I am right in the middle of my winter vacation sitting here thinking I’m dwindling my precious free time away. Why is it when I have free time at home I must get a hundred things crossed off my list? Why can’t I just pretend that I am at the beach? I never make out a “To Do List” at the beach. So if you have some precious time that you don’t want to spend in the kitchen this is just the recipe for something quick and easy that will satisfy every hearty appetite.
Filed under Main dish
Here is another one of those recipes that I must have been buried under a rock for part of my lifetime. It has been out there forever, but I’ve never had it. Last weekend we got together for one of our family luncheons and Ken my sister-in-law brings in lots of goodies. This being one of them and I just had to nibble before lunch and oh my!!! This stuff is fabulous! Then I was blown away when she told me the base was saltine crackers. Unbelievable! I knew right then and there that I would have to make it and I am not a candy lover, but this is really good.
Filed under Candy
This could be the absolute best pasta dish that I have ever made. It’s one of those dishes that you don’t want to stop eating. It is just amazing. The recipe has been waiting for some great home-grown tomatoes to put with my fresh basil. It’s so simple yet the flavors and texture scream complexity. A perfect meal for summer.
Who doesn’t love a great sloppy joe? When you bite into the toasted bun that has soaked up the sauce it is just plain good. I have some great childhood memories of sloppy joes, but have not made them in years. When I saw this recipe in Gourmet I just had to make it and I was not in the least disappointed. These are as the name says a little more sophisticated than Manwich. Serve them up with some of your favorites whether it might be chips or fries. I thought these pan-fried Smashed Potatoes and a salad were a great choice.
Filed under Main dish, Sandwiches
I have made French toast since I was 12 years old cooking breakfast for myself and my two younger sisters. French Toast was on the menu most mornings. You know it is easy if a 12-year-old can do it. I never followed a recipe. I just cracked 2 eggs, added milk, and mixed with a fork. I heated my mother’s cast iron skillet to a medium high heat. Then dropped a couple of tablespoons of butter into the skillet. As the butter heated I just dipped the bread into the egg mixture and threw it in the skillet. Perfection with some syrup. I could do this in less than ten minutes!
Salad is my life. For lunch most everyday of my adult life I have eaten a salad along with some protein whether it might be grilled chicken or a hard-cooked egg. I just love them! Salads are the perfect way to include all the servings of vegetables and fruit that are needed daily. Don’t get me wrong that’s not the only reason I love them. There’s just so many ways to make salad. You can never get tired of them. The downside to salads for some people is the addition of too much dressing turning a very healthy choice into a heart attack. I made this Balsamic Vinaigrette for my students. They loved it!
Filed under Salad
The next two months will be crunch time for almost everyone. The holidays are hectic. Recipes like this Jambalaya will make your life easier. This is a no brainer. It takes very little cooking skills and I love it because it goes straight to the oven. Which means that you can address holiday cards, call your mom, wrap gifts, do laundry or just sit for an hour and read! Sounds good doesn’t it?
Filed under Main dish
I really don’t know why these are called brownies. They are more like blonde brownies than the normal chocolate brownies. And not even those for heaven sake. They are full of butterscotch and marshmallows. But you will never know the marshmallows are there. Enough about the name. I know you don’t really care about that. It is the taste that you care about and you are going to love this little bar cookie. It is just the perfect size to indulge in without feeling guilty unless you are like some I know and just keep indulging until half the pan is gone. They are easy to make. In fact they are too easy. Trying to use up the bag of marshmallows in my pantry I have made them 5 times. Yes that is correct 5 times. I love the recipe because you can whip them together in one pan in 10 minutes. Bake them for 20 minutes. Then comes the hard part. Cooling. You need a couple of hours for this. They are really soft when they come out of the oven. You could just eat them right out of the pan with a spoon but try to restrain yourself because they are more attractive cut into little bars.
Filed under Bar Cookies, chocolate chip, Cookies from scratch, Desserts
After making this I had some heavy cream just sitting in my refrigerator calling out to me every time I opened the door. Frozen creams are one of my favorites. I love this dessert. Whipped cream and strawberries are the perfect match in so many ways. It is rich, creamy, decadent and yet so simple. It is the perfect dessert for any meal. Now with the temperature heating up this frozen delight will hit the spot. And you could not ask for anything so easy. If you can whip cream you can make this.
It is also versatile with endless toppings. You could use most any fruit that you have available. Blueberries would be a great choice or fresh apricots with toasted almonds. My mouth waters just thinking about cranberries with oranges, sugar and toasted pecans. And more decadence could be orange marmalade with shaved chocolate. My gracious the list could go on and on. Create your own special piece of heaven.
French Toast looks so sophisticated, but it is simple to put together. This is one of my favorite breakfast foods. When I was in high school it was my breakfast choice almost every day. I did not use a recipe nor did I make it fancy. All I did was whisk an egg with a little milk , dip white bread in the egg and cook in a cast iron skillet with a little butter. I drizzled with hot syrup and enjoyed with hot coffee.
Here is a recipe that I have been using for years with my classes. I prefer at home to make French toast the night before and pop it in the oven the next morning especially if we have company! It is just quicker.
Here’s what you need.
Filed under Bread, Breakfast, Brunch, French Toast
The Teacher Cooks 