Cooking and Baking

My week was all about cooking. I had promised myself that I'd stop wasting food, so to save two bananas, I made Banana-Nut Muffins.

BANANA MUFFINS

1-3/4 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar
1-1/4 tsps cream of tartar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup chopped pecans
2 bananas, mashed
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup oil
 
Heat oven to 400°.
 
Grease muffin tins (makes 18).
 
Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
 
In another bowl, mix wet ingredients and pour into well.
 
Mix just until moistened.
 
Bake 12-15 minutes.
 
Note: Use a spoon to mix wet and dry ingredients. Whisking makes them tough.

 

Then to save two cups of buttermilk, I made Oatmeal-Raisin muffins. This is a good recipe. When you warm the muffins a few seconds in the microwave, they're just like fresh baked.

OATMEAL MUFFINS

2 cups regular oats – not quick oats
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsps cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup raisins
 
Mix oats and buttermilk in a large mixing bowl and set aside. Leave at room temperature 30 minutes – no longer than 1 hour.
 
Heat oven to 400 °F. Put paper liners in two 12-cup muffin tins.
 
Whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside.
 
Stir brown sugar and eggs into the oat mixture.
 
Mix in melted butter and vanilla, then blend in flour mixture and raisins.
 
Fill muffin tins and bake 15-20 minutes. Cool before removing from tins.
 

I had another cup of buttermilk, so I made Corn Muffins. This was a new recipe I've had for years, but never tried. I chose it because it has brown sugar, which is unusual. They came out crispy and yummy. They're best reheated in an air fryer to retain the crusty outside, but the microwave won't ruin them. Still edible. And such an easy recipe.

                                                CORN MUFFINS

1-1/4 cups cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
 
Heat oven to 425°F.
 
Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
 
Mix dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another.
 
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until moistened.
 
Pour into muffin cups and bake 12-15 minutes.
 
Cool in tins before removing.

I think I must have been in a hamburger and tomatoes mood, because I made Sloppy Joes from my existing recipe.

SLOPPY JOES – OLD RECIPE

1 recipe sloppy Joe mix (below)
1 lb ground chuck (or other hamburger)
1 cup chopped onions
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 Tbs white vinegar
2 tsps Worcestershire sauce
 
Brown hamburger and onions.
 
Drain grease.
 
Stir in mix.
 
Stir in tomato sauce, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce and heat thoroughly.
 
Sloppy Joe Mix:
2 Tbs flour
2 Tbs packed brown sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp chili powder
1-1/2 tsps salt
1/3 tsp pepper
 
Note: While you’re measuring, make two recipes of mix and freeze one for next time.

Then I decided to try a new recipe I've been dragging around for years. I didn't take a picture, as it would look just like the old recipe, but without the onions.

SLOPPY JOES – NEW RECIPE

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. ground beef (I use 87-13)
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tbs packed brown sugar
1 tsp prepared mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
Black pepper
 
Mix together all but the ground beef and garlic, and set aside.
 
Put a few drops of oil in a large skillet and cook the garlic briefly, until golden brown.
 
Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned.
 
Drain the grease.
 
Stir in the sauce and simmer ten minutes.
 

I shared this with Joey to see which she liked better, and then we started wondering what they would taste like if I combined the recipes. So I did. Again no photo.

SLOPPY JOES – COMBINED RECIPE

1 recipe Sloppy Joe mix (below)
1 recipe Sloppy Joe sauce (below)
2 lbs. ground beef (I use 87-13)
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
 
Brown hamburger with onions and garlic.
 
Drain grease.
 
Stir in Sloppy Joe mix.
 
Stir in Sloppy Joe sauce.
 
Heat thoroughly.
 
Sloppy Joe Mix:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbs flour
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1-1/2 tsps salt
1/2 tsp pepper
 
Sloppy Joe Sauce:
2 8-oz cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tbs white vinegar
3 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp prepared mustard
 

I was up to my ears in Sloppy Joes, so I shared some with Terri. 

My conclusion: It's hard to mess up Sloppy Joes; all recipes are good.

The old recipe is good because it has chopped onion - your white vegetable for the day. 

The new recipe is easier, but I'll reduce the ketchup by half if I make it; a little too sweet and a little too runny.

I would probably make the combined recipe if making Sloppy Joes to share, as it makes twice as much without having to figure out how to double either of the other two recipes.

Still in the hamburger-tomatoes mood, I made Missouri Goulash.

MISSOURI GOULASH

1 cup uncooked macaroni, cooked 
1 lb hamburger
1 medium onion, chopped
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 Tbs taco seasoning mix
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
 
Cook macaroni.
 
Brown hamburger with onion in a large skillet. Drain grease.
 
Add macaroni and remaining ingredients to skillet.
 
Simmer to blend flavors.
 
Taco Seasoning equal to one envelope from the store:
2 tsps chili powder, 1-1/2 tsps ground cumin, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp dried oregano, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

And I still wasn't finished. I made meatloaf.

MEATLOAF

1 lb. 85-87% lean ground beef
1 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1 egg
3/4 of an 8 oz can tomato sauce (just pour and save the balance)
20 Ritz-style crackers, crushed

Topping:
Balance of tomato sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
2 Tbs packed brown sugar
 
Heat oven to 350°.
 
For easy cleanup, line a baking pan with 1-2” sides and line with heavy aluminum foil. Oil the foil. Or line a baking pan with foil, and then oil a rack to put over it.
 
In large mixing bowl, add all ingredients except topping, and mix well with your hands.
 
Shape into 4-6 mini-loaves.
 
Bake 40-45 minutes, depending on size of loaves.
 
Remove from oven and drain off grease unless you’re using a rack.
 
Mix topping and spoon over loaves.
 
Bake an additional 10-15 minutes.

Then to save some red potatoes, I made potato salad to share with Terri to go with her Sloppy Joes.

POTATO SALAD

4 cups cubed potatoes, red or white rose preferred
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup, finely chopped sweet onion, Vidalia, Maui, Texas Sweet
4 boiled eggs, chopped
3/4 cup mayonnaise or more
Salt
 
Peel, cube, and boil the potatoes just until tender. Drain and cool.
 
In a large mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, celery, onion, mayonnaise, and salt. Add more mayonnaise, if desired.
 
Fold in the eggs.
 
Chill. If salad needs more mayonnaise, stir in gently.
 
Note: If you like more pizazz, you can add pickles, relish, mustard.

Then to save the Russet potatoes, I made mashed potatoes, which I shared with Joey to go with her four mini-meatloaves.

When I wasn't cooking, I was working on cards - 64 of them. What was I thinking?! I saw an easy slimline card (fits in a check-sized envelope) that I wanted to try, so I started cutting a 6" x 6" pad, and forgot to stop. I cut up the entire pad. They're all finished except the enhancements. 

Some will have die-cut "Thank You" or "Hello" on front, and some will have stamped "Just a Note." I'll leave Thank You and Just a Note blank inside for writing my message, and Hello will have a stamped or sticker message inside. 

Not a very interesting week. I'll try to do better.

PLEASE STAY OUT OF THE HEAT

OR GO JUMP IN THE LAKE

DON'T SPEND A WEEK COOKING - TOO HOT

WATERMELON TIME

AND FRESH CORN ON THE COB

DON'T FORGET LOTS OF GREEN SALADS

GUESS I STILL HAVE FOOD ON MY MIND

THANK YOU FOR SHARING MY LIFE