Carla's Breakfast Sandwiches

Carla's Breakfast Sandwiches

My husband leaves for work early, and I don't like him stopping at the grocery store for donuts every day. He's not fat, but it doesn't seem very caring of me to let him go off without something thought out for him. So I make these and keep them in the freezer. Then I just have to get up, and microwave one. Hand it to him, with a paper towel to wipe his hands and mouth. Add a kiss, a look, and an "I love you." And he gets the idea that I appreciate him for his hard work. I like that, and that's why I make these. Laugh at me all you want for being sappy, but I do love that man!

English Muffins
pre-cooked sausage patties
Scrambled eggs **
Sharp Cheddar cheese slices

Directions
1. Scramble eggs **
2. Lightly pre-toast English muffins

Assembly:
Layer sausage patty, egg, and cheese on a English muffin half. Top with remaining English muffin half. Wrap in foil. Freeze inside freezer bag.

Serving Day:
Thaw. Because they are already pre-cooked, you just need to warm them up.

Option 1: Keep in foil and put on a cookie sheet and warm in oven.

Option 2: Remove foil and warm up in microwave. It doesn't take long, maybe 20-30 sec. depending on your microwave.

** We make our own scrambled eggs: Break a dozen eggs into a greased 13X9 pan. Scramble and place in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for about 10 - 12 minutes. Let stand until cooled. Cut into 12 squares. Ready for assembly. You could buy the pre-cooked ones at the store, but they are more expensive.

~ I'll post pictures when we find the cord to the battery charger :-)

Easy Peasant Bread

So I was looking through the internet one day (today) and found a new blog that I just LOVE! So I'm gonna feature it on mine! It's from: Real Mom Kitchen, and you now get a linky thingy on the sidebar of Cottonpickinfarm, so it's easier to find. Cause, you know, it's all about YOU!

Here is my first re-post of one of their recipes. I hope you like it!

Easy Peasant Bread

I didn't ask her permission to use her pictures, and I don't want to use bad manners, so...

I think this is gonna be on our menu tonight, with some semi-homemade beans and wennies, and a salad!

HAPPY NATIONAL CHOCOLATE CHIP DAY!

Yep, in addition to being my birthday, May 15th is National Chocolate Chip Day! So to celebrate I am going to post a really yummy Double Chocolate Chocolate Chip Brownie Recipe that my daughter is making me for my birthday! Well I think you should make these at your house. And, sing Happy Birthday to me! Remember the candles! And hats... and streamers! Oh, and a banner!

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP BROWNIES

1 c. butter, melted
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. Hershey's cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pkg. Chocolate Chips
1/2 c. chopped nuts (opt.)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease square pan, 13 x 9 x 2 inches. In large mixing bowl blend melted butter, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, using spoon, beat well. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually blend into egg mixture. Stir in Chocolate Chips and nuts, if desired. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool.

About 32 brownies.

Pinto's and Salsa Cassarole

This is my kinda cookin! Just by guess and by golly!

I took a whole lotta dried pinto beans and put them in a crockpot with about three times the water. (Just remember that the beans will more than double in size, so don't overfill.) I started them in the morning, without pre-soaking, on high and they were done in time to make this for dinner.

Once they were done, I put a bunch of them into an 9 X 9 inch pan, added a large jar of salsa (Black Beans and Corn, but that doesn't matter much.) Added about 1/4 lb. (by sight) of cooked hamburger with onion, and stirred it all up. 

Put it into the microwave to heat it through, and served it with Tortilla shells. Some wanted it rolled up like a burrito, some wanted the tortillas on the side. 

Served it with leftover potato salad from the night before.

I am pretty sure that tomatoes, lettuce, avacado, and extra onions would be good too, but we were super hungry and in a hurry, so we ate our plain.

Meatballs-70s Style

This recipe (just click on the title) comes from Retro-Food.com. I've used this same recipe for many years. Well O.K. now that I think about it... since sometime in the later part of the 70's! I Usually make about 144 meatballs at a time. Why 144? Because it seems that when you use 5 lbs of hamburger and adjust the other ingredients accordingly, you get 144 meatballs, almost every time! Huh! Who'd have guessed it? 

Freeze them in ziplock bags, and they are the greatest for my DH, who only likes hamburger. He just wants them heated up, with some kind of sauce with them. Or, you can pull them out, heat em up, and put in sandwiches, or (here's a thought) Spaghetti! I am brilliant, don't you think?

Another tip is that you can just pat these out onto the jelly roll pan, and cut em with your pizza cutter, and bake the same way. I suppose you get "meatsquares" that way, but they are just a little bit quicker. (Mostly I make meatballs, cause I'm a traditionalist when it comes to my meatballs.)

Southwestern Coleslaw

I haven't made this, but it looks like something that I'd like, and it would go great with the Pinto and Beans Dinner. Think I'm gonna have to try this.

Plus, with summertime coming up there is less chance of getting "the gift that keeps on giving" because there is no mayonnaise in the recipe.

Well we'll go swimmin' every day 

No time to work just time to play 

If your folks complain just say, 

"It's summertime" 

And every night we'll have a dance 

Cause what's a vacation without romance 

Oh man this jive gets me in a trance 

Because it's summertime 

Easy Mexican Rice

Easy Mexican Rice

1 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil

1 1/2 cup long grain rice

3 3/4 cups cold water

3 teaspoons salt

3 teaspoons garlic powder

1 cup of tomato sauce
2 strong shakes of hot sauce

In a skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add rice and cook until lightly browned. Add water and remaining ingredients, bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until rice is tender.
Serves 6

Pinto’s and Cheese

Pinto’s and Cheese
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can refried beans
1 Tbl. Taco Seasoning (or whatever mexican seasoning you have)
1 can mild enchilada sauce
2 cups Cheese, shredded, divided

Take can of Pinto Beans, put into a 2 quart casserole. Mash with a potato masher. Add about 2/3 can of Enchilada Sauce. Sprinkle on Taco Seasoning and mix well. Add Pinto Beans and 1 cup cheese. Mix well and smooth out Bake in 350 oven for about 25 minutes. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over top, then top with the rest of the cheese. Put back into oven for about 5 minutes or until cheese melts completely. Serve with Tortilla’s.

Yield: 6 servings

Optional: Riverwalk Guacamole, Diced Tomatoes, Chopped Fresh Onions, Shredded Lettuce, Sour Cream, Avocado Slices, Tortilla Chips, Mexican Rice

Can also be heated in microwave instead of the oven.

WARNING: Riverwalk Guacamole is from over at "Mennonite girls can cook blog." These ladys can really cook up a storm. RSS Feed worthy stuff. I've gotta tell you that this guacamole is fabulous, and it doesn't need anything else with it. (No, I'm not kidding.) Just get out your spoon, sit down with a nice glass of limeade and scoop it up! (Well, if you must you can use Tortilla chips.)

Today’s “Home Brew”- Secret to great iced coffee without great expense

Thank you Southern Plate! I got some of this on my counter "brewing" for tomorrow, right now!

Spanish Rice

Spanish Rice

6 Bacon Slices
1 Medium Onion Chopped Well
1 Small Green Pepper Finally Chopped
1 Can Cut Tomato's, 28oz
1 Cup Cold Water
3/4 Cup Long Grain Rice
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 Teaspoon Salt + 1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1 Pinch Fresh Ground Pepper
5 Drops Hot Sauce

In a large skillet cook bacon to a crisp. Lay bacon on paper towels to drain. Crumble bacon and set aside for later use. Save 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings and add finally chopped onion and finally chopped green pepper until tender but still crispy. Stir in can of tomatoes will juice, cold water, long grain rice, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, chili powder, pepper and drops of hot sauce, cover and simmer 30 minutes until rice is done. Top with bacon.

Cajun Fried Rice

Cajun Fried Rice

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon Cooking Sherry
1 Teaspoon Sugar Water
2 Medium Garlic Clove Minced + 1 Teaspoon Gingerroot Minced
2 Teaspoons Hot Sauce
3 Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Table Salt
2 Tablespoon Pure Peanut Oil + 1 Teaspoon Sesame Oil
1 Medium Onion Chopped + 1/2 Cup Bean Sprouts
3 Cups Cold Cooked Rice

In small mixing bowl, add soy sauce, half sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon hot sauce blend well and set aside. In another small mixing bowl, mix 1/2 table salt, the rest of the sesame oil and hot sauce and mix well. set aside. In a large Wok or skillet add 1 Tablespoons peanut oil, once hot add onions and stir try till tender but still crisp and set aside. Heat the rest of the peanut oil, once hot add egg mix and stir fry till cooked. Add cooked cold rice to the stir fry for 3 minutes, add onions sprouts and salt cook 2 more minutes.

Ice Cream Trough

What a unique idea! This might be Kolina's birthday treat in July! Or Molly's in May (I'm not sure I want to wait until July!)















Here's another idea for an Ice Cream Gutter:

Potatoes - Home Canned

This is a great article for Home Canning Potatoes, plus ideas for using them.

Garbanzo, Tomato and Pesto Salad

Garbanzo, Tomato and Pesto Salad

4 Tomatoes
1 heaping Tablespoons Basil Pesto
3 can Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed
Parmesan or Romano Cheese (or anything you have)

Toss a pile of chopped tomatoes with some pesto, stir in 3 cans of garbanzo beans (rinse them first), sprinkle on some freshly grated parmesan or pecorino romano, and in less than two minutes you'll be digging into a scrumptious and healthy salad.

I've decided to put this on my blog, because we make this so often. I think it is like heaven in a dish. I love each of the ingredients separately or together. I'd make a terrible vegetarian, but I definitely could eat this several times a week. I'm going to experiment with garbanzo beans in my garden this year. It is one of my favorite beans.

From Farmgirl Fare's Blog.

20 lbs of Bananas!

I got bananas! .18/lb. at the Grand Opening of our new WinCo store last week. I went twice to get my allowed 10 lb. limit so now I have lots of bananas for eating and...

Banana Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup flax seed, grounded
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1-1/2 cup brown sugar
4 large eggs, beaten
4-2/3 cups mashed very overripe bananas

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly grease two 9 x 5 loaf pans.

In large bowl, combine flour, ground flax seed, soda and salt.

In separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.

Bake in preheated oven for 60-65 minutes until a toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

SERVES 24 , 2 9x5 loaf

Note: The original recipe was found on the internet, but it only made one loaf. I never make one loaf at a time, cause quick breads freeze so well, and it wastes oven heat. I’ve also tweaked this recipe enough that it is now my own.

Makes loaf, mini-loaf, muffins, mini-muffins, or bundt cake.

Sweet and Sour Hamburgers

Sweet and Sour Hamburgers

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1-1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
1-1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
3/4 cup ketchup
1 large can crushed pineapple, drained, juice saved
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste
6 hamburger buns (Buttery Bread Machine Buns)

Crumble the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, green pepper, and oatmeal; cook and stir until meat is no longer pink. Drain excess grease, and stir in the vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, ketchup, drained pineapple, salt and pepper. Mix pineapple juice with cornstarch in a mason jar. Add enough water to make about 1/2 cup, if needed. Shake until smooth. Slowly add to simmering meat mixture while stirring. Continue simmering over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Serve on buns or over rice.

Hearty Tater Tot Casserole

Hearty Tater Tot Casserole

1 pound ground beef -- browned and drained

1 onion -- chopped

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup
 (or use two cream of mushroom soups)
2 cans cut green beans

2 cups sharp cheese, shredded

1 bag tater tots

Preheat oven to 350F. Place the browned ground beef and onion in a glass 9 X 13 inch casserole dish. Combine the two soups and green beans, and pour over beef. Cover evenly with the shredded cheese and top with tater tots. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until tater tots are cooked through and golden. You can substitute other vegetables, and other types of potatoes (french fries?) if desired.

Easy Chili - Crockpot

Easy Chili - Crockpot

1 pound ground beef round or chuck
1 cup chopped onion
8 cups cooked pinto beans
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans tomatoes, drained
1 green pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 to 3 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
salt, to taste

In a large skillet, brown ground beef with the chopped onion. Put the ground beef, onions, and other ingredients in a 3 1/2 to 5-quart slow cooker. Stir well. Cover and cook on low for 9 to 11 hours.

Serves 8.

Leftovers freeze well

Swiss Muesli

I used to make this all the time when I was a single gal. Now I make it for my children. DH still doesn't like it. Just a little too healthy for his tastes.

Swiss Muesli
1-1/2 cups rolled oats
1-1/2 cups water
2 cups shredded unpeeled apples
1-1/2 cups pitted prunes (whole or halved)
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
fresh fruits (sliced banana, apple, pineapple, and/or orange segments) chopped almonds or pecans
Plain or Vanilla Yogurt (homemade, sweetened with honey)

Combine oats, water, shredded apples, prunes, honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, spoon some of the muesli onto a cereal bowl. Top with your choice of fresh fruits and nuts. Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt or milk, if desired. Muesli can be stored in covered container in refrigerator for several days.

Stuffed Cabbage Soup Recipe

I make a soup like this "by-guess-and-by-golly." If I used a recipe for it, I'd use this one. Mmmmm, Yummy! If you follow the link, you'll find some more really yummy recipes, too.

Stuffed Cabbage Soup

SND Note: The quantity of chicken stock is dependent on the size of the head of cabbage. Remember, the soup is served over rice, which will soak up the soup. If you want a traditional soup consistency, add more stock.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 lb ground beef, ground turkey or ground pork
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons paprika
6-7 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 head of cabbage, cored and coarsely shredded
4-6 cups of steamed rice

Directions:
1) In a large stock pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add ground meat, break into small pieces and partially brown for 2-3 minutes. Drain excess fat, if necessary. Add 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, garlic and onions and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until onions are soft.

2) Add thyme, parsley and paprika to ground meat and cook for 30 seconds. Add 6 cups chicken stock, tomatoes and 3 teaspoons (1 tablespoon) of salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, add cabbage, cover pot and simmer for 10 minutes, or until cabbage is desired tenderness. Add additional chicken stock if necessary and adjust seasonings to taste. Serve over rice.

Makes 8 servings