Sand Tarts and Chicken Paprikash

Recently I reviewed the recipes in my recipe box. Do ya’ll remember those old recipe boxes on the 3x5 cards. I still have one I started back in the 70’s. Sometime along the way someone stole some of my recipes – I know who steals someone else’s recipes but she did. Anyway this is one of those old ones. The recipe cards have food stains and grease stains on them from the good memories over the years. I decided to try a few of them as it’s been prob 20 yrs since I made some of those recipes. I’m gonna share some of them with you all.

I have lots of memories making these with my kids. They helped roll the raw dough and were right there to taste the first ones from the oven. These little cookies are melt in your mouth good. Pecans are perfect in this cookie. I always use pure butter and premium brands for extracts and flavorings. I always say that if your gonna go thru the trouble to make something yummy from scratch you want to get the best tasting results for your homemade batch of goodies.

Sand Tarts

2 sticks butter

5 Tbl confectioners sugar

2 cups plain flour

2 t vanilla

1 t butter flav

1-1/2 c chopped pecans

Cream butter mixing about one minute.  Add powdered sugar and flavorings. Add flour and work into the mixture and the nuts. Form into shapes, I just make little logs with mine. Place on a ungreased baking sheet. I use parchment paper on my cookie sheets and this gives cookies a pretty bottom. Bake at 325 for about 14 minutes. I try to be precise on the cooking time. I prefer to undercook cookies about 1 minute to ensure I have a pretty bottom. Immediately place hot cookies on/in powdered sugar to coat them.

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My family loved this way back in the day. I probably haven’t made it in 25 years. I recently cooked this up and oh my goodness – it is better than I remembered it to be. I will definitely be cooking this up again.

Chicken Paprikash

1 chicken (I used chicken breast – boneless/skinless)

¼ c melted butter

½ c chopped onion

¼ c plain flour

2 tea salt

2 Tbl paprika

¼ tea pepper

1 can Campbells Chicken Broth

2 c sour cream

½ tea Worcestershire

1 8oz egg noodles

Lightly brown chicken in butter. Remove and set aside. Saute onion in drippings. Blend in flour, salt, pepper, and paprika. Cook over low until bubbly. Gradually add chicken broth and stir until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and Worcestershire sauce.  Cook noodles according to package directions. Combine noodles and some of sauce and mix together. Spoon noodles in a casserole dish. Top with chicken and remaining sauce. Bake at 325 for about 1 hour. I always check my foods about 5 minutes before cooking time is up to prevent overcooking.

Sour Cream Pound Cake

How was your weekend. Mine was good and busy. I like being busy doing things I like to do. Cooking is one of those things. This weekend I bake two pound cakes and a coconut cream pie. I did the pie last weekend too but it wasn't as pretty as this one. I baked a sour cream pound cake and a chocolate sour cream pound cake. I love me some good pound cake now made with real butter.

I have been wanting to get my foot (eh cakes) in the door in some form to promote my baking somewhere. This week I took the sour cream pound cake and the coconut pie to a local country store to serve with meals in their cafe. No charge this time. I'm excited to see how it goes. I have ideas but just have to work on them and implement. I am considering sending cakes through the mail. I'll have to try it and see how it holds up.

Sour Cream Pound Cake

2 sticks BUTTER softened

3 c sugar

6 eggs

1 8oz carton sour cream

1 1/2 t vanilla flav

1/2 t butter flav

1/2 t lemon flav

3 c flour

1/2 t baking soda

Butter and flour a bundt or other tube pan. Preheat oven to 325.

Cream butter and add sugar and mix. Add eggs one at a time and mix. Add flavorings and mix. Combine flour and baking soda in a bowl and whisk to combine. Alternately add flour and sour cream. Spoon into prepared pan. Bake at 325 for 1 hour and then check using the toothpick test. Mine baked for 1 hour and 4 minutes. Watch it every minute after 1 hour to prevent overbaking.

Look how pretty the pie turned out. I love coconut pie. My favorite. Check out last weeks post for the coconut pie recipe.

Since I spent so much time on other things I didn't plan or fix any thing special for dinner. On Saturday I prepared my favorite sliced smoked sausage with sliced bell pepper and sliced onion with some seasonings and stir fried till it begins to caramelize on the bottom of the skillet. On Sunday I did the same thing with a chicken breast cut up in pieces. Both were served over rice. Rather boring but tasty and easy and filling.

I had a great weekend. I had the best of both worlds this weekend. Some awesome weather, gardening and yard work and cleaning and baking. All in all pretty good.

Broccoli-Potato Soup

One of my easy go to recipes for a quick fix during the week is Broccoli-Potato Soup. I like mine chuncky too. No blender for me. It is so easy to prepare and is a great comfort food. I find it easy on the tummy too. I'm always mindful of my digestive disorders as many of you are too.

Here I started off with two potato's and a small head of broccoli. Cook cut up potatos in 1 can of chicken broth and water till right at done and add chopped fresh broccoli. Cook about 5-7 minutes with just enough liquid to keep it covered. Don't cook the broccoli too long or it will become mushy. Add 1 can of cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup and 1/2-1 can of water depending on the consistency you like. I added shredded cheese to the soup. Whatever cheese you like. I used Jack and chedder. I also added bacon and onion powder to the soup.

Salt and pepper to taste. Top with more cheese, onions, more bacon and sour cream. This makes two servings for me.

Really this is easy and you just need to put what you like on top or in the soup.

I have a fresh head of broccoli and fresh potatos. I will probably whip this up for dinner tonight.

Coconut Cream Pie

I'm sure which pie is my favorite Lemon or Coconut but I made a coconut pie on Sunday. I love a cooked from scratch coconut pie. I'm not sure where this recipe came from but it my favorite.

Coconut Cream Pie

1 refridgerated pie crust
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c cornstarch
2 c half-n-half
4 egg yolks
1/3 c BUTTER
1 c coconut
1-1/2 tea vanilla
2 c whipping cream
1/3 c sugar
1 t vanilla

prepare pie crust according to package directions and set aside.
combine sugar and cornstarch in boiling pot and mix. combine half-n-half and egg yolks in a bowl and mix with a fork. add egg mixture to the sugar mixture in the pot. you have to stir constantly when cooking or it will burn before ya know it. cook over medium till it boils and boil for one minute. watch carefully as it thickens and it will thicken quickly. remove from heat and quickly add butter, coconut and vanilla and stir. cover the mixture in the pot with plastic wrap pressing right on down to touch the filling. this will prevent it from getting a film over it. let sit for 30 minutes away from heat. then add to prepared pie crust. let sit inside fridge for 30 minutes.
prepare topping - add whipping cream to a bowl and beat at high speed till soft and puffy/creamy - add sugar and flavoring and continue to beat till stiff peaks form. spread on top of pie.

Enjoy!!!

Stir Fry Sausage

Because I live alone I have to come up with things to eat that are easy and tasty. One of my go-to things to eat is veggies and sausage in a stir fry served over rice. I just slice up different veggies and sausage of choice and stir fry in a tablespoon or so of oil.

I like for it to stick to the bottom of the pan and brown a little. Oooh its so good and so easy and not a lot of mess either. I really hate to mess up because I hate cleaning up especially during the week. Often times I just eat a bowl of cereal.

Here I cooked some blueberries with some green apples and just put it in the dish with some brown sugar and honey drizzled over it with some butter. Made a nice fruity dessert.

Hope you have a nice weekend and happy cooking.

I plan on cooking for someone - not sure who yet - this weekend. Don't know what yet but it'll be good and I'll share it next week.

Meatloaf and Peanut Butter Cookies

I love to come home after work and know that I have something in the way of leftovers I like to eat. I'm not a leftover person and usually toss it or give it to someone. So when I say I love eating leftover meatloaf it has to be good. My favorite leftover meatloaf is on a sandwich with just mayo. And good bread is even better. I was a happy girl yesterday when it came time for dinner last evening. And today I'll eat it with leftover cheesy mashed potatoes. I hope you enjoy it as much as I am.

Meatloaf

1# ground chuck

¼ c onion chopped

¼ c green bell pepper chopped
1/4 c red bell pepper

1 TBL margarine

½ cup Panko bread crumbs

1 egg

3 TBL Hunts Ketchup

2 TBL Philadelphia Cooking Crème Savory Garlic

1/3 c fresh parmesan cheese grated

½ tea onion powder

½ tea garlic powder

1/3 c fresh chopped basil

½ onion sliced for bottom of pan

Topping

Bacon

Additional ketchup for topping

Saute onion and bell pepper in margarine till onion is translucent. Cool. Combine all ingredients and mix with your hands and form into a loaf. Line the bottom of a loaf pan with sliced onion and place the meatloaf on the top of the onion. Top with ketchup and then bacon on top. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

I can't get enough of these peanut butter cookies. I had to share these with others and they all loved them. Bake you up a batch and watch them disappear.

Peanut Butter Cookies

2 sticks butter softened

¾ c peanut butter

1 egg

1 t vanilla

¾ c sugar

¾ c brown sugar

2 c plain flour

¾ t baking powder

1 t soda

Combine dry ingredients and whisk to blend. Mix butter and peanut butter. Add egg and vanilla and mix. Add dry ingredients 1/3 at a time and mix. Roll into balls and place on cookie sheet. Press cross into cookie with fork dipped in sugar. Bake at 375 for app 9 minutes. Makes app. 5 dozen cookies depending on size.

I hope you enjoy the recipes today.

Beef Stroganoff

I love a good Beef Stroganoff and have never tried to make my own from scratch before this. I consider it a satisfying comfort food. Who doesn't love comfort food.

So I thought, well, a good stroganoff has to begin with good meatballs. And the sauce has to be smooth and gravy like without being greasy. And the right amount of seasoning. I didn't have any egg noodles so I used bow tie pasta and it was awesome.

Beef Stroganoff
Meatballs

1# ground chuck 80/20
1/4 small onion
1/4 green bell pepper
1/4 red bell pepper
8-10 leaves of fresh basil
5 or so sprigs of fresh parsley
1 tea chopped garlic
1//4 tea garlic powder
1/4 tea onion powder
1/4 tea cayenne pepper
sea salt - salt to taste
1 egg
1/2 panko bread crumbs original flavor
1-2 T oil

Pulse onion, bell peppers, basil, parsley and garlic in a chopper.

Place beef and all ingredients EXCEPT the oil in a bowl and mix with your hands till mixed very well. 

Form into bite size meatballs.

Cook in oil on medium till done. Remove from pan onto paper towels to drain. Do not scrape the pan yet. Drain off the oil from the pan. Scrape the bottom of the skillet loosening up the pieces from the bottom.

Sauce
1 can Campbells cream of mushroom soup
1 can Campbells beef broth double strength
3/4 can of water - may need more to reach desired consistency
1/3 can of water
3 tea cornstarch
1 small can of sliced mushrooms (optional)
8 oz sour cream
1/2 carton Philadelphia Cooking Creme Original flavor

Add mushroom soup to the pan and mix well with the pan scrappings. Add the beef broth and 3/4 can of water. bring to a boil. In a soup can combine 1/3 can of water with the cornstarch and mix well. Add to the boiling soup mix in the skillet. Cook on med-low till it begins to thicken. Add meatballs and mushrooms.

 Just before serving mix in the sour cream and the cooking creme. Mix well and then remove from heat.

Pasta
Use your choice of pasta and cook according to package directions.
1 T butter
1 heaping T of cooking creme

Add butter and cooking creme to cooked pasta.

And Enjoy!

It tastes so delish. The meatballs have a hint of the onions and bell peppers. Garlic not too strong. The bite size meatballs are tender and ever so slightly sweet from the red bell pepper. The sauce is creamy and not too rich.

I have a tendency to lean towards less is best when it comes to seasonings. I feel that I can always adjust the seasonings in the next recipe. I hate when I make something and it is not edible because of the seasonings. So adjust the recipe to what you like. I will definately be making this dish again.

My taste testers thought this was the best they had ever eaten. I thought so too. I hope you enjoy this recipe too.

Have you tried this product? I couldn't get along in the kitchen with out it. The old plastic wrap doesn't stick to anything. Press'n Seal seals everything including the wet stuff. The only thing I've noticed wrong with this product is it leaves a sticky film around the plate or bowl where the wrap sealed on the edges. What do you think of this product.

Happy cooking and have a great day!

Blueberry-Apple Layer Delight

My blueberry was loaded this year and I've been looking for new and exciting ways to prepare them. I'd been thinking about apples. I even prepared a dessert a few weeks ago with apples and blueberries. I love a good 4 layer dessert and this one proved to be delightful. Hope you enjoy it.

Blueberry Apple Layer Delight

by RebeccaW

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Butter the bottom of a 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 dish

Crust

2 cups of tiny twist pretzels

8 squares of graham crackers

2 Tbl sugar

3 Tbl butter, melted

Pulse dry indredients till crumbs and add melted butter. Pat into square pan and bake for 13 minutes. Set aside and let cool.

Fruit Layer

2 cups blueberries

2 medium apples peeled, cored and chopped into sm.pieces

juice of 1/2 lemon

2 Tbl flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 tea cinamon

1 cup V8 Vfusion Pomegranite/Blueberry Juice

1 Tbl butter

Place all of these ingredients into a pot and cook on low stirring often for about 30 minutes. Apples should be soft cooked. Set aside and cool completely. May need to place in fridge to finish cooling. (You don't want it to be warm when adding to crumb mix.)

After the fruit mixture is completely cool - spread on top of the baked crumb crust.

Layer 3 - Cream Cheese Layer

3/4 of a tub of Cool Whip

8 oz softened Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Mix with an electric mixer till blended.

Spread on top of fruit mix.

Layer 4 - Pudding

1 sm pkg of Jell-o Vanilla Pudding

3/4 cup of half-n-half

3/4 cup of milk

Mix on low for 30 seconds and then on medium about 2 minutes. It will thicken as it sits a few seconds. Spread on cream cheese layer.

Topping

Spread remaining Cool Whip on top beginning from center.

Add crumbled candy bar - Hersheys Cookies and Cream Candy Bar.

I hope you enjoy it as much as my taste testers did.



First Post - Introduction to Becca's Cooking

Many years ago when my kids were very young I decided I wanted to try my hand at making my mothers homemade dressing for the holiday dinner. I was nervous - the dressing is as important as the turkey. My family loved it. Since then I have learned to cook and be creative at it with lots of recipes and some older than my kids. So many of those recipes are on those old index cards and have so many fingerprints on them and food crumbs. Now you all know that things need to be on a computer now or in a binder. I want to share my love for food as I learn new and creative and tasty ways to prepare food. Oh and BUTTER - well I love butter - just like Paula Deen and I use the real stuff. I figure that if I'm gonna go to the trouble of creating a food dish that I intend to use only the real and freshest ingredients using name brand foods.

I hope that you will find something here that makes your mouth water and is pleasing to your taste buds...