Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Cooking Day

This morning it was gray and very wet out from a thunderstorm that dumped lots of rain on us last night. God watered my gardens while I slept.

So, I decided today would be a cooking day. I had several things in mind to do and thought of another two while in the mood.

First on the list was to get the crockpot going with 'Fat Burning Cabbage Soup'. I recently found this recipe online at All Recipes which has a lot of wonderful recipes. This recipe came out years ago and was supposed to help you lose weight. I figured we can eat this for lunch instead of sandwiches. We both like soups and I could stand to lose a few lbs. and this soup is very healthy too. I tweaked it to fit my crockpot, only using half a cabbage, less carrots and onion, added two cut up parsnips, used beef bouillon cubes with water, and 1 can of stewed tomatoes and no tomato juice. It smells wonderful and I look forward to eating it. I also added onion powder and garlic granules, and Italian seasoning.

Original Recipe Yield 15 servings

Ingredients

* 5 carrots, chopped
* 3 onions, chopped
* 2 (16 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, with liquid
* 1 large head cabbage, chopped
* 1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
* 1 (15 ounce) can cut green beans, drained
* 2 quarts tomato juice
* 2 green bell peppers, diced
* 10 stalks celery, chopped
* 1 (14 ounce) can beef broth

Directions

1. Place carrots, onions, tomatoes, cabbage, green beans, peppers, and celery in a large pot. Add onion soup mix, tomato juice, beef broth, and enough water to cover vegetables. Simmer until vegetables are tender. May be stored in the refrigerator for several days.



***

I made coleslaw with the rest of the cabbage, adding grated carrot, minced fresh ginger, craisins, mayo, sugar and Balsamic vinegar.

I used 4 of the outer cabbage leaves for stuffed cabbage rolls with a Bechamel sauce. That is now in the freezer.

I made up meat balls and they are also in the freezer.

I got out chicken fingers to defrost to have with ginger-kiwi sauce tonight. I want to serve that over rice along with some vegetable or other.

Ginger-Kiwi Sauce

1/2 cup each vertically sliced onion, julienne carrot and green pepper

1 tablespoon each julienne fresh ginger root and vegetable oil

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup each packed brown sugar and vinegar

3 kiwifruit, pared and sliced

Saute onion, carrot, green pepper and ginger in oil. Mix cornstarch and water; add brown sugar and vinegar. Pour over vegetable mixture and cook until thickened. Quickly stir in kiwifruit.

Serve over fish, chicken or pork.

***

Last night I made a meatloaf with provolone cheese in the middle, inspired by Sandra's recipe at her blog Full Bellies, Happy Kids. It was yummy, served it with mashed potatoes, and horseradish beets.

Horseradish Beets

1 1-lb can sliced beets (I used fresh beets that I had cooked up)
3 tbs. sugar
1 tbs. cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cider vinegar
2 tsp. prepared horseradish
1 tbs. butter

Drain beets, reserving liquid. Place beets in greased 1 1/2 quart casserole. Blend sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in 3/4 c. beet liquid and vinegar. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Pour over beets; cover. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Yield: 4 servings


Note: A zippy, delicious recipe. Taken from Southern Livings Vegetables cookbook.

***

Another recipe I found lately and want to cook to have with the rest of the meatloaf is
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Cranberries and Pecans found here.
(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:
2 slices bacon (cut into 1/2 inch slices)
1 shallot (diced)
1 pound brussels sprouts (cleaned, quartered, blanched and drained)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
2 tablespoons pecans (chopped)

Directions:
1. Cook the bacon in a pan and set aside reserving 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease.
2. Add the shallots to the pan and cook in the bacon grease and saute until, tender about 3-5 minutes.
2. Add the brussels sprouts to the pan, season with salt and pepper, toss in the grease and saute for a minute.
3. Remove from heat and mix in the cranberries and pecans.

***

I LOVE to cook and bake. My love started in Home Ec classes, 7th and 8th grades of Jr. High. Do they still have Home Ec these days?

When we got married I knew very little about cooking, other than frying pork chops, chicken and hamburgers. I did know how to make tacos, my favorite meal from when I was a little girl. As a newly wed I started collecting recipes, my late MIL sent me lots of recipes, my SIL sent me my first cookbook the first Christmas for DH and I, and now I have over 300 cookbooks. (Mostly bought at yard sales, thrift stores and flea markets.

There is something so satisfying in taking ingredients, putting them all together and coming out with a wonderful dish.

There you have it folks, my days doings. Our little 700 sq ft cottage is smelling really good, and is warming up. It is supposed to get down into the low 40's again tonight.

I'm working at my job for the next three days, now I don't have to figure out what to fix for dinner when I get home. :-)

Happy Cooking, Baking and Eating,


Zone 10 ~ s.e. FL

16 comments:

Sandy said...

Well,you were really cooking up a storm
after the thunderstorm, weren't you?
Everything sounds delicious, especially
the cabbage soup and the brussel sprouts
with bacon. Those are favorites of mine.
I make a wonderful cabbage, potato,leek
soup that we really enjoy.
Blessings,
Sandy

Meems said...

MMMM... this really made me hungry for some reason. :-) I fixed meatloaf for dinner last night, too. That soup sounds delish. I've made so many homemeade soups this winter... I could live off of good soup I think. Thanks for sharing your recipes.
Glad we all got some good rain last night.
Meems

Darcie said...

I remember my mom doing the cabbage soup diet. Really soups are such a great alternative because they are so filling. I am sure it was very satisfy to get all that cooking done in one day. Enjoy!

Karen said...

Oh, how nice to add more recipes to my collection, too! You were really very busy with all of the cooking and now you can come home from work and just select a great meal. Now you have me inspired to put something in our crockpot!

Anonymous said...

I make that cabbage soup a lot! Especially in the winter. It's nice to have something healthy and warm. Hubs usually eats a sandwich with his because he thinks he has to have meat. But for me, I just throw in plenty of tomato, cabbage and onion and then whatever veggies I have on hand. Always yummy.

Balisha said...

Oh, I love all these things. I have days when I cook all kinds of things for the freezer. I love to cook and my hubby will eat most anything. Soups are one of our favorites...I'll have to try the fat burning soup recipe.Nothing more satisfying to me than to fill up our tummies and the freezer...Balisha

Susan said...

You are so smart to prepare meals ahead of time, and they sound so delicious. That brussel sprout dish sounds especially yummy!

Sarah said...

I wish I could be motivated to cook ahead! My daughter and I love soups, and your cabbage soup looks fantastic. Definitely going to give it a try.

Mama Mess said...

I'm for sure gonna have to make those beets. I LOVE horseradish and am going to plant some this year in my garden. I love to cook as well. It's very satisfying to me!

Corner Gardener Sue said...

Hi FlowerLady,
I'm glad you got rain, and not snow. You sure got lots of yummy food put together.

I think I've mentioned I have lots of cookbooks, too. I go in spells where I actually look recipes up in them, and then, frequently change the recipe in some way.

Home Ec is now called Family and Consumer Science. We seem to have a pretty good department at the school I work at. On our recycle routes, I like to see the sewing projects on display. The cooking classes sometimes have times where those available can come eat from a "restaurant" they've set up. I'm not usually available, but was able to take a student a time or two last year.

Cooking does seem to be a lost art.

Morning's Minion said...

With just two of us and no family next door to consume the leftovers, I have to be more careful of quantities. Soup is one of those things that grows and fills a big kettle, but it does freeze well. We even found that half a batch of home made buttermilk donoughts were none the worse for a week in the freezer.

Tom - 7th Street Cottage said...

I'm drooling. I'm getting up in the morning to make spaghetti. I've been craving it all week. I'm considering baking it into a casserole.

gld said...

What a lot of wonderful sounding food! You were a busy lady yesterday.

I have never ever used horse radish in anything...strange isn't it. I know Mom never did. I need to see if it is available in my market.

They don't call it Home Ec now.....too demeaning, I guess. I think a lot of us older ladies learned from those teachers. I still remember mine fondly...she was a character.

Masha said...

You are an accomplished cook, FlowerLady. Chicken with ginger kiwi sauce really caught my eye, I believe I have never seen this combination before. It looks easy and I am going to try it. I will let you know:-)

Autumn Belle said...

It has been raining almost everyday here too.

With what you have managed to cook, it is good for a home party. I really do admire you skills e.g. cooking, sewing, gardening...

Sharon Lovejoy said...

Hi dear,

YOU REALLY gave us a load of good recipes. Thank you. I need a rainy day to relieve me of my watering duties, to give the sweet plants a drink from the heavens, and so I can turn on the old crock pot.

Sending love across the miles,

Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island