Baked (not fried) Pickles

     While writing an article on fair foods, I came across a recipe for fried pickles. Well not quite fried, they are baked instead. If I can bake something instead of mess with hot grease, I usually take that option. These turned out to be quick and easy to make. Since I used "Wickles Pickles," which have a little more kick, these "baked" pickles had some kick, too. It was an interesting experiment and well worth the try if you like pickles and a little zing.

Baked (not fried) Pickles
1 cup sliced pickles
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 T. melted butter

1 tsp. dill
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional)
salt and pepper
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and spray coat a baking sheet.

Mix Panko crumbs, butter, dill, garlic, cayenne, salt and pepper in small bowl.

Put flour in separate small bowl or rimmed dish.

Crack eggs into small bowl and beat until blended.

Dredge pickle slices in flour, then dip in eggs and then coat in Panko crumbs mixed with seasonings. Lay pickles on baking sheet in single rows. Repeat process until all pickles are used.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Best served with sauce for dipping.

Jalapeños with Cornbread Stuffing

   
    Late summer is one of my favorite food times. That's when the peppers are poppin' in the gardens. I think I'd rather have fresh peppers to use than tomatoes, and that says a lot for an Indiana girl. But I can think of all kinds of ways to stuff and use them.
    Recently I saw a recipe using cornbread as the stuffing and gave it try. It's very easy with only a few common ingredients. It took longer to remove the seeds from the peppers than to make the dish.
    My thought is to make them ahead and reheat in the microwave, that way the cornbread isn't so dry. When eaten fresh, these are best with a dip - Ranch is always good.

Jalapeños with Cornbread Stuffing
6-7 large jalapeños
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (save 1 T. bacon fat)

1 box JIFFY corn muffin mix
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar
1 T. chives, finely chopped
ground black pepper

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cover a large baking sheet with foil.

Cut jalapeños in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place on prepared baking pan.
 
In a medium bowl, combine corn muffin mix, egg, sour cream and bacon fat.
Mix until just combined.

Fold in chopped bacon, cheddar, chives and sprinkle with pepper.

Divide cornbread batter between jalapeño halves.

Spoon any remaining batter into paper cupcake liners.

Bake until the cornbread is golden, about 15 minutes.

Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage rolls ready for oven.

     
    My knowledge of Irish food is limited to soda bread, Bangers and Mashed, varieties of potatoes, stews and Baileys Irish Cream. Usually for each New Year's and St. Pat's day, I faithfully plop a corned beef brisket in the slow cooker with cabbage, potatoes and carrots, and then call it a holiday meal done.

   This year I thought I'd take a lesson from one of my best friends who makes cabbage rolls. "It's easy," she said. "You just take a wad of hamburger (mixed with rice, about the size of a tangerine) and roll it in a cabbage leaf, then cover it in tomato juice and bake it."

    Well, that's the short version. Yes, those are the steps, but while making this dish it reminded me of why I only make a lasagna a few times year, despite the fact that I love it. There are steps and more steps before you pop it in the oven.

Despite the steps, it's a very nice dish. They're hearty little meals in a packet.


 Cabbage Rolls
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup rice (long grain white, uncooked)

1 small onion, diced
2 cups tomato juice or V8, divided
1 head cabbage
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 T.  (splash) Worcestershire sauce

In large pot, fill with water half way and bring to a boil.
Cut center core out of cabbage. Drop in boiling water.
Cover and let boil for 10-15 minutes until outer leaves are soft and fall away.

While cabbage is cooking, in a medium bowl combine meat, rice, spices, Worcestershire and half cup tomato juice. Set aside in refrigerator until needed.

With tongs or slotted spoon remove cabbage to plate to cool for easier handling. Drain excess liquid.

Spray coat a 13x9x2 inch baking dish.
Preheat oven to 350.

Carefully remove outer leaves and set aside to cool. Pull remaining leaves apart leaving core and smallest leaves.

Remove meat mixture from refrigerator and begin shaping into balls about 2 inches wide (like a large golf ball). Put each on plate and keep rolling.

Count cabbage leave and meat balls to make sure you have an even amount. (I made smaller balls for smaller leaves and had a total of 12.

Pour 1/2 cup tomato juice into bottom of baking dish. Layer extra cabbage leaves along bottom.

Place one meatball into center of cabbage leave, wrap bottom of leaf upwards first and fold other edges over. Secure with toothpick if desired.
Put cabbage rolls in casserole dish and pour 1 cup tomato juice over top.

Cover casserole with foil and bake for 1.5 hours. Remove from oven and let set. Watch for steam when uncovering.

Serves 6, 2 rolls each.

Pot O' Beans

Photo courtesy of Cooking Corner.

 Recently the hubby's niece did a real nice pot of baked beans that were actually simmered with a host of flavor boosts. Her recipe calls for garlic, ginger, cinnamon and beer to add extra flavor. This dish was one of the most talked about sides at the latest family gathering. I really like dishes that you can throw in a pot to let simmer while other chores can be checked off the "To Do" list. This version of "baked" beans as a side dish is well worth a shot.

Pot O' Beans

recipe courtesy of

Amber (Hofman) McHugh

12 oz. bacon

2 onions, chopped

3-5 cloves garlic, chopped

1 red bell pepper

5 cans beans - 

1 can light red kidney beans

2 cans dark red kidney beans

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 12 oz. beer (cook's choice)

1/2 cup BBQ sauce (cook's choice)

1/4 cup molasses

dash cinnamon

1/4 cup light brown sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Brown bacon in large pot. Add onions and bell pepper, cooking until almost tender. Add garlic, stir well and cook for 3-4 minutes. Be careful not to burn.

Add remaining ingredients and mix well to combine. Simmer 2 hours, without lid, stirring often. (Do not boil.)

Let reduce by at least half and cool. Serve or store for next day use. Best after flavors combine.

Serves 8-10 easily.

Pineapple Brat Stir Fry

Photos courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

   There's a local butcher shop that puts together some of their own flavored brats. They have not only chili-cheese and jalapeno-cheese but also Hawaiian brats. A friend of ours recommended the Hawaiian ones a while back, so we gave them a try. The hubby thought they were alright, but not really a big deal. He suggested putting them with something pineapple.
   I took his suggestion and made a stir fry out these brats with some sliced veggies and served them over rice. Soy sauce was optional, but a nice touch. It was very easy and full of flavor.

Pineapple Brat Stir Fry

1 lb. pkg. Hawaiian bratwurst
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red or orange bell pepper, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can pineapple chunks, drained but reserving 1/3 cup juice
sprinkle of Kosher salt
1/2 cup rum (optional)
1 T. olive oil
soy sauce (optional)
1 cup cooked rice

In medium skillet with lid, cook brats in oil, turning frequently until browned on all sides. Remove to plate and set aside.

Add peppers and onions to skillet, sprinkle lightly with salt, cooking over medium heat for 8 - 10 minutes until tender. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Pour rum into skillet to deglaze. Reduce heat, add pineapple and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Return brats to skillet. Add reserved pineapple juice if needed to keep food from sticking to pan or boiling dry.

Simmer for 7 minutes or so just to warm meat back up. Serve over cooked rice. Top with soy sauce if desired. 

Honey Lime Cilantro Slaw

Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

     Over the years I've discovered a variety of types of slaw. None seem to have the bright flavor punch of this slaw. The cilantro adds a bright taste that is enhanced by the lime juice in the dressing. It's balanced out nicely with a touch of honey.
    This particular slaw pairs very well with fish or crab tacos. We had this combination in a restaurant once so this is how I redid it at home.

Honey Lime Cilantro Slaw
1/2 bag slaw mix
1-1/2 T. lime juice
1-1/2 T. olive oil
1 tsp. honey
3/4 cup cilantro
1/2 tsp. kosher slat
1/4 tsp black cracked pepper
1/8 cup onion, diced (optional)
1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional)

In medium bowl, empty half the bag of slaw mix, add onions if using.

In small bowl, make dressing by combining all remaining ingredients except cilantro.

Pour dressing over slaw mix, adding additional salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Add cilantro and mix well.

Chill for an hour or so to combine flavors.

Serves 4.

Cilantro slaw pairs well with crab or fish tacos.
 

Crab tostada with cilantro slaw and pico de gallo.

Italian Broccoli with Parmesan Cheese

Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

     When my kids were younger, I tried to disguise the veggies so that they would eat them. Fresh carrots were served with a side of ranch dressing and French-cut green beans often got a drizzle of Italian dressing to give them a new flavor. It helped tremendously.  
    One night when I was trying to come up with a side dish for dinner, I remembered this idea. So I put some broccoli in a steamer and gave it a drizzle of Italian. After a few minutes in the microwave, a toss to blend the flavors and a sprinkle of Parmesan, this turned out to be a perfect side.

Italian Broccoli with Parmesan Cheese
1 1/2- 2 cups broccoli florets
sprinkle of Kosher salt
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Place broccoli florets into a steamer and sprinkle with salt. Pour salad dressing over broccoli. 

Steam broccoli in microwave 4 minutes. Remove and keep covered, letting sit at least 3 minutes.

When ready to serve, slide broccoli into glass serving bowl. Top with Parmesan cheese and return to microwave for 1-2 minutes, until cheese is slightly melted and soft. Cover until ready to serve.

Makes enough for three side servings.  

 

Spinach Dip

Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

      A zipped up veggie dip is a nice thing to offer at any get together. This spinach dip was one of the options at a recent carry-in at work. There's only a few easy ingredients, it takes very little time and can be made with as much heat as you like.

Spinach Dip

Recipe courtesy Nancy (and Steve) Wilder
10 oz. frozen spinach

1 can water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1 pkg. Knorr's vegetable dip

16 oz. sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Combine all ingredients, mixing well. 

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Dipping options - carrots, celery, sliced button mushrooms and crackers 

Parmesan Green Bean Casserole in the Slow Cooker

Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

     Over the holidays I tried a space saving recipe. I swapped out my normal green beans and potatoes simmering on the stove for a Parmesan green bean casserole made in the slower cooker. Now, it's not that green beans and potatoes are difficult by any means, but by using the slow cooker I've opened up space on the stove or in the oven for other projects.
    This slow cooker casserole went over surprisingly well. I'm convinced that it was the Parmesan and cream of chicken soup, topped off with caramelized French fried onions. It has only 7 ingredients, virtually no prep time and cooks out of the way in the slow cooker. You just dump the stuff in, plug it in and let it be. The flavor was nice and mellow and the texture creamy. It's now become a favorite of the family.

 Parmesan Green Bean Casserole in the Slow Cooker
recipe shared by Mark Short, Mt. Carmel, IL
2 cans French green beans, drained
1 can  condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can  condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 - 6 oz. caramelized French's French Fried onion rings (save 1/2 cup for topping)

In slow cooker, combine all ingredients except the reserved onion rings. Mix well to combine.

Cook on low heat for 5 hours. Top with reserved onion rings before serving.
Serves 8. Recipe easily doubled or tripled for a large event.

Note - Ingredients can be combined ahead of time.

Mexicorn‬ Dip

‪

Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

    While looking through my files of saved recipes that I'd like to get around to trying, I came upon this recipe for a dip using just 6 ingredients. One of my friends had shared this and I tucked it away for a rainy day. With a girls poker game coming up, this seemed like the perfect time to try it. I needed something easy, simple and that would travel well without having to be kept warm or reheat. This worked out great and the girls all gave it a thumbs up.

Mexicorn Corn‬ Dip
2 cans Mexi-corn
1 can Rotel
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 green onions, sliced
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream

Drain corn and place in medium mixing bowl. Add all other ingredients and mix well.

Place covered in fridge for 1-2 hours to chill and combine flavor.

Serve with scoops, crackers or chips.

Makes 4 cups.

Seven Layer Salad

    During the holidays there are potlucks, carry-ins and all kind of get-togethers that require you to bring a dish. This salad, with a few easy ingredients, is a perfect do-ahead dish for such occasions. It is so easy and tasty that it was picked as a finalist in a recent holiday recipe contest. Layer the ingredients in a large clear bowl the night before and it's ready for travel and serving the next day.

Seven Layer Salad

Mary Weber - Francisco, IN

1 2.5 oz. pkg. of real bacon bits

1 head iceberg or romaine lettuce - rinsed, dried and chopped

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 10 oz. pkg. of frozen green peas, thawed

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup chopped cauliflower

1 1/4 cups mayonnaise

2 T. white sugar

2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large clear bowl, place the lettuce and top with a layer of onion, peas, cheddar cheese, cauliflower and bacon. 

Prepare the dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, sugar and Parmesan cheese. Drizzle over salad.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Before serving toss salad to coat.

Honey Bourbon Carrots

Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

   Whenever the grandkids come over for a family dinner, I always try to have some baby carrots on hand. They like to dip them in ranch dressing, maybe bite the carrot, but usually lick off the dip. I pretend I'm offering them veggies for a well balanced diet. I'll even count pickles as a veggie if they eat them.
    After the little darlings have gone back home and it's just the hubby and I, there are still usually some carrots left. I try and use them in a soup, but then what? Well, we add some honey bourbon and make them "adult carrots."

Honey Bourbon Carrots
16 baby carrots, cut in half lengthwise
1/3 cup water
3 T. butter
3 T. honey
3 T. bourbon with honey

Combine all in medium skillet over medium high heat. (Do not cover.)

Cook until carrots are tender and glaze is slightly thickened about 10-12 minutes.

Serves 5-6.

Basil Tomato Slices with Mozzarella

Photos courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

    At the end of summer and fresh tomato season, I'm looking for new ways to use tomatoes. I get bored with doing the same stuff. At a work carry-in lunch not too long ago, one of my coworkers brought in an Italian variation that seemed simple and was a fresh change.
    This Italian tomato salad is my version of her dish. There's no real comparison to fresh mozzarella cheese and basil is a perfect herb to pair with tomatoes. It seems to bring a real pop of flavor to any tomato dish. Since I didn't have a balsamic vinaigrette on hand, I came up with my own that added a nice overall touch to the dish.

Basil Tomato Slices with Mozzarella
1 large slicing tomato
6 thin slices of fresh mozzarella cheese
6 fresh basil leaves
1 T. onion, diced
1clove garlic, diced
1/2 tsp. thyme
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
cracked black pepper
kosher salt

Slice tomatoes and arrange on serving plate side by side. Layer with sliced mozzarella and then top with basil leaf.

In small bowl mix all remaining ingredients and whisk to combine well. Drizzle over tomato layers.

Chill until ready to serve.

Note: Often served with a layer of the thin Italian smoked ham - prosciutto.

Sweet Corn and Bacon Salad

Photo courtesy of Marybeth Feutz

    A few weeks back, I had the opportunity to visit a local farm family, the home of Marybeth and John Feutz. A group of bloggers were invited to learn about sweet corn. Although I am a Hoosier and have almost always lived in the "Corn Belt," I am by no means a farmer. So for me this was a time to actually see things I've always heard about. There was talk of types and uses of corn, growing practices and farm equipment. 
    A lunch was provided that featured Midwestern favorites - bacon, corn and tomatoes. You just can't go wrong with those ingredients, especially when they're all local and fresh.
 

Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

    Our hostess, Marybeth, shared one of her recipes that uses both corn and bacon for great flavor.

Sweet Corn and Bacon Salad
recipe and photo courtesy of Marybeth Feutz

6 slices bacon, diced

1/2 onion, chopped

16 ounce package frozen corn; or 2 cans of corn, drained; or 4 cups of freshly cut kernels
 salt and pepper to taste

dried thyme leaves to taste

4-5 green onions, sliced

In a large skillet, saute bacon and onion over medium-low heat until bacon starts to get crisp (about 10 minutes). Remove bacon and onion and set aside. Discard most of bacon drippings; leave about 1 Tablespoon (enough to coat the bottom of the pan).

Add corn and seasonings to drippings in skillet. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is heated through and any moisture is cooked out.

Return bacon and onion to the skillet, add green onions. Mix well.
 
Garnish with extra green onions.
Serves 4-6.

http://www.alarmclockwars.com/sweet-corn-bacon-salad/
Adapted from http://amzn.to/1TOnsv2 by Gooseberry Patch.

Stuffed Tomatoes

Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

    The end of summer often brings what we in the Midwest have been waiting on all year long - fresh tomatoes. This means real BLTs, homemade pasta sauce, salsa and plenty of tomatoes for canning to use in soups and stews throughout the winter. Many of us like them on the side with just a little salt and pepper.
    If the tomato plants are really happy, once they start popping, you can have more tomatoes than you can keep up with. It's what I call Pandora's tomato box. You wanted those fresh garden tomatoes for months, now you have so many you don't know what to do with them all.
    This simple recipe is an easy way to use some of those tomatoes as a side dish with a few kitchen staples and a little leftover meat.

Stuffed Tomatoes
4 medium tomatoes
2 slices of bread
1/8 cup onion, diced fine
1/8 cup green bell pepper, diced fine
1/2 cup ground meat (beef or sausage) cooked
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375.
Wash tomatoes and core. Place in a small sprayed baking dish.

In small bowl, tear up bread in bits. Add onion, bell pepper, spices and cooked meat.
Mix well and spoon mixture into center of tomatoes. 

Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

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Fiesta Stuffed Peppers

Photos courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

    Stuffed peppers are a summertime favorite of mine. Usually I opt for Spanish rice to fill them with and plop them in the slow cooker. Recently, I found a recipe that used ground meat, beans, corn and tomatoes to make a filling. It's full of protein and probably very healthy. I however, substituted good old hot sausage for the turkey and used some Rotel tomatoes to zip up the flavor.
    This was easy, full of flavor and a new twist on an old classic. It's perfect for when the peppers are popping in the garden.

Fiesta Stuffed Peppers
1 lb. hot sausage
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 can Rotel with green chilies
1 can beans, drained and rinsed (red or black)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 bell peppers, halved and cleaned

1 cup corn (2 small ears with kernels sliced off)
4 bell peppers (any color) halved
1/2 cup taco or Mexican flavored shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cumin

Brown sausage over medium heat in medium large skillet. Drain excess grease.

Add onion, beans, garlic, spices and Rotel tomatoes to the skillet. Simmer for 10-12 minutes. Add corn last and simmer 5 minutes more.

Preheat oven to 350. Spray coat a 13x9x2 baking dish.

Lay halved peppers in casserole and fill with meat mixture to the top edge. Add chicken stock to bottom of baking dish, cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Return to oven, uncovered for 10-15 minutes to melt cheese.

Peppers ready for oven.

Makes 2 peppers as an entree or 1 as a side dish for 4-8 people. Recipe easily cut in half and leftover reheat .

*Note - remaining filling can be spooned into a soft shell taco or used as a side dish.

Bacon and Cheese Turnip Casserole

Photos courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

   What do you do with turnips? That was a question I had recently. After a bit of internet searching it appears that turnips are very much like potatoes and can be used in the same fashion. They can be peeled, boiled and mashed just like potatoes or they can go in the slow cooker with a roast just as easily. They are a bit denser that spuds, but also absorb whatever flavor you put them with (like garlic).
    After delaying dinner with my searching, and a small catastrophe pealing these little root vegetables, I found this idea in a southern cookbook. I cut the recipe in half and added a few other ingredients (like bacon and Panko). However this turned out to be an easy way to use this uncommon veggie.

Bacon and Cheese Turnip Casserole
1 lb. turnips, peeled and chopped
1/8 cup butter
1/2 tsp. minced onion
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

1/8 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/8 cup bacon real bits

Place turnips in large pot or saucepan and cover with water. Bring to boil over medium high heat for 20 minutes until tender. Drain well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray coat 8x8 square baking dish.

In small saucepan or skillet, melt 1 T. butter and saute' onions until tender, about 3 minutes. Add to turnips.

Mix turnips just like mashed potatoes - adding milk, salt, pepper, onion and butter. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese and combine well.

Pour into sprayed baking dish and sprinkle top with bread crumbs and remaining cheese.

Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. 

Serves 2-3.

Creamy Coleslaw

Photo courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

    My youngest son was home for the weekend a little while back and we did some family cooking. I was trying a cucumber salsa and his older brother was making chicken/veggie kabobs for the grill. 
    His contribution was to show us how he makes a sweet, creamy coleslaw. His secret is a touch of sugar and sour cream. It was very good and voted even better than mine.

Creamy Coleslaw

2 bags slaw mix

3/4 cup sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

1-1/2 T. sugar

3 T. vegetable oil

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all in a large bowl and mix well, adjusting as needed.

Chill well to combine flavors. 

Serves 16. Recipe easily cut in half.