Sesame Broccoli & frozen sweet & sour chicken

I wanted to try a bag of Wanchai Ferry sweet & sour chicken that was in the freezer (btw it was okay but I'd much rather have it from a restaurant). To go with it, I had some broccoli that needed to be eaten and thought that Sesame Broccoli sounded like it would go well with the meal. It was alright but not spectacular. I don't think I would make it again.

No picture but here's the link

Pineapple Casserole

You might have seen this over at Danielle's blog Cooking for My peace of mind. I needed to use up some ritz crackers and was thinking of getting my sister's recipe when I saw her post. I think her's was actually better. Sorry sis! I think it was the crushed pineapple that made it. It gave it a smoother texture. Next time I might halve it, I had two servings and someone else had three but there was still over half a casserole left. I'll also try it with just crushed pineapple and see how that works.

This a is really simple and delicious recipe. It's served as a side dish but it's also like dessert. It's kind of like sweet potato casserole that way. Btw, I usually make sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving and Christmas so that recipe should come up in a couple of months.





If the cheese doesn't look melty it's because I took the picture the next day and hadn't been reheated yet.

Pineapple Casserole

1 20 oz can of pineapple chunks, drained

1 20 oz can of crushed pineapple, drained

5 tablespoons flour

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 to 2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 1/2 cups ritz cracker crumbs

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted

Preheat your oven to 350.
Grease a small casserole dish (about 11 x 7).

Combine the pineapple, sugar, flour and cheese in a large bowl.

Pour into the casserole dish.

Top with cracker crumbs and drizzle the melted butter over the top.

Bake for about 30 minutes.

Baking Powder Biscuits

I came across a recipe at Running Foodie's blog for baking powder biscuits and her photo looked so good I had to try them for myself. She called hers "Everest biscuits" unfortunately mine didn't rise quite so high but they were still really good! You should check out her picture it's much more appealing than mine.


leftover biscuits (it made about 16 2 1/2 in. biscuits)


breakfast the next morning


Apple butter my parents brought back when they went to Sevierville, TN. last week.
There's a store and restaurant up there that is great. I was up there in 2001 and it was the first time I'd ever had apple butter I liked. I hate the stuff from the grocery store.

Here's a copy of her recipe

Rumford Baking Powder Biscuits aka Everest Biscuits

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2/3 cup shortening (I use Smart Balance)
1 1/3 cup milk
(you might need a little more milk to make it cohesive enough to shape)

1. Heat oven to 425˚. If you have cast iron skillets, put about a tablespoon of shortening each in 3 10-inch skillets and place in the oven to heat while preparing the dough. I use a 10 1/2-inch, an 8 1/2-inch, and a 6-inch skillet because that's what I have. If you don't have any cast iron skillets, grease a large cookie sheet and set aside. Or, use the cast iron skillet and a cookie sheet if you haven't enough skillets.
   
2. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together. Cut in shortening until mixture is like coarse corn meal (if some pea-size chunks remain, that's okay). Add milk, stirring it in quickly with a fork, to form a soft dough. (If a large portion of the dough is still crumbly and not dough-like, add a tablespoon or so more of milk.)
3. Turn dough out onto lightly-floured surface; knead about 1/2 minute. Roll 1/2 inch thick, or slightly taller; cut with 2-inch cutter dipped in flour (I use both a 2-inch and a 1 1/2-inch cutter). Place fairly close together in the skillets or on the cookie sheet (not right next to each other, maybe between 1/4 and 1/2 inch; (ou can also brush the tops with melted butter if you like) bake about 12 minutes. Serve hot.
   

I used a cookie sheet instead of cast iron skillets. Maybe next time I'll halve the recipe and use my skillet. I also has something else in the oven so I had to open the door and check it which could be why mine didn't rise as high or I might have rolled them to thin I've never been good at judging measurements. I also had to turn the broiler on to brown the tops. I always have a problem with the tops whatever I'm baking not turning brown.

Foodie Blogroll

I just got approved for the foodie blogroll which has a fantastic collection of bloggers. I'm very pleased to be a member!

Cranberry Orange Bars

I found the recipe at Good Things Catered and it was fantastic! Not every one in the family likes cranberries so I ate most of it myself but I did take some to my sister and her husband and she like them as well. I never got to find out her husbands opinion, she'd eaten them all without him even knowing they were in the house!

I didn't have any oranges so I used OJ from the carton and skipped the zest. I also used frozen cranberries.


Cranberry Orange Bars

Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 Tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp orange zest
2 c. fresh cranberries

Directions:
-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
-Beat together sugar and butter until lighter in texture.
-Beat in eggs, orange juice and vanilla until combined
-Add flour and baking powder and mix well (should be the consistency of a cookie dough).
-Fold in orange zest and cranberries.
-With an oiled spatula, spread batter evenly in a 9x12 prepared baking pan.
-Bake for about 40 minutes.

S.O.S

No, I'm not sending out a distress call! SOS stands for sh*t on a shingle, the names unappetizing but it actually does taste really good. It's a military recipe that's been handed down from my great grandfather who learned to cook in the army. He was born in 1914 and I think he lied about his age and joined when he was 16 so he would have been in the army in 1930 but I'm not sure how long he served for.



I've seen several variation for this recipe but never exactly like this so I'm not sure if this is how they made it or if he changed it over the years but my mom watched him make it one day and wrote down exactly what he did and this is how we've been making it ever since.

SOS

Brown 1 lb. hamburger in a skillet. Drain grease. Add salt and pepper and half a stick of butter (or margarine). Add 2 glasses of water (the glass we use holds 2 cups of water so you'll use 4 c. total) . Cook on high heat and skim off foam. Let cook about 15 minutes. Put 3 tbs. of flour (it doesn't have to be a level spoonful and we've always used self-rising but I don't think it would matter) in a glass. Add almost a glass of hot water. Stir. Pour in a little at a time while stirring (until it get's the thickness you want). Serve on toast.

Way too sweet! I found the recipe at recepizaar and it had great reviews but I found it to be really sweet. If you try it and have better results let me know.

The Black-Eyed Pea's Baked Squash

• 5 lbs yellow squash
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 4 ounces butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onions
• 1 dash pepper

Directions

1. Cut the tops off the squash.
2. Cut in 3- 4 pieces.
3. Boil in water til tender (just a few minutes).
4. Drain and mash.
5. Add remaining ingredients.
6. Place in casserole dish.
7. Cover with light layer of breadcrumbs.
8. Bake at 350 til lightly browned (about 10- 15 minutes).