. So, the substitution was made when I went shopping in the morning. My shopping trip began at our local bargain store, where I found the sparkling grape juice for $1.29/bottle. I finished by picking up the crab and steaks and headed home to start cooking.
After scrubbing and wrapping potatoes, they were tossed in the ashes of my woodstove to bake as I prepared my wheatberry salad. The day was off to a grand start!
I paused in the afternoon to go pick up a gift for my husband. A friend had offered to let me have his sliding glass doors when he replaced them. My hubby has been collecting windows and sliding glass door panels with which to build a greenhouse for several years. With these two panels, I believe he has enough glass to build his greenhouse now.
Upon my return, my hubby helped me to finish preparing the meal and we enjoyed it with my daughter and her boyfriend. Our gift exchange was minimal this year, but that's okay because the meal and time spent preparing it together and eating together is really what we enjoy on this holiday.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Wheat Berries
I mentioned the other day that I found a bag of wheat berries in my freezer. Well, I've done a bit of research on them and am quite interested in giving them a try.
It seems if you soak wheat berries overnight, they can be used in any number of salads. I've also found instructions for sprouting wheat berries and suggestions for using the sprouts in a number of dishes.
Today I will do both. I'll start some sprouting and I'll soak some for a salad.
I found a 3 lb bag of wheat berries for $3.80 online. And from all the recipes I've read it seems that it takes a small amount of wheat berries for a dish. So, I'm adding wheat berries to the list of frugal grains for the larder.
It seems if you soak wheat berries overnight, they can be used in any number of salads. I've also found instructions for sprouting wheat berries and suggestions for using the sprouts in a number of dishes.
Today I will do both. I'll start some sprouting and I'll soak some for a salad.
I found a 3 lb bag of wheat berries for $3.80 online. And from all the recipes I've read it seems that it takes a small amount of wheat berries for a dish. So, I'm adding wheat berries to the list of frugal grains for the larder.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Grits, Apple Fritters and Potluck Supper
It's been a busy day here. I began by cooking my first batch of grits, moved on to apple fritters and will finish with a dish for tonight's potluck supper (swim team). I took a brief nap in the middle of it all... after sampling the apple fritters.
Grits have the texture of coarse sand before they are cooked. They are simple to cook. Most grits fans tout the excellence of old-fashioned stone ground grits over the instant, quick variety. The bag in my freezer was the instant, quick variety. But not from Quaker, from a mill in Oklahoma. So, I don't know about that, mine turned out pretty good!
If you are sure to slowly whisk the grits into the boiling water you won't have lumpy grits.
When my grits were finished I poured them into a buttered loaf pan, reserving a bowl for myself. To this I added chopped ham and shredded cheddar cheese, mixing them thoroughly with the grits. Then, I covered them and placed them in the fridge to cool for several hours, to firmly set.
To my bowl I added butter, brown sugar, a drizzle of molasses and a handful of leftover chopped ham. It was delicious. As I enjoyed this interesting, somewhat nutty texture with a hint of corn flavor from my bowl, I pondered the origins of such dishes.
Proverbs, Biblical scriptures, Buddha and the Tao all suggest that the gleanings from the field be left for the workers. That's exactly what grits are; the hard bits of corn left after grinding cornmeal. After boiling up a big pot of stone ground grits, the cook would take leftovers and make something else rather than throw them out. Grits don't re-heat well for hot cereal. From that frugal mindset came many different recipes for grits. Including the fried grits I will prepare.
Fried Grits
Prepare grits according to directions
Pour into buttered loaf pan
Add 1 cup chopped ham and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Mix well
Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours
Slice "grit loaf" into 1/2 inch slices.
Dip first in 2 eggs beaten, then dredge in flour (approx 1 cup)
Pan fry or deep fry until golden brown, turning to cook both sides evenly
Fried grits can be served for breakfast, brunch, snack or side dish.
Fried grits update: I made the fried grits for breakfast the following morning and wow, they were fantastic! I will chop my ham a little more fine in the future and maybe add a bit more cheese. These were very filling. A "stick to your ribs" kind of breakfast. The fried rectangles are handy to grab and eat on the run as well.
This afternoon I decided to try another apple fritter recipe. So far, this one is our favorite, but I have a couple more to try. They are all very quick and simple. I'm able to have a fresh batch fried up in 30 min or less.
Apple Fritters
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons oil
4 large apples, peeled and cored
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting
In a medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs and milk. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture until smooth.
Heat oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) in a deep fryer or heavy bottomed deep pot or skillet.
Slice apples into 1/2 inch rings. Dip apple slices in batter and fry, a few at a time, turning once, until golden. Drain on paper towels and dust with confectioners' sugar.
The recipe says to dip the apples, I found the batter a little thick for that. I had to dunk them pretty good and use a spoon to help coat them evenly. I don't have enough experience with it to know if the batter should be thinner. But, I do know they were very, very good. The recipe above is modified somewhat from a recipe I found online that was even a bit thicker. I refrigerated the batter to make some more fresh fritters later. I'm not sure how it will do, but I thought it worth a try. The fritters are not so good cold.
Apple Fritter Update: I used the batter the following afternoon without any problem. In fact, the spices had infused into the batter and it tasted even better. With the last bit of batter in the bowl, I chopped up my remaining apple and stirred it in. The result was fantastic! I think this is how I'll make them in the future... small, hushpuppy sized apple fritters.
The swim team is having a potluck supper tonight. I told you potlucks were popular in my community! It's the last get together before their district finals meet and the top swimmers are selected to swim representing the team at the state meet. I altered the sign up sheet a bit. Because these athletes are still in training and the meet is tomorrow, we needed very few sweets and mostly healthy proteins and carbs. For some reason everyone wants to bring a dessert to a potluck dinner. So, I placed necessary items in slots on the sign up sheet (paper plates, napkins, etc) and designated the number of main dishes, side dishes and desserts. Then, the kids just had to sign up by an item. They didn't even have to get specific and nail mom to preparing a certain item. This went over very well.
My family signed up to bring a main dish. So, tonight it's Chicken Enchilada Casserole. I love this recipe. It's one I make when I make the crockpot chicken and freeze to bake later. You follow the recipe as below, but you freeze it instead of putting it in the oven. Then, when you're ready for it, you just pop it in the oven and it's ready in about 30 - 40 minutes.
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
3-4 chicken breasts (or 6 Halves) (approx 4 cups shredded or chopped chicken)
1 (10 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (10 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 (8 ounce) can diced green chilies (hot or mild, or a small can of each)
1 (10 ounce) package cheddar cheese, grated
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
12 corn tortillas
16 ounces sour cream
Place Chicken in large saucepan and cover with water. Sprinkle in ground cumin,add garlic powder and salt. Boil about 20 minutes and shred from bones. Save broth.
Mix soups, sour cream & chiles in large pan. Add only enough broth to slightly thin.
Re-season as needed. Simmer on low 15 minutes. Add chicken and diced onion.
In large (9x13) casserole dish, arrange 6 Tortillas flat across bottom, spoon in 1/2 the sauce, sprinkle 1/2 the cheese. Repeat- Tortillas, sauce and cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. I use two smaller Pyrex covered casserole dishes when I freeze it, because this makes more than enough for our family.
This very filling entree goes a long way to feed a crowd!
Grits have the texture of coarse sand before they are cooked. They are simple to cook. Most grits fans tout the excellence of old-fashioned stone ground grits over the instant, quick variety. The bag in my freezer was the instant, quick variety. But not from Quaker, from a mill in Oklahoma. So, I don't know about that, mine turned out pretty good!
If you are sure to slowly whisk the grits into the boiling water you won't have lumpy grits.
When my grits were finished I poured them into a buttered loaf pan, reserving a bowl for myself. To this I added chopped ham and shredded cheddar cheese, mixing them thoroughly with the grits. Then, I covered them and placed them in the fridge to cool for several hours, to firmly set.
To my bowl I added butter, brown sugar, a drizzle of molasses and a handful of leftover chopped ham. It was delicious. As I enjoyed this interesting, somewhat nutty texture with a hint of corn flavor from my bowl, I pondered the origins of such dishes.
Proverbs, Biblical scriptures, Buddha and the Tao all suggest that the gleanings from the field be left for the workers. That's exactly what grits are; the hard bits of corn left after grinding cornmeal. After boiling up a big pot of stone ground grits, the cook would take leftovers and make something else rather than throw them out. Grits don't re-heat well for hot cereal. From that frugal mindset came many different recipes for grits. Including the fried grits I will prepare.
Fried Grits
Prepare grits according to directions
Pour into buttered loaf pan
Add 1 cup chopped ham and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Mix well
Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours
Slice "grit loaf" into 1/2 inch slices.
Dip first in 2 eggs beaten, then dredge in flour (approx 1 cup)
Pan fry or deep fry until golden brown, turning to cook both sides evenly
Fried grits can be served for breakfast, brunch, snack or side dish.
Fried grits update: I made the fried grits for breakfast the following morning and wow, they were fantastic! I will chop my ham a little more fine in the future and maybe add a bit more cheese. These were very filling. A "stick to your ribs" kind of breakfast. The fried rectangles are handy to grab and eat on the run as well.
This afternoon I decided to try another apple fritter recipe. So far, this one is our favorite, but I have a couple more to try. They are all very quick and simple. I'm able to have a fresh batch fried up in 30 min or less.
Apple Fritters
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons oil
4 large apples, peeled and cored
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting
In a medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs and milk. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture until smooth.
Heat oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) in a deep fryer or heavy bottomed deep pot or skillet.
Slice apples into 1/2 inch rings. Dip apple slices in batter and fry, a few at a time, turning once, until golden. Drain on paper towels and dust with confectioners' sugar.
The recipe says to dip the apples, I found the batter a little thick for that. I had to dunk them pretty good and use a spoon to help coat them evenly. I don't have enough experience with it to know if the batter should be thinner. But, I do know they were very, very good. The recipe above is modified somewhat from a recipe I found online that was even a bit thicker. I refrigerated the batter to make some more fresh fritters later. I'm not sure how it will do, but I thought it worth a try. The fritters are not so good cold.
Apple Fritter Update: I used the batter the following afternoon without any problem. In fact, the spices had infused into the batter and it tasted even better. With the last bit of batter in the bowl, I chopped up my remaining apple and stirred it in. The result was fantastic! I think this is how I'll make them in the future... small, hushpuppy sized apple fritters.
The swim team is having a potluck supper tonight. I told you potlucks were popular in my community! It's the last get together before their district finals meet and the top swimmers are selected to swim representing the team at the state meet. I altered the sign up sheet a bit. Because these athletes are still in training and the meet is tomorrow, we needed very few sweets and mostly healthy proteins and carbs. For some reason everyone wants to bring a dessert to a potluck dinner. So, I placed necessary items in slots on the sign up sheet (paper plates, napkins, etc) and designated the number of main dishes, side dishes and desserts. Then, the kids just had to sign up by an item. They didn't even have to get specific and nail mom to preparing a certain item. This went over very well.
My family signed up to bring a main dish. So, tonight it's Chicken Enchilada Casserole. I love this recipe. It's one I make when I make the crockpot chicken and freeze to bake later. You follow the recipe as below, but you freeze it instead of putting it in the oven. Then, when you're ready for it, you just pop it in the oven and it's ready in about 30 - 40 minutes.
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
3-4 chicken breasts (or 6 Halves) (approx 4 cups shredded or chopped chicken)
1 (10 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (10 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 (8 ounce) can diced green chilies (hot or mild, or a small can of each)
1 (10 ounce) package cheddar cheese, grated
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
12 corn tortillas
16 ounces sour cream
Place Chicken in large saucepan and cover with water. Sprinkle in ground cumin,add garlic powder and salt. Boil about 20 minutes and shred from bones. Save broth.
Mix soups, sour cream & chiles in large pan. Add only enough broth to slightly thin.
Re-season as needed. Simmer on low 15 minutes. Add chicken and diced onion.
In large (9x13) casserole dish, arrange 6 Tortillas flat across bottom, spoon in 1/2 the sauce, sprinkle 1/2 the cheese. Repeat- Tortillas, sauce and cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. I use two smaller Pyrex covered casserole dishes when I freeze it, because this makes more than enough for our family.
This very filling entree goes a long way to feed a crowd!
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