Welsh Rarebit

I realize that authentic Welsh Rarebit has beer in it, but since we don't drink alcohol, this is my version of it, and we absolutely love it. I tweaked the original recipe to my liking and it turned out perfect. I brushed some melted butter on sliced french bread, toasted it and served the sauce over that and it was a definite winner!

Welsh Rarebit

4 TBSP. butter
1/2 cup flour
1 cup chicken broth
3 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1/8 tsp. paprika
hot sauce to taste (about 1/2 - 1 tsp.)
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 cups sharp cheddar cheese 

In a large saucepan medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the the flour and let cook for 2-3 minutes while whisking to cook out the "flour" taste. Whisk in the broth, milk, salt, pepper, and paprika. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened. Whisk in the hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until well mixed. Whisk in the cheese, stirring really well until the sauce is smooth and the cheese is completely melted. Serve immediately over toasted bread of choice.
Makes about 7-8 cups.

Chicken a la King

I doubled the original recipe and it was the perfect amount to feed all of us with no leftovers. We really loved this one, it was very easy to throw together and tasted fantastic over homemade biscuits.

Chicken a la King


1/2 cup butter
4-5 chicken breasts, cubed (about 4-5 cups)
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 onion, chopped
2 (4 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained
3/4 cup flour
2 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning (to taste)
2 1/2 cups hot water
3 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
3 cups milk
1 (4 oz.) jar diced pimientos, drained

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the chicken, onions and peppers and cook until chicken is done and the onions and peppers are tender. Add the drained mushrooms. Stir. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Cook a minute or two to cook the "flour" taste out. Whisk in the hot water, bouillon and milk. Cook and stir until hot, thickened and bubbly. Stir in pimientos. Let cook for about 5 minutes, over medium heat, stirring constantly. Serve over biscuits, hot cooked rice, hot cooked noodles, or puff pastry shells.
Makes about 10-12 servings.

Buttermilk Pound Cake

Another delicious pound cake with a fantastic crumb and a delicate tang from the buttermilk.

Buttermilk Pound Cake

1 cup butter, softenend
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, room temp.
2 egg yolks, room temp.
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 - 1 tsp almond extract
3 cups of flour, spooned into cup and leveled
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 cup buttermilk

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and almond extract. In a separate bowl sift together the flour and baking soda. Sift 2-4 times. Add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (12-cup) bundt pan. Bake @ 325* F for 60-70 minutes until a toothpick near the center comes clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Store in a cool dry place, covered, after cooling completely.

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

I happen to love pound cake, and this one is a favorite with a fantastic crumb, little bits of chocolate in each bite, and it tastes even better over the next few days.

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

1 cup butter, softenend
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, room temp.
2 egg yolks, room temp.
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 - 1 tsp almond extract
4 cups of flour, spooned into cup and leveled
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups sour cream (reg. or low fat)
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 TBSP. flour

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and almond extract. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Sift 2-4 times. Add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl mix the chocolate chips with the 1 TBSP. flour. Add the chocolate chip/flour mixture to the batter and fold into the batter. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (12-cup) bundt pan. Bake @ 350* F for 60-65 minutes until a toothpick near the center comes clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Store in a cool dry place, covered, after cooling completely.

Steak Marinade

I like to freeze the steaks in the ziploc bags covered in the marinade, then when I want to grill the steaks I place the bag in the fridge the night before to thaw overnight and they marinate as they thaw.

Steak Marinade

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 TBSP. dried basil
1 TBSP. garlic powder
1 TBSP. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. hot sauce
2-3 tsp. garlic salt

Place in large bowl and whisk everything together. Pour over top of the steaks. Cover and chill meat for up to 8 hours. Cook as desired.

Seasoned Bread Crumbs

I love being able to make things myself, especially if it saves me a trip to the grocery store for some forgotten ingredient. This one is easy and stores in your freezer, keeping it close at hand for future use. these are especially yummy as a coating on chicken strips.

Seasoned Bread Crumbs

5 cups plain bread crumbs***
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. oregnao 'or' Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt

Mix everything together and place in an airtight container or large ziploc bag. Store in freezer and use as needed in your recipes.
***To make bread crumbs, place day old/stale bread in food processor and pulse until it turns to crumbs.

Quiche

A simple quiche, with ingredients you can mix and match to your own taste. Feel free to substitute any of your favorite ingredients, or substitute with something you have on hand. Qhiche is easily adaptable and easy to make to your own preferential taste. This makes 2 quiches, which is perfect for our family for a meal, but if it's too much for you at once, after baking and cooling the quiche, wrap one and freeze for future use.

Quiche

2 (9-inch) unbaked pie crusts
1 onion, chopped
1 TBSP. butter 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 1/2 lbs. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 lb. sausage browned and drained

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1 (14 oz.) pkg. frozen broccoli, cooked crisp tender
2 (4 oz.) cans sliced mushrooms, drained
8 large eggs
2 cups evaporated milk 'or' heavy cream
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste

Preheat oven 350* F.
Line 2 9-inch pie plates with the pie crust. In a pan, melt the butter ans saute the onion until soft and cooked through or carmelized if you prefer. Sprinkle about 1 cup of cheese over the bottom of each crust. Divide the cooked bacon and sausage and sprinkle over top of the cheese. Add the onion, Parmesan,  cooked broccoli, mushrooms, and the remaining cheddar cheese, dividing them between both pies. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together. Pour the mixture evenly over both pies, divining evenly between both. Press the mixture down if needed to make sure the entire top is wetted with the egg mixture. Bake @ 350* F for45-60 minutes until the center is cooked through.
Makes 2 (9-inch) quiches

Egg Salad

A simple recipe that makes a great sandwich filling for a delicious meal. While some egg salad recipes are on the savory side, this one is on the sweet side, which is how we prefer it.

Egg Salad

12 hardboiled eggs
3/4 - 1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1 TBSP. sugar
1 tsp. vinegar
1 - 1 1/2 cups Miracle Whip

Shell the hardboiled eggs. Slice them in half and place the cooked yolks in a large bowl. Mash the yolks and set aside. Dice the remaining cooked egg whites and add them to the bowl. Add the salt, pepper, sugar and vinegar. Stir in enough Miracle Whip to your taste, making it as creamy as you would like. Chill until ready to serve.

Overnight French Toast Casserole

I ended up making two (9x13) pans which was the perfect amount to feed us and still have leftovers for two more servings.

Overnight French Toast Casserole

1 (1 lb.) loaf of French Bread, cut up and cubed
12 large eggs (15 medium eggs)
2 cups milk
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla

Place the cubed bread in a greased 9x13 pan. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour evenly over top of the bread, making sure to cover all of the pieces. If needed, lightly stir the bread around to get even coverage. If preferred, you can cover the pan with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge overnight or up to 2 days, then bake as directed. To bake right away, preheat the oven to 375* F and bake for 40-45 minutes, until light golden brown on top and no wet egg mixture remains. Cut into squares and serve hot topped with your favorite syrup.
Makes 6-8 servings.

Chicken Marinade

My favorite way to use this marinade is to pour it over a large ziploc bag of chicken, seal it and toss it in the freezer. Then when I want to use it, I just pull the bag out and it marinates as it thaws and is ready to grill by supper.

Chicken Marinade

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp. liquid smoke
2-3 TBSP. molasses
1 TBSP. sesame seeds
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic salt
4 tsp. minced garlic
1/8-1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
4 TBSP. vegetable oil

Mix all together and pour over desired number of chicken breasts.
This makes enough marinade to cover 8-10 chicken breasts.