Potato Nests and holiday menu suggestions

March 12, 2013 by

A Pinch of Joy: Potato Nests

I served this at a tea party brunch for something a little more substantial and with a different texture and savory taste than the usual fare.  I served in the fancy ramekins in which they were baked.  A platter of these nicely turned out would be spectacular, especially with a few chopped chives over the top and perhaps a bit of other green garnish tucked in between the cakes.   Foods that are already portioned make a buffet line move quickly.

This is quick to make because you start out with packaged shredded potatoes.  I used the kind found in the refrigerated section.   The shredded Parmesan cheese adds to the flavor and you can use your choice of cheese for the remaining measure of cheese.  I didn’t want my potato nests to have a bright yellow color so chose a white yellow mix of cheese.  You can also use this mixture as a “bowl” for scrambled eggs after baking.  To do this, press the back of a tablespoon into each mound, making a nest, before baking.  During the last few minutes of baking, scramble eggs as you usually do.   Remove the nests to platter or plate, mound the eggs into each “bowl” and garnish with bacon.  Serve hot for  breakfast or brunch.

Not just for breakfast or brunch, these savories make a nice portion controlled side dish for a special dinner, too.  Or use them for a hearty appetizer.  Very versatile!!!!

Check out these other versatile menu ideas for Easter holiday goodness, too!

Resurrection Rolls              Lemon Poppyseed Zuchinni Bread         Honey Banana Bread

Wicked Good Pork Chops              Aloha Chicken                         Orange Glazed Cornish Hens

Sunny Broccoli Salad             Wicked Simple Sweet Slaw        Spinach Salad/ lemon garlic dressing

Spiced Pineapple Carrot Cake       Coconut Macaroons                    Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

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Potato Nests

Potato Nests

Ingredients

  • 1 20 ounce package shredded refrigerated potatoes (I use Simply Potatoes)
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 6 green onions chopped
  • 1 cup shredded cheese (I used Colby jack, but your choice)
  • ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper or to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Grease or spray 12 cup muffin pan or 10 ramekins; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the 2 eggs just until yoke and white are mixed.
  4. Add green onions, salt, cheese and stir.
  5. Mix in refrigerated potatoes.
  6. Scoop mixture in greased muffin cups or ramekins.
  7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and set.
http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2013/03/potato-nests-and-holiday-menu-suggestions/

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Scottsdale Potatoes – Hashbrown potato casserole

December 18, 2012 by

Baked Hash Browns with Cheese

 My  mother was introduced to these creamy, cheesy potatoes while visiting family in Arizona.  Apparently that’s where they got the name Scottsdale!  She always called them that and I have seen them in some old cookbooks with that name.  Recently I’ve seen them labeled Funeral Potatoes – a name which belies their yumminess but apparently takes into account the fact that it can satisfy large numbers.  The recipe can be assembled ahead of time and baked while other foods are being prepared.

If you want a holiday or family dinner dish that travels well – this is it.  Bake it at home and carry it hot or let it cool and warm it when you arrive.  Or assemble it at home and bake when you arrive, depending on your schedule and the hostess’s oven space.

It also makes a comforting addition to any meal –especially when the weather is cold outside.  I make it and we will eat several meals (with moderate portions)  from it because the “leftovers” are almost as good as the first time fresh out of the oven.  You can also add around 2 cups of browned ground beef to the mixture or 1 – 2 cups of diced ham to make this a main dish.   And you can enforce portion control by baking the potatoes in serving size baking dishes.  I added ground beef and did the serving size dishes for the photo.  You can also put them in tart pans and bake them crispy to make an appetizer.   Love these ‘taters!

I prefer the shredded hash browns because I like the texture of them in the finished dish over the diced hash browns. I don’t have a huge mixing bowl, so I spread half the frozen potatoes in the greased 9×13 pan and the rest in my large mixing bowl. Either cream of chicken (lighter flavor) or cream of mushroom soup (deeper flavor) will work.  I also like to buy the cream of chicken with garlic or with herbs for a nice flavor change.  Add all the remaining ingredients to the shredded hash browns in the mixing bowl – EXCEPT the melted butter.  When you have everything mixed, spread it over the potatoes in the 9×13 pan.  Everything melds together while baking.  Melt butter in microwave.  Timing may vary according to your microwave – mine takes about 30 seconds at 75% power.  Pour melted butter evenly over casserole.  I like to leave the top plain, but the original recipe called for 2 cups of finely crushed cornflakes spread over the top.

 If feeding large quantities meets your requirements, go to my facebook page and “like” to access the Exclusive Downloads.  There you will find a Scottsdale Cheesy Potato recipe to feed one hundred people from my mother’s church cookbook (so you know it is good!)

To save this recipe to your ZipList Recipe Box, click the blue button.  To find out more about ZipList, click here.

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Scottsdale Cheesy Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 32 ounce bag frozen hash brown potatoes
  • 1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 16 ounce container sour cream
  • 2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup chopped onion
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ cup butter or margarine melted

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients except melted butter.
  2. Spray 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray.
  3. Spread casserole evenly into pan.
  4. Melt butter in microwave and pour evenly over casserole.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.
  6. An alternate recipe calls for a topping of 2 cups of finely crushed cornflakes spread over the top.
http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2012/12/scottsdale-potatoes/

 

 

 

 

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How to puree a pumpkin

November 24, 2012 by

How to make pumpkin puree from a fresh pumpkin

This big pumpkin has been on our front porch since early October.  Time to make the change to Christmas decor so it had to go.   Bytes has been the master jack o lantern carver, but was busy this year.  So this super large globe survived Halloween intact and went right up to Thanksgiving.   Nary a ding and only one surface blemish to mar its nearly twenty pound beauty.  Could not just throw it away.

You have to know, too, that Wheels has frequently worked on Thanksgiving.  Not every year, but often enough that we haven’t really established any traditions except a really good dinner sometime close to the fourth Thursday in November.  But this year, he was home.   And we had some time on our hands while the crockpot worked its magic with the turkey breast.  See where this is going??  This  is also about how we spent our Thanksgiving Day.  All day.

Cutting up a pumpkin to make puree

Step one — wash the pumpkin thoroughly since it will be cut and cooked with the skin on.  Wheels began by cutting around the circumference of the pumpkin at its midpoint and just about halfway around.  Then he began cutting wedges from the end of the pumpkin down to the cut at midpoint.  (He’s a lefty and has his own technique.  Don’t try to copy unless you are also a lefty and then you will know why he was cutting thataway!)  He was using his super sharp fillet knife.  But any sharp knife will work — like the big butcher knife  that is in the knife rack close by.   Pull the strings off the piece.  (They were not as slimy as I thought they would be.)

 

Wheels kept cutting wedges.  Because the pumpkin was so big, we reasoned we needed to cut reasonably sized wedges so that it would cook in a reasonable amount of time. They were 2-3 inches wide and 6-8 inches long.  And there were a lot!  He cut and cut and cut.  At the center, it was as slimy as I thought it would be!  But not in a gross way — if you handled them quickly and didn’t think about it.  I skipped all that and opted to let Wheels do it.  Just because it was Thanksgiving and I was putting together some part of our dinner.   He pulled out the seeds and we cleaned and roasted them — I’ll post that later.

Oven bake pumpkin to make puree

Wheels scraped the thinner strings off each piece, leaving just the firm pumpkin.   With such a large pumpkin we decided to cook the pumpkin in the oven, a process I saw explained at Cultured Palate.  It worked beautifully! I took a little different tack though by placing the wedges on jelly roll pans — three  pans full! — and pouring in enough water  to just cover the bottom to create steam as the pumpkin cooked.   I baked it at 350 for between forty-five minutes and an hour — until a cooking fork could easily pierce the flesh.   It took about 10 minutes before the pumpkin cooled enough to handle.  I first tried to scoop the pumpkin off the rind with a spoon, and then an ice cream scoop.  Unsuccessfully.  Grabbing a knife, I cut off the rind as closely as I could — which still left quite a bit of good pumpkin in the rind.  Try holding onto a very warm slippery wedge of pumpkin while artfully wielding a knife!  Wheels wandered back through the kitchen and began scraping the remaining good stuff from the rinds.  Been just me — those rinds would have gone.  But he has patience and made me laugh.  Its why I like doing things with him.

While Wheels was separating pumpkin and rind, I began the puree process, using the food processor.  Did I tell you this is a messy business?  I thought I had about half of it pureed and then stirred the bowlful of pumpkin.  Big chunks were hidden in there!  So back through the food processor.  You probably would know to stir each batch to make sure it was smooth.  Not just look at it.  I know that too.  Now.  It’s a beautiful color, isn’t it?

Pumpkin puree

Pure pumpkin puree  is thick, too.  See that ladle standing up all by itself in the middle of the bowl.  That’s thick.  And we had two bowl fulls.  You know we had to freeze most of it.  I didn’t have freezer containers.  And by this time it was Thanksgiving afternoon.  I had this vision of bags filled beautifully colored pureed pumpkin, carefully measured in one cup portions.  Ha!  First to go was the carefully measured idea.  Fill the one cup measure and turn it upside down over the waiting freezer bag.  Nothing.  Not one drop fell out.  You have the bag in one hand and a full cup of thick pumpkin puree that is acting like concrete in the other.  Can’t shake the thick orange stuff out, can’t hold the bag and scrape the stuff out of the cup.   MMMkay.  I’ll just scoop some in the bag.  There was no way that stuff was going to go in  plastic bag.  There was more on my hands, the bag zipper, the sink, the counter than ever saw the inside of the bag.  Then Bytes wandered in and devised the botomless paper cup funnel you see above.  Three ladles full made the measurements sort of consistent in each bag — even if we don’t know how much three ladle fulls of pumpkin puree really is.

Pumpkin puree

We ended up with sixteen bags of the finest pumpkin puree you will ever see.  Dinner was pretty tasty, too. And the kitchen was pretty much all clean again before bedtime.  The activity won’t become a Thanksgiving tradition at our house –who in their right mind cooks a big dinner and purees a huge pumpkin at the same time?! –  but we had fun working together.  And you can learn from our experience.   So all is well.

 How did you spend Thanksgiving Day?  Got any pumpkin recipes??

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Holiday Sweet Potatoes

November 15, 2012 by

Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potatoes are one of the oldest known foods, cultivated by Native Americans for centuries.  They were a major source of nutrition for early colonists – so very appropriate for Thanksgiving! —  and later soldiers during the Revolutionary War.   Often  called yams from a similar African tuber, sweet potatoes are much more nutritious.   They are an excellent source of calcium, vitamins A and C, potassium and manganese among other nutrients.  They are low on the glycemic scale and are often recommended to diabetics for blood sugar control.   There is an enzyme in sweet potatoes that converts the starches of the young plant into sugars as the potato matures.  Sweetness increases during storage and cooking.

If using fresh sweet potatoes, choose ones that are firm, dark and blemish free, then store in a dry cool place, where they will keep up to a month.  Wash well before cooking with the skins on.  Many of the nutrients are near the skin so leaving it on during cooking helps preserve them.  The skins are very easy to pull off when cooked – much easier than peeling raw. Sweet potatoes can be boiled, steamed, baked,  roasted or microwaved.  Or made into yummy, festive dishes like this one!  I found those cute little ramekins at a tag sale.  They hold about a half cup which is perfect for “have one of every dish” holiday dinners.   (Secret portion control!)  The sweet potatoes are made richer with cream and egg and are perfectly complemented with the pecan topping.  A delectable, healthy treat even when it is not a holiday!

For your holiday menu, you might also like Sunny Broccoli Salad, Fruity Cranberry Relish. Blushing Peach Pie, or Spiced Pineapple Carrot Cake.

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Holiday Sweet Potatoes

Holiday Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

    Ingredients
  • 40 ounce can of sweet potatoes or yams
  • OR 3 lbs fresh sweet potatoes, cooked and peeled.
  • 1/3 cup sugar or sugar substitute equivalent
  • 2 tablespoons half and half OR milk
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 egg
    • Topping
  • 1 cup pecans plus ½ cup
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ cup sugar or sugar substitute equivalent
  • 2 Tablespoons butter

Instructions

  1. Prepare topping by pulse 1 cup of pecans in food processor until it forms a coarse meal.
  2. Add sugar, cinnamon and butter and process until blended.
  3. Pour into small bowl, add remaining pecans and set aside.
  4. Put sweet potatoes in food processor with butter and seasonings. Process about 30 seconds and taste. Add sugar according to sweetness of sweet potato and adjust seasonings, if needed.
  5. Add egg and process until smooth and well blended.
  6. Use cooking spray to oil 8 ramekins and pour mixture into prepared pan.
  7. Bake at 375 until topping browns, about 30 minutes for ramekins.
  8. Eight servings. About 20 carbs per half cup serving, 4 grams of protein
http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2012/11/holiday-sweet-potatoes/

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Guest post at Sumo’s Sweet Stuff

August 23, 2012 by

Head over to Sumo’s Sweet Stuff today! 

I am thrilled to be guest posting for her right here. 

But don’t stop there! 

Check out the fave posts on the left  or click on the button at the top that says “”Tutorials”" and prepare to be amazed. 

Sumo creates beautiful projects – and then tells us how to create our own..  What could be better than that? 

 I love the honeycomb art  and the adorable outfits she creates for her sweet daughters like this one and this one.  

You just know anyone that  names  her sewing machine (Shirley)  and Silhouette (Lucy)  is going to be super creative!  Enjoy!

 

 

 

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Sweet Pepper Fiesta Salad

June 13, 2012 by

Orange, red, yellow sweet pepper salad

I love the bright colors of this salad.  It just sings party!  You can slice the peppers and onion into rings before marinating for a fun party look.  Or slice the peppers lengthwise and dice the onion for a side salad.   Or you can slice the peppers lengthwise and then cut them into pieces about an inch long, as I did, and used diced onion.   With the smaller pieces, you can add the marinated peppers to a tossed salad, put a spoonful on top of a burger or use it to flavor another dish – besides eating it as a salad.  Besides its colorful versatility, this combination has several “good for you” benefits!

Discovered by Christopher Columbus in the “new world”, the sunshine colors give a hint to the nutrional punch packed by bell peppers,  One small red, yellow or orange pepper has three times the daily required amount of Vitamin C.  They contain Vitamin A which helps night vision and other compounds which help protect against macular degeneration and cataracts.  These two vitamins boost immunity and guard again heart disease, diabetes and arthritis.  They are a good source of Vitamin B6 and folic acid.  Lycopene is found in red peppers and helps protect against certain cancers.  Peppers are a good source of fiber, with its associated benefits.  That’s a lot packed into a pretty pepper!

The dressing has a lot of health benefits as well.  Continuing studies, in particular at Arizona State University and Lund University in Sweden and Tokyo University in Japan, verify the benefits of acetic acid found in vinegar.  Vinegar decreases blood glucose levels.  According to Dr. Carol Johnston of ASU,   “[Vinegar] in inexpensive and can be easily incorporated into the diet. Used in combination with diet and exercise, it can help many people with type 2 diabetes.”

Other studies have shown regular consumption of as little as 2 teaspoons of vinegar a day  will help with metabolic syndrome ( pre diabetes) and produce moderate weight loss.  Dr. Johnston recommends an easy way to consume vinegar is through dressings on salads and cooked vegetables with a mix of 50-75% of vinegar to oil.  Our dressing is 75% vinegar.  If you are using this recipe for that purpose, you can eliminate the sugar or choose a sugar substitute.

Who knew healthy food could look so festive and taste so good???

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Sweet Pepper Fiesta Salad

Sweet Pepper Fiesta Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 each red, yellow and orange bell peppers
  • 1 small onion
  • ¼ cup oil
  • 3 tablespoons vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon of sugar or equivalent sweetener
  • 1 Tablespoon of chopped parsley – optional

Instructions

  1. Wash, seed and slice the peppers.
  2. Prepare the onion – diced finely or sliced thinly into rings.
  3. Whisk together oil, vinegar and sugar.
  4. Place peppers and onion into bowl and pour the dressing over them.
  5. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
  6. 6 servings
http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2012/06/sweet-pepper-fiesta-salad-2/

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Mock N Cheese aka Cauliflower Gratin

April 19, 2012 by

Cauliflower Gratin as substitute for Macaroni and cheese

Cauliflower, Mark Twain once sniffed, was nothing but cabbage with a college education. Boiled and buttered, the way grandma used to do it, cauliflower was nothing to write home about.  Now it is on restaurant menus and is a sought after addition to meals.  Cauliflower began to appear on vegetable trays, in snack packs and anywhere a crunch was needed. Cooks everywhere took a closer look when low carb dining became important to a large part of the population.   Cauliflower is only 5 carbs per serving and it’s somewhat bland flavor and good texture makes it an acceptable substitute for potatoes, pasta and rice.   This recipe uses it as a substitute for Mac n Cheese.  (Mock N Cheese! My sister, Vee, told me it was not a good name if I had to explain it.  First she hinted ever so diplomatically with a laugh and a hmmmm — or maybe it was a snort like a hmmmm.  Was she right? )

Precook the cauliflower in the microwave, covered, just enough to make it crispy soft – you can  put a fork in it, but it retains some of its crispness.  While it is microwaving,  begin to make the roux in a large pan.  The onion and garlic aren’t enough to jump out, but they give a depth to the dish.  Same with the nutmeg – although you can smell it during baking, you can’t really taste it.  The cheese does play a part in the flavor, but you can adjust to what you have on hand and what your tastes are. The milk and cream can vary, as well.  If you have whole milk use 2 cups of it.  Two cups of half and half work or if you want a richer flavor use all cream. You can leave the cauliflower in sections, just as you placed them in the baking dish and pour the cheese sauce over it.   You will have a proper cauliflower au gratin then –especially  if you also sprinkle a couple tablespoons of seasoned bread crumbs over the top before baking. To make it a substitute for macaroni and cheese,  run a sharp knife through the partially cooked cauliflower in the pan until the texture is somewhat reminiscent of large elbow macaroni.  Pour on the cheese sauce and bake for Faux Roni?  Mock N Cheese?  Good stuff!

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Mock N Cheese aka Cauliflower Gratin

Mock N Cheese aka Cauliflower Gratin

Ingredients

  • 1 head of cauliflower, about 3 pounds
  • ½ small onion, diced
  • ½ teaspoon minced garlic
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups grated cheese (cheddar, Colby Jack, Monterey Jack)
  • 2/3 cup parmesan cheese (or Swiss)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • pepper to taste
  • Pinch of nutmeg

Instructions

  1. Turn cauliflower upside down and cut all around the stem with sharp knife. Remove tough leafy stems. Do not cut the florets apart.
  2. Spray 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Rinse cauliflower sections and place without draining into baking dish. Cover dish with upside plate or piece of waxed paper. Microwave 3 minutes on high.
  3. Turn oven to 400 degrees.
  4. In large pan, melt butter over medium heat.
  5. Add onion and garlic and saute’ until fragrant, 1-3 minutes
  6. Add flour and stir to form a roux. Cook, stirring contantly about 1 minute. Lower heat if necessary to avoid browning the roux.
  7. Add cream/milk slowly, whisking to keep the mixture smooth.
  8. Bring mixture to slow boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until thick, smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes.
  9. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper and grated cheese, stirring until cheese is melted.
  10. Pour evenly over the cauliflower in the 8x8 baking dish and sprinkle grated parmesan evenly over the top.
  11. Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2012/04/mock-n-cheese-aka-cauliflower-gratin/

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Sunny Broccoli Salad

November 15, 2011 by

Broccoli Salad with bacon and sunflower seeds

This recipe comes from a wonderful cook in Missouri.  I led a group of volunteers, 10 adults and 21 teens,  to Ste. Genevieve, Missouri where we did repair following a flood.  The days were long, hot and sweaty, and everyone worked hard.   Millie had a fantastic meal waiting for us each night when we returned to the church basement where we were staying. When I saw her mixing up this salad one afternoon, I thought “uh-oh, those kids will never eat this.”    They did and came back for more.  It is that good!

Millie gave me the recipe and a piece of advice.  Approaching her eighth decade of life, her days were amazingly productive.  She told me: slow and steady – don’t ever rush.  You never get things done right and you just wear yourself out.  Just know what you need to get done during the day and keep moving that direction.  That motto is as valuable as the broccoli salad!

Confession:  Real bacon, freshly crisped, is definitely best. However, I may think I have a week’s worth of menus and ingredients ready to go, then a work schedule changes and it is two weeks before I get back on track with the cooking.  Fuzzy bacon that didn’t get used in time – not good.  So I keep pre packaged bacon on hand for times when life is a scramble,  ready to measure out as needed.  Never any blue fuzz.   Another money saving tip:  julienne the thinner parts of the broccoli stem to add to the salad.  The thick parts are tough and coarse, but the smaller parts are tender and tasty. You can also add ¼ cup shredded carrot (for Thanksgiving) or diced red pepper (for Christmas) to create a colorful salad for a special occasion.

Resist the impulse to add more dried fruit than is specified, if you are carb counting.  One cup of broccoli has 6 carbs.  One tablespoon of craisins or golden raisins has almost seven carbs.  Dried fruit is concentrated sugar.  Think of the size of a fresh grape, cranberry or apricot.  The drying process removes moisture so the size is smaller, but the amount of sugar stays pretty much the same.  The recipe makes three servings so is about 9 carbs per serving.

This recipe featured at Full Plate Thursdayat Miz Helen’s Country Cottage

 

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Sunny Broccoli Salad

Sunny Broccoli Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh broccoli, approx 1 medium head
  • 3 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 green onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 Tablespoons golden raisins or craisins
  • 1 Tablespoon salted sunflower seeds
    • Dressing
  • 1/3 c olive oil mayonnaise
  • 4 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar

Instructions

  1. Break florets apart and/ or slice broccoli into small pieces
  2. In a bowl, combine the broccoli, bacon, onion, raisins and sunflower kernels.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients; stir until smooth.
  4. Pour over broccoli mixture and toss gently.
  5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving, stirring occasionally.
http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2011/11/sunny-broccoli-salad/

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Crockpot Calico Beans

September 15, 2011 by

Crockpot Calico Beans - A Pinch of Joy

Perfect for a summer barbecue or an autumn tailgate party, this dish is quick to make!  Gather your crockpot and all the ingredients.  Pour, stir and cook on low for 3-4 hours.  Perfection for a side dish with brats or burgers.  Or make it a main dish with a tossed salad.

This recipe is foolproof and flexible and known also as Trucker, Cowboy or Prairie Beans.   Chips* contributed it to the Quasquicentennial cookbook and I have tweaked it several ways, including using the crockpot.     Her family prefers the deeper flavor from baking and a little extra kick.  Chips adds  1 tablespoon mustard and 1 teaspoon chili powder, though she warns against using beans or BBQ sauce with chili flavor.   She also uses Splenda brown sugar and has used ham instead of bacon.  My sister Bee  uses Campbell’s pork n beans from the original recipe, but I like Bush’s baked beans because they are “thicker”.  Kidney beans, dark or light, it doesn’t matter, but do pick up the low sodium version on your grocery shelf.  (Less salt = good for you.)  And I sometimes add a can of black beans for their nutritional value.   If you are looking for the recipe so you can get going and get to the party on time, scroll on down and hit print.  But you already know that this is a great dish for crowds because it will fill your crockpot.  And you also know that it is perfect for potlucks and picnics.  Besides your family.

But, if you gasped when you saw the picture of the ingredients and thought “does she know how many carbs are in those beans?”, then read on.   Legumes, which is what these beans are called, are in a special class.  Yes, they are higher in carbs – but they also have a built in protein and plenty of fiber.  Legumes  tend to be absorbed more slowly into the blood stream.  The slower absorption keeps blood sugar levels more even and keeps you feeling full and satisfied longer than more quickly digested foods.  Eating healthy for the long term requires a balanced diet that takes into account all your nutritional needs.  The soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol and keep you regular.  Protein is necessary for energy and strong muscles.  Good– and good for you.

* Full Disclosure:  Chips’  brother  married my sister Kay.  Millions of beans were consumed in the evolution of this recipe with no harm done.

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Crockpot Calico Beans

Yield: 25 servings

Serving Size: 1/2 cup

Crockpot Calico Beans

Ingredients

  • 2 cans Pork n Beans or baked beans 28 oz each
  • 1 can red kidney beans, drained (dark or light)
  • 1 can lima beans, drained (or Great Northern beans, drained)
  • 1 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained
  • 8 slices bacon, crisped and cut into pieces
  • 1/4 cup catsup
  • ¼ c Barbecue sauce
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 1 tsp chili powder, optional
  • 1 tbsp. mustard, optional

Instructions

  1. Spray crockpot (It took me forever before I tumbled to this simple tip! )
  2. Brown and drain ground beef and bacon.
  3. While they are cooking, put all other ingredients into crockpot, turned on low.
  4. Add cooked meats and stir gently until blended.
  5. Cook on low for about 3 hours.
  6. OR can also bake at 350 in 9x13 pan, uncovered for 1 hour
http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2011/09/crockpot-calico-beans/

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How to Steam Corn in Your Microwave

September 1, 2011 by

Steam Corn in your microwave

A while back I was picking out a few roasting ears from the giant grocery bin.  The woman next to me was furiously shucking her corn and loudly complaining because the store hadn’t provided a trash can for her husks.  I picked up the pile of silk and green discards she threw in front of me and said  “Corn stays fresher longer, if you wait to husk it until just before you use it”  She glared at me with baleful eyes and I braced for impact.

And then a sweet voice from her other side arose over the grocery din.  “I do even better than that,” a brightly dressed woman said.  The first woman glared at both of us then, threw her husked and bagged corn in her cart and huffed off briskly.  “Tell you what I do,” the other woman confided to me.  “I don’t even husk them before I cook them.”

Curiosity piqued, I asked how she managed that.   “Store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook your meal,” she replied.  “Then pull off the top layer of husks and discard them.  They are the ones that have gotten dirty from the field and from being handled.  Then break or cut off the bottom stem that was fastened on to the corn stalk.  Make the cut right up next to the cob.  Cut the top off too.  Just the tip and maybe the first three or four kernels of corn.  Don’t even try to get the silk off.  Put it in the microwave for 3 minutes.  Let it cool.  Stand the ear on its end – the one that was fastened to the stalk.  Take a clean paper towel and beginning at the other end, wipe all the husks and silk right off the ear!  Butter it and you have the very BEST corn ever.”

I tried it that night and haven’t looked back!  She was right!  At first, I cooked each ear by itself for three minutes.  Then one meal I impatiently threw two ears in the microwave for three minutes.  Perfect corn for two people in half the time!   A tip of the hat to the angry husker because otherwise I’d have just picked out my corn and would never have learned about Perfect Corn from the Perfect Stranger!  And  now you know the secret too.  Too bad Mad Husker missed out!

As you can see in the photo tutorial above, I added one more step to Perfect Stranger’s method.  The corn is steaming hot right out of the microwave  so I use the paper towel to open the husk and let the steam out.  After it cools enough to handle, I go ahead and “wipe” the husk and silk off with the paper towel.  Gather it all into a neat little package and discard.  The BEST and easiest corn ever!

To print or download carbohydrate count for corn, go to Downloads for a list of Carb Count of Common Vegetables.   Edited to add:  If you’d like another way to cook corn in the microwave, see Take 2.

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