Source: Pleasant View 11th Ward Cookbook
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves 12 people
Ingredients
12 potatoes, mashed
1 package cream cheese
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Directions
1.Mix all ingredients well until smooth and creamy.
2.Spread in baking dish.
3.Dot with butter and sprinkle with paprika.
4.Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Review:
Well first off, sorry for not posting last week. I was really excited about this recipe because it's an old favorite under a new name. My aunt brought this several years ago to a Thanksgiving and these have been my favorite mashed potatoes ever since. They're rich enough to eat without gravy. I was even composing the post in my head, and then next thing I knew it was the weekend. Then of course I couldn't post because I couldn't figure out whether to do two posts a day to make up for it, or spread them out. I still haven't decided, but I'm biting the bullet and posting anyway.
So again, these are my favorite mashed potatoes. I made them on an extremely hot day and had my in-laws over for dinner so they wouldn't suffer the heat as well. I served them with gravy mixed with canned beef chunks. My timing was off, so after my husband showed off his manly strength mashing the potatoes by hand for me, there wasn't time to bake them and we ate them freshly mashed. They were wonderful.
The nice thing about these potatoes is the baking. After tasting them freshly mashed I recommend making a double batch, eating some right away and then saving the rest(fridge or freezer) to dot with butter and bake later. Having mashed potatoes that easily reheat takes some of the last minute stress off the traditional holiday meals. After Friday night's potatoes and gravy I baked the leftovers to use with Saturday's Broccoli Meat Roll. I'm an Idaho girl and I was thrilled to have mashed potatoes all weekend long!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Beef 'N' Egg Pockets
Beef ‘N’ Egg Pockets
Source: Ground Beef Cookbook
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves 9 people
Ingredients
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2/3 cup shortening
* 2/3 cup milk
* 1/2 pound ground beef
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
* 1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped
* Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Gradually add milk, tossing with a fork until a ball forms.
3. Cover and refrigerate.
4. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
5. Add the tomato, egg, salt and pepper; mix well.
6. Roll out pastry into an 18 inch by 9 inch rectangle; cut into 3 inch squares.
7. Place a rounded tablespoonful of the filling in the center of each square.
8. Fold in half, forming triangles; crimp edges to seal.
9. Place on greased baking sheets.
10. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
This was an interesting week. Usually I try out a few different recipes and pick the best story, the best taste, the most interesting to post. I don't remember everything that happened this weekend, I have a calendar to look back on if I need to, but the end result was that I tried one new recipe on Sunday.
I started the crust a week ago and let the flour, baking powder, and salt sit for a week while I got shortening and a rolling pin. And then I had to wait for a 'free' day to make it. I'll digress, I'm not talking about free time, I mean a day that my husband and I have negotiated where I'm allowed to cook whatever I want. After we'd been married a year and a half he sat me down and told me he couldn't take it anymore. In his words, "I've tried more new foods with you in a year and a half of marriage than I did in two years in the Philippines." So we negotiated. Monday through Thursday we have a set rotation of meals. We started with 4, he's okayed meals as we try them, and the list has grown. Some that he's approved for the rotation I refuse to put in, usually because they're too labor intensive for me to make any given weeknight. Who knows some future post may include our rotation.
Anyways, a week after combining the dry ingredients I added the shortening and milk. I followed the directions and didn't use my hands (pastry dough stays flakier and lighter the less it's handled, or so I've always heard. I haven't looked up the chemistry there.) I rolled it out and filled it, but the dough was so delicate it was hard to keep it from falling apart. Amazingly enough although there were lots of holes, top bottom whatever, the pockets came off the baking sheets whole and the crusts were as light as the dough suggested they'd be. The one crust I made up from scratch and handled more was significantly easier to work with and wasn't noticeably different.
The filling is boring. More salt would have enhanced the flavor. Mav requested garlic in the next batch, the recipe notes mention fresh mushroom and green pepper which I'd enjoy. I also think that cheese would be a welcome addition. These appetizers are meat pies, or "pasties" as my Australian friends refer to them. There's some frustration in dealing with the crust, but I'm not a natural baker and rolling out dough is top on my list of things that I want to learn to do better in the kitchen. These snacks would be a classy dish for any party. I only got 12, although I eyeballed the 3 inch squares and overstuffed them. I'm also deciding what kind of a dip, if any, would be a good accent.
Let me know how you enjoy these recipes if you decide to try them out, and how you alter them.
Source: Ground Beef Cookbook
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves 9 people
Ingredients
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2/3 cup shortening
* 2/3 cup milk
* 1/2 pound ground beef
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
* 1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped
* Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Gradually add milk, tossing with a fork until a ball forms.
3. Cover and refrigerate.
4. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
5. Add the tomato, egg, salt and pepper; mix well.
6. Roll out pastry into an 18 inch by 9 inch rectangle; cut into 3 inch squares.
7. Place a rounded tablespoonful of the filling in the center of each square.
8. Fold in half, forming triangles; crimp edges to seal.
9. Place on greased baking sheets.
10. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
This was an interesting week. Usually I try out a few different recipes and pick the best story, the best taste, the most interesting to post. I don't remember everything that happened this weekend, I have a calendar to look back on if I need to, but the end result was that I tried one new recipe on Sunday.
I started the crust a week ago and let the flour, baking powder, and salt sit for a week while I got shortening and a rolling pin. And then I had to wait for a 'free' day to make it. I'll digress, I'm not talking about free time, I mean a day that my husband and I have negotiated where I'm allowed to cook whatever I want. After we'd been married a year and a half he sat me down and told me he couldn't take it anymore. In his words, "I've tried more new foods with you in a year and a half of marriage than I did in two years in the Philippines." So we negotiated. Monday through Thursday we have a set rotation of meals. We started with 4, he's okayed meals as we try them, and the list has grown. Some that he's approved for the rotation I refuse to put in, usually because they're too labor intensive for me to make any given weeknight. Who knows some future post may include our rotation.
Anyways, a week after combining the dry ingredients I added the shortening and milk. I followed the directions and didn't use my hands (pastry dough stays flakier and lighter the less it's handled, or so I've always heard. I haven't looked up the chemistry there.) I rolled it out and filled it, but the dough was so delicate it was hard to keep it from falling apart. Amazingly enough although there were lots of holes, top bottom whatever, the pockets came off the baking sheets whole and the crusts were as light as the dough suggested they'd be. The one crust I made up from scratch and handled more was significantly easier to work with and wasn't noticeably different.
The filling is boring. More salt would have enhanced the flavor. Mav requested garlic in the next batch, the recipe notes mention fresh mushroom and green pepper which I'd enjoy. I also think that cheese would be a welcome addition. These appetizers are meat pies, or "pasties" as my Australian friends refer to them. There's some frustration in dealing with the crust, but I'm not a natural baker and rolling out dough is top on my list of things that I want to learn to do better in the kitchen. These snacks would be a classy dish for any party. I only got 12, although I eyeballed the 3 inch squares and overstuffed them. I'm also deciding what kind of a dip, if any, would be a good accent.
Let me know how you enjoy these recipes if you decide to try them out, and how you alter them.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
XXX Rootbeer
On Saturday my husband informed me that my mother-in-law was babysitting on the condition that he take me to XXX Root Beer Drive-in. I'm a fan of root beer especially "microbrews" or house brews. I'm looking forward to trying this one again. It's served in a frosted mug, but most impressive was the ambience. The drive-in caters to the classic car crowd, they often host shows, and it is filled with car, 50's and personal memorabilia. The staff is friendly, albeit with attitude, and the burgers were amazingly filling.
Walking up the side on my way to the door I smelled onion rings. We must have passed a vent, but they started a craving. I wondered if it was a ploy, like the Norwegian Bakery in Disneyland. Only there it's more blatant, the odor of freshly baked cinnamon rolls wafts from a special vent above the door.
The next object to catch my eye was a sign guaranteeing the food is bad for you. A gentleman who was seated next to us asked for diet root beer. The waiter shouted to the kitchen, "this guy wants diet!" Raucous laughter followed and the waiter left. He came back a few minutes later and asked if they wanted to try again.
The waiter was personable. He gave me an excellent recommendation and I left stuffed, trussed, and ready to roast. I can't wait to go back and try the shakes, root beer floats and a different burger, although next time I think I'll split it.
Walking up the side on my way to the door I smelled onion rings. We must have passed a vent, but they started a craving. I wondered if it was a ploy, like the Norwegian Bakery in Disneyland. Only there it's more blatant, the odor of freshly baked cinnamon rolls wafts from a special vent above the door.
The next object to catch my eye was a sign guaranteeing the food is bad for you. A gentleman who was seated next to us asked for diet root beer. The waiter shouted to the kitchen, "this guy wants diet!" Raucous laughter followed and the waiter left. He came back a few minutes later and asked if they wanted to try again.
The waiter was personable. He gave me an excellent recommendation and I left stuffed, trussed, and ready to roast. I can't wait to go back and try the shakes, root beer floats and a different burger, although next time I think I'll split it.
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