Oven Fries

 

• Place a  baking sheet in the oven; preheat to 425°F. Combine water, vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat.

• Cut potatoes into ½-inch-thick sticks. Add to the pot, reduce heat to medium and cook just until starting to become tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

• Carefully remove the potatoes to a clean kitchen towel with a slotted spoon. Gently pat dry, then transfer to a medium bowl and toss with oil. Carefully spread the potatoes in a single layer on the hot baking sheet. Bake, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy, 30 to 40 minutes.

• Transfer the fries to a paper-towel-lined bowl. Let rest for 2 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Apple Oatmeal Crisp

7 apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1/2 cup brown sugar 

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/2 cup rolled oats 

1/4 cup butter, room temperature 

 Preheat oven to 375°F.

Layer sliced apples in a 9-inch (or approximately the same size) baking pan. 

Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and oatmeal in a bowl. Cut in the butter.

 Sprinkle sugar mixture over apples. 

Bake 45 minutes or until topping looks crunchy and apples are tender.

Corn on the cob

Tonight's dinner included some ears of corn.  I love corn on the cob and was using the oven so I thought it give the "baked cob on the cob" a try.

No need to husk! Just run some water over your ears and place in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

I have to say that I hear this and thought I am not sure about this.  I like to microwave mine.
It's fast.  I microwave for 4 minutes and done!!

I have to warn you that the smell had me checking on the corn cause I thought something was burning. I think the silk was

Apple Cranberry Sauce Recipe

12 oz cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1 1/2 cup apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup apple cider
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon

The Directions.


Rinse off the cranberries and put them into your crock-pot. Add the apple slices, apple cider and water. Can use orange juice.

Add the sugar and the cinnamon. Stir. There will be an awful lot of liquid, and the cranberries will float.

Cover and cook Low for 6-8 hours and on high for 3-4 hours.

Stir every hour or so. When the skin from the cranberries has softened, the cranberries will "pop" when pushed with a spoon up against the side of the crock.

Heat enough for it to be warm throughout. Take the lid off and heat on high for another 30 to 45 minutes. Your house will smell wonderful!

Serve. This easily can be made a few days before your holiday dinner

Whipped Sweet Potato Bake

2 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed
2 bananas, do not peel
1/2 cup (1 stick)  butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
salt
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup  brown sugar
3/4 cups pecans, chopped

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, put them in a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes.
Toss the bananas with peels on into the pan and continue roasting for 10 to 15 minutes, until both the bananas and potatoes are very soft.  This step can be done ahead of time.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh into a large mixing bowl.
Peel the bananas and add them to the bowl along with 1/2 stick of the butter, and the maple syrup.
Season with salt and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until everything is  well combined and the mixture is fluffy.
Spoon into an oven-proof casserole bowl and smooth the top.

In a separate mixing bowl, use your fingers to rub together the remaining 1/2 stick of butter, the brown sugar, flour, and pecans until the mixture is the consistency of coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the sweet potatoes and return to the oven.
Cook for about 20 minutes, until the crumbs are golden.
Serve hot.

Italian dressing

1/4 cup white vinegar
3 tbsp water
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup olive oil

Place all ingredients in to a bottle. Shake container to mix ingredients until sugar and salt have dissolved. Add oil and shake well to mix. Pour over salad and store remainder in the refrigerator.

This is so good!!! I thought that this can't be as good as the bottle, but this is so much better!!

Fried Apples

Ingredients
• 6 large tart green Granny Smith apples
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
•• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


Instructions
. In a large skillet, add a small amount of vegetable oil heat until warm not smoking.
 Pour apples evenly into the skillet. Sprinkle with lemon juice, brown sugar and salt.
 Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, until apples are tender and juicy.
 Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Cowgirl Beans

Note: It is just like the recipe for Cowboy beans but vegetarian style for my "cowgirl"

1 can kidney beans
1 can white beans
1 can pinto beans
1/4 onion minced
small can tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cold coffee
1/2 cup BBQ sauce

Saute onion in a little vegetable oil. Lightly drain beans, keep some liquid.   Add beans and coffee. Add tomato sauce, ketchup and brown sugar.
Stir and bring to a simmer.

 Add BBQ sauce right before serving. 

Can add vegetarian bacon bits.

What I am taking for Earth Day

Tomorrow is the Earth Day celebration and I have been trying to figure out what to take. I am going to be there about 12 hours so nothing to big to have to keep cold.... Cake? no... well I need some groceries and went shopping thinking I will figure it out there.. Bad Idea you think? Well I see that potatoes (oh yes I know they are in season for my area thanks to the local food finder Information courtesy of NRDC,) so when I saw them for $1.29 for ten pounds. I got a bag.

I am taking crock pot baked potatoes.

10-12 potatoes
butter

Wash the potatoes. Poke with fork. Grease the potatoes with a small amount of butter. Place in crock pot. cook 10-12 hours until tender. Do not add water.

Simple and I don't have worry about it going bad..... getting smashed or that the vegetarian will starve.

I will take sour cream, butter and some grated cheese to add to the potatoes after they are done......

Broccoli & Cheddar Cheese Nuggets

Ingredients:

1 16-oz Package frozen broccoli, cooked, drained, and chopped

1 cup Seasoned bread crumbs

1 ½ cups Shredded cheddar cheese (please use real cheese and not a "processed cheese food" product.)

3 Large eggs or 5 egg yolks


Directions:

Preheat oven to 375
1. Lightly coat a baking sheet with olive oil and set aside.
2. Combine all remaining ingredients and mix well.

*Add seasonings if you like - garlic powder, pepper, extra basil & oregano for example. Add a fruit or veggie puree to substitute for the eggs if desired.

3. Shape mixture into nuggets or fun shapes such as squares or whatever..and place on baking tray. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turn nuggets over after 15 minutes. Serve warm.

I found this on a baby finger food site Wholesome Baby Foods looking for ideas for the Crawling Machine casue he really wants what we are eating. He is 10 months old. But Miss Animal Rights had a broccoli and cheese puffs at a wedding and really like them. We have been trying to find something like them ever since. we are going to try these!