Funeral Potatoes Sans Cream of Soup

This comes from my friend Jenny Ball Tufford (over at Happy Hausfrau).  She was in LTYM with me last May and is quite fantastic.  They call these Roadside Potatoes in her family, but these will forever be funeral potatoes to me.  (Is that a Mormon thing?!)  Anyway, we've been cream of soup free for quite a while now (although I did find one last can of cream of mushroom in the back of the pantry last week.  Sending it to school for the next food drive, methinks, since Elsa the cat is more than willing to take care of the tuna we have).

Without further adieu, here you go:


1 (30 oz) package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (I use sharp)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup half and half 
1 medium onion, grated (I just chop fine)
salt
pepper
paprika (I use an all purpose Penzy's spice)
additional 6 T. butter

Combine potaotes, melted butter, cheeses, cream, onion, salt and pepper. Spread mixture in a 9x13 inch well-greased baking dish. Sprinkle with paprika, dot w/ butter. Bake 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Tastes like butter and self loathing.

Clementine Orange Cake and Carmelitas

One old, one new, these are a few of my favorite things.  I have had some requests for recipes, so here  you go.  I'm too lazy to upload pictures right now though.

I tried the Clementine Orange cake today.  It has a very light texture.  I can't take credit for it- I used a recipe from food network, but I did change it slightly.  Here you go:

5 clementines

6 eggs

1 cup + 2tablespoons sugar

2 1/3 cup flour (this is where the tweak is.  you are supposed to use ground almonds, but I don't keep those on hand and I wanted to do this today.  The almonds make it a bit lighter and change the flavor slightly, plus make it gluten free).

1 heaping tsp baking powder

1. Boil the clementines for two hours.  I know this seems like a long time, and make sure to put plenty of water in the pot.  

2. Preheat oven to 375.  Grease a springform pan (mine is 10 inches, the original recipe says to use an 8 inch one).  I also put wax paper in the bottom of mine to help the cake slide out after baking.

3. When the oranges are cool enough to touch them, puree them (yes, peel, that white stuff and everything).  If you have big seeds, pull out the seeds.  I used my immersion blender for this, but it works in a food processor.  I've read that you can also just chop them by hand and you'll just have a chunkier cake.

4. Beat the six eggs in a separate bowl.  I used my immersion blender for this step as well.  

6. Add sugar to the eggs.  (I used my immersion blender on this too).

7. Add the baking powder and flour, mix until it is well blended.  You'll recognize cake batter.

8.  Fold in the orange puree.  

9.  Pour into springform pan.  Bake for 30 minutes (if you are using the 8 inch pan, bake for closer to 45).  

10.  Allow to cool and then remove cake from pan.  I drizzled a powdered sugar/milk glaze on it while it was still warm and it seeped into the cake, giving it a little bit extra sweetness and moisture.

Guys, this was good. 12/28/13 ETA: the next day, this is even better.  

The other recipe I've been asked to share is for Carmelitas.  I used some other recipes to guide me, but tweaked it enough to call it my own.  Here you go.

2 cups flour

1 3/4 cups oats

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt

Mix above ingredients.

Add 1 1/4 cup melted butter and squish together.  A crumbly mixture should form.

Press into a 13x9 pan and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.  

In the meantime, unwrap 1-2 bags of soft caramels (I use the werthers brand, so these bags are a bit smaller than the other brands).  

In a microwave safe bowl microwave caramels and 1 tbsp of milk for 30 seconds.  Stir well.  Continue in microwave in 10 second spurts until caramel is completely melted and blended with the milk.  Add 2 tbsp of flour.

Pull the crust out of the oven and cover with 1 bag of dark chocolate chips.  Then drizzle caramel mixture over the chocolate chips.  Top with the other half of the oatmeal mixture.  Bake for 18 more minutes.

Allow to cool (if you can resist) before you cut, otherwise they get really, really gooey.  

Green Bean Casserole

Over the last year or two, Matt and I have completely phased out cream of whatever soups.  So this year, when we were presented with the task of Green Bean Casserole for Thanksgiving, I had to do some thinking.

I contacted my friend Lisa who went to culinary arts school.  She raised an eyebrow at me when I first asked her about green bean casserole, with a look of disgust similar to the one on Aaron's face as he is reading this.  I quickly explained that I needed to know how to do it without the nasty cream of mushroom soup.  She gave me a couple of basics, I took mental note and tried it out.  The first round wasn't that great (although better than it would be with the canned soup).  The second round turned out delightful.  Sadly, I didn't write down any exact measurements, but here's the gist:

1 container mushrooms
1/2 container of half and half
pepper
a couple baby spoonfuls of cornstarch
some water
3 cans of green beans
a couple dollops of sour cream
french fried onions

Sautee the mushrooms in a little bit of olive oil.  When they soften a bit, add the half and half and some pepper to taste.  Make a slurry with the cornstarch and water.  Make it pretty thick.  When the half and half and mushrooms are simmering pretty well, add the slurry.

In a casserole pan, empty the green beans.  Add the sour cream and about half of the onions.  Pour the mushroom sauce over it and mix well.  Top with the rest of the onions and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

You'll want to add salt to taste as well.  And these are particularly good the second day with a few spoonfuls of gravy.

Sweet Corn Restaurant Side

This is a re-creation of that scoop of sweet corn stuff they put on the side of your plate in Mexican Restaurants.  Don't know what it is called...

Beat together:
2 sticks butter
2/3 c corn flour (masa harina)
1/2 c water

Separate bowl mix:
1/2 c corn meal
2/3 c granulated sugar
1/4 c cream (I think milk would work)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Merge the two along with a bag (approx 3 cups) of corn (frozen or fresh), lightly chopped.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes in a 13 x 9 floating in another pan of water.

Brother Staples' Enchilada Sauce and Enchiladas

Sauce

1 lg. can Tomato Sauce​​​​​​½ the can full of water

¼ to ½ cup Chili Powder (or more)​​​​2/3 cup Corn Starch

¾ c. Sugar​​​​​​​¾ c. Vinegar

1 t. Oregano​​​​​​​1 t. cumin

1 t. Garlic Powder​​​​​​1 T. + ¾ t. Salt

¼ t. Pepper​​​​​​​2 -3 doz. Corn Tortillas

2 lbs. grated Cheese

Garnish:

1 medium Onion finely chopped

Shredded Lettuce

Sour Cream

Stir all dry ingredients together. Mix the tomato sauce and the water then add the dry ingredients.

Simmer on stove for several hours. While gravy is cooking get you tortillas ready and grate your cheese.

Finely chop 1 medium onion, shred lettuce and get out the sour cream.

Heat a flat skillet with oil and fry tortillas quickly on both sides (2 or 3 seconds is all).

Dip in the gravy on both sides, put on a plate and fill with cheese and onions if you want. Roll it up and put in a baking dish. Repeat until the pan is full and then spread some more gravy on top sprinkle with more grated cheese and onions and bake until the cheese melts.

Serve with whatever garnish you like and enjoy!

Brother Staples' Chili Verde

Hatch's Green Chiles - 2 x 16oz cans
Diced Tomatoes - 1 x 12oz can
Onion - 1 - diced
Chili Powder - 4 T
Cumin - 1 t
Garlic - 4 cloves, minced
Chicken Stock - 1/2 qt
Pork Roast 1-1/2 to 2 lb cubed
Cayenne Pepper - to taste
Salt - to taste

Cube pork & brown. Dice chilies and onion. Throw everything in a pot & cook on low for 5-7 hours. Eat it. Be happy.

(Especially good the next morning on breakfast eggs...)

Pa's pancakes

I'm calling Dad out on and telling him he needs to post his pancake recipe!  For those who haven't tried the newest concoction- You are missing out.

In fact, I think we should get a picture of a the grandkids eating "Pa's Pancakes" and submit it to some cooking magazines.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with M and Ms

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 jar peanut butter
• 1 ½  cup white sugar
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 ½  cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½  teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½  teaspoon salt
• Chocolate chips
• M and Ms

Instructions

1. In a large bowl beat together butter and peanut butter using an electric mixer until well combined.
2. Add sugars and continue to beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon of salt and mix just until blended.
3. Stir in chocolate chips and m and ms (as many or as few as you’d like).  Drop by spoonful on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not over bake.  

Truth be told, this is from a recipe I found on Pinterest.  I adjusted it enough to claim it as my own.  

I'll even post a picture.

Smashed Potatoes

small, yellow potatoes
cheddar cheese
crumbled bacon

Bake the potatoes until soft.  On a pan covered with parchment paper, smash each potato individually- just one smash so they look flattened.  Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon.  Put them back in the hot oven and let the cheese get all melty.

Jello Popcorn

1/4 cup butter
3 Tbls corn syrup

Melt together over medium heat until butter is melted.  Add:

1 3.5 oz package of Jello
1/2 cup sugar

Stir until combined and then let simmer for 5 mins.

Dump over 8 cups of popped popcorn.

If you want it to stay gooey, then it's done.  If you want it crunchy, bake at 300 degrees for 10 mins.

Mini German Pancakes

These were a pinterest find and were a hit with my kids. 

Mini German Pancakes
1 cup milk
6 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. orange zest (optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Blend first six ingredients (milk thru orange zest) in a blender. Be careful to see that any flour clumps get well-blended.
2. Blend in butter a little at a time in order to temper the eggs.
3. Grease muffin tins well and distribute batter evenly between 24 tins. Bake for 15 minutes, or until puffy and golden on top.
4. Served with your favorite toppings.

Mom's Banana Bread

3/4 cup margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
4 mashed bananas (mom usually puts more. Lots more. I recall she told me once that she was pretty sure she jut doubled the bananas.  That's why her bread always turns our waaaay more dense and moist than everyone elses dry fluffy flavorless banana bread)
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Nuts or chocolate chips if desired. (I have begun taking the D&C 4:3 approach to recipes. Look it up and count it as your scripture study for the day.)

Makes 3 regular loaves, bake for 60-75 minutes, longer if there is more banana in it.