Crystalksabout

Green Beans

My good friend Gail wanted to know how I make my green beans.  Soooo here you go! 

Green Bean

1    slice bacon or 1/2 teaspoon ham flavoring
1/2 medium onion
3    cans green beans

If using bacon:
In a non-stick pan (skillet if you like your beans less "squishy" and still whole) over medium heat cook bacon until crispy.  Remove bacon add onion and saute until clear.  Add one can of beans, liquid and all.  De-glaze bottom of pan by scrapping up all bits of bacon and onion.  Increase heat to medium high and boil until almost all of liquid is evaporated. Crumble reserved bacon and use as garnish.  Enjoy.

If using ham flavoring:
Put all ingredients into a non-stick pan and boil until most of liquid is evaporated. Enjoy.

HINTS:  Ham flavoring can be found in the grocery near the bouillon cubes.  It does contain a lot of sodium so use sparingly but it also is practically calorie free.

You can save bacon grease when you fix bacon, let it cool and place in a small jar or container and store in the refrigerator. Just add a little to your pan, cook your onions in it, and finish recipe. 

When is season you can use fresh green beans, adding just enough water to cover and finish recipe.

Homemade Stuffing

This one is for Marty.  Hope I am not too late.  I am going to give two different bread sources for this recipe.  If you are counting points use the 35 calorie a slice bread and if you are diabetic or watching carbs use the extra protein bread.

Homemade Stuffing

10   slices 35 calorie wheat bread
10   slices 35 calorie whit bread
OR
10   slices of high fiber bread with extra protein added
butter flavor cooking spray

1   teaspoon savory
1   teaspoon poultry season
1   teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1   medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2   stalks celery, diced (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 carrot, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup of white wine (or substitute turkey or chicken broth)
2 1/2 - 3 cups de-fatted or fat free turkey or chicken broth

1. Heat oven to 250 degrees

2. Stack bread and cut into 1" cubes with serrated knife. Spread on a jelly roll pan, lightly spray with butter flavor cooking spray and bake at 250 degrees stirring occasionally until toasted.  Remove from oven and place in a large bowl.
3. Sprinkle with savory, poultry seasoning, ground sage, salt (if desired), and pepper.  Mix well and set aside.
4. While bread is toasting; saute onion, celery, and carrot in butter flavor spray until tender adding a little water if necessary to prevent browning. Add white wine and cook until alcohol is evaporated. Add 2 1/2 cup of broth and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and add bread mixture.  Stirring until combined.  Add additional broth if need, remember you will loose some moisture during baking so moister is better, just make sure it is not soupy. 
5. Transfer to an 8" square baking pan and bake uncovered at 350 degrees until brown on top about 45 minutes 

HINT:  Make recipe through step 3; making sure all moisture is removed from bread. Cool completely. And place it a zip top bag for use later.  As long as you are making one batch it only takes a few minutes more to double the ingredients, saving you valuable time later.

Turkey 101

Here is how to make a basic, great tasting, and moist turkey.  It will be browned and beautiful with minimal work on your part.  I always use an oven bag and swear by them.  If you have never tried one now is the time.

Turkey 101

10-12lb Turkey completely thawed if frozen
1 Reynold Oven Bag Poultry Size
1 Tablespoon flour
1 large carrot, halved
1 large stalk of celery, halved
1 medium onion, quartered
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/4 cup water

Clean and sanitize your kitchen sink.  Put turkey in sink and remove outer wrapping.  Remove giblets and neck.  Rinse turkey if desired. 
Open Reynolds Oven bag add flour and shake.  Put bag in a large roasting pan, making sure bag does not hang over pan.  Place carrot, celery, onion, bouillon cubes in bottom center of bag.  Place the turkey on the vegetables tucking wings under.  Put a meat thermometer in the meaty part of thigh be sure not to touch bone.  Add water to bag.  Close bag and poke holes per directions for Oven bag.  Place turkey in center of oven making sure the bag does not touch sides or racks in oven.  Bake at 350 degrees using enclosed chart in oven bags for timing. 
Remove from oven let cool a couple of minutes do not wait too long or bag may stick to turkey.  Carefully remove bag from around turkey, contents will be extremely hot and be cautious of escaping steam. Let turkey stand 20 minutes for juices to reabsorb. Carefully move turkey to serving platter and wow your family and guests.

HINT: Reserve the broth in the bag for gravy or freeze for use later. 

Sweet Potato Casserole

This is an awesome dish and it is not Thanksgiving at my house without it.  And take note my dieting friends this one is from Cooking Light 5 Star Recipes.  So not only is it tasty, it is waist friendlier.

Sweet Potato Casserole

2    egg whites, lightly beaten
3    cups mashed cooked sweet potato (about 2 1/4 pounds)
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup skim milk
2    tablespoons reduced-calorie margarine, melted
1    teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
Vegetable cooking spray
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2   tablespoons chilled reduced-calorie margarine
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl, and stir well.  Spoon sweet potato mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar and flour in a bowl, and cut in 2 tablespoons chilled margarine with a pasty blender or 2 knives until mixture is crumbly.  Stir in pecans; sprinkle flour mixture over sweet potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. 

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup).

Calories 273   Protein 3.5g  Fat 7.4g  Carb 49.8g  Fiber 3.3g  Chol 0mg  Iron1.3mg  Sodium242mg  Calcium 56mg

No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

No-Bakes are my all time favorite nostalgic cookies.  My best friend LaDonna's mom used to make them for us.  She didn't even use a recipe and they were there best.  Caroline and the Moore family treated me like one of their own.  I owe them many thanks, and this is my homage to them. 

No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Yield: about 2 dozen cookies

2   cups sugar
1   stick unsalted butter
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1   teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter
3   cups rolled oats

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, cocoa, milk and vanilla.  Bring to a slow boil, and simmer until the sugar has dissolved.  Stir in  the peanut butter.  Remove from the heat. Stir in 2 1/2 cups of oats.  The mixture should be thick.  Add the remaining 1/2 cups oat if necessary. 

2. Place parchment paper on table, counter, or cookie sheet.  Drop the mixture by heaping tablespoonful onto the parchment paper.  Allow the cookies to firm up at room temperature, about one hour.

HINT: I use a good quality scoop to drop all my cookies.  It makes them uniform and much easier to do. 

Pasta Bolognaise

This recipe is very close to a dish served at Martini Restaurants.  It is one of my "boys" favorites and so easy when you have Multi-tasking Meat Sauce left from another meal.

Pasta Bolognaise

3-4 cups of Multi-tasking Meat Sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seed
1 4.5-ounce log of goat cheese
1 1lb box of penne pasta, cooked till al dente
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley for garnish if desired.

1. Bring Multi-tasking Meat Sauce to a simmer and add fennel. 
2. Bring water to boil and follow package directions cooking pasta till al dente.
3. When pasta is about 1 minute from being done add about 1/2 of the log of goat cheese to sauce, stirring to distribute throughout sauce. 
4. Drain pasta and return to pan.  Add about 1/2 of sauce and toss to coat pasta.  Add additional sauce once plated, if wanted. Garnish with remainder of goat cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.

HINT:  If you have parsley left over you can wash it, chop it, place it in ice cube trays and cover with enough water to make a cube.  Freeze.  Once frozen you can remove the cubes and place in a labled zip top bag.  Use them in your next recipe that calls for cooked parsley.

Multi-tasking Meat Sauce

I found this recipe in a Rachel Ray magazine.  It is hands down one the the best and most versatile sauces I have ever used.  I always make a double batch and freeze the extra.  It can be used to make six different dishes: Pasta Bolognaise, Beer Enchiladas with Jalapeno Slaw*, Beef-and-Feta Pasta Bake*, Inside Out Pizza Rolls*, Deconstructed Lasagna*, and Three Cheese Homemade Manicotti*. I am sure you will find many more tasty things to do with it.  The best part is it is extremely cost efficient.  I often make a double batch if food funds are tight, because all the ingredients used in the auxiliary dishes are either fairly cheap, things I keep on hand, or both.

MULTI-TASKING MEAT SAUCE
MAKES: 7 CUPS  

1/4  cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4  cup chopped pancetta (italian bacon)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 pounds ground beef
1/2  cup dry red wine
One 28-ounce can tomato puree
Salt and Pepper

1.In a large, heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat.  Add the pancetta and cook until the fat is rendered about 5 minutes.  Increase the heat to medium, add the onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Increase the heat to medium-high, add the beef and cook, breaking it up, until no longer pink, about 8 minutes.  Stir in the wine and cook until the liquid is cooked off, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the tomato puree and 1 cup of water bring to a simmer.  Partially cover cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for the last 30 minutes, until thickened about 2 hours.  Season with salt and pepper.

Use half, and save the rest for another of the 6 recipes to follow.

*Recipes from Rachel Rays Magazine.

HINTS: 
I buy my pancetta pre-diced to save time.  Don't let the price deter you from using it.  It really makes the recipe.  A 4-ounce container of pre-chopped pancetta will yield about four batches of sauce and you can freeze the rest to use later.

To finely chop the carrots, celery and onion I use my trusty Pampered Chef Food Chopper. It convenient and easy to use, clean and choppes the veggies perfectly every time.  I have had mine for over 10 years and it is still in great condition.  You can find one for yourself at www.pamperedchef.biz/zlyussman .

"Submarine" Sandwich

Well this one is a blast from my past.  There was a small lunch counter in the basement of the Stone & Thomas department store in Clarksburg, WV and they called it the Submarine. I used to lunch their quite often when I worked downtown and this was there signature sandwich.  Hence the name. It and the turkey salad were my faves.  I am working on getting the salad dressing recipe for you all as well.

"Submarine" Sandwich"

2  Slices of Toast
4  Slices of bacon (cooked the way you like)
2  Large slices of nice ripe tomato
Pimento Cheese spread
Salt and pepper to taste.

Yes this is basically a BLT with pimento cheese spread.  So if you like pimento cheese at all, you will LOVE this sandwich.  I was a bit skeptical at first but really just adore these sandwiches.  Give them a tasty try.

Banana Bread

Well I actually had some bananas get good and ripe so I decided to put them to good use.  This is a great recipe that can be double to share with friends or as nice thank yous at Christmas time.  Wrapped in cellophane (the kind you use for baskets and gifts) and tied with a pretty bow they make a great presentation.  It also freezes really well if you happen to have any left.

Banana Bread

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2   Cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1  Cup unbleached all-purpose white wheat flour
1 1/2 Teaspoon baking soda
1   Teaspoon salt
3/4   Cup applesauce
1/8   Cup vegetable oil
3   Eggs or equivalent egg substitute
2   Teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2   Teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
1/2   Teaspoon rum extract (optional)
1 1/2 Cup mashed bananas (2 medium bananas = 1 cup)
21/4  Cup sugar
1 1/2 Cup walnuts (optional)

Coat 6 mini or 3 regular size loaf pans with cooking spray.

Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium size bowl and set aside.

Beat remaining ingredients, except for walnuts, in a large bowl until thoroughly combined.

Stir in flour mixture,  when fully combined fold in nuts.

Divide mixture evenly between pans.  Place on a cookie sheet and put in oven on center rack.

Bake at 350 degrees 40 minutes for small or 60 minutes for large pans or until a toothpick inserted near center come out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.  Enjoy.

Love and Blessings

I was just catching up with a few friends on facebook and wanted to post how wonderfully blessed I am in my life.  I have an awesome family and some of the best friends on the face of the planet.  From my hubby and boys, to my very best friends, band family, and right down to those of you I might not know that well, I am greatful to have you in my life.  Life is short and there are no guarantees.  So today, take a minute or two, and tell those you love how very much they mean to you.  If you know me at all, and are reading this, I love you and am blessed to have you as part of my life. This is your day, your time, your moment, make it count. 

God Bless 

Crystal