Tag Archives: quick

January 31, 2010 · 8:14 pm

Chocolate Magic Bars

It is way beyond me that something this easy is so good!  And for the life of me I should not keep any of these ingredients on hand.  I honestly could eat the entire pan by myself and almost did last night but GI Joe saved the day and he ate the other half!

Yesterday was one of those days that you just want to stay curled up in a blanket by the fire.  It was quite cold and rainy. I just wanted to stay home, but I had shopping to do.   My niece, that is in pharmacy school, is getting married in June and next Saturday she is having her first wedding shower in Savannah.  We picked up her gift and wouldn’t you know it they had Lenox Butler’s Pantry on sale.  I have wanted it since the first day I set my eyes on it.  Yes, I bought  eight place settings and three serving pieces.  Now if you know someone who wants Vintage Vine in beige, please let me know.  I really need to unload it!  GI Joe said,”Well, Happy Anniversary, Valentine’s Day and Birthday!”  It is so worth it though.

Since having a light dinner last night, I really wanted to go to downtown Villa Rica to Gabe’s.  Their Bread Pudding is the best.  Not wanting to venture out in the rain and cold,  I stood in front of the pantry with the  door open and all I saw was  sweetened condensed milk and semisweet chocolate pieces.  I told myself not to make those bad Chocolate Magic Bars, but myself did not listen. 

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January 23, 2010 · 12:44 pm

San Francisco Salad

For about six years GI Joe traveled to Savannah once a month for National Guard duty for the Air Force.  Many of those weekends I traveled with him and spent the time on Tybee Island.  One of our favorite restaurants to visit was the Sundae Cafe.  It is a little funny how we found out about this restaurant.  I was buying gas at the local BP station and when I paid I asked the clerk if she knew of some good places to eat.  She said, ” Well the place next door must be good because there is always a crowd there.”  I would never chosen the restaurant unless someone had recommended it.  It is located within a  a strip of four stores.  The local liquor store is on one side and the BP on the other. We became frequent customers because the food is excellent and it is very nice and elegant on the inside.  So you can’t judge a restaurant by the cover!   One of my favorite dishes to order is the spring salad.  I have tried many times to duplicate it, but failed.  Thanks to Anna,  I have found the recipe !!  

Last weekend we had dinner with our long time friends.  It was a fantastic meal!   Anna served this San Francisco Salad that was  extraordinary!  I love the flavors of the feta and the tart cranraisins with the texture of the toasted walnuts.  Together with the  salad dressing adding  the  right amount of sweet and tangy and red onion gives it the little kick.    So thanks to Anna we can all enjoy this scrumptious salad!    

San Franciso Salad

  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/cup sugar
  • 1  tablespoon black pepper
  • 3/4 cup cranraisins
  • 8 ounces crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 bag of mixed greens (or enough for 8 servings)

Melt butter.  Saute walnuts 5 minutes or until golden.  Drain.  Mix sugar and pepper together and roll walnuts in the mixture.  Cool.

Place cheese and nuts over mixed greens and pour dressing over salad.

Dressing

  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup red onion chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup fresh parsley chopped
  • 1/2 cup oil

Place all the ingredients for the dressing in a jar and shake until mixed well.  If preferred, dressing  can be  served separately and spooned over each salad.

Recipe can easily be halved for four servings.

 

Enjoy!

The Teacher Cooks

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January 12, 2010 · 3:06 pm

Chicken Salad

Here is what I cooked up for lunch today!  Very quick and very good!

Yesterday when preparing another chicken dish I had an extra boneless chicken breast.   Being extremely busy with  two  recipes going at once I put the chicken breast in a small saucepan and cooked in water for about 10 minutes.  Cooked, cooled and put in the refrigerator.  Job done!  I  did not want to waste the chicken.  Really I had no plans for it until I was on my way home from work starving!!

I do love chicken salad.  One of my favorites is on the menu at the  Swan House in Buckhead along with their frozen fruit salad.   Anyway cooked chicken is so versatile it can put together in many combinations.  So go for it! It  is a perfect dish for the novice cook.  All cooking required is the chicken.  And really you don’t even have to do that.  Use a rotisserie chicken!  In some stores you can buy them for a cheaper price than you can cook at home.  So don’t be afraid go make an original chicken salad that you and your family can enjoy.

Here is how I put this together:

  • 1 large cooked chicken breast ( Use leftover chicken or turkey) cut into chunks
  • 1/2 celery stalk thinly sliced
  • 1/2 green onion top thinly sliced
  • 10 red grapes halved
  • 8 pecan halves broken into pieces
  • Hellman’s mayonnaise enough to make slightly creamy
  • Paula Deen’s seasoned salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together and serve over salad greens and enjoy every bite!  Serves 1 hungry person.

Happy Cooking,

The Teacher Cooks

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January 11, 2010 · 6:57 am

Chili in 30 minutes served with Macaroni

With all of this cold weather we have been having  it calls for a big bowl of hot chili.  I have chosen a quick and easy recipe that you can put together in about 30 minutes especially if you have some browned ground meat in the freezer.  If not it is still quick.  The recipe came from the AJC.   So if you are in a big hurry for chili and don’t want to wait around for 2 or 3 hours for the usual chili then this is for you. 

Rinse with cold water a 15 1/2 oz. can of red kidney beans

You need 3/4 cup of chopped onion

Saute onion in tablespoon of butter

Since I am using browned ground beef that I had in the freezer I am sauteing onion in a little butter.  When browning the ground meat you can cook the onion at the same time and drain on paper towel.

1 lb of browned ground beef

Add 10 oz. can of rotel tomatoes and small can of tomato sauce

Add 1 teaspoon of cumin

 Sorry blurry picture.  

Add 2 teaspoons of chili powder

Add 1 can of drained and rinsed red kidney beans

Let this simmer for about 30 minutes.  You may have to adjust the liquid by adding 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water.  While the chili is simmering then cook macaroni according to directions on the package.    Serve chili on top of the macaroni and top with cheddar cheese. 

Dig in!!!

Here is the recipe for you to enjoy!

Macaroni Chili

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 3/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1 15 1/2 oz. red kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 8 oz. tomato sauce
  • 1 10 oz. can stewed tomatoes or Rotel tomatoes
  • 3/4 c. of macaroni (cook according to directions)
  • 1/4 cup of water
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheese

Brown ground meat and onion.  Stir in all ingredients except macaroni and cheese.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  Serve over cooked macaroni and top with cheese.

Serves 4

Happy cooking,

The Teacher Cooks

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January 7, 2010 · 10:18 pm

Pull-Apart Parmesan Dill Bread or Cinnamon Bread

 

This was the second day of the new semester and I decided to mix it up a little bit.  Why not have a demo right off the bat?  Make it more interesting .  We don’t have to do the same old stuff.   Show the students what the class is really about.  Have some fun.  Eat some food.  And that is what we did! 

It was a great day in the classroom.  I felt like a move star.  All  eyes were on me.  You could hear a pin drop.  I am serious!!!  You could tell that they were soaking in every word that I was saying.  That is what I live for as a teacher.  You just know at that moment that you are doing the right thing.  Now mind you it may not happen this way for a long time, but today it did.    I could feel the excitement.  The comments that the students made about the class– it was music to my ears.  

I did not make anything spectacular.  I just used a can of refrigerated biscuits and made something a little different.  The recipe came out of a textbook we used a few years ago.  It is not that healthy, but it is quick and good.   I made two variations.  One savory Pull-apart Parmesan Dill Bread and the other sweet Pull-apart cinnamon and sugar bread.  They both are very good.  

So here is what we cooked up today in my class.  I hope that you will try these and enjoy! 

12 oz. can of refrigerated biscuits cut into quarters

 Using a pair of kitchen shears cut 12 oz. of refrigerated biscuits into quarters. 

Mix 2 Tablespoons of Parmesan Cheese and 1/2 teaspoon of dill

2 Tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

 Or if you are making the sweet side of the bread mix together 2 Tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. 

Melt 1 1/2 Tablespoons of butter and coat the biscuits

 Melt about 1 1/2 Tablespoons of butter or margarine in a small bowl.  Coat the quartered biscuits in the butter.  I found that you can only put a few in at the time. The butter will help the cheese or sugar to stick to the biscuits. 

Put seasonings in a bag and coat the biscuits

This is another thing that I love about teaching.  Students see things that teachers don’t see at the time.  When I am giving a demo I am really concentrating on following the recipe, cleaning up and being ready for the next class.   In other words my thinking is really one tracked.  Thank goodness for students that think outside of all of that. 

That is what happened this morning.  The recipe did not call for you to put the seasonings in a bag and shake to cover, but to put them in a small bowl .  WRONG!  Putting them in a bag was much more efficient.  So thanks to a young gentleman in my first block we changed the recipe to be much more efficient. 

Grease an 8 inch cake pan

Parmesan and dill bread ready to cook

Cinnamon and sugar bread ready to cook

Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown.  Turn upside down on a serving plate.  Pull apart to serve, or cook for 5 minutes before cutting into 8 wedges. 

Bake for 12- 14 minutes at 400 degrees

This is the  Parmesan Dill  pull apart bread! 

Here is the Cinnamon sugar Pull apart Bread

 I feel good about today.  Here’s hoping that you had a great day,too!  Here you go with the recipe.  Enjoy! 

Pull-Apart Parmesan Dill Bread 

  • 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1 package (12oz) refrigerated biscuits
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons Margarine or butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly grease 8-in round cake pan.  In a small bowl, stir cheese and dill until combined.  Cut biscuits in quarters.  Add a few biscuits at a time to margarine, separating pieces with fingers.  Add cheese mixture and toss with fingers untill all pieces ar coated.  (  I put everything in a bag and shook until all the biscuits were coated.)  Arrange in one layer in prepared pan.  Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown.  

Bad News:  70 calories per serving, 2 g. protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat, 215 mg sodium, 0 g fiber 

Happy Cooking, 

The Teacher Cooks

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January 4, 2010 · 6:08 am

Bran Muffins Dianne’s Style

It is the start of a new year, a new semester, new students and new excitement in my classroom.  With all this newness I still have to be organized and ready to go.  I have one day of professional learning and a work day before the new invasion.  This weekend I made my favorite Bran muffins to freeze and have ready for breakfast.  These are great muffins and they make a lot!  I mean a lot!  One of my very dear friends and her daughter brought food over when my daddy died 3 1/2 years ago.  JHM  made the best meatloaf and  these muffins.  Of course I had to have the recipe.  It came from her Aunt Dianne.  I have added a little to it, but here it is for you to enjoy.  By the way the batter will keep for up to six weeks in the refrigerator.  I always get rave reviews when I have guests for breakfast and bring these things out of the freezer and pop them in the microwave.  YUMMY!

Start with 3 cups of all-bran cereal

5 cups of bran flakes

Add 1 quart of buttermilk to the cereals and let it sit for about 30 min.

Mix together 5 cups of plain flour, 5 teaspoons soda, 2 teaspoons salt and 3 cups sugar

whisk together 4 eggs and 1 cup of oil

Add eggs and oil to cereal and buttermilk mixture. Stir!!

Add dry ingredients and stir!!!

 I usually put cereal and buttermilk in a huge Tupperware bowl, then measure dry ingredients in a separate bowl,  and eggs and oil in a measuring cup.  I do all the mixing in the Tupperware bowl.  Store the mixture in the Tupperware bowl for up to six weeks.  Because I was taking photos just look at all the bowls I used and my dishwasher was already full!

Too many bowls and not enough washers!

 Here is where I changed Dianne’s recipe a little.  Really I just added a few goodies.  As an afterthought I wish that I had added a little cinnamon with the apples and raisins.  These muffins are almost like apple cake without the frosting! 

I took out some of the batter,enough to make 24 muffins.  I didn’t measure it, but I am guessing it to be about 6 cups.  My medium mixing bowl was about half full.

Added about 1/2 cup of raisins

1 medium apple diced

Fill muffin tins and ready to bake for 15-20 min. at 400 degrees

Ready to eat or freeze for later!

Here is the recipe ready for you to make and enjoy!

Bran Muffins

  • 5 cups bran flakes
  • 2 cups All bran
  • 5 cups plain flour
  • 5 teaspoons soda
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 quart buttermilk
  • 1 cup oil

Soak cereal in buttermilk for about 30 minutes.  Add eggs and oil.  Stir in flour, sugar, soda and salt.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 -20 minutes.  Mix can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.

Happy cooking,

The Teacher Cooks

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November 13, 2009 · 8:40 am

Vegetable Pizza

 

Here is the winner!

We are making vegetable pizza today in class.  Really it is salad on top of rolls with some original Ranch Dressing.  Very good!!

 The lab today was one of the best!  All was quiet on the work front as the students were dicing and slicing.  The results were fantastic as you can see.

Not all are created equal when working in the kitchen.  Some know very little and some know a lot.  With this in mind I try to give out as much information as I can to help the know very little.  Today it was all about buying, storing and preparing fresh vegetables with the accent on lettuce. 

The trick is to wash the lettuce at least a day ahead.  Wash in cold water and let it drain really well.  Wrap in paper towel and store in a ziplock bag,  It will keep for a week.  This works well with Romaine, Greenleaf and Redleaf lettuces. 

I rarely use Iceberg lettuce maybe for a  wedge.  For storing iceberg take the core out by hitting on the counter and give it a turn.  It comes out easily.  Run cold water where the core was, turn over shake the water out and let it drain.  Store in a lettuce keeper or in a bag with paper towel. 

Enough about lettuce.  Here is how to put together the Vegetable pizza which is a great appetizer to serve at  a holiday party having a lot of green and red!

Chopped vegetables

Chop vegetables of your choice with lettuce as the base

Use 8 oz. of softened cream cheese and mix part or all of a packet of the Original Hidden Ranch dressing mix.  I only use 1/2 the packet.  The flavor is very intense.  Make it to your liking.

Cream cheese on cooled crescent rolls

Ready to spread the cream cheese

Ahead of time bake two packages of crescent on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Just take your finger and lightly press the edges of the rolls together.  Bake according to the package and let them cool completely.   Dot with the cream cheese mixture.

Spreading the cream cheese

Just a thin layer of cream cheese

 Next put your lettuce then all other chopped vegetables of your choice.  Here is the finished product!

2nd Place

Voted as the second best by the viewers!

Happy cooking,

The Teacher Cooks

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October 19, 2009 · 8:47 pm

Park Avenue Bars

Park Avenue Bars - Wonderful!If you are watching your weight DO NOT make these bars!!   They are so good you cannot stop yourself. 

This recipe is from my friend Debbie.   She is a great cook and is always bringing something good to school.  I e-mailed her and said, ” I want that recipe for whatever  you brought to school last Christmas.  I cannot remember what’s  in it .  I just remember  that it was delicious.”  That gave her alot to go on.  We are  lucky to get this with that kind of information. In spite of my memory Debbie came through for me.   

All right so I am baking these bars with very limited time.  It is 10:00 and I have to take them to my tennis match by 2:00.  Everything that could go wrong does.   I pulled out the cake mix and the use by date had expired by 2 weeks.  Just for me I would have used it, but with my luck no telling what would have happened!! Now a  trip to the grocery.  Thanks goodness I pulled out everything else that I would need including the pan.  Oh, wait there is  NO PAN.   Forgot I had thrown it away.  Just for your information don’t make lasagna in an aluminum pan because after so many years the tomato sauce will eat holes in it.  So GI Joe is off to the store to buy a pan and a cake mix.   He does not shop.  He knows nothing about baking pans.   After 15 minutes on the phone we settle for the heavy duty Wilton pan.   Just remember that when you are baking in a dark pan to turn the oven down 25 degrees.  I didn’t!!  Almost burned!  I did make it to my match on time with the bars and they were enjoyed.

 Thanks to Debbie for the recipe .  Here it is for you to enjoy, too.

 

1 stick of melted butter

1 stick of melted butter

Butter Recipe Cake Mix

Butter Recipe Cake Mix

1 egg

1 egg

1 cup chopped Pecans

1 cup chopped Pecans

Mix with wooden spoon

Mix with wooden spoon

Place in a 9 x 13 in. pan

Place in a 9 x 13 in. pan

Spread in the pan

Spread in the pan

1 box powdered sugar, 2 eggs, 8 oz cream cheese

1 box powdered sugar, 2 eggs, 8 oz cream cheese

Mix with mixer

Mix with mixer

Pour on top of cake mixture

Pour on top of cake mixture

When using a dark pan like this one make sure that you lower your oven temperature by 25 degrees.  I failed to do this and they were very nearly burned!!!

Park Avenue Bars - Wonderful !

Park Avenue Bars - Wonderful !

Here is the recipe.  Enjoy!

Park Avenue Bars

  • 1 Duncan Hines Butter Yellow cake mix
  • 1 stick butter melted
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup chopped nuts
  • 1 box  powdered sugar
  • 8 oz. cream cheese softened

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 9 x 13 in. baking dish.  Mix by hand the cake mix, 1 egg, melted butter and chopped pecans.  Press down into bottom of greased baking dish.  Set aside.  Mix well in mixer powdered sugar, 2 eggs, and cream cheese.  Pour on top of crust .  Bake about 40 min. (until the top is golden brown).  Cool before cutting.

Happy Cooking,

The Teacher Cooks

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October 13, 2009 · 12:00 pm

French Dip Sandwiches

blog 296GI Joe took me to eat dinner when we were dating after a tennis tournament.  How romantic!  He ordered a French Dip Sandwich.  I had no idea what he was eating.  I just ordered a hamburger. 

 When the waitress brought it I thought to myself, ” This is what my Mama called a hot roast beef sandwich.”   Au Jus –  we won’t even go there!   

Here is another quick and easy meal using the crockpot.    Very Tasty!  It is  one of my Southern Living recipes I use regularly.  Hope you will, too.   This recipe make 12 servings.  Half  the recipe and you still have leftovers.

 

French Dip Sandwiches

  • 1 4 lb boneless chuck roast
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1 beef bouillon cube in 1/2 cup hot water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • French rolls , split

Place a crockpot liner in the slow cooker.  Put roast in.  Combine all ingredients except rolls.  Add water to cooker until roast is almost covered.  Cook on LOW 7 hours.  Remove roast, reserving broth: shred roast with a fork.  Place roast in rolls and serve with au jus for dipping.  Yield 12 servings

Happy Cooking,

The Teacher Cooks

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September 23, 2009 · 2:05 pm

Cajun Pork Roast

Low calorie, easy and delicious!

Low calorie, easy and delicious!

Another day at home with little water.  I am clean though.  Just took a bath in about 2 inches of water.  Brought me back to the  days of  staying  at my grandmother’s farm with no running water.  It was fun when I was 5 years old , but now you could say I am spoiled!  The news is that it could be into next week before our water is back to normal.  It could be worse.

I usually grill pork tenderloin , but with all the rain I pulled out an old recipe from  pork The Other White Meat.   Pork is so versatile.  I serve this with Hashbrown Casserole ( I will share the recipe later ) or a baked potato and something  green like asparagus, broccoli, or green salad.  All of this is quick and easy to do.  Here is the recipe.

 

Cajun Pork Roast

  • 2 lb. boneless pork loin roast
  • cooking oil
  • 3 Tbs. paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. red pepper
  • 1 Tbs. garlic powder
  • 2 tsp. oregano
  • 2 tsp. thyme
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. white pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Combine all the seasonings

Combine all the seasonings

Brush the roast with oil

Brush the roast with oil using Le Creuset silicone brush

Rub seasoning over roast

Rub seasoning over roast

Place in pan and roast 350 degrees

Place in pan and roast 350 degrees

Roast until internal tempt. is 155 degrees

Roast until internal tempt. is 155 degrees

Your prep time  is only about 5 minutes and the oven does the rest.  After taking out of the oven let it rest for about 10 minutes.  This serves  6 at 196 calories each.  ENJOY!!

The Teacher Cooks

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