Scalloped Potatoes

Scallop Potato's one of my favorite side dishes. I do make big batches but there never seems to be any left. The taste of the fresh potato's and natural ingredients makes all the difference.

My Granny use to make this recipe and I wondered how can she put evaporated milk in that recipe? Well did it matter when I ate almost the whole thing! 

Ingredients

• 6-8 potatoes (sliced thin)
• 1/2 onion (diced) Any onion will do

• 1 can evaporated milk + 1 can of water
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup flour
• Parsley and/or dill weed
• 1 stick butter

Preparation

Layer sliced potatoes, 4-5 pats of butter, and onions, seasoned with salt and pepper to taste, in 9x11 casserole dish. Repeat layering until all potatoes are used.

I use a mandolin to slice this way they are perfect. 

I do not peel my potatoes. I do not even peel them for mashed potatoes they are full of so many great vitamins. The skin has more nutrition and fiber then the inside of the potato. Who would have thought. 

Heat evaporated milk and 1 can of water together in in a small sauce pan. Yes, that is Hungarian Paprika I added just a bit love the flavor it gives the potato. Personal choice. Warm the mixture until mixed.

Sprinkle 1/2 to 3/4 cup flour on top of layered potatoes.

 

I sift the flour on the potatoes to avoid lumps

Pour the liquid over your potatoes and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes.

Once your potato's are done you have the option to add cheese to the top and return them to the oven for an additional 15 minute's to melt the cheese. 

This recipe is very Old School and will not look like the boxed brand but they are delicious. Enjoy 

Chicken Pie

This is really goods it is the old school way which is what most of the recipes are because my books are so old..I collect antique books so you really can tweak all the ones with you own taste...This would be fab on a rainy night

MEALS...Tested, Tasted and Approved....1930

 

 Chicken Pie

 
1-5 lb chicken or fowl
2 1/2 cupfuls diced, cooked potatoes
1 1/2 cupfuls small cooked onion
Celery Salt
1 1/2 cupfuls cooked carrots, cut in strips
5 cupfuls chicken broth
8 tablespoons flour
5 tablespoons water
1/8 teaspoon paprika


 

Boil chicken until tender. Then cut it up into neat servings and add potatoes, onions and carrots.

 
Heat the chicken broth and thicken with flour mixed to a smooth paste in water. Season with celery salt to taste and paprika.

 

Arrange chicken and vegetables in two casseroles and cover with hot sauce.

Then prepare the following Batter Crust. Sift together two cups flour, 4 tsp baking powder ad 1 tsp salt.

Add 3 tablespoons melted fat, 1 beaten egg and about 1 cup of milk. combine thoroughly-the mixture should be thick enough to drop small rounds over the surface of the pie.
 

Bake in a hot 450 F oven for 5 minutes. then 400 F for 15 to 20 minutes or until the dough is baked.

 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Summer is the time to get cooking when it comes to your outdoor garden. This year after a grand battle with cancer I am back in the kitchen and thE garde. We have an over abundance of peppers and this is what brought on the soup thoughts. I have always loved a soup called Albondigas Soup traditional Mexican soup. I have to stay away from the red beef so I am replacing it with chicken. After a long search on websites I did see a few recipes for Mexican Chicken Soup but they all had a lot of the standard ingredients. I like to use what I have without deviating to much from the original taste. so here is my take on this classic soup. 

The more you cook the more you find your taste. I have tweaked so many recipes to be more unique without havng to use standard ingredients. You to have to step outside your comfort zone and experiment with seasonings and ingredients. 

Ingredients

2 boneless chicken breast

Cumin

Garlic Power

Chili Spice

Kosher Salt and ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons cornmeal

2 large carrots chopped 

2 pints (16 oz) Chicken Broth

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 pint (16 oz) chopped tomatoes

1 pint (16 oz) black beans rinsed and drained

2 roasted corn on the cob - corn removed 

2 to 4 various peppers

* I used 2 Poblano Peppers and 2 Anaheim Peppers

1 Jalapeno pepper chopped 

* Seeds from the jalapeno will make it hotter so use caution

1 onion chopped (I used 2 shallots I had in the pantry)

I get everything out and ready to go so I am not searching rather I am enjoying the process. 

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a cooking vessel with olive oil on the bottom  then take your chicken and sprinkle both sides with the cumin, garlic powder, chili powder and salt. Drizzle a little more olive oil on to your chicken and pop it into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or so. 

Once done take your chicken out and set it aside to cool. Once cooled you can cut it or shred it with 2 forks. 

Meanwhile in you Soup Kettle drizzle olive oil into the bottom and turn on the heat to medium. Add your chopped onions, peppers and garlic. Season your veggies with the same seasonings you used on the chicken don't over do. Stir and cook until they are softened and you get a nice amount of yummy stuff on the bottom of your pot. The yummy will flavor the soup.

Add the shredded chicken, carrots, corn ,beans and tomatoes.

Next pour the chicken stock and tomato paste and bring to a soft boil, then reduce the heat to a soft simmer. Simmer for about 45 minutes uncovered. If the soup seems to thick add a little water. What I do is when I add the tomatoes I use some water to clean the container out and pour it into the soup. 

Last step is to add the cornmeal mix. Mix the cornmeal with a small amount of water to make it easier to incorporate into the soup. Add to your mixture and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check the taste and add more of the seasonings you feel it needs. You will quickly learn as you cook how and when to spice up your food. 

Once you put your soup into bowls set out bowls of cheddar cheese, sour cream, diced avocados and of course tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

Swedish Rye Bread Supreme

Seedless Rye Bread was a must this Irish Holiday. Mama lives here now and she has diverticulitis no seeds. I have a small breads book and one of many that had rye bread recipe's. The book is called Homemade Bread by Nell Nichols. Part of the Farm Journal .

Ingredients for Swedish Rye Bread Supreme

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons shorting
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 pkg active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 degree to 115)
2 1/2 cups rye flour
3 1/2 cups sifted white flour

* This makes two loaves


Combine brown sugar, molasses, salt and shortening into a large bowl.

 




Pour in the boiling water and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Set aside to cool to lukewarm.





Sprinkle the yeast into the warm water and stir to dissolve.
Sift the rye flour prior to measuring it.
Measure it and add it to the sugar-molasses mixture beating well.





Stir in the yeast and beat until it is smooth. *I did this bread by hand and half way through I wished I had used my Kitchen Aid.










Mix enough of the white flour, a little at a time, first with a spoon and then with hands. Make the dough smooth soft dough.

Turn onto lightly floured board. Knead until satiny and elastic, about 10 minutes.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turn the dough once to grease top.
Cover and let it rise in a warm place until dough is doubled .This takes about 2 hours.

 Once it has risen punch it down. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and divide in half. Round up the dough to make 2 balls. Cover and let it take a 10 minute nap.


Shape the dough and place into loaf pans. Cover and let them sit for another 2 hours again let it double in size.  The loaf in the pan is half of the original . Let your oven 375 degrees and bake the loafs for about 30 minutes. If they get to brown on the top just cover them with aluminum foil the last 15 minutes of baking.

If you want a softer crust brush the loafs with melted butter while they are warm.

Also you can always add the seeds I had to do seedless for Mama! 

Grandma's Bread Pudding

This Bread pudding at first I said wait a minute I use way more fattening stuff in mine but I did by the book and it turned out really well.

I did however grab a sauce off the internet but did not add the Rum or Whiskey it called out for. If I was going to put it in well to buy a whole bottle of booze for 2 tablespoons hummm not quite what I thought , well truth be told I would just drink the whiskey and forget the pudding.

Now I know I like to bake it the exact way it is in the book but there are exemptions. First I had to toss in a few raisins. I love raisin so there.


Also, the recipe called out for smashing the bread until it is pulverized. I left some piece's a bit larger than called for not to many just a few.

Cookery for Today...........1932

Bread Pudding

3 cups of stale but not dry bread
1 quart milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla




Soak the bread in the milk until it is very soft, then mash it fine.









Heat together until nearly boiling. Beat the egg until light and add to them the sugar, salt and vanilla.




When well mixed, stir this into the bread and milk, pour the whole into a earthenware baking-dish.

Set in a pan of water, and bake three-fourth of an hour in a rather slow oven.







This book did not have a sauce recipe so I grabbed one from All Recipe

Vanilla Sauce

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For vanilla sauce, whisk 1/2 cup of light brown sugar, the flour, a pinch of cinnamon, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 1/4 cups of whole milk, and salt together in a heavy saucepan until smooth.












Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and the sauce coats the back of a spoon, 10 to 12 minutes.


Stir in the vanilla extract.









Pour sauce over warm bread pudding, or serve on the side in a bowl.