Christine's Pantry

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Easy Burgers

1 pound ground beef

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

5 toasted hamburger buns, for serving

Directions:

Prepare inside grill. In a bowl, mix beef, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Use your hands to form the mixture into patties (5 equal size patties). Grill the burgers, flipping once, to desire done-ness. About 14 minutes. Serve on toasted buns and top with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!

Monday, January 24, 2011

Cinnamon Spice Cake

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup applesauce

1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix

1 (18 oz) box spice cake mix

6 tablespoons sugar

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bundt pan with your favorite non stick cooking spray. Combine cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs, applesauce, instant vanilla pudding mix and beat together well. In a separate bowl combine, sugar, cinnamon and walnuts. Pour half of batter in bundt pan and sprinkle sugar mixture. Pour rest of batter in pan. Bake 1 hour. Cool and remove from pan. Dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Dinner at North Main BBQ

On Saturday, we went to dinner at North Main BBQ, in Euless, Texas. There's a big pig statue in the front. They are open only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. When you enter the place, a nice smoke smell greets you. They have a great buffet. All you can eat for $12.00. Buffet consisting of ribs, pulled pork, brisket, sausage, chicken, potato salad, cole slaw and baked beans, and the rest of the fixings that you would expect at any family BBQ. And for drinks, sweetened & unsweetened tea from huge converted plastic trash cans with a pour-spout on the bottom. And for those that don’t like tea, they have a soda machine as well. For dessert, they have serve soft ice cream. The food is cooked perfectly. The employees there are sweet and friendly. They make you feel like you are family. It's almost like going to a family reunion. Their ribs have been voted best in the world, and I have to agree! They have been seen on Food Network and the Travel channel.

Copyright 2011 Christine's Pantry. All rights reserved.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Chicken Rice Soup

Stay inside where it's warm this winter with a bowl of soup! Sit in your favorite living room chair or sit on the sofa and wrap yourself up in a blanket while you enjoy homemade soup. This soup so easy and affordable to prepare, and make extra to save some for later. So whether you’re watching the snow falling outside your window, watching the fire in your fireplace, or just thinking about being home. I know this soup will keep you warm inside out.

Copyright 2011 Christine's Pantry. All rights reserved.

Ingredients:

1 whole rotisserie chicken, skin, bones, cartilage removed, shredded

1 medium onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, sliced, with leafy green tops

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups long grain white rice, uncooked

4 cups chicken broth

pinch crushed red pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley

2 bay leaves

1 heaping tablespoon garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and add the celery, onions and carrots, cook until softened, stirring occasionally. Add chicken broth and remaining ingredients. Bring to boil, reduce heat to a simmer, for about 20 minutes, or until rice is tender. Discard bay leaves. Enjoy!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Ultimate Chicken Chili

Another cold windy day here. Brrrr. I'm chilly. A pot of chili on the stove top is a delicious sign that cooler weather has arrived. A good day to stay home next to the fireplace and have large bowl of chili. Chili can warm you up from inside out.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground chicken

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 cup chicken broth

1 (10 oz) can diced green chilies

1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 oz shredded monterey jack cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Cook chicken and onion in oil 4 or 5 minutes, or until onion is tender. Stir in chicken broth, green chillies, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in beans, and simmer for 5 more minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Garnish with shredded cheese. Enjoy!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Mom's Easy Caramel Popcorn

It's national popcorn day! I thought this would be a good recipe today.

Copyright 2011 Christine's Pantry. All rights reserved.

Ingredients:

3 quarts popped corn

3 cups unsalted mixed nuts

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup karo light or dark corn syrup

1/2 cup butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

In a large shallow roasting pan, combine popcorn and nuts. Place in 250 degree oven, while pre-paring glaze. In a 2 quart saucepan stir sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt. Stir constantly. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Without stirring, boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla, baking soda, pour over popcorn mixture. Stir to coat. Bake 1 hour in 250 degree oven. Stirring occasionally. Cool break apart. Store in airtight container. Makes about 4 quarts. Enjoy!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Slow Cooker Spaghetti With Italian Sausage

I grew up eating spaghetti mom prepared in a slow cooker. She'd make a big batch and we would enjoy it for a few nights. The slow cooker is short on prep, but long on flavor. The longer food cooks, the flavors marry together. Winter, there's no better time to enjoy slow cooking. Cook meals in a slow cooker while you sleep, work, play or run errands.

1 (26 oz) jar of herb and basil spaghetti sauce

2 (14.5 oz) cans stewed tomatoes

2 (14.5 oz) cans tomatoes sauce

3 (8 oz) cans tomatoes sauce

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

1/4 cup sugar

4 bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 stalks of celery, diced

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 cup fresh mushrooms

2 pounds hamburger

3 (4 oz)sweet Italian sweet sausage

3 (4 oz) Italian hot sausage

1 pound spaghett

Directions:

Add, spaghetti sauce, stewed tomatoes, tomatoes sauce, diced tomatoes, sugar, bay leaves, salt and pepper, garlic, dried oregano, celery, onion, bell pepper in a slow cooker. In a frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown hamburger breaking meat up with a fork as it cooks. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from the pot. Heat the remaining fat over medium-high heat and add mushrooms cook until softened, stirring occasionally. Add to sauce. Brown Italian sausage breaking meat up with a fork as it cooks, about 10 minutes. Drain grease. Add to sauce. Stir often. Add another small can of tomatoes sauce if needed. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. As simmering time nears, in a large pot with boiling salted water cook spaghetti until al dente. Toss spaghetti with cooked sauce. Enjoy!

Friday, January 14, 2011

Baked Mustard Tilapia

Copyright 2011 Christine's Pantry. All rights reserved.

Ingredients:
2 (8 oz) tilapia fillets
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon dry thyme
1 tablespoon spicy mustard
non stick cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a shallow baking dish with cooking spray. Place tilapia in baking dish and sprinkle evenly with salt, pepper, dry thyme. Spread each fish with spicy mustard. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Gumdrop Cake

I love my mom's cooking / baking and loved to help mom in the kitchen. As a young girl, I would pull a chair to the counter and help mom bake. I would get flour all over my shirt. Good times in the kitchen with mom. Gumdrop cake taste great! Yummy! Hope you enjoy making this cake as much as I do.

Copyright 2011 Christine's Pantry. All rights reserved.

Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 pound white raisins
2 pounds colored gumdrops, chopped (do not use licorice gumdrops)
1 1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 cup pecans, chopped
4 cups flour
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, salt, spices, cream shortening. Add sugar, eggs. Beat well. Add applesauce, gumdrops which have been floured, nuts, raisins, flavorings, baking soda dissolved in water. Pour mixture into greased and floured bundt pan. Bake 1 hour. Enjoy!
Note: must flour gumdrops before adding to batter.

Apple Crunch Cake

Copyright 2011 Christine's Pantry. All rights reserved.

Ingredients:
2 (20 oz) cans of apple pie filling
1 box of yellow cake mix
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup melted butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 13x9 pan. Empty both apple pie filling into pan. Cover with dry yellow cake mix (do not stir), top with walnuts, drizzle melted butter over top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Enjoy!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Ultimate Tarter Sauce

Copyright 2011 Christine's Pantry. All rights reserved.

Ingredients:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons sweet relish
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 dashes cayenne
1 dash dried dill
1 teaspoon cocktail sauce

Directions:
Mix all ingredients. Place in airtight container. Enjoy!

Smoked Pork Chops

Ingredients:

4 butterfly pork chops

1/2 cup honey

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons liquid smoke

2 tablespoons steak seasoning

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pork chops in a large resealable plastic bag, add honey, soy sauce, liquid smoke, steak seasoning, being sure pork chops are cover with mixture. Spray 11x15 casserole with your favorite non stick cooking spray. Bake until cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

No Bake Chocolate Thins

Directions:
Place a sheet of parchment paper on sheet pan. Melt the chocolate over low heat. Stir chocolate frequently with a rubber spatula. Using a tablespoon, pour the melted chocolate in rounds onto the parchment paper. Sprinkle the tops evenly with the cherries and pecans. Set aside to harden. Enjoy!