Calamity's Child Cooks

Mixed Media Monday Submission

2009-01-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

ITALIAN DIPPING SAUCE

2/3 c. extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 T. fresh parsley, chopped

rind of 1 fresh lemon

1/2 tsp. salt

dash Tabasco sauce

Lightly saute garlic in a little oil. Cool. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Leave for 1 hour so flavors will infuse. Serve with crusty bread.

Sunday Postcard Art Submission

2009-01-01T09:18:00.000-08:00

Blue Cheese with Capers and Red Onion

8 ounces blue cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 small red onion, chopped

1 tablespoon capers, or to taste

Crumble blue cheese onto a serving plate. Mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, wine vinegar, garlic, mustard powder and black pepper. Drizzle over the cheese. Sprinkle red onion and capers over the top. Serve right away, or chill up to a full day before serving.

Serve on pretty lettuce surrounded with crackers.

2008-12-16T19:10:00.000-08:00

MEDITERRANEAN STEW

1 eggplant, chopped
2 zucchini, chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 large tomatoes, chopped
2 (14 oz) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbs oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts packed in water, rained and quartered
1 Tbs of tomato paste
1 package egg noodles, cooked
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Add all ingredients except for noodles to the crock pot and stir well. Cook on low for 8 hours. Serve over the cooked noodles. Makes 4 Servings.

** For you winter vegetable cravings.

2008-12-15T17:51:00.000-08:00

Created for the Sunday Postcard Art Challenge

This week's theme: Bright Colours

2008-12-14T07:10:00.000-08:00

BAKED BUFFALO WINGS

Chicken wings
Cooking spray
Seasoned salt
Chili powder
Garlic powder
Red or cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Put aluminium foil over a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Spread chicken wings out on baking sheet. Sprinkle wings generously with seasoned salt, lightly with chili powder, generously with garlic powder, lightly with red or cayenne pepper. Bake for one hour and fifteen minutes and then flip wings and season as above and bake for another hour and fifteen minutes.

2008-12-12T12:40:00.001-08:00

BEEF STROGANOFF

2 pounds filet mignon
flour
1/3 cup butter
1 ½ cups chopped onions
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
Salt and pepper
1 cup tomato juice
¼ cup dry sherry
1 ½ cups water
2/3 cup sour cream

Cut beef into thin strips and dredge strips with flour. Brown in skillet in half the butter. Remove meat and add remaining butter. Add onions and mushrooms; cook for 5 minutes. Add meat back and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Add tomato juice, sherry, and water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 2 hours, or until meat is tender. Taste and adjust seasonings. Stir in sour cream and serve immediately.
Serves 4.

2008-12-12T06:21:00.000-08:00

CHEESE BALL

(8 oz) package cream cheese

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 oz. blue cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons brandy

½ cup chopped pecans, walnuts, parsley

Place cream cheese in medium glass bowl. Microwave just until soft. Beat in other cheeses and brandy with wooden spoon or on low with electric mixer.

Put whole thing in wax paper and chill. Cut in half. Roll each half in a ball and then roll into containers with chopped pecans, walnuts and parsley. Each half will make a nice size cheese ball. Put in saran wrap and twist tops so it is secure.

2008-12-10T14:40:00.000-08:00

DILLED CHICKEN

8 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

½ cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon dried dill

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Parmesan cheese

Place chicken in a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Mix soup, sour cream, mayonnaise and seasonings. Pour over chicken, covering well.

Sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese, making a layer over sauce.

Bake at 350 for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Cover with foil last 30 minutes if casserole begins to brown too much.

2008-12-09T07:10:00.000-08:00

POPPY SEED CAKE

1 package Duncan Hines Golden Butter cake mix

½ cup sugar

¼ cup poppy seeds

¾ cup vegetable oil

8 ounces sour cream

4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients well. Pour into well-greased and floured Bundt pan.

Bake until lightly browned, approximately 45 minutes to one hour.
Remove from pan immediately.

**Such an easy recipe for a great cake to slice and have with coffee during the holidays.

2008-12-05T11:32:00.000-08:00

Olive Marinade

1 (6 oz ) can Lindsay black whole olives, drained

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh oregano or basil, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon red hot pepper flakes

¼ teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a zip lock storage bag. Close and shake to coat. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 1 month. Serve at room temperature.

**A great addition to the holiday appetizer table.

2008-12-04T16:14:00.000-08:00

Espresso Almond Shortbread Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

¾ brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons ground espresso coffee

¼ teaspoon almond extract

¼ teaspoon salt

2 ½ cups flour

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ cup almonds, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a cookie sheet. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add espresso, almond extract and salt. Add flour and beat until dough just begins to hold together. Stir in chocolate chips and sliced almonds. Form dough into 2 inch wide logs and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 45 minutes. Slice diagonally into ½ inch thick cookies. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes or until nicely browned on bottom and edges. Remove from oven. Let sit for 10 minutes and then allow to finish cooling on a rack.

**An old recipe from City Bakery in Ventura, CA

2008-12-04T10:17:00.000-08:00

EGG DISH FOR A CROWD

10 eggs

½ cup butter, melted

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

7 ounces chopped green chilies

½ cup flour

1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1 pint cottage cheese

Mix all ingredients for about 2 minutes and pour into a greased
9 x 11 casserole dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 55 minutes or until top browns.

2008-12-03T08:55:00.000-08:00

SWEET POTATO SOUP

3 to 4 Tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 stalks celery diced

1 teaspoon basil

1 bay leaf

4 cups vegetable broth

3 to 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 cup chopped tomato

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon tumeric

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon tamari sauce

Sauté onion and garlic in oil. Add next five ingredients. Bring close to a boil, add sweet potatoes and simmer for one hour. Add remaining ingredients and let flavours mingle. Serve with crusty bread.

** A favorite of my sister and brother-in-law in Austin, TX

2008-12-02T07:19:00.000-08:00

MOTHER'S CAFE GARDEN PATCH SALAD

Green Leaf Lettuce

Carrot

Cucumber

Purple Cabbage

Red onion

Tomato

Jicama

Alfalfa Sprouts

Sunflower sprouts

Cashew Tamari Dressing – 1 serving

6 oz. salad oil
2 oz. Tamari
¼ cup cashews
Pour the oil and tamari into a blender and blend until well mixed. Add the cashews and pulse briefly, to chop them coarsely. Serve.

** This was my favorite salad from Mother's Cafe in Austin, TX. Sadly, it burned recently and is no longer open.

2008-12-01T16:39:00.000-08:00

ANSONBOROUGH INN PIMENTO CHEESE

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 ½ cups grated Monterrey Jack cheese
½ cup mayonnaise
2 to 3 tablespoons pimentos, smashed
Cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients. Serve at room temperature with crackers.

**Every afternoon for complimentary happy hour, this pimento cheese is served at The Annsonborough Inn in Chareston, SC.

2008-12-01T08:46:00.000-08:00

CAROLINA PEACH POUND CAKE

3 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

3 cups granulated sugar

6 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups chopped, peeled peaches

Icing:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 tablespoon milk

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 (1 pound) box confectioners' sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in the sour cream and peaches. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 75 to 85 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto wire rack and cool completely.

Cream the cream cheese and butter in a mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add the milk and almond extract and mix well. Add the confectioners sugar gradually, beating until smooth. Frost cake. Store leftover cake covered in refrigerator.

Recipe courtesy of Joe Seals

2008-11-30T16:51:00.000-08:00

Fried Dressing

1 cup butter

3/4 cup finely minced onion

1 to 1 1/2 cups celery

12 cups (a loaf and a half) bread broken up or crumbs

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 talespoon dried sage, thyme or marjoram

Poultry seasoning to taste

Melt butter and saute onions until yellow. Mix all other ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Pour butter and onions over other ingredients. Add turkey gravy to get mixture to frying consistency (not runny). Spoon to silver dollar size and fry.

Makes 3 quarts.

This family recipe courtesy of Joyce Gardner.