Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Why Three Cookbooks and What are the Differences Between Them?

 At last, I have all three of my little cookbooks available for you in both Kindle and paperback formats. 

You might wonder: Why three and what are the differences between them?  


A Vintage Pantry Cookbook was born of my finding a little book of recipes my mom had given us one Christmas, and wanting to preserve them. Although my mom could cook just about anything well, these recipes of hers were primarily geared for cooking with inexpensive ingredients you can keep on hand. To further that concept, I decided to add simple quick breads which can be made without fresh milk and eggs. Later, I decided to create and add some simple crock pot soups, again, ones which could be made primarily from the pantry. When I lost my job to the 2020 pandemic - and some foods became harder to get - I finished the book and put it on Kindle in the hopes it might help people. And now I have finally put it in paperback also. I hope you might find it helpful. 


The 1-Button Rice Cooker Cookbook saved my budget and my sanity at a time when I was tired of cooking (and I wasn't comfortable in the little kitchen I had at the time either). We had only three of us at home to cook for, as most of our children had grown and moved on. I told my husband, "If we had lots of money, I would eat out every night." But I'm the frugal one, and I didn't really mean it (and we didn't have lots of money). So I started buying more convenience foods, and then I bought  a rice cooker so I could add flavorings without buying those rice packets. That's when the idea of rice cooker meals caught my attention on the internet. I got a Kindle book by Neal Bertrand, called Rice Cooker Meals, Fast Home Cooking for Busy People. I loved what he did with it, but it was Cajun cooking, and I'm a Westerner who grew up with a Midwestern mother.  So, I started adapting recipes we knew to the rice cooker, and my son Robert and I began creating more recipes, as well, mostly with rice or pasta, but a few others too. During this time, two new cookers came out, the instant pot and the fuzzy logic rice cooker (I still  haven't wrapped my head around that second one.). But people talked about the learning curve, and I still wanted something where I - and those friends who had asked me about easy cooking - could just pop the foods in and walk away, and come back to a meal a half hour or an hour later.  We still use the meals in this book several times a week. 


The Myers Family Cookbook was the first cookbook I wrote, and is somewhat of a basic teaching cookbook. It's not as comprehensive as Betty Crocker or Mark Bittman, but it takes the reader through steps for making a number of different dishes.You see, when I got married, I knew how to cook eggs and quesadillas, and make a salad, and not much else. When my mom got married, she didn't know how to cook very much, either. I decided I would break that chain, so I had my six children cook with me, as soon as they could safely stand on a chair. They have become better cooks than I am. This cookbook includes some family memories and a few of their creative recipes (although I think most of them, now, often cook without recipes, though they look on the internet for ideas).


I hope you might enjoy one or more of these books. All of them are available on Amazon. You can click the above book links or visit my Amazon Author Page

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

A Vintage Pantry Cookbook

Okay, I have just set my newest little cookbook, A Vintage Pantry Cookbook, to be free, as of tomorrow morning, for five days. I thought it might be useful at this time. (Five days is the maximum free period which Amazon allows in a 90 day period.)

"Two dozen recipes you can make with foods you can keep in your pantry, refrigerator, or freezer. Or you can just take a journey back through other times. You will find simple quick breads made without milk or eggs. You will find Spanish rice and crock pot soups and chili. You will also find some original recipes for meals you have probably never heard of before now. Whether you add the recipes to your collection or simply enjoy the trip into 20th Century America, enjoy."

If anyone noticed that I was looking for crock pot soup recipes recently, you see, the soups in this book are made from canned goods. Also, they are made in small batches (4 or 5 cups of soup). However, some of the other dishes in the book are able to serve more people or can be doubled.
Free from Wednesday, April 1, 2020, 12:00 AM PDT through Sunday, April 5, 2020, 11:59 PM PDT.
I have set this to public in case anyone would like to share.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086L1MPSV?fbclid=IwAR3pMUKwTkg_vI1FUWGSnMdVpqwnsZ_ooaNSJl2RlWA3RdFwySlAjRhOYaA

Saturday, December 08, 2012

Ranger Cookies

Ranger Cookies were a family favorite when I was growing up, and my sister Chris - who died a year ago today - continued to make them for herself and her husband through the years. She especially enjoyed making them for her daughters and granddaughters.  So, today I decided to make some. But I had not continued to make them as she had, so I didn't know where to find the family recipe. I could probably have gotten it from my niece, but that would have been too easy. Besides, I didn't think of that until I was "ready to go"...and of course, California is three hours behind me.

After perusing dozens of recipes online, I found one I liked...and then I "messed with it".  I wanted the cookies to have a little less fat. So I cut the fat almost in half (but I adapted in order to do that). But that doesn't mean we can eat them by the handful, because I didn't cut the sugar down at all. If you wanted to do that, you probably could...or you could use a sugar substitute, if that's what you do.

One more thing. There is no one basic ingredient list for Ranger Cookies. The ingredients vary widely, kind of like a minestrone soup. (Did I just compare cookies to soup?) If you have your own favorite recipe or favorite ingredients, go for it. And maybe you'd like to share yours, or a link, in the comments.

Without further comment, here's my recipe. Wait, I gotta' get another cookie first.

RANGER COOKIES


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cream together the following ingredients:


3 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg, beaten with a fork
1 teaspoon vanilla

Measure the dry ingredients onto the above, and then mix:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or unbleached flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Now add these ingredients and mix again:
1 cup rolled oats (quick-cooking but not instant)
1 cup corn flakes, slightly crushed
¼ cup coconut

Spray a cookie sheet lightly with vegetable oil spray. (This is not absolutely necessary and you usually bake these kind of cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet. But I sprayed the cookie sheet because I had cut down on the fat.)  Use a teaspoon to drop about two teaspoonsful (a heaping teaspoonful) of cookie dough, 12 to a pan. 

Bake for 10 minutes until golden. I always bake a test cookie first to make sure the dough, oven temperature, and time are going to sync. (For those using screen-readers, I meant synchronize, not like the kitchen sink, which, incidentally, is what some people call ranger cookies.).  

Use a spatula to move baked cookies to a wire rack to cool. 

Makes about 2 dozen.  Big family or company coming?  Should be simple to double the recipe.




Saturday, December 15, 2007

What is Your Favorite Herb or Spice?

This isn't one of those cute little quiz things. Just a question.

Last night I was giving my daughter a beef stew recipe over the phone - a recipe I've had for many years - and I saw that I had written in the margin "add 1/4 teaspon thyme". I have a meatless split pea soup recipe that I made up myself which includes thyme. And whenever I make an omelet (a couple times a week), I put thyme inside. I knew I loved a touch of thyme but it wasn't until I was dictating this recipe last night that I realized how long this has been true.

What is your favorite herb or spice and how do you use it? I'd love to hear from you about this in the comments box.

Saturday, March 31, 2007

Country Bean Soup

Country Bean Soup

This soup is pretty quick to make.

2 cans Great Northern beans, 15 or 16 oz. each, drained
1 can potatoes, 15 oz., diced or sliced

1 cube or teaspoon chicken bouillon
1 ½ cups chopped celery
¾ cup diced carrots
½ cup chopped onion

Sauté the vegetables in a little vegetable oil.
Add some water and the bouillon, and simmer until vegetables are tender.

Combine with the Great Northern beans and potatoes and heat through.
Serves 4 to 6.

Friday, March 30, 2007

Teen Tea

Teen Tea

I’m calling this Teen Tea because my three boys are teens; however, there’s nothing here that wouldn’t be good for children. I just haven’t tested it on the taste buds of children.

3 tea bags of naturally caffeine-free fruit tea
(such as Celestial Seasonings brand Tangerine Orange Zinger,
Wild Berry Zinger, or other brand or flavor of tea)
1/3 cup sugar
2 quart pitcher
Water

Fill the 2-quart pitcher with water.
Put 3 tea bags in the water, and cover the pitcher.
Let sit at room temperature for about three hours.
Squeeze the tea bags against the side of the pitcher with a long spoon,
and then remove the tea bags.
Add the 1/3 cup sugar and stir.
Chill in refrigerator.

This is easy for me to remember: 3 tea bags, 3 hours, 1/3 cup sugar (not 3 cups! Ha).

Using name brand tea and name brand sugar, at regular price, I figured the cost at just over 7 cents per 8 oz. cup or about 56 cents for the pitcher. Of course, I buy generic sugar, and buying the tea on sale provides even more savings. This is cheaper than soda pop or juice drinks, without the harmful chemicals. And they’re even getting “good stuff” such as rosehips and hibiscus.

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Speaking of Chocolate

Richer Cocoa

Love that Starbucks Cocoa! Umm. I used to try to duplicate it at home, but without success. But I did learn how to make a richer cup of hot chocolate. Very simply. Very cheaply. I make up my hot chocolate from generic hot chocolate powder mix, but then I add about a teaspoon of instant powdered milk and stir. Now it doesn’t taste like water. It tastes like hot chocolate!

Sometimes (when it's not Lent--smile), I also add a squeeze of Nestle's syrup.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Meatless Split Pea Soup

This is probably the most economical dinner my family has. I figure it makes up for the relatively expensive pizza night! (That's frozen pizza from Sam's club, though.)

This is my method for cooking pea soup when I have an afternoon to work around the house and go back and forth to the kitchen. I have also made pea soup concentrate for my freezer and made the soup from that, or made pea soup in the crockpot. But the following method works better for me than any of the other methods I've tried. (That's better, as in tastier.)

Soak 2 cups split peas (about a half pound) in 12 cups water for several hours in a large pan (I use a Dutch oven). The peas will absorb much of the water as they soak. Add some more water if needed, a little more than enough to cover the peas but not too much; as if you were boiling potatoes. (You can always add more water later, but it's hard to redeem watered-down soup.) Bring almost to a boil, stirring frequently. Simmer.

While the peas are simmering, chop and add 2 cups of a variety of finely diced vegetables of your choice, such as onion, bell pepper, celery, or carrots. Continue to simmer and stir until the peas are tender and the carrots and celery can be cut easily. Mash the peas with a potato masher or a spoon. If soup becomes too thick while you are cooking the vegetables, you can add more water, a little at a time. You will probably need to do so.

Add salt to taste (I start with 3/4 teaspoon). I like to add about 1/4 teaspoon thyme in my pea soup.

Take a look again at the consistency. Dip your spoon in the soup and let it flow off the spoon back into the pot. If you already know and love split pea soup, you will know what consistency you want. If not, my recommendation is to get it as thin as a rich gravy (a rich gravy for potatoes, not a thick gravy for biscuits). But in my opinion, the consistency is definitely a matter of personal taste.

I like to serve split pea soup with biscuits. And for the ones in the family who want meat with their soup, I will sometimes warm and chop a few weiners, and serve them in a bowl like a garnish.

This recipe serves about six people. If you want to make more, you can double the amounts. Good luck and God bless.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Mother Daughter Casserole

I call this Mother-Daughter Casserole because I was inspired by a childhood favorite, "Classic Green Bean Casserole" and my mother's recipe of a few years ago, "Ethel's Special Quick Casserole". (Okay, Joe, it isn't a LOT like your favorite dinner in Grandma's little cookbook, but it's good and it's simple.)

2 lbs. lean ground beef
2 cans (10 1/2 oz. ea.) cream of mushroom soup
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. ea.) cut green beans
1 pkg. (28 oz.) frozen mini Tater Tots (registered tradename of Ore-Ida) or other brand seasoned, hash brown potato puffs
1 can French fried onions (6 oz.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground beef. Mix drained ground beef with the soup, green beans, and Tater Tots.

Put mixture into a 13 X 9 X 2 inch pan (or a 3 quart casserole). Cook for 30 minutes. Top with the French fried onions and cook another ten minutes.